Keys to the Kingdom Tour Yes, See the tunnel NO!

[Javier&Christie]

Originally posted by Skipper Timekpr
What I mean by safety of CMs and guests is if someone were to do something down there, God forbid, the whole park could collapse.

that's a little extreme don't you think? besides if the whole park were to, uh, collapse, don't you think more people than just the ones underground would be hurt...

bah, that's a silly prospect anyways.

 

[SMCM]

Originally posted by Maria


......and all you needed was a costume because you were already ON the clock to your work location, right? Glad they didn´t do it in Epcot when I was there... no need of making the window even slower.....

Trust me, having worked in both parks, Epcot costuming moves at light speed compared to MK costuming.

 

[Thespis]

then they look at you like you have a third head or something when you pass them

I watched a CM get a costume and stood dutifully out of the way as I was told. The "they" you're referring to (indirectly) is me. Maybe that look is one of admiration, after all we are interested enough in WDW to pay extra for a backstage tour. As I watched the CM get his costume, all I was thinking was, "It must be cool to work here".

ahh... the ruin the magic tour... I love hekling the tourists..

Well, the tour didn't ruin the magic; it enhanced the magic. This thread has put some tarnish on a pretty nice memory though. I can't stop wondering what was said behind my back as I took the tour...

 

[MKCustodial]

Just like Maria, being a CM was great because I could wander around the Utilidors. There was even one day that I took the castle elevator just for the heck of it, I remembered hearing about it on my first trip, as a wee kid...

But I don't think I'd like to, as a guest, pay to go down there. Especially because of the Zoo, I guess that's the biggest "magic ruiner" down there. Alberrisford, there's nothing really special about the back of Splash, it's just a big building with machine noises. Eventually there might be a log back there, but...

Now, the AVACs... Ah, those are sweet!! :lol:
(Not the smell on a hot day, though...:hurl: )

And I also remember how some of the International Program Brazilians started saying that, because of the noise they sometimes, the AVACs were actually carrying money. :lookaroun

 

[Irrawaddy Erik]

Originally posted by Thespis

I watched a CM get a costume and stood dutifully out of the way as I was told. The "they" you're referring to (indirectly) is me. Maybe that look is one of admiration, after all we are interested enough in WDW to pay extra for a backstage tour. As I watched the CM get his costume, all I was thinking was, "It must be cool to work here".

Well, the tour didn't ruin the magic; it enhanced the magic. This thread has put some tarnish on a pretty nice memory though. I can't stop wondering what was said behind my back as I took the tour...

I wasnt trying to do be mean at all but its just that you run into ppl that ruin it for the whole.....ive had to actually tap ppl on the shoulder sometimes to let me pass though the crowd to get to my window ....and once i had a group of about three ppl just staring at me w/ open mouths and everything...i saw and smiled at them and they just stood there expressionless...i can understand its somthing facinating and shows behind the magic but some ppl dont have common curtisey when they are on the tour...i know a few tour guides that if they see me in the utilidor they will stop me and get me to talk to there groups and ive taken my mom on the tour ...and she said it does make everything that more magical

its not ment to tarnish but to show how we feel
and you have a right to share how you feel

ERiK
Toontown/Fantasyland Opps/Att

Make a Cast Members day tell them "Thank You"

 

[Smitty]

As a former MK CM who saw the tour groups all the time, I can say it didn't bother me at all. And the only real safety risk I can think of is if a guest was to wander a little off path and get hit by a pargo! To say that the guests could do something to collapse the park is absolutely one of the most foolish things I have ever heard. Did you really think before you wrote that or were you joking? I hope you were joking. To sum it up, I think the tour is fine. It didn't bother me at all and everyone I know who has taken it, loved it. To each their own though.

 

[thumper]

My husband and I are planning to take the tour for the first time at the end of May and we are very excited about it. I don't think it cheapens the Disney name by any means. I'm assuming they don't allow any type of photographs or videotaping when behind the scenes (which I agree with 100%)...if they allowed that to occur, then THAT would be cheapening the name. I think the tour is available for guests who really enjoy Disney and want to get a different perspective of the operations.

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by Thespis
I can't stop wondering what was said behind my back as I took the tour...

nothing was said... we have better things to do than talk about people we don't know behind their backs. When and if we make fun of the tunnel tours, it's done directly, and to the guests face, and not offensive at all.

 

[cm1988]

Hospitality

Originally posted by Smitty
As a former MK CM who saw the tour groups all the time, I can say it didn't bother me at all...I think the tour is fine...

Agreed. These are escorted tours... with no risks or hindrances to anyone involved. Surely any mature guest can discern whether or not such an experience would "ruin the magic".

To me, the only spoiler would be if we as cast members showed anything less than complete hospitality and appreciation for our Guests, wherever and whenever we encounter them.

