Walt Disney World Utilidors

Okay, some thoughts about Walt Disney World. For those who didn't know, Valda & I worked there from Thanksgiving Day 2005, to March of 2006. We worked in the Emporium on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. The Emporium is the large retail complex on the left side of Main Street if you were walking down the street toward Cinderella's Castle. It is the second busiest retail complex (the store at Downtown Disney is #1) at WDW doing an average of about $300,000.00 a day while we were there. The sales in December were much higher that in January.

To say we kept busy was quite an understatement. Valda & I ran cash registers and worked all over the Emporium. At the end of the day, we usually had an hour to an hour and a half of straightening and restocking. Now, usually there were 20 to 30 of us cast members doing this, so it was a major task. They had a crew come in during this time and clean (both inside the buildings and everything outside). It was quite a show. We both worked hard (about 30 hours a week) but it was something we grew to really enjoy.

I had mentioned the famous Utilidors. They are a series of tunnels that run under the MK with one major tunnel making a circular pattern around the outside perimeter of the complex. There is another major tunnel that goes from North to South directly under the Castle and several smaller short tunnels that run off the circular one here and there. All these tunnels are actually built at ground level, and the MK is setting on what you would call the second story (because of the ground water level). The tunnels house a variety of utilities including a large central vacuum system that speeds all the trash down a huge pipeline to the recycling area. All the water and electricity and communications are in the Utilidors also. There is a major cafeteria and several smaller break rooms with vending. There is a video area with computers for the cast members to access their WDW accounts. There is a HUGE dressing area with rows and rows of costumes. There is a bank where WDW takes all their loot for Brinks to pick up. Brinks actually drives their armored cars into the Utilidors for money pick-up, complete with armed guards. There are also various forklifts, etc. that are always going here and there with supplies. It is a busy and hectic place, and you need to be on your toes when you walk into the place.

Valda & I had a quarter mile walk every day (one way) to our locker and then a short walk to the elevator and up to the backstage area of the Emporium. Everyday, we twice walked under the Castle. It is not all mortar and stone, but rather a steel frame with a fiberglass exterior. It is our understanding that old Walt himself had an apartment in the Castle, and that you can now actually rent it out for your stay. We saw a lot of stuff people normally don't see, and you really haven't lived until you see Minnie Mouse in her bra or Cinderella puffing on a cigarette. Something I'll never forget. More later on this fascinating place.