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mrbugg
02-12-2004, 10:12 PM
This thread was inspired by the "Getting Kicked Out" topic, but is something I've wondered about for some time.

I'm a bit of a practiced urban explorer- someone who looks in those oh-so-tempting "Staff Only" doors just to satisfy an itch of curiousity about what lies within. The motto of the hobby is emphasized in the subject- Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Footprints.

Urban explorers aren't taggers (graffiti artists) and aren't punks out to steal or maim property. We do it for three reasons: historical documentation, learning what goes on behind-the-scenes, or good-old-fashioned curiousity.

I've scoured the web for stories from those who've UEd DLR/WDW/etc. and have found it sadly lacking. Surely, some of Disneyland's biggest fans must have had an itch to go Backstage and take pictures once or twice.

I don't know if it's against forum policy, but as another thread is demonstrating, I hope good discussion can come of it. I know the legality behind it, but I'm not too worried because the parks have some pretty good security and I'm hoping no one here posts anything too revealing about access, so as to keep those looking for trouble out.

So, with that said.. here's my lone story:

My first and only visit to DLR was in May, 2003. My family and I were waiting for a character breakfast at one of the hotels to start, and with an hour to kill, I went off for some spur-of-the-moment UE. I was hitting nothing but dead ends at the ballrooms, until I ventured out onto a balcony and saw a stone staircase barely hidden by a bush. I darted down, and found myself in a messy outdoor work area, filled with broken cars from DLR rides, old signs, and the odd vendor's cart. It was an amazing experience to be among this "garbage"- the history of the park represented so naturally and yet kind of depressingly. I spotted a big stone wall behind me, leading underneath the hotel itself and into the kitchens, etc. Along the walls were pipes galore. As I was looking for a way in, I spotted a hat through a hole in the wall. A mechanic was busily at work, and didn't see me, though we stood maybe 3 feet apart at most. I bolted back up the stairs, caught my breath, and headed back to the waiting line. An hour well-spent!

Anyone else have anything to share? :fez:

3894
02-13-2004, 07:03 AM
Welcome to MousePad, mrbugg!

You know, you really shouldn't snoop backstage but can I see pictures? ;)

dude
02-13-2004, 09:35 AM
mrbugg, the place you visited was what is commonly referred to as the "Disneyland Graveyard". Ride vehicles from dead rides (Rocket Rods, Skyway, etc.) are there, along with as you said, old signs and the occasional vending cart. I have never had the pleasure of seeing this place, but I think it would be fun to. I'm with 3894, did you take any pictures that we can see?

mrbugg
02-13-2004, 10:25 AM
No :( Because pictures were going to be taken by the character breakfast staff, we didn't bother to bring it. I suppose I could have bolted down... errr, up, then down, to the gift shop and bought a disposable, but I unfortunately didn't think of it then.

If anyone wishes to take a visit to this "Graveyard" for picture-snapping purposes, I'd be oh-so-happy to give directions.

Dude (hehe), thanks for putting a name to this wonderful place! And thanks for the welcome 3894! I know, I'm a bad, bad person :fez:

LFuzzy
02-13-2004, 12:04 PM
Well, I suppose that is why some people become CM's.
But believe me, backstage gets old real fast.
It is just not as interesting as you think, but like the forbidden fruit, people are always curious.

danyoung
02-13-2004, 01:01 PM
Originally posted by mrbugg
I'm a bit of a practiced urban explorer- someone who looks in those oh-so-tempting "Staff Only" doors just to satisfy an itch of curiousity about what lies within.

What an amazing concept for a thread! I was almost going to post a couple of stories in the Getting Kicked Out thread, but I've never been kicked out, so they didn't quite apply. These events fit right into the theme of this thread, so with apologies to Disney security, here goes (both of these events happened in Disney World).

I have a tendency to stay very late in the parks, even after closing. There's always 30 to 60 minutes where the rides are closed but the stores are still open. I like to stroll around the World Showcase in Epcot after the crowds have mostly left. One night I saw the door leading in to the Maelstrom was slightly ajar. I went in with the thought of maybe seeing the queue area empty, which it was - kinda cool. Then I went over to satisfy my techno-geek side by looking at the control board in the dispatch station - again, very cool. I happened to look to my right, where the boats go up the ramp, and saw a staircase there. I (probably foolishly) figgered, what the hey, and trucked up the steps. The next thing I knew I was in the attraction! I was most careful to disturb nothing, and poked around up to the point where the boats hit the turn around point and start to go backwards. There was no way to proceed without crossing over water, so I slunk back out. I know, kids don't try this - I'm sure I would have been arrested if I had been caught. But it was a pretty cool look at the attraction from another point of view. Now every time I go by the big polar bear I remember the night where I touched the beast!

