Tours.....

[ryanshana]

DH and I are doing an adult trip and we were going to do some tours. We already have scheduled the segway tour for Epcot and behind the seeds. Lastly we are thinking about the keys to the kingdom or backstage magic tour. Anyone here take either of those...both.....which would you recommend? The Backstage magic tour seems kind of long, that's the only reason why I am holding off on that. Thanks for any advice

 

[deegack]

DH and I did the Keys to the Kingdom a couple trips ago. I really enjoyed it. Our guide was great and we had a good group. DH enjoyed it too. He was a Disney virgin that trip and he thought it was great.

 

[mouseaider]

We did the Keys to the Kingdom tour and we loved, loved loved it ! Our guide was Claire and she was absolutely fabulous.

I was afraid the tour might ruin the magic for me but it did just the opposite. It enhanced it for me. And using my Disney Rewards Visa Card got me a discount on the tour !

Do it.... you won't regret it !

 

[Rob S.]

I've done both the Backstage Magic and Keys to the Kingdom tours and they are both great. You can't go wrong with either choice. If I had to pick one to do again I'm not sure I could decide which to choose either. The Backstage Magic tour is quite long, but it covers 3 of the parks (at least it did when I took it last year). There is not too much walking since you are transported around in a private bus. Do you have time to do both?

 

[ryanshana]

We did the Keys to the Kingdom tour and we loved, loved loved it ! Our guide was Claire and she was absolutely fabulous.

I was afraid the tour might ruin the magic for me but it did just the opposite. It enhanced it for me. And using my Disney Rewards Visa Card got me a discount on the tour !

Do it.... you won't regret it !

I have to show DH this.....this is EXACTLY what he said.

I've done both the Backstage Magic and Keys to the Kingdom tours and they are both great. You can't go wrong with either choice. If I had to pick one to do again I'm not sure I could decide which to choose either. The Backstage Magic tour is quite long, but it covers 3 of the parks (at least it did when I took it last year). There is not too much walking since you are transported around in a private bus. Do you have time to do both?

Probably couldn't convince DH to do both! lol I'm sure we'll have fun at either I just don't know which one.

What do you do in the Backstage magic?

 

[parlay]

We LOVED the Keys to the Kingdom Tour and plan on doing the Backstage Magic tour on our next trip. I thought we'd start with the shorter tour (Keys) first to see what we thought. If your DH is worried about ruined magic, maybe its better to start with the shorter tour and work your way up?

 

[Rob S.]

What do you do in the Backstage magic?

It's been a year since I took it so I'm sure I'm leaving out some of the details. The tour starts in front of Epcot near guest services. Once you get to know your guide and others in the group, you board a bus to go to some backstage areas of Epcot. The one place that stands out is you get to go into the American Adventure and see from below the big machine that moves all the AA scenes around for the show. Very impressive! Our next park was DHS. We went inside that building that the backlot tram passes through that shows everyone sewing. You get to see how the costumes are sewn by computer. Lunch was served at Mama Melroses. The highlight of our day was when we went backstage at the Magic Kingdom. We got to go inside the warehouse that stores all the Christmas decorations. It is HUGE. They store everything there, including the stuff for the cruise line. We were there in September and they were making Christmas decorations. That is a must see. You do also get to see the famous utilidors. At the end of the tour, the bus takes you back to Epcot. There is certainly more, but I can't remember everything.

The more I think about it, I would probably choose to do this one again over Keys to the Kingdom.

If you do pick this tour, make sure to ask for a discount. The Disney visa discount is the best.

 

[robert@dvcstore]

I have done the Keys to the Kingdom tour and had a great time. Our guide was Scott and he was full of Disney and Magic Kingdom knowledge. You will certainly enjoy all you learn and it will not spoil the magic for you.

There are usually a few rides included in the tour. We were "back doored" at the Jungle Cruise and Haunted Mansion.

Enjoy.

