Keys to the Kingdom Tour/Utilidors Question

[bytheblood]

My tour was in 2009 and it was only referred to as utilidors and off-stage.

 

[justtobeme2]

The tour is great, the utilidoors are boring.

 

[Muddy Rivers]

 

[Cafeen]

Kind of an off topic question. I grew up and lived in Central Florida up till 2010 and have many friends who are CM and they all refer to the MK underground as the tunnels not the utilidors. Why do so many people still use the name utilidors and not the phrasing that Disney uses?

Disney officially uses "utilidors", simply because that's what they called them (likely a mash-up of "Utility Corridors"). Some people call them tunnels, because they're like tunnels (though, technically they aren't really tunnels, since they're at ground level and MK was built on top of them). Also, unless you're a Disneyphile, most people wouldn't know what a "utilidor" is... but everyone knows what tunnels are.

So, utilidor is the real name, tunnel is the shorthand .

 

[North of Mouse]

1) They don't take you into the rooms.
. . . characters are taking breaks
. . . those "in fur" have their costume heads off
. . . they are lounging, slouching, laughing and telling jokes
. . . others are eating, slurping drinks, chowing-down
. . . this IS NOT the Disney way - at least not for guest viewing
2) Showing "backstage" is one thing.
3) Showing anything detrimental is different.
4) Besides, the "entrance" to the tunnels is in the back of MK.
5) The other acces points are scattered throughout the park.

My DH took the tour and saw all this and several other areas and loved it

 

[origin62]

Kind of an off topic question. I grew up and lived in Central Florida up till 2010 and have many friends who are CM and they all refer to the MK underground as the tunnels not the utilidors. Why do so many people still use the name utilidors and not the phrasing that Disney uses?

The official name is Utilidors. "Tunnels" is CM slang. Similarly, the actual name of the Cast Parking lot area/bus stop (at the MK) is Westclock, but most CMs just call it the parking lot.

 

[suzimar57]

in october 1995, we took the KTTK tour ("we" being myself, my sister and my then 9 year old son)

at that time, the Utilidor portion of the tour was more extensive

we saw the break room, saw a small "cafeteria" area, saw the counter to the wardrobe area AND also got to walk thru the aisles INSIDE the wardrobe amongst the costumes, the locker room, went inside the hair/makeup (saw the wigs, etc), saw the maps on the walls in the hallways, the garbage tubes on the walls, the busses pulling in, the narrow armed vehicle for the money collection, the "computer" room (where all the animatronic movement/sounds are located) - we saw a LOT

and then the next month, maybe december of 1995 "something" changed - the tour was immediately altered for "ages 16 and up"

(i remember a story about some 12 year old boy having taken the tour and saw a headless character and freaked)

anyway - my (then) 9 year old son was not "harmed" for life for having seen headless characters there in the Utilidor (on their breaks, picking up costumes, etc) - in fact, he LOVED to be backstage and got to "see" the magic behind the scenes!

my (now) 26 year old son still talks about that tour and all we saw

so if anyone says "no one under the age of 16 has ever been allowed on a tour in the Utilidors" i'm here to say there was indeed a time when that was not true - and i'm glad my son was probably one of the last "under 16" to have experienced KTTK back then in 1995!

i have taken the KTTK tour twice since then, with my husband both times - it has indeed changed - the duration of time you spend in the Utilidors, but more important, what you don't "see" anymore - shame it changed...

 

[Jcricket Fan]

DH and I had the same experience in the utilidors as suzimar57.

Our trip was in 1998 and we spent a lot of time in the utilidors looking at the hair & make-up area and costumes and wardrobe. It was so interesting.
It was just what we were looking for the secret backstage info.!

Sorry to read that the experience today is less in depth.

 

[glaserjm]

As other posters have mentioned, the utilidoor portion of the tour is not extensive, you basically walk in the hallways under Main St. and are shown the maps of the utilidoors, a talk about their history and the different room are pointed out to you. It's interesting only in the size and effort it takes to create them, the utilidoors themselves are basement hallways.

 

[Tinks1984]

Totally in a different direction, but how long does the tour last for?

I think I'd like to take my Dad on this next time we head there, but as others aren't interested, they'd need something else to do whilst we were missing.

 

[W.E.D.]

Totally in a different direction, but how long does the tour last for?

I think I'd like to take my Dad on this next time we head there, but as others aren't interested, they'd need something else to do whilst we were missing.

Approx. five hours, depending on your guide and how many people ask questions. I had the 9:30 tour and we were done around 2:30.

 

[hJOYh]

Silly question and I probably should had asked the Cast Member on the phone but I booked a KTTK tour and I was wondering if they will send me anything to show proof of tour reservation?! I have the confirmation number but I am a little OCD and also dont like the idea of something getting messed up with a list. Thanks for your help!

 

[World Showcaser]

If the KTTK Tour is similar to other tours then no, you won't receive anything other than your confirmation number. Of course, it should show up on your credit card statement too as you paid for it in advance.

 

[rgf207]

We also heard some very moving stories about how Disney has touched lives, especially one of an autistic man who had not spoken in almost 15 years and when he saw Turtle Talk with Crush, he had an amazing break-through. There was not a dry eye on that tour.

Oh Gosh. This really makes me wonder. There are about 10 different versions of this story going around. It's an urban legend. What's really bad is that the CM tour guide told you as if it were true.

I even told a similar story here on the dis years ago before I knew it was an urban legend

 

[Raenstoirm]

Anyway, the tour took us through quite a lot of the utilidoors BUT there really isn't much to see. For me the highlight was the pin exchange room with the board with all the CM pins on it.

This was the same for us in 2009. We almost got flattened by a utility golf cart going way too fast in the tunnels, but besides that it looked like a normal office area without any windows. I loved the pin room. Our guide made a point to us pin people before we got there that we werent allowed to talk to the guy behind the counter in there. (so we couldn't trade him for the really good pins! ) My favorite part was the parade float area and seeing just how big splash and HM are from the back. I never really thought about how much space they take up!

 

[AnnaS]

I found standing in the parking lot more interesting than the Utilidors. We loved our tour and felt it was worth the price.

 

[bytheblood]

Oh Gosh. This really makes me wonder. There are about 10 different versions of this story going around. It's an urban legend. What's really bad is that the CM tour guide told you as if it were true.

I even told a similar story here on the dis years ago before I knew it was an urban legend

I don't believe it is an urban legend. I do believe that there is a real story and it is has been reinvented over the years and now not being told as it originally happened.

 

[Muddy Rivers]

Has anyone taken the tour lately? Was it worth it?

 

[Muddy Rivers]

Has anyone taken the Keys to the Kingdom Tour since the opening of the New Fantasyland? Wondering if there were any changes/additions to the tour? We are leaving soon and are so excited to take the tour.

 

[EK4636]

We took it in December before Christmas, and the tour does not yet include the New Fantasy Land (even though they mention something about it). Our tour guide mentioned that they have a new route approved (finally) but probably won't go into effect until Spring 2013.