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33 Strange and Dark Disney Facts That Are the Opposite of Family Friendly

By:: Cracked Writers; Brian C. Miller

November 26, 2023

33 Strange and Dark Disney Facts That Are the Opposite of Family Friendly

Not many people know this, but Disney is actually a pretty dark and strange place. For starters, it’s not nearly as family-friendly as you might think. If you take a close look at some of the classic Disney movies, you’ll notice that they’re pretty creepy. Consider, for example, The Little Mermaid, in which a young woman gives up her voice to become human and then proceeds to fall in love with a man she barely knows. Or take Snow White, in which a beautiful young woman is placed into a coma by an evil queen and is only saved by the kiss of a handsome prince.

These are hardly the kind of stories that are suitable for children. Moreover, the Disney parks are home to some truly bizarre attractions, such as the Haunted Mansion and the Tower of Terror. So next time you’re planning a trip to Disney, be sure to keep all of this in mind. To that end, here are some of the craziest, darkest Disney facts we could dig up…

33

DISNEY IS THE WORLD'S NUMBER 2 BUYER OF EXPLOSIVES. NUMBER 1 IS THE U.S. MILITARY. Not to say the two organizations are quite in competition with each other. Disney's explosive devices are exclusively for fireworks shows. For now, anyway... CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

32

BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN COASTER DERAILED IN 2003. TEN GOT INJURED AND ONE PASSENGER DIED. DE Maintenance crews - had signed off on paperwork - - showing the ride was safe, despite an ominous clanking sound. The ride reopened six months later, after an investigation completed. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

31

DISNEY PARKS FORCED PERFORMERS TO SHARE UNDERWEAR. THE RESULT: PUBIC LICE AND SCABIES. Finally, in 2001, workers were assigned individual undergarments they were free to take them home and wash themselves. They needed months of union contract negotiations to come to this agreement. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

30

IN 1970, YOUTHS STORMED Tom SAWYER'S ISLAND. DISNEY CALLED IN THE RIOT POLICE. The 300 protesters-members of the Yippie movement-raised their flag (a pot leaf in a red star). Still, their numbers fell far short of the 20,000 that Disney predicted would come. The kids threw flowers at cops as they were kicked out. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

29

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN HAD REAL HUMAN BONES. THEY LOOKED BETTER THAN PLASTIC PROPS. Eventually, the bones were buried and replaced. But numerous park employees and Disney enthusiasts insist (probably falsely) the ride still has some mixed in, including at least one skull. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

28

DISNEY SUED A BUNCH OF DAYCARE CENTERS. THE CRIME: PAINTING MICKEY ON THE WALL. This was copyright infringement, so Disney had legal standing. The suit never went to court. The centers agreed to paint over Mickey with toons from Hanna-Barbera and Universal, who were more generous and gave permission. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

27

A BRAIN-EATING АМОЕВА INFECTED A WATER PARK GUEST. THE KID WAS 11, GOT SICK, AND DIED. The child got amoebic meningoencephalitis from visiting Disney's River Country water park. River Country remained open for 21 more years, and the park never had a repeat of this incident, though two other children did drown there. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

26

DISNEY USED SHELL COMPANIES TO BUY MAGIC KINGDOM. THE AIM: LOWBALLING LANDOWNERS. By hiding that such a huge company wanted the land, they kept sellers from realizing how valuable their property was going to be. Some of the companies were named Tomahawk Properties and the cutesy M.T. Lott Co. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

25

KNOW NIXON'S FAMOUS I AM NOT A CROOK SPEECH? HE WAS ON DISNEY PROPERTY. The iconic line that would forever be cemented as the go-to cue for every hack Nixon impression until the end of time was originally uttered during a televised Q&A at Disney's Contemporary Resort in 1973. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

24

HEARD HOW LEMMINGS FOLLOW EACH OTHER OFF CLIFFS? WHITE WILDERNESS THAT'S A MYTH, STARTED BY DISNEY. The Disney nature documentary White Wilderness depicted lemmings dying en masse. Filmmakers staged the scene by throwing some lemmings to their deaths. The film won an Oscar. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

