Disneyland History, Stories, and Secrets: New MouseTour App

A new free app called MouseTour takes Disneyland guests on an audio tour of the Happiest Place on Earth while highlighting park history, sharing fun facts, and even revealing a few secrets.

Meet Dr. Ouse

The tour is conducted by the charming (and very British) Dr. Miles Ouse – or M.Ouse in case you didn’t catch it. As you walk through the theme park, MouseTour will track your location to allow Dr. Ouse to share interesting info as you pass an attraction or point of interest. If you have headphones in, the tour will start playing automatically as you approach; otherwise, the app will send a notification when you get near.

MouseTour was developed by avid Disneyland fan David Garcia, who came up with the idea while taking an audio tour of the ancient ruins of Pompeii in Italy.

“I got really frustrated that I saw something interesting in one direction, but if I wanted to continue the tour, I had to go the opposite direction,” he said. “I wanted to be able to choose things in my own order and see it that way.”

Because of his love of Disneyland and its history – and the fact that he’d often been asked to give tours to friends and family – Garcia figured developing a Disneyland touring app was the perfect way to put his park knowledge to use and share “the magic of Disneyland” with everyone, while (unlike Pompeii) allowing them to tour the park in any order they choose.

“Disney is a storytelling company,” he said. “I think there are so many ways Disney could use our phone to enhance the parks that are currently untapped, and this is just one example of bringing more storytelling.”

Currently, MouseTour features 41 different “bite-sized” audio clips for Disneyland Park – all in the one- to two-minute range – which makes the app kid-friendly as well as interesting to adults. Another plus is that once you listen to a clip, its pin on the map changes from dark purple to lavender to let you know what you still have left to hear (though you’re free to listen to clips as many times as you want). It’s also a great way to learn about an attraction as you’re waiting in line to ride it.

Garcia notes that, like Disneyland, the app will never be completed, and he plans to add more details about the park’s newest (and some say most ambitious) land, Galaxy’s Edge, as well as adding a set of audio clips for California Adventure Park, which celebrated its 20th-anniversary last year.

Here are just a few examples of the many fun and fascinating Disneyland facts you’ll learn from Dr. Ouse, courtesy of the MouseTour app. Want to learn more? The free MouseTour app is available for both iOS and Android.

Did you know?

There’s a time capsule in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle that was buried on July 17, 1995, and is scheduled to be opened on July 17, 2035 (Disneyland’s 80th birthday).

The Matterhorn tracks on the Fantasyland side (right) and the Tomorrowland side (left) are similar, but not identical. Some say the Tomorrowland track is faster with steeper drops, while the Fantasyland is longer with sharper turns, but you’ll have to ride both to decide for yourself.

The concept for Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin was developed by Imagineers by placing a Mad Tea Party teacup onto the track of Pinocchio’s Daring Journey.

Have you ever noticed?

If you look closely at the red and white lights in the Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner sign on Main Street U.S.A, you’ll notice one bulb is half red and half white. That’s because Walt noticed two white bulbs next to each other and asked a painter to paint half of it red to fit the sign’s overall pattern.

The Walt Disney family crest holds a place of honor above the Sleeping Beauty Castle drawbridge.

The giant yellow mushroom in front of the Alice in Wonderland ride and the lighthouse at the entrance of Storybook Land Canal Boats were both former ticket booths from the days when guests exchanged A-E tickets for rides (clearly not a good job for very tall cast members).

Pro Tip: If you’re worried the app will devour your phone battery, you can purchase a portable charger for $30 at FuelRod kiosks throughout Disneyland Resort (and swap a dead FuelRod for a fully-charged replacement at no additional cost). If you are using Disney Genie and the Disneyland app, it’s already a good idea to have a charger with you.  

Let’s Hear From You!

Are you ready for a free tour of Disneyland from Dr. Ouse? Download the app and let us know your favorite info and stories. And feel free to share your thoughts, your suggestions just might make their way into the app! (The MouseTour app is available for both iOS and Android)