Need advice...Can't decide if I should book Walk in Walt's Footsteps

[Girimama33]

I am curious to hear what the wise DISers would do in this scenario...
I have wanted to take the WIWF tour...mainly to see his apartment. I always go with DD, so a tour was not feasible. I am taking a trip in September with a friend, and she is interested in the tour as well.
Since it appears the apartment is entirely off the tour menu (according to the CM I just spoke to...although there have been reports some have still been able to see the apartment recently), I just don't know if I should book it. Here are the reasons why I am holding back on booking the tour:

You are not guaranteed to see anything...everything is up in the air from the attractions you see to the apartment/Dream Suite. I just spoke with a CM and they will not confirm anything except "classic attractions".

The only tour time will likely be at 9:30 am. I prefer an afternoon time. We will only be there 2 days (Thurs and Fri). I love to take advantage of the first few hours in the morning after the park opens. If I book this tour, I will miss rope drop one of the mornings. If I had more days at the parks...maybe it would not be an issue.

I do not know what to do...while I would love to take a tour, it is just hard to give up the time and money when I have no idea what I am going to be able to experience.

What would you do?

 

[ADLFAN]

Hmmm, I am faced with that same dilemma in September...

I think I am leaning towards booking the tour because it sounds pretty interesting and I have never done a tour before so it seems like a logical place to begin.

Did I hear a rumor that they are turning the Dream Suite into a new bar/dining area? Or was that some other place?

I wonder if they will ever figure out how to offer an ADA compliant peek at Walt's apartment... I think that is what is keeping it from being shown on tours regularly.

I think the tour would be a fun experience for you and a friend, especially if they are into Disney history. It would eat up half of one day, but it would probably be a fun and easy start to the day and you'd get a relaxing lunch at the end. Then you can hit the rides hard on your second morning!

 

[Girimama33]

From what I read, the Dream Suite will now be offered for a private dining experience (I think you have to have a decent sized party though). It is mainly a perk for Club 33 members, but folks that can afford to hold a private event at DL may be able to book it too.

 

[DisneyloverinWA]

I did the tour and did not see the apartment or the dream suite and I still think it was amazing! We got to go inside Club 33 in the lobby and hear about the history. Not sure if you still get to do that, but we learned a lot about Walt and had fun. I cried at the end

 

[Indiana Scott]

I was all ready to sign up the three of us but since Walts apt. and C33 are off the table, we won't be doing the tour.
Without those (esp the apt) it just isn't worth it to me and we'll wait until they reinstate it.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

I haven't done the tour yet but want to. However, in your situation, I probably wouldn't book it. It just sounds like the timing isn't really right for this trip. But, I would definitely plan to work it into a future trip.

 

[Nonsuch]

...Did I hear a rumor that they are turning the Dream Suite into a new bar/dining area? Or was that some other place?

From what I read, the Dream Suite will now be offered for a private dining experience...

21 Royal Street is the new dining venue, located upstairs in NOS adjacent to the Dream Suite. The Dream Suite patio will be part of some dining experiences, but the Dream Suite should remain available for daytime tours.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I haven't done the tour yet but want to. However, in your situation, I probably wouldn't book it. It just sounds like the timing isn't really right for this trip. But, I would definitely plan to work it into a future trip.

I agree. I think it's too expensive if you have doubts.

 

[thmcdonald1]

I would do it. I've done the WIWF tour twice now. Once with Walt's apartment and once with the Dream Suite. While the first tour with Walt's Apartment was all around a better experience (we rode Peter Pan, the Railroad and Great Moments), the Dream Suite was a MUCH better experience than Walt's apartment! (Never thought I'd say that, until I took the tour). The second tour, we rode Alice, the railroad and Haunted Mansion, which wasn't even a Walt attraction. I was bummed.

BUT, it was still a great experience, and something I would do a third time if I ever got a chance. Worth every penny.

 

[mummabear]

I would do it, we didnt do it last trip since Walts Apt and C33 were removed from the tour and I didnt know the Dream Suite was replacing it. I regretted missing the opportunity to see the DS.
I really think what is the worse case if you do it, its not as good as you had hoped? Will you get another opportunity to do it again soon? How often do you visit? (the more often you visit the less of a waste of park time I would see it)
I do find it frustrating that Disney is so vague about what is included with the tour, really it should be quite set with x 3 rides and x 3 replacement rides in the case of closures etc.
Its a lot of money and time to invest in "you'll find out when you get there" and they can easily resolve that uncertainty by providing more info would you be happy to order a meal at the restaurant with that sort of vague info....It will be on a white plate with 3 vegetables (which vegetables can vary and I cant tell you right now) and maybe pork or chicken or maybe no meat at all, but some people have been lucky to get beef as well as either the pork or chicken

 

[Nonsuch]

I picked up this brochure last weekend, which still includes the apartment.
The small print at the bottom reads:
"Attractions and entertainment are subject to availability and may change without notice."

 

[tlcdoula]

I am looking at doing this tour too. I called for current pricing and the CM told me it is $109 but the AAA discount isn't valid anymore. Oh well I think I will still go for it. I have wanted to do it on other visits but never got around to booking it. This will be the year!

 

[DisneylandDancer]

I think it is totally worth it! My family and I did the tour a few months ago and loved it! They said they normally take guests on PP, but it was closed for the refurb. Our guide also tried to take us on Alice, but it wasn't working so they gave us a fastpass for any ride instead. Then we rode the railroad and HM. I know a lot of Disney lore, so I thought I may have heard all the stories, but I was pleasantly surprised! It was an amazing tour! We went in the Dream Suite, and I never wanted to leave! They told us the apartment was too small for a tour. Surprisingly enough, they still sneaked in Walt stories in the Suite. Overall it was fantastic and I think it's totally worth it for anyone as obsessed with Disney as I am.

 

[MadeToLove]

IMO the Dream Suite is totally worth taking the tour. Remember, that if Walt had lived longer, the DS would have been his new apartment. And it is decorated to look very close to what he originally wanted when the first plans were drawn up for it. However, just keep this in mind: a night in the Dream Suite is offered as part of some of the prizes being awarded during the 60th Anniversary, so in the upcoming months, there will randomly be days where the suite is not available because someone will be sleeping there (which is why they won't "guarantee" it for any particular day you might want to take the tour)

 

[Girimama33]

I an still toying with the idea. We changed our departing flight till later on Saturday, so we will be in the parks in the AM/afternoon. Since we will have had two full park days, I am thinking Saturday AM may be a good time. We can get an hour of rides in before we go on the tour.

 

[MadeToLove]

I an still toying with the idea. We changed our departing flight till later on Saturday, so we will be in the parks in the AM/afternoon. Since we will have had two full oar days, I am thinking Saturday AM may be a good time. We can get an hour of rides in before we go on the tour.

In your timing for this, know that the tour starts at 9:30am, goes to about 12:30, when you'll take a break for lunch, and then about 1:00 it goes on to the Dream Suite for at least an hour, so don't plan on finishing the whole tour until 2:30-3:00 to be on the safe side. Also, the park may not open before 9-10am in Sept. (but if it is a 10am opening, they'll let you in early if you have tour reservations.)

 

[Girimama33]

Historically, Saturday's open at 8 am during that time.