20 Secrets Disney Park Employees Never Tell You

1 | Cinderella Castle and Sleeping Beauty Castle aren't actually that tall.

While the sight of Disney World's Cinderella Castle and Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle are awe-inspiring for many—especially when you see them for the first time—it's an optical illusion. According to the Duchess of Disneyland blog, Sleeping Beauty Castle is only 77 feet tall. Cinderella Castle is taller, but still reaches just 189 feet.

A Disney employee or cast member isn't likely to ruin the magic, but in reality, the castles appear that tall due to forced perspective. This is accomplished by decreasing the proportions with each level. This strategy was also used with the buildings that line Main Street U.S.A.

2 | There's a darker story behind the mosaics at Cinderella Castle.

If you've ever walked into Cinderella Castle and admired the 15-foot mosaics telling the princess' story, you might not be thrilled to learn about who installed it: Hanns-Joachim Scharff, the Nazi's lead Luftwaffe interrogator during World War II.

Scharff completed the Cinderella Castle mosaics with his daughter-in-law, Monika Scharff, and his team is also responsible for the entryway to Epcot's The Land Pavilion.

According to We Are The Mighty, Scharff received accolades for his skills at interrogation, and he was known for staying completely calm while questioning prisoners of war. Scharff immigrated to the U.S. after the war, also giving lectures about prisoner interrogation at the Pentagon.

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3 | There's a hidden Starbucks at Disneyland.

There are plenty of places to grab food and drink at any Disney park, but there's also a hidden Starbucks at Disneyland. But before you get your hopes up, you should know that it's for cast members only.

You can't order your Frappuccino here, but you can catch a quick glimpse of the store itself if you're riding the monorail, SFGATE reported. The secret Starbucks is located in Disney's backstage area and shares a building with Disneyland Railroad's vintage Primeval World diorama.

4 | There's a secret tunnel for your trash.

If you've ever wondered how Disney keeps its parks so clean, it's their state-of-the-art Automated Vacuum Assisted Collection System.

"There's a 'tunnel' underneath (it's actually the first floor, the second and third floors are what you see in the park) and the AVACS is a series of tubes that connects all of the restaurants to the main dump that's behind Splash Mountain. The trash is whisked away under the park so the guests don't have to see it or smell it. It's pretty cool," says one Disney insider.

5 | Trash cans are also deliberately spaced out.

While there might be a whole network to dispose of trash behind the scenes, there's also a method to the trash cans you see above-ground.

Walt Disney himself did active research on how far a visitor would walk before dropping trash to the ground. According to his findings, 30 feet was "the magic number." So, whenever you're at Disney, you're never more than 30 feet away from a trash receptacle.

6 | People love taking their dead relatives there.

This should go without saying, but don't use Disney as a burial ground. Numerous employees report catching guests dumping ashes on Disney property, particularly in the Haunted Mansion.

This strange secret was detailed in a 2018 article in The Wall Street Journal, with custodians telling the outlet that this happens about once a month. When Walt Disney World installed personalized commemorative bricks in 1994, the words "In Memory Of" were actually banned out of fear they'd remind visitors of death.

Can't imagine this being that common? Think again. Someone allegedly tried to spread ashes on the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride at Disneyland in March. As a result, the ride was forced to temporarily shut down, SFGATE reported.

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7 | And doing so can get you a lifetime ban.

Unfortunately, if you do decide to spread your loved ones' ashes in Disney, you don't get to come back.

According to SFGATE, if you try and spread ashes at a Disney park, you'll be removed and potentially banned.

8 | Disney World has been the site for a few sad historical moments.

While it's certainly a place where visitors are at their "happiest," there's also been a few less than ideal historical occurrences at Walt Disney World.

Believe it or not, The Beatles officially broke up at Disney World. In Dec. 1974, John Lennon made things final when he signed his name to the final page of the contract at the Polynesian Resort. Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr had already signed the paperwork, making Lennon's signature the one to disband The Beatles for good.

The year before, President Richard Nixon also gave his infamous "I am not a crook" speech in front of 400 journalists in the Ballroom of the Americas inside the Contemporary Resort.

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9 | Security is everywhere.

Disney is intent on keeping the magic alive for every guest, so undercover officers are all over.

"I know some people who work undercover security at Disneyland. I've seen them when they're working and they look like the biggest dork tourists you could possibly imagine (big hats, zinc on nose, silly character shirts tucked into ill fitting shorts, hiking boots, etc.) so they fit right in," says one Redditor. As a result, "It's almost impossible to be anywhere in the park without being within sight of someone from security, uniformed or not."

TikToker and former Disney cast member Thomas (@dappermanatee) alleges in a Sept. 2022 video that "if you've ever walked through a queue, you've walked next to security."