23

DISNEY WORLD IS INFESTED WITH ALLIGATORS. ONE KILLED A 2-YEAR-OLD IN 2016. Even before that, the gator population on Disney properties had skyrocketed. Disney removed 20 to 25 from park grounds per year between 2006 and 2015, and the number doubled the following year, and doubled again to 83 the year after that. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

22

MAIN STREET USA USES (MOSTLY) FAKE FLAGS. Bake ALL ARE MISSING A STAR OR STRIPE. So they're technically not American flags. This loophole spares them from standard flag protocol. Disney doesn't want to lower a million tiny flags to half-mast every time there's a tragedy. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

21

DISNEY PAID SNOW WHITE'S VOICE ACTRESS ONLY $970. DIB4RES THE FILM MADE MILLIONS. The film didn't credit Adriana Caselotti, and she never managed to land another credited role. Disney blocked her media appearances, saying they didn't want to spoil the illusion of Snow White. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

20

WERNHER VON BRAUN AND HANS SCHARFF WERE NAZIS. IXIX DISNEY HIRED THEM BOTH. Disney consulted von Braun for projects about space travel, while Scharff installed murals at Epcot. Von Braun designed V-2 rocket for the Nazis, and Scharff was a Luftwaffe interrogator before he became an artist. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

19

DISNEY HAS BASICALLY REWRITTEN U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW. MICKEY WILL NEVER GO PUBLIC DOMAIN. They've spent millions lobbying for copyright bills. Ironically, nearly all of Disney's most iconic films- from Snow White to Cinderella to Beauty And The Beast-are based on public domain works. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

18

JUST ONE CAST MEMBER HAS DIED AT DISNEYLAND. BUT IT WAS A PRETTY MESSY DEATH. In 1974, Debbie Stone was working in America Sings at Disneyland and accidentally got crushed between two moving walls of the rotating stage. Disney closed the stage for a year and installed automatic sensors to keep this from happening again. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

17

HAUNTED MANSION GUESTS KEEP DUMPING CREMAINS. PEUERUESTA Nr 16.05 and (CREMAINS ARE THE ASHES OF THE DEAD.) This happens at least once a month. It's A Small World is another popular dumping spot. Employees even have a code for it: НЕРА cleanup, which means they're about to go vacuum up someone's ashes. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

16

EMPLOYEES SUED DISNEY FOR $100 MILLION. IN 2017, DISNEY SETTLED. The employees claimed Disney and other big animation studios colluded using anti-poaching agreements. The studios allegedly agreed not to steal animators from one another, letting bosses conspire to keep wages low. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

15

A single day's admission to Disney's Magic Kingdom, during peak attendance (weekends/holidays) will cost a family of 2 adults and 2 children a minimum of $500. (No flight, no hotel, no parking, no souvenirs, no food, just park admission.) CRACKED COM — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

14

BAD: YOU'RE IN THE LEAD CAR ON DISNEYLAND'S BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN RAILROAD WHEN IT DERAILS. WORSE: ONE OF YOUR FELLOW PASSENGERS IS KILLED. EVEN WORSE: YOU SPEND BETWEEN 20 MINUTES AND AN HOUR STUCK WITH THE DEAD MAN WHILE PARAMEDICS PRY THE INJURED OUT OF THE WRECK. THE GOOD NEWS: THIS DIDN'T REALLY HAPPEN TO YOU. THE BAD NEWS: THIS REALLY HAPPENED TO SOMEBODY ELSE, IN 2003. CRACKED.COM — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

13

CRACKED.COM IT WASN'T UNTIL 2015 THAT DISNEY STARTED INSTALLING METAL DETECTORS AT OF ITS THEME PARKS... ...A WEEK AFTER A MAN TRIED TO ENTER DISNEY WORLD WITH A HANDGUN-AND LONG AFTER SEVERAL OTHER INCIDENTS INVOLVING FIREARMS, INCLUDING TWO HOSTAGE SITUATIONS AND A SUICIDE. — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

