Our 10 Favorite Disney Doors (Part 2)

In last week’s post, we talked about some of our favorite Disney doors, some real, some decorative, but all of them infused with that creative Imagineering spirit. This week, we’ll continue our journey with five more doors (plus an honorable mention!). As with our first five choices, these are perfect examples of how Disney can take something ordinary and turn it into something special…or hide a secret in plain sight. To start us off, we tried to decide which resort “front door” was our favorite (and to be honest, it wasn’t that hard of a choice). Ready? Then let’s begin with the sixth entry in our Top Ten list!

(If you’d like to hear more, check out the latest episode of the Celebrations Disney Podcast, where we talk about these doors and a whole lot more…with plenty of “go with me here” entries for good measure!)

6. The Wilderness Lodge

As we were putting together our list, we started to realize that almost every resort could merit a mention. But in crafting a list of our ten favorites, we decided we should just pick one (to save room for other deserving entries!). It actually wasn’t much of a conundrum; our clear favorites are the doors of the Wilderness Lodge. The Wilderness Lodge nearly always tops the list of “favorite resorts,” and it’s no secret why. The timber-frame Northwest theming might be the most breathtaking of all the Disney resorts. Certainly, the jaw-dropping lobby (especially at Christmas!) is enough to make you yearn for a cozy fireplace and a cup of hot cocoa. But the theming starts long before you take your first steps into the rustic lobby. As you walk into the main entrance, you’re greeted by a pair of timber-frame double doors, perfectly setting the stage for what’s inside. Even the sliding doors have that Craftsman feel to them, perfectly evoking the architectural style that makes this resort so inviting.

7. Spaceship Earth

One of the most memorable scenes in Spaceship Earth is the Islamic Scholar Scene (or, deferring to Dame Judi Dench, the “world’s first back-up system” scene). A fun detail can be found on the left, where you’ll see a library filled with books and scrolls. There were initially two men in the scene, one standing and one seated on pillows on an elevated platform, both of whom were reading. The standing figure was removed in 2008, but the same refurbishment also saw the introduction of a Hidden Mickey! If you look behind the scholar to the left and to the scrolls on the shelves, you’ll see that three of them form a classic Hidden Mickey.

What does that have to do with doors? Well, nothing, but it’s fun to point out. For the purposes of our list, look to your right. This scene is also home to a peculiar detail that has nothing to do with the storyline. As you might expect, there is an elevator inside Spaceship Earth that stops at the various service levels. (The ground-level entrance is located in the mirrored pylon right in front of the queue.) But where are the other entrances? One can actually be found in this very scene! The wall behind the seated scholars is actually an elevator door, and can be slid open to provide access to the elevator. Now THAT’s cool (I’ll never be able to unsee that)!

8. The Yacht Club and the Faux Elevator

Speaking of hidden elevator doors, let’s head on over to the Yacht Club on Crescent Lake. There is a bank of four elevators in the lobby, or at least there appears to be. One of them is actually a faux elevator, can you tell which one? (HINT: you might want to call someone for a clue.)

9. The Office Buildings of Echo Lake

As you probably well know, many of the windows seen in storefronts and upper stories of buildings in the parks often have advertisements for made-up businesses (the residents of the fictitious town you’re wandering through). Most often, these are tributes to Imagineers and other significant people in Disney history, but you’ll also find the occasional pun or gag (think of the Voice Lessons window on Main Street, U.S.A., where you can actually hear singing coming from the window!). These tributes and jokes aren’t limited to windows; once in a while, you’ll also find a door that is similarly marked. For example, head on over to Echo Lake at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and keep an eye out as you wander down the street. You’ll find some humorous businesses that have taken up residence here. Look for the building at 504 Echo Park Drive, home to a Cosmetic Dentist and Glamour Salons. That sounds normal enough until you take a close look at the building directory. I think I might head toward Suite 210!

10. Main Street, U.S.A.

Our final stop is another storefront, but this time we’re going to the Magic Kingdom. Most of the faux business names can be found in the windows (these being the famed Main Street Windows), but as you wander by the Main Street Cinema, keep an eye out for a very special door for the Magic Kingdom Casting Agency. In addition to noting that the agency opened in 1971 (a nod to the year the Magic Kingdom opened), you’ll find one of Walt Disney’s most inspirational quotes, and a reminder of how truly special the Walt Disney World Cast Members are. They truly put the “magic” in the Magic Kingdom!

Honorable Mention: The Marble Doors at the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

After our recent podcast where we talked about our favorite doors, one of our listeners, Kathy, reminded us that we neglected to mention the marble doors inside the queue of the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. (In my defense, I’m usually too scared to take on the one-two thrill punch of Sunset Boulevard!) These doors are perhaps the most unusual doors you’ll find anywhere in Walt Disney World (you can’t help but want to roll your hands across all those marbles!). The doors are made up of an encased grid containing, you guessed it, marbles. Lots of marbles! 7,744 if my calculations are correct! (Though to be honest I only counted once…if you want to stick with “over 7,000” that’s good enough for me!) Thank you, Kathy!!

This may be an impressive list, but it barely cracks the door (ha ha) into the world of Disney entryways. Can you think of any doors that we missed? We’d love to hear from you, so send us YOUR favorite Disney Doors (be sure to tell us why it’s your favorite), and we’ll include them in a future post. In the meantime, don’t be afraid to open those doors and keep moving forward. You never know what’s on the other side, just waiting to be discovered!