A History of Disney World Urban Exploring

From the abandoned Cranium Command, to River Country, to Discovery Island, the Utilidors, Horizons, and beyond, Walt Disney World has a history of urban explorers venturing into areas both abandoned by Disney, or just off limits to the general public. In this video, I take a look back at the most interesting and exciting stories from the history of Disney World urban explorers.
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Thanks for watching my video on Disney World urban exploring! This is a topic I've been super interested in for a very long time now, learning all about River Country, Discovery Island, Wonders of Life, all the abandoned, lost, and forgotten parts of Disney history.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction
1:26 The Origins of Urban Exploring
7:28 Going Underground
10:37 The Race for Discovery Island
17:14 Exploring Goes Mainstream
26:43 Cast Members Only
#disney #disneyparks

[@GeorgesSpace]

Thanks for all the love on my recent Disney videos! These are so tough to get all the little details, but a lot of fun to make, so there will be more to come soon!

[@desiforbes7523]

Why there is no more from hoot and chief is cause chief is an 😇 unsure of how long it been on there chanerk the last vieod sad it n it was posted in 2015

[@paranaenselol]

Small tip: i honestly think u should change ur pfp and banner, if you are gonna continue with disney stuff u should put a pfp related to disney

[@Phineas_Huckleberry]

​@@desiforbes7523 unfortunately Chief passed away a few years ago. Hoot was able to make a few recent posts with more photos that Chief's family had come across going through his storage.

[@AquaticVeterinaryTechnology]

My sister randomly stumbled across this video and our jaws dropped because we think our Dad is in this segment about the ImageWorks!! He passed away in 2011. Is there anyway to see more of the part you posted with the ImageWorks area?? Thank you!

[@FloridaUrbanExploration]

Cool video! I was banned around 2012, about 5 years after I did Discovery Island.

[@barttheraven]

Touching the Yeti on the Everest ride is the equivalent of touching the boat in Finding Nemo.

[@Tsukasaismycomfortcharacter]

“I’m gonna touch the yetiiiii~” “He’s gonna touch the yeti :0

[@shiethegal]

*butt

[@hufflepuffler2575]

@@Tsukasaismycomfortcharacter” he touched the yeti…….😮 “

[@Sealsteak]

@@hufflepuffler2575”mmmmooooommmm 😲”

[@bowmaj8666]

"He touched the Butt!" Hmm, makes me wonder if anyone has touched the Yeti's butt!

[@WenderPottery]

Bro swiming to discovery island as a florida native sounds fuckin INSANE to me. Especially at night lmfao...kids have legit been eaten in that lake because their parents let em swim

[@pedrozatravel]

Not to mention Florida has brain eating amoeba that can get in your nose

[@dillonwilson5126]

Bro I was thinkin the same thing.

[@stellviahohenheim]

Good, there's too many whites anyway

[@l-l]

I remember articles talking about brain eating amoebas in the lake.

[@michaelbread5906]

Florida Man.

[@zeedause5289]

Hoot and Chief should totally get a movie. Even their names are perfect for their own 90s shenanigans movie.

[@Sniperboy5551]

Chief died a few years ago, lung cancer

[@Jack96724]

⁠@@Sniperboy5551it’s unfortunate rest in peace chief

[@rosestrife1498]

Dude their story is so wholesome.

[@natalieleske8382]

Supposedly there's a film called "please remain seated"?

[@epcotman32]

These two are true Disney legends.

[@oreopudding3133]

My dad and his cousin jack used to jump out of wdw rides all the time! Anything that didn't have a lap bar or could be escaped from, they were out of the ride vehicle and running around in the show scenes. The last time they ever tried it was on the people mover. Jack climbed out, the whole ride stopped, and the "Disney police" came and took Jack away 😂 my dad never ran so fast in his life, he got back to the hotel and just started screaming "they took Jack!!!!"

[@princesskristan]

That sounds amazing 😂😂

[@MrVIPGuest]

I totally understand why they got busted on the peoplemover- multiple people have died doing the same thing on that ride. Disney isn't taking any chances.

[@robwest5457]

Literally not a single person on planet earth has ever died jumping out of the people mover. Why are you lying?

[@princesskristan]

@Rob West Actually, someone did. Back in the early days, someone was playing a game on the people mover at Disneyland where you would jump from car to car, and they fell in a tunnel and got dragged

[@MrVIPGuest]

@@robwest5457 uhhh you know that Disneyland put cages around their peoplemover vehicles because people kept jumping out of them, right? "In August 1967, a 16-year-old boy from Hawthorne, California, was killed while jumping between two moving PeopleMover cars as the ride was passing through a tunnel. He stumbled and fell onto the track, where an oncoming train of cars crushed him beneath its wheels and dragged his body a few hundred feet before it was stopped by a ride operator. The attraction had only been open for one month at the time." " On June 7, 1980, an 18-year-old man was crushed and killed by the PeopleMover while jumping between moving cars. The accident occurred as the ride entered the SuperSpeed tunnel."

[@spaceshiplewis]

I always admired respectful urban exploring. Abandoned houses, dead malls, and various abandoned company places would be lost due to the secrecy of companies and the uncaring greed of of urban sprawl planning, urban exploring is usually the only documentation of modern history. I really love channels that share this history of the abandoned places and can appreciate what it used to be with love and care. It really is a shame that Disney and other companies are content to leave things to vanish into the void and willingly let that history die without a trace.

