This is something that every kid has wondered from time to time. I mean, if i ever got behind the wheel of one of those I would probably let her rip and see how far she could go. 

As it turns out, this rumor is true! Monorails conduct safety checks every morning before they open the stations and they used to depart rom the Magic Kingdom Ticket Center and then race to Epcot to see which train could make it there first. 

However, they no longer do this. A few short years ago after a long fourth of July celebration, a set of monorails tragically crashed, killing the conductor. 

According to an article by the Examiner, "The NTSB estimates that the crash, which resulted in the death of monorail operator Austin Wuennenburg, resulted in $24 million in damages. Wuennenburg's mother, Christine Wuennenburg, filed suit against Disney World for reckless conduct that her attorneys contend led to the death of her son. The case was settled out of court last spring."

The practice of racing (which was not condoned or endorsed by the Disney company in any way) has been stopped. The speeds of the Monorail have been slowed, and guests are no longer allowed to ride in the front car with the conductor. (aw, man! I've been waiting 15 years to be able to ride in it and now I never will?!) Conductors emphasize, however, that the practice of racing did not endanger anyone as the trains ran parallel to one another and on separate tracks. These train cars have since been fixed and repainted from pink and purple to teal and peach. They have re-introduced them onto the track.

This is Disney's one and only monorail related fatality. It seems to have happened due to Disney's policy that driving do not need a spotter when going backwards on the track.

My favorite treat in the Disney World parks (besides marshmallow crispies) are these Snow White inspired candy apples. 

They are green apples with a candy coating, and on top of that has a dripping layer of white chocolate (colored green for dramatic effect, of course!) 
Also available are caramel apples with the white chocolate drip. 

These are usually only available on Halloween, but last year they were also being sold on Friday the 13th as part of a special Villains only celebration at Disney's Hollywood Studios. 2013 was the year of "limited time magic". That is, it was a year where each and every week there was a different surprise event going on and Friday the 13th  being invaded by Villains happened to be one of these celebrations. 

Does that mean that since this year, every week is "normal" (way to be lame, Disney) we will not be seeing these tasty apples until October? How would I ever be able to live with myself?! 

The Candy Cauldrin is a shop at Downtown Disney often showcases their talented apple artists by having their work prominently featured in the bakery window. I wouldn't be surprised to see once of these in the window sometime...

This lingerie set may not actually be as out of place as it seems, however. When Disneyland California first opened there was actually an "intimate" apparel shop on Main Street called The Wizard of Bras.  I SWEAR i am not making this up. below is a photo of the "Wizard" himself (looking fabulous, by the way) He was an animatronic man who narrated an educational monologue or two on the history, evolution and fashion of underoos. 

I wonder if the Japanese underwear manufacturer has Disney's blessing...

Figment's Journey into the Imagination  was my favorite ride at Disney World's Epcot Center years ago. It was a fun and fanciful trip that explored what the power of imagination was really capable of. Flying machines, monsters, trains and more delighted me and filled the room with colors and noise. 

Then, for some inexplicable reason, Disney went and "re-imagined" the ride. (What? were they high?!) The makeover did not overwhelm the senses quite like the original. In fact, it took out all of the fun and wonder! It became all about science, and experiments and tests- not about IMAGINATION at all! They still sang Figment's song, but it didn't help. I get that Epcot Center (the side across the bridge from the world showcase anyway) became a playground for family friendly displays of modern technology and learning, but WHY get rid of Honey I shrunk the Audience?  Or the amazing body pavilion?! Epcot took away the only fun things to do on that side of the park (including a simulation ride that took guests inside the human body, a fun "mind control" show inside the head of a teenage boy and a "touch" playground complete with mystery textures and crazy objects. 

Now, the Imagination pavilion has been closed down completely (including the theater that once held "Honey I Shrunk the Audience" and the very disappointing Captain EO starring Michael Jackson) prompting two rumors:  1. Epcot is getting rid of the ride and show all together and 2. Epcot Center big wigs are smart enough to bring the old version of the favorite ride back? (After seeing the success of The Tiki Room's trip back in time and restoration to the original version, this seems like a no brainer.)

 What do you think should happen?

Here are some pictures of the new Haunted Mansion merchandise (t shirts) available at Walt Disney World. The "hidden" skull pic with the graveyard is my personal favorite. 

These are pretty edgy for Disney merchandise- kudos to the designers, they look amazing. 

