50th Disneyland park tour?

[Chicago526]

I saw something awhile back about a 50th aniversary park tour of Disneyland, it included several rides, and if you took the last one of the day, special reserved seating for the fireworks. I can't seem to find any info on it at Disneyland.com, does anyone have a link or an official description? Thanks!

 

[degrapevine]

Hi, Chicago!

We're going on the 50th Anniversary Tour next Friday, March 24th at 6 PM.
I really wanted to see the fireworks again without having to stake out a spot several hours ahead of time and since we're from Florida and this is only our 2nd trip to DLR, we probably won't be back for a while, so the splurge is well worth it!
We're doing the last tour of the day, which includes the preferred (and reserved) fireworks seating on the Main Street railroad platform.
Here's the information about the tour, which IS eligible for the Disney Visa 20% discount!

Disneyland's New 50th Anniversary Guided Tour
The tour lasts 3-1/2 hours, and is $55 per person (2 and under is free). There are four tours a day, and each tour can accomodate up to 16 guests. Depending on the time of day, the tour includes the following elements:

The first tour has:
* "Priority Boarding" for five attractions
* Tour pin
* An illustrated replica of an A-E ticket book
* Commemorative photo
* Snack

The Second & Third Tours have:
* "Priority Boarding" for three attractions
* Tour pin
* An illustrated replica of an A-E ticket book
* Commemorative photo
* Snack
* Preferred seating to view the Parade of Dreams

The fourth tour has:
* "Priority Boarding" for three attractions
* Tour pin
* An illustrated replica of an A-E ticket book
* Commemorative photo
* Snack
* Preferred seating to view the Remember... Dreams Come True fireworks from the train platform


Call 714-781-4400 to make your reservation up to 30 days in advance. You must pay in advance.

There are several threads on this subject, just go into Advanced Search and type "50th Anniversary Tour," highlight the Disneyland Forum, and then search.

We're really looking forward to it and I'll give a detailed trip report when we return!

Hope this information helps you out ...
Rose

 

[Chicago526]

It does help, thanks!

One quick questions, anyone know what the rides are? My mom might be interested in the tour, but she can't ride anything that will induce motion sickness (teacups, rollercosters, splash mountain, etc). It may not be worth it for her if she has to skip too many rides.

 

[wmjivey]

I just called and was able to get a reservation for March 22nd at 4:30. We get preferred seating for the parade, rather than the fireworks. This works fine as our oldest DS does not care for fireworks at all.

 

[DisneyDotty]

It does help, thanks!

One quick questions, anyone know what the rides are? My mom might be interested in the tour, but she can't ride anything that will induce motion sickness (teacups, rollercosters, splash mountain, etc). It may not be worth it for her if she has to skip too many rides.

When we took the tour in December, the attractions included were: Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear and the movie of Walt Disney in the Opera House. Tour-goers were free to skip any attraction. Attractions will vary with each tour.
It's a great tour--highly recommend it!

 

[Mom2Joce]

What is the itinerary? I'm going with my 5 year old to the parks and wondered if she would be able to handle it! With a stroller I'm almost considering it but to know a step by step about this tour would be appreciated!

 

[dare2dream]

Kelie - I walk slow and the tour group slowed down for me. Each participant is given a transmitter and ear piece. The tour guide has a mike strapped on their head and the transmitter helps you to hear them talking. You walk around the park and the tour guide points out things, tells stories, and shares trivia. First stop for us was the Lincoln Theatre for the 50th birthday show. Then we rode Pirates, and then Big Thunder Mountain RR, then Splash Mountain. It was cool to go in special entrances and go to the front of the line. DH and I had riden Splash earlier in the day and I was concerned about getting my shoes wet. I paid good money for the tour and wanted to get my moneys worth but something told me to just sit out this ride. I was hot, cranky, tired, and my feet hurt so I skipped this ride. I sat on a bench by the exit for the ride. After a while the tour guide and several tour members came from the exit. Then no one. My cell phone rings and it is DH saying just after the tour guide's log went down the last drop the ride shuts down. As he was on the phone the lights then come on and the PA system told them to wait until castmembers arrived to help them exit the ride. A mass of people later come out from behind a gate where parade floats disappear to and later DH arrived with his story. The were lead down tiny stairs beside the last incline and then through tunnels and hallways to an employee parking lot - outside of the magic - and then back into the park. He is a technical guy and loved this real "behind the scenes" tour. I myself was hot, cranky, tired, and my feet hurt and I would have had a major meltdown if I had been on that ride and to exit in that manner. I was glad I listened to the still small voice that told me to just skip the ride.

Anyway Kelie - I'm not sure that this would be the best tour for you to enjoy with your daughter. Would she like Splash and BTMRR? There is a fun scavanger hunt tour that I bet Jocelyn would enjoy. I haven't done that one, but I'm sure that someone on this forum has.

The rides offered on each tour are subject to change according to the whim of the tour director. The last ride was the last train back to the train station before the fireworks show. We sat on wooden chairs on the train platform and got a boxed dinner of bottled water, chips, some type of sandwich - I think, an apple, and a cookie. We also got a special pin. It's the lamp in Walt's apartment that can light up. We also got a souvenier ticket book depicting the A - E tickets that were used for rides when DL first opened.

Fun tour. We enjoyed it. We took it Thurs July 21 and with the crowds in the park I was grateful to have a great place to enjoy the fireworks.