[@Solaceon]

I've never been to a Disney park in my life, but coming from the rural exploration scene this stuff is profoundly fascinating. We tend to be really respectful (probably because you'll get shot by a farmer/tweaker faster than you'll be arrested) and secretive about our favorite spots. Urbex and especially Disney is a whole different universe, and as important as it is, I'm amazed by the gall of some of these people. It makes these things harder to document in the long run, and the ones who do it to chase clout are yet another sign of this dying world of greed. :(

[@loli_cvnt5622]

You guys are pretty dramatic, no?

[@ZelphTheWebmancer]

@@loli_cvnt5622 No

[@Randomdude1979]

​@@loli_cvnt5622 shut up loli lover

[@endlesswanderer1753]

@@loli_cvnt5622 Two people with passion about something vs. a no lifer with a loli pfp judging them.

[@McStruggles]

I remember watching an urban exploration video back in like 2017 and one quote from the explorers stuck with me. It was something along the lines of "Take nothing, leave only footprints". I think that's what real urban exploration is. Just observing and documenting an abandoned or forgotten place. Leaving it as is. Sucks that theifs and clout chasers ruined the reputation.

[@steelplasma256]

The urban explorer motto is: Take nothing but photographs, Leave nothing but Footprints.

[@_FTPEXE_]

Shouts out @theproperpeople

[@englishatheart]

But why? Why leave things to just waste away? A place where people have died, I can understand. Or destroying natural vegetation or animal life. Otherwise, the stuff is just littering the earth and serving no purpose. And companies like Disney will not remotely lose money if people take stuff that they've abandoned. Also, its "thieves."

[@RottenPizzaProductions]

Are you talking about WallieB26?

[@prodigy1605]

@@steelplasma256same for hiking/camping

[@BenLaurence]

The early days of Disney exploring was so fun! It was just fans who were curious as to what goes on behind the scenes. Disney exploring got out of hand in recent years when theft became an issues. You summed it up so well at the end of this video.. It’s a clout chase by people looking for a clickable title rather than documenting history for fellow Disney fans.

[@cannibalisticrequiem]

Theft has always been an issue going back to Hoot and Chief. I know you defenders and glorifiers of urban exploration love to play down the severity of stealing before the "Evil Clout-chasing Urban Explorers" by minimizing what "fans" like Hoot and Chief did by stealing "just a couple small things", but stealing is stealing and being "a massive fan of the Disney Parks" doesn't excuse it.

[@austinjacenko3726]

​@jess_starwind Oh nooo. How will the biggest media company in the world ever afford to replace a few plastic vegetables? 😢

[@TheManofthefuture101]

​@@austinjacenko3726 It's a matter of principle really, it's important to note that Horizons was already on it's way out the door by the time Hoot and Chief were recording footage. So for many people that was probably their first chance to ever see the ride. Hoot and Chief stealing stuff from the ride as it was still active, robs many people the to experience the ride as it was and love it, just as much as Hoot and Chief did. One can definitely argue the point about what a few missing props can do to a ride, but for Disney set design and theming are major selling points for their parks and rides. It's a different story when Hoot and Chief looted a Disney World dumpster for thrown away Horizon's stuff, as by that point the ride was closed and likely already demolished. The point that I and others are suggesting is not to feel bad for a big company missing a few things, but rather despise the effect gradual theft of important props can rob from a ride that relies heavily from it and was ultimately built to entertain the general public.

[@colinlohden9359]

@@TheManofthefuture101 if they stole from the ride while it was active, then fuck them, but if they stole from a completely abandoned ride that was obvious was never going to be recovered, you should be able to take some things. After all, they were left behind so they're not really anybody's anymore.

[@daverichards9141]

I hate when theft thiefs

[@DavidinSLO]

13:58 Florida alligators are a REAL THING -- swimming to Discovery Island seems insane

[@SissypheanCatboy]

...you're probably not gonna encounter many gators in open water in an environment full of constant human disturbances.

[@theboyscout0156]

@@SissypheanCatboy tell that to the kid who was killed my an alligator at the Disney resort a few years ago

[@brianharelick4962]

@@SissypheanCatboy you’d be surprised

[@littlesnowflakepunk855]

​@@SissypheanCatboy Florida gators don't give a shit about human activity, they're used to it. They kind of have to be, there's not a lot of nature around - most of Florida is urban sprawl nowadays, especially around Disney.

[@StonayBalogna]

Thems just swamp kitties

[@alliealferez6973]

My favorite piece of "Disney Urban Exploring" lore is the rumor that Matt Sonswa was actually hired by disney to break in so that he could show them their weak spots in terms of security around the park. Its a win-win situation: Matt gets cool footage for his channel and then Disney knows where to increase their security to eliminate any future trespassers.

[@vladvalo]

“Eliminate any further trespassers” lol I just pictured them running up with a laser gun and disintegrating urban explorers

[@pixiestks]

that’s a great theory, i have matt’s snapchat and he’s just a crazy florida dude, really got in trouble with disney but made crazy money from the videos. he posts a lot from his jet ski

[@the_real_Kurt_Yarish]

This is known as "pen-testing", short for penetration-testing, and is an entire subset of the field of security. While it is possible that they hired Matt out for this role given his experience, it's probably more likely Disney would just hire a dedicated pen-tester for the work.

