There’s a little secret in Florida’s Walt Disney World that most people wouldn’t know. Lying underneath the famous theme park is an entire underground city made up of a network of tunnels.
Known as “utilidoors” — utility corridors — these tunnels are used by Disney staff to keep them hidden from public view.
Legend has it that Walt Disney was upset to see a cowboy in Disneyland walking through Tomorrowland, the science-fiction theme park, to reach his post at Frontierland.
Disney believed it took away from the magic, so when Disney World was being built, he came up with an idea to build a series of tunnels that would allow cast members to come out in appropriate costume in the appropriately themed area.
These “utilidoors” are now a huge underground working area with offices, cafeterias, wardrobes, and there’s even a hairdresser named Kingdom Kutters.
Golf carts are used to ferry staff through the tunnels and each section is color-coded to stop staff getting lost. The entire park is operated from within these tunnels, controlling lights, music and the daily parades.
According to Mental Floss, there’s a cafeteria named Mouseketeria, as well as a glow room stocking all the light-up bracelets, necklaces and Mickey ears. The park’s rubbish is managed underground and the food for visitors is also stored in the tunnels.
But these secret tunnels aren’t technically underground. When construction of Disney World began, it was impossible to dig down into the earth due to the Florida landscape. So the tunnels were built on the ground floor, meaning visitors to the park are actually walking on the second and third floors.
For $79, visitors can take a tour called “Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour,” a five-hour look at the resort including a peek at the underground tunnels.