Keep Circulating the Tapes: The original scenes of Patchy going over the voting process and its results as part of the "SpongeBob's You Wish Spectacular Special" have seldom been seen since the episode's first airing. Rescued on "The First 100 Episodes" DVD set, which includes the original airing of the episode (with the onscreen phone numbers understandably being removed).
Reality Subtext: The Flying Dutchman's descriptions of the ship being scary being, "mold growing on the ceiling and bugs in the sink," comes from a real-life event. Aaron Springer and C.H. Greenblatt went over to Nick Jennings' house one day after work to play video games together, and when Greenblatt went into the bathroom, he noticed that there was mold on the ceiling and flies in the sink.
What Could Have Been: According to the live reading at San Diego Comic-Con 2017, the little boy that the Flying Dutchman scares first was originally going to be Sandy, while the last fish he scares was going to be Mr. Krabs, who thinks that SpongeBob and Patrick are trying to one-up him in ice skating before miserably failing at his routine.
Word of God: According to C.H. Greenblatt in the DVD Commentary, the end of the Fly of Despair did actually send Squidward back to his real house instead of some sort of illusion, meaning that had SpongeBob not wished for Squidward's return, he would've been home safe and sound.
Gary Takes a Bath:
Acting for Two: "Gary Takes a Bath" is six-and-a-half minutes of Tom Kenny acting by himself.
What Could Have Been: The title card music was originally going to be "Hawaiian Train", but was changed to "Nostalgic Hawaii" for unknown reasons.
at San Diego Comic-Con 2017, the little boy that the Flying Dutchman scares first was originally going to be Sandy, while the last fish he scares was going to be Mr. Krabs, who thinks that SpongeBob and Patrick are trying to one-up him in ice skating before miserably failing at his routine.