Have You Heard The Best Kept Disney Secret?

Okay, so that's a tag line for Disney Vacation Club. But, I do have some pretty cool photos that you have probably never seen. And you can't take them yourself (at least I don't think so). These are photos taken from inside the Casting Center. Though this is a public place, you still have to have a reason to be in there. Luckily, a cast member snapping photos of the place counts as a good enough reason.




The doorknobs are amazing. Look.



It's the knobs from Alison in Wonderland.

Coming into the building is a very tall (three-four stories maybe) room.



This round, marble room has some extremely large columns. Don't let the doorway fool you, it's unusually tall itself. Perched at the top of the columns are some famous Disney characters. In gold. We see Mickey, Donald, Pluto, Roger Rabbit, Minnie, Tink, Daisy, Dumbo, Pinnochio, Chip & Dale, Goofy, and Thumper.



Then, there's the hallway. I'll post that later, and it is quite impressive. But let me show you the sides which have paintings in them first. I thought of Liz the whole time I was snapping these photos. See, she taught me a phrase. "Nephew Art". Basically, the manager who owns a building has a nephew who thinks he can paint, so they get commissioned for the job. She told me that what she thinks every time she sees some of the Disney artwork, like at the All-Stars.

Well, Liz. These are not nephew art paintings. I mean, look at these folks. Believe me when I say that these are completely flat paintings. On a completely flat wall.

One side is devoted to the parks. The other is devoted to I-4, the Interstate that runs along side the Casting Building. They do get bigger and bigger because the hallway is sloped. Let's look at I-4 first.



See what I mean? You would swear there's at least a marble banister if not a window pane right? Nope. It's not there, only the illusion. Now take a peek at the other side featuring some park locations.



Wow.

Like I said, these are completely flat surfaces. But did you notice the cracks in the wall? Take a look at this picture again.



See the crack up there on the right? Look closer.



That is painted and perfectly flat. Really. I swear if you run your hand over it, it's smooth.

Now I'm really going to mess with your mind.

Look at this picture.



What parts of this are real? All of it? None? Is there an actual balcony there with actual exposed pieces of stone? Is the balcony real but the stones painted? Is it just a flat surface? Is it on the ground or the ceiling? What's going on here?

Anyway, let me show you the hallway. It actually slopes up. Or down, depending are where you are standing.



At the top is a scale model of Cinderella Castle.



I took a video walking around it. Just imagine some Disney music in your head.



As far as the balcony goes, it is a real balcony. You can see it at the end of the hallway in the photo, though most of it is covered by a bridge. There are no stone parts on the balcony, only painted to look that way.

Jesse, I know what you are thinking about this whole Casting Center. Stop it. Just because the doors have knobs that are always watching, the marble floors in the ceremonial entryway are surrounded by tall columns topped with golden idols of heroic figures of the past perched on globe-like spheres, and the inclined hallway with flanking illusionary visions leads forever upward to a fortified building symbol doesn't mean anything. And again, my job is simply to make the buses run on time...

One last parting picture for everyone. I took this while driving down the road.



It's the Reedy Creek Fire Department. Those bay doors are huge because they accomidate the fire engines. So that helmet over the door is huge. And the fountain? See it? It's a very large fire hose. Neat, huh? It's just one of several RCFD buildings on property, but certainly the most impressive to look at.

TTFN