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The Real Cinderella
05-02-2007, 10:08 AM
I am working on putting a Disneyland unit together for my 5th graders. Ideally, I could integrate it into all aspects of the curriculum (budgeting for math, trip reports for language arts, etc.). At the end of the process, I would love to take the kids to the park. Not sure if that is feasible, but here's hoping.

Anyway, this unit is something that probably won't be utilized until next year, but I have to pitch the idea to the team next week. I am putting together a few sample lesson plans, along with a powerpoint presentation.

And here is where you all come in ...

I am wondering: what is your favorite Disneyland fact? Or quotation? I want to do a "fact slide" for each of the main attractions, as kind of an overview. History and little known trivia is something that would really grab the student's attention. (And never fear, I will definitely give the appropriate credit-where-credit-is-due to all of my sources, including my Mouseplanet buddies!)

I am excited about this project! Ideas and suggestions are welcomed with open arms! So .... what is your favorite Disneyland fact?

PanFan
05-02-2007, 10:31 AM
Gosh, so many! The first one that jumped to my mind was how 11,000 people were invited to opening day but 28,000 showed up (over half using counterfeit tickets). And how one guy put a ladder up over the berm (I think it was near Tomorrowland) and charged like $5 to let people over (at least until he got caught!).

I also like telling people that the main characters in the Fantasyland dark rides didn't used to be there. Peter Pan, Alice, Snow White--none of them were in the dark rides bearing their name because the idea was that you "became" the main character for the ride (Mr. Toad is still that way). But so many people kept asking where Snow White and Peter and Alice were that for the 1983 remodeling of Fantasyland, they added them in.

I'm sure I'll think of more later...

bloodnswash
05-02-2007, 10:50 AM
For some great quotes there's a book called "The Quotable Walt Disney".

DangerMouse
05-02-2007, 11:22 AM
Many many facts can be found in the Mousetales books.

For a simple one, how about the fact that the lamp in Walt's old apartment above the Firestation is always lit.

vegasmommytoDL
05-02-2007, 11:22 AM
I have always thought it was interesting how before Fantasmic they make this loud sound to "scare" away the birds. A tour guide told me that the reason the birds all fly away when they hear the sound isn't because they are scared but because when they play that sound the birds know they will be fed on the other side of the park!

I always thought that was interesting, and it relates to science! It reminds me of Pavlov's Dogs!

The Real Cinderella
05-02-2007, 11:41 AM
I have always thought it was interesting how before Fantasmic they make this loud sound to "scare" away the birds. A tour guide told me that the reason the birds all fly away when they hear the sound isn't because they are scared but because when they play that sound the birds know they will be fed on the other side of the park!

I always thought that was interesting, and it relates to science! It reminds me of Pavlov's Dogs!

Ooooh, classical conditioning. I like it!

Great ideas, everyone. Keep 'em coming

CharmingsWoman
05-02-2007, 11:50 AM
Your 5th graders will be sure to want to see Autopia, and you could let them know that there has been 3 different versions of the ride since it opened July 17, 1955. The original, Midget Autopia, and then the one that stands today. There is a bronzed Midget car on the track that pays homage to Midget Autopia.

If you go through the columns here, you'll find a lot of information about the parks.

Hope this helps! Good luck getting the green light!

smd4
05-02-2007, 12:36 PM
Of the five steam locomotives at Disneyland, two of them (No. 3 and No. 5) used to haul sugar cane on Louisiana sugar plantations near New Orleans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries during autumn "grinding season." Engine No. 3, built in 1894, is the oldest steam engine operating on any Disney railroad.

Rufus T Firefly
05-02-2007, 02:57 PM
There is a basketball court at the top of the Matterhorn.

bloodnswash
05-02-2007, 03:05 PM
Of the five steam locomotives at Disneyland, two of them (No. 3 and No. 5) used to haul sugar cane on Louisiana sugar plantations near New Orleans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries during autumn "grinding season." Engine No. 3, built in 1894, is the oldest steam engine operating on any Disney railroad.

Thanks for that info! I lived in Louisiana for 3 years when my husband was in the Air Force.

PanFan
05-02-2007, 03:22 PM
Another great source is 101 Things You Never Knew about Disneyland by Kevin Yee and Jason Schultz.

A carrousel has only horses while a merry-go-round has other animals as well (so King Triton's Carousel is a misnomer). King Arthur Carrousel is a hand-built 1922 Dentzel Merry-Go-Round with all its original horses intact plus a few from Coney Island (to replace the non-horses). Walt had the sleigh benches from the original model removed, but used them instead on the Casey Jr. Circus Train. There is a bench today to fulfill ADA requirements.

hefferdude
05-02-2007, 03:23 PM
How many guests do the goat trick on BTMRR in a single day? Haven't a clue.

gibson510
05-02-2007, 07:11 PM
When you look at the castle from Main Street you are actually seeing the back of the castle. Walt thought it looked better that way and so thats the way it went up.

Bytebear
05-02-2007, 07:59 PM
The Rivers of America is so named because when it was filled, they added a sample of water from every river in America.

When clearing the land for the park, Walt had the trees marked with a red ribbon as a keeper, and green for trees they wanted to raze. The bulldozer driver was colorblind, so almost all the trees were plowed under.

This may be obvious but the sword in the stone in front of the Carossel is based on the story of King Arthur.

Main Street (and other buildings) uses Forced Perspective to make the buildings and castle look larger than they actually are.

