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Two Disney Attractions May Share a Hidden Secret

secret connection disney attraction
Credit: Disney Dining/ Canva

“There’s a great, big, beautiful secret at Walt Disney World. At least, there may be!

Walt Disney World is home to many memorable attractions. Many of which have built colossal fan bases since their premiers. Typically, the longer the ride has been around, the more history and lore fans dig up. This has led to some fabulous finds around Walt Disney World. From hidden Mickey’s to weird connections of attractions, you’d think we’d found it all. But we’re here today to propose another potential secret that Disney Imagineers have hidden, one that we know but maybe we’ve missed as well.

There are many secrets hidden around Walt Disney World for guests to discover. With the level of detailing that goes into each park location and attraction, it’s feasible that we still need to catch up on a few. There is so much to see and do between the nods to former animators and reused animatronics from days past. You could schedule an entire vacation around finding secrets hidden in the parks. Or you can keep reading DisneyDining.com, and we’ll try to point them out.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Credit: Disney

Now we’ll admit this one may be a bit of a stretch at first, but it makes sense the more you think about it. Or maybe our imaginations are just running wild, and we’re chasing a red herring. Either way, it’s fun to look at your favorite rides and shows and try to find interesting connections. Imagineers have included them often in their designs. So, why not look for them?

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress has been a mainstay at the Magic Kingdom since 1975. The show has a cult following of people who have followed it almost religiously throughout the years. WED Enterprises and Walt Disney originally made the attraction for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. It moved to Walt Disney World after a short stay at Disneyland from 1967-1973. Throughout its operation, the ride has undergone minor changes. One of those changes includes the naming of a particular animatronic dog, known today as Rover.

Related: Something Smells Terrible at Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress

Rover is a bit of a star to loyal fans, and most of you know that you can find him in other places at Walt Disney World; one location is just across the park. Yes, it is confirmed that Rover is the same dog we see in Pirates of the Caribbean, and as it turns out, Rover likes to Park Hop. You can also find him at EPCOT hanging out on the Living with the Land boat ride. Pretty cool, right? But we’re discussing a different connection–we want to take it further.

Carousel of Progress

Credit: Disney

Living with the Land is a popular boat ride at EPCOT. It opened in September 1982. Much like Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, this ride has a huge fan following. The ride is intended to educate rather than entertain (I guess you could say the same for Carousel of Progress). Many find it slow and tedious as it features greenhouses and aqua cells while providing lectures regarding the fantastic world of growing and harvesting produce. Here, we make our connection and speculate if there’s more going on than just Rover.

I’d like to officially propose that the house we see in Living with the Land is the outside of the Carousel of Progress. I know what you’re thinking. There’s no way. That house is on a farm. Well, who’s to say that John, Sarah, Uncle Orville, and the rest of the gang don’t live on a farm at some point?

Yes, we think there’s some evidence (maybe not convincing) that their home is the same home viewed on Living with the Land. Rover is the biggest hint, but there are other small details. John hints that he needs to take the trolley down to meet the boys for a cold sasparilla. They also have a steady supply of pumpkins for carving. Do you know who else would have an endless supply of pumpkins? Farmers, that’s who! There’s also a clue in their respective locations, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is all about highlighting the advancement of technology through the decades, and Living with the Land is in EPCOT. You know, the EXPERIMENTAL PROTOTYPE COMMUNITY of TOMORROW!

Credit: DisneyDining

I’m sure there’s some definitive detail somewhere that proves this theory wrong, but that’s okay because the fun is in imagining. We could be way off-base, but other similarities between the two attractions could further lend themselves to this idea. We challenge you to look for them the next time you’re at Magic Kingdom or EPCOT. We also suggest that you keep your eyes peeled and your ears listening for other hints at connections between lands, rides, shows, and parks–because they’re all around you when you visit the Central Florida parks!

About Michael Arnold

Michael is a father, husband, and an Army Veteran. Michael spends his weekends at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando checking out new merchandise and food. Michael is a graduate of the University of Alabama and has an education background in Public Health. You can find Michael riding Pirates of the Caribbean over and over again or binge watching new Marvel and Star Wars content. Han shot first. Thor is the strongest Avenger. Roll Tide and Wash Your Hands!