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Park Design

heliumalias

Member
Original Poster
Apologies if there is a thread about this somewhere else.

I am currently writing a paper on the design of Disney parks (specifically Disneyland and MK) and various design changes that have been implemented. Obviously one of the biggest design changes from DL to WDW was the use of Utilidors but I was wondering if anyone knows of any other such changes (included in new or existing parks) that have been done?
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Utilidors was one of the main improvements, as was a central computer system to monitor all of phase one property. Tokyo has a massive 3 spoke hub - the biggest of them all - since Japan has little open green space. Paris was designed far bigger than the MK and has plenty of design improvements; Town Square has a separate `road` in the central garden area for trolley cars instead of having rails right next to the railroad station / park entrance. It also has themed arcades behind either side of Main Street to walk along to bypass parade jams and has a Fantasyland that was built far bigger to avoid the congestion Orlando has - so big it has 2 separate walkways with a canal inbetween.

PM me or write here for any more specific info.
 

brkgnews

Well-Known Member
Utilidors was one of the main improvements, as was a central computer system to monitor all of phase one property. Tokyo has a massive 3 spoke hub - the biggest of them all - since Japan has little open green space. Paris was designed far bigger than the MK and has plenty of design improvements; Town Square has a separate `road` in the central garden area for trolley cars instead of having rails right next to the railroad station / park entrance. It also has themed arcades behind either side of Main Street to walk along to bypass parade jams and has a Fantasyland that was built far bigger to avoid the congestion Orlando has - so big it has 2 separate walkways with a canal inbetween.

PM me or write here for any more specific info.
And one of the international Main Street USA-type areas is covered. Paris?
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
^ Yep. Well.... Tokyo has a hotel out front now too. Paris has the hotel actually over the ticket booths and turnstyles.
 

heliumalias

Member
Original Poster
Thanks for everyone's help so far.

Utilidors was one of the main improvements, as was a central computer system to monitor all of phase one property.

A couple of further questions. Is MK the only one with Utilidors? If so does anyone know why they didn't build them everywhere else? Also, can you clarify what is meant by phase one property (I'm assuming that you mean the MK section.)

Thanks again everyone!
 

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Thanks for everyone's help so far.



A couple of further questions. Is MK the only one with Utilidors? If so does anyone know why they didn't build them everywhere else? Also, can you clarify what is meant by phase one property (I'm assuming that you mean the MK section.)

Thanks again everyone!


Epcot has utilidors in the Future World section. Also, I've heard that there is a small Utilidor under Tomorrowland in Tokyo Disneyland.

Epcot's World Showcase really doesn't need Utilidors the way it is set up, everything from each country can be done from behind the pavilion.
 

raven

Well-Known Member
Thanks for everyone's help so far.



A couple of further questions. Is MK the only one with Utilidors? If so does anyone know why they didn't build them everywhere else? Also, can you clarify what is meant by phase one property (I'm assuming that you mean the MK section.)

Thanks again everyone!

Epcot's tunnel is "C" shapped that goes under both Innoventions buildings and makes a slight arc by SSE. One end of he tunnel is under the Mouse Gear entrance by the stage and the other end is under the Cool Station. The entrance is on the west side of UoE. You can see it in this photo from when they were building Epcot:
http://www.stevealcorn.com/atwork/Epcot/Epcot Feb 82.jpg
 

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Epcot's tunnel is "C" shapped that goes under both Innoventions buildings and makes a slight arc by SSE. One end of he tunnel is under the Mouse Gear entrance by the stage and the other end is under the Cool Station. The entrance is on the west side of UoE. You can see it in this photo from when they were building Epcot:
http://www.stevealcorn.com/atwork/Epcot/Epcot Feb 82.jpg

Great picture. I love that kind of stuff.:wave::sohappy:

Thank you.

I hope you don't mind that I lifted it for my future reference?
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Epcot hardly has `tunnels` or `utilidors` under Innoventions..... both buildings just have basement levels the same size as the building guests can see, and are linked by the horseshoe shaped corridor mentioned above. Nothing on the scale of the MK. Indeed, basement is a term - Communicores were built partly above grade to avoid the water table, much like the MK and then backfilled. Notice the slope as you walk into the park towards Project Tomorrow or towards M:S or The Land.

Disneyland also has a tunnel in Tomorrowland - it was used for the original rising stage, and was later changed to serve as the Rocket Rods queue.

Quite a few other buildings (UoE, M:S, JIIWF, The Land) also have below ground corridors. And don`t forget the American `Adventure basement`.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Disneyland also has a tunnel in Tomorrowland - it was used for the original rising stage, and was later changed to serve as the Rocket Rods queue.

Actually, the Rocket Rods queue was built underground in '98. They use it still for the queues for pin trading days when new pins are released.

Tomorrowland was rebuilt in 1966-67 and they included a few underground corridors, the main one large enough for small trucks to drive through goes from the Carousel Theater building over to Tomorrowland Terrace, passing the prep area for the Terrace stage when it is in the down position underground. That's where the concept of Disneyland's lone "utilidor" comes from, since it's just a hallway large enough for small trucks with some loading platforms along its length. Performers and set pieces for Tomorrowland Terrace are also loaded on the stage down there, and then it rises up to the dancefloor level for shows. There are some supply rooms and a CM break room in that corridor as well.

