Featured Image Credit: Jose Ramos / Images by Itani / Alamy Stock Photo
Topics: Disney World, Disney, Travel, US News
Chloe Rowland
Topics: Disney World, Disney, Travel, US News
Disney may be known for its award-winning animations and magic-packed theme parks, but it also has a very different - and rather unexpected - accolade to its name.
The house of the mouse is actually the second-largest purchaser of explosive devices on earth.
Yep, the happiest place in the world is ranked as the second-largest buyer of explosives.
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It might not be what you expected from the world of Mickey Mouse, fairy dust and princesses, but before you start coming up with weird conspiracies about Disney trying to take over the world - hold your horses.
The company was only beaten out by the US Department of Defense, which isn't all too surprising. But the explosives used in the land of our favourite animated friends are far less sinister.
The explosives in question are actually fireworks, used for Walt Disney World Florida's parades and displays around the resort. Phew.
While the company is the second-largest buyer of explosives globally, it takes the crown as the biggest purchaser of fireworks in the world, shelling out an astounding amount on the devices - which are shipped from China - each year.
Fireworks were first introduced to the park in 1957, but the displays have evolved massively since then and are a lot more eco-friendly.
Back in 2004, the company developed a smokeless launcher that uses air compression instead of gunpowder to propel its glittery displays into the sky, which in turn allowed for more precise timing, less materials and significantly fewer fumes.
As for how much the Hollywood giant forks out for its famous firework displays - it's a lot. You can check out what some of that money went on below:
Walt Disney World spends a whopping $40,000 on fireworks a night - adding up to an eye-watering $50 million average annually.
Safe to say, it's not a cheap affair.
That's not to say it's not paid off, though. Thousands come from far and wide to get the perfect spot to see Disney World's famous daily firework displays which take place across the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studio parks.
The resort also puts on special holiday-themed displays for 4 July, Halloween, Christmas and New Year's.
The company describes its latest 'Disney Enchantment' display as 'a nighttime extravaganza that will take you on a journey beyond the ordinary to a land of magic', adding that visitors can expect 'unforgettable sights and sounds' and 'brilliant light shows'
So yeah - no bizarre conspiracies here, just some nice fireworks.