Very upset over what I saw yesterday!!

Tramp

Tramp

New Member
Originally posted by CTXRover
They've been doing this for many years, but I bet the crowd problems have only been compounded by Wishes and may be why they seem to be doing it more often.
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I never heard of this before....Ya learn something new everyday here...GREAT! Personally, I'd rather take that alternate route to bypass the crowd so I'll be looking for it the next visit. I just have to convince the wife that she doesn't have to stop at the Main Street Bakery on the way out!:p

Good info, Thanks!:wave:
 
Bill

Bill

Account Suspended
Here's why. If they want to open it up for maybe a few times a year for safety, that's fine. But every time Wishes is presented, they have been doing it. There's no excuse. What they need to do is build an extension of Main Street behind Main Street, at least that way the guests would still be able to buy things on the way out, and it wouldn't look like you're going back stage, because you wouldn't be. And this would be a welcome expansion, espically for Wishes and the Parades. Or, if they don't want to spend a lot of money, they should at least put up rehab walls.
 
R

retroeric

Active Member
Original Poster
Originally posted by aracuanbird
...Not sure what bygone days you are lamenting. Disney has been using the Backstage area behind Main Street as a relief valve for more than a decade...
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Since when? I've been there for New Years Eves and Christmas Days, and being an Orlando resident and a former cast member myself, have probably been to MK over 500 different times. Never saw this before.

And this was not a particularly crowded day. Mid January/early February is generally regarded as the least busiest time of the year (along with early November).
 
G

General Grizz

New Member
Originally posted by wdwfan22
I don't understand how walking backstage for a few minutes to exit is that big of deal. Main Street can reach capacity. You were detoured so you could exit safely. Walking backstage for a few minutes does not take away from the magic. Safety will always come first.
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This is a detail. . . and Disney is about detail.

That was VERY practical, yes. But remember what sets Disney apart.

I am not saying don't go back there - but at least cover up all of the backstage bit. In essence, make it an alternative ON-SHOW exit.

No excuse.
 
B

Becky

Active Member
Originally posted by retroeric
Since when? I've been there for New Years Eves and Christmas Days, and being an Orlando resident and a former cast member myself, have probably been to MK over 500 different times. Never saw this before.

And this was not a particularly crowded day. Mid January/early February is generally regarded as the least busiest time of the year (along with early November).
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Several years at least:eek: Happened to me more than once first time about 6-7 years ago after the first Spectromagic (two that night).

Since this happens often I think they could spend a few dollars to hide the dumsters etc. It wouldn't take much. They do it with cute posters on construction walls etc.

Sort of reminds me of the current Tram Tour at Studios. They can call that and the Main St. exit "Watch the Magic you paid big bucks for disappear".

By the by as I recall the "back stage" exit from Main St. is very poorly lighted.
 
R

retroeric

Active Member
Original Poster
"...Go "backstage" at any place and you'll be sorely disappointed. Go to your favorite restaurant and walk into the kitchen and you'll see things you didn't want to see. Go to your nearest Target store and walk in the backroom and you'll see things you didn't want to see. Go and see a live theatrical performance and walk backstage and you'll see things you didn't want to see. Behind the walls of WDW are the realities of what it takes to run a park. I don't have a problem with it, though it's possible they could do a better job of keeping things neat where guests are going to walk through. And to the original poster, did you make your complaint known to the proper authorities, or have you only let us know about it?..."

The Magic Kingdom is not Target, sorry to break it to you. For years WDW was always very concerned with young ones seeing backstage areas. That is why the tours that go back there require a 16 year age mimimum. And I agree with grizzlyhall. If they need to use that area to facilitate the exit process (which they didn't seem to need years ago when it was busier), they could at least clean up that area. Build a tunnel or put up two walls that shields guests away from the mess. Something.
 
SpongeScott

SpongeScott

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by retroeric
"...Go "backstage" at any place and you'll be sorely disappointed. Go to your favorite restaurant and walk into the kitchen and you'll see things you didn't want to see. Go to your nearest Target store and walk in the backroom and you'll see things you didn't want to see. Go and see a live theatrical performance and walk backstage and you'll see things you didn't want to see. Behind the walls of WDW are the realities of what it takes to run a park. I don't have a problem with it, though it's possible they could do a better job of keeping things neat where guests are going to walk through. And to the original poster, did you make your complaint known to the proper authorities, or have you only let us know about it?..."

The Magic Kingdom is not Target, sorry to break it to you. For years WDW was always very concerned with young ones seeing backstage areas. That is why the tours that go back there require a 16 year age mimimum. And I agree with grizzlyhall. If they need to use that area to facilitate the exit process (which they didn't seem to need years ago when it was busier), they could at least clean up that area. Build a tunnel or put up two walls that shields guests away from the mess. Something.
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My point is, ANY backstage area is going to be messy/different/not what people are used to seeing. I doubt that this is going to keep people from going back to WDW and spending $$$$.
 