[@danstray2527]

uhm deff no

[@hayleeann3410]

The preserved snakes on Adventure Island still being there reminds me of the bodies on Everest. The people who get to see the snakes aren’t there to retrieve the snake jars, and taking anything is extra risky and makes the sheer danger of the trip that much harder. I mean it’s totally an apples to oranges comparison but it just struck a cord! Untouched and a little forbidden, but a trail marker for explorers.

[@MrVIPGuest]

My dumbass was trying to figure out what bodies are on expedition everest before I realized you meant the real mt everest 😂😂

[@blapis-blazuli]

@@MrVIPGuest I was about to say the same thing, haha 😂

[@gavinjohnson1901]

Disney adults are the creepiest people not in jail

[@MrVIPGuest]

@@gavinjohnson1901 um ok, don't know what that has to do with anything.

[@mikewolf5367]

You know what sucks is all those photos and personal possessions by cast members left behind. Like why weren’t they retrieved at some point? Also, who the hell preserves a snake in a soda bottle? 🤨

[@Phineas_Huckleberry]

Hoot and Chief are models of what Disney needs to do for all closing attractions. Document, document, document. The passing of Chief a few years ago was like losing a friend. Mesa Verde Times inspired me to recreate graphics from Horizons and I was actually featured in one of their posts. I worked at Disneyland from 2005-2007, while working at the Opera House, a faulty projector in the lobby allowed us to discover the forgotten set of the WYZ Ol' Owl pre show from the Walt Disney story... everything was still in place, except for the Owl AA. Unfortunately, the set was destroyed when they remodeled for the return of "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln", however I took a couple photos and are posted at the Daveland blog.

[@Max-nb3rp]

it’s really a shame disney doesn’t document to preserve what uses to exist. it’s impossible to find the things i loved going to as a kid since they closed. limited to no images of mickey’s toontown area and innovations west

[@mauricionavarro4428]

I'm not from the US and I only went to disney as an adult in 2019. I'm sad that I didn't visit EPCOT before 1994

[@Jack96724]

Rest in peace chief it’s unbelievable that he is actually gone

[@heckinjonah]

Is it just me or does the part about dirt biking at night to get into animal kingdom sound like a perfect setup for a found footage horror movie. Like he makes it into the mountain only to find real yetis living there or something? Idk id watch it😂

[@joeymichel1909]

This was basically the plot of Kingdom Keepers

[@ZeranZeran]

I would be so afraid that a disney employee was watching me and would turn on the Yeti just to scare me which would also be pretty hilarious, to be fair

[@tardisman4210]

​@ZeranZeran judging from the technical demo Joe Rhode made about the yetis ability to generate thrust like a jet engine in A mode, i highly doubt they would for safety reasons because if that guy falls due to being knocked down by it and dies, then disney has a wrongful death suit on their hands. Its stuck in B mode however, so other than the eyes turning on and fans blowing, i dont think it would scare any seasoned explorer

[@alicd27]

I worked at Disney in 2011. Even then when not everyone carried camera phones, they were so strict about any video or photo-taking backstage. I remember during our orientation they told us there is a team of people who look all over the internet for leaked info or footage and get it removed.

[@nanananananananana00]

omg i’ve seen cast members post tik toks backstage, with a only a couple thousand views, and then their entire accounts will disappear lol

[@ambroseandersonmusic]

Fun fact: My mom purchased a copy of Dark Side of Disney and had it lying around the house. I, as a curious 12-year-old and lifelong Disney fan,stuffed it in my backpack to read during a stay in in-school-suspension circa 2015, not knowing they were going to bag check me. My principal found it and threw it away due to the cover, and my mom was PISSED.

[@DarkSideOfDisney]

Love this! Send me your mom's address and I'll get her a signed replacement copy!

[@mychemicalromancewillpierc5241]

I’m not understanding. It’s your property? How could you just let him take it from you? Like yeah take it and give it back at the end of the day but like… throw it away? That’s stealing. And illegal.

[@Peppmintleaf]

I had to look up the book to see what the cover actually looked like and I will say that I can see why it may come across as off putting to some lol

[@lollybirdy]

You better have gotten that book back.

[@princessadrigirl6774]

Okay this made way more sense after googling the cover

[@daxican]

i have a weird offshoot of submechanophobia that i can't find, so that footage of him climbing up and through big thunder mountain and expedition everest was honestly paralyzing to me. and then my man straight up touches the massive decaying yeti and i wanted to pull my eyes out

[@WahooYahoo]

Yeah no I totally understand . Just like gross rotting animatronics give me the shivers it’s horrible No way in hell would I be near that yeti lmao

[@sarahlamper5701]

No fr. Animatronics FASCINATE me and I adore them. But they also scare the hell out of me lowkey. Like to touch one. One on, one OFF, it’s all the same. Little gears put together into an uncanny valley just waiting to snap ur fingers off 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫🤢🤢 ugh I cant. That goes for tracks, both in and above water. It all just SCREAMS safety hazard to me

[@I.G.S.A.N.A.G.M]

I had a spasm then turned the screen away. What the hell was that?

