Has anyone done the Around the World at Epcot on a Segway?

[JELBoggio]

I was just flipping thru the Unofficial Guide again and I noticed that at Future World they offer an Around the World at Epcot on a Segway experience. Two hour program for $80. Didn't say much more about it or when it runs - only that the program is "wildly popular." I haven't read anything about it on the disboards, but if it truly is wildly popular, someone here must be able to tell me something about this and if this may be something that my DH (36) and my Dad (57) would enjoy.

Thanks for any and all info!

 

[lsutigger2]

My DH and I did this tour in May and I don't know about the "wildly popular" part, but it was way cool!

On the two hour tour you practice and learn to operate the segway in a room and then the guides take you out into the park for a ride around World Showcase before it opens. It really is fun!

There are sometimes discounts, we had an AP discount I believe so you may want to check those out and call about making a reservation.

Let us know what you decide.

 

[etink67]

Dh and I did the tour in April and LOVED it. It is neat to ride around world showcase before it opens. You get to go in and out of the columns in Italy and through tight corners in Morocco. They stop partway through to let people take photo's and such.

 

[Jennifer48]

My friends and I did this during our last trip this month and we LOVED it! We all had such a blast riding around the World Showcase before it opened. I highly, HIGHLY recommend it!

 

[huey578]

My DH and I did this tour in May and I don't know about the "wildly popular" part, but it was way cool!

On the two hour tour you practice and learn to operate the segway in a room and then the guides take you out into the park for a ride around World Showcase before it opens. It really is fun!

There are sometimes discounts, we had an AP discount I believe so you may want to check those out and call about making a reservation.

Let us know what you decide.

Sounds like fun, besides riding around the world showcase do you get any behind the scene tours ,etc? We are thinking of doing that tour next Oct.

 

[lovingthemouse]

We did it a year ago last Feb, one of the first grps to try and we loved it!! Course there was a slight fall into the brick wall in the Japanese pavilion as i took a corner too closely, but every time i looked at the black and blue mark I did think of Disney! It is a great experience, one worth trying for sure. By the end of the experience, you have just gained confidence in controlling the Segway and it feels good as you move back to the bldg in the front half and people see you looking so expert!! Good thing they did not catch me in the back half! WE still have the picture they took of us in front of the lake with Spaceship Earth as our background. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.(BTW, we are in our late 50's) Caroline

 

[Kala]

Hi,

My husband and I did the tour in October 2004 and we Loved it! We really thought the "Column Slolum" in Italy was fun. The instructor also was somewhat of a tour guide as well. As we arrived in each "country" he would tell us interesting facts about it, so it was also somewhat like a backstage tour. We highly recommend it and will probably do it again as well. We also used the Annual Pass discount so it was also a great deal. I have heard that they are now offerring a shorter 1 hour tour, which would be fun, but to me the first hour I was just getting "warmed up" and still learning to feel comfortable riding, it's not as easy as it looks until you get the feel for it. For us the real fun was the second hour when we toured the World Showcase before opening. It was strange to see trucks and hoses and things on the walkways since before opening it is considered "backstage" I think.

 

[Luv2Roam]

DH and a friend did it last March. They both RAVED about it for days. DH STILL talks about it.
Their tour was around 2 hours. They both said they would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[JELBoggio]

Thank you everyone for all your positive feedback! I think I'll book it for them without telling them as a surprise! Glad I stumbled across it in the UOG!

Since it begins before the World opens, how early did you have to get there for a 2-hour session?

 

[donmil723]

The two hour Around the World Segway tour starts at either 8:30 a.m. or 9:30 a.m.

They also offer a one hour Simply Segway Experience in which you learn how to ride it in the room and then you get to go outside for about 15 minutes on a sidewalk between Innoventions West and the rose garden which they block off with cones. These are offered at 12:30 pm and 1:45 pm. Normally, they cost $30 but with our Disney Visa we got 20% off. It was awesome. DH and I had so much fun that we plan to do the 2 hour tour on one of our future trips.

Donna

 

[Kala]

I was thinking that our tour started at 8:00 am, but that was over a year ago. We arrived early at about 7:30 and when the early gate (for the Princess Breakfast and Segway Tour) started letting people in checking names on a list of reservations really soon after that. They directed us to the Guest Relations office on the left just past Spaceship Earth, where we waited for the others in the tour to arrive. Just before 8:00 a Cast Member arrived (on a Segway) to escort us to our "classroom". I am getting excited again and am ready to book it again for our trip in January!

 

[Alacrity]

Oh yeah...I'd say go for it. If I could half justify having one of these things I'd get one. They are really neat to ride and the tour is really fun. I'd recommend the early tour; that way you get into future world just as the park is opening and into World Showcase well in advance of opening. It's part Segway experience and part Epcot tour. Had a great time this past September! the things are really pretty fun to ride around once you get used to them. A bit of practice in the Inoventions building and then you are off to to Future World to wave at the folks just coming in and then in the WC. We mananged to get all the way around and even navigated the maze in the UK. Fun and you get a special Segway tour pin!

 

[SueM in MN]

I've done it twice. One time was with
DH. The other time was with my niece and my oldest DD. It was lots of fun. I want to do it again next Spring (can you tell I think it's a very fun tour?)

 

[jdonat]

Do it! We did it last holiday season and it was a GAS! I had really wanted
to ride on a Segway since WDW started using them. I'll do it again in an
instant... It may be a couple of years, though my youngest DD was very
unhappy that she couldn't go yet...
There's a company offering Segway tours around the Chicago parks, and I
gotta do this next summer...!!

 

[Darkrobe]

We just did it on our trip, I think Timon (Cass) put up pics from our trip in the Trip Report).
I highly recommend it, not only is it fun but a great way to experience World Showcase!

 

[JELBoggio]

Just to let everyone know, that when I called to ask about the Segway tour, I asked if they had any discounts. YES! AAA is 15% others include: Disney Visa Card holders, AP holders, & CM's (not sure if I am forgetting any). Just be sure to ask!

 

[JerseyJ]

We're scheduled for the tour in January with my DH and another couple. Our one friend has had a brief introduction & ride on the Segway @ a camping show but it will be new for the rest of us. The same day that he was telling us that the park he liked the least was Epcot, was the day I read on the board about the Segway tour. Now he can't wait to do Epcot & the tour. (neither can we!)

 

[jimmiej]

see pic below. we loved it! doing it again next july.

 

[JerseyJ]

see pic below. we loved it! doing it again next july.

jimmiej - it was actually your picture you posted preiously that got my husband & friends fired up about doing the tour. Thanks for sharing it again.

 

[TDC Nala]

It is very cool and worth doing once. I probably won't do it again but that is due to the cost factor. You'll be a Segway expert by the end of the tour and will understand why all those cast members who ride them can just zip by everybody.