Disney World Trivia

Resorts & Theme Parks – Disney World Trivia

Disney World Trivia: how many of these general Disney facts do you know?

1. When did Disney World first open to the public?

Answer: Walt Disney died in 1966, five years before Disney World Resort opened. Walt’s brother, Roy O. Disney, dedicated the park on October 1st, 1971.

2. Where is Walt Disney World located?

Answer: The park is in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, FL (not Orlando).

3. How much land does Disney World comprise?

Answer: Walt Disney World Resort encompasses roughly 50 square miles. Walt Disney originally purchased the land for a mere $5 million.

4. Which is the smallest and largest theme park at Disney?

Answer: With 107 acres, Magic Kingdom is the smallest. Spread out over a whopping 580 acres, Animal Kingdom is easily Disney World’s largest theme park.

5. How many people visit Disney World each day?

Answer: When Magic Kingdom first opened in 1971, Disney World averaged 10,000 visitors per day. Today, the average daily attendance is around 53,000!

6. How much were admission prices when Disney World first opened?

Answer: When the park first opened to the public in the early 1970s, admission was just $3.50.

7. Who are “Imagineers”?

Answer: Imagineers are the people hired by Disney to devise and create the theme park attractions at Walt Disney World.

8. Who are “Cast Members”?

Answer: A Cast Member is the name given to a Walt Disney World employee. There are roughly 62,000 Cast Members working at the park, making it one of the largest single-site employers in the country.

9. What is the “Utilidor”?

Answer: Disney World has miles of underground tunnels connecting to different areas of the park. These tunnels – called the Utilidor – are mostly used to provide an area for Cast Members to change into costume, take breaks, and travel around the park undetected by guests. Garbage is also collected inside the Utilidor.

10. How far apart are trash cans at Disney World?

Answer: In order to keep the park clean, Imagineers designed Walt Disney World so that no guest is ever more than 30 steps away from the nearest trash can.

11. Which messy item does Disney not sell anywhere inside the park?

Answer: Gum is not sold at Disney World. However, you can bring your own gum into the park.

12. What is the third largest bus system in Florida?

Answer: Disney’s own buses, of course! With nearly 300 buses operating at Disney World, the Disney Transportation System is the third largest bus system in Florida.

13. How many times has Disney World closed to the public?

Answer:  Disney World has closed to the public a total of 15 times in its history. This includes two closures due to health emergencies and 13 closures related to hurricanes. These closures involve delayed openings, partial closures, or full closures. The specific events that led to these closures are as follows:

The events that cause the closures are Hurricane Elena (August 1985), Hurricane Erin (August 1995), Hurricane Floyd (September 1999), National Emergency (September 2001), Hurricane Charley (August 2004), Hurricane Frances (September 2004), Hurricane Jeanne (September 2004), Hurricane Wilma (October  2005); Hurricane Matthew (October 2016); Hurricane Irma (September 2017), Hurricane Dorian (September 2019), Coronavirus COVID-19 (March – July 2020), Hurricane Ian (September 2022), Hurricane Nicole (November 2022), and Hurricane Milton (October 2024).

(See our Disney World Statistics and Disney World History pages for more nerdy facts and numbers!)

Magic Kingdom – Disney World Trivia

Disney World Trivia: how many of these Magic Kingdom facts do you know?

14. What is Magic Kingdom’s official tagline?

Answer: “The Most Magical Place on Earth”

15. How tall is Cinderella Castle?

Answer: Because of “forced-perspective,” Cinderella Castle appears larger than it really is. This Magic Kingdom icon stands at just 189 feet tall. There is a total of 27 different towers atop Cinderella Castle.

16. How many bricks were used to construct Cinderella Castle?

Answer: None! The exterior is made of steel beams, plaster, concrete, and molded fiberglass.

17. What is the oldest attraction in Magic Kingdom?

Answer: Prince Charming Regal Carousel, formerly named Cinderella’s Golden Carousel. It was originally built for Detroit’s Belle Isle Park in 1917.

18. Which Fantasyland attraction replaced the legendary Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride?

Answer: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

19. What is the name of the audio-animatronic singer/organist who performs daily at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café?

Answer: Sonny Eclipse

20. Which town served as the inspiration for Magic Kingdom’s Main Street USA?

Answer: Main Street USA is loosely based on Marceline, Missouri, a town where Walt Disney spent 4 years of his childhood.  Walt wanted Main Street USA to look like Marceline’s downtown district.

21. Which section of Magic Kingdom has no bathrooms?

Answer: Liberty Square. Imagineers wanted to keep this area as authentic to Colonial times as possible (there was no indoor plumbing in the 1700s).

