Hidden gems are similar to 'Easter Eggs' in gaming- hidden into the experience for those people that want an extra challenge or something to search for during their experience. They might be a hidden Mickey or a secret message only those in the know are aware of or even a sensory hidden gem like a specific smell or a sound. Some are really obvious and others are extremely well hidden, all are a fun way to get more out of your day at Disneyland.
If you are a first time visitor to Disneyland, don't worry about getting too caught up in these as in searching for them you might miss the every day wonders of just being in Disneyland. Every time we go I try to research more. I am not at all going to tackle listing them all, just some of my favourite in each area. Feel free to comment and say some of your favourite Hidden Gems.
As you enter Disneyland
We ALWAYS go via the left side of the tunnel under the train line. We pause and look up just to be reminded that we are back and the vision Walt Disney had.
Walt's light
Once you walk through the tunnel into Main Street, you will see in the middle there is a flag pole.. Go and stand there in the middle and stand with your left shoulder facing the main entrance. You will see the Fire house straight ahead. Above that behind lace curtains is an old fashioned Tiffany style lamp that is shining through the curtains (easier to see at night but still visible most days) That is an apartment that Walt and his family used to stay in at Disneyland. If Walt was in there, he would turn the light on so cast would know he was 'on site'. The day that he died, the light was turned on and remains on as a symbol that Walt is now and forever more 'present' in Disneyland.
On the right of this hub there is a 'Lost children sign' The people shown on the sign are Mr and Mrs Downing from Peter Pan...who indeed lost their children.
The Travel Concierge tip
Did you know that you can go on a behind the scenes tour that will show you inside Walt's apartment? Tour info and how to book is found here.
The Windows on Main Street
Every window on Main Street 2nd floor is significant. Look out for the obvious names ending in Disney like Elias Disney (Walt's father) and Roy Disney (his brother) but every other name is significant. You can buy a book in Main Street that explains who every person was and their significance to Walt. It is one of my favourite books of Disney history.
Hidden Walt
All over the parks there are Hidden Mickeys. There is only one (to my understanding) hidden Walt. I was shown this by a tour guide one year. Go into the Town Hall where Great Moments with Mr Lincoln runs. in the foyer there is a display where there is a replica of the castle. Lean down and look inside where the draw-bridge and entrance is and you can see a little Walt Disney figurine. it is to replicate the above photo.
Also in this foyer there is the park seat where Walt Disney first came up with the idea of Disneyland while on an outing with his daughters. Also here is one of the carousel horses his daughters used to ride at Griffith Park.
Penny Arcade
Many of these machines are actually the original ones sourced by Walt Disney. The orchestrion (self playing organ) is my favourite. Throw in some coins to hear some old time tunes. There is an interesting article about a hidden gem inside the organ found here.
Look out for Esemerelda the fortune teller. If you look carefully at her cards you will see the pictures on the cards are the characters from the Haunted Mansion stretching room.
Transport on Main Street
If lines are crazy long or you just need to be off your feet for a while...or you just want to experience the fun of Disney transport jump on the transport vehicles. On the fire truck, children (or people who are child at heart) can very nicely ask to ring the bell. When you get off you can also ask for a Junior Firefighter sticker.
Walt used to love riding in these vehicles when the park was closed. I love to ride them and imagine him doing the same and convince myself that he sat and touched the exact vehicle I am in...maybe wishful thinking but it is still pretty cool.
Transport through the park
Disneyland Railroad
You can ask the Station Master whether your children can call out the "All Aboard" They make a big fuss and your child calls out to all on board. We did the whole route with each child taking it in turns saying it.
Two other sometimes gems are when you ask if you can ride the tender up with the train driver (enough room for two) and riding in the
Mark Twain
Once we were sitting chatting as we waited for the Mark Twain to come around. A cast member started a conversation with our girls and at the end said how polite they were, and asked if they wanted to do something special. When the Mark Twain docked, we were led up to the Bridge and each got a task to complete. Throughout the trip, one had to ring the bell and one had to pull the string on the air whistle. They each had a turn turning the wheel. At the end we had to sign the guest book and were shown a photo of Walt himself up doing the same thing. It was a surreal moment in time. As we left the Captain gave them each a certificate. I understand it is more often that not only when cast members approach you that it is allowed, but worth asking if you can!
