Okay, okay, you’ve been to Disney World about 87 times.
But how would you like an exclusive private tour to see Walt Disney World as few will? As a former Disney World cast member, I have volunteered to be your tour guide through the behind-the-scenes world of what makes Disney World so magical.
You will have fun learning about a variety of backstage locations. We’ll also take a look underneath the Magic Kingdom Park and see the changing room, wardrobe, the so-called cast members tunnel system, Disney’s nursery and tree farm, waste treatment facilities, and other service areas. .
Let’s start at the end, with mud. The sludge from the water treatment plant is everyone’s business, it is dried and then used on the ground as fertilizer. The reclaimed clink water is used to water lawns and plants. The water valves are labeled “Reclaimed Water – Do Not Drink” Thanks for the tip, Mickey!
Now we will visit the plant nursery. Remember all those cool and cute topiary designs around the park? Well, this is where Disney cast members grow up and shape the topiary creatures. All this coldness takes time; about seven to eight years to grow a single topiary character. One of my favorites is a smiling Mickey Mouse holding a Disney Vacation Club. [http://www.edisneytimeshare.com] sign near the entrance of the Wilderness Lodge hotel.
Then there is the parade storage area behind Splash Mountain. The back of Splash Mountain has many doors labeled, for example, “Access to Scene 31.” Here you will see Mickey Mania, Spectromagic, and Electric Water Parade paraphernalia. You can walk around and look at the parade pieces all you want. But no photos please. Spectromagic floats are made of mesh, so the driver can see, and are covered with small computer controlled Christmas lights. There is also a small fan to cool down the driver. If you or the kids have always wanted to see the inside of The Little Mermaid’s Sea Witch float, this is your big chance.
When I was a member of the Disney cast, I would stroll through the tunnels on my breaks and dine in the underground cafes. Very romantic. Actually, the tunnels are fake. Since the water table is very high in Florida, it would be expensive to keep the actual tunnels dry. Disney thus built a neat system of utility corridors at ground level and then covered them with dirt. This made a new floor level a higher floor. The Magic Kingdom was built on this. Therefore, Main Street USA is on the second floor.
The “Utilidors” make a circle around the park connecting all the Lands and attractions. There is also a utility corridor under Main Street USA that connects the entrance to Cinderella’s Castle. All the Magic Kingdom utilities are found within the Utilidors. There is water, electricity, fiber optic cable and the ultra-cold vacuum garbage system.
Disney World’s vacuum trash system has become a model for several other very large buildings, and even parts of cities and townships. The system uses pipes about two feet in diameter to suck up all the trash to a central collection point.
Another unusual device in the Utilidors supplies the various scents to different parts of the park. There’s one underneath the bakery that smells like a chocolate cookie on Main Street. Mickey wanted to use real cookie scent, as I recall. But unfortunately, there was no way to churn out nonstop chocolate chip bites. So these scent making machines are used for cookies and that perfect scent in many other places; smoke, orange groves, etc.
El Utilidor also has several services for cast members, such as a credit union, a 2-hour movie developer, coffee shops, and lockers. The wardrobe and wardrobe are also found here. When I worked there, I was always amused to see my favorite characters wandering around half dressed or carrying their heads. The walls of the Utilidors are color-coded. There are also plenty of maps and directional signs to help lost cast members (like me).
So when you visit Disney World for your 88th trip, be on the lookout for a sudden, magical appearance of a character. Mickey or Minnie can simply exit through a hidden door leading from the Utility below. And you will know their secret!
