Main Entrance
At night, Disneyland is visited by plenty of what animal?
Feral cats. Once the park closes for the night, feral cats prowl the streets of Disneyland, keeping the rodent population under control. The cats initially set up camp in the '50s in Sleeping Beauty's castle, and since nobody could figure out how to kill a bunch of cats without causing an uproar, Disneyland has been using them as pest control ever since, feeding them and giving them medical care in addition to housing. And for more unexpected facts about the happiest place on earth, check out 20 Secrets Disney Employees Don't Want You to Know.
What famous actor has been known to visit Disney parks in-character?
Johnny Depp! Disney goes all out when it comes to hiring cast for its parks, but sometimes visitors are treated to something extra magical. Johnny Depp has shown up as his characters from both The Pirates of the Caribbean and Alice in Wonderland.
What famous chip was invented at an amusement park?
Dotiros! Shortly after Disneyland opened in 1955, a restaurant there created Doritos in an effort to prevent food waste by just tossing out unused tortillas.
Every year, Cedar Point, an amusement park in Ohio, collects all the change that falls out of people's pockets on roller coasters, as well as money thrown into fountains, and donates it to charity. The amount collected every year changes, but is usually in the range of $2,000. And for more heartwarming goodness, discover the 20 Best Feel Good Stories of 2018.
How old is the oldest amusement park in the world?
400 years. The world's oldest operating amusement park opened in Denmark in 1583. Originally Dyrehavsbakken drew crowds thanks to its fresh spring water and those crowds drew entertainers and vendors selling wares; thus the first amusement park was born. It is currently the second-most popular tourist attraction in Denmark.
While at Busch Gardens in the late 90's, which famous celeb was attacked by a goose?
Fabio! You might think an upset stomach or whiplash is all you need to worry about at an amusement park. However, at Busch Gardens in 1999, Fabio's face collided with a passing goose while he was on a ride. The goose broke Fabio's nose, but Fabio's face killed the bird.
The Ferris Wheel as we know it today made its grand debut at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The Exposition is also frequently credited for creating the modern carnival or fairground because of its Midway and its isolated zone for amusements.
Disney World is the second biggest buyer of what popular item for patriotic celebrations?
Fireworks! You might not think of fireworks as explosives, but that's what they are. This makes Disney World the second biggest buyer of fireworks in the United States, right after the government. Disney keeps the numbers top secret, but estimates range from $45,000 to $50,000 per show.
How many roller coasters are in the world?
Nearly 5,000! Roller coasters and amusement parks are increasing in popularity, and today the total number of roller coasters in the world stands at 4,651 across the world. A massive 2,286 of those rides are in Asia, while just 894 roller coasters call North America home.
Miners had the original roller coaster - what was used as the first roller coasters?
Mine carts! A mine in what is now Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, created a gravity railroad for moving coal. On slow days, locals would take a ride in the mine carts. Soon people were paying for the opportunity to go for a ride, and that is how we came to have the roller coaster as we know it today.
How fast is the fastest roller coaster?
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is a theme park devoted to all things Ferrari, so it makes sense that they have the world's fastest roller coaster. The ride is called the Formula Rossa, and it can go from 0 to 150 in just 5 seconds, thanks to its hydraulic launch system.
In Minnesota, you can trade a roller coaster for what military vehicle?
A tank! Not every amusement park is about roller coasters or water slides. At the aptly named Drive a Tank in Minnesota, you and your friends can drive a real tank for a different kind of thrill.
When was the first modern amusement park created?
The first modern amusement park opened in 1984 Chicago and was started by a man named Paul Boyton. It was called Paul Boyton's Water Chutes, and it was the first park to charge a single admission price. After a year, Boyton moved to Coney Island and created another park with more rides, called the Sea Lion Park.
There's a roller coaster in the United Kingdom with the greatest number of what feature on its attraction?
Loops! If your favorite part of a roller coaster is going upside down, there's one ride you need to try. The Smiler, located at Alton Towers in the United Kingdom has a record breaking 14 inversions. The next closest rides only have 10.
How much did it cost to make the most expensive roller coaster?
It's not the world's tallest or fastest roller coaster, but the Everest Expedition at Disney World in Florida is hands-down the world's most expensive roller coaster. Thanks to painstakingly recreating Mount Everest in miniature, the final cost of the ride was $100 million.
How many people can the largest water park hold?
Nearly 40,000! World Waterpark in Edmonton, Alberta is not only the world's largest water park, it's also the world's largest tourist attraction. It's 655,550 square feet, and it attracts 560,000 visitors every year.
How tall is the tallest roller coaster?
When it comes to great heights, there's one roller coaster that can't be topped. Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure has been the world's tallest roller coaster since 2005. It stands at 456 ft.
What amusement park is known as the roller coaster capital?
Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, proudly calls itself the Roller Coaster Capital of the World. It has several of the roller coasters that rank among some of the world's tallest, fastest, and longest rides, so it's great for adventure seekers who want to get the most out of one single park.
True or false: old roller coasters are recycled.
True! It is significantly cheaper to dismantle and reuse an old roller coaster instead of designing and building a new one from scratch, so there's a chance your favorite ride is currently in its second incarnation. The Tsunami, a roller coaster in Aguascalientes, Mexico, is currently on its fourth life.
In the UK, what can't you do with bumper cars?
Bump! Butlin Skegness was the first amusement park to have bumper cars in the UK. It began importing them with an exclusive license in 1928. In 2011, the park hung up a "No Bumping" sign near the attraction that was not a joke. People were complaining about injuries from the ride, so bumping the cars together was banned in the park.