Am I hearing things?
Again on Main Street you can hear noises coming from upstairs and even the phones hidden on Main street. There is a very lively piano lesson, conversations between people and the sound of a patient getting their teeth drilled at a dentist (down the alley on the right)
What can I smell?
As you walk past the food stores on Main Street, smells are pumped out the shops to encourage you to come in and buy the food. Do it! You know calories don't count in the Happiest place on Earth, right! Likewise, you can smell a salty breeze near the Pirates ride and the smell of honey near The Great Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Great Bins
Did you know that the bins in Disneyland were designed by Walt Disney himself? They were designed to keep rubbish in the bins and have caught on in theme parks all over the world.
New Orleans Square
At the New Orleans train station you can hear morse code. It is a sound recording of the telegraph recording of Walt's opening day "welcome speech"
Look on the wrought iron railings above the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. You will see in gold Walt and Roy Disney's initials. You used to be able to get up here and look inside when it was a Disney art gallery. Now it is part of the famous Dream Suites.
Club 33
This was a club that Walt Disney created as the only venue in Disneyland to serve alcohol. Walt would entertain distinguished guests here. Now it is a club that is very exclusive. the wait list can be years long. The rumoured membership fee per year is $10,000 with a $25,000 initial joining fee also being rumoured. The entrance is hidden in New Orleans Square and you rarely see the door open. All you can see from the outside is the 33 number. On a recent trip to Disneyland my family was lucky enough to be taken into Club 33 by members. It was possibly in the top 20 moments of my life (how sad is that!) We learnt that the lift inside was sourced by Walt and dismantled and brought to Disneyland and painstakingly put back together.
Pirates of The Caribbean
My favourite Hidden Mickey in here is on the brick wall to your right as you go through past the ship firing cannons. It is 3 cannon ball sized holes in the brick work in the shape of a Mickey head.
Look out also for the hidden 'Captain Jack Sparrow's' and other Pirate's characters. Don't miss the one near the well.
Look out for the Captain skeleton lying in bed looking through a maginifying glass. On his bed head is a skull and crossbones which are the only remaining skull and bones.
As you start the Pirates ride, look to your right and you will see the people dining at Blue Bayou. Be sure to wave and call out 'hi!'
The pirate above the bridge
Over the many years I have been coming to Disneyland (since the 70's) there is a pirate that appears and disappears from trip to trip. He is sitting up on a bridge you go under in your boat. He is so close you can see the hairs on his legs. No one can tell me why he keeps going away and coming back...My guess is people touch him/ mark him in some way from the boat and they have to keep fixing him...I always look out for him, and do sort of think how freaked out I would be if he jumped into my boat...maybe just me?
Haunted Mansion
Before you eve get in the mansion, be sure to read the tombstones and messages on statues in the pet cemetery. The names are named after actual people, for example "Here lies brother Fred, a big old rock fell on his head." refers to Fred Joerger a famous set designer who specialised in...you guess it creating rocks.
My favourite hidden Mickey is actually an unauthorised hidden Mickey and so may or may not be there. In each ride, the Imagineer is in charge of setting up the Hidden Mickeys. Cast members that maintain the rides sometimes create other ones. When the Imagineer goes through the ride to inspect it, they will make sure it is removed. This one is in the dining hall. On the left side of the dining table closest to your 'Doom buggy' you will see a dinner plate and two side plates in the shape of a Mickey head.
Cake-In the same dining room, there is a cake on the table, with a ghost leaning in to blow out the candles. This cake is brand new and changes every year and in the holiday period it is a new Gingerbread creation each year.
Hidden Nightmare items- Look in each room of the Mansion for a little bat that featured in the film.
The Travel Concierge bonus
As you enter the Haunted Mansion ask a cast member for a death certificate.
