11 insider facts about working at Walt Disney World only cast members know

Melendy said it's considered "bad show" for a cast members to not wear a name tag. But if you lose your tag, no worries. There's a whole stockpile of gender neutral names like Chris, Sam, and Pat to choose from.

"I lost my first name tag, so I was Chris from New York for two weeks while I waited for my new one," she said.

Melendy said she tried out to become a costumed character, but ultimately didn't make the cut. She said that these performers must go through layers of auditions and costume fittings in order to land the role.

People who are good at improvising have a leg up. During the process, you're asked to pantomime activities, like making a sandwich and washing a dog.

"You were supposed to make these gestures big and dramatic, because if you're in a costume you have to parlay what you're saying without saying anything," she said.

In some cultures, pointing your finger is considered quite rude.

"They do tell you that, if you're giving directions, to point with two fingers or your whole hand extended out as if you're gonna shake someone's hand," Melendy said.

The terms "onstage" and "backstage" don't just apply to performers at Walt Disney World.

"Even just being in the stores, they called that onstage," Melendy said. "If you're in the computer room or back office, that's backstage."

And all cast members, from the person dressed as Mickey Mouse to the person working the register at one of the park's gift shops, must stay "in character" onstage.

"That would mean that your costume is correct, your name tag is on, and your pin lanyard is on — we would trade pins with guests," she said. "They very much stressed that this is an experience. It's not your experience, it's the guest's experience. You have to provide the best show that you can. It's stepping into a role."

Fox said that, for cast members, talking about your personal life and arguing is not an option. Anything that will "break the spell" of the Disney experience, so to speak, is out.

"When you're talking to Cinderella, and say, 'Hey, let me take a picture of you on my iPhone,' and she says, 'What is an iPhone?' — she's playing a role and her job is to maintain that role, to maintain that entertainment, maintain that story," Fox said.

He said that passageways to Disney's "backstage" are often marked with a broad yellow line.

"What those lines mean is that, if you were a cast member, anytime you step past that line, you are visible to the guests and you must be onstage," he said.

Cast members don't just pack up and head out for the day when all the guests depart. Melendy said her shift would typically end an hour or two after the park closed.

That meant getting a glimpse of a deserted Walt Disney World.

"It's kind of spooky because you're just so used to seeing it full," Melendy said. "Most of the time they keep the music on, so it's not completely creepy."

Cast members can't just take a walk around the park when they're working.

This policy may have stemmed from something Walt Disney himself saw in Disneyland. Reportedly, the founder noticed a Frontierland cowboy taking a stroll through Tomorrowland.

"For Walt, it was all about the story," Fox said. "To see a cowboy from Frontierland in Tomorrowland, it just ruins the story."

While some reports indicate that there's a whole underground, cast-members-only tangle of passageways beneath Walt Disney World, the reality is a little less mysterious.

The underground "utilidors" serve to allow cast members to move about the Magic Kingdom and Epcot unseen. According to Fox, Disneyland also features a smaller system of utilidors. The ones constructed in Walt Disney World were built at ground level, to avoid the area's high water table. The whole park is actually built around 14 feet above ground level.

"The utiladors provide utility," Fox said. "They're an excellent business tools. It's nothing that Disney's trying to hide from people, it's just a very efficient tool for maintaining the story."

Fox said that cast members sometimes cycle or take small carts to navigate the underground passages, which also include large pipes through which trash is moved.

Melendy said that cast members can break from character once they're in the utilidors and out of sight.

"You see different character performers with their wigs off, but their costumes on," she said. "You see a mix of all the people from around the park."

She didn't spend much time in the passageways, however, as she worked in Frontierland and it proved to be a bit of a walk.

Along with the tunnels, cast members have access to underground cafeterias, dressing rooms, and even a salon called Kingdom Kutters.

"Some cast members also have access to a trailer or a room in a building in the backstage area," Veness said.

She and her husband Simon once got a firsthand glimpse of a trailer when they visited a former performer at Epcot's American Music Machine attraction for an interview.

"It was fairly basic, with tables and chairs they could use during meals, and a little sitting area, plus a few small rooms, including a room with mirrors where they could do their makeup and hair," she said.

Even beyond the hidden tunnels, there's more to Disney World than meets the eye. According to Veness, especially VIP lounges dot the park — especially Epcot.

"Some of them are open to guests who work at the company that sponsors the attraction they're attached to, some of them are open to Make-A-Wish kids and their families, some welcome certain card holders, such as the Disney Visa card, and some of them are used for media events or private functions," she said.

Veness and her husband have visited several of the lounges, including one in the old Wonders of Life attraction. She said that Spaceship Earth, Test Track, Mission: Space, and the American Adventure all have hidden lounges, although some may have closed. There's even a private safari camp in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

According to Veness, taking a behind-the-scenes tour is a good option for anyone who's dying to get a backstage ook at the park.

When it comes to all things Disney, cast members often become experts, over the years. That means knowing all about some of the park's subtle Easter eggs.

"Many of them, especially the long-time cast members, have an encyclopedic knowledge of their attraction's details," Veness said. "Many cast members know at least one or two hidden details, but some go above and beyond."

"When you look at the parks, look at the little details, those make a huge difference, too," Fox said.

Veness said she's even met Disney cast members at the American Adventure in Epcot who spent years researching the details of the attraction.

So if you end up striking up a conversation with a cast member, make sure to ask about any cool hidden details in the park.