22. Which tree sits prominently in Liberty Square?

Answer: The Liberty Tree. Disney World gardeners have grown over 500 new oak trees from the acorns of the Liberty Tree.

23. Which of these attractions has been in operation since Magic Kingdom’s first day: Space Mountain, It’s a Small World, Big Thunder Mountain, or Pirates of the Caribbean?

Answer: It’s a Small World

24. What is the motto for the It’s a Small World attraction?  

Answer: “The Happiest Cruise That Ever Sailed”

25.  What attraction – which opened at Magic Kingdom in 1973 – was modeled after a popular attraction of the same name at Disneyland (which opened in 1967)?

Answer: Pirates of the Caribbean.  It’s still one of Disney World’s most popular rides today.

26. What do Cast Members say as they shut down Pirates of the Caribbean every evening?

“Goodbye, George.” An Imagineer named George was killed during the construction of the Pirates of the Caribbean. Legend has it that George’s ghost still haunts the ride to this day. As a superstition, the attraction’s operators say, “Goodbye George” before they leave for the night.

27. What are the names of Big Thunder Mountain’s 6 trains?

Answer: I.B. Hearty, I.M. Brave, I.M. Fearless, U.B. Bold, U.R. Daring, and U.R. Courageous.

28. Who is featured in Magic Kingdom’s “Sharing the Magic” and “Partners” statues?

Answer: The “Sharing the Magic” statue in Town Square depicts Roy Disney and Minnie Mouse, while the “Partners” statue in front of Cinderella Castle depicts Walt Disney holding Mickey Mouse’s hand.

29. How many “happy haunts” (ie, ghosts) inhabit The Haunted Mansion?

Answer: 999

30. Which Magic Kingdom attraction previously played the song “Zip-a- Dee-Doo- Dah”?

Answer: The attraction formerly known as Splash Mountain, now Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

31. What attraction was “flight-tested” by U.S. astronauts before it was opened to the public?

Answer: Space Mountain

32. What is the maximum score you can achieve on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin?

Answer: 999,999

33. Which attraction features boats with the following names: Amazon Annie, Bomokandi Bertha, Congo Connie, Ganges Gertie, Irrawaddy Irma, Kwango Kate, Mongala Millie, Nile Nelly, Orinoco Ida, Rutshuru Ruby, Sankuru Sadie, Senegal Sal, Ucvali Lolly, Volta Val, Wamba Wanda, and Zambesi Zelda?

Answer: The Jungle Cruise!

34. What is the name of the jolly headhunter near the end of The Jungle Cruise ride?

Answer: Trader Sam

Epcot – Disney World Trivia

Disney World Trivia: how many of these Epcot facts do you know?

35. What is the largest pavilion in Epcot?

Answer: The Land. Covering six acres, The Land pavilion is the largest pavilion in Epcot. It is comprised of greenhouses and labs to research various agricultural techniques.

36. Which Epcot pavilion is totally energy-independent?

Answer: Universe of Energy. With the help of solar panels on its roof, the Universe of Energy pavilion is totally energy self-sufficient.

37. What was the original name of The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion?

Answer: The Living Seas, which opened in 1986 and was renamed to The Seas with Nemo & Friends in 2006.

38. Which audio-animatronic attraction originally premiered at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair as “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”?

Answer: The Hall of Presidents

39. Why is there a sign reading “1787” over the entrance to The Hall of Presidents?

Answer: Because the Constitution of the United States was drafted in 1787.

40. What is the significance of the American flag on display at the American Adventure pavilion?

Answer: This particular flag was recovered from the World Trade Center rubble after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

41. What do the “Spirit of America” statues at The America Adventure pavilion represent?

Answer: Adventure, Compassion, Discovery, Freedom, Heritage, Independence, Individualism, Innovation, Knowledge, Pioneering, Self-Reliance, and Tomorrow.

42. Which World Showcase pavilion is the only country to be sponsored and aided by a government?

Answer: Morocco pavilion, sponsored by The Government of Morocco. The King of Morocco even sent Moroccan artisans to carve the pavilion’s mosaics.

43. The torii gate in Epcot’s Japan pavilion is modeled after which famous Japanese shrine?

Answer: The Itsukushima Shrine

44. How deep is the lagoon at Fantasmic!?

Answer: It’s shallower than it appears! It’s a vast body of water that has a depth of only 18 inches, yet still holds an impressive 1.9 million gallons of water.

45. Which science fiction author was hired to help develop the storyline for Epcot’s Spaceship Earth?

Answer: Ray Bradbury

46. How tall is Spaceship Earth?

Answer: Spaceship Earth is an impressive 180-feet-tall and weighs nearly 16 million pounds.