The haunted mansion uses the "Pepper's Ghost (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppers_Ghost)" effect to create the illusion of ghosts. It also uses the Hollow-Face illusion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow-Face_illusion) to make the two busts follow you down the hall.

Jodi
05-02-2007, 07:59 PM
I have heard that in POTC, the skull on the headboard of the captain's quarters is a real human skull. (Science/Anatomy!)

I teach high school English, and I used a poem about Disneyland to teach sensory imagery in poetry. My students just laughed and thought I was a geek for loving Disneyland so much. :rolleyes: I guess some teenagers think that they are too "mature" for Disney.

I hope you get to take your class! I'm sure you will have so much fun with that unit!

bloodnswash
05-02-2007, 08:30 PM
The original skeletons in POTC were real. The originals were obtained from the University of California Medical Center (they had been used for research). As time went by the original skeletons were replaced with fake models and returned to their originating country for burial.

Great book 101 Things You Never Knew About Disneyland. Highly recommend.

soccerlady16
05-02-2007, 10:47 PM
All of these are GREAT books, loads of info but quick reads
* 101 Things you never knew about disneyland
*Magic Quizdom: Disneylandia Mintuiae Semper Absurda By Kevin Yee
* Mouse Tales By David Koenig
* More Mouse Tales By David Koeing

danyoung
05-03-2007, 05:49 AM
As much fun as the fun facts are, there are a couple of errors here.


...there has been 3 different versions of the ride since it opened July 17, 1955. The original, Midget Autopia, and then the one that stands today.

Well, there've been a few more versions. According to Yesterland, the Tomorrowland Autopia debuted in 1955 when the park opened, and the Junior Autopia opened in Fantasyland in 1956. The Midget Autopia opened in 1957, then closed in 1966 to make way for Small World. This version was the only one to have 2 steering wheels - one for the wee one and one for the parent. The other Autopias went through several different variations over the years. When they first opened they had no center rail - you could actually drive all over the track. This proved to be a huge problem, as kids would bash into each other and even turn around and go the wrong way. The center rail was soon added. There was another updated version sometime in the 60's to upgrade the body style. And then there's the current version sponsored by Chevron that has 3 distinct personalities as car types. And the two remaining tracks (Tomorrowland and Fantasyland) were combined into one long track.


When clearing the land for the park, Walt had the trees marked with a red ribbon as a keeper, and green for trees they wanted to raze. The bulldozer driver was colorblind, so almost all the trees were plowed under.

This is one of the most often repeated stories about the early days of the park. I've read in recent years that some of the older Imagineers like Marty Sklar have finally admitted that they "embellished" this story. In other words, it just didn't happen. Great story, though!

I feel bad that all I have to offer at the moment are corrections! I second the purchase of the David Koenig books - great trivia and behind the scenes stories!!!

bloodnswash
05-03-2007, 06:43 AM
This is one of the most often repeated stories about the early days of the park. I've read in recent years that some of the older Imagineers like Marty Sklar have finally admitted that they "embellished" this story. In other words, it just didn't happen. Great story, though!

Dang, so Disney lied in their 50th Anniversary Steve Martin movie??!!

wabby1
05-03-2007, 07:14 AM
Your 5th graders also might be interested in knowing that the original working title of the Haunted Mansion was the "Museum of the Wierd."

smd4
05-03-2007, 08:07 AM
Dang, so Disney lied in their 50th Anniversary Steve Martin movie??!!They didn't lie so much as simply tell a tale that has been part of Disneyland dogma since the beginning. It's just part of the myth of Disneyland.

UsBurchs
05-03-2007, 08:43 AM
I like how Disneyland and California Adventure alter visual perspective with their buildings by making them seem taller while actually making them smaller toward the top. Optical illusions! The backdrop in the Hollywood part of DCA is interesting.

They can also learn a lot from the physics of the some of the rides . . . I'm not an expert on those, but maybe some body knows some cool facts about them (how fast they go, height, G-forces, etc.)

The Real Cinderella
05-03-2007, 09:12 AM
I like how Disneyland and California Adventure alter visual perspective with their buildings by making them seem taller while actually making them smaller toward the top. Optical illusions! The backdrop in the Hollywood part of DCA is interesting.

They can also learn a lot from the physics of the some of the rides . . . I'm not an expert on those, but maybe some body knows some cool facts about them (how fast they go, height, G-forces, etc.)

That backdrop has always amazed me. Even knowing that it is a painting, I still get fooled.

And the physics of the rides is really interesting. I'm trying to develop a science unit based off of that.

You all are the best! I have almost all of the books that have been mentioned on this thread, but I love your individual perspectives. And a few of you have pulled out some truly unique facts! I really love the one about the Rivers of America having water from various rivers around America ... do you happen to have a reference for that?

Here's one that I will throw in, just for the edification of the masses. The Matterhorn, which happens to be my favorite ride, was the first roller coaster to use tubular steel rails. Eventually, this became the industry standard. So while people may claim that other parks have better coasters, they all have their roots in Disneyland!

Mark Mywords
05-03-2007, 10:14 AM
My favorite fact (that alot of people seem to have a hard time believing) is that, for the majority of the POTC ride, riders are NOT underground but are in fact in a large show building outside the berm.

I always see this disbelief in fact a testament to the awesome talents of the Imagineers that created an "Underground" environment that is so compelling.

kewlyloch
05-03-2007, 10:22 AM
What about Club 33? A lot of people don't know it's there and the history of it.