Walk In Walt's Footsteps Recently?

[ldymcbth]

If there is anyone who doesn't know what the Dream Suite is, or why Disney considers it an acceptable alternative (or why I get hyper just at the mention of it ) Check out this great blog, full of pictures of each of the room and videos of the magical things that happen when you flip the light switches: http://