Hidden right in front of your eyes may be some of Disney’s best-kept secrets. It’s one of the things I love and appreciate so much about it. It is easy to get lost in the grander that is Disney, but for me, it’s the small touches that are right there under your nose that the majority of people probably overlook. For instance, have you ever noticed the peanut shells in the concrete near Dumbo’s Circus? What about the 13 lanterns hanging in the Liberty Tree to represent the original 13 colonies. Or the approximate 320 animals that make up the tree of life. I am not even going to try to give an approximate number of hidden Mickey’s in the parks and resorts.
Some of my most favorite things that often get overlooked are the seemingly random performances that happen throughout the day right in front of you. Most of us will always stop for the big stuff like a parade or a character meet and greet but will usually only stop for a second if there is a crowd, but if you ever can take time and watch some of the street performances it may be worth your while.
I went to Disney World only once as a child. I was young but I can still remember most everything about the trip. Being stopped by a cast member is one of the memories that always stuck out to me. He told us he was about to put on a show and that we should come back and watch. So we did and when it was time for the show to start he began asking for a volunteer from the crowd. He grabbed my dad whose hand was not raised in the least bit out the crowd and had him riding an imaginary horse and pretending he was a knight or something. I laughed and laughed because if you knew my dad this was not the kind of thing that he would normally do. It was a simple thing but it always stuck with me and is one of the reasons we always stop to see what is going on because you never know what kind of memory you will create. You can find them in all the parks and they are almost always worth it.
The Citizens of Hollywood in Hollywood Studios is one of my favorites. They always seem to show up out of nowhere acting out scenes from a play or movie. They are great at getting guest involved, and they are always good for a laugh. If you catch yourself strolling through the World Showcase keep an eye out for jugglers, musicians, acrobats, or something else special.
On a trip last year we went inside The American Adventure to beat the heat and charge our phones. The amazingly talented Voices of Liberty singing group treated us to an amazing performance. All I can say is WOW!!! We had no clue when we walked in to steal a little AC we were going to get all of that.
Animal Kingdom has always been the park that I always like to walk around the most. You just never know what you are going to see. The Vine lady always seems to draw a crowd but one of the more entertaining ones is catching a drum show in Africa. These guys are very talented and crowd participation is always a must. Remember that story I told you about my dad? Well, my kids have one too. Little did I know that standing there watching a street performance wearing a button that says “celebrating my birthday” pretty much makes you a target for these guys. I might as well have been holding a pick me sign over my head. But long story short, I can now African dance and my kids have a great memory.
Avid Disney fan, husband to Tiffany, father of three, Brock, Bailey, and Brennan. Lover of travel and blogger for the Wish Upon Afar travel blog, The Travelers Journal.
