Rumor Stitch's Great Escape Replacement— Don’t Hold Your Breath

Disney Maddux

Well-Known Member
They changed the exit of the Stitch M&G, and it now exits into Star Traders.... While passing through one of the old SGE exits and right out past an exit of one of the theaters.

Really wonder why they did this, considering explorers will definitely try to take advantage.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Wow, I never knew there was a whole other floor the Skippys went down to. Pretty fascinating.

Still "Temporarily Closed." :rolleyes:
Most of that building has a basement, although the Skippys didn’t live that far down - the lowest level of seating and what used to be the rear projector pits for Mission to Mars (and where the Alien came from) are all below the level of the theme park you entered from. Next door, Cosmic Rays has the stage pit that Sonny sits on top of, and under the serving area is a whole food prep and storage area.
 

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
Most of that building has a basement, although the Skippys didn’t live that far down - the lowest level of seating and what used to be the rear projector pits for Mission to Mars (and where the Alien came from) are all below the level of the theme park you entered from. Next door, Cosmic Rays has the stage pit that Sonny sits on top of, and under the serving area is a whole food prep and storage area.

Raise your hand if you'd like to see all that some day. *raises hand* :) The 'Keys to the Kingdom' tour only gives you the slightest taste of what's down there...
 

donsullivan

Premium Member
Raise your hand if you'd like to see all that some day. *raises hand* :) The 'Keys to the Kingdom' tour only gives you the slightest taste of what's down there...

I've taken keys to the Kingdom twice over the years and what you visit in the Utilidoors has changed dramatically over time. Currently you go down below Main Street USA and see some areas around there. You can view the tunnel toward Crystal palace including the AVAC tube for trash transport and depending on the guide you might see the one that heads toward Cinderella Castle.

When I took it the first time back in the 90's, you went down below Fantasyland and saw much, much more interesting areas. We came down a set of stairs right next to the DACS room you've likely seen on the behind the scenes TV shows. We went into the old costuming department and lockers (which I believe are moved to north service area now), saw the entrance to the Utilidoors behind Pinocchio Village House and viewed tunnel routes heading toward Tomorrowland, Cinderella Castle and Liberty Square. They also pointed out the fact that the only non-electric vehicle allowed in the Utilidoors was the armored car and they showed us the enclosed 'chute' it backed into on it's scheduled visits. At that time there was a cast member cafeteria right there near the entrance below Pinocchio's with costuming across the hall. While today isn't exactly boring for the big Disney Parks fan, they used to make much, much more interesting areas accessible for you to see.
 
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TrojanUSC

Well-Known Member
I've taken keys to the Kingdom twice over the years and what you visit in the Utilidoors has changed dramatically over time. Currently you go down below Main Street USA and see some areas around there. You can view the tunnel toward Crystal palace including the AVAC tube for trash transport and depending on the guide you might see the one that heads toward Cinderella Castle.

When I took it the first time back in the 90's, you went down below Fantasyland and saw much, much more interesting areas. We came down a set of stairs right next to the DACS room you've likely seen on the behind the scenes TV shows. We went into the old costuming department and lockers (which I believe are moved to north service area now), saw the entrance to the Utilidoors behind Pinocchio Village House and viewed tunnel routes heading toward Tomorrowland, Cinderella Castle and Liberty Square. They also pointed out the fact that the only non-electric vehicle allowed in the Utilidoors was the armored car and they showed us the enclosed 'chute' it backed into on it's scheduled visits. At that time there was a cast member cafeteria right there near the entrance below Pinocchio's with costuming across the hall. While today isn't exactly boring for the big Disney Parks fan, they used to make much, much more interesting areas accessible for you to see.

Not sure the last time you took the tour, but I'm pretty sure it changed in the last couple months back to a similar route like they used to do in the late 90s/early '00s. It was changed to the Main Street segment in a hasty over-reaction after 9/11.
 

donsullivan

Premium Member
Not sure the last time you took the tour, but I'm pretty sure it changed in the last couple months back to a similar route like they used to do in the late 90s/early '00s. It was changed to the Main Street segment in a hasty over-reaction after 9/11.

After the initial Keys to the Kingdom in the 90's I did a backstage Magic around 2006 and then another Key's to the Kingdom around 2008 and both of those only went down below MSUSA. I hadn't heard that they went back to the original locations again. I'd consider doing one of those tours again for that.
 

TrojanUSC

Well-Known Member
After the initial Keys to the Kingdom in the 90's I did a backstage Magic around 2006 and then another Key's to the Kingdom around 2008 and both of those only went down below MSUSA. I hadn't heard that they went back to the original locations again. I'd consider doing one of those tours again for that.

I'm told they actually do the long walk between Fantasyland and Main Street USA, to better showcase how cast members get around below the park. If that's the case, it's worth doing. Maybe double check next time you're at MK with the Guest Relations cast (since they do the tours themselves) to confirm.
 

LukeS7

Well-Known Member
I've taken keys to the Kingdom twice over the years and what you visit in the Utilidoors has changed dramatically over time. Currently you go down below Main Street USA and see some areas around there. You can view the tunnel toward Crystal palace including the AVAC tube for trash transport and depending on the guide you might see the one that heads toward Cinderella Castle.

When I took it the first time back in the 90's, you went down below Fantasyland and saw much, much more interesting areas. We came down a set of stairs right next to the DACS room you've likely seen on the behind the scenes TV shows. We went into the old costuming department and lockers (which I believe are moved to north service area now), saw the entrance to the Utilidoors behind Pinocchio Village House and viewed tunnel routes heading toward Tomorrowland, Cinderella Castle and Liberty Square. They also pointed out the fact that the only non-electric vehicle allowed in the Utilidoors was the armored car and they showed us the enclosed 'chute' it backed into on it's scheduled visits. At that time there was a cast member cafeteria right there near the entrance below Pinocchio's with costuming across the hall. While today isn't exactly boring for the big Disney Parks fan, they used to make much, much more interesting areas accessible for you to see.
We went on our trip in January 2017. They started on-stage in the Town Square Theater, walked to and then rode Jungle Cruise, then walked up towards Haunted Mansion (couldn't ride due to technical issues but got fastpasses to return), then looped over to Tomorrowland Terrace for lunch. After that, they took us into the Utilidoors somewhere in Fantasyland, we walked through the one that goes directly under the castle and then came back out right by Town Square Theater. Aside from the lunch being meh, we thought it was very worth it to do.

Edit: There may have also been another ride I'm forgetting, but I can't recall at the moment.
 

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