 Megora: In the story found in Greek Mythology, Meg did marry Hercules. However, it being ancient Greece and all, Hercules later went "berzerk" and murdered her and the two children they had together

Cinderella: In the original story, the prince lays down a pool of tar so she can't run away from the ball. This is how she loses a shoe. Then her stepsisters try desperately to fit into the shoe, cutting off their toes and heels. But, the blood overflowing in the shoe (which was gold, not glass) gives them away. Then birds peck their eyes out so sucking so much. Happily ever after :) 

Snow White: You can read the full story in another one of my posts, but basically it's as messed up as fairy tales get.

Sleeping Beauty:  The original French tale is a little disturbing. She was put under a spell, yada yada so far so good. However, while she was asleep, she was wed to a Prince, who kept it a secret from his mother who was a horrible ogress. While still asleep, she had two children with the Prince(I'll let that rattle around in your head) When his mom found out, she ordered the children to be cooked, but her plan was discovered and she was thrown into a pit full of poisonous bugs and snakes and was eaten alive. 

There are so many eerie rumors about Walt Disney's postmortem hangout spots. 

Rumor No.1: He was frozen: 
This is, unfortunately impossible. The science behind cryogenics was still in its infancy and would not be implemented on a human until after Walt's death. 
also, there's this important tidbit: 
"in order for a person to be frozen, the procedure must be done while the client is still alive. We know Walt did, in fact die." 

Rumor No.2 Was only his head frozen? 
How they would plan to re-attach his severed head to a body is a mystery- but still thousands of people believe this rumor. Despite rumor No.1 being reasonably de-bunked. 

Also, In 1972, his daughter Diane wrote, “There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that my father, Walt Disney, wished to be frozen. I doubt that my father had ever heard of cryonics.”

Rumor No.3 Is Disney’s body buried in a secret location in the Magic Kingdom? 

Rumors state that he is either buried in Tomorrowland, or is in the Haunted Mansion hidden among the graves and coffins that can be found all over the ride. 


The Truth: When Walt Disney died in 1966, his body was cremated. His ashes were laid to rest in a secret location at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. (Buried, not spread. This way his family can visit and pay tribute to his headstone.)

Less interesting, I know. But conspiracy theorists like to cling to the hope that on the future he will rise again as a weird half-frozen, half robot man. (my research comes from the orlando vacation store disney page) 

Ok, so there have been many stories about the haunted mansion's 999 ghosts. (And there's always room for one more...) But what are the most popular ones, and how much truth is there to them? 

The next two tales are the most documented- and my favorite- probably because they are so incredibly creepy.

The Weeping Child:

"In the late 1980s, there was a family who loved going to Disney World every summer with their five year old son. When he died in a car accident in his home town, he was cremated and his family came back one last time to deposit his ashes among the urns in the Haunted Mansion. He didn't like the ride much in life, often complaining that it was too scary for him. Doomed to be eternally frightened of his final resting place, he sits at the rides exit and cries. Many people have found him, and noticing his normal, yet retro appearance, and have tried to help him find his parents, only to find that he inexplicably disappears when they look away. If you see a crying boy at this attraction, it's best to leave him be or you may be in for a fright" 

The truth? This particular case of ash dropping has never been confirmed, but each year, hundreds of "guests" have to be removed by special after hours cleanup crews to be respectfully "dealt with" since many urns, vases and small bottles of human ashes are left there every month. It is very possible that at least one person left there, didn't want this to be their resting place. There have been over 200 people who report a boy with the same outfit on crying at the ride's exit, but his existence has never been confirmed. (like every ghost, "proof" is hard to come by.) 

The Man with a Cane:

According to former cast member Michael Jamis: 

"I worked the Orlando Mansion in 1978. At that time, a story about "The Man with the Cane" was already circulating. I was told he would appear in an empty Doombuggy in the load area late at night when ride operators were by themselves at the load position. Story goes: a girl was working load late one night, they had gone down to one stretch room and the crowds were light. This meant there was usually a lapse in guests between stretch room dumps. This left you, the operator alone for a few minutes, walking the load belt, listening to that music and the sound effects, peering into the darkness that stretched into the ride at one end and from the unload area at the other. So one night this hostess is working load when from the unload area a Doombuggy rounds the corner with a man sitting in the middle of the seat, looking very gaunt, staring straight ahead, hands resting on a cane positioned in front of him.

The operator tries to make eye contact and say hello, the man does not respond but instead disappears with the Doombuggy as it works it's way into the ride. The hostess goes to the load console, calls the unload operator on the phone to say, "Who was that you just sent me? He wouldn't say hello!" To which the unload operator responded, I didn't send anyone around to you. They contacted their lead, all waited for the car to come out of the ride and of course when it did... it was empty. We were always told it was the ghost of Yale Gracey."

