If you are an avid fan of Walt Disney World, you likely have heard of the message hidden in plain sight across multiple Naval flags flying above Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. For those of you who are either unaware of its existence or have yet to decipher it, worry not, there will be no spoiler here. So that you can either begin or continue your quest to decode the Imagineers’ hidden message, I will not be revealing the solution in this post.
If you are among those who have already started investigating, perhaps you have referenced the chart showing the International Code of Signals. If so, you may have discovered that communications, transmitted via Naval flags, are accomplished by using different flag shapes with specific symbols and/or colors to represent letters, numbers or phrases. While in some situations, the numbers are part of the message; in others they are merely utilized to separate letters. In the later instance, the numbers are random and of no relevance to the message being conveyed.
With a quick look at Min & Bill’s flags, one can easily see thirteen rectangular flags alternating with twelve trapezoid shaped flags. Without giving away the entire message, I will let you know that the trapezoid flags reveal the following numbers from left to right: 782562896354. The rectangular shaped flags represent letters that convey the Imagineers’ secret message.
While these numbers might be random, I cannot help but wonder if Imagineers have hidden a secondary secret message within the original one. After all, it is widely known that Imagineers take advantage of every opportunity to add fun gags, details and/or facts whenever and wherever possible. Perhaps these numbers are not at all insignificant. It is conceivable that they are dates, years, etcetera. My suspicion regarding the Min & Bill’s flags has led me to search the worldwide web for information to support my theory. Unfortunately, Google and the greater Disney universe have yielded nothing. Consequently, the mystery of the numbers within the message remains unsolved. Readers, do you have any ideas?
(Photo from the author’s personal collection.)
Kendall is an editor and contributing writer for WDW Radio. She began visiting Walt Disney World in 1991 with her family and has continued to visit the resort with her husband. As a child, she and her family filled vacations with challenges such as “How many times can we ride Splash Mountain during SpectroMagic and the fireworks?” (Answer: 7) Now, after marrying a converted Disney skeptic, she and her husband enjoy challenges such as “How many hours can we eat nonstop at the Food & Wine Festival?” (Answer: 4) Follow her on Twitter @kl_foreman.