 

[tenchu]

How much of each park is actually underground? Does it vary from park to park? Is there lots underground?

 

[tmp]

When my wife and I did it we were the only ones on the tour and it was great. The Cast Member who gave the tour was incredible. I cannot possibly see anything that could go wrong down in the tunnels that could not go wrong on stage. There is a better chance of getting run over with one of those giant vacuums after a parade then there is of getting hurt in the utilidors. As far as ruining the magic - HOGWASH- before I loved Disney - now I am on a "Chat board" talking about it.

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by tenchu
How much of each park is actually underground? Does it vary from park to park? Is there lots underground?

most of MK is underground. in Epcot the only part w/ a tunnel is future world w/ is just below innoventions.

that's it.. no other parks have tunnels.

 

[mkt]

Re: Hospitality

Originally posted by cm1988
To me, the only spoiler would be if we as cast members showed anything less than complete hospitality and appreciation for our Guests, wherever and whenever we encounter them.

have you taken the tour?

you are warned before you go downstairs, that you will see and hear things which may disillusion you. I've taken the tour several times, and I've heard CM's curse in front of guests, CM's making out in front of them, quite a bit of resentful anti-Disney CM banter, and just CM's geting out their anger and frustration.

that's why that is backstage, would you like a CM to do that onstage? They're not warned when a tour will go under, so they cannot be held accountable for that. The tunnels are their territory, and a lot of CM's view that as an intrusion

 

[monorail256]

i want to do this tour when i go in december.. how far ahead should i be with making reservations?!

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by monorail256
i want to do this tour when i go in december.. how far ahead should i be with making reservations?!

I've gotten in day-of. But since going in December, I'll suggest 3-4 weeks prior

 

[monorail256]

thanks !! :sohappy:

 

[Scooter]

I will probably never take this tour.

Not because I'm not curious.
Not because I can't afford it.
Not because I don't want to.

To me...it's about The Magic.

I KNOW about the utilidors...but sometimes I wish I didn't.

I'm a grown man with grown children, but I still like to think that Mickey and Donald and Goofy and all the other characters appear out of nowhere.

I don't want to see how the magic is made...I just want to see the MAGIC.

I once saw a show on TV that told all the secrets of how some magic tricks were done. It made me a little sad. For years I was amazed by these tricks time and time again..now I know they aren't Magic tricks...they're just tricks.

Life is short...and kids grow up fast and are forced to be serious and responsible adults. Disney World is the last place I have to experiance the "MAGIC" . I want that magic to last as long as possible for me and my wife and we want to keep on believing that it's just that...MAGIC.

Next you'll be trying to tell me there's no Santa Claus either. :animwink: :xmasmile:

 

[MKCustodial]

Originally posted by Scooter
I will probably never take this tour.

Not because I'm not curious.
Not because I can't afford it.
Not because I don't want to.

To me...it's about The Magic.

I KNOW about the utilidors...but sometimes I wish I didn't.

I'm a grown man with grown children, but I still like to think that Mickey and Donald and Goofy and all the other characters appear out of nowhere.

Well, this is my personal opinion, and maybe a lot of you, CMs or not, won't agree.
I never took the actual tour, but as an International CP I wandered through the utilidors a lot. And we had kind of a tour on the first day, I don't recall the name now (do you know, Tig?).
I remember I was really upset when I saw the Zoo for the first time, and a parade setup, and King Louie coming down the Frontierland tunnel with his head upside down hanging from his back.
BUT as soon as I got back onstage, and I ran into King Louie, I'd cheer and play with him... Basically, it was King Louie, even though I knew (and know) otherwise.
I don't know if this made any sense, but what I'm trying to say is that the magic is IN you, and there's no way you're gonna lose that if you don't want to.
My next trip is January 2003, and I'm gonna tell my brother and girlfriend about the tour. If they wanna take it, fine. And if you're really curious, you should as well.

 

[mkt]

mkcustodial

I was there every day. The second I got a chance to leave MK I took it.

WHY? Because the tunnels are just that- TUNNELS. I like my MGM.. no tunnels, no cramped spaces w/ gas fumes from the money van. I like sunshine, and HATE controlled environments.

To this day, if I'm scheduled at MK, I won't break in the tunnels. I'll change and eat onstage for lunch, or in the backstage bistro (to hell w/ the Crapeteria.. err mouseketeria).

I love MK... ONSTAGE. You guys can have the backstage.

 

[MKCustodial]

I can imagine how it got on you, since you worked that a much longer time than I did. Eveything new is cool untill a certain time, I think. But the fumes and the smells really waren't nice.

What I did ask you if you knew is the name of the tour MK CMs take after Traditions, the one that is supposed to introduce you to the park. I don't think it was Keys to the Kingdom.