4. Find a vantage point

One of Walt’s overriding philosophies behind Walt Disney World was the idea of buying up enough land that visitors could not see the real world outside the property. While this aspect of his plan works well, there are places where you can see behind the scenes. Want to know what’s behind a construction wall or a backstage gate? Try going up. It’s amazing how much you can see from high vantage points such as the top of the Swiss Family Treehouse. Keep your eyes open beyond what you’re “supposed” to see, and you never know what you might find.

5. Catch a lucky break

Some of the best behind the scenes moments happen due to random chance. Riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority is a great example. Most of the time, it passes through Space Mountain during normal operations. The lights are off and you can see the distinctively illuminated ride vehicles zooming by. But every now and then, Space Mountain is down for a major reset and the lights are turned on. It’s a great time to examine the track layout and other details of that ride. Of course, if you happen to be evacuated from a ride due to a breakdown, you might get to walk the tracks, descend a ladder, or see behind the scenes areas not available on any tour.

6. Stay really late

If you’re interested in the people power that makes Walt Disney World what it is, stay as late as possible after closing. You won’t be thrown out, but you will be gradually and gently herded toward the front gate. In the meantime, you might have the chance to catch the 3rd shift cleaning and maintenance crews starting their nightly routine.

A particularly fun way to observe nighttime procedures is to choose a night when the Magic Kingdom is open later than Epcot. Leave your car in Epcot parking and then head over to the Magic Kingdom. At the end of the night, ride the monorail back to Epcot. Since it goes through Future World, you’ll have an excellent birds-eye view of what happens after closing.