Disneyland question...

dd74 · 03-31-2009, 01:34 PM

I went to Disneyland yesterday with the family. Great time, not too crowded, nice weather, etc.

Supposedly, there is supposed to be an entire underground infrastructure beneath the park itself. My question is if anyone on The Board has been "underground" at Disneyland.

I've heard Disney used to give tours there. Has anyone been on one of these tours?

craigster59 · craigster59's Garage

Back in High School I did get nabbed in Injun' Joe's Cave on Tom Sawyer Island for "doobage". Thought the coast was clear, deep in the bowels of the cave when all of a sudden the wall opened up and security stepped in. They have a little jail in the park too.....

Jared at Pelican Parts · 03-31-2009, 01:42 PM

I've been in the Disneyland jail. It has Mickey Mouse wall paper.

Do not kick Goofy in the butt.

This was many years ago as well.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

As a cast member emeritus of Walt Disney World in Florida, I can say with absolute certainty that there is a subterranean network of employee access passages and service facilities one story below the park of the Magic Kingdom. This is not the case with Disneyland, which uses a combination of multi-level construction and "backstage" areas for support.

Can't say more than that - it ruins the magic.

Jared at Pelican Parts · 03-31-2009, 02:12 PM

Go find a book called Mouse Tales. Disney has been trying to get it off the shelves for years. Talks about all the things Disney would rather you not know.

bell · bell's Garage

i received a VERY up close and personal tour of the entire disney world property in florida on my honeymoon.....was a surprise for the wifey.... (including underneath the magic kingdom....along with a ton of other stuff i'm not supposed to discuss so no one gets in trouble

)
disney does give tours but they're very expensive.....and you only get to see a fraction of what i got to see

......yes i'm gloating

sammyg2 · 03-31-2009, 02:33 PM

Yep. My older brother worked as the Brier bear character in high school and he took me for a tour at dismal land.

Not really underground but behind the scenes.
We were walking down one hall in a typical office building and he got ready to open a door and said "when I open this door, jump in real quick so i can close it fast".
I did, and the next thing you know I was standing next to a pirate skeleton with all kinds of gold coins on the ground. No, they weren't real gold.
We hid behind a fake rock wall and as the boat came around we both jumped in the back seat and scared the crap out of the people in the front seat.
I can just imagine the story they told their friends when they got back home about the pirates of the Caribbean ride.

sammyg2 · 03-31-2009, 02:38 PM

BTW our senior night in high school was at disneyland. We knew they were going to search us so the night before we snuck in a couple of bottles and hid them on tom sawyer's island (we got in the park for free so all it cost was the price of the booze).

The next night we were all set, except they had the island closed. I was pissed. I even tried to bribe one of the park guys $20 to let us go on the island but the answer was no way.

dd74 · 03-31-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Yep. My older brother worked as the Brier bear character in high school and he took me for a tour at dismal land.

Not really underground but behind the scenes.
We were walking down one hall in a typical office building and he got ready to open a door and said "when I open this door, jump in real quick so i can close it fast".
I did, and the next thing you know I was standing next to a pirate skeleton with all kinds of gold coins on the ground. No, they weren't real gold.
We hid behind a fake rock wall and as the boat came around we both jumped in the back seat and scared the crap out of the people in the front seat.
I can just imagine the story they told their friends when they got back home about the pirates of the Caribbean ride.

Oh, man! That's hilarious!

dd74 · 03-31-2009, 03:07 PM

But seriously, I've also heard Disneyland's insurance is through the roof! Just today someone told me of a Disneyland worker they knew of who was crushed to death between the rotating walls in the House of Tomorrow.

I've heard the same story re. a dancer in The Country Bear Jamboree. She made a wrong step, got caught in a bear's gears and what-not, and was pulled down below stage. One large piece of her (just her leg) came back up. Urban legend? I don't know.

What amazes me are the rides: Haunted Mansion has to be at least four stories tall. Same with Pirates of the Caribbean: two large water drops, and you're pretty far underground. The incline at the ride's conclusion says as much.

I think it'd be too expensive to reproduce such themed rides today. First of all, you need a good theme, then you need people like Imagineering, then all the designers, architects, engineers --- whoa!

Even Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is a feat!

It's really something how that park is set up. Even waiting in line (which was miraculously short btw) is entertaining. There's all sorts of props and things to look at or read or entertain a person. One ride even had the architectural drawings displayed on a wall that were used to construct the actual ride we were waiting to board.

Jared at Pelican Parts · 03-31-2009, 03:08 PM

I remember reading that the most leathal ride at Disneyland was the Peoplemover, oddly enough. People jumping out of the cars as it went though Adventure thru Inner Space/Star Tours, then getting crushed.

dd74 · 03-31-2009, 03:10 PM

Standing in line for Autotopia was like smoking a pack of Camels in 20 minutes.

ednj · 03-31-2009, 04:43 PM

More than you wanted to know.

Disney Tours (follow the links for more Stuff at Disney)
http://www.hiddenmickeys.org/WDW/Tours.html

Disney Tours (Castle)
http://www.affordabledisney.com/tours.html

Disney "Behind the Scenes" Tours (good discriptions/requirements)
http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/wdwguide/8_Everything_Else/other/guided_tours.htm

Ft Wilderness Page
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/waltdisneyworld/resorts/resortindex?id=HRSFortWildernessRsrt

Diagram of Full Hook-up Campsite
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/waltdisneyworld/resorts/rooms/roomindex?id=FWRRoomLayout2Room

Diagram of Partial Hook-up (for Tents & Popups)
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/waltdisneyworld/resorts/rooms/roomindex?id=FWRRoomLayout3Room

save money
HTTP://www.mousesavers.com/

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/ftwild.htm

Rob Channell · 05:31 PM

Anyone ever eat at the "33" inside the Disney Park?

I did once at the one in Japan. It was quite the experience. It was odd how the front door was right in front of you but you could walk by it without noticing unless you were really looking for it. The food was outstanding and the presentation was of the type where they bring everyone's food out under covered platters and lift the lids off all at the same time. I think there was a couple of waiters per person.

I was a guest just that once so I'll probably never get to go back. It's not advertised and I have no idea how you get in other than knowing somebody.

dd74 · 03-31-2009, 10:00 PM

We've eaten at "33" at Disneyland. Yes, you can walk right past where it's located deep in New Orleans square. It's just a faint blue door with a small brass 33 on the side.

I can't even remember what the occasion was for us eating there. I do remember "33" was as close to a five-star restaurant than anywhere else I've been.

dd74 · 03-31-2009, 10:18 PM

ednj - very cool. I've never been to Disneyworld. This might be what spurs me into going w/ the family.

Carrman · 03-31-2009, 10:26 PM

I've eaten at 33 at Disney Anaheim many times.

You need to have a membership there, or know someone who does. A lot of companies in So Cal have a corporate membership, they use it as a "perk" for business development. I worked at a firm, one of our vendors had a membership, we'd just call them and they'd set up a reservation.

It's a lot of fun, pretty fancy, good food and the only place in Disneyland where they serve alcohol!

It was not outrageously priced, and considering that you get free parking and get into the park for free when you eat there, it's really a bargain.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Word on the street is that Club 33 will be eventually made a little bit more accessible for the everyday person. Still not something they advertise or want to draw much attention to, but better than the (current) $10,000+ per membership that it currently costs.

look 171 · 04-01-2009, 12:03 AM

Not sure about the underground stuff. My wife's uncle works for them doing a lot of their electronic stuff. I went with him a few times to places where we can't go. aside from the mechanical stuff as to how things work, otherwise is just ok.