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Human Bones and a Racy Shop on Main Street: 3 Weird Disney Facts Revealed

Pirates of the Caribbean
Credit: Disney

In 67 years of optical illusions, secret tunnels, and seamless Disney character transformations, it’s hard even to scratch the surface of all the secrets behind the Disney Resort’s turnstiles.

While Disney fans hunt for Haunted Mansion Easter eggs and scour the Walt Disney World Resort for hidden Mickey Mouse ears, there are many more weird Disney facts to discover.

Disney is made of experts at concealing the not-so-pretty side of the Parks. Using underground tunnels, or Utilidors, to shield Cast Members, deliveries, and trash from Guests, Disney Parks ensure their best-kept secrets are locked in a vault.

With nearly a century of Disney fandom and a few Google searches, Disney enthusiasts would inevitably catch wind of behind-the-scenes secrets. The marketing gurus behind Disney gave Guests an inch with the Keys to the Kingdom Tour, letting them in on a Utilidor exploration and some lesser-known theme Park knowledge about Cinderella Castle.

But even with an exclusive tour, it’s impossible to uncover all of Disney’s classified information. Thanks to a post on the knowledge-sharing site Reddit, a post revealed some interesting facts about Disneyland Park that no magic Keys Tour could unlock. In the post, ​​u/vromantic opened a can of Disney worms that Redditors jumped on immediately.

Favorite Weird Disney Parks History?
by u/vromantic in Defunctland

With some shocking responses, these are the three weirdest Disney facts that no one talks about.

Related: Disney Cast Members Reveal Behind-the-Scenes’ World Princess Week’ Secrets

1. Wizard of Bras

Intimate Apparel

Credit: D23

Disneyland Guests flock to shops like the Main Street, U.S.A. Magic Shop and the Mad Hatter, but a racier store used to hold real estate at the Disneyland Resort. While some folks know Steve Martin was a Magic Shop employee, fewer fans know that a lingerie shop called The Intimate Apparel Shop used to sit on Main Street, U.S.A. The store featured a mascot of sorts, the Wizard of Bras, and offered Guests the chance to buy some intimate apparel pieces on the way to Sleeping Beauty Castle.

2. Tiny Kline

Tiny Kline

Credit: D23

The realistic Amazing Spider-Man soaring over Disneyland wasn’t the first airborne wonder to grace the Disney Parks. In 1961, Disneyland’s nightly fireworks show got a new addition: a 71-year-old Hungarian circus performer. Known as Tiny Kline, she performed with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and was the first Tinker Bell at Disneyland.

3. A ‘Bad to the Bones’ Attraction

Pirates of the Caribbean

Credit: Disney

While there are plenty more secrets to cover, this is the most controversial one that remains. In 1967, one of the most popular Disney attractions opened to the public: The Pirates of the Caribbean. While the Imagineers had already set a precedent for groundbreaking designs, the technology needed to create a realistic skeleton for the ride was years from their reach. They implemented actual human bones to deliver a captivating experience overseen by Walt Disney. While Disney Park officials deny the presence of any human bones today, a former Cast Member claimed one skull remains—and a former Imagineer donated it.

With thousands of Cast Members and Imagineers who have likely sworn secrecy, it’s impossible to dig up all of Disney’s most air-tight secrets. From questionable retail to creepy skeletons, one thing’s for sure: Disney is made up of just as much mystery as there is magic.

About Kaitlin Morelli

A Disney World Guest since before she could walk, Kaitlin is a Jersey girl and former Virginia Tech Hokie. When she's not listening to the 'Moana' soundtrack on repeat with her baby daughter, she's writing, singing, and strumming the ukulele. Kaitlin is passionate about finding the best Disney Park tips n' tricks and moments when pop culture and Disney collide. She's looking forward to eventually taking her first Disney trip with her favorite fan in the making: her daughter.

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