Disney in a Minute: What is the Hub?

“The Hub” is one of those phrases that Disney aficionados throw around with ease. But what does it mean and what are they referring to?

There are two answers to that question. Most of the time, “The Hub” refers to the central circle at the Magic Kingdom. It’s made up of the area in front of Cinderella Castle, the popcorn carts, and the grassy fireworks viewing area. Basically, it’s the middle of Magic Kingdom that’s not really part of any of the lands.

Why is it called The Hub? Even though it’s not labeled as such on your guide map, when viewed from above the area resembles the central part of a wheel with spokes (paths) radiating from it. And outside of Disney, referring to someplace as a hub implies that it’s the center of activity – which is also true here.

Now that you’re in on the meaning, you can sound like a true fan by using it in a sentence. Something like, “Meet me at the Hub in 20 minutes and we’ll grab a spot for the castle show.” Or “You can find the new Minnie popcorn bucket at the cart on the right side of the Hub.”

You might also hear the phrase “Hub Grass.” Hub grass is the grassy zone near the Casey’s Corner and Plaza restaurant outdoor seating areas. The Hub grass area might be reserved for events, but when the gates are open, anyone can use the Hub grass as a place to relax, have a snack, let the littles run around, or even grab a quick nap. FYI, the Hub grass has a mini cult following. A quick online search shows a number of websites offering tee shirts reading, “Hub Grass is My Favorite Color.”

The second meaning of “The Hub” is one used by cast members (Disney employees). The Hub is the name of Disney’s internal online portal. So this Hub is only for folks who work for Mickey and is not available to guests. On The Hub, cast members can see their schedule, learn about policies, read news about the company, get weather updates for the parks, and lots more.

While at Disney World, you may hear people say “the hub” as a quick way of referring to their spouse. Of course, that’s short for “hubby,” which is short for “husband,” but that’s not specifically Disney lingo. And yes, you can find tee shirts for a Disney Hubby online, too.

Disney in a Minute is a series of short posts designed to help you better understand a Disney term or planning topic. Enjoy!

Do you have a Disney term that you think needs a bit more explanation? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks to Erin Foster for an earlier version of this post.