Many adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride
This was the site for the Country Bear Jamboree show, and so in tribute to it, look out for Max, Buff and Melvin (characters from the show...or their heads at least) in the room where Pooh Bear eats honey. As you go through the door look back above the doors.
Ticket Booths
When I first went to Disneyland, they still sold you ticket books. You would then tear a ticket out for each category of ride and hand it in at the ticket booth. Some of these original booths still can be seen sitting near the rides. (Alice in Wonderland, Casey Jnr. Railroad, Dumbo and It's a Small World)
It's a Small World
In most of the lands within It's a Small World, you will see characters from Disney movies. See how many you can spot. These have only been added to the ride in the last 10 years. Also recently added is a doll that is in tribute to one of Disney's most famous Imagineers. Mary Blair created all the original concept art for It's A Small World when it was comissioned for the New York State Fair. Walt Disney negotiated within the contract that he got to keep the set at the end of the show, and moved it straight into Disneyland as one of Disneyland's original attractions. Mary can be see under the Eiffel Tower holding a red balloon.
When you look down over London, you will see what appears to be clouds. One day Walt was going through the ride and noticed that a plastic bag had been left in the ride by either a cast member or guest. When he pointed it out to the cast member he was riding with they noted to have it removed, but Walt thought it looked like a cloud so instructed them to add more.
While lining up in Peter Pan, be sure to look over and up to the second storey window of the outside of the Snow White ride. Keep looking at the ornate window and you will see the Evil Queen throw back the blinds and look out the window before closing them again.
Snow White ride
Look out for the golden apple above a book stand. If you touch the apple you will hear the Evil Queen laugh.
Indiana Jones ride
As you move through the line here, if you want to find two hidden gems, don't follow two signs. One is near bamboo poles and warns you not to touch the poles. Give them a little push and it will sound like you have caused the roof to start collapsing. The other one is near a well. You are warned not to pull on the rope. If you do, you will hear someone yell at you at the bottom or even fall from their place holding on to the rope.
When you get to the section where you are in a stand up theaterette where you will see the safety video, as you get closer in line to the screen look back behind you up near the roof at a ledge. You can see one of the old parking signs from the Eeyore car park section which originally was on that very section before Disneyland expanded. If you can't quite see it, ask the cast member to shed a little light on it with the torch they carry for that exact purpose.
Cheshire hat...I mean cat.
In the Mad Hatter shop, as you try on hats and look up into the mirror behind the cash register, keep and eye out for a smiling Cheshire cat that appears briefly in the reflection of the mirror.
Days gone by
If you are passing Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, stop and look across the pathway. (with Big Thunder behind you) You can see the remains of the tracks from what might at first appear to be an abandoned mine but is actually an abandoned attraction. Also here, you might see some jumping (anamatronic) fish that are intermittently turned on to jump above the water.
Tarzan's Treehouse
After you have explored the Treehouse, and get to the 'kitchen' area, look out for a hidden Mrs Potts from Beauty and the Beast and make a racket hitting pots and pans.
What's in a name?
Each horse of the carousel in Fantasyland has a name. You can ask for a list at City Hall in Main Street.
Gold spike in the castle
As you walk through the castle entrance, look down. You will see a golden circle that is the head of a spike used in surveying to ensure that the castle was directly lined up with Main Street. Some falsely think it is or was the centre of Disneyland but that is not correct.
Disney Crest
The Disney crest is located directly above the drawbridge to the castle. It is gold and has 4 lions on it.
Hidden Mickey in a locker
At the Finding Nemo attraction in Tomorrowland, go to the observation area that is not in the submarines (it is an alternative for those who cannot access the submarine or are claustrophobic) look for locker 105 and spot the hidden Mickey.
Hungry?
All the plants in Tomorrowland are edible...I wouldn't necessarily put it to the test, but Walt Disney wanted the area to be sustainable so all are herbs and plants that produce edible fruit etc.
Stationary Photo carriages
In Fantasyland and Tomorrowland there are a number of carriages of rides that are in places you can pose for a photo in. They include Dumbo, a teacup and an Autopia car.