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

I think urban exploration for the sake of documentation for the telling of history is important and I don’t think it’s bad, sure it’s “illegal” but I always consider the intent to be a factor in what is legal and illegal. Like Adam The Woo, I love his videos because he always gives a history lesson in the videos and doesn’t destroy anything in the process. I think what would honestly help Disney a lot in the fight against the clout chasing explorers would be to open up “back stage tours” of the old exhibits/attractions. It’s like with most things once it becomes “legal” the hype surrounding it dies

[@baggiestsheet2584]

also not all urban exploring is illegal. if it’s abandoned, there’s a chance it’s not owned by anyone. like i live in the desert and there’s so many old mining towns that have either been bought and used for tourism purposes, or are just standing there in the middle of nowhere

[@Sniperboy5551]

It’s definitely illegal in the US, but the UK treats simple trespassing as a civil, not criminal offense. Most European countries don’t throw the book at urban explorers at all, I don’t know what it’s like elsewhere though.

[@codex3693]

I just realized that the Kingdom Keepers book series is basically an official Disney fan-fiction about doing exactly this. Also the author got officially escorted by Disney through most the inside nearly every ride at Disney Land and World, so most of the details are presumably accurate.

[@SandeKelsey-rx3hs]

I love those books!

[@amyvasquez4268]

That book series is so underrated imo. I totally recommend them, they’re very enjoyable and definitely thrilling

[@6Six6Six6Bruh]

Really awesome series

[@Lameashellcosplay]

I used to be obsessed with Disney urban exploration as a kid... Then I started working for Disney and kinda got to see everything I really wanted to see ((I had to pass through the utilidoors everyday and I actually hated them because they were loud, smelled bad, and my location was on the other side of the entrance lol)) aside from places like river country. Mad props to those who did/do it but I usually don't feel too bad when you get caught.

[@Sniperboy5551]

You shouldn’t feel bad at all, potentially getting caught makes it a hell of a lot more exciting. That’s half of the fun.

[@crystalisawesome]

This. I think it's hilarious that people think cast areas are so interesting. You might see something unusual every now and then, but for the most part it's like if people risked getting arrested to break into and explore any other normal workplace. It's hallways and offices and breakrooms.

[@VeggieNatureGirl]

I was so excited to see the tunnels when I got hired but after the first day they lost their interest. Man they did smell so bad in certain spots too lol.

[@ZeranZeran]

@@crystalisawesome why is disney so afraid to show people these areas? They should just record history of the parks better and upload it themselves, I bet people would pay to see "Abandoned and unexplored" Disney stuff

[@BrightSunFilms]

Great video! Really well researched and executed.

[@GeorgesSpace]

Thanks! I'm really glad you enjoyed it, love your content too!

[@chauntriataylor4083]

I love you @brightsunfilms ❤

[@brigittem2821]

Thank you very much for providing a video about an often overlooked topic of the abandonment of certain locations that are within the Disney theme parks. What I think is extraordinary, at least from my point of view, is how no attraction or place within Disney is above the certainty of not being abandoned when they longer serve a purpose for the Disney company and theme park.

[@George_vv]

I remembered recently some amazing footage I saw a long time ago of two people who went backstage and climbed the stretching room in Haunted Mansion. I couldn't find it for years and just about a month ago I found them again! The videos were uploaded by someone named Jonny L and they have videos from Pirates, Haunted Mansion and the river's native village. You should check it out because some of the shots they have are mind blowing.

[@JeremyWeed]

Do you have links?

[@ToxicCalamari]

Can you supply links? KZbin gave nothing

[@leogonzalez21145]

@@JeremyWeed I think this is the channel and video they’re referring to kzbin.info/www/bejne/emHUZGuNfruYZ7c

[@leogonzalez21145]

@@ToxicCalamari kzbin.info/www/bejne/emHUZGuNfruYZ7c

[@evanrobbins5915]

Seriously link me😊

[@peblezQ]

Imagine training to swim long distances just to look at an abandoned island inside Disney World. The dedication would make me not even wanna be mad if I were a security guard catching them, I would just be impressed lmao

[@I.G.S.A.N.A.G.M]

I'll tell them to get out as I don't want to be responsible for their deaths.

[@Rachel-xu4br]

My first video I watched with "urban exploring" was Adam The Woo @ River Country. What fascinates me about these videos are they are a look into the past, or at least a look into what is "under the hood". Which is something we aren't allowed to see and something a lot of us are fascinated with, hence why these videos are popular. Why I never had an issue with these explorers is due to the fact that originally (or at least the people I watched) were firm on breaking the rules, however still respected the grounds and areas, simply looking and not touching. Not only would do it, but would explain on camera why to encourage that if anyone does urban exploring, to respect the area as well and not touch. And if it wasn't for Matt breaking into Cranium Command and filming Buzzy before he was ripped off and sold for parts, we never would have seen him again prior to that. So if anything I feel grateful for urban exploring. It's just a shame that other urban explorers ruin it by messing things up, or stealing.

[@memethyst]

if it wasnt for me randomly stumbling across the mesa verde times blog one day when i was like 13 or 14 i probably wouldve never been as invested into vintage disney parks [especially epcot] attractions and animatronics as i am today

[@ttintagel]

Mesa Verde Times was a gift to the world. RIP Chief.

[@shazang0]

Agreed. But then of course Hoot has been saying silly shit this week. Never idolize anyone 😢

[@franknfurter5336]

were you that prolific amedot shipper on tumblr like 10 years ago? I see you around so often in comment sections of videos covering niche interests I can only assume we share, and have been too curious not to ask.

