Routing Guests Backstage

[Laufschneller65]

I was informed that this is indeed for safety purposes. However, I do believe that it is a design flaw with Main Street that it could not withstand a full park exit and that to rectify this issue they should possibly expand mainstreet USA with a secondary street on the east side that runs the length of mainstreet that they are already utilizing to shuffle the guests in... I'm sure they could design the street to provide more viewing locations for wishes, even add more shops and restaurants in Mainstreet.

 

[flavious27]

I was informed that this is indeed for safety purposes. However, I do believe that it is a design flaw with Main Street that it could not withstand a full park exit and that to rectify this issue they should possibly expand mainstreet USA with a secondary street on the east side that runs the length of mainstreet that they are already utilizing to shuffle the guests in... I'm sure they could design the street to provide more viewing locations for wishes, even add more shops and restaurants in Mainstreet.

Agreed, it is needed.

 

[SKYWAY 4 ME]

Yea , I agree with the safety issue , but really whats next ? They exit us through the tunnels and out the cast member parking lot .....lol

I mean this Kingdom is suppose to Magical , I find that overcrowding and roped off areas with yelling at us like live stock to move in one direction is insulting !!!!

 

[flavious27]

Yea , I agree with the safety issue , but really whats next ? They exit us through the tunnels and out the cast member parking lot .....lol

I mean this Kingdom is suppose to Magical , I find that overcrowding and roped off areas with yelling at us like live stock to move in one direction is insulting !!!!

They can just stop letting people into MK after 5pm, I doubt parents would consider that magical.

 

[WDW!]

We love it. We had 3 kids under 5 and the crowd was very large (by very large I mean not moving) trying to get down main st after the fireworks.
(I did it a couple times when the cast members weren't telling us to too )

 

[psukardi]

I hate crowds - so I wouldn't mind

 

[Rasvar]

I make it a rule to go away from Main Street and the Hub as quick as possible after fireworks/parade on the very very busy nights. I will take a half an hour and ride the Peoplemover one or two times before trying to make it out because the cattle herd on those nights are too much for me, even with the back stage routes open.

 

[Rasvar]

I was informed that this is indeed for safety purposes. However, I do believe that it is a design flaw with Main Street that it could not withstand a full park exit and that to rectify this issue they should possibly expand mainstreet USA with a secondary street on the east side that runs the length of mainstreet that they are already utilizing to shuffle the guests in... I'm sure they could design the street to provide more viewing locations for wishes, even add more shops and restaurants in Mainstreet.

There is a problem if you do this, you just increase the number of people in the park who are trying to get out at the same time. On days like July 4 and during Christmas week, people will fill in any and all space. By opening the sides for moving traffic only, you relive the funnel effect of Main Street from the Hub to the the Railroad Station. If you filled that in with shops, you would also fill that in with people and then you would have major compression at the exit underneath the Railroad with no relief valve creating another unsafe situation. In addition to the fact that people who do want to leave the park in the period before the parade/fireworks could find it to be an impossible task. I have seen them semi-decorate this area in the holidays in the past to make it look better.

 

[Mad Stitch]

There was an article by Al Lutz this week stating that WDI was moving forward with building additional alleyways between Main Street and Tomorrowland in order to alleviate the congestion within DL. If they can get it done at DL they could do it at MK.

 

[marni1971]

It's worked in DLP for 20 years.

Mind you, the MK needs to regulate its exit to slow down the next bottleneck outside the turnstiles.

 

[luv]

Doesn't really bother me. If you don't wish to go that way, you can go down Main Street.

Leaving the MK at closing is always rough.

 

[JiminyandTink]

I had a different, but intersting backstage experience at MK back on Sept 1st.

Splash Mountain broke down right after I completed the big drop and was entering the tunnel. After we all sat around for a while, the CM's had to let us out of our ride vehicles.

We then walked through the remainder of the ride, including the final riverboat scene with no sound and the animatronics still moving, it was very strange. And they kept telling us that we could not take any video or pictures (unfortunately, I left my camera with my wife because I didn't want it to get wet, but I totally would have taken some shots).

We all exited out the back of the mountains and saw all of the metal structures etc. and they gave us all a fastpass for any ride at MK that could be used anytime for the next two weeks.

Anyway, that is my one and only backstage experience that I thought I'd share.

 

[Polydweller]

Never has bothered me to take that route. Kind of interesting to see backstage. I also have never been forced that way. You can go down Main St if you want, but backstage is always faster.

 

[Gator]

I can see both sides of the argument, here. On one hand, the Magic quickly disappears going through the back gate. But there's been many times when I had my double stroller pushing down Main Street, wishing there was another way out. Maybe next time, I'll stick around the noodle station and avoid the mad rush. Just so I can say I've done it.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I've been routed through the back areas many, many times. I dont expect it to be themed, dressed up, made to continue looking like Main Street. I just dont think of this as being part of the "Disney Parks", not expecting it to be "themed for the guests". So When I am directed " Off Stage" I am not disappointed to see dumpsters, parked vehicles, CM picnic tables etc. because its not part of the show.

 

[t3techcom18]

There was an article by Al Lutz this week stating that WDI was moving forward with building additional alleyways between Main Street and Tomorrowland in order to alleviate the congestion within DL. If they can get it done at DL they could do it at MK.

I wouldn't necessarily say they can't but it would extremely hard to.

DL had it in mind from the very beginning, as that was supposed to be their version of Liberty Square. MK, however, wasn't designed like that (as far as I remember). The backstage areas there are pivotal staging grounds for the stuff on Main Street, as well as to parts of Tomorrowland and Adventureland. The west side (Adventureland) would have absolutely no space. The east side...has space, but again, pivotal staging grounds.

Look at the difference between the West spaces on Google Maps between MK's Main Street West and DL's Main Street West. BIG difference.

 

[flavious27]

I wouldn't necessarily say they can't but it would extremely hard to.

DL had it in mind from the very beginning, as that was supposed to be their version of Liberty Square. MK, however, wasn't designed like that (as far as I remember). The backstage areas there are pivotal staging grounds for the stuff on Main Street, as well as to parts of Tomorrowland and Adventureland. The west side (Adventureland) would have absolutely no space. The east side...has space, but again, pivotal staging grounds.

Look at the difference between the West spaces on Google Maps between MK's Main Street West and DL's Main Street West. BIG difference.

It won't be as simple, there is some work that needs to be done to do this, but it is not impossible. From design to completion, they could have a back alley from Main Street to TL in less than a year. With FLE opening soon, the crowds will only be larger. Even with adding new walkways, you still have the bottleneck under the train station that would be hard to design around without a second gate being built.

 

[Fantasmic]

I love the theming backstage, they make it look so.... "backstagey"!
It wouldn't bother me going backstage as I do think it's cool, seeing the way it all is without the "bells and whistles" - and if it's safer then fine. I've never been routed out as I go at quieter times, but I have done KTTK a few times, and been e-vac off TTA!