Backstage Magic with 14 and 12 Year Old

[ketwinn]

Our family has been to WDW at least twice a year for years. I want to change it up. Do you think a 14 and 12 year old would enjoy the Backstage Magic tour, or will they be bored the days before we go to the parks?

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

Our family has been to WDW at least twice a year for years. I want to change it up. Do you think a 14 and 12 year old would enjoy the Backstage Magic tour, or will they be bored the days before we go to the parks?

It would depend on your kids. How interested are they in the history of Walt Disney and the parks themselves? Also, it's not a tour where once you reach DL you're on your own. We actually had very little on our own time, only a couple hours each day, even when we were at DL.

 

[ketwinn]

It would depend on your kids. How interested are they in the history of Walt Disney and the parks themselves? Also, it's not a tour where once you reach DL you're on your own. We actually had very little on our own time, only a couple hours each day, even when we were at DL.

They love the parks at WDW.. I'm not sure about the history. I checked to see how many kids would be in the group and there are 8 so far. Hopefully that helps.

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

They will have special activities for the kids to do that are separate from the adults to a degree. But just a head's up that the tour will follow Walt Disney's footsteps from the time he and Roy arrived in Hollywood through to the creation of Disneyland itself.

Have you thought about just heading out to Disneyland? We did and we loved it. There are plenty of good neighbour hotels to keep costs down.

 

[ketwinn]

They will have special activities for the kids to do that are separate from the adults to a degree. But just a head's up that the tour will follow Walt Disney's footsteps from the time he and Roy arrived in Hollywood through to the creation of Disneyland itself.

Have you thought about just heading out to Disneyland? We did and we loved it. There are plenty of good neighbour hotels to keep costs down.

I've been to Disneyland last year without them. I wanted to do this tour because of the VIP at the parks with the super fast passes. I hate to book it, then have them be bored. Then again... it's about two days outside the parks. When we get into the parks, do they have to stay with the group or can I send them off

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

Not sure what you mean by super fast passes but we received 5 free fastpasses each day we were at the parks good on any "fastpass" attraction, of which there are not many and they were not good on Radiator Springs Racers. Not sure if you can send your kids off once you get inside the park or not. It's 2.5 days in Hollywood and 2.5 days in DL.

Are your kids going to be interested in seeing things like:

El Capitan Theatre
Dolby Theatre
Walt's favourite pub
Jim Hensen Studios
Walt Disney Studios
Walt Disney Archives
Disney Imagineering
Walt's Apartment
Disneyland Dream Suite

These were all places/things we got to see on our trip.

 

[carpenta]

On other ABD trips we have chosen to leave the group with our daughter and take other tours offered in the area we were visiting on our own. The guides never had a problem with that. We just made sure we met up with the group at a specific time. It seems that so long as it does not upset the schedule of the trip I think it is not a problem.

 

[ketwinn]

On other ABD trips we have chosen to leave the group with our daughter and take other tours offered in the area we were visiting on our own. The guides never had a problem with that. We just made sure we met up with the group at a specific time. It seems that so long as it does not upset the schedule of the trip I think it is not a problem.

Oh great.. Thank you! I want so see it all and hopefully they will too

 

[silmarg]

Our family has been to WDW at least twice a year for years. I want to change it up. Do you think a 14 and 12 year old would enjoy the Backstage Magic tour, or will they be bored the days before we go to the parks?

My family sounds a lot like yours. My daughters (not 16 and 13) have been to the parks more than 20 times each. We started adding Disney Cruises (starting in 2007) and then ABD in 2014 (when my DDs were 11 and 14). Our first was Back Stage Magic since it included a park component. We in fact did a Dreams Unlimited exclusive BSM and we loved it. Our kids were the only kids on the trip... which actually made it super special for them.

I think if you guys are park veterans, they will love it.

We have since did an Italy ABD this year and it had well over 20 kids on it. It was a super great trip as well.

Try it - you might like it. ALOT!

 

[scottmel]

We did ABD this summer with our 16 year old. There was an 11 year old in our group and the one activity that I questioned had to be boring for her was Walts Trains. Was boring for us as well but the guides did things with her while others heard the train stories etc. I think your kids would enjoy it...the only dry day I think was the Trains and it was dry for me and I am in my 40s!!