The other time was kinda similar, late at night at the Studios. I was poking around with no real plan to commit mayhem, when I saw a door open leading into the Muppet Theater. I of course went through and found myself in a big empty theater. I continued my tour by going thru the door that Sweetums comes out, and found myself in a traditional backstage area, with catwalks and staircases. I went down and up a couple of these, saw a short staircase leading up to a curtained off area, went up and poked my head thru, and found myself in the orchestra pit with the penguins! (Oh this thread is so wrong. Please nobody try any of this. Very very uncool!!!)

I was very lucky to not get caught and kicked out of the Disney parks forever. But it did make for some fun memories!

LFuzzy
02-13-2004, 07:16 PM
[QUOTE]The next thing I knew I was in the attraction

Let me just say how very dangerous this is.
After hours is when maintainance is done.
You very well could be injured/killed

iAmJacksDLand
02-13-2004, 08:20 PM
I did this in DCA in the Bug Land... went backstage and found it deserted. Say the maitence area for heimlechs chew chew train. Pretty boring, but interesting nonetheless.

I'd like to have a controlled viewing of starspeeders in action, that would be awesome!

no1here
02-13-2004, 09:30 PM
Snooping is dangerous and fun. Just don't get caught. The carousel theater post-America Sings/pre-Innoventions was a pretty cool sight.

danyoung
02-14-2004, 05:14 AM
Originally posted by LFuzzy
[QUOTE]Let me just say how very dangerous this is.
After hours is when maintainance is done.
You very well could be injured/killed

Of course it's dangerous and stupid. I actually can't believe I was that dumb/brave. I make no judgements as to the intelligence of the guy doing it (ME), but I posted as an anecdote befitting this thread.

That said, the attraction was empty, no CM and no work going on. I was on well lit, clearly defined backstage walkways. The only danger I was in was being caught and kicked out (or arrested?). This happened pre-9/11, so it would be even dumber to do it these days.

3894
02-14-2004, 05:27 AM
A backstage tour of Disneyland in a beautiful book with tons and tons of color pictures - great idea for a DL 50th anniversary souvenir, eh?

innerSpaceman
02-14-2004, 08:06 AM
Originally posted by danyoung
(Oh this thread is so wrong. Please nobody try any of this. Very very uncool!!!)
Ugh, really. This thread is soooo tempting.

But, folks, this place (the Pad) is crawling with CMs, and I'm hardly going to post any of my backstage stories that might result in closed-up access for future insane explorers.


The only one I will mention is fairly innocuous, and recent contruction has rendered it inaccessible forever ... so here goes:

Along the path than runs along the south side of the Matterhorn from Tomorrowland to the Hub, there was a door in the back side of the Circlevision building that was NEVER locked. Not ever. This door did not lead to a series of corridors or a storeroom, but opened directly into the Circlevision theater.

In the days after the Rocket Rods closed, this area was used to store the carousel horses as they were being restored for King Arthur's Caroussel. It was fun to keep checking on their progress though that really long, 13-month project.

After that, the theater sat empty - but amazingly, was always perfectly lit with the actual show lighting that was provided for guests when the attraction was running. This was the easiest backstage area ever to get to in the history of Disneyland, right off a walkway, directly into an attraction. There were no complicated animatronics or sets to mess with or potentially damage - - just a cool place to hang out. And, over the years, between the Rocket Rods' demise and the start of Buzz Lightyear construction, we took people in there on a pretty regular basis.

We would just look around for a few minutes, then exit - leaving no trace of ourselves behind and having no impact whatsoever on the area.

On more than a few occasions, we would cross paths with CMs going in or out of the theater, but we just looked as if we knew what we were doing and were NEVER so much as questioned.




I doubt I will be posting any of my other backstage stories. Too many prying ears around here. ;)


(But there is the infamous Indian Village tale that has already been posted on the Pad a few years back .... maybe I'll revisit that one if I find myself throwing caution to the wind.)

HBTiggerFan
02-14-2004, 09:16 AM
Originally posted by innerSpaceman
(But there is the infamous Indian Village tale that has already been posted on the Pad a few years back .... maybe I'll revisit that one if I find myself throwing caution to the wind.)

I heard that was just an urban legend!

innerSpaceman
02-14-2004, 10:18 AM
Nope. But somebody was decapitated.