SpongeScott

SpongeScott

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by grizzlyhall
Yup. Disney's backstage is a totally differen't world.

Guests are not supposed to see it.



You get the idea. :p
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Guests are not supposed to see it, but Disney doesn't mind charging you to see the things you aren't supposed to see with their backstage tours. Which is it?
 
DonaldDuck

DonaldDuck

Member
While I can't justify showing guests the actual backstage area, complete with dumpsters and stuff, I can understand the need to send guests through an alternate route. As we've learned from Who concerts and soccer games, when a large number of people try to enter/exit a limited-flow area in a short time, the possibility of major damage or a tragedy increases. Even though it's Disney World, people still might be impatient trying to push their way out after a long, hot day in the park. I've seen it many times before - "Well we've had a great day here at Disney World. Now let's get back to the hotel as soon as possible because I'm darn tired." If Disney is going to shuffle guests through the back area, they might as well decorate it to look like Main Street. They can even throw in a shop - Disney loves its money.
 
C

civileng68

Account Suspended
hours

Maybe if they'd actually keep the park open a little later like they used to, the closing crowds wouldn't be such an issue: Oh ok, now I'll wait for some crazy Eisner lover to tell me the hours have not changed?

Sorry, the hours have changed. They've gone down since 2 to three years ago. I have watched this stuff way in advance for making a trip a couple years ago. In fact, just two years ago the park was open regularly in March until 11:00 - midnight. That's without Eride. In fact, before Eride came along the nights were longer.
 
B

Becky

Active Member
Originally posted by raven
Hey hey now! I work at a live theatre doing set/lighting design and special effects. We get all sorts of people wanting to see the back stage area.

Raven, Apples and Oranges here:D

There is a big difference between adults who ask to go back stage at legimate theatre and adults and CHILDREN who are FORCED to go backstage at MK.

As many have said spend a few dollars to theme it and light it better for safety and then no complaints.:cool:
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T

TURKEY

New Member
Re: hours

Originally posted by civileng68
Maybe if they'd actually keep the park open a little later like they used to, the closing crowds wouldn't be such an issue: Oh ok, now I'll wait for some crazy Eisner lover to tell me the hours have not changed?

Sorry, the hours have changed. They've gone down since 2 to three years ago. I have watched this stuff way in advance for making a trip a couple years ago. In fact, just two years ago the park was open regularly in March until 11:00 - midnight. That's without Eride. In fact, before Eride came along the nights were longer.
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Hours are shorter, but people especially with kids will leave after seeing the parade and fireworks no matter how late the parks are open. A majority of people leave after the fireworks and parades anyway.

Anyway, haven't the parades and fireworks been 1 hour prior or at closing even during longer hours?
 
TestTrack

TestTrack

Active Member
haha all I have to say is its a good thing that they didn't take you were they took us when we marched for the Capital one bowl...Cast members half in costume/heads off....chatted with a few. The back of Disney is very typical of any other theme park. I'll hold back telling you what I know about mickey ;)
 
CTXRover

CTXRover

Well-Known Member
Re: hours

Originally posted by civileng68
Maybe if they'd actually keep the park open a little later like they used to, the closing crowds wouldn't be such an issue:
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Although this may be the case during the off-season (such as now), even when the park was open to midnight during the holidays they have used this backstage path (I can remember them directing people back there as far as 5 years ago.) This path is NOT open all night for you to just go back at any time. It is only used immediately following events that cause extremely congested conditions on Main Street, such as Wishes (which despite the signs around the park that tell you otherwise, the best viewing is still probably directly in front of the castle on Main Street.) After that initial flood of guests leaving, the backstage path is closed and there are CM's there who keep people who might have seen the "Park Exit" sign with an arrow pointing to the backstage entrance earlier that evening from going back into that area. This congestion would occur no matter when the park closed as many people choose to leave the park after the fireworks. For instance, over the holidays Wishes was at 9pm and the park closed at midnight, yet after Wishes a lot of people seemed eager to leave the park, leading to massive congestion and the need for this extra path.

I think the problem I'm beginning to hear is that they are now too willing to use this pathway since Wishes started as a easy means to help guests wishing to leaving the park do so in a less stressful and safer manner. I haven't seen them do it as often as it seems to be happening now. I bet Wishes has been a bigger crowd problem than FITS. Since Wishes started, its the first time that I have actually seen crowd control out there keeping a path open from one side of MS to the other during the fireworks. I can't remember ever seeing that with FITS. If it is now needed that much and not just on extremely busy days as before, they really should think of making a more permanent and aesthetically pleasing secondary exit to the park.
 
BwanaBob

BwanaBob

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by raven

This was talked about on another thread already:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32287
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Thanks, raven...

I was just getting ready to post that thread when you did.


If you read the other thread that I started when I got back from new years, they at least "hid" some of the junk...

(I still say I should have fired off a few pics!)

I've noticed too...

It's not that I'm against them doing this...

It's just the frequency at which they are using this alt. exit.
 

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