Favorite Sounds of Walt Disney World (Part 2)

In this week’s post, we’re going to continue our tour of those magical sounds that we love so much at Walt Disney World. As before, we’re not talking about music. These are those distinctive sounds that may blend in with the background, but actually do so much to create that unique Disney magic. Even if you may not notice them right away, you definitely notice when they’re not there. Ready? Then let’s get started!

1. The Stretching Room in the Haunted Mansion

Returning to our discussion of the echoing howls from the Haunted Mansion from our last post, another great sound effect can be heard in the famous Stretching Room. When the Haunted Mansion received its significant refurbishment in 2007, the Imagineers greatly enhanced the sound effects in this part of the tour. The ominous narration and the creaking of the stretching walls now surround you in stereophonic sound, but the best is saved for last. As the wall opens and you finally find your way out, take a moment to stand in the middle of the stretching room as your fellow Guests make their way to their Doom Buggies. If you listen closely, you’ll hear faint whispers of a few happy haunts imploring you to “get out!” It’s a wonderful effect that not many people hear, but if you take a couple of moments to listen, it will send a chill up and down your spine.

2. The Party Line Phone (A Blast from the Past!)

For our next entry, we will go back in time and revisit some of the nostalgic charm of Main Street, U.S.A. For many years, the go-to place to pick up those famous Mickey Ears was the Chapeau hat store. A replica of an old-fashioned telephone was tucked away on one of the walls. You could eavesdrop on a party line conversation if you picked up the earpiece. You could listen in as Annie, a young lady shopping at the Dinglinger’s General Store, called her overbearing mother. The exchange revealed some fun details about the bygone era. Steak cost eleven cents a pound back then (to which Annie’s mother recoiled in sticker shock), and it took nearly six hours to cook a full meal, which included churning the butter. Humorously, Annie also got some direct marital advice from her mother. “Don’t you ever get yourself married unless you find a man who’s got three hundred dollars saved and makes a steady eight dollars a week.” The Chapeau closed to make way for the expansion of the Confectionery, but don’t worry; there are other fun sound snippets to be found on Main Street.

3. Voice Lessons

As you approach Cinderella Castle on the right side of Main Street, look for the second-story window that advertises voice lessons. On a quiet day, you can hear the young prodigy in the upper apartment warming up with her musical scales (it doesn’t seem like the lessons are going so well!).

4. Sounds of the Subway

Another gone-but-not-forgotten sound effect could be found at the Streets of America in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As you wandered down New York Street, you could hear the faint sound of honking cars, traffic, and subway noise coming from the faux subway entrances. If you closed your eyes, listened carefully to the street noise, and slowly opened them again, you would genuinely feel like you had been transplanted in the Big Apple.

5. Don’t Pull That Rope

One of the funniest sound bites can be found back at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as you approach the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular Theater. Here you’ll find an archaeological dig site with an anchored pulley supporting a rope that disappears into a crevice. Nearby is a sign reading “Warning! do not pull the rope,” with the word “not” crossed out. Well, with such an ambiguous message, we of course have to pull it! Doing so will trigger one of several recorded responses, including: “leave off the rope old chap! Be a good fellow. I’ve a frightfully valuable artifact down here,” “blast it all, don’t pull the rope. You don’t want to break an art… (crashing noise) Oh dear!” or “I say, stop mucking about up there!”