The Truth: 
People believe it to be the ghost of imagineer Yale Gracey due to his love of and involvement with the ride prior to his death, and because people seem to think they see a resemblance. However, I have never heard of him donning a cane when he was alive and I doubt you automatically get one in the afterlife. (Pictured below, working on the attraction's props) 
Others believe the ghost to be a pilot who crashed into Bay Lake (WDW, near the Contemporary resort) in the 1940s, before the theme park existed. 

No one knows exactly who it could be, but many cast members have reportedly seen them, when they were alone, of course. 

I never even entertain the idea of getting a Disney themed tattoo since I know it would open up the floodgates and I would be covered in them in less than 24 hours. Still, some of these are seriously cool. 

Here is the original tale, or at least the tale that the Brothers Grimm recorded in their book. Compared to the DIsney Version, this is a Steven King novel. Enjoy! This version is far more entertaining and graphic...

Little Snow-White by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Once upon a time in midwinter, when the snowflakes were falling like feathers from heaven, a queen sat sewing at her window, which had a frame of black ebony wood. As she sewed she looked up at the snow and pricked her finger with her needle. Three drops of blood fell into the snow. The red on the white looked so beautiful that she thought to herself, "If only I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood in this frame."Soon afterward she had a little daughter who was as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as ebony wood, and therefore they called her Little Snow-White. And as soon as the child was born, the queen died.

A year later the king took himself another wife. She was a beautiful woman, but she was proud and arrogant, and she could not stand it if anyone might surpass her in beauty. She had a magic mirror. Every morning she stood before it, looked at herself, and said:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, 
Who in this land is fairest of all?To this the mirror answered:

You, my queen, are fairest of all.Then she was satisfied, for she knew that the mirror spoke the truth.

Snow-White grew up and became ever more beautiful. When she was seven years old she was as beautiful as the light of day, even more beautiful than the queen herself.

One day when the queen asked her mirror:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, 
Who in this land is fairest of all?It answered:

You, my queen, are fair; it is true. 
But Snow-White is a thousand times fairer than you.The queen took fright and turned yellow and green with envy. From that hour on whenever she looked at Snow-White her heart turned over inside her body, so great was her hatred for the girl. The envy and pride grew ever greater, like a weed in her heart, until she had no peace day and night.

Then she summoned a huntsman and said to him, "Take Snow-White out into the woods. I never want to see her again. Kill her, and as proof that she is dead bring her lungs and her liver back to me."

The huntsman obeyed and took Snow-White into the woods. He took out his hunting knife and was about to stab it into her innocent heart when she began to cry, saying, "Oh, dear huntsman, let me live. I will run into the wild woods and never come back."

Because she was so beautiful the huntsman took pity on her, and he said, "Run away, you poor child."

He thought, "The wild animals will soon devour you anyway," but still it was as if a stone had fallen from his heart, for he would not have to kill her.

Just then a young boar came running by. He killed it, cut out its lungs and liver, and took them back to the queen as proof of Snow-White's death. The cook had to boil them with salt, and the wicked woman ate them, supposing that she had eaten Snow-White's lungs and liver.

The poor child was now all alone in the great forest, and she was so afraid that she just looked at all the leaves on the trees and did not know what to do. Then she began to run. She ran over sharp stones and through thorns, and wild animals jumped at her, but they did her no harm. She ran as far as her feet could carry her, and just as evening was about to fall she saw a little house and went inside in order to rest.

Inside the house everything was small, but so neat and clean that no one could say otherwise. There was a little table with a white tablecloth and seven little plates, and each plate had a spoon, and there were seven knives and forks and seven mugs as well. Against the wall there were seven little beds, all standing in a row and covered with snow-white sheets.

Because she was so hungry and thirsty Snow-White ate a few vegetables and a little bread from each little plate, and from each mug she drank a drop of wine. Afterward, because she was so tired, she lay down on a bed, but none of them felt right -- one was too long, the other too short -- until finally the seventh one was just right. She remained lying in it, entrusted herself to God, and fell asleep.

After dark the masters of the house returned home. They were the seven dwarfs who picked and dug for ore in the mountains. They lit their seven candles, and as soon as it was light in their house they saw that someone had been there, for not everything was in the same order as they had left it.

The first one said, "Who has been sitting in my chair?"

The second one, "Who has been eating from my plate?"

The third one, "Who has been eating my bread?"

The fourth one, "Who has been eating my vegetables?"

The fifth one, "Who has been sticking with my fork?"

The sixth one, "Who has been cutting with my knife?"

The seventh one, "Who has been drinking from my mug?"