(Actually, they were just scapled.)

zapppop
02-14-2004, 10:21 AM
Originally posted by innerSpaceman
Nope. But somebody was decapitated.

(Actually, they were just scapled.)

If 'scalped' means undressing, yes.

wood_is_mine
02-14-2004, 01:05 PM
Tell us! Tell us! We (the Preciousssss and I) wants to know!

Loric
02-14-2004, 09:11 PM
A few things...

Almost nothing in Disney "locks." It's a fire hazard to lock people in anywhere, so if a door is closed, and CMs pretend it's locked, guests assume it's locked. It's the wonder of psychology.

Second, if you wander into an attraction, don't assume because you're on what is clearly a walkway and the lights are on, that something isn't still going to crush you. Walkways are used when the attractions are not operating, sometimes vehicles or show equipment move over the pathway. Sometimes they are part of the pathway itself. If the automated "E-stop recovery proceedure in progress, please stand clear of all show action equipment." spiel comes on - Please please please start making noise and get yourself caught and found before something crushes you.

I suggest screaming. Anything to get attention. Being thrown out is better than dead.

LFuzzy
02-14-2004, 09:48 PM
[QUOTE]Almost nothing in Disney "locks."

That's not quite true. Just becasue something is locked from the outside, doesn't mean people on the inside can't open the door.
In fact many doors are locked from one side.

mrbugg
02-14-2004, 09:52 PM
Excellent advice Loric! I initially thought of just backstage things that are safe, but still have history (like the one I described). I wouldn't do attractions for the very reason you describe, unless I had done a ton of research beforehand on the safely explorable ones.

So yes, UEing the many attractions has its thrills, but make sure it's safe. I research anything I UE before I do it for this very reason.

Loric
02-14-2004, 10:01 PM
Originally posted by mrbugg
Excellent advice Loric! I initially thought of just backstage things that are safe, but still have history (like the one I described). I wouldn't do attractions for the very reason you describe, unless I had done a ton of research beforehand on the safely explorable ones.

So yes, UEing the many attractions has its thrills, but make sure it's safe. I research anything I UE before I do it for this very reason.

That's the problem - you can look at a ride's schematics even and you wont know where it's safe to stand and not stand - that knowledge comes from being properly trained in the system.

Things are not what they seem with Disney and that can be fatal.

Even top Disney execs and Imagineers are escorted through attractions by hosts and managers who know the attractions personally.

Otherwise, you risk find yourself in a space where the ceiling is coming down from above or the walls are closing in on you a la temple of doom. Disney attractions actually have rooms like these in them. They are "access hallways", not standard walkways.

mrbugg
02-14-2004, 10:08 PM
By safely explorable, I mean ones I know others have been into. The web has a tiny collection of accounts from former CMs or others who have recieved information from them about attraction exploration.

The only places I chance-explore are those that are active sites used for something (malls, etc.)

innerSpaceman
02-15-2004, 08:25 AM
Originally posted by Loric
Almost nothing in Disney "locks." It's a fire hazard to lock people in anywhere, so if a door is closed, and CMs pretend it's locked, guests assume it's locked. It's the wonder of psychology.

I can't speak for what goes on there in the wilds of DisneyWorld, Loric, but at Disneyland - I can assure you - everything locks.

I go backstage as often as I can, but with one rule - I may enter, but never break and enter. If there is a sign or a locked door or a closed barricade indicating that a guest is not to enter a certain area, then I dutifully stay out of that area. If an unmarked door is unlocked, however, I usually will venture into that area for a look-see. 99.9% of the doors in Disneyland are locked. I know, because I try them.

It's the wonder of curiosity.

LFuzzy
02-16-2004, 11:59 AM
everything locks
There are a small number of doors with no locking device at all.

I go backstage as often as I can, but with one rule - I may enter, but never break and enter. If there is a sign or a locked door or a closed barricade indicating that a guest is not to enter a certain area, then I dutifully stay out of that area.
I believe all backstage entrances have 'CASTMEMBERS ONLY' signs. So, how do you get backstage without passing the sign?

-LF

Morrigoon
02-16-2004, 12:16 PM
The door he's talking about has no such sign. Neither do the doors in construction walls, but they are always locked for guest safety. I can think of other doors which lead to backstage areas that have no signage - one which leads past what used to be a women's locker room! I was forever chasing guests back onstage because of that door.

innerSpaceman
02-16-2004, 01:23 PM
Originally posted by LFuzzy
I believe all backstage entrances have 'CASTMEMBERS ONLY' signs.
Simply incorrect.