Backstage Secret or no?

[Figment1986]

You see one Themepark backstage you seen them all.....

Oh and if you want to get the AK experance in Tampa.. work for BGT.. You get that smell near the main servece road between Timbuctu and Rhino Rally...

Oh and I saw backstage...Paid to perform for the world last year and it was fun... (No cameras or Cell Phones allowed out, we entered near the POTC building..... (truely not much to see on backstage second floor..but i want to take the tour to see the first floor..)

 

[Enderikari]

I saw backstage at the Magic Kingdom once... It was nothing special just some asphalr and lined roads and such...

 

[Sicos]

Backstage at AK in Asia area you can see animal "cages" (they arnt really cages) right when you walk in...its pretty funny...if youre lucky you may even see a CM taking food to one...but if youre a guest I wouldnt just walk back there.

 

[Disney_CP_2004]

For all those interested there isnt a lot to see at EPCOT when it comes to backstage..

For MGM... nothing too special... yeah for CMs it nice to be able to get from one place to another! For the Fantasmic Dinner pkg you do go backstage a little bit, that was as of last summer.

AK just craziness!

MK- everything is under so nothing special.. except short cuts and nothing fun to see

Yeah @ Epcot backstage all it is; is a BIG highway running around the whole park so we could all get to work..........

I went backstage @ MGM with a friend of mine to eat @ ya'lls cast cafe, and it's very compact back there....i am so use to being able to walk out of our breakarea and go to our 1/2 b-ball court and play basketball with our coordinators and hussle them for money! HAHAHAHA

I've been backstage also @ the Wilderness Lodge (Did ride out crew for hurricane Frances) and it quite impressive i guess since it's a hotel and the whole bottom floors are all cast areas, as well as Artist Point's Kitchen area....... (BUT then again i guess since i never seen it thats probably why i thought it was impressive)

and we were always like disencouraged to try to go backstage @ DAK cause it's all open, and if u don't work there u get into like major trouble!

 

[Ariel17]

I was always told that if we were caught over at Epcot or AK backstage unless I was on the clock I'd get in serious trouble.o_oAny reason why?

 

[WDWKat26]

I know I heard that too, probably because they think that there's no reason why you should be there when you're not working. Why should you be backstage if you're not working? Maybe something about spoiling the magic, it looks odd sometimes if you come out of (for example) the castle elevator in Magic Kingdom in normal clothes in front of everyone. If I do go to MK on my days off, I only stay for less than 30 minutes I do this because it's the only way I can pick up hours in my department.

 

[Robfasto]

I guess going backstage with a CM would depend on the CM since they are not all equal as I spent an afternoon on a guided tour backstage in all 4 parks.

In 1982-83 I used to go everyplace backstage and didn't think twice about it, spend a couple of nights walking EPCOT Center at 3AM going in and out of pavilions and just having a good time exploring. I even went a couple of times after I left Disney and didn't have a problem, just look like you belong and know where you are going and other CM's didn't question you. After 9/11 that won't fly anymore

 

[WDWKat26]

I guess going backstage with a CM would depend on the CM since they are not all equal as I spent an afternoon on a guided tour backstage in all 4 parks.

In 1982-83 I used to go everyplace backstage and didn't think twice about it, spend a couple of nights walking EPCOT Center at 3AM going in and out of pavilions and just having a good time exploring. I even went a couple of times after I left Disney and didn't have a problem, just look like you belong and know where you are going and other CM's didn't question you. After 9/11 that won't fly anymore

It doesn't even depend on the Cast Member anymore. First of all there's the (as some CM's call it) "Ruin the Magic" tour (a.k.a. "Keys to the Kingdom") if you want go backstage. Way before 9/11 have they been making sure NO guests get backstage. Obviously it was different 20+ years ago, but if you're caught now...the CM is terminated and you also can get into a lot of trouble. Plus, it really upsets me that some guests would even think of trying to get backstage. I know it sounds harsh but i'm going to say it...If they want to ruin the magic for themselves they can go right ahead and try.

 

[Robfasto]

Obviously it was different 20+ years ago, but if you're caught now...the CM is terminated and you also can get into a lot of trouble.

