Ever wanted to know some wild facts about the happiest place on Earth? Whether you’re a lifelong Disney lover or not, we think you’ll find these Disney facts pretty compelling. Plus, trivia for kids is always a fun way to entertain! These fascinating facts about Disney will wow your young Mouseketeers and maybe even inspire a Disney trivia for kids-themed game night.
For more Disney fun, check out this list of what to pack for your next Disney trip, this cool Airbnb near Disneyland with a secret game room, and the best Disney World hotels for families.
1. Mickey might be the most famous mouse in the world, but Walt Disney’s first cartoon character was actually a rabbit named Oswald.
2. Covering 25,000 acres or 43 square miles, the Walt Disney World Resort is about the same size as San Francisco, so pack your walking shoes!
3. The iconic spaghetti scene in Lady and the Tramp almost didn’t make it into the movie because Walt didn’t think it would work. Luckily he changed his mind after seeing a ruff cut.
4. Cats roam around Disneyland at night. The helpful felines keep the mice (other than Mickey and Minnie) at bay.
5. The Buy-N-Large or BNL logo from the mega-corporation made famous in Wall-E appears in several other Pixar films. For example, Buzz Lightyear’s batteries are BNL brand.
6. If you’re walking down Main Street and suddenly crave popcorn, blame the scent machines. The Disney Smellitizer (a machine patented by Disney Imagineering) emits different scents throughout the theme parks.
7. Mickey and Minnie are married in real life! Wayne Anthony Allwine, who voiced Mickey for over three decades, married Russi Taylor, who played Minnie.
8. Though it was only utilized in a handful of scenes, The Little Mermaid was the first Disney film to incorporate Pixar’s computer animation process. (BONUS: Walt had the idea for this film as far back as the late 1930s)
9. Sleeping Beauty Castle was not designed with Princess Aurora in mind. It went through several themes, including a Medieval castle, Robin Hood’s castle, and even Snow White’s castle. It was finally named for the slumbering royal to promote the release of the upcoming film.
10. Lilo and Stitch features more original Elvis Presley songs than any of the King’s own films.
11. The Pizza Planet delivery truck from Toy Story makes a cameo appearance in every Pixar film except for The Incredibles.
12. Buzz Lightyear was originally going to be named Lunar Larry.
13. Despite the fame of Disney royalty, there is a 30-year gap between the release of Sleeping Beauty and its next princess predecessor, The Little Mermaid.
14. A secret basketball court is hidden inside the bowels of the Matterhorn ride at Disneyland.
15. When the Pirates of the Caribbean ride opened in 1967, it featured real skeletons procured from the medical research department of UCLA.
16. The first words ever spoken by Mickey Mouse in a 1929 animated short was “Hot dog!”
17. The color of Elsa’s ice palace in Frozen changes with her mood, from purple when she’s sad to blue when she’s happy and red when she’s scared.
18. Disney hides classic characters in the backgrounds of its animated films. For example, Mickey, Goofy, and Donald all make cameos in The Little Mermaid.
19. Hidden Mickeys are sprinkled throughout the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World, see if you can spot them!
20. Aladdin’s Jasmine is the only Disney Princess who is not the star of her film. She is also the first and only Middle Eastern princess.
21. Wall-E and R2D2 have the same “voice.” Both characters' unique sounds were created by sound designer Ben Burtt.
22. The sorcerer in Fantasia is named ‘Yen Sid,’ see if you can decipher where that came from (Hint: Read it backward!).
23. Doritos were invented at Disneyland in 1966. On a whim, a park restaurant called Casa de Fritos served up repurposed stale tortillas, and the recipe was later purchased by Frito Lay.
24. Merida, from Brave, is the only Disney Princess who doesn’t sing.
25. Mickey Mouse Ears are the most popular souvenir item sold at Disney Parks, with over three million pairs sold annually.
26. In keeping with the pre-indoor-plumbing Revolutionary era, you won’t find any bathrooms in Walt Disney World’s Liberty Square.
27. Mickey was originally named Mortimer. It was Walt’s wife Lillian who suggested he change the name.
28. With absolutely zero lines, Dumbo is the quietest lead character of any Disney film, followed by Aurora, who has exactly 18 lines of dialogue.
29. The horses that pull the carriages along Main Street have rubber-soled shoes. The design is to protect the horses' feet, but it also bolsters the natural ‘clip-clop’ sound.
30. When Disneyland opened in 1955, the price of admission was just one dollar. Guests had to pay separately to ride each attraction, but the cost ranged from just 10 to 35 cents.
31. The Anaheim Disney park originally opened as a production studio and some films were produced there before it became a theme park. It is only 0.13 square miles.
32. EPCOT stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Walt wanted to create a futuristic city with shopping, restaurants, residential properties, and more. He was frustrated by the inefficient infrastructure in the United States, but the idea was abandoned after Walt's death.
33. Disney received a customized Oscar for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
34. Donnie Dunagan, who was the voice of Bambi when he was a child, grew up to be a United States Marine Corps major.
35. Disney's Animal Kingdom doesn't allow balloons or straws out of safety for the animals but also to begin eliminating single-use plastics.
36. Mickey Mouse is the first animated character to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
37. Another Disney princess attended Elsa's coronation day in Arendelle. Who was it? Rapunzel.
38. You can ride Mary Poppins' carousel horse in Fantasyland at Disneyland.
39. At Disney World, Mickey Mouse has over 136 outfits and changes them according to the occasion!
