Did you know that Disneyland has it’s own Rapunzel tower? It isn’t as large and grandiose as the one in WDW and it doesn’t have it’s own bathrooms but there is definitely some unseen magic to be found in this little hidden nook. This area is part of Fantasyland but is not back behind the castle. If you are standing at the hub, facing the castle, this area will be to your left, towards Frontierland. This is where you can find the Royal Theater and the Royal Hall, where you can meet the princesses (as of May 2021, socially distanced meet and greets with selfies).
As a family, we never ventured back in this area because my kids were never really that interested in meeting characters, but when Karen and I did our walk-every-square-inch-of-the-parks trip we stumbled upon it.
One of our top 10 unseen magic finds to date is the Clopin’s Music Box that is tucked away in this area. It looks just like a pretty castle with people inside but when you get closer you will discover that there is a handle to turn, music will begin to fill your ears and the scenes from The Hunchback of Notre Dame unfold before your eyes. You don’t even have to put a quarter in it!
After you turn the handle on the music box, take a step back and look up all around you. You will see Gepetto’s cat, Figaro, from the movie Pinocchio. This is definitely a lesser know character and it’s so fun to see these details scattered throughout the parks. Once you spot the cat who appears to be sleeping, next to a bird in a cage, don’t walk away just yet. Just pause and watch for a minute to see Figaro wake up and try to get at the bird!
If you enjoyed learning about these hidden Disney secrets check out this post to learn about more unseen magical details on Main Street USA:
https://theunseenmagic.com/the-sounds-of-main-street/
If you have little ones or know someone with little ones that would benefit from a ride height chart I have a great tool for you! I have designed a ride height chart that lists all the rides with height requirements so you can know before you go to the parks if your kids are tall enough to ride the rides. You can also track your child’s growth by using a fine point sharpie to record their measurements. I have a Disneyland and a WDW version. You can find them in my etsy shop at the link below:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thebeadedwindmill?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1182600933