A look into the underground community of rule-breakers at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and how their actions led to the disappearance of an Audio-Animatronic named Buzzy.
Disney fans, you’re going to want to run not walk to watch director Joshua Bailey’s “Stolen Kingdom,” an absolute wild ride of a documentary that explores the darker, hidden side of Disney World that’s filled with mischief, scandal, and theft.
The film dives deep into the underground community of the House of Mouse urban explorers, showcasing their crazy stunts and illegal exploits within the Disney theme parks. What starts as a collection of funny pranks and harmless adventures (like breaking and entering into off-limits backstage areas and jumping out of ride vehicles to pose with the attraction’s vignettes) eventually leads to the true crime mystery of the theft of Buzzy, an animatronic valued at nearly half a million dollars, from the abandoned EPCOT attraction “Cranium Command.”
The film is incredibly fun to watch, especially if you’re a Disney fan or just someone interested in the secretive subculture of urban exploring. The documentary has this cool energy to it, especially as the story unfolds to reveal how what began as harmless fun and friendship eventually spiraled into crime. All of these shenanigans were fueled by a sense of thrill-seeking and the adrenaline rush that comes with pulling off insane stunts within the walls of the world’s most famous theme parks.
It’s a brave movie to make for several reasons, especially because most of the subjects that are featured are openly talking and admitting to committing crimes. The folks who share their stories firsthand about sneaking in and around the parks white getting up to all sorts of antics bring this fascinating world to life. C’mon, how many among us haven’t wanted to pull some of these same stunts? I’d venture to guess the majority of hardcore Disney fans sure have thought about it at one time in their lives (I know I have). The mix of passion and poor decisions here is oddly captivating, and it’s clear how the excitement of these stunts has grown into a bigger, more dangerous obsession. If nothing else, they sure are a lot of fun to watch.
If you’re a Disney nerd or even just into crazy true crime stories, you’re going to get a lot of enjoyment out of this documentary. The film shows off some jaw-dropping, one-of-a-kind footage of these illegal exploits. While you can’t help but be mesmerized by the audacity of it all, you also have to wonder how far these people are willing to go for a viral video or an adrenaline high. It’s both dangerous and fascinating, especially as these urban explorers try to one-up each other with more daring and reckless stunts.
What really makes the documentary stand out, though, is the way it chronicles the theft of Buzzy. What seems like a lighthearted story of urban exploration soon becomes a full-on crime mystery as we learn about the black market community that fuels these heists. Watching it unfold, it becomes a game by trying to piece together who might be behind the theft and what motivates these people to risk so much for something as strange as a theme park animatronic.
In the end, “Stolen Kingdom” isn’t just a documentary about a pilfered robotic character. It’s a deep dive into a world of thrill-seekers, crime, and poor decisions, all set against the backdrop of Disney World. If you’ve ever been curious about what really happens behind the scenes at Disney or the lengths people will go for fame, this one’s for you. It’s crazy, it’s dangerous, and it’s absolutely captivating.
