Keys to the Kingdom time slots

[TikiRob]

We are looking to schedule a Keys to the Kingdom tour for our next trip and I was wondering if people found an earlier (8:00am) or later (9:30am) time better than another? I've read that the 8:00am is cool because it is prior to park opening and more empty on Main Street, but I've also heard that you see more backstage activity with a later time like 9:30am. The 8:00am would allow my wife and me to meet up with your teens (youngest is 13) who can't join us a bit earlier. But I'm also concerned about getting to the park by 7:45am to check in.

 

[NHGoofy]

We did the 9:30 am tour on January 11th. We picked our lunch order from Peco Bills. Tour is 5 hours long. So the timing put us backstage to see the final security checks for the floats. Got to see the dragon breath fire during the testing. The floats left the building and went around the corner where they were lined up for the parade. We were there when the parade was starting and got to see how the characters were place on the floats. Also saw Mickey and Minnie get dressed up on their float. Lunch was in a sectioned off place and the food was ready when we got there. They gave us 30 minutes to eat and we were on our way. Plenty of 5-minute bathrooms stops along the way.
Our tour guide was Drew and he was very friendly and informative and very passionate about Disney. He also was happy to pose for pictures with his swagger stick after the tour. You'll enjoy it!

 

[Pigletpal40]

We are looking to schedule a Keys to the Kingdom tour for our next trip and I was wondering if people found an earlier (8:00am) or later (9:30am) time better than another? I've read that the 8:00am is cool because it is prior to park opening and more empty on Main Street, but I've also heard that you see more backstage activity with a later time like 9:30am. The 8:00am would allow my wife and me to meet up with your teens (youngest is 13) who can't join us a bit earlier. But I'm also concerned about getting to the park by 7:45am to check in.

We did the 8am and liked strolling down Main St. with nobody around soaking up all the info. Then we were able to go through Pirates and see all the little gems you miss in line while hurrying to get on the ride.
HM was when the public was in the park. We went in the (rear) handicap entrance and they let our group on together. Backstage and Utilidors have something going on the whole time you're there.
We had lunch at Columbia House, which has become one of our go to QS lunches.

 

[TikiRob]

Well those are a vote each for both the 8:00am and 9:30am! My guess is it doesn't matter and we will enjoy it regardless.

 

[kathy884]

I'm doing it on Feb. 11th. I was going to book 9:30 a.m., but I didn't see that listed and am doing it at 9:00 a.m. We are offsite. It would probably have been fine to do an earlier time (just show them you have Keys to the Kingdom booked), but I know they don't supposedly let you in as an offsite guest till 8:30 a.m. on that day and with the 9:00 you just check in at 8:45 which should be easy to do. I've never done it before and am very excited to do it.

Just mentioning that on the day I booked it looked like they weren't offering the 9:30 a.m. Or maybe that was sold out. I booked at 5:45 a.m. EST. When I tried mock bookings at 7:30 a.m. EST (just to see how it worked and be familiar with the website before I was actually booking) they had some single tickets, but that was it -- no time slots for two people 60 days in advance, so after midnight if you can be up is probably a great idea. If for any reason you had internet or website problems, phone lines for booking also FYI open at 6 a.m. EST.

 

[NHGoofy]

We did not need to get in early for a 9:30 am tour. But there should be a special line for early entry if you have a reservation. We did the Wild Africa Trek at Ak and had to show our confirmation email in a separate line for early entry. It did not matter if you were staying onsite or not. Just needed to show the email and off we went before the park opened.

 

[TikiRob]

We did not need to get in early for a 9:30 am tour. But there should be a special line for early entry if you have a reservation. We did the Wild Africa Trek at Ak and had to show our confirmation email in a separate line for early entry. It did not matter if you were staying onsite or not. Just needed to show the email and off we went before the park opened.

The Wild Africa Trek was the other tour I was considering. Which one did you like better?

 

[NHGoofy]

We liked both the tours. They are very different, so hard to tell which one was better. Keys To The Kingdom is a 5 hour tour. Wild Africa Trek is 3 hours. Both educational and fun. KTTK, you're walking on pavement. Trek, you're walking on a path in the woods. Both are interesting and fun. The Trek is a little more physical. You're fitted with a harness for half the tour and you're provided with a water bottle attached to your harness. No loose objects on you. But you can attach your phone and take as many pictures as you like. The tour guides also take a lot of pictures, and they are included for you to access after the tour. You have a great lunch in the covered gazebo that you see on the Safari ride with the only bathroom stop. And you get to see all the animals from the truck up close on the other half of the tour. The best part was walking over the broken bridge and viewing the Crocs and Hippos below. You can also pause to take pictures.
Both were great, but the Trek is a bit more adventurous!

 

[Selket]

I did an 8:30am tour last week and the park was already open for hotel guests (maybe 7:30am?) by the time I arrived. I went straight to Starbucks and got some coffee and sat outside Caseys watching everyone run run run to get to the rides that were open for early guests. Some part of me really enjoyed that - haha! I also went to the Emporium and wandered a bit. It was nice to shop with almost no one in the store but CMs. We were also backstage near the float that kicked off (like a cavalcade) for the 50th ...was just one float with Mickey, etc. and dancers. Was fun seeing them get ready back stage and they all waved at us as they headed out for the parade. We also got Pecos Bills for lunch. Not a darn thing I wanted from there - haha! I stuck with the hamburger.

Just mentioning this as perhaps your 8am tour depending on the date the park will be open for hotel guests by the time you go in so you don't get the "no one here" photos.