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TikiGeek
11-10-2006, 08:04 AM
We were leaving GCH lobby thru the DTD exit early Wednesday evening and noticed a group of VIP's and their handlers being ushered through a locked door and down and a flight of steps. 10 minutes later we saw the same group in DL coming from backstage. Is there an underground tunnel from GCH to DL? Just curious.

just beatla33
11-10-2006, 08:09 AM
there's like a whole city underground, they're usually there for hidden deliveries and such stuff like that

TribeFan
11-10-2006, 08:26 AM
Nope, no tunnel. Can you be SPECIFIC as to the location of the door and stairs?

stan4d_steph
11-10-2006, 08:41 AM
They were probably driven over to backstage. Downtown Disney in Anaheim is actually built with an extensive basement area so that all of the businesses can receive their deliveries that way without having to bring trucks or handcarts through the main walkway.

jeffthechef
11-10-2006, 10:47 AM
In a business class that I once attended, they showed us a video on DL. There are several stories of floors beneath Disneyland. It would make sense that they are connected to CA. The funny thing about being down there is that the characters must remain in character, evan when there are no guests around.

Andrew
11-10-2006, 11:09 AM
In a business class that I once attended, they showed us a video on DL. There are several stories of floors beneath Disneyland. It would make sense that they are connected to CA. The funny thing about being down there is that the characters must remain in character, evan when there are no guests around.
Wow, that's almost completely inaccurate. In fact it would be hard to imagine anything less accurate than that.

Now if you're talking about the Magic Kingdom, at WDW in Florida, it's somewhat closer to accurate (but no, costumed characters can remove their heads as soon as they are backstage).

pisces
11-10-2006, 11:11 AM
In a business class that I once attended, they showed us a video on DL. There are several stories of floors beneath Disneyland. It would make sense that they are connected to CA. The funny thing about being down there is that the characters must remain in character, evan when there are no guests around.

It's amazing the things that are being taught in Business School these days.

steveb
11-10-2006, 11:20 AM
In a business class that I once attended, they showed us a video on DL. There are several stories of floors beneath Disneyland. It would make sense that they are connected to CA. The funny thing about being down there is that the characters must remain in character, evan when there are no guests around.

Could you have seen the PBS series In Search of Excellence that was done on Disney? If so, that was WDW. Cast members remained in character because there was a film crew there.

steve

Malcon10t
11-10-2006, 11:25 AM
In a business class that I once attended, they showed us a video on DL. There are several stories of floors beneath Disneyland. It would make sense that they are connected to CA. The funny thing about being down there is that the characters must remain in character, evan when there are no guests around.I have a sneaking suspicion they were talking about WDW. To the best of my knowledge, there are only 2 tunnels at Disneyland. One in Tomorrowland (burm to Tomorrowland Terrace) and one between Disneyland and DCA. Whether this includes GCH, I don't know.

DisneyDustin22
11-10-2006, 12:09 PM
It sounds like they just mistook DL for WDW. Any of the shows you see on TLC and Travel Channel which go behind the scenes at the resort almost always refer to the "underground city" beneath the Magic Kingdom at WDW. They often use the analogy of the MK being a 2 story building. When you are in the theme park, you are actually on the second story. With the happenings beneath you not technically underground, but rather at ground level, or just a bit below in some areas.

The two main reasons the gave for this was A. they wanted to ensure that the atmosphere and environment in the park was not shared with normal everyday operations that coincide with a theme park. These access areas would allow for easy transport of park personnel and supplies without having to physically go through the park, taking away from the atmosphere they were trying to create. B. With this, it also allowed them to build the castle at an elevated level. Where it could be seen from points all over the park, in addition to the resort as a whole. Towering over tree tops. Where as in DL, the castle is dwarfed by many of the trees and attractions surrounding it.

bradk
11-10-2006, 12:18 PM
at least in WDW, there are actually demarcations backstage that indicate at which point a cast member must be in full costume as if a door were open, it would be possible to see back there, so partial costumes aren't allowed until beyond the line of sight as marked. one that sticks out in my mind is a yellow line near big thunder, where the parade comes out (the fence that opens up).

in the tunnels at MK, they can be in any state of dress.

i can't imagine how anyone can remove their head and survive, but there are few things as disturbing as a naked mickey.

