Disney in a Minute: What is a Utilidor?

A utilidor is an underground utility tunnel; the word is a portmanteau of “utility” and “corridor.” It’s the name for the underground tunnel system at Walt Disney World; although there are utilidors elsewhere, Disney World has one of the most extensive and famous systems.  Utilidors are used by Cast Members to move around the park out of sight of guests. As such, it’s part of the “backstage” area, designed to keep up the immersive experience for guests in the park.

The story goes that Walt was walking in Disneyland and saw a cowboy from Frontierland walking through Tomorrowland. He felt it was not only jarring, but it broke the illusion of the story each land was designed to tell. So when plans were made for Walt Disney World, he wanted a way for cast members to avoid being seen when moving around. The thing is, Florida’s water table is so high, building corridors underground wasn’t feasible. As a result, the utilidors were built at ground level, and the Magic Kingdom is basically a second story!

In addition to allowing cast members to move around, utilidors provide a lot of functionality for the park. Trash is removed through them, costumes for characters are stored, locker rooms for cast members, offices, even a salon and bank branch are located in them. Disney also uses the utilidors to house “smellitizers” that pump scents into areas, like popcorn on Main Street. The Utilidors also receive and process deliveries to the Magic Kingdom. For an extra fee, guests can visit the Utilidors as part of the “Keys to the Kingdom” tour. (No photos allowed!)

The largest utilidor network is at the Magic Kingdom. But there’s a smaller utilidor network at EPCOT, underneath Spaceship Earth and the space that is now World Celebration. Walt once said about the parks, “Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.” The utilidors aren’t just a remarkable feat of engineering, they’re another way Disney creates a totally immersive experience for guests.

Disney in a Minute is a series of short posts designed to help you better understand a Disney term or planning topic. Do you have a Disney term that you think needs a bit more explanation? Let us know in the comments.