How Disney Tricks You Into Walking Past Hidden Control Rooms

If you have ever wondered how Disney magic works, let's uncover six Disneyland hidden control rooms and how these locations can increase your Disney Magic!

[toddsworldofcooking]

Another way to know if the fireworks are cancelled is to look at the top of the Matterhorn.
You can see a dark square at the top. That’s the open door that tinker bell comes out of.
If the door is closed and turns white, they are cancelled. The door is closed about 10 minutes before the announcement is made.

[seanmulligan]

Got to do some work around the control rooms years back. CalOSHA made Disney raise height of guard rails and barriers on many of the roofs. We had to take old wood steps and platforms out that techs use to check conditions.

[placke]

Watched this video yesterday and went to Disneyland today, and during the mixed magic fireworks, we noticed the fireworks stopped during the Coco scene. Then noticed a white balloon, then another, then a 3rd all released from the fireworks launch area. The balloons seemed to go mostly straight up, but they definitely stopped launching fireworks and got no finale. Thanks Brickey, for letting us know why we kept seeing balloons. We picked a spot in front of small world asked a cast member if it was OK to be where we were and she said we “may” be asked to move due to wind. Seemed like there was little to no wind, but they pulled the plug mid show. So glad we knew why. Again- Thank You Brickey for all your hard work!

[LMGVids]

I was always wondering why I saw a white balloon fly up a little bit before the fireworks, great videos bricky

[JesseAdventure]

I remember my last day at Disneyland in 2006 went and watched the fireworks in front of the castle Remember dreams come true! (Best Disneyland Fireworks show! I have my reason why it’s the best) after the show, went over and watch fantasy before the show started we were in front of one of the lighting rigs this guy came over rip open a rock 🪨 pull out the remote to bring the tower down so the spotlight guy went up and do his thing I’m still shocked about that today

[slamovgod]

Great video! It’s always a fun time hearing the “there’s not even any wind.” Complaints from guests who are completely oblivious to fire safety.

[DisneyLegoLemaxandMore]

I'm exactly like you, just one performance of Fantasmic in that control room is one of my lifetime dreams! I was watching Halloween Screams from there one time and I even asked one of the cast members who operated the show if I could go up there, and they told me that unfortunately, only "special" individuals can go, but he would have taken me up if that wasn't the case. All of the lighting, sound, fountain, fire, laser and operation cast members who operate all of these nighttime shows are severely underrated. People just think that someone turns on the program and it runs automatically, but it takes countless months and hours to program every microsecond of these shows. Thanks for the video!

[OgasBoyfriend]

What a great video! I learned more from this than from any previous video from you or any creator. Brickey, you are an exceptional storyteller!

[timothygenewong]

Great content. Hiding the mechanics of everything is the very best part of the magic trick that is Disneyland.

I got to visit the control room for World of Color through a professional development conference opportunity for live entertainment techs in 2011. It was both amazing and surreal to see the control board and the several small rooms worth of servers.

[josephhalderman]

The green light for the sword in the window is just a status light that the system is on. It’s there to confirm to the cast member that the system is functional. The actual triggering is done with a wireless controller by the cast member.

[TheGreatPOD]

I'm not gonna read through all the comments to see if anybody else posts this out, but you got a few things wrong in this video and somethings right. The first big thing you got wrong was world of color. The room you pointed out is where the stage manager sits to call the show. All the technicians running the show are running it from a highly secured room backstage in a building. The control room has six control stations and is right next to the server room where all the Contant is stored, and I know this to be true because I've been in that room backstage. I also believe you're wrong about the control location for the firework show. It's actually closer to the hub I won't say exactly where, but if you were a professional in this industry, you know where to look because it's where you'd want to be for that show. I would also say for fantasmic at least as of the last time I saw the show several years ago the actual show show caller/stage manager is sitting on a temporary control cart, which is rolled out near the center tower. I believe that station also houses the safety officer for all the Pyro and fire effects as you would want that person to have a really good view of everything to maintain safety for the production. But other than that a great video.

[reginaldnand]

You're the only Disney content creator that I don't skip or fast forward to the end. Don't change a thing!

[catperson]

I feel so smart after watching this fun video. They might be control rooms, but it still feels very magical to me. I loved this little peek into how the magic happens. Thank you, Brickey!

[JoshuaBilly-st]

A failure is a man who has blundered but is not capable of cashing in on the experience.

[amandak]

Yeeess! Love the peek into the range of the simple analog controls to the complex rooms filled with screens.

[BruceBergman]

Often Merlin is on stage getting a child to pull the sword out, with a remote control in his pocket. The green light in the window is a confirmation it's triggered. 5:36

[NYPlasticDoc]

Just wanted to give a what's up and thanks for everything shout out. My son Peter Parker and I live in AZ but try to get to Disneyland 8-10 times per year. We were just there last weekend and had a blast. Big crowds but still had a memorable time. Yesterday 2/19 got SOAKED at Universal Hollywood, it was crazy. I have lived in southern California and cannot remember such a downpour. Our pants and socks and shoes were totally soaked! LOVE your videos, such awesome

[usroadtripper]

Fascinating! Now I want you to catch that balloon release on video for us! 😁

[mholzer]

Dude... You've given me a reason to go back to Disneyland, but not for the rides, but for the history. I have 8mm of me at Disneyland in 1955 (I was a year old.) But the cool part was my dad did audio engineering for Disney On Ice, back in the '50s. Also, a really good story for you to investigate was the Dixieland Band, the "Firehouse 5 plus 2". What makes this story incredible was that all the musicians were Disney Animators. The one I got to know at the studio was Ward Kimball. Someone told me that he was one of Walt's best animators. Anyway, my dad and I would record them for albums at the Golden Horseshoe Review. I knew the little bit behind the scenes at the review. In the '50s, I just remember going and seeing nothing but orange trees forever.

Really enjoy your work!

[MickWallis-vl]

He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own.