Anyone take Steam Engines tour recently?

[lindamg]

If you've taken the Steam Engines tour recently, could you tell me how you got to the park? We've been told we need to be at Guest Services at the MK at 7:15 AM. We'll be staying at the WL. How did you get to the park at this early of an hour?

 

[betterlatethannever]

I asked the same same question when we took the tour in May.

The best answer is

If you have a car, take it to CR. The guard will have your name on a list and let you park there. TThen walk to MK.

If not, take a taxi to CR and walk to MK. DO NOT take the taxi to MK because it drops you off at the TCC.

When we took the tour, the tour started at 7:30. (Between 7:15 and 7:30 we were getting name badges and signing in) There were about 18 people total.

More than half got there after 7:30 and about 4 of them missed the first 10 minutes of the tour. They took the busses or took the monorail.

Ed

 

[kaygela]

What is the Steam Engines Tour?

 

[lindamg]

Thanks Ed! That's a big help. I knew we needed to avoid TTC, I just wasn't sure how. We'll have our car, so we'll just drive to the CR, as you suggested.

kaygela, Here's info I copied from Deb's site (allearsnet.com) I think some of this info is outdated. I was given a cost of $34 (with my AP discount) and told the tour ended at 10:30, but at least this will give you an idea.

The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains
Magic Kingdom


The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains, a Magic Kingdom park tour, explores Walt Disney's passion for steam trains, while giving Guests the opportunity to join the opening crew as they prepare for the daily railroad operation at the MAGIC KINGDOM.

The tour highlight is the train trip back to the roundhouse with an up-close and personal look at one or more of our locomotives, but the experience is also rich in history about Walt Disney's lifelong fascination with steam trains, how we acquired our four old locomotives, and the operating procedures we follow to serve our annual ridership of over 3 million._ As a souvenir, guests get an actual spike from the railroad.

Offered Monday, Thursday and Saturdays at the MK turnstiles at 7:30 am and ends approximately 9:30 am.


The cost is $30 plus tax and theme park admission is required. Guests must be at least 10 years old to participate.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We took the tour on Nov. 1, and our souvenir is a great "Steam Train Tour" pin. DH is a RR buff, but mom and I enjoyed the tour as well.

bobbi

 

[lindamg]

Oooh!! a Pin!!!!

Yes!!! Hubby's going with me - I'll have one to keep and one to trade!!

Much better than a spike!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I think so too, and we don't trade pins!

Bobbi

 

[LibertyBelle]

Originally posted by lindamg

As a souvenir, guests get an actual spike from the railroad.

Offered Monday, Thursday and Saturdays at the MK turnstiles at 7:30 am and ends approximately 9:30 am.

The cost is $30 plus tax and theme park admission is required. Guests must be at least 10 years old to participate.

Some changes have been made from when this info was written Here are some of the updates... The tour now ends at 10:30 (or around there...sometimes it goes longer), instead of 9:30. It is now offered on Tuesday's as well as Monday, Thursday and Saturday and the cost (before an AP discounts or any package deals) is $40 per person plus theme park admission. They no longer give out the Railroad spike as the airlines will not allow them on the flights so a tour exclusive pin (designed by one of the engineers on the WDW railroad) is now being given out

 

[Aisling]

I really wanted to do this tour, but coming from AKL without a car, it doesn't look like I'll be able to.

What about getting on the early MK Breakfast PS bus? Would that work get me to the tour ontime?

 

[bobbiwoz]

You could take a cab. I don't know about the PS bus. When we entered the park there really weren't any other guests around. In fact, it was suggested that we take a picture of mainstreet from the top of the RR station, just to show people that we were in the park before it opened. Everyone who has seen the picture asks when was it taken.

Bobbi

 

[LibertyBelle]

Originally posted by Aisling
I really wanted to do this tour, but coming from AKL without a car, it doesn't look like I'll be able to.

What about getting on the early MK Breakfast PS bus? Would that work get me to the tour ontime?

Probably not... the first breakfast reservations are not until 8am and the tour begins at 7:30am. As suggested you can take a taxi (but make sure that you tell them you are going to the Contemporary, NOT MK as they will drop you off at the Transportation and Ticket Center if you tell them MK). You might also check with your resort concierge, they sometimes offer taxi vouchers (they have them for golfers) and/or if they have someone avalaible (as that is a very slow time in the AM for the valets) they might be able to drive you over (obviously that would be if they had the extra people, which they wouldn't know until that morning)... But you can always plan to take a cab and ask the concierge if they can help you in any way with that.

 

[banks37]

I've noticed a few responses say to get dropped off at the Contemporary and not the TTC. Does the monorail not run at that hour? I'm staying at SOG and was planning on walking to the Polynesian and then taking the monorail to the MK. I'll probably need to take a cab also then, huh? - Mike

 

[maine_jennifer]

My parents and I will be doing the train tour on the 29th. When we get back on the 1st, I'll try and post the info.

We were told we had to be at the Guest Services window to checkin at 7am and that there would be no Disney Transportation available. We are staying at Coronado Springs and plan on asking Bell Services about the easiest way to get there on time.

 

[LibertyBelle]

Originally posted by banks37
I've noticed a few responses say to get dropped off at the Contemporary and not the TTC. Does the monorail not run at that hour? I'm staying at SOG and was planning on walking to the Polynesian and then taking the monorail to the MK. I'll probably need to take a cab also then, huh? - Mike

Because the first breakfast seating is not until 8am the transportation generally does not start running until 7:30am. I would plan for a cab just to be safe. Between 7:15 and 7:30 is check in, the tour itself begins around 7:45 (ish)... and it begins in and around the Main Street station. The first train out has to do a dead head (a complete trip around the park) prior to boarding so the begining of the tour is at the station...if you are running late you can catch up as long as you are not later than about 8am, that is roughly when the train returns and is boarded for the Roundhouse portion of the trip.

 

[Aisling]

I'm going to post the question on the transportation boards, and maybe Tyler can come up with a non-cab/car solution!

 

[betterlatethannever]

Originally posted by Aisling
I'm going to post the question on the transportation boards, and maybe Tyler can come up with a non-cab/car solution!

lindamg already has posted over there.

Here is the thread.

Ed

 

[Aisling]

Tyler said that the MK early breakfast ressie bus begins it's run at 6:30 AM, for people going to breakfast and also the Train tour.

I knew Disney wouldn't leave me without a ride!

 

[PoohTiggyTwo]

so much for trying to help

 

[LibertyBelle]

Originally posted by PoohTiggyTwo
They also do not let you in the roundhouse anymore due to safety restrictions.

They have never allowed the tour to walk around in the roundhouse because of the open Maintenance pits, that portion of the tour has always been done while sitting on the train You spend about 5 minutes talking about the machine shop and the things "in" the roundhouse while sitting on the train, before they pull the train back into the yard and allow you to get off and climb into the cab of one of the locomotives.

As for the buses running at 6:30am, I know Tyler works on the buses, but, I would make sure before I made that my only way to get there... MANY people are late and/or miss the tour because they could not get to MK in time. I still say taking your own car to the Contemporary or calling for a Taxi is the best way to get there that early.

 

[PoohTiggyTwo]

So sorry I even offered my "info" then since obviously it is not welcomed or seen as correct . I only posted to say that we did, in fact, get a bus from Coronado springs to MK and got there way before check in started. But, I see I obviously didn't know what I was talking about in regards to our own tour we took and what we did or did not get to see.We were very disappointed in the $$ we spent on this tour and won't do it again! Don't worry...I will NEVER post again here though since I have been made to feel most unwelcome!