Casey's the Pride of 'em All

When Disneyland Paris opened in 1992, the traditional Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner on Main Street was instead dubbed Casey's Corner, adding another layer of Americana to the storytelling of the location. The concept was brought stateside with the 1995 renovation of the northwest block of Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.

The name "Casey's" refers to the 1888 poem "Casey at the Bat" by Ernest Thayer (look for the 1888 reference in the marquee pictured above). The story of Casey was also brought to animated life in the "Casey at the Bat" sequence of Disney's Make Mine Music in 1946 (followed by an animated short film, the sequel "Casey Bats Again").

Casey's Corner brings together two American classics, baseball and Coca-Cola (itself invented by John Pemberton back in 1886). Every detail of this quick-service restaurant helps to reinforce the connection, from the Cast Member costumes to the "Enter" and "Exit" signs made to look like baseballs and the vintage memorabilia displayed throughout the space.

Grab one of Casey's "Famous Hot Dogs" and "Hit a homer at the toppings bar," but don't forget to look up and all around you. Many of the props on display, including jugs of Coca-Cola syrup and baseball team mugs and pennants, are authentic antiques from around the turn of the 20th century.

Once you have your food, you may choose to head outside to sit under the umbrellas and enjoy the Ragtime piano music played there. Alternatively, you can also step into the adjoining room and take a seat on the bleachers for the big game. The Mudville Nine, Casey's team, are playing today (as are a number of other games from various sports, as shown on the screen in front of the bleachers; all clips from various Disney animated productions).

This room is also packed with displays of vintage baseball memorabilia. Visit early, or just excuse yourself as you peer past people popping corn dog nuggets, to get a good look at everything.

You'll want to pay particular attention to the team photos on the wall. Most are reprints of actual photos from the period... all except this one:

Look closely. The first thing you might notice is that they're wearing jerseys representing more than one team. Now look again. Some of those stern-faced, mustachioed ball players are actually... EGADS! They're women! That's right. This is a picture of the Imagineering team that worked on the Casey's Corner/Main Street Athletic Club project in 1995. Talk about getting into your work!