They allow Disney employees (cast members) to perform park support operations, such as trash removal, and for costumed characters to quickly reach their destinations on the surface out of the sight of guests to avoid ruining the illusion that is being created. These tunnels were first built for Magic Kingdom.

The famous tunnels under Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, known as "Utilidors" (short for utility corridors), were built to preserve the "thematic integrity" and "show" of the park. The idea originated from Walt Disney himself after he saw a cowboy from Frontierland walking through the futuristic Tomorrowland at Disneyland, which he felt ruined the guest's immersion. These 9-acre tunnels allow cast members to move between different "lands" out of sight, transport trash via a sophisticated automated vacuum system (AVAC), deliver merchandise and food to shops and restaurants, and house the massive wardrobe department. Interestingly, they are not technically "underground"; because of Florida's high water table, the tunnels were built at ground level, and the actual theme park was constructed one story above them using soil excavated from the Seven Seas Lagoon. Access to these corridors is strictly limited to employees, although guests can catch a glimpse of them through specialized backstage tours like "Keys to the Kingdom."