MK is multiple stories actually. without splitting hairs, i believe the base of the castle itself actually on the 3rd level (although the castle extends into the tunnel system) - along with the rest of fantasyland for that matter. it helped to overcompensate for the small castle at DLR by giving the impression from far away that the castle is even taller than it is. the climb between levels is so gradual, it's barely noticeable.

interesting to note, the tunnel system was abandoned for the most part for Epcot and the following parks though.

jcruise86
11-10-2006, 01:32 PM
Nope, no tunnel. Can you be SPECIFIC as to the location of the door and stairs?
Oh, there are tunnels. But must employees don't even know about them and they're just reserved for really cool people. I would tell you where they are, but I'm too cool. Some of the better Jungle Cruise and Haunted Mansion employees use them. No cast member who has worked on Small World or the Storybook Land Boats has been in them--EVER.

TikiGeek
11-11-2006, 05:51 AM
They were probably driven over to backstage. Downtown Disney in Anaheim is actually built with an extensive basement area so that all of the businesses can receive their deliveries that way without having to bring trucks or handcarts through the main walkway.That makes sense - It only took us about 5 minutes at the gate and we were in the park ahead of them. :)

Pirate Princess
11-12-2006, 12:59 PM
In a business class that I once attended, they showed us a video on DL. There are several stories of floors beneath Disneyland. It would make sense that they are connected to CA. The funny thing about being down there is that the characters must remain in character, evan when there are no guests around.
Ha ha.. that's funny. I also saw a movie in a business class about the "underground Disney." It was specific that it was WDW though. The video was mostly on the top companies and how they create a business model that succeeds. They showed and talked about the underground part of WDW to show the separation of reality and the "Disney-reality" that Disney is so famous for. For example, calling employees "cast members" and making sure that no one EVER sees the characters out of context or in partial dress (ex. Mickey body with head being placed on.)
There was a lot more but I was mostly fascinated by the complexity of the underground building and what was inside.
We all had to write a brief essay on our favorite company featured in the video and why... guess what I chose???

jeffthechef
11-13-2006, 03:14 PM
Ha ha.. that's funny. I also saw a movie in a business class about the "underground Disney." It was specific that it was WDW though. The video was mostly on the top companies and how they create a business model that succeeds. They showed and talked about the underground part of WDW to show the separation of reality and the "Disney-reality" that Disney is so famous for. For example, calling employees "cast members" and making sure that no one EVER sees the characters out of context or in partial dress (ex. Mickey body with head being placed on.)
There was a lot more but I was mostly fascinated by the complexity of the underground building and what was inside.
We all had to write a brief essay on our favorite company featured in the video and why... guess what I chose???
I saw this about 15 years ago, so whether it was DL or MK, I'm not sure. I do know that the characters had to stay in character while roaming the corridors. Once in costume, they had to act just as they would above ground which included looking and acting happy and merry! Also, these various levels and tunnels are mentioned in the book "Mouse Tales." For one example, they mention the jail down there.

Are there any current or former CMs that can give more details out there?:)

dznyphreak
11-13-2006, 04:16 PM
The Utilidor system as well as the underground "city" at the MK also plays a major role in Ridley Pearson's book The Kingdom Keepers. Good read. I finished it in less than 24 hours...I couldn't put it down!

disneyhound
11-13-2006, 05:03 PM
Oh, there are tunnels. But must employees don't even know about them and they're just reserved for really cool people. I would tell you where they are, but I'm too cool. Some of the better Jungle Cruise and Haunted Mansion employees use them. No cast member who has worked on Small World or the Storybook Land Boats has been in them--EVER.

Yuck yuck yuck! I remember seeing the Discovery Channel (?) bio on Walt Disney. It was reported that one day he was sitting on a bench in DL in the early days, and he watched a couple of Cast Members trotting across the hub area from Tomorrowland to their destination in Adventureland. He was disappointed that the CM's had to walk through various parts of the park out of costume... He wanted non of that in WDW, hence the lower story...

Baloo
11-13-2006, 08:35 PM
WDW has an extensive tunnel system but Disneyland does not.

There are a couple tunnels in some areas of the park but not like what you would find in WDW.

As for costume characters havin to stay in costume backstage, there are areas of backstage that are required. Some of these areas are visible from some of the tall attractions and therefore it is required that costumed characters keep there costumes on.

geoffa
11-14-2006, 04:21 AM
WDW utilidor map:
http://travel.ciao.co.uk/opinion_images_view.php/OpinionId/5593171/Img/9296498

Click on xxl for larger view

King of the Frogs
11-14-2006, 05:35 AM
There simply is no need for tunnels. The backstage surrounds the entire park outside the berm. The only major attractions/areas not reachable directly from backstage are Rivers of America and the Matterhorn. As for DL to DCA - again, no need. Go past the Roundhouse on the east-side access road, and voila! You are in backstage DCA - CM trams do this every 5-10 minutes.

There are a couple of short "tunnels" under the railroad and under the Hungry Bear / Pooh building, but nothing like the wonderful world conjured by some.

Even for the Matterhorn, you can reach that by a very short appearance onstage, then disappear again into a middle-of-the-park backstage area.

Courtney Anne
11-15-2006, 05:03 PM
I saw this about 15 years ago, so whether it was DL or MK, I'm not sure. I do know that the characters had to stay in character while roaming the corridors. Once in costume, they had to act just as they would above ground which included looking and acting happy and merry! Also, these various levels and tunnels are mentioned in the book "Mouse Tales." For one example, they mention the jail down there.

Are there any current or former CMs that can give more details out there?:)

I actually worked at Epcot - which there is a couple tunnels - in fact, we could only eat underground in our (horrible) breakroom - or go to the cafe back stage near the cast entrance. I worked in retail - MouseGear - and I was underground alot. Our extra stock is kept down there and the tunnels usually smelled really bad.

I would occasionaly pick up a shift at MK - usually Fantasly Land - but also Adventure Land or I would sell that GLOW in the dark crap at parades.

I don't remember a JAIL - but I do remember getting lost and turned around down there. There was an elevator (I THINK...)that would go from the lowest level to a middle level than to the floor where we could walk into the store. Certain parts of the MK were at different levels.

I think I have a copy of the map somewhere in my WDW stash of stuff.

As for characters... once they were backstage, they could be themselves not Disney characters. In fact, I saw a princess smoking once and it was very odd. I also caught a glimpse of Tinkerbell, after she was done spreading pixie dust during the fireworks... that was really weird !!!

~ Courtney

tod
11-15-2006, 05:54 PM
As for characters... once they were backstage, they could be themselves not Disney characters. In fact, I saw a princess smoking once and it was very odd.

Once when I was backstage at Disneyland, in the area behind Main Street east side, after an afternoon parade, I saw a twentyish woman in a white robe, sitting on a bench, smoking a cigarette. When she turned to survey the group passing by, I saw that she was Belle, just off the parade, out of her big gold ball gown and having a smoke.

--t

dznyphreak
11-15-2006, 05:56 PM
Ah, that's good ol' Disney magic right there! ;)

Class Bravo
11-15-2006, 07:40 PM
When I worked in Fantasyland at DL our managers' offices and scheduling office were underground but there were no tunnels connecting the downstairs office with any other part of the park. There was only one staircase going down to it and it was the only way in or out.

Class Bravo
11-15-2006, 07:47 PM
I saw this about 15 years ago, so whether it was DL or MK, I'm not sure. I do know that the characters had to stay in character while roaming the corridors. Once in costume, they had to act just as they would above ground which included looking and acting happy and merry! Also, these various levels and tunnels are mentioned in the book "Mouse Tales." For one example, they mention the jail down there.

Are there any current or former CMs that can give more details out there?:)

I worked at DL for about 5 years and if there was a rule that the characters had to remain in character offstage then a lot of them were breaking that rule. It wasn't uncommon at all to see them with their costume heads off having a cigarette or just lounging about. In fact, somewhere in my collection of work pictures (all packed up since I've moved a few times since leaving DL) I have a picture of Pluto making obscene gestures with both of his hands while he's in Toontown's backstage. Now that's Christmas Card material!