Robert

 

[ToddyLu]

DH and I did Keys to the Kingdom on my first trip to WDW. It was terrific. We had a great Guide and rode Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion and Splash. I assure you it will not spoil the magic only intrique him more about how they do so much everyday.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The three of us did the Keys to the Kingdom tour in June and had a great time. I was really looking forward to the utilidors, but they really weren't any different from the basement corridors at my hospital. I guess I was expecting something magical.

We also did the Backstage Safari tour and we really enjoyed that one. We went back into the areas where they prepare the meals for the animals and back into the rhino and hippo areas.

 

[RCharnay]

We did Backstage Magic and had a great time. We were doing a "non-park trip" so it was a great balance of still enjoying the park magic without doing rides. Now when we go to the American Adventure or Tower of Terror, we talk about all the inner workings as we look forward to seeing and experiencing it over again. It was a fun day.

We hope to do Keys to the Kingdom sometime in the future.

 

[disneystick]

So glad to hear about Keys to the Magic tour was enjoyed by most. We have never been, booked to go in October and enjoyed reading every one's thoughts!

 

[Dizny Dad]

No one has mentioned the Steam Train Tour. It is a half day tour, you must be 10 yrs old, and an interest in steam trains heightens the experience, but is not necessary.

You meet a 7AM in front of the MK, have the opportunity to take a picture of the train with the engine centered on the front of the train station (never there during normal open hours - it always stops so the passengers can embark and disembark). They take you for an exclusive ride around the park, back you into the roundhouse area outside the park where they keep the trains, let you help steam up a train for the initial run in the morning, and fill you in on lots of Disney trivia. Walt LOVED trains!

They discontinued this tour when the Monorail accident occurred, since the damaged vehicles were in the roundhouse where you can take pictures (obviously Disney did not want any unauthorized pictures out). I'm not sure but I think the tour is back on now. The roundhouse (really an old term; the building is rectangular) is used by both Monorails and trains, so it is a unique experience seeing it.

 

[Stinger5]

Very interested in a tour! About how long are these tours???

 

[bobbiwoz]

I've done Keys to the Kingdom and enjoyed it...also Magic Behind the Steam Trains, which I thought was great...Segway at FW very good...but my favorite was Seas Aqua. I just loved swimming in the Living Seas Tank. It was a fabulous adventure. You had some sort of breathing device, it wasn't scuba, snorkeling with an air tank, that's what it was!
Bobbi

PS. Stinger5, tour times vary, hard to give just one answer.

 

[Stinger5]

To start- how long is the Keys to the Kingdom and the Backstage Magic tours?

Considering doing a tour for the first time because we'll have the in-laws to watch the little Disney commandos!!!

 

[bobbiwoz]

To start- how long is the Keys to the Kingdom and the Backstage Magic tours?

Considering doing a tour for the first time because we'll have the in-laws to watch the little Disney commandos!!!

Here's what the disboards say! Have fun....I'm sure the DGP will love watching your little ones!

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/tours.htm

Bobbi

 

[Inkmahm]

DH and I are doing an adult trip and we were going to do some tours. We already have scheduled the segway tour for Epcot and behind the seeds. Lastly we are thinking about the keys to the kingdom or backstage magic tour. Anyone here take either of those...both.....which would you recommend? The Backstage magic tour seems kind of long, that's the only reason why I am holding off on that. Thanks for any advice

We've done all of the tours you mention. I'd do the Keys to the Kingdom first and then do the Backstage Magic tour on a future trip.

If you like the Segways at Epcot, I'd also recommend a Segway tour in Celebration. http://www.zetours.com/Tour_Schedule.html We've done the long tour of Celebration twice. You get to see Celebration AND go faster on the Segways than you can with Disney.

 

[DeeCee735]

We did the Keys to the Kingdom tour a few years ago (DH & I). I LOVED it! Walt is my favorite personality and there was so much info on him and his ideas and the building of MK. My DH liked it very much, but he's not the Disney nut I am, he was very glad he did it though! I highly recommend it. Enjoy!

 

[Stinger5]

Here's what the disboards say! Have fun....I'm sure the DGP will love watching your little ones!

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/tours.htm

Bobbi

Bobbi- that was just the link I was looking for. Thanks so much!!!