What did ever become of River Country, Disney’s first water park and one internet folks haven’t thought about since simpler times? What’s going on with Discovery Island, a defunct zoological park guests can still see from certain WDW vantage points? Oh, shit, remember that Cranium Command thing Epcot had way back when? That’s probably the best question. Disney never shuts up about magic or having more happy per capita, it’s only logical the things they don’t wanna talk about take the Streisand Effect like those whirly chairs NASA trains astronauts on. What is out there, once throbbing with life and love, now left for the Earth to consume, the natural world returned to the natural order. Call it preservation, or a felony, it’s ostensibly photography of a very specific interest. All things abandoned (get used to hearing that word in these circles), forgotten by time, forbidden to the general public, Urban Exploration had quite the boom period in the late-2010s. Next to annual pass holders and the people who fake Make-A-Wish sponsorships.Ī very sexy name for what is really a very sophomoric practice. Enter whom is easily the top three most controversial theme park fans. And when Disney doesn’t want to, enterprising young men and women take it upon themselves to leak it all the same. It’s not like most of us don’t know what an employee access area looks like, but we’re talking about theme park fans. Of course, a lot of this is Cast Member business only. That or they just want to see where the character actors hang up their mickey heads when they gotta go smoke. Attractions for one reason or another not as well documented as they ought to be, whole park sections lying dormant, the most fervent of fans left unawares why their childhood memories remain locked behind a few tantalizing inches of plywood. Now.Īs intensely documented as the Disney Parks are-unavoidable with the thousands upon millions of vacation photos and videos-there’s an other side, in both senses. Why does anyone care to see that? Not the question. Show me the access tunnels and employee lunchroom, dammit. Fifty-three years removed from the Haunted Mansion’s opening and Disney is not at all uncomfortable showing guests how the dining room ghosts are achieved. Some companies understand this and produce lavish behind the scenes featurettes for their most treasured rides. When we get down to loving a theme park, of course our interest in how they operate goes beyond what any documentary thinks is important to show.

The sorts of people who identify rollercoasters by make and model like a seasoned gearhead. What is the first question out anyone’s mouth after seeing a well-executed magic trick? How did you do that.Įncyclopedic knowledge of all things theme park conduction and construction creates a sort of pecking order between Theme Park Enthusiasts. The need an enthusiast of any persuasion has to look behind the emerald curtain needs no explanation.

Further reading on the topic can be found there as well as their comments section). (The house would like to acknowledge this writeup from u/DuchessofGryffindor, whose recount of #FindBuzzy predates its appearance here.

Disney urban explorer