For Rocket Rods, the queue began in the old CircleVision theater, then dove underground down two flights of stairs. The queue was built in a tunnel in '97 (A cut and cover construction method) that joins up with the staircase that rose up to the old PeopleMover loading platform that had been rebuilt as the Rocket Rods loading platform.

There is nothing that is branded as a "Utilidor" in Disneyland. But since Anaheim is on dusty soil laying on solid bedrock, you can build down into massive basements as deep as you'd like without worrying about the water table. Many Disneyland developments built in the 1960's onward have large basements and underground facilities.

Pirates of the Caribbean/New Orleans Square built in '66 is the largest, with underground kitchens, offices, CM cafeteria, breakrooms, supply rooms, pantries, entertainment green rooms, etc. Anyone who has been evacuated off of Pirates gets to walk through these underground corridors past all of the offices and facilities. There are a series of elevators and dumbwaiters to get people and supplies and food up and down to the restaurants and attractions above New Orleans Square.

Fantasyland, built in '83, also has a large underground basement with offices, ride control rooms, CM breakrooms, stock rooms, etc.

Toontown in '93, Tom Sawyer Island Fantasmic infrastructure in '92, Space Mountain Concourse in '77, Bear Country/Critter Country in '72 also all have basements and underground corridors.

So much of Disneyland has basements and sub-basements where CM work and move every day. The difference is that these land or attraction based facilities are not interconnected with each other. So the sprawling basements of New Orleans Square are not connected to Fantasyland or Tomorrowland or so on.

DCA has some basements in Hollywood Pictures Backlot and Paradise Pier, with the Soarin' attraction facility sunk about 35 feet down into the ground to minimize the height of the show building. Tough To Be A Bug theater is also sunk into the ground, but by about 20 feet. Like Disneyland however, these DCA basements and underground support facilities are not interconnected between the lands.
 

EPCOT Explorer

New Member
Epcot's tunnel is "C" shapped that goes under both Innoventions buildings and makes a slight arc by SSE. One end of he tunnel is under the Mouse Gear entrance by the stage and the other end is under the Cool Station. The entrance is on the west side of UoE. You can see it in this photo from when they were building Epcot:
http://www.stevealcorn.com/atwork/Epcot/Epcot Feb 82.jpg
Awesome!

Epcot hardly has `tunnels` or `utilidors` under Innoventions..... both buildings just have basement levels the same size as the building guests can see, and are linked by the horseshoe shaped corridor mentioned above. Nothing on the scale of the MK. Indeed, basement is a term - Communicores were built partly above grade to avoid the water table, much like the MK and then backfilled. Notice the slope as you walk into the park towards Project Tomorrow or towards M:S or The Land.

Disneyland also has a tunnel in Tomorrowland - it was used for the original rising stage, and was later changed to serve as the Rocket Rods queue.

Quite a few other buildings (UoE, M:S, JIIWF, The Land) also have below ground corridors. And don`t forget the American `Adventure basement`.
More awesome!
Actually, the Rocket Rods queue was built underground in '98. They use it still for the queues for pin trading days when new pins are released.

Tomorrowland was rebuilt in 1966-67 and they included a few underground corridors, the main one large enough for small trucks to drive through goes from the Carousel Theater building over to Tomorrowland Terrace, passing the prep area for the Terrace stage when it is in the down position underground. That's where the concept of Disneyland's lone "utilidor" comes from, since it's just a hallway large enough for small trucks with some loading platforms along its length. Performers and set pieces for Tomorrowland Terrace are also loaded on the stage down there, and then it rises up to the dancefloor level for shows. There are some supply rooms and a CM break room in that corridor as well.

For Rocket Rods, the queue began in the old CircleVision theater, then dove underground down two flights of stairs. The queue was built in a tunnel in '97 (A cut and cover construction method) that joins up with the staircase that rose up to the old PeopleMover loading platform that had been rebuilt as the Rocket Rods loading platform.

There is nothing that is branded as a "Utilidor" in Disneyland. But since Anaheim is on dusty soil laying on solid bedrock, you can build down into massive basements as deep as you'd like without worrying about the water table. Many Disneyland developments built in the 1960's onward have large basements and underground facilities.

Pirates of the Caribbean/New Orleans Square built in '66 is the largest, with underground kitchens, offices, CM cafeteria, breakrooms, supply rooms, pantries, entertainment green rooms, etc. Anyone who has been evacuated off of Pirates gets to walk through these underground corridors past all of the offices and facilities. There are a series of elevators and dumbwaiters to get people and supplies and food up and down to the restaurants and attractions above New Orleans Square.

Fantasyland, built in '83, also has a large underground basement with offices, ride control rooms, CM breakrooms, stock rooms, etc.

Toontown in '93, Tom Sawyer Island Fantasmic infrastructure in '92, Space Mountain Concourse in '77, Bear Country/Critter Country in '72 also all have basements and underground corridors.

So much of Disneyland has basements and sub-basements where CM work and move every day. The difference is that these land or attraction based facilities are not interconnected with each other. So the sprawling basements of New Orleans Square are not connected to Fantasyland or Tomorrowland or so on.

DCA has some basements in Hollywood Pictures Backlot and Paradise Pier, with the Soarin' attraction facility sunk about 35 feet down into the ground to minimize the height of the show building. Tough To Be A Bug theater is also sunk into the ground, but by about 20 feet. Like Disneyland however, these DCA basements and underground support facilities are not interconnected between the lands.

Most awesome!:lol::sohappy:

The wealth of Disney knowledge always impresses me on this website.:D

*sponges it all up*
 

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