Thomas says that you can spot an undercover security member by what they wear, which is likely vintage clothing from the late 20th century. It's not all middle-aged men, either. According to Thomas, younger people may be undercover, as well as "women in their 80s." However, they'll all have earpieces in, Thomas says.

10 | Characters get attacked frequently.

Despite everyone's best efforts, there are also somewhat regular scuffles at Disney parks. Worse yet, the people on the receiving ends of most beatdowns are the costumed cast members.

There have been several reports in recent months, including a Nov. 2023 incident where a guest attacked a Disney cast member by grabbing the back of their vest. Another TikTok from Dec. 2023 also showed Disney security allegedly clearing the monorail "because a guest punched a cast member."

11 | A lot can get you fired.

Landing a job at a Disney park is surprisingly hard, with thousands of applicants vying for just a few spots. Unfortunately, keeping a job at Disney is even harder. One Redditor reveals that a friend was fired for eating a piece of popcorn that fell on their shirt, and a princess was canned for a broken ankle.

Another former employee actually filed a lawsuit in Dec. 2023, saying she was fired after she asked for a stool due to her disability.

In yet another situation, an ex-Disney character actor who played Snow White told TMZ that she was fired for posting photos of herself dressed up as the princess when she was a little girl. (Sources told TMZ this allegedly interfered with Disney's statutes on "character integrity.")

12 | They use codes to maintain the magic.

Disney employees are all about making your visit magical, so don't be surprised if some of what you hear them saying to one another doesn't make sense. To keep guests from getting freaked out, employees use code words for emergencies.

According to the WSJ, there are more basic ones like a "Code V" or "Code U" cleanup—signaling vomit and urine, respectively. There are also reported codes for lost children (Signal 70), smoke or fire (Signal 25), and a closed attraction (Code 101).

And because guests trying to spread cremated human remains is so common, there's a code for that, too. So, beware if you hear a cast member call for a "HEPA cleanup." (The HEPA vacuum is an ultrafine variety that sucks up the ashes, per the WSJ.)

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13 | People are serious about lines.

Not only do fights break out among people who feel like they've been waiting for too long, guests can get mighty salty about sick kids cutting the line, too. Multiple employees recount guests complaining and even using derogatory language when children on Make-a-Wish trips were allowed to skip to the front.

Lately, even more discourse has surfaced about people faking disabilities to avoid waiting for rides. In response, Disney actually updated its policies for guests who exploit the disability program. Now, anyone who lies about their disability will receive a lifetime ban, Business Insider reported.

14 | Full-costume characters can't talk—ever.

If Goofy won't tell you how to get to Splash Mountain, he's not just being rude. Many costumed characters are required to stay silent in front of guests.

"We are NOT ALLOWED TO EVER TALK IN COSTUME IN FRONT OF GUESTS. EVER. Backstage however, anything goes," says one former Goofy.

15 | Disney jail is real.

Those rumors about Disney jail are true. However, don't count on Mickey bringing you your meals or enjoying a Disney princess bed to rest your head on. "They have a holding place," says one former Disney World employee.

It's also not really as intense as you might think. Rather than the bars of a jail cell, it's essentially a separate room that's manned by security officers, per Distractify.

16 | People always try to sneak their kids on rides.

If you have to make the not-so-difficult choice between sitting out a ride with your baby or bringing them on board, sit it out every time. Unfortunately, many Disney guests don't understand why trying to smuggle an infant onto rides is such a big deal.

"This couple were trying to ride Space Mountain, and had a black duffel bag. [A crew member] heard something come from the bag, so he asked them to open it. They refused. Security comes, forces them to open it. It was their 6-month-old baby," says one Redditor. Multiple former employees report guests trying to do the same.

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17 | Cast member friends and family don't always go for free.

Although cast members can get into Disney parks whenever they want for free, their discount doesn't extend to their friends and family.

"It used to be that we could get [anyone] into the parks whenever we wanted, but that changed," says one former Disney performer on Reddit. However, they do occasionally get a free ride, but "it's only on certain days for certain parks."

18 | The Tree of Life at the Animal Kingdom was built over an oil rig.

The man-made tree was built over a retrofitted 14-story oil rig. The 145-foot creation is covered with more than 100,000 leaves that are each more than a foot long. The tree's trunk is made of concrete, not wood.

19 | You can't buy gum at Disney World.

In order to protect the park from unsightly globs of gum, Disney World stopped selling the stuff. It isn’t banned, but if guests want a piece, they’ll have to bring their own.

20 | There are strategically designed barriers for the animals on the Kilimanjaro Safari.

The 18-minute safari ride in Animal Kingdom allows visitors the chance to get up close and personal with animals that are seemingly roaming free. But have no fear, these creatures can't run up and get you—or each other. Barriers such as water features and moats are added to the reserve to keep the animals in specific areas.