12

As you might expect, the U.S. MILITARY is the largest purchaser CRACKED.COM of EXPLOSIVES in the United States. THE SECOND-LARGEST? The WALT Disney Company — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

11

CRACKED.COM WALT Disney had a 7'0 7'0 6'7 6'7 very cooperative relationship '4 with the F.B.I. during Hoover's 6'1 6'1 administration. '8 5'8 FBI INFORMANT '5 5'5 '2 5'2 '9 4'9 '8 4'8 4'7 '7 4'4 Не accused several of his own DE animators of being communists because they organized a strike asking for better working conditions. 3'2 3'2 2'9 2'9 2'6 2'6 2'3 2'3 That was one serious accusation during the 50s Red Scare. — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

10

GRAGKED.COM WaltDisney ANIMATION STUDIOS In 2017, Disney settled a $100 million lawsuit for making secret anti- poaching deals with its competitors. them 100 1 make 100 Art 100 | Anti-poaching deals are made in order to prevent workers from moving to another company, which allows the current employers to keep their employees' wages as low as possible. — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

9

DISNEY GRAGKED.COM ALMOST COMPLETELY DICTATES U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW! C THE COMPANY HAS SUCCESSFULLY LOBBIED CONGRESS MULTIPLE TIMES TO EXTEND THE TIME LIMIT ON COPYRIGHT PROTECTIONS JUST TO KEEP MICKEY OUT OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

8

After wasting 30 million dollars and causing an incredible amount of environmental damage... Disney had to completely abandon a fully built resort in the Bahamas. They didn't fully map out the logistics of ferrying the tourists to and from their cruise ships, and instead of salvaging what they could and relocating, they left it all in place to rot. CRACKED.COM — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

7

THE BEATLES OFFICIALLY ENDED ON DISNEY PROPERTY. IN 1974, ON VACATION AT DISNEY'S POLYNESIAN VILLAGE RESORT, JOHN LENNON SIGNED THE CONTRACT THAT DISSOLVED THE GROUP. Disney's Polynesian Village Resort CRACKED.COM — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

6

Disney once planned to sell Ratatouille-themed wine. It didn't end well. CHARDONNAY BOURCOCNE RATATOUILLE The plans were cancelled at the last minute over criticisms that the cute cartoon wine ads would attract people below the legal drinking age, violating advertising standards. CRACKED.COM — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

5

Walt Disney himself helped to design a Mickey Mouse gas mask Though few remain, you can find several on display in various museums in the United States. CRACKED.COM — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

4

Disney made military training videos and war propaganda during WWII. Animators used their signature silly gags and cutesy art style to make things like Disney's instructional video for firing anti-tank rifles-- starkly at odds with the modern company's child-friendly image. CRACKED.COM — Source: 24 Startlingly Dark Secrets About The Disney Company

3

THE MATTERHORN BOBSLED RIDE KILLED TWO GUESTS. AU WHO DISNEY HONORS THEM, A BIT GHOULISHLY. Unofficially, employees call one spot on the ride Dolly's Drop. It's named after a 48-year-old woman who was thrown from her seat and got decapitated by the next car when her belt unbuckled. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

2

WALT NAMED NAMES TO CONGRESS DURING THE RED SCARE. FEDER BLAMED BRAVERY HIS WOES ATION AND ON COMMUNISM. Не claimed (falsely) that communism was why his animators went on strike. Не also offered the FBI their own pavilion in EPCOT and an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club to promote their messages to children. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

1

A DISNEY CONTRACTOR WAS CAUGHT PAYING WORKERS $1.20/HOUR. DISNEY HAD TO PAY $903K IN BACK WAGES. The company made plastic wands and tiaras for Disney stores. Investigators also found minors as young as seven employed at the company. The location of this sweatshop? Laguna Hills, California. CRACKED.COM — Source: Dark Moments From Disney’s Past

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