3. Conversations in Harambe

Dawa BarListen closely as you approach the Dawa Bar at Animal Kingdom.

Disney's Animal Kingdom is sometimes referred to by the fake-Swahili word, “Nahtazu” (or not-a-zoo). Though it may be a wildlife park, Animal Kingdom is every bit as well themed and immersive as the rest of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Each land is packed with details that make guests feel as though they are on an exotic trip.

In Harambe, the African portion of the park, slow down as you approach the Dawa Bar. If you listen closely, you will hear the sounds of radios, knocking and conversations. The back story to Harambe is that it is a small African village where many U.S. students come to live and work. Their apartments are located above the businesses, and the group that lives over the bar is delinquent with their rent!

2. The party line phone

Party Line PhoneInside the Magic Kingdom's Chapeau, you can eavesdrop on a party line call.

The Magic Kingdom’s Main Street USA is a throwback to turn of the 20th century Americana. As you peruse the quaint shops and alleys, make sure to stop in the Chapeau, or hat shop. An old-fashioned telephone is hanging on the wall. Pick up the phone to listen in on a party line call.

If you have never heard of a party line, it was the most common means of obtaining phone service in the early days of telephones. Some people kept their party lines into the 1960s and 70s, with a few rural areas not switching over until the 1990s. The idea was that everyone in a neighborhood or other designated area shared a single phone line. Consequently, you could eavesdrop on your neighbors simply by picking up the phone. Likewise, you couldn’t make a call until everyone else was off the phone. On the Magic Kingdom’s party line, you will play the role of eavesdropper as you listen to a conversation between an early 20th century mother and daughter.

1. The Black Cat

Black CatThe black cat is a much-loved hidden object inside the Osborne Lights display.

Each holiday season, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is home to the stunning Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, a 5 million light extravaganza that covers the park’s Streets of America. In the 1980s, Arkansas businessman Jennings Osborne began decorating his home with Christmas lights as a present to his daughter. He added new lights and 3-D displays each year, and when he ran out of room, he bought the houses on either side of his.

Naturally, the massive light spectacular drew community attention. As word spread, more and more people came to the neighborhood to see Osborne’s display. His neighbors complained about the resulting traffic snarls and, in 1994, a judge ordered him to shut down the lights, citing them as a public nuisance. Osborne sold the collection, then numbering 3 million, to Disney in 1995. Disney continued to add and expand, and in 2006, the lights began to dance to music.

Jennings Osborne was not just a Christmas fan. He also enjoyed decorating for Halloween. As the story goes, Walt Disney World employees were unwrapping their new acquisition when they discovered that one of Osborne’s Halloween decorations had gotten into a box by mistake. They decided to hide the black cat among the Christmas lights and see if anyone noticed. Today, finding the black cat has become a treasured holiday tradition. It is outlined in purple lights, and is always well-hidden in plain sight.