The Key To the Kingdom by Jeff Dixon Read Free Book Online Page A

the outside this looks like three distinct time-period-specific storefronts. But once you walk inside, if you look closely, you will see three very different shops that are tied together with a Christmas theme. The Imagineers created a backstory for each shop. The first is a Music Teacher’s Shop; if you look at the decorations, you will see a variety of instruments ready for the holiday celebration. The second shop is a Woodcarver’s Shop. It’s more rustic looking, as if the woodcarver is making toys for gifts.” Kiran pointed to the last shop. “The final shop is not a shop at all. Instead it’s like a home decorated for the holidays, warm and inviting for guests and family. The family is identified as the Kepple family. Now here is a question for you trivia buffs.” She paused to allow them to listen closely. “Why was the name Kepple chosen for this shop?”
    Silence was the answer of choice for the tourists. A few couples whispered to each other, trying to figure out the reason for the name. Eventually a few of the tourists looked toward Hawk, who had proven to be an endless stream of trivia facts throughout the tour. Even Kiran looked toward him and cracked a grin as she watched him try to remember the answer. Momentarily he brought the silence to an end.
    “I don’t know.” He shrugged.
    “I’ll tell you what.” Kiran stepped forward. “If you do figure it out by the time the tour ends, I’ll have a collector’s pin to give you as a prize.”
    The remainder of the tour flew by as Hawk watched and listened to Kiran talk about the way the Magic Kingdom had been built and the little-known details of the tunnels located below the park. The Utilidoor, she explained, had been Walt’s idea after watching the cast members in Disneyland walk through the park in costume one day. He was bothered by the fact that cast members broke the illusion and continuity of the various lands of the theme park by passing through them in clothing used in other lands. Seeing an astronaut walking the old west of Frontierland was simply unacceptable. The Florida creation was going to eliminate that problem. The solution was to build a series of tunnels that would allow the cast members to move beneath the streets of the Magic Kingdom. These tunnels, or utilidoors, formed an underworld cityconnected by passageways that featured unmarked entrances and exits at various places into the Kingdom.
    Nearly five hours later the group returned to City Hall, where they had begun. Kiran wrapped up the presentation. “I hope you have enjoyed our behind-the-scenes look at the Magic Kingdom. It is truly a magical place created by a dreamer that was one of a kind. If you haven’t had the chance, and you get the opportunity, you can find out more about the fascinating Walt Disney by visiting One Man’s Dream at the Disney Hollywood Studios. While you are there you can even see Walt’s office where he would sit behind his desk, meet with others, and read scripts. In the office you can also see some of the diagrams for various areas of the Walt Disney World Resort. No matter how much you learn there is always something else to discover about this amazing place. I hope you now feel like you have a few more keys to unlock the kingdom.”
    Hawk replayed what she had just said as the group said their good-byes. While you are there you can even see Walt’s office where he would sit behind his desk, meet with others, and read scripts. In the office you can also see some of the diagrams for various areas of the Walt Disney World Resort . The words had a familiar ring to them and Hawk rewound his memory searching for something that Rales had said to him when they were at Gamble Place. Rales had spoken about Walt’s being changed after he saw the Seven Dwarfs’ Cottage. He went back to the studio, sat behind his desk, and let the memories that this place created in him spark his imagination, his ability to really understand a story, and eventually