Wish I would be there again right now.

Brenda

 

[Mom2Joce]

Thank you so very much for all the info, I LOVE hearing stories like that! I could read until the cows come home (or my next DL trip I will look into the other tours offered and decide I didn't know about the headsets...that's pretty cool, can you hear well?

 

[MsYumiBr]

We just went on the "Imagination to Celebration" tour aka 50th tour last month for my birthday. We had the last tour. We did not get headsets. I had a hard time keeping up (our tour guide was young and sure knew how to maneuver a crowd). I would not recommend trying to go with a stroller. I took the VMK tour, which had the headsets, (tour no longer available) and the woman who had the stroller was not a happy camper and had a hard time keeping up. I would also suggest the tour geared towards the younger crowd. I think it is called "Discover the Magic".

 

[dare2dream]

I could hear OK with the earpiece. Each transmitter had an adjustable volume control. Sometimes the wind would blow or the mike got caught in our female tourguide's long hair and we couldn't hear too well. Then someone in the tour would complain and she would adjust her mike. We took the tour in July and the park was super crowded. As we were manuvering the crowds the tour guide would stick her hand striaght up in the air so we could see her. I was always dragging up the rear. The tour group was full, a total of 15 people. I guess that is why they used the earpieces.

I'm sure you and Jocelyn will have a great time.

Brenda

 

[Mom2Joce]

Thanks so much for the help! Makes it easy when you get reasonable feedback I'll look into the other tours!

 

[momsgoofy]

I haven't taken the tour yet, but it is on our agenda for our first trip in June...hope to get it for the first night we are there. When I called to get information on the tour the CM was an excellent source of info...she'd taken every tour herself and seemed really passionate about everything Disney. Anyway...she told me the 5 rides represent one from each decade the park has been open and during the evening tour guests only get to ride on 3. Garsh! She told me the 3 rides are randomly chosen by placing the ride names in a hat and the person on the tour whose birthday is closest to opening day of DL is the one who gets to draw them from the hat...so totally random.

Having never been to DL, I'm really looking forward to the tour as a great way to iget acquainted with the park. I know there is the Welcome to Disneyland tour which takes guests to both DL and DCA, but it just doesn't seem as interesting to my family.

 

[dbanzai]

Is the tour doable with a wheelchair? Due to diabetes, my friend usually rents a wheelchair at Dis parks. He can walk when need be and he can transfer for rides and such.

 

[Califgirl]

The tour is called "From Imagination to Celebration", (not the 50th Tour), but it is the 50th anniversary tour. Disney just likes to confuse us

The posts above give a good description of the tour. They are supposed to have the headsets, and all the tours I have done have had them. It makes it very easy to hear the tour guide.

The rides on the tour are not totally random. They do put the decades into a hat and pick 3 decades, but the rides available that you ride are:

50's: Storybook canal boats
60's: Pirates of the Carribean
70's: Big thunder Mountain RR (or is this the 80's?)
80's: Splash Mountain
90's: Buzz Lightyear
(and the train part way around the park)

The tour we went on had time to do 4 of the rides, and had preferred seating for the fireworks.
At the beginning of the tour you do the Imagination to Celebration display and movie at the Disneyland Opera House (where Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was before the 50th anniversary celebration) and ride one of the street cars down to the hub.

Like others have said, you also get a group photo, the commemorative A-E Ticket book, a tour pin, and a snack.

With pirates down, I'm not sure what ride they will substitute, but something else will be in there.
Enjoy the tour! We certainly had a great time.

 

[wmjivey]

We did this tour on 3/22. We were part of a group of 18 and did not get the earbuds, unfortunately. Dustin was our tour guide and he was good but you had to question him to get information. Not really forthcoming with the information. Unless you were standing right next to Dustin, it was hard to hear what he was saying.

We first saw the film at the Opera House and then walked over to Buzz. After Buzz, we walked through Fantasyland to Big Thunder. Our third and last ride was Haunted Mansion. We did not get to choose or pick the rides out of a hat. We then had to head over to the parade seating as it was almost 7 p.m.

Our group was slowed down a bit by a member who had suffered a stroke and could not walk very quickly. This was fine except I feel like we might have missed out on things. I know strollers and wheelchairs can be a hassle but in this instance I think it would have been more favorable for the whole group.

The seats for the parade were right outside Alice in Wonderland. The tour was okay but ours only lasted about 2 1/2 hours, not the 3 1/2 hours it is advertised as. You meet at City Hall at 4:30 and the parade is from 7-7:15 and that is it. I sort of expected a little something more after the parade since it had been advertised as 3 1/2 hours, and we were even reminded that we would be gone for 3 1/2 hours by Dustin before leaving City Hall.

 

[dbanzai]

Well we booked for a Friday night, incl. fireworks.

We shouldn't slow people down, I push, he rides.

 

[boosmom96]

The tour is called "From Imagination to Celebration", (not the 50th Tour), but it is the 50th anniversary tour. Disney just likes to confuse us

DH & I will down there in July and I am interested in this tour. I cannot find it listed on the official DLR website. Does anyone know if it will still be offered at the beginning of July? Does anyone know if it's refundable if one needs to cancel? Our trip is contingent on DD (9) going to summer camp. If she bails, we'll probably cancel.
Thanks in advance.

 

[joanne1968]

The tours are difficult to find on the website, I can't remember how I located it, but it is definitely non refundable, they mention that on the phone