[@memethyst]

@@franknfurter5336 what? no i was never an amedot shipper lmao, i remember my tumblr name was amemethyst instead of memethyst for a long time since it mustve been already taken, maybe it was them?

[@APERTURESYSTEM]

The butterfly effect is insane

[@mutecryptid]

Dark ride scenes are so eerie for me, I get anxious before riding them even though they’re my favorite. Being up close like that- terrifying

[@KaibaKid_]

The Sonswa vlog on Everest was truly a landmark. I think that video honestly killed a lot of interest in Disurbex, because how much higher than that can you go? He got into the ride, got right up in the Yeti's grill and touched it with his own hands. What honestly could possibly top that? Most people wouldn't do that, let alone something even scarier.

[@JW-cm2er]

Careful what you say as Matt Sonswa will take that as a challenge! I swear that guy will somehow get into the Cinderella Castle Suite...

[@KaytNicol3]

I know they probably won't do it because it 'ruins the magic' but if they tided up the areas a bit to make it safe and did guided tours around these abandoned areas for a charge they would make a killing!

[@drpeppergurl]

nah, guys get a rush from doing things they're not supposed to. they don't want to see things that are being willingly shown to them.

[@booboo7502]

Some folks would for sure, but the average Disney guest I don’t think would care one bit. They are there to ride the rides, see the sights, and get their “magical” experience. I can’t see too many people who paid to get into the park wanting to throw down more money just to walk through an abandoned ride. That all being said, I’d for sure be into it!

[@KaytNicol3]

@@booboo7502 yeah I agree 100% it definitely is a niche thing and won’t be for 95% of the guests but i would personally love it too

[@idefine777]

They do have guided tours of the utilidor

[@Yourmomgoestocolledge]

No they wouldn't 😂😂😂 no one is gonna pay money to see broken down rides 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Cutekuramon]

All of these older camcorder footage gives off such eerie energy. Like they're horror movies 😂 I'm not a Disney fan but I'm extremely fascinated with the history and culture around Disney parks. Thanks for this video 🥰❤

[@solaistrash]

8:12 My younger brother has actually been in the Disney tunnels! Disney World invited high school marching bands to perform in the parks for Mardi Gras, and part of that is traveling through the tunnels (also where they store the instruments) and he said it was pretty cool :)

[@lordvader5807]

That is SO COOL!

[@mayvalley]

They take you into the tunnels during the Keys to the Kingdom tour!! I went down them with a tour guide in the back of the Winnie the Pooh gift shop, and came out beside the emporium!

[@ZeranZeran]

I recently asked my aunt about this and I was so excited to hear about it, she got this look on her face like "Ugh.." and she said "IT SMELLS LIKE TRASH. AND they didn't let us smoke down there anymore" - I had to laugh. I was not expecting that answer, but it makes sense.

[@cinnamonsakura1418]

As a fan of the "Abandoned by Disney" creepypasta, I was seriously expecting something strange like a random ass mascot outfit at Discovery Island and it's fascinating to boot but also scary as hell waiting for something to pop out or move in the shadows! This video was great overall and it's interesting to know that there are people out there who are as curious as I am when it comes to abandoned or just how a ride/attraction works in general!

[@katiessss6424]

Abandoned by Disney was the first creepypasta I ever read and as a little kid i thought it was real for most of the story. Scared me shitless!

[@shanebrandon4257]

I was wondering how no one else pointed out how fucking terrifying running around in the dark on these rides would be I could never

[@Crow_Smith]

So basically the best way to stop it on Disney's part is just to have their own crews film these areas and make it available? Also: Swimming anywhere on Disney World property is CRAZY with the gators and water snakes down here. YIKES! Would not be worth it to me. Lol

[@harvscholtens5413]

And you know.........the brain eating amoebas..........that killed someone.

[@epiclink11]

Yeah that would solve it I think. Like for example when people lost interest in exploring the utilidors once there was a lot of information available.

[@Crow_Smith]

@@harvscholtens5413 Yeah isn't that why River Country closed?

[@y4rdkat]

@@Crow_Smith nah. One kid did fall victim to the amoeba but Disney didn’t close River Country until years after that when they had opened their other water parks and decided River Country was no longer performing well in comparison.

[@silly9434]

Imo for many people urban exploring is about actually being there and experiencing the atmosphere urself, so video wouldn't really be the same. Would maybe take away the internet clout tho

[@FilmThePoliceFTP]

They used to do a "keys to the kingdom" tour in the mid 90s. I took it with my mom and dad and we went down to the utilidors

[@jmchinch]

It’s still available, there are tours that take you behind Haunted Mansion and the parade staging areas

[@FilmThePoliceFTP]

Yep keys to the kingdom did that. Well, to the parade storage area (Spectro magic at the time)It took us behind pirates, though, instead of haunted mansion.

[@melissacreel4719]

We did that about 4 years ago. It was so cool. Our backstage was Haunted Mansion. Loved it.

[@rws0504]

I live about 3 hours from Disney. A friend and I drove up to explore River Country, we were relatively new to urbex. Once there we managed to get in and met two photographers who happened to be doing the same thing we were. It was a surreal experience and the timing was so odd, you feel completley alone in this overgrown abandoned place, and then suddenly find two other people. I like to think of urbex like going to a national park. Be respectful, and leave it how you found it for future explorers.

