Does Disney always open up the backstage doors for guests during the parades?

[Princess_Au]

We were there last week and got to the MK during the Electrical Parade. It was very crowded and the castmembers were showing people how to get to Tomorrowland by walking backstage. We walked back there, behind Main Street, Tony's, etc. and it just felt so wrong. I don't think Walt would have wanted his guests to see backstage. But, we appreciated being able to get through the crowds.

 

[tony609]

It is a fairly common practice for WDW to do this. Most people don't seem to mind since it helps them make there way to where they want to go much quicker and with less hassle.

 

[WDSearcher]

Then again ... I don't think Walt ever envisioned his parks being as crowded as they've become, nor do I think he'd have wanted people to be crushed in the crowd because Guests wouldn't stop pushing. Walt probably would have wanted to be safe and create a "spillway", for lack of a better term, to help people move a bit more easily.

 

[Princess_Au]

Then again ... I don't think Walt ever envisioned his parks being as crowded as they've become, nor do I think he'd have wanted people to be crushed in the crowd because Guests wouldn't stop pushing. Walt probably would have wanted to be safe and create a "spillway", for lack of a better term, to help people move a bit more easily.

I think you're right.

 

[Andyjo0930]

That actually happened to us also last August. We got there just before fireworks were starting and it was crazy on Main Street. The next thing I knew the crowd is being escorted back stage. It was sort of odd.... but got us to our destination much quicker than waiting for the crowds!

 

[Cherinva]

I would love to do that !!!

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I wouldn't say it is common, but it does happen during the more busy times. I also would love to get a peak backstage no matter how boring it may look anything Disney interests me even if it is just some dumpsters.

 

[TDC Nala]

Not really interested what Walt would have wanted if I don't have to wade through that crowd. But no, they don't do it all the time. They do it quite often though when the crowds are large.

 

[TisBit]

Then again ... I don't think Walt ever envisioned his parks being as crowded as they've become, nor do I think he'd have wanted people to be crushed in the crowd because Guests wouldn't stop pushing. Walt probably would have wanted to be safe and create a "spillway", for lack of a better term, to help people move a bit more easily.

Not really interested what Walt would have wanted if I don't have to wade through that crowd. But no, they don't do it all the time. They do it quite often though when the crowds are large.

This seems to be getting more and more common and I would think that if Walt was around and he saw the need, he would have created a pathway back there that was designed to be opened during these crowded times, but did not completely ruin the "magic" of the parks.

I am not saying it would need to be more an even a walkway that had wooden walls similar to how they block construction area's, but so you don't see the "real" backstage, etc.

 

[Khokhonutt]

Back when MK was the only park in WDW, we were escorted in the park by a friend who was a cast member. They brought us in through the underground tunnels and that seemed to be a generally accepted practice. When I marched at MK (again, before EPCOT and the rest), we were brought in by the maintenance bays, where they worked on the trains and monorails. Cool stuff, but not what they do today.

It seems to me that the whole behind the scenes secrecy is a relatively new concept. I don't doubt Walt wanted to maintain the magic, but I sort of think some folks have made much more of it than he would have. To me, seeing the behind the scenes action adds to the magic. Seeing all the cool stuff they do to make the magic is very interesting.

 

[t_catt11]

There is one solid rule of thmb when dealing with Disney:

Nothing "always" happens the exact same way. The parks are run fluidly, to be reactable, "breathing" organisms. If they need to let pressure off, CMs will use these backstage areas to handle pressing guests.

 

[anthony2k7]

This seems to be getting more and more common and I would think that if Walt was around and he saw the need, he would have created a pathway back there that was designed to be opened during these crowded times, but did not completely ruin the "magic" of the parks.

I am not saying it would need to be more an even a walkway that had wooden walls similar to how they block construction area's, but so you don't see the "real" backstage, etc.

interestingly, Disney learnt from this and DLRP does have two "arcades" which run down each side of main street for this. They're also useful in Paris's less pleasant weather!

 

[The_Alice]

We used to do this also for Fantasmic! when it was at or above capacity. When I brought my Grandma back down, a CM friend of mine took her on the path up to Fantasmic! that we used to use for overflow and she got a kick out of seeing just a little bit of the world I lived in for a brief time.

 

[chartle]

Back when MK was the only park in WDW, we were escorted in the park by a friend who was a cast member. They brought us in through the underground tunnels and that seemed to be a generally accepted practice. When I marched at MK (again, before EPCOT and the rest), we were brought in by the maintenance bays, where they worked on the trains and monorails. Cool stuff, but not what they do today.

Actually for the marching bands you do still go back stage. Its behind PoC and when we were there it was when they were doing the last major refurb of Splash. All the boats were lined up right next to were we got ready.

Its on the left with the parking lots for buses. You can also see the Magic Music Days logo on the building.

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=nr..., FL&q=Walt Disney World, Florida&form=LMLTCC

Also for our class at Epcot, we were behind Italy and saw a little of the mess that can be back there.

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=nq...World, FL&q=Walt Disney World, FL&form=LMLTCC

 

[HitchPryde]

This happened when I went in November '10. A first, I thought it was so cool, but then once I thought about it for a while, I realized it ruined a small piece of the magic. It would be cool if they designed canals to use for the same purpose, but without pulling back the curtain.