47. How many gallons of water does Epcot’s Aquarium of the Seas hold?

Answer: 5.7 million gallons. It’s the second-largest aquarium in the U.S. The Georgia Aquarium is the largest (holding 10 million gallons).

48. What is the fastest ride at Disney World?

Answer: With speeds of up to 65 MPH, Test Track comes out on top.

49. Which Epcot attraction provides guests with motion sickness bags?

Answer: Mission: SPACE

50. Which attraction requires more computer power than NASA’s space shuttle?

Answer: Mission: SPACE

Animal Kingdom – Disney World Trivia

Disney World Trivia: how many of these Animal Kingdom facts do you know?

51. How many animals reside at Animal Kingdom?

Answer: There are approximately 1700 animals representing 250 different species living in Animal Kingdom.

52. What is the tallest attraction in Animal Kingdom?

Answer: Standing at 199 feet tall, Expedition Everest is the tallest attraction at Animal Kingdom. Why not make it 200 feet? Because aviation rules mandate that any structure that is 200 ft tall or more must have flashing red lights to warn aircraft passing overhead.

53. How many carvings does Animal Kingdom’s iconic Tree of Life have?

Answer: The 145-feet tall, 50-feet wide artificial baobab tree features 325 carvings of extinct or near-extinct animal species.

54. What is the name of the massive dinosaur presiding over DinoLand U.S.A.?

Answer: Dino-Sue. She is a full-scale replica of the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered.

Hollywood Studios – Disney World Trivia

Disney World Trivia: how many of these Hollywood Studios facts do you know?

55. Who was the first rock band approached by Disney to star in the Rock “n’ Roller Coaster attraction?

Answer: U2. When they declined, Aerosmith was offered the gig. They accepted.

56. Before becoming a theme park, what was Hollywood Studios used as?

Answer: Hollywood Studios was originally built as a working studio, but later developed into a theme park. The All-New Mickey Mouse Club was filmed there in the early 1990s (starring Brittany Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Christina Aquilera).

57. What is the name of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror hotel?

Answer: Hollywood Tower Hotel

58. Which street in Hollywood Studios is a re-creation of Hollywood’s theater district?

Answer: Sunset Boulevard

59. The Great Movie Ride attraction (soon to be replaced by Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway) is housed in a full-scale replica of which famous Hollywood theater?

Answer: The Grauman’s Chinese Theater

60. The faux water tower (adorned with Mickey Ears) is known as what?

Answer: The Earffel Tower

More Disney World Trivia

61. How many hamburgers are consumed at Disney World each year?

Answer: Each year, Disney guests eat over 10 million hamburgers, 7 million hot dogs, 1.6 million turkey legs, and 9 million lbs. of French fries.

62. How many Disney World Resort rooms are there?

Answer: 30,843 – to be exact!

63. The monorail runs through the lobby of which Disney Resort?

Answer: The Contemporary Resort. The resort is known for having the monorail run right through its lobby, but did you know that the individual rooms of this A-frame-style hotel were built – and mostly furnished – several miles away? The rooms were later transported to their current location, lifted by cranes, and placed into the hotel’s structure.

64. Who or what is “Big Bertha”?

Answer: “She” is the organ at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

65. Who has more outfits in their closet, Mickey or Minnie Mouse?

Answer: With over 290 different outfits, Mickey is the winner. Minnie has roughly 200 outfits available to her.

66. How many articles of clothing do the costume department at Disney World own?

Answer: Over 1.2 million, making it the world’s largest wardrobe department.

67. Who was the first cartoon character to receive a plaque on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

Answer: Mickey Mouse, of course.

68. Where can you experience the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue?

Answer: Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

69. Who is the mascot of Blizzard Beach?

Answer: Ice Gator

70. Disney Springs is along which body of water?

Answer: The Sassagoula River

71. Which legendary professional golfer won the first Walt Disney World professional golf tournament?

Answer: Jack Nicklaus

72. What’s the oldest ride at Disney World?

Answer: There were 23 rides on Magic Kingdom’s 1971 opening day. Therefore, you could argue that the oldest ride is a tie between all of these attractions. But, if you had to choose just one, the oldest ride in Disney World is Prince Charming Regal Carrousel because it was built in 1917 before any other attraction at Disney was even conceived.  The carousel was originally part of the Belle Isle Park in Detroit, Michigan before it was relocated to Olympic Park in Irvington, New Jersey. The Walt Disney Company purchase the ride in 1967 and added it to Magic Kingdom’s lineup of opening day attractions in 1971. 

73. What were Walt Disney’s last words?

Answer: A lifelong smoker, Walt Disney died of lung cancer in 1966. His last words were “Kurt Russell,” a reference to the actor who had just signed to a 10-year contract to star in Disney Movies.