Around the World in a Segway ?????

[Ltl Mermaid]

I am considering the "Around the World in a Segway" Tour in Epcot. I have a couple of questions for you all before I book.
1. For those of you who have done it....is it worth the $$ and time spent away from the parks?? I am only at WDW for 5.5 days and have a ton of dining already planned. I have a WDW first timer and want to make sure we have plenty of time for the parks/rides themselves.

2. I want to do the 8:30am tour. What are the odds I will be able to make it to the 8:30 tour..when buses only start at 8am. We have to be there by 815am! Is it possble to take the character breakfast bus (they have one for Restaurant Akershus...right??) earlier from the Wilderness Lodge in order to be there in plently of time?

Any info you guys have would be great! Thanks so much!

 

[GrandFloridian4]

I can't help you much with your second question, because living near by we always have our car, but as far as is the ATW Segway Tour being worth the $$ & time, I would definitely say YES! I'm sure my family would, also.

Since you have 5-1/2 days to do the parks, simply make your EPCOT day the day you do the Segways & you will already be there for the park opening time.

The Segways are not only A LOT of fun, but you get to do the tour while the countries aren't open to the public & it's an entirely different perspective. You really get to enjoy the buildings, scenery, etc., while getting a lot of information about each country from your tour guide that you wouldn't otherwise get.

 

[cvjw]

A definate YES, the Segway tour was the most fun I have ever had at Disney. We did our tour before the park opened, and were able to walk right onto Soarin once the tour was over. I do not know about the buses, we drove our car.

 

[Prinny27]

I would DEFINITELY do this tour! It was a great time, and even a first timer would love and appreciate the information you get. If you do the 8:30 tour, you will be in the WS before it opens, so you're not missing much time in the park, at all. And it's really neat to see the countries when NO ONE else is there as they're setting up for the day. DF and I did the 8:30 tour last May and we picked up a bus at 8:00 at POR, but they even have them running earlier than that. Bus transportation should be no problem.

 

[Ltl Mermaid]

Thanks for the responses, I appreciate it! Does anybody know if you are allowed to take pictures while on the tour? Since CMs are still "setting up" the WS, are they really strict about what you are allowed to photograph and what you are not? Thanks again!

 

[Carl]

You are not allowed to take photos while actually riding the Segway, but you are allowed to take them when you get off it. There is a little pocket on the top of the Segway in which you can put the camera.

 

[Tinks]

They do a photo stop at one of the World Showcase countries so the guide can take your picture and you can take pictures, too. Great tour!

 

[scjo68]

A definate YES, the Segway tour was the most fun I have ever had at Disney. We did our tour before the park opened, and were able to walk right onto Soarin once the tour was over. I do not know about the buses, we drove our car.

I am not understanding how it is possible to walk right onto Soarin after the tour, if the tour takes two hours. If you do the 8:30 tour, you would not be done until 10:30, right? Wouldn't Soarin have a line by then?

DH is considering this tour, but it would not only cut into his park time, which he wouldn't mind, but would cut into prime riding time for my dd9, since I will also have my ds2 with us and I couldn't ride anything with her.

Maybe I'm missing something.

 

[checkwriter]

I enjoyed it, my DS did not. It's a lot of 'follow the leader.' Put it this way: if you enjoy Star Trek, you'll like the Segway tour. If not . . . .

Also, we missed Soarin'. Not a huge deal, as we'll be back, and our kids made it while we toured. But I know my DS would trade the Segway tour for a Soarin' FP right now!

 

[Ltl Mermaid]

Checkwriter: what exactly do you mean by "if you like Star Trek you'll like it"? I have always wanted to try a Segeway and we live near Anaheim and have done Soarin' tons of time. That really isn't much of a concern for us specifically. the issue for us is more whether or not it is worth the time and $$ spent elsewhere. I went ahead and booked it and I DO think we'll like it, but I would like to hear more from those of you who didn't like it, or had somebody in their party who did not enjoy it. Thanks so much!