Did you know there are secrets hidden within Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort?
While we’re counting down the days until Blue Ribbon Corn Dog and The Cake Bake Shop open on the Boardwalk at the hotel, we figured we would take a moment to appreciate some of the best secrets this hotel has been harboring for a while now.
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn has quite a history. This turn-of-the-century-themed hotel has become increasingly popular due to its close proximity to EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance… but did you know that it’s chocked full of secrets, too?
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort is themed just like the Boardwalk you would expect to find in Atlantic City. There are lots of aged touches around the hotel and grounds to really immerse you into a different place in time — kind of like time traveling in a sense. We’re spilling a few juicy secrets that you might not have noticed at first glance!
The Lobby Carousel Was Never Meant To Be Displayed Publicly
Immediately after stepping through the hotel’s port cochere, you’ll be greeted by a miniature model of a turn-of-the-century carousel. This particular carousel was hand-crafted by M.C. Illions way back in the 1920s. If that name doesn’t ring any bells for you we’ll fill you in– Illions designed and manufactured full-sized merry-go-rounds. He originally built this model as a sales tool to demonstrate his craftsmanship and aid potential sales to prospective buyers. The intricate carousel features a total of 44 individually carved and painted 4-inch-tall horses. No two horses are identical! It can also move, so when activated, these horses move up and down — just like their full-scale replicas.
This carousel was purchased by the Walt Disney Company in 1995 for display at the BoardWalk. It took Imagineers a full year’s worth of work as they meticulously restored decayed wood, worn mechanisms, and other items that had fallen into disrepair. Another team was tasked with researching the original color scheme and decorations used in Illions’ full-scale merry-go-rounds and made sure the same was followed in the repair work, however, they couldn’t resist adding in a few hidden Mickeys. The Imagineers even scaled the speed of the miniature carousel to match that of the King Arthur Carousel located at Disneyland in California.
What’s A Hippocampus And Why Is It In A Chandelier?
Once you’re able to break your glance from Illions’ impressive carousel, tilt your head to the ceiling. Above the carousel sits the Hippocampus Electrolier Chandelier. In classical mythology, a hippocampus is a sea horse with two forefeet, and a body ending in the tail of a dolphin or fish — in other words, a mer-horse. In between the hippocampus, you’ll see cherubs holding light fixtures. An “electrolier” is a chandelier designed for electric lamps rather than gas or candles.
If that isn’t surprising enough, the whole chandelier weighs 3,000 pounds and is finished entirely in 22-karat gold leaf, hand-cut Austrian crystal, and custom-blown glass… quite impressive. We’re also very intrigued that it’s hanging so sturdily up there considering its massive weight!
Look Closely To See Disney Castles
It wouldn’t quite be Disney without a castle touch, and if you’re eagle-eyed you may have already spotted them!
Hanging in portraits just above the check-in, you’ll see three of the Disneyland castles.
Each of these portraits is framed in elaborate gold filigree, and each castle is stationed in a pastoral setting. If you’re well versed in Disney castles, you’ll be able to spot which is which between Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle, Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant in Disneyland Paris, and Cinderella Castle Tokyo Disneyland.
What’s Up With The Creepy Chairs?
These are actually “nanny chairs,” and were originally found on 19th-century European carrousels, but knowing this doesn’t make some of us feel any less uneasy about them.
They were intended for adults to rest in while their children rode the moving animals around the carousel. The ones found at the hotel are actually reproductions and were cast from circa 1889 originals, hand-painted, and highlighted with gold leaf. They also have names and if you’d like to visit them, you can find them ready to greet you by the fireplace in the hotel’s lobby.
Did we blow your mind with a few secrets from Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort? Or were you already a hotel expert? You can watch our resident hotel expert Quincy’s video about BoardWalk Inn right here.
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The Best Kept Secret at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
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Which secret about Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort surprised you most? Tell us in the comments below!
What is the history behind the elephant that sits on the mantle of the firelace?
The Boardwalk is an awesome place to stay. You not only can walk to Epcot but you can walk to Hollywood Studios as well. The nightly entertainment on the Boardwalk is fun to watch as well.
Hi MLS! The elephant that sits above the mantle is named Lucy and is an homage to Lucy the Elephant, which is a six-story elephant structure that was built in 1881 and was located about five miles south of Atlantic City in Margate City, New Jersey. She was originally built to promote local real estate in New Jersey, but she lived many different lives (as a tavern and even as a residence for a local doctor) before she was condemned and threatened to be torn down in the 1960’s, but ultimately there was a “Save Lucy” campaign and she was moved in 1976 and declared a historic landmark. You can find her today along the beach in Josephine Harron Park in Margate, New Jersey. The little replica at the BoardWalk Inn stands as a tribute to the area that the resort represents. 🙂