For those that have done the BACKSTAGE MAGIC SOUTHERN CAL

[scottmel]

Hi I am such a WDW fanatic, so use to planning my rides down to the minute! This new ABD travel style is tough to grasp-little planning! Trying to understand something though - the afternoons or evenings that you are within your tour week, however, on your own - do you have to run around and get fast passes yourself or do you basically have a fast pass for your park days automatically? Couple descriptions mention VIP Fast PAss touring but not sure what that means. I assume when I am with a guide he has it all taken care of. But when we are let lose, am I waiting in lines or do I get certain number of fast passes handed to me by the guide? THanks!

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

Hi I am such a WDW fanatic, so use to planning my rides down to the minute! This new ABD travel style is tough to grasp-little planning! Trying to understand something though - the afternoons or evenings that you are within your tour week, however, on your own - do you have to run around and get fast passes yourself or do you basically have a fast pass for your park days automatically? Couple descriptions mention VIP Fast PAss touring but not sure what that means. I assume when I am with a guide he has it all taken care of. But when we are let lose, am I waiting in lines or do I get certain number of fast passes handed to me by the guide? THanks!

You will love not having to plan anything - After the first day, I fell in love with the ABD style of tour and have already booked 2 more!!!!

When we were at Disneyland, we had some optional group activities (these are really fun) and also received fastpasses from our ABD guides. I can't remember how many we were given but at some rides, the CM just looked at our FP (they have Adventures by Disney printed on them and the date) and then waved us through - so we were able to go on more rides. I know on our DCA day we got a special FP for Radiator Springs Racers and about 4 or 5 FP for other rides.

 

[scottmel]

Thanks Mickey/Josh! I think you have convinced me! I will add on that extra day for sure...and thinking of arriving a day early to do a cheezy Hollywood stars type tour. Know of any good ones?? Trying to make it interesting on the 15 year old too! I know the Disney park tours will be great just trying to make that Hollywood section interesting as well. Did you feel the Hollywood section was alittle dry for a teen - muppets studio, barn, etc or did they make it teen friendly? thanks so much!! I have toyed with this tour for a few years but we go to WDW for 10 days every June but after this last trip, DD15 said I am ready for a change!!

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

Sorry I cannot comment on things regarding teens as my BSM was the adult exclusive and I do not have any children/teens.

As for the Hollywood things, I arrived around 2 pm the day before my Adventure started because I was coming from the east coast so I wanted to adapt to the time change. I didn't do too much on Saturday after I arrived - I went to In N Out Burger for a late lunch/early dinner and checked out some of the shops on Hollywood Blvd. On Sunday I went for breakfast and then walked the entire Walk of Fame (3.5 miles on each side of the street) and checked out the hand and footprints infront of Grauman's. I also went to see Maleficent at the El Capitan Theatre (amazing).

I did not spend any extra days at DL as I have been a few times already but since you get a 4 day park hopper ticket with the ABD, you can spend the last day in the park on your own - I do not think you get any fastpasses this day as many people are travelling home.

The entire BSM ABD was amazing....I had a fabulous time. I went alone but my tour group welcomed me with open arms and I never felt alone. Also, although your itinerary will say that you have time on your own, our guides offered optional activities and most people participated.

You will have a great time and it is so fun not knowing what is next because your itinerary only gives you a brief outline and some of the surprises are really fun!!!! I added the Adventures by Disney Cruise Add on for my Baltic cruise next summer and I am so excited to not have to research the ports and what excursions I want to do. I am very excited about this.

My tour guides were Alyssa and Matt. Jason was shadowing our ABD and I understand he is now guiding the BSM.

 

[sayhello]

The entire BSM ABD was amazing....I had a fabulous time. I went alone but my tour group welcomed me with open arms and I never felt alone. Also, although your itinerary will say that you have time on your own, our guides offered optional activities and most people participated.

This is one of the things I really love about ABD. I tell people that I'm "traveling solo" but I'm not "traveling alone". I've always felt totally welcome and a part of the group on my ABDs.

You will have a great time and it is so fun not knowing what is next because your itinerary only gives you a brief outline and some of the surprises are really fun!!!! I added the Adventures by Disney Cruise Add on for my Baltic cruise next summer and I am so excited to not have to research the ports and what excursions I want to do. I am very excited about this.

You are so going to love the ABD add-on. When I did it with my Med cruise, it was just about the best cruise experience I ever had! I *loved* it!

Sayhello

 

[DisneyKevin]

We have just completed our 6th Backstage Magic (DIS Exclusive) at the beginning of July.

We have another going in Decmber 2014 and we have two more planned for next year (2015).

December 2015 is ready to be booked.

http://www.disunplugged.com/podcast-events-trips/

If you have any questions or if there is any way I can assist..please let me know.

Kevin@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com

 

[drclaws]

Hint: MOG = Mickey's of Glendale!

 

[scottmel]

Did anyone do the Backstage Warner Brothers Tour as an extra on an early arrival day etc? I would like to arrive a day early to do some Hollywood things that my DD15 would be interested in. She loves Pretty LIttle Liars, lol, and they show up as a tour on the Warner Brothers Backstage Tour....Any info anyone>

 

[macman752]

Did anyone do the Backstage Warner Brothers Tour as an extra on an early arrival day etc? I would like to arrive a day early to do some Hollywood things that my DD15 would be interested in. She loves Pretty LIttle Liars, lol, and they show up as a tour on the Warner Brothers Backstage Tour....Any info anyone>

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51024132&postcount=53

 

[macman752]

If your daughter is interested movies or television then there will plenty for her to see on the 5-hour tour. It covered a wide range of areas of the Warner Brothers back lot. You get to visit most of the areas where exterior filming occurs. We visited a working sound studio and also got an opportunity to speak with 2 Foley artists who were dubbing the sound effects into an upcoming movie.

The tour took us to the WB prop warehouse and the special effects studios. The prop warehouse is huge.

A lot of what (and possibly who) you might do or see depends on the time of year that you take the tour. We did our tour in April. Most of the television shows filmed on WB property were on hiatus. We we told at the outset that Sally Field was filming the day of our tour and that we could not take pictures of her if we saw her. We never saw her if she was there.

 

[scottmel]

If your daughter is interested movies or television then there will plenty for her to see on the 5-hour tour. It covered a wide range of areas of the Warner Brothers back lot. You get to visit most of the areas where exterior filming occurs. We visited a working sound studio and also got an opportunity to speak with 2 Foley artists who were dubbing the sound effects into an upcoming movie.

The tour took us to the WB prop warehouse and the special effects studios. The prop warehouse is huge.

A lot of what (and possibly who) you might do or see depends on the time of year that you take the tour. We did our tour in April. Most of the television shows filmed on WB property were on hiatus. We we told at the outset that Sally Field was filming the day of our tour and that we could not take pictures of her if we saw her. We never saw her if she was there.

Thanks! Torn on the 2.5 vs 5 hour tour. My DD is most interested in Harry Potter (museum there I heard) and Pretty Little Liars set! do you see the same stuff as the 2.5 hour tour but just MORE TECHNICAL stuff in terms of how something is filmed etc. Curious if the backlot exposure is same on both tours as I think that is where her interests lies but so hard to understand what the difference is or why the 299 price is woth it for the 5 hour.....