10 Oft-Overlooked Details Found Underfoot

Even the casual Disney visitor is aware of the wealth of details that the Imagineers infuse into every corner of the parks, whether it’s the authentic fortress in Pirates of the Caribbean (can you hear the pirates digging for treasure in a distant cave?) or the whimsical inventions and lab equipment at Journey Into Imagination (be sure to keep an eye out for the shrinking hallway!). But many might not be aware of the treasures to be found underfoot.

 

 

1. Cobblestones, Bricks, Tiles, and More!

For example, in World Showcase, you’ll discover a treasure trove of ground level detail. Each pavilion features courtyards and walkways constructed in a distinctive style unique to the host country. Look for cobblestones in the United Kingdom, stone slabs in Japan, the colorful tiles in Morocco, and intricate brickwork in the American Adventure. Even at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the walkways in the old Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama mimicked the wear and tear of a well-worn parking lot, the perfect place for in impromptu carnival to set up shop!

 

 

2. Critter Tracks

As you wander around the grounds at the Wilderness Lodge, you’ll find all sorts of critter tracks embedded in the pathways surrounding the resort. See if you can spot deer tracks, opossum, and even the occasional bear!

 

 

3. Biking to Everest

Over in Asia at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you’ll find a mish mash of bicycle tracks crisscrossing the walkways, bicycles being a common form of transportation in this part of the world.

 

 

4. Tiny Details

In addition to animal prints and tire tracks, you’ll find all sorts of tiny details embedded into the ground that are unique to the land you are visiting. For example, look for the pottery shards (and even pieces of jewelry!) in the walkways surrounding the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. Or the seashells (shown here) incorporated into the queue pathway in Journey of the Little Mermaid in the Magic Kingdom. It’s a little detail that might not jump out to you right away, but it’s a subtlety that helps to create the overall impression of a seaside rocky outcrop that’s been washed over by countless ocean waves in the past!

 

 

5. Welcome to England!

At Epcot’s United Kingdom pavilion, you may sometimes spot a playful hopscotch grid sketched out in chalk in front of the pavilion as well as a welcome message added by a friendly Cast Member.

 

 

6. The Art of…Water?

Speaking of Cast Member magic, keep your eyes open as you exit Epcot at night. You may catch a faint glimpse of a favorite Disney character in the walkway around Spaceship Earth. Even more surprising, you may notice that the illustration fades out as quickly as it appears! A moment’s study will reveal the source of these whimsical drawings; talented Cast Members armed with nothing more than a bucket of water and a special mop who wander around sketching Mickey and friends under the futuristic glow of the giant geodesic sphere.

 

 

7. Watch Out, Wet Cement!

Sometimes you’ll spot some initials or footprints “left” in the wet cement as the area was being constructed. For example, over in the Magic Kingdom, look for the Lady and the Tramp heart engraved in the cement outside Tony’s Town Square Restaurant. Meanwhile,
over at Epcot…

 

 

8. An Imaginative Blast From the Past

We’re going to hop in our Wayback Machine for a fun detail that most folks never knew about. This mischievous secret could once be found in the courtyard to the right of the Imagination pavilion. If you took a peek around the corner into the Cast Member entrance path, you used to be able to see that that Figment wrote his signature into the wet pavement. Sheesh, didn’t he cause enough trouble INSIDE the Imagination Institute? Sadly, this detail disappeared during a recent refurbishment of the area.

 

 

9. Dino Tracks

See if you can find the giant dinosaur tracks in Echo Lake at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Not only can you spot them in the landscaping leading away from the giant figure of Gertie the Dinosaur standing in the lake, you’ll also find those footprints continuing into the nearby walkways, as well as cracks that resulted from all that dino weight!

 

 

10. Mickey’s Sunset Surprise

Speaking of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, see if you can spot the “Mortimer & Co. Contractors, 1928” stamp on the walkways along Sunset Boulevard. This is, a nod to Mickey Mouse’s first major on-screen appearance in 1928’s Steamboat Willie.