Disney Blogs > Lou MongelloLou Mongello - Disney World Trivia
Lou Mongello ,the author of The Disney World Trivia Books: Secrets, History & Fun Facts Behind The Magic Vol I and Vol II, has been fascinated by Walt Disney World throughout his more than 40 visits, and in the process learned everything he could about the history, secrets and inner workings of the resort. Lou was also the co-host of the award-winning MouseTunes Disney Podcast.20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Whatever Became of This E-Ticket Attraction? - One of the most innovative attractions ever created for the Disney theme parks was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. A Walt Disney World "E-Ticket" attraction since its opening day on October 14, 1971 (back when WDW used individual coupons instead of pay-one-price tickets), this Fantasyland ride closed exactly 23 years to the day after it opened, making it the only E-Ticket attraction to ever be removed from the park.
Discovery Island - A long time ago, in a swampland in central Florida, there sat. well. swampland. But in the middle of that great, murky, muck, sat a large island. Legend around these parts states that it was this island that solidified the location for Walt Disney's secret new theme park project.
Epcot's World Showcase - The Africa Pavilion - Walt Disney World® is, as we all know, a place that is in a constant state of change, growth and expansion. One of the places that was designed with that type of expansion in mind was Epcot's (or should I say, EPCOT Center's) World Showcase. In a future article, I plan on discussing at length some of the initial plans for World Showcase, specifically many of the nations that expressed a significant interest in being a part of it. You don't know how close you were to seeing a pavilion from...well...you'll just have to wait for that one.
The Main Street Electrical Parade - "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Walt Disney World proudly presents our spectacular festival pageant of nighttime magic and imagination in thousands of sparkling lights and electrosynthomagnetic musical sounds . . . the 'Main Street Electrical Parade!'"
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride - "Mr. Who?" asks the wide-eyed child about to enter The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction, dragging his exhausted parents on for the third time today. Sorry, my friend, he isn't the "lost" Power Ranger, he's not "Experiement 213" from Lilo & Stitch, nor will you likely see him in the "House of Mouse" or "That's So Raven" on the Disney Channel. No, Mr. Toad was born in 1908, a little but before your time, in a popular tale called the "Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame. In 1949, he and his oddly-named friends like Moley, Mac Badger, Ratty and Winky were adapted by the folks at Disney into the feature film, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.
Price of Admission in 1971 - Get into the Magic Kingdom for less than five bucks? It's true... or was true... sort of.
Test Track... coming (not-so) soon... - Find out the history of Epcot's Test Track and why Test Track opened (a little late), on March 17, 1999, more than two years after its scheduled opening for May 1997.
Walt Disney World® Monorail - More than just a way to get from here to there... one of the most popular "attractions" in all of WDW. Read about it's history and changes throughout the years
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