[@DarkSideOfDisney]

Nice video! Those were good times. Clout-chasing wasn't really a thing back then, so it really did feel like a tight-knit community of fellow explorers who were doing it out of sheer curiosity and love of Disney. Obviously Disney wasn't (and isn't) happy with what we did, but I do think in retrospect it was important to document those places before they were gone for good.

[@mavohq]

one of my friends in middle school was from a family that were huge disney fans, and she was as well. when we were talking one day in 7th grade she brought up river country and started explaining it to me. i went on the internet later that night and became obsessed with it. it perfectly tied into the huge interest ive had in abandoned buildings, especially malls, since i was a really young child. always was interesting to see a place in a state you really shouldn’t be seeing it in, or to see something slowly decay over time

[@Sea2TC]

I found myself in alot of back areas of Disneyworld in 2016. For personal satisfaction and curosity though. Not recording anything, and walking around like I belonged there. So it was pretty easy just walking past employees. This was enjoyable to watch.

[@randomcommenterfromdownund8949]

Same, 30-35 years earlier. I remember how difficult it was to look as bored as everyone else, to fit in, when internally I was like, "Oooh! This is so cool! Oooh! What's over there?" etc.

[@LuckyLatias1996]

I remember watching Remain Seated Please- A Hoot and Chief story by Matthew Serrano a few years ago and being amazed at how much they could do. Not only being able to get on the scenes themselves but while it was still open and guests where on. I'd say its most Disney fans dream to be able to do that on their favourite ride, Its amazing and such a one of a kind thing that you know couldn't be replicated now without being worried about someone getting arrested. I will say the end of that video sucker punched me and its still one of my favourite videos. R.I.P Chief

[@User-sb6er]

The utilidors are actually the first floor of Disney world . The park is on the second floor. This is due to the swamp land and actually nothing can be buried.

[@bunniesbunniesbunnie]

If Disney wants to nix urbex, they need to do a final recording of the stuff they're getting rid of from here on out (and should have a long time ago). If people could relive the stuff that's gone without digging deep into the internet, they'd do it like that. DPS: Disney Preservation Society or some shit.

[@nathanielcardona283]

The thrill of doing this is unmatched to anything else

[@Grymbaldknight]

Thank you for covering this. The history of the Disney Parks is a deeply fascinating topic, and your voice and style are very easy-listening. Please, keep this up.

[@jamesbrincefield9879]

Discovery Island sounds so cool. It’s basically just the premise of The Lost World minus the dinosaurs. I used to love going off the trail at the NC Zoo. We would find so much neat stuff like old trams, signs, retired exhibits, views of active enclosures from angles that aren’t available to the public, etc. One of the coolest things we came across were a handful of overgrown viewing platforms that were no longer in use. It still had a great view of the animals (I’m being intentionally vague here so people don’t repeat this) from a distance and angle visitors hadn’t seen in over 20 years (from the information I could find online at the time) when they built a major expansion onto the Africa exhibit. It never really crossed our minds to document it outside of a couple cell phone pictures that are probably lost to time at this point. It was a really neat experience though.

[@yogabear7140]

Those dudes who went swimming in Florida water at night have nerves of steel. Cool video!

[@MB-nv4to]

Or they just don’t know better

[@yogabear7140]

@@MB-nv4to haha yeah maybe

[@masterchaoss]

While I don't endorse this because of safety, I definitely enjoy this stuff.

[@Sniperboy5551]

The only person it’s unsafe for is the explorer themselves, they know the risks and fully accept the potential consequences. I see nothing wrong with endorsing urban exploration.

[@melissacreel4719]

We'll, the fact that it's trespassing on private property and illegal means there are at least 2 things wrong with it.

[@kevannpankhurst]

God, I find abandoned and empty Disney attractions SO unsettling.

[@UhOhHereWeGo]

I can’t believe that those guys swam to Discovery Island when they’re in FLORIDA. Gators were sleepy that day I guess.

[@pandajones2759]

Amazing video. I am thankful every day for what Hoot and Chief did to document Horizons, the greatest dark ride of all time.

[@elizabethboyle-contreras9668]

No, That’s Splash Mountain.

[@rachelcook6867]

Mesa Verde Times changed my life and opened up a whole new way of looking at Disney parks for me. I am so happy to see them getting recognition for their work.

[@ValensBellator]

Hearing the ride’s noises and characters in Horizons was such a wild experience for me after all this time. That ride has such an impact on me, it felt damn near magical at the time.

[@M16Joe]

With the right looks you can go anywhere. I personally was able to access the employee tunnels connecting the Aria Casino and Park MGM in Las Vegas. All i did was wear a suit. I was even able to get back of house into the management areas without any security stopping me.

[@WestonWallaceDJ]

Good video, however I would add that Disney URBX has slowed down dramatically in the past few years simply because they went extreme and most of the abandoned areas don’t exist anymore. River country, wonders of life (cranium command gutted), image works, food rocks, inventions, and other long abandoned high touch areas are no longer standing. Something to think on.

[@emilia123zz]

Definitely went through a phase where I watched endless amounts of Disney urban exploring.

