Hidden deep beneath Florida’s Walt Disney World lies a long, winding secret that everyday park visitors would never know existed.
Built more than 50 years ago in 1971 – and designed by Walt Disney himself – a nine-acre network of tunnels connects every single area in the park. The staff therefore needs golf carts to get around.
Mentioned Disney ‘Utilidor’ Tunnels, pPublic access is strictly prohibited and is intended to allow cast members to quickly navigate the park, avoid crowds and keep the Disney magic alive for guests.
Legend has it that Mr. Disney was displeased when he saw a cast member dressed in cowboy regalia strolling through Tomorrowland. ATI.
That’s why he created this special system to hide the daily lives of employees and let them move discreetly between different themed lands without disrupting the immersive experience.
There is a hidden world beneath Walt Disney World in Florida, where public access is strictly prohibited
Disney ‘Utilidor’ tunnels were built more than 50 years ago to separate staff from park visitors, to ‘keep the magic alive’
The ‘tunnels’ are actually the first floor of Magic Kingdom. Everything the public sees is on the second floor
Cast members are employees who work in the park in various roles, such as playing Disney characters and running rides and attractions.
Unfortunately, accidents happen and there have been numerous cases of Disney cast members accidentally ‘decapitating’ themselves in the park – and that’s when the head of their costume falls off.
The tunnels were created as places where employees can take refuge in such cases so as not to ‘ruin’ the magic for park visitors.
The utilidors, short for utility corridors, are some of the world’s largest utility tunnels and are part of Disney’s “backstage” area that separates employees from park visitors.
The ‘tunnels’ could not actually be built underground due to the water levels in Florida. So Disney placed the utilidor on the ground floor and simply covered it with the park itself on a second floor above – what the public sees.
It means that a Tomorrowland cast member can travel to Frontierland without being seen, thus maintaining the illusion.
The Utilidor Tunnels not only facilitate movement, but also provide spaces for cast members to take breaks and unwind.
Within these passages are changing rooms, break rooms, a cafeteria known as the ‘Mouseketeria’ and even a hair salon.
The Mouseketeria offers dining options including a popular Subway chain.
In addition, the tunnels house facilities such as costumes, dressing rooms and make-up rooms.
Entertainment cast members use costumes to view the required athletic attire, which differs from the costumes of other cast members.
These outfits cannot leave Disney property and are returned at the end of each day to maintain character integrity.
Entertainment cast members, who often portray multiple characters, use rolling black suitcases to discreetly transport their costumes, according to EverythingThatInteresting.
They scan their cast members’ IDs to keep track of costume items, and if they don’t return them within a certain period of time, it could result in charges.
Before ‘face characters’ or people without masks start their roles, they use dressing rooms and make-up areas to prepare.
Cast members also have a coach-led warm-up area to prevent injuries on the job.
What makes the tunnels truly unique are the unexpected interactions you may encounter: Belle talking to Piglet or a member of Frontierland’s quick service talking to a member of Tomorrowland’s merchandise cast creates a magical atmosphere.
Cast members can move discreetly between different themed lands without disrupting the immersive experience for guests
Entertainment cast members use costumes to view the required athletic attire, which differs from the costumes of other cast members
These tunnels were designed by Walt Disney himself so that cast members can quickly navigate through the park, avoid crowds and preserve the magic of Disney.
Legend has it that Mr. Disney was displeased when he saw a cast member dressed in cowboy regalia strolling through Tomorrowland, according to ATI
Disney did not want the characters’ identities to be revealed to the public, so he created a system that hides the daily lives of employees from park visitors.
The Utilidor Tunnels not only facilitate movement, but also provide spaces for cast members to take breaks and unwind
The tunnels directly connect almost all seven theme countries, which are often connected by colors and arrows
The tunnels occasionally play host to vendors, DJs, holiday parties and rare meet and greets, making it a fun and dynamic space for cast members.
Another intriguing feature is the waste pipes, which are attached to the tunnel ceilings like gutters. They efficiently transport Disney waste from one side of the park to the other, so guests don’t run into cast members.
The tunnels directly connect almost all seven theme countries, which are often connected by colors and arrows.
The users are strictly prohibited to all park guests and those caught inside will be banned from the park. Employees are also prohibited from taking photos or videos in the tunnels, which limits the available footage.
On Tuesday, The Walt Disney Company announced it will spend $60 billion on its parks and cruise lines over the next decade.
Disney has announced that it will spend $60 billion on its parks and Disney Cruise Line over the next decade. The plans were revealed in an SEC filing on Tuesday – and showed that Disney is ‘prioritizing projects that are expected to generate strong returns’
Disney has proposed an expansion of its Disneyland park in California, including growth in the theme park areas, retail and parking lots
Disney’s newest cruise ship will launch in 2024 and can carry 4,000 passengers
The move comes as Disney discusses the sale of ABC and seeks a partner with ESPN, potentially moving the company away from TV and toward a new core of theme parks, movies and cruises.
Disney has also been criticized by some for moving too far to the left and pushing a “woke” agenda.
Now the company is focusing on its investments in experiences and the product side of the business. The plans were unveiled Tuesday in an SEC filing — and showed Disney “prioritizing projects expected to generate strong returns,” including its parks and cruises.
Over the past 12 months to July 2023, Disney has generated over $32.3 billion in revenue thanks to its lucrative experiences.
The filing said: ‘We believe that the company’s financial condition is strong and that its cash balances, other liquid assets, operating cash flows, access to capital markets and borrowing capacity under current banking facilities, taken together, provide sufficient resources to meet ongoing finance operational activities. requirements, contractual obligations, upcoming debt and future capital expenditures associated with the expansion of existing businesses and the development of new projects.”
After the plans were unveiled on Tuesday, the company’s shares were down more than 3 percent by mid-day.
Disney hasn’t fully said how it plans to spend the $60 billion on its parks and cruises.