Located in the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, the Magic Kingdom is one of four parks on the complex and one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. Often considered the happiest place on earth, the Magic Kingdom is certainly the type of place where dreams come true. But you’d be surprised how much effort goes into making the park seem so magical!

From secret tunnels to optical illusions to abandoned runways and water parks, there is much more to the Magic Kingdom than meets the eye. Keep reading to find out 20 facts about the Magic Kingdom.

20 Cast Members Travel Via Secret Tunnels Beneath The Magic Kingdom

Ever wondered why you’ve never seen cast members walking around in the Magic Kingdom? According to Insider, there are secret tunnels that have been built beneath the park which the cast members use to travel under the nose of the guests. The idea came from the brain of Walt Disney himself.

19 It Has Only Closed Three Times Since Opening In 1971

The Magic Kingdom is committed to staying open for the benefit of its guests. In fact, according to Vacation Kids, it has only closed three times since its 1971 opening. Once during Hurricane Floyd in 1999, during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and also during a power failure in 2002.

18 Disney Princesses Working Inside The Magic Kingdom Have To Dress Up As Furry Characters First

Being a Disney Princess is a dream that a lot of little girls have. But becoming a real Disney Princess in the Magic Kingdom is actually a lot harder than most people realize. In addition to extensive training, princesses have to first spend several weeks playing a furry non-face character.

17 There Are Artificial Smells Purposely Pumped Through The Magic Kingdom

If you’ve ever been to the Magic Kingdom, you’ll notice that it carries very strong pleasant smells. That’s because artificial smells are pumped through hidden vents throughout the park to increase the sensory experience of the guests. On Main Street, for example, it always smells like baked goods.

16 Every American Flag On The Premises Is Fake

You will spot some American flags in the Magic Kingdom, but every single one of them is fake. That’s because if they were real, they would have to follow the strict rules of the national flag code, which would include them having to be flown at half-mast. Each flag is missing either a star or a stripe.

15 The Park Has Its Own Abandoned Airport

Oh, that’s right. The Magic Kingdom has absolutely everything you could think of, including its own abandoned airport runway! It is located close to the entrance of the Magic Kingdom near the Monorail and was built in 1970. It was only used for a year or so before being closed.

14 Walt Disney Had His Own Suite Inside Cinderella’s Castle

You can’t actually stay in Cinderella’s Castle, but the mesmerizing building does have a secret suite inside. This was originally built for the Disney family but was never used after Walt passed away before the park opened. The only way to stay there is to win a competition held by Disney.

13 50,000 Guests Visit Each Day, But The Park Can Hold 100,000

The Magic Kingdom can feel super crowded, especially on warm summer days when the humidity starts to get to you. But according to Modern Life Is Good, on most days it fills up only half of its regular capacity of 100,000 people. On major holidays, there are around 100,000 guests.

12 Inside The Magic Kingdom, There Is An Abandoned Water Park

The Walt Disney World resort has a few water parks now, but there is also an abandoned water park known as River Country that most people don’t know about. It was closed in 2001 for reasons that were never revealed and sits in the middle of Bay Lake on an island.

11 There Is A Trash Can Every 30 Steps In The Park

The Magic Kingdom is a land of fantasy, not rubbish. That’s why there are so many trash cans around the place. Walt Disney himself studied park guests at Disneyland and found that they’d walk around 30 steps before dropping their trash on the ground, and that’s why there’s a trash can every 30 steps in the Magic Kingdom today.

10 The Park Uses Optical Illusions To Trick The Guests

The park doesn’t just pump artificial smells to trick your senses—it also uses optical illusions. Cinderella’s Castle, for example, isn’t actually as big as it looks. It is created in such a way that it looks taller than it actually is, with the bricks at the top being smaller than the bricks at the bottom.

9 Some Features Are Designed To Appear Differently To Adults And Children

The Magic Kingdom isn’t just a destination for children. It’s a place where adults and children alike can have the time of their lives. Interestingly, some features appear differently to adults than they do to children. This statue of Cinderella appears sombre to an adult, but a child looking up can see that Cinderella is actually smiling.

8 Originally, Admission Cost Just $3.50

Talk about inflation! According to Best of Orlando, the original admission cost of the Magic Kingdom was only $3.50 when the park first opened in 1971. At the time, the park only had 23 attractions for the guests to experience. We suppose now there is much more to do!

7 People Who Work At The Magic Kingdom Are Not Allowed To Point

There are several strict rules for those who would like to be cast members working in the Magic Kingdom. One of them is that you are not allowed to point under any circumstances, even if you’re showing a park guest how to get somewhere. That’s because pointing is rude in some cultures.

6 The Magic Kingdom Is Smaller Than The Parking Lot Of The Animal Kingdom

Spanning across 107 acres, the Magic Kingdom is huge. It’s much bigger than Disneyland in California which doesn’t even take up 100 acres. But still, the Magic Kingdom is the smallest of the four parks at Walt Disney World. It is even smaller than the parking lot of the Animal Kingdom!

5 The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel Is Over A Century Old

Although the Magic Kingdom itself only opened in 1971, some of the attractions have been around for much longer. The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel in Fantasyland, for example, was actually built more than a century ago in 1917. It definitely has an old-world feel about it!

4 Walt Disney Didn’t Want Guests To Be Able To See One Land From Another

The Magic Kingdom was designed in such a way that guests wouldn’t be able to see one land from another. So guests in Fantasyland can’t see Liberty Square, even though the two are right next to each other. That’s so guests feel totally immersed in the lands, rather than in a single connected theme park.

3 Cinderella’s Castle Is Actually Made Out Of Glass

Fiberglass, that is! Not only is Cinderella’s Castle made to look like it’s taller than it actually is, but it was also designed to look like it was built from solid brick. In actual fact, no stones were used to make the castle at all. According to Disney Fanatic, just fiberglass went into making the castle.

2 There Are Purposely No Bathrooms In Liberty Square Because That Would Be Historically Inaccurate

Bathrooms are easy to come by in the Magic Kingdom unless you’re in Liberty Square. The reason that there are no bathrooms in this land is because including bathrooms would be historically inaccurate. There are restrooms in the Liberty Square restaurant, but other than that, guests have to walk to Fantasyland to relieve themselves.

1 The Murky Water In The Jungle Cruise Is Artificial

The Jungle Cruise takes guests for a boat tour along some seriously murky water. But like many things in the Magic Kingdom, this was purposely designed to look a certain way. There is a dye that colors the water—it’s not actually dirty!