Backstage Magic - how much free time in Disneyland?

[alliebelle3]

Hi all! Gearing up to go on the backstage magic trip in March and I have a question for those of you who have done this trip before. I'll be traveling with my husband and in laws who have never been to DL, and I haven't been since 2003, so none of us are DL experts. How much free time will we have on our own to explore? Is there enough time where I should have a loose plan of things we want to do/see/eat? If not - that's ok. I'm perfectly fine being led around...I just want to be prepared either way.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[jsilvers]

The tour arrives at Disneyland the afternoon of Day 3; our experience was that we had a couple of hours of "unsupervised time" in DL in the evening (but our tour also was on a Halloween party night, so the parade/fireworks seating may not be part of the regular agenda).

On Day 4, the DL tour runs until mid-afternoon, so there were a few hours of free time in the late afternoon/evening before and after the regular parade.

On Day 5, the DCA tour ends around lunchtime, re-convening for dinner and World of Color, so that would be the largest block of free time.

For each block of free time, the guides typically provide a few Fastpasses (good for any FP attraction except RSR). Also don't forget that the tour ends with breakfast on Day 6, but a park ticket for that day also is included (but no Fastpasses).

 

[tstidm1]

To kind of piggy back on this, I am on the ABD Backstage Magic DIS exclusive tour. Is it the same amount of free time on those tours as a regular Backstage Magic tour? I know the DIS tours have special extras in them that the general ones don't.

 

[DisneyKevin]

To kind of piggy back on this, I am on the ABD Backstage Magic DIS exclusive tour. Is it the same amount of free time on those tours as a regular Backstage Magic tour? I know the DIS tours have special extras in them that the general ones don't.

jsilvers has given an accurate portrayal of the free time on our Adventures.

 

[alliebelle3]

The tour arrives at Disneyland the afternoon of Day 3; our experience was that we had a couple of hours of "unsupervised time" in DL in the evening (but our tour also was on a Halloween party night, so the parade/fireworks seating may not be part of the regular agenda). On Day 4, the DL tour runs until mid-afternoon, so there were a few hours of free time in the late afternoon/evening before and after the regular parade. On Day 5, the DCA tour ends around lunchtime, re-convening for dinner and World of Color, so that would be the largest block of free time. For each block of free time, the guides typically provide a few Fastpasses (good for any FP attraction except RSR). Also don't forget that the tour ends with breakfast on Day 6, but a park ticket for that day also is included (but no Fastpasses).

Thank you for all the info!