Bad Show?

[BwanaBob]

As far as theming, the sandwhich-board style signs directing traffic were professionally done (as usual), and the "christmas" trees were a nice touch (in all about 7 or 8) with the speakers on stands directly behind each playing the entrance music.

And I would guess around 6-7 CM's kind of directing what little traffic there was so no one wandered off if you know what I mean!

Oh, and backstage lighting consists of a few high-wattage halogen / mercury vapor lights...typical parking-lot / warehouse lighting. (no special colors !)

 

[RandeB]

Backstage

Of course, on Test Track you can see all kind of parking lots and backstage areas.

 

[General Grizz]

Re: Backstage

Thanks for the info, Bob.

Originally posted by RandeB
Of course, on Test Track you can see all kind of parking lots and backstage areas.

Seriously. . . and I believe Mission: Space's chicken exit takes you straight behind the pavilion. (If you look closely, you can see Horizons's outline, if I'm not mistaken. :lookaroun ).

 

[ISTCrew20]

You can see the same area you're talking about on the WDW Railroad. On the bridge coming back into the Main Street Station. You can see all this...I dont think its a giant big deal. One thing that has always bothered me though, was seeing all the crap outside the Contemporary on the Monorail. All the CM stuff sorrounded by walls in the parking lot

 

[Djali999]

okay, wait...

what part of Tomorrowland did this trail pick up at? when I first read it I was under the impression you had cut around from the little side street off Main Street to Tony's Town Square, a short log of a few yards at most. but now I'm thinking you came from near Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland all the way across the lot to Tony's?!

I think that's pretty extreme. I simply ask because you mention Food and Beverage carts (the main base for those is back there), dumpsters (there's a big ugly area for trash) and a cafeteria (Backstage Bistro, natch).

really if guests were to walk along the backside of Main Street East, they wouldn't see much beyond how cleverly the area is put together. the backside of Tomorrowland, though, is another story...

PS - as far as CMs on cell phones go, we don't really have any other place to do it if we need to, seeing as you get NO reception at all downstairs. and we can't just pop out on stage holding one, Tomorrowland or not, lol....

 

[General Grizz]

On Keys to the Kingdom, we went backstage at Tomorrowland - ice cream stops set up, very ugly backstage area. I could have saved 80 dollars and just seen it during Spectro. :lol:

 

[Djali999]

Originally posted by grizzlyhall
On Keys to the Kingdom, we went backstage at Tomorrowland - ice cream stops set up, very ugly backstage area.

yep. you shoulda seen it when the 75 Mickeys showed up -- they were set up in the Tomorrowland lot, and the airbrushed paint had begun to bubble and peel. as a result a small army of artists with sanders and airbrushes were running around like maniacs... and security guards were lurking around... it was kind of surreal.

a lot of the backstage areas, and the utilidors, are kinda like that. there's a whole lot of really random clutter. under the Main Street bakery there are big carts of buns and gallon buckets of "Bun Smear" - whatever that is. :lookaroun

:goodnevil

 

[BRER STITCH]

Originally posted by Djali999
under the Main Street bakery there are big carts of buns and gallon buckets of "Bun Smear" - whatever that is. :lookaroun

(In my best Homer Simpson voice.....)

MMMMMmmmmm....you can really taste the SMEAR! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Seriously though, as was mentioned, if this is something you would WANT to see, try the Keys to the Kingdom or the Backstage Pass Tours offered at WDW.

It's great to see as a curious fan, but not recommended for first-timers to WDW. It will the suck the magic right out from under them!

 

[WDWhumanmap]

now i agree with this one that that is a bad show but i think thats b/c they ran out of room at the studios and so things are heading into the parking areas look at where they ride backstage tour through mostly the parking lot at the start too i mean i know its a small park but you knew it was small before you built it soon its going to be on the highway well actually somethings are very close to the roads etc. so they almost are :lol:

 

[barnum42]

Originally posted by castlecake2.0
Im pretty sure this is at Disneylad Paris, but it may be at Tokyo Disneyland, anyways, they have the backside of Main St themed like the front, so during the parades they open it up and you can walk through that way, has anybody else seen or heard of this, or am I just making this up?

-ty:king:

In Disneyland Paris they have covered arcades that run each side of Mainstreet, behind the shops. They are a permanent feature, not opened only on busy days. Could this be what you are thinking of?

 

[disnyfan89]

Originally posted by ISTCrew20
When your waiting, you never have looked to the right of the covered tarp area. Your practicly in the parking lot, next to cars, portables and other buildings.

I wouldn't say they where portables!!! It is really nice looking and blends in with the park. (by the way you see this on the backlot tram tour! It really is a nice place to look at.)

 

[BwanaBob]

Originally posted by Djali999
okay, wait...

what part of Tomorrowland did this trail pick up at? when I first read it I was under the impression you had cut around from the little side street off Main Street to Tony's Town Square, a short log of a few yards at most. but now I'm thinking you came from near Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland all the way across the lot to Tony's?!

I think that's pretty extreme. I simply ask because you mention Food and Beverage carts (the main base for those is back there), dumpsters (there's a big ugly area for trash) and a cafeteria (Backstage Bistro, natch).

really if guests were to walk along the backside of Main Street East, they wouldn't see much beyond how cleverly the area is put together. the backside of Tomorrowland, though, is another story...

PS - as far as CMs on cell phones go, we don't really have any other place to do it if we need to, seeing as you get NO reception at all downstairs. and we can't just pop out on stage holding one, Tomorrowland or not, lol....

Here's a pathetic rendering of the backstage paths...

and I'm not slamming the CM's who were on their phones...please don't mis-understand me!
Just would have been nice if someone had told those CM's that they were sendings guests back at those times!

 

[niteobsrvr]

Originally posted by BwanaBob
Here's a pathetic rendering of the backstage paths...

and I'm not slamming the CM's who were on their phones...please don't mis-understand me!
Just would have been nice if someone had told those CM's that they were sendings guests back at those times!

Wouldn't ahve made a difference as there really is no other place to use a cell phone as stated before. Also, those areas are considered break areas. There really isn't much Disney can do if the employee is on break as that is not considered company time. Cast members I have seen using cell phones generally try to stay behind the trees on carts but it doesn't matter as their shielding is only about 50%. In this case DIsney has to balance a lot of things including employee rights and guest safety and therefore choose to show a little of backstage and all of its "glory" in the name of safety and efficiency.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Originally posted by barnum42
In Disneyland Paris they have covered arcades that run each side of Mainstreet, behind the shops. They are a permanent feature, not opened only on busy days. Could this be what you are thinking of?

Ya thats probably it, I just remebered hearing that there was away behind Main Street that made it easier to get around while parades were going on.

 

[mac388]

Originally posted by niteobsrvr
Wouldn't ahve made a difference as there really is no other place to use a cell phone as stated before. Also, those areas are considered break areas. There really isn't much Disney can do if the employee is on break as that is not considered company time. Cast members I have seen using cell phones generally try to stay behind the trees on carts but it doesn't matter as their shielding is only about 50%. In this case DIsney has to balance a lot of things including employee rights and guest safety and therefore choose to show a little of backstage and all of its "glory" in the name of safety and efficiency.

Actually, I think that there is a lot that Disney can do in this situation. This has happened to me before, when I was a CM but in the park as a Guest. You could still see a lot of nasty garbage and packages, and bewildered CMs smoking and using cell phones. The reason they use the backstage routes is because a few times last week, the park exceeded its limit. I remember working crowd control once and our manager saying that the MK population was at 70,000. That 20K people "slipped through." You have to laugh at that!
I think that in times when they need to use the backstage areas, it should be made clear to CMs that this is now a show area and smoking is not permitted in that area. That's one option.
Safety does come before show, right? Still.....

 

[niteobsrvr]

Originally posted by mac388
Actually, I think that there is a lot that Disney can do in this situation. This has happened to me before, when I was a CM but in the park as a Guest. You could still see a lot of nasty garbage and packages, and bewildered CMs smoking and using cell phones. The reason they use the backstage routes is because a few times last week, the park exceeded its limit. I remember working crowd control once and our manager saying that the MK population was at 70,000. That 20K people "slipped through." You have to laugh at that!
I think that in times when they need to use the backstage areas, it should be made clear to CMs that this is now a show area and smoking is not permitted in that area. That's one option.
Safety does come before show, right? Still.....

Disney has decided like many places that smoking should only take place in certain places both for guests and cast. The backstage areas are designated smoking areas for cast. Its not the cast members fault that the parade is going on while they are on their break and Disney has allowed so many people into the parks that they have to open the backstage areas to alleviate congestion.

THe only option DIsney has in this situation would be to extend CM's breaks by 20 minutes or so which would allow CM's to walk to alternative areas to smoke and use cell phones. That would be for all cast members though and not just ones who need to place a call or smoke and would result in more CM's being needed for a particular shift to cover the extra break time.

It's a no win situation where even the world of Disney can not be perfect without being discriminatory to some people and therefore exceptions are made in the name of safety and show as the four qualities are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Djali999]

I'll second what niteobsrvr said, with the addendum that if I knew about it, I'd most certainly avoid using cell phones or smoking (I don't smoke anyway...) in those areas that guests were.

I'll also add that CMs wishing to do those things could've easily walked to the other side of the Galaxy Palace Theatre, only 2 or 3 minutes away.

oh well. that's just what I'd do. I can't speak for anyone else. they're well within their right to smoke and use cell phones in backstage areas - guests, christmas trees and speakers or not.

 

[Pixie Duster]

I do agree, we as cast member should be accomadating at all times. I don't care if you aren't getting paid at that time, you still have a show to maintain.
Heck it takes me ten minutes to walk from my car to the "safety" of backstage everyday. Many times to and from work I have been stopped, or stopped on my own to help a guest, and you will never see me on my phone or smoking or anything non stage, because I am on stage at that point and time, evne though I am not getting paid, I am in costume and th guests don't know that I am on my way home or to work.
If the guest were to come backstage I would expect to be informed and asked to modify my behavior to stage appropriate, I am very disappointed in MK management for not making th enecessary prpeartions for such a situation.
AK's backstage is easily acceaable by a guest, that's why we attempt to keep it somewhat presentable because we have had guest's wander into "our domain".

We have an image to uphold, in our cast members, our set, our upkeep, everything.

 

[TURKEY]

In my experiences as a CM, one person may be told in one department, but the rest of his/her department doesn't. Meanwhile, another department knows.

I know that several times, ToN was cancelled, but Liberty Inn didn't know and sent people to help with crowd control. After going next door to get assigned a position, we would find out that it had been cancelled.

I bet it's the same with other large businesses. No matter the steps taken to inform everyone, not everyone will be in a position to get the information.

 

[wishiwere@wdw]

It was bad show but needed. We went through this twice last week. There was no way we could have entered the park without going backstage. It was really that bad.

It also pis*ed us off big time because this happened on our very first night there. What a way to enter the "Magic" Kingdom for the first time.

They did hussle you through QUICKLY with tons of CM's directing you through. I think they tried to limit your exposure time. There was music playing and Christmas trees throughout so they did attempt to keep up the show.

It still wasn't the same. I would have rather waited outside the gates for the parade to end.