Then the first one saw a that there was a little imprint in his bed, and said, "Who stepped on my bed?"

The others came running up and shouted, "Someone has been lying in mine as well."

But the seventh one, looking at his bed, found Snow-White lying there asleep. The seven dwarfs all came running up, and they cried out with amazement. They fetched their seven candles and shone the light on Snow-White. "Oh good heaven! Oh good heaven!" they cried. "This child is so beautiful!"

They were so happy, that they did not wake her up, but let her continue to sleep there in the bed. The seventh dwarf had to sleep with his companions, one hour with each one, and then the night was done.

The next morning Snow-White woke up, and when she saw the seven dwarfs she was frightened. But they were friendly and asked, "What is your name?"

"My name is Snow-White," she answered.

"How did you find your way to our house?" the dwarfs asked further.

Then she told them that her stepmother had tried to kill her, that the huntsman had spared her life, and that she had run the entire day, finally coming to their house.

The dwarfs said, "If you will keep house for us, and cook, make beds, wash, sew, and knit, and keep everything clean and orderly, then you can stay with us, and you shall have everything that you want."

"Yes," said Snow-White, "with all my heart."

So she kept house for them. Every morning they went into the mountains looking for ore and gold, and in the evening when they came back home their meal had to be ready. During the day the girl was alone.

The good dwarfs warned her, saying, "Be careful about your stepmother. She will soon know that you are here. Do not let anyone in."

Now the queen, believing that she had eaten Snow-White's lungs and liver, could only think that she was again the first and the most beautiful woman of all. She stepped before her mirror and said:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, 
Who in this land is fairest of all?It answered:

You, my queen, are fair; it is true. 
But Snow-White, beyond the mountains 
With the seven dwarfs, 
Is still a thousand times fairer than you.This startled the queen, for she knew that the mirror did not lie, and she realized that the huntsman had deceived her, and that Snow-White was still alive. Then she thought, and thought again, how she could kill Snow-White, for as long as long as she was not the most beautiful woman in the entire land her envy would give her no rest.

At last she thought of something. Coloring her face, she disguised herself as an old peddler woman, so that no one would recognize her. In this disguise she went to the house of the seven dwarfs. Knocking on the door she called out, "Beautiful wares for sale, for sale!"

Snow-White peered out the window and said, "Good day, dear woman, what do you have for sale?"

"Good wares, beautiful wares," she answered. "Bodice laces in all colors." And she took out one that was braided from colorful silk. "Would you like this one?"

"I can let that honest woman in," thought Snow-White, then unbolted the door and bought the pretty bodice lace.

"Child," said the old woman, "how you look! Come, let me lace you up properly."

The unsuspecting Snow-White stood before her and let her do up the new lace, but the old woman pulled so quickly and so hard that Snow-White could not breathe.

"You used to be the most beautiful one," said the old woman, and hurried away.

Not long afterward, in the evening time, the seven dwarfs came home. How terrified they were when they saw their dear Snow-White lying on the ground, not moving at all, as though she were dead. They lifted her up, and, seeing that she was too tightly laced, they cut the lace in two. Then she began to breathe a little, and little by little she came back to life.

When the dwarfs heard what had happened they said, "The old peddler woman was no one else but the godless queen. Take care and let no one in when we are not with you."

When the wicked woman returned home she went to her mirror and asked:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, 
Who in this land is fairest of all?The mirror answered once again:

You, my queen, are fair; it is true. 
But Snow-White, beyond the mountains 
With the seven dwarfs, 
Is still a thousand times fairer than you.When she heard that, all her blood ran to her heart because she knew that Snow-White had come back to life.

"This time," she said, "I shall think of something that will destroy you."

Then with the art of witchcraft, which she understood, she made a poisoned comb. Then she disguised herself, taking the form of a different old woman. Thus she went across the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs, knocked on the door, and called out, "Good wares for sale, for sale!"

Snow-White looked out and said, "Go on your way. I am not allowed to let anyone in."

"You surely may take a look," said the old woman, pulling out the poisoned comb and holding it up. The child liked it so much that she let herself be deceived, and she opened the door.

After they had agreed on the purchase, the old woman said, "Now let me comb your hair properly."

She had barely stuck the comb into Snow-White's hair when the poison took effect, and the girl fell down unconscious.

"You specimen of beauty," said the wicked woman, "now you are finished." And she walked away.

Fortunately it was almost evening, and the seven dwarfs came home. When they saw Snow-White lying on the ground as if she were dead, they immediately suspected her stepmother. They examined her and found the poisoned comb. They had scarcely pulled it out when Snow-White came to herself again and told them what had happened. Once again they warned her to be on guard and not to open the door for anyone.