[@ajbarrios9694]

I’m so sad there was never any backstage footage of the great movie ride before they closed it for good. I always wondered what it was like

[@snb2ndchannel591]

As someone who does Urban Exploration myself from time to time, there was a sort of respect that explorer’s used to have that made them more likeable by both their audience and the public, which made their acts easier to forgive as they weren’t really causing any harm, but I completely agree, 99% of explorers don’t seem to follow that sense of respect for it anymore

[@TheOneTrueDragonKing]

Honestly I think Disney is missing out. This is so much of a BIG THING, Disney could earn some serious cash by offering "UrbEx tours" to these old attractions that are on their property but sit pretty much abandoned and unused. If Disney were to give some of these Urban Explorers permission to poke around things like Discovery Island or their other abandoned facilities, they could regulate who could go to the island, etcetera. That way they'd still have some control and the ability to screen out those that would be disrespectful. AND they could charge for it, resulting in them gaining money even for their abandoned properties.

[@nolmanimates3031]

Sign a waiver and send em in Yes please

[@Iron_Stigmata]

It goes fully against their company policy on "preserving the magic", they'd never go for it. It's like asking Nintendo to put their games on sale.

[@TheOneTrueDragonKing]

@@Iron_Stigmata In a way, it's still magical. People have a fascination with these sites - old tombs, ruins of all kinds, etcetera - that gets people's blood pumping. Amateur archaeology is a thing, and that's what these Urban Explorers really are. Sure, they're not exactly Indiana Jones, but they like to think they are and there's really no harm in that.

[@Iron_Stigmata]

@@TheOneTrueDragonKing They don't care about that, unfortunately. I 100% agree, but for them it's more about preserving their LARP.

[@englishatheart]

Yes, because Disney really needs more money. Of course, that's exactly something the greedy corporation would do.

[@MsGeorgiaSwanson]

It's worth noting that Discovery Island exploring got so out of hand, Disney installed game cameras on the island and some of the often used paths to get there. Total FAFO.

[@robbie1793]

touching the yeti is actually so insane

[@krollting949]

good video had the bong in hand the whole time

[@spacegoat0133]

I would love to explore the underground tunnel system. Theres probably rooms or little corners that no one has step in for years.

[@zooweamama5799]

Something I’ve seen a lot of urban explorers talk about is how they never like to disclose the location of really interesting places online since it tends to lead to people breaking in to vandalize and steal, it’s sad because Disney urban explorers don’t have the same luxury, everyone knows where they’re filming (though maybe they shouldn’t have told everyone how to break into these places lol)

[@dwitefry4157]

This was...utterly fascinating, I didn't think a video on the history of breaking and entering would be such, but it sure was! Cheers, George.

[@ct6852]

That waterslide going straight into sand must've been super painful.

[@randomcommenterfromdownund8949]

Try it when you are 14 years old, wearing the $100 collectible America on Parade watch you bought with your paper route money, and realise this when you are 2/3 the way down the slide. :-( Pain of a different sort.

[@ThesMnky]

Love this but remember the utilidoor isn’t underground, you can’t have that in FL. It’s the first floor, MK is built on the second floor of the massive building. Former MK CM here.

[@Free_Krazy]

I wonder if Hoot and Chief had any idea how historic their footage would become, this is simply a GOLDMINE of mind candy!

[@tahlialea8282]

Swimming in a Florida lake sounds insane due to 🐊alligators 😂

[@AkiDave]

Disney Urban Exploring videos never get old but I’m shocked that it’s still a thing

[@MrSchmidty6545]

I haven’t heard Adam the woo in like 10 years damn brings back memories

[@ajflink]

Certain tours you can take allow you to see various backstage aspects of Disney World, including the Utilidoors.

[@lifekeepsflowing]

This is amazing! I was obsessed with abandoned disney. When the Discovery Island video came out me and my friends were obsessed, we planned our own trip to River Country / Discovery Island but we didn’t plan well enough and didn’t get far. I miss the Disney Urban exploring where they were respectful just curious

[@kylekaye9147]

Absolutely loved Disney quest I went in 2005 and would have been looking forward to go again even all these years later just to see how it compared to back then

[@dragonballzpop]

Great job on the video. I have to say adamthewoo got me into exploring. It's fun to see some of the old rides I didn't get a chance to ride in the 90s.

[@xXRedTheDragonXx]

I got to see the back stage areas of Disney World many years ago as part of a marching band. They had the "Disney police" come around and collect all of the cameras that people had brought into the back stage area and literally destroying any film or memory cards in the cameras (We were warned not to bring any cameras into the back stage area for this exact reason). I think Disney just REALLY doesn't want people to see their back stage areas. It was very interesting, however! They were unloading mass amounts of fireworks and repairing some of the parade vehicles while we were back there. It was sorta neat in a way to see what makes Disney tick.

[@Mr-Trox]

Of course they don't want people to see them. It's about preserving the magic. The public face of the parks is all about never breaking character and never giving away just how Mickey Mouse can be at the gate one second, and on the other side of the park the next.

[@marljusweety]

The thing about urban exploring in areas like Discovery Island is thatDisney, who owns it, has two options. Either keep people out or secure the safety of people entering. It is expensive to demolish and to have guards be present. So they close it off and leave it be. But if explorers, even if trespassing, get hurt or killed by roofing falling down or something similar, Disney will be held responsible. So of course they ban people who put themself at risk on Disney property. When it comes to Discovery Island I doubt stealing or defacing property is their main concern.

[@randomcommenterfromdownund8949]

Risk management rings true. One of the Imagineers who interacted with me during an adventure specifically warned me against, call them activities A and B in a certain area. Although he'd advised me to stop poking around in general, he was only specifically stern about A and B. I didn't ask for details, but had the idea he knew of injuries involving those activities.

