Help pick my tour: Backstage Magic or Keys to the Kingdom?

[Disneyfriend]

Ok . . . I think I'm finally going to carve out a day and take one of these tours. I just can't decide on which one. I've read the descriptions here on the DIS and on Deb's site. Both seem to get great reviews. So which do I pick?

I've never been on a tour before, other than the Family Magic Tour (which was great fun, by the way!). This is likely to be our last trip to Disney for a while. I have a feeling I would enjoy both tours, but will have time to do only one.

Anybody been on both? Can you give me an updated description of what you see (my understanding is that Backstage Magic, especially, has changed over time). Any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated!

Disneyfriend

 

[Uncleromulus]

Been awhile since we did Keys, but did backstage Magic in October. Frankly, the "better" part of the Magic tour was seeing the places they take you in the Keys tour. Also, the Animation part of Magic is no longer there, which was a disappointment. Nor do you get to go in the Castle and watch how the parade is co-ordinated. I also found the tour of the construction buildings in Magic was somewhat "uninteresting". However, Magic did take us to the buildings where all the XMAS preparations are made, and that was nice. And you get a behind the scenes look at the American Adventure.

All that rambling aside, I think Keys is a better investment of 3-4 hours than Magic is of 7 hours---.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

I've been on the KTK tour and want to take the Backstage tour. We had fun on the keys tour and wouldn't mind doing it again but we still want to take the backstage magic one. I think either one would be great and if you can afford the more expensive one, then go for it.

 

[ryley26]

We've done the Keys tour loved it would do it again.

 

[rlovew]

We really enjoyed the Keys tour. We went on a number of tours one week and met up with the same couple twice. They had done the backstage tours at a couple of parks and then did the Backstage Magic- for them it was a repeat of many of the other tours.

 

[InstImpres]

I really enjoyed both. I think the best way to decide is ask yourself do you only want MK or do you also want MGM & Epcot? Either way, I am sure you won't be disappointed,

 

[starwood]

I really wish they would let younger kids on these tours. DS will be 14 and is dying to see backstage. I've heard the Backstage Magic is terrific.

 

[David R]

Backstage Magic is great. You are in a small group with a tour guide who won't "Disneyfy" things. He'll tell you thet truth, pretty or ugly, about ANYTHING you ask. If he doesn't have the answer, he can get it. A girl asked a very specific question he didn't know, he called someone, 5 mins later he got a call back with the answer.

Going into the computer room under the MK was great for a geek like me and then going into the parade control room while the parade was going on was a treat.

The lunch break at MGM was fun and a streetmosphere character joined us exclusively for us for a while.

It takes up a full day, it doesn't require that you use up a day from your tickets (if you are using Magic your Way, which I'm assuming you are) and then they let you stay in the MK at the end of the day, again without using a ticket.

Highly recommended. I still have my very neat Backstage Magic gift they gave us at the end.

 

[Bev J]

We did the Keys tour last June and it was an excellent tour, it was the first tour we had ever taken and now we are hooked for more!
We have been to the MK so many times and we learned so much in the tour that we never knew. We had a awesome guide who really answered everything we asked him and was chock full of info!
Like the previous poster said depends on what park you want to check out....
Lunch at the Columbia Harbor House was included with the Keys tour plus our tour was at 9 we got into the MK way before it opened (8:15 or so) and got some wonderful pics of an empty main street!

We are planning the Futureworld Tour at Epcot next...

Bev

 

[Disneyfriend]

Thanks to all who have replied!

Uncle Romulus and DavidR - how recently did you each go on the Backstage Magic tour? Uncle R. says that he didn't get to see the parade coordination, while DavidR says he did.

I would think that seeing the parade coordinated from behind the scenes would be an especially interesting part of any tour and would love to see it. Anybody know if it that is currently included in KTTK and/or Backstage Magic?

Any more feedback, especially from people who have recently gone on one or both of these tours, would be greatly appreciated!

Disneyfriend

 

[David R]

I saw the parade coordination about 4 years ago, so they may have gotten rid of that part.

 

[Disneyfriend]

I saw the parade coordination about 4 years ago, so they may have gotten rid of that part.

Thanks for answering so quickly, David! I appreciate your info even though I was hoping you had the more up-to-date information!

Disneyfriend

 

[InstImpres]

how recently did you each go on the Backstage Magic tour? Uncle R. says that he didn't get to see the parade coordination, while DavidR says he did.

It was not included when I went 2 years ago

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Keys to the Kingdom tour is awesome, I would recommend doing it. We are going to be doind the Backstage Safari tour on our trip in October.

 

[Disneyfriend]

Thanks, everybody! I think I'm going to do the KTTK tour. Can't wait!

Disneyfriend