Back at home the queen stepped before her mirror and said:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, 
Who in this land is fairest of all?The mirror answered:

You, my queen, are fair; it is true. 
But Snow-White, beyond the mountains 
With the seven dwarfs, 
Is still a thousand times fairer than you.When the queen heard the mirror saying this, she shook and trembled with anger, "Snow-White shall die," she shouted, "if it costs me my life!"

Then she went into her most secret room -- no one else was allowed inside -- and she made a poisoned, poisoned apple. From the outside it was beautiful, white with red cheeks, and anyone who saw it would want it. But anyone who might eat a little piece of it would died. Then, coloring her face, she disguised herself as a peasant woman, and thus went across the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs. She knocked on the door.

Snow-White stuck her head out the window and said, "I am not allowed to let anyone in. The dwarfs have forbidden me to do so."

"That is all right with me," answered the peasant woman. "I'll easily get rid of my apples. Here, I'll give you one of them."

"No," said Snow-White, "I cannot accept anything."

"Are you afraid of poison?" asked the old woman. "Look, I'll cut the apple in two. You eat the red half, and I shall eat the white half."

Now the apple had been so artfully made that only the red half was poisoned. Snow-White longed for the beautiful apple, and when she saw that the peasant woman was eating part of it she could no longer resist, and she stuck her hand out and took the poisoned half. She barely had a bite in her mouth when she fell to the ground dead.

The queen looked at her with a gruesome stare, laughed loudly, and said, "White as snow, red as blood, black as ebony wood! This time the dwarfs cannot awaken you."

Back at home she asked her mirror:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, 
Who in this land is fairest of all?It finally answered:

You, my queen, are fairest of all.Then her envious heart was at rest, as well as an envious heart can be at rest.

When the dwarfs came home that evening they found Snow-White lying on the ground. She was not breathing at all. She was dead. They lifted her up and looked for something poisonous. They undid her laces. They combed her hair. They washed her with water and wine. But nothing helped. The dear child was dead, and she remained dead. They laid her on a bier, and all seven sat next to her and mourned for her and cried for three days. They were going to bury her, but she still looked as fresh as a living person, and still had her beautiful red cheeks.

They said, "We cannot bury her in the black earth," and they had a transparent glass coffin made, so she could be seen from all sides. They laid her inside, and with golden letters wrote on it her name, and that she was a princess. Then they put the coffin outside on a mountain, and one of them always stayed with it and watched over her. The animals too came and mourned for Snow-white, first an owl, then a raven, and finally a dove.

Snow-White lay there in the coffin a long, long time, and she did not decay, but looked like she was asleep, for she was still as white as snow and as red as blood, and as black-haired as ebony wood.

Now it came to pass that a prince entered these woods and happened onto the dwarfs' house, where he sought shelter for the night. He saw the coffin on the mountain with beautiful Snow-White in it, and he read what was written on it with golden letters.

Then he said to the dwarfs, "Let me have the coffin. I will give you anything you want for it."

But the dwarfs answered, "We will not sell it for all the gold in the world."

Then he said, "Then give it to me, for I cannot live without being able to see Snow-White. I will honor her and respect her as my most cherished one."

As he thus spoke, the good dwarfs felt pity for him and gave him the coffin. The prince had his servants carry it away on their shoulders. But then it happened that one of them stumbled on some brush, and this dislodged from Snow-White's throat the piece of poisoned apple that she had bitten off. Not long afterward she opened her eyes, lifted the lid from her coffin, sat up, and was alive again.

"Good heavens, where am I?" she cried out.

The prince said joyfully, "You are with me." He told her what had happened, and then said, "I love you more than anything else in the world. Come with me to my father's castle. You shall become my wife." Snow-White loved him, and she went with him. Their wedding was planned with great splendor and majesty.

Snow-White's godless stepmother was also invited to the feast. After putting on her beautiful clothes she stepped before her mirror and said:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, 
Who in this land is fairest of all?The mirror answered:You, my queen, are fair; it is true. 
But the young queen is a thousand times fairer than you.The wicked woman uttered a curse, and she became so frightened, so frightened, that she did not know what to do. At first she did not want to go to the wedding, but she found no peace. She had to go and see the young queen. When she arrived she recognized Snow-White, and terrorized, she could only stand there without moving.

Then they put a pair of iron shoes into burning coals. They were brought forth with tongs and placed before her. She was forced to step into the red-hot shoes and dance until she fell down dead.

This is quite different from true love's kiss, no?