Again I say it depends on the CM, I was taken on a guided trip to all 4 parks by a CM, we drove up to the security gates and he drove through. Now this was not 20 years ago it was 2 months ago. I got some pretty good pictures too.

I since a couple of time right after I left Disney I haven't tried to go backstage and that was 20+ years ago.

So if you don't want to ruin the magic for yourself you can check out the pictures here...

http://www.disneypix.com/Backstage.htm

 

[WDWKat26]

Again I say it depends on the CM, I was taken on a guided trip to all 4 parks by a CM, we drove up to the security gates and he drove through. Now this was not 20 years ago it was 2 months ago. I got some pretty good pictures too.

I since a couple of time right after I left Disney I haven't tried to go backstage and that was 20+ years ago.

So if you don't want to ruin the magic for yourself you can check out the pictures here...

http://www.disneypix.com/Backstage.htm

First off, i'm surprised you even got backstage. Usually getting past the security gates requires an ID from all people in the van/car.

Secondly, no one is allowed backstage with a camera, CM's can get terminated for taking pictures backstage. I know someone who had their camera taken from them too. I'm sure you're grateful to whoever took you backstage, but I also think they should have known better than to have you taking pictures of the backstage area.

Granted, the pictures aren't anything too bad or of anything really important, but I still believe in preserving the Magic.

 

[Robfasto]

I was shocked myself about taking pictures, that is why I don't have any at the entrance to the Animal Kingdom. I had my camera beside me and was just grateful for the tour, then he stopped behind Expedition Everest and asked if I was going to take any. So I was shocked.

Again CM's with camera backstage would depend on the CM, he takes all sorts of backstage pictures which he uses while doing his job. He sent me a cool picture taken from the roof of the Tower of Terror and a few from inside the maintenance bay of Mission: Space. While a costumed CM, would have more trouble.

As for the magic that is why I didn't post the picture with my 'normal' pictures and you have to click an extra link to see them. So if you don't want to see you don't have to look. For me part of the Magic of Disney has always been the backstage aspect, how things get done and how the magic is made is part of it for me.

 

[Figment1986]

hey the repaved the road at MK.. last year i marched it and it wasn't black.... and the building looks slightly better than i remember...

great photos.... makes me wish i had his job....

 

[Dryice7670]

Yeah @ Epcot backstage all it is; is a BIG highway running around the whole park so we could all get to work..........

I went backstage @ MGM with a friend of mine to eat @ ya'lls cast cafe, and it's very compact back there....i am so use to being able to walk out of our breakarea and go to our 1/2 b-ball court and play basketball with our coordinators and hussle them for money! HAHAHAHA

I've been backstage also @ the Wilderness Lodge (Did ride out crew for hurricane Frances) and it quite impressive i guess since it's a hotel and the whole bottom floors are all cast areas, as well as Artist Point's Kitchen area....... (BUT then again i guess since i never seen it thats probably why i thought it was impressive)

and we were always like disencouraged to try to go backstage @ DAK cause it's all open, and if u don't work there u get into like major trouble!

if you are a CM in one park and say you want to see backstage can you just go whenever you want? I ask because I am going in March to work in Canada as a Cultural Rep and I would really like to see the tunnels in MK. Does it matter what kind of ID you need or can any CM go to any backstage area that they want?

 

[Robfasto]

I did not matter in the past but since 9/11 I couldn't tell you.

 

[disneydata]

As long as you have a Disney ID, you can go just about anywhere backstage. The new IDs dont have your location on them. My CP I had my location on it, but they still didn't care back then either. As long as it's valid, they can't say anything. A lot of CMs are involved in cross-utilization and pick up extra hours everywhere across property.

No, you can't just walt backstage anymore. There's security all around, even some not in costume. If you're found and you're not a CM, they will throw you out. I have seen it done before. There's also messages all over the place for CMs to ask people in civilian clothes walking around without an ID on to show their ID or they call security.

Backstage is that for a reason. It's not a secret and its not hard to figure out what's back there. Would you go venturing backstage during intermission of The Lion King on broadway? No. It wouldn't be safe and its not appropriate. I know a friend who used to work in Tomorrowland who was arrested on suspicion of terrorism because he had backstage pictures of Space Mountain and a copy of the blueprint he bought off eBay. After a long investigation by the FBI, they found he was just a Disney fan, but they took ALL his photos (digital and print) and blueprints and he was not rehired.

Oh, and don't bring your friends backstage. You will get terminated if they're not CMs.

 

[leebier]

I did the Epcot tour around the World Showcase a couple years back (don't remember the name) and they showed you just enough of backstage to actually INCREASE the magic of the properties. A lot of the tour focused on how they designed/built everything and so part of what was so amazing was finding out what they'd done with forced persepctive and the like. We got to go behind the Canadian mountain and in France. Seeing what was just 5 feet away from you when you wait for the Canada movie absolutely blew my mind. It was a part of the park I never thought much about, and now is about the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

I realize that it was very controlled backstage access, to the point where it was practically on stage backstage, but it was very cool. All in all, a LITTLE backstage access to a big Disney fan could actually increase the "magic quotient" as there are immersive parts of the park I never even knew existed.

Leebier

 

[Dryice7670]

As long as you have a Disney ID, you can go just about anywhere backstage. The new IDs dont have your location on them. My CP I had my location on it, but they still didn't care back then either. As long as it's valid, they can't say anything. A lot of CMs are involved in cross-utilization and pick up extra hours everywhere across property.

No, you can't just walt backstage anymore. There's security all around, even some not in costume. If you're found and you're not a CM, they will throw you out. I have seen it done before. There's also messages all over the place for CMs to ask people in civilian clothes walking around without an ID on to show their ID or they call security.

Backstage is that for a reason. It's not a secret and its not hard to figure out what's back there. Would you go venturing backstage during intermission of The Lion King on broadway? No. It wouldn't be safe and its not appropriate. I know a friend who used to work in Tomorrowland who was arrested on suspicion of terrorism because he had backstage pictures of Space Mountain and a copy of the blueprint he bought off eBay. After a long investigation by the FBI, they found he was just a Disney fan, but they took ALL his photos (digital and print) and blueprints and he was not rehired.

Oh, and don't bring your friends backstage. You will get terminated if they're not CMs.

Hello there thanks for the info. Man fast reply's I love this thanks again.

 

[Kwit35]

If you want to see parts of Disney that are behind the scenes AND take pictures, run the marathon. We went in and out of several CM entrances and I took lots of pictures, as I always do when I run. No one said I couldn't. In fact I didn't even know that was an issue. Some pictures are posted here http://www.on-lineinc.com/disney.html . We are doing the the Backstage Magic tour at the end of the month (can't wait!). I did see that there are no cameras allowed...wah.

 

[artdude323]

It's probably only available at Christmas time, but the Disney Institute runs a Holiday Tour that takes you backstage at MGM, Epcot, the Magic Kingdom, and through the Holiday warehouse in the working area beside MK where the laundry is. You actually get to tour the building where the decorations are kept and made all year round. WELL worth the money, and a tour that not many people know about. It also goes to many onstage areas, hotels, through about half of World Showcase before it opens to the public, through MGM, and through Main Street. The day we took it, the Fife and Drum Corps were practicing in World Showcase, in their jeans and T shirts.

A couple years ago, we were driving on WDW property, and figured out we were going the wrong direction, and wanted to turn around. We turned onto this small road, and got to a gate house. We told the guard we wanted to turn around, and he said to follow the road and it would bring us back to the road we wanted to be on. So we did - and straight ahead of us was the backside of Test Track! We drove under the Test Track roadway outside the building, and then just kept driving. We went behind all of World Showcase, probably not more than 40 -50 feet from the guests on the onstage side. We ended up at a HUGE water tank, which we found out later was the tank for Salmon Falls at the Canada Pavilion, and turned around behind the small building where the lockers and restrooms are located to the side of Spaceship Earth where the road ended. the only way to get back out was to go back the way we came, so we did it the other way, snapping all the pictures we could. The best one was the picture of the Eiffel Tower lying in the mud behind the France Pavillion, it had been taken down for "refurbishment".:lol:

 

[marni1971]

artdude - welcome. As a new member your induction includes posting all those backstage pics you mentioned for us to see :lol:

Seriously, I`d love to see them (as I`m sure a lot of us would)