5. Everybody wants to be a cat
Urban legend has it that Disneyland faced a serious mice problem in the 1950’s. Rather than using standard pest control methods, Disney decided to solve the issue in the most Disney-way possible: by training an army of cats to take care of the mice for them. Mickey and Minnie of course did not approve, but their protest was too little too late. Now an army of “commando cats” freely patrols Disneyland to vanquish any rodent who would threaten the Happiest Place on Earth.
This is actually partially true.
Disneyland really is home to anywhere from a dozen to a hundred feral cats who are spayed/neutered and are quietly cared for by the company. Some are even adopted by cast members if they become too friendly with humans or have a surprise litter of kittens. They weren’t introduced to Disneyland intentionally. Rather, they simply showed up, attracted by leftover food and possibly mice here and there. They built a population and settled in, finally becoming permanent guests in Disneyland. Most likely, you will never see them as they prefer to be active at night, especially since Disney discourages contact between guests and the cats. However, if you are visiting Disneyland and see a wandering cat hanging about, take a picture and count yourself privileged to have met one of the park’s best kept secrets.
6. The Mattercourt
This one is not particularly secret, but there is still confusion regarding the urban legend whether The Matterhorn has its own full-sized basketball court hidden in the peak of the mountain. According to the rumor, Walt Disney had a problem with his plans to build a replica of the Matterhorn in Disneyland. The structure was going to exceed height restrictions for the area. To get around this, he had architects design a basketball court into the peak of the mountain so they could classify the Matterhorn as a sports arena.
This is, of course, bonkers. However, the root of the legend is true. There really is a basketball court inside the top of the Matterhorn.
There was never any devious plan to classify the Matterhorn as a sports arena—that would be too wacky even for the most pliable permitting office. We know this because there were no height restrictions in Anaheim at that time. Rather, the court (which isn’t full sized) was built as a break room for cast members participating in shows and Matterhorn climbs. With how often the Matterhorn has been used for fireworks displays, special shows, and “Mickey-Climbing-the-Matterhorn”, the break room has been well-used over the years and served its purpose well.
What other Disney parks urban legends are you aware of that turned out to be true?
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