New EPCOT segway...Nature Inspired Design

[tatajess]

Hello,

Has anyone gone on the Nature Inspired Design tour? I've searched everywhere and would like more info!

What kind of things did you get to see? Was it worth it?

Thanks!

[Chkultr]

I think you are talking about the Wilderness Trail Tour.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/rec...ail-adventure/

I did this tour when it was 1st offered. We saw a ton of plant life and deer. They show you a great spot to watch the fireworks from across the lake. Great picture spot also.

You go through the campgrounds and the Wilderness Lodge. You also make a pit stop at the stables.

I loved this tour.

Getting to the tour is a bit rough if you are staying at a value resort. Atleast it was when we did it.

We took a bus to MK and walked over to the Contemp, took the boat from the Contemp over to the campground and walked up past the old River Country water park to the right and met the guides. Two great guys that did the tour!

Enjoy it and I hope this helped

[roselark]

No, actually it seems like there is a new EPCOT tour. This is what I found online about it.

"A new backstage tour featuring the off-road Segway X-2 is now available for guests at Epcot. Titled 'Nature-Inspired Design', the 3 hour tour costs $124, and includes tours of several Epcot Future World pavilions, and an off-road Segway X-2 tour at a backstage area."

Sounds really neat.

[Chkultr]

Well if it is a new tour it sounds awesome! Guess I will have to do a little digging!

Sorry

[Mauldita]

My parents are scheduled for it during our stay next week.
It is Air, Land, and Sea...so you go thru the Land -Soarin, LWTL and The Seas w/ Nemo. It costs a small amount more than the other two tours, but it sounds like it is going to be really neat!
(And I am so glad they are reopening LWTL Oct 3rd!!!)

[tatajess]

Mauldita, you'll have to post a review about it when you return!

I've read all the "official" snippits, but I'd like to know a bit more before I book it. Hope you and your parents have a great trip

[Scrappy_Tink]

That sounds so cool!! It's not too much more than the original tour, and you get a whole extra hour. My DH and I did the EPCOT WS tour on our Honeymoon, it was so much fun!

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

My dad and I are doing the new tour in December. Can't wait, we have done the Segway Around the world tour before.

[tekmnky]

I was the first "paying customer" on this tour on 7 July, and the only one on the tour - so the tour now may be a little different from what I experienced. It started with a short film presentation on the Segway vehicle, then went into the normal training routine on using the Segway. I was given a headset w/microphone to wear under my helmet so I could communicate with the guides. We boarded our Segways and headed out - the first stop was the Land pavillion and a behind-the-scenes tour/presentation of the hydroponic gardens conducted by one of the garden staff. Then a backstage entrance for the included ride on Soarin'. From there we went to the Seas pavillion for a backstage tour/presentation on the aquarium by one of the aquarium staff - that occurred right at feeding time in the aquarium so I got to watch that with some narration by the tour presenter. From there we Segway'd over to the water treatment facility that supports the aquarium. That portion of the tour was conducted by one of the engineers that runs the water plant. Most of the Segway riding was done behind the fences, outside of the "guest" facilities at EPCOT. There was also about a 15 minute period of supervised "free riding" on the Segway on the helicopter pad backstage near the Seas pavillion. The cost at the time was $105 (w/AP discount).

It was very interesting and great fun. I only found out about it while doing the "Around the World" Segway tour on Monday, 6 July, and one of the guides mentioned that a new Segway tour had just been opened up. When I finished the "Around the World" tour I walked over to Guest Relations there at EPCOT and asked about it. It took a couple of different conversations with different CM's before I got confimation that it even existed. They told me to use the courtesy phone there on the desk to contact the TOURS department to get details. I called and was told that it was available on Tuesday, 7 July (I was scheduled to fly out of Orlando Tuesday afternoon!). I booked it and when I showed up Tuesday morning I discovered that I was the only one booked and the first "guest" to go on the tour - that was the inaugural tour and I was the "guinea pig" for the whole thing!

And if memory serves me correctly it was done on the "all terrain" Segway with the knobby inflated tires, just like the Wilderness Trails tour, instead of the hard rubber-tired version used in the "Around the World" tour.