[@ADayWithCaleb]

Such a fascinating documentary on Disney urban exploring. thanks for compiling this catergory all into one video.

[@Darth_Memus]

I’m really happy I stumbled across this video, I can’t wait to dive into the rest of your content

[@sprire2840]

I actually got to go into one of the vip sections when I was a kid! It was for mission mars I think, because my aunt used to be a high rank employee at HP, the company that funded the ride. It was a really cool lounge that overlooked the line for the ride, had a couple games to play, free snacks, and cool chairs. One of my coolest Disney experiences for sure. My aunt doesn’t work at HP anymore though, and idk if mission Mars is even still around, so I doubt I’ll ever see it again lol

[@lali6880]

Man i loved this video so much. It really gave me flashbacks from being a kid and being interested in abandoned places and stumbling upon adamthewoo’s river country video :,)) urban exploring will always have a place in my heart and i have high respect for the ppl who genuinely love doing this and aren’t being disrespectful clout chasers

[@jonathanlee7355]

I love these videos, especially of places i remember or have been to. I'll never forget the old imagination ride and the rainbow tunnel, body wars, and horizons... i dont remember world of motion that much. But these were classics and glad they got preserved. I love seeing how things used to be vs how they are now, even in places that arent abandoned. I wish theme parks did a "history" tour for the enthusiasts.

[@ben-rm4jn]

Fantastic video man! Really high quality production. Looking forward to your next upload!

[@BomberBlair]

Keep grinding my guy, you’ll blow up here soon.

[@GeorgesSpace]

Thank you I hope so! It's totally a grind so I appreciate people saying that!

[@michelleoberlin3233]

I love your Disney history videos!! Keep it up!

[@curly_fries]

This video gave me so much nostalgia. I loved watching urban exploration videos as a kid, channels like adamthewoo kept me glued to my screen!

[@kimbau]

omg i got this reccomend in my feed and i completely expected for this to have over a million views, this video was amazing!

[@omfgh4x]

I fkn love this piece of history. Reminds me of the time me and a friend jumped off the Spaceship Earth ride while on a high school field trip. We walked around for a while but only found a locked service door so we decided to start scaring our classmates on the ride as they went by. Well, we also scared some guests who informed the park staff. We exited by jumping into one of the carts of someone we recognized but got busted on the way out cuz duh too many people in the cart. They notified our chaperones and the entire class field trip got pulled to the side and lectured. Surprisingly, we didn't get kicked out but did screw up field trips for the following classes. Sorry about that guys ; ;

[@bkkillafromda6170]

Just saw your Buzzy video now this one gotta say these are prob the most interesting videos I have seen in a while on KZbin. Thank you ! great work

[@ImARealHumanPerson]

Hidden gem of a channel. Great video!

[@edcola6671]

Whenever I think of urban exploration I think of either those videos where people walk all around abandoned Toys ‘R’ Us shops or AdamTheWoo’s 2012 exploration of Nickelodeon Studios that eventually got him permanently banned from Universal Orlando. (That one’s still a classic.)

[@CapnBry]

Haha "general Disney mischief". I can verify that 90s Disney exploring was like that. You could park where New Fantasyland is now and just walk in the main utilidor entrance. "Just look like you work there" was our method too 😅

[@mnmrmust]

Well done video, this one got me to hit the subscribe button! I am a big Disney parks fan and watched all the Kinzey stuff and bought his book when it came out. And I follow AdamtheWoo and enjoyed watching him do the urbex stuff, was heartbroken with him when he got banned, relieved when the ban was lifted, and still follow his content today. As a bonus my fam took a trip to Disney World in 2020 and ran into him in Batuu and was able to talk to him for a couple of minutes and wish I had the time to sit down with him and talk about that era of his KZbin career. Keep up the great content!

[@GECK.O]

Awesome content! I've been watching amusement park content on youtube for years and all of the videos I've seen from you has taught me something new about each topic. Keep up the great work! :D

[@sadxthot]

This was a great video! :) Haven’t really paid mind to Disney urban exploring since the early 2010s- was very cool to revisit and see a new perspective, thanks.

[@Larslegos]

This deserves so many more views!! Instant subscriber

[@aspenlafever6414]

This content is so interesting and I definitely thought it was from a much larger creator! Subscribed and excited for more!🤩

[@primarycolors830]

this vid was so good! Very cohesive and you covered lots!

[@laurensimpson2335]

I love these types of videos, I haven’t seen anything where it’s a combination of a bunch of different places in one video.

[@hidingfromsomeone]

I reckon the urban exploring of Disney might get a resurgance in a few months when someone will want to be the first to explore an abandoned Starcruiser...

[@pickledkool-aid]

For a while when you googled Discovery Island, it would come up with a google review page for the attraction that you could still write reviews for, even though Google listed it as permanently closed. There were a lot of funny joke reviews in there, I remember. I wrote my own review several years ago from the perspective of a confused tourist that thought the abandonedness was part of the attraction, lol. It got quite a bit of likes which was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately I can’t get the Google review page to come up again when I search it. Maybe I have to do it from a computer and not a phone?

[@AndrewG99]

Great video! So glad I found this channel.

[@iluvharrypotter1722]

I love these Disney videos so much!!!!