THE UTILIDOR FINALE Though being backstage behind Splash Mountain was the highlight for me , don ’ t think for a second that I didn ’ t find the Utilidors absolutely captivating ! It really is the heart of all the park ’ s operations .
To get down to the Utilidors , we entered through a Cast Members Only door near the Mickey ’ s PhilharMagic attraction and descended the stairs . What we discovered was a series of hallways , tunnels , and staircases that allow Cast Members to access every single area of the Magic Kingdom .
Everything guests shouldn ’ t see gets done in or through the Utilidor system , even trash removal . The park operations department has it down to a science .
This corridor maze is always bustling , and your guide will share with you exactly what happens from day to day . It ’ s pretty neat to think about all of that activity going on below as you enjoy the park and its attractions .
Although Walt Disney didn ’ t live to see his Florida Project realized , the Utilidors were his idea . An underground system that would prevent guests from ever having to witness anything he deemed unmagical .
Unless , of course , they wanted to pay to see it on a tour .
After our peek into a day in the life of a Cast Member , we ascended back to show level , backstage near the Main Street Confectionery . As we approached those stairs , you could smell the baked goods . This totally ensured a visit to grab a sweet treat when our tour was complete .
Once outside , we had a nice view of Cinderella Castle as our guide wrapped things up . He shared some information on Tinker Bell ’ s nightly flight and collected our listening devices .
It ’ s tradition for me to snap a selfie with our tour guide , and he graciously obliged . He also patiently answered all questions from guests and stayed back a bit to chat with a few . I ’ ve never had a tour guide I didn ’ t love .
On this tour , you ' ll discover Cast Member access points all over the park . PHOTO BY ERNIE CARR
My guess is , if you ’ ve read this far , you would really enjoy the Keys to the Kingdom tour experience . Just plan to have at least two full days to enjoy Magic Kingdom on your vacation since this tour takes up quite a bit of time and there is so much to see and do . The Keys to the Kingdom tour is ideal for guests who love Magic Kingdom and visit often but are looking to see it through a different lens .
You emerge from your backstage experience onto Main Street , U . S . A . PHOTO BY RICH RAMOS