Disney Fun Fact - utilidors

[Gorjus]

BUT I NEVER KNEW THAT FANTASYLAND AREA WAS THE THIRD FLOOR! WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS INFO? NOT QUESTIONING, ITS JUST INTERESTING!:animwink:

Ask a cast member who has had to walk up those stairs. :lol:

There are no areas of the "tunnels" that are 2 stories. They ramp down and back up when the main north-south tunnel passes under the castle/moat, but it's still only 1-story underground..........The confusion about 3-stories at Fantasyland may come from the fact that there are deeper areas, but there aren't 2 floors underground.

Technically there are; but it is because of where the tunnel goes deeper. The buses actually let you off on the second level. Picture this: The door to the staircase that leads up to the castle's main level is down the central ramp. Go up the ramp to the second level, and you are at the area with all the boxes of merchandise or restaurant supplies or entertainment cast members waiting to clock out. Go up the stairs to the second level and you see one of the kitchens for Cinderella's Royal Table (CRT). Go up another level and you are at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (BBB) and castle stage entrance. So the castle is on the third floor, as is everything behind it. However, since you are on the second floor when you ascend to Fantasyland, it only feels like one floor up.

If they have to have a temp shortcut for overcrowded days, why couldn't they put some kind of temp structures up to help block some of the backstage areas.

What?! They gave you portable bushes. Jeesh. People are so demanding.

PS: Adventureland and Frontierland are two different levels as well. When you are in the elevator, in the tunnels, you push 2 for Frontierland and 3 for Adventureland; or is it vice versa. Anyway....

 

[rkelly42]

I still believe that there is only two floors technically. There is the base floor and then the parkside. I have never seen any info on there being more than two floors.

 

[Gorjus]

What can I say? As someone who climbed those stairs a few times a day, I can assure you it is three flights from the very bottom to the castle stage.

 

[Captain Hank]

What can I say? As someone who climbed those stairs a few times a day, I can assure you it is three flights from the very bottom to the castle stage.

I'll back you up on that, even though I've never climbed up from the tunnels into the castle. When going from Fantasyland to Main Street down the central corridor, the main walkway goes down about a story or so at the castle while two side areas remain at the tunnel entry level (which itself is below the Fantasyland park level).

 

[TRONorail10]

If they have to have a temp shortcut for overcrowded days, why couldn't they put some kind of temp structures up to help block some of the backstage areas. Or better yet, make a permanent path back there that connects Tomorrowland with Main Street's Center St and add some structures en route for guests so they are still "in-show". If you know what I'm referring to.

There's two answers to this... first, they do put up some temp structures (moveable planters) to block a lot of the backstage areas. the CO2 tank referred to in another post is like 2 stories high and impossible to completely block. The main reason a permanent structure isn't built is because A) the main street bypass backstage is only used at certain times and not on a daily basis and B) logistics. there are a lot of delivery trucks, buses, and construction/company vehicles that use that space and every inch is extremely valuable.

 

[Erin_Akey]

I would think it would be kind of interesting to get rerouted to a backstage area. Would def. be seeing something new. However, I can understand Urban not finding that too magical as the last thing you see at the end of a day in the park.

 

[unkadug]

I'll back you up on that, even though I've never climbed up from the tunnels into the castle. When going from Fantasyland to Main Street down the central corridor, the main walkway goes down about a story or so at the castle while two side areas remain at the tunnel entry level (which itself is below the Fantasyland park level).

Interesting stuff. I wish someone had a cross section elevation so I could better visualize this. :lookaroun

 

[marni1971]

This might help;

A cross section of the hub area. Real ground level is one floor below the park level - where guests walk. This is in fact partly walking on the roof of the Utilidors. Between real and park levels are the tunnels, except in the hub where the main corridor, which runs north south under Main St and the hub to Fantasyland, has to go actually underground to pass below the hub waterways.

Now, if you are at the bottom of the ramp below the castle you can see one level above is the main Utilidor area, the level above that is the guest (park) level. Above this are castle areas. So in effect, this area does actually have 2 floors below the park level.

 

[Astro_Digital]

Any place you dig in Florida you find water. I do not think there are many basements. Though I wonder about Office building, I thought they needed to be anchored in bedrock.

 

[unkadug]

This might help;

A cross section of the hub area. Real ground level is one floor below the park level - where guests walk. This is in fact partly walking on the roof of the Utilidors. Between real and park levels are the tunnels, except in the hub where the main corridor, which runs north south under Main St and the hub to Fantasyland, has to go actually underground to pass below the hub waterways.

Now, if you are at the bottom of the ramp below the castle you can see one level above is the main Utilidor area, the level above that is the guest (park) level. Above this are castle areas. So in effect, this area does actually have 2 floors below the park level.

Thanks Martin. I knew you would come through with the elevation sketch. :wave:

 

[marni1971]

Thanks Martin. I knew you would come through with the elevation sketch. :wave:

My highly technical totally to scale CAD drawing? No problem. A bit tricky to explain this one.

It`s worth remembering that the parks guest level isn`t uniform; Fantasyland is higher than Main St - you can see the difference when walking up hill from Columbia Harbor House to iasw and back down from the Teacups to Tland. You`ll also see that the ramps uphill either side of the castle from the hub take you higher than what appears to be ground level. The castle forecourt in front of the stage is at Main St roof level, but the back of the stage and the castle breezeway floor are actually the level of the Fanland Utilidor roof. Also remember where there are no Utilidors out by Caribbean Plaza and BTM/Splash you can travel several different changes in grade.

To the post about walking behind Main St to avoid the crowds, something that may be possible is an enclosed walkway. Paris has one either side of Main St to give weather cover and to handle crowds. They are full enclosed, totally themed and a great bonus to the park. In addition, they have service doors on both sides to allow cross-path access to backstage from the stores for both CMs, stock, and guests - though Stock would be less of an issue with the Utilidors. Indeed, such an idea was planned for Disneyland from Town Square to Tomorrowland too. Until then you`ll have to deal with wheel-a-shrubs and portable walls.

 

[lazyboy97o]

To the post about walking behind Main St to avoid the crowds, something that may be possible is an enclosed walkway. Paris has one either side of Main St to give weather cover and to handle crowds. They are full enclosed, totally themed and a great bonus to the park. In addition, they have service doors on both sides to allow cross-path access to backstage from the stores for both CMs, stock, and guests - though Stock would be less of an issue with the Utilidors. Indeed, such an idea was planned for Disneyland from Town Square to Tomorrowland too. Until then you`ll have to deal with wheel-a-shrubs and portable walls.

The arcades at Disneyland Paris are simply wonderful!

Apparently the idea is being floated again for Disneyland. It is rather surprising it took so long for a second (and third) walkway to happen, as the Imagineers were thinking them up for Disneyland well before any other Magic Kingdoms wee built.

 

[UrbanDonovan]

I would think it would be kind of interesting to get rerouted to a backstage area. Would def. be seeing something new. However, I can understand Urban not finding that too magical as the last thing you see at the end of a day in the park.

Wow. Someone can see my point of view.

Thanks!!!

 

[Erin_Akey]

Wow. Someone can see my point of view.

Thanks!!!

I just understand that for me, I am there to get away from the realities of my everyday life and just be a kid and feel the magic. So as i leave the parks at night headed back to my resort, I too want something magical to remember as I doze off to sleep!

Show me the backstage areas during the dya for sure, I think it would be neat, but let me exit the park going down Main Street and hearing the music etc. (Even us Tide fans can see your point)

 

[Tinkrbell]

Not related to the conversation about the levels of the utilidors, but rather the one about guest being routed through backstage areas.

Many times guests are routed through a backstage area after Fantasmic. Upon leaving the show, if you head left instead of straight ahead towards where you came in, you are technically in a backstage area. That entire road everyone walks down at the end of the night is backstage, going right past the backstage areas of the Beauty & the Beast show. Just my $.02 about the conversation.