18 Strange Disney Facts That Will Creep You Out

18 Strange Disney Facts That Will Creep You Out

Disney has a reputation of being the sweet family oriented family company. However, pulling back the curtains will reveal a darker side of Disney.

1. The Dark Side Of Toy Story

Toy Story is full of references to The Shining. Its not just that the carpet in Sid's house, either. The movie repeatedly uses the number 237, which was the most haunted room at the Overlook Hotel.

2. Disney Destroys A Daycare

Disney once sued a daycare center for painting Mickey Mouse on its walls. Disney representatives said that while they are sympathetic to the children's affection for the characters, they must protect their copyright.

3. Disney's No Women Allowed Policy

In 1938, Mary T. Ford applied to Walt Disney Productions looking for a job as an animator. She was rejected for being female. The rejection letter was written on Snow White stationery, decorated with two female characters.

4. Did Disney Steal The Idea For Toy Story?

Toy Story is startlingly similar to a 1986 TV special called 'The Christmas Toy'. The toys came to life when no one is around. The main character is a toy who worries about being replaced when he learns his owner is getting a new toy. The new toy is an egocentric character from outer space that confuses fantasy and reality.

5. Disney's 'Motherless' Characters

If you’ve watched any number of Disney movies, you’ll notice a disturbing trend: most of the characters either start the movies without mothers or lose their mothers during the course of the film after a tragedy. What is up with that? Legend has it that this goes all the way back to the man himself, Walt Disney, after he bought a house for his mom and dad to move into. But the furnace of that house leaked and it affected both of his parents, resulting in his mother’s death. Stories suggest that Disney refused to talk about the incident because he felt guilty over what happened. But that grief and guilt bled into his work and somehow became a trend that continues to this day.

6. Jessica Rabbit Full Frontal Nudity

Animators often throw in split-second gags and elements into their work just for the heck of it, but those who worked on Disney’s 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' movie carried their shenanigans a little too far, so much so that if the Motion Picture Association of America spotted their prank, the movie’s rating might have been NC-17. Several scenes from the original cut of the movie show Jessica Rabbit’s dress flying up to show her underwear, except that in the animation, she’s not wearing any. That’s right: Jessica Rabbit has a full frontal nudity scene in the theatrical version of the movie and no one caught it. There’s also a brief clip in the movie of Baby Herman giving the camera the middle finger. Those sneaky Disney animators often liked to show off their dirty side.

7. Little Mermaid Dick Pick On The Cover

On the original VHS cover there is a large golden penis. The rumor is that the penis was deliberately drawn as a last act of defiance by a disgruntled Disney artist who was being laid off. The truth is, the artist who created the cover did not work for Disney itself, thus was not a disgruntled employee, and claims the penis tower was completely inadvertent.

8. Sorcerer's Hidden Message

The sorcerer in Fantasia was named “Yen Sid”. Read the name backwards.

9. How Disney Is Tricking You

The theme parks use a patented “Smellitzer” device designed to pump certain scents around. Whether it’s a waft of sea salt in Pirates of the Caribbean, or vanilla in Main Street, your senses are constantly being played.

10. No Beards At Disney

Staffs at Disney Land were not allowed to grow a beard until last year, when it was first opened. The guests at Disney World weren’t granted admission if they had facial hair. The irony with all of this is that Walt sported a mustache from the age of 25 onwards.

11. Disney's Exclusive Club 33

Disney claims to be an alcohol free theme park. That is unless you happen to have access to the exclusive Club 33. This plush, secret cocktail lounge, opened in 1967, and is hidden above the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square. It has a strict list of 487 members, with a waiting list of around 14 years.

12. Bruce: The Vegetarian Shark

Bruce, the “Vegetarian” Great White Shark of Finding Nemo, was named after the mechanical shark used in Jaws, which, in turn, was named after Steven Spielberg’s lawyer.

13. Mortimer The Mouse

It’s pretty well known that Walt Disney had a phobia of mice. The original name of Walt’s big eared mouse character was “Mortimer”, it was his wife that persuaded him that the name “Mickey” had a better ring to it.

14. Disney's Lost & Found

Thus far an estimated 1.65 million pairs of glasses have been lost at the park since 1971. Every year, the park finds an average of 6,000 cellphones, 3,500 digital cameras and 18,000 hats.

15. Tribute To Steve Jobs

Disney World flew its flags at half-mast on the day Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died. Jobs was Disney’s largest single shareholder and was on the board of directors. Cars features a white racing car with the Apple logo, and the number “84”, which refers to the year the first Apple computer was released.

16. Lilo, Stitch & Elvis Presley

Lilo and Stitch features more Elvis Presley songs than any of his own films. Talk about stepping on his blue suede shoes.

17. Walt Disney's Attention To Detail Was Incredible

 Walt Disney’s attention to detail was legendary. He placed the bins at Disney World 25 steps away from the hot dog stall, as this was how long it took him to eat a hot dog.

18. M.C Hammer Used For Inspiration

To accurately capture the movement of Aladdin’s low hanging baggy pants, animator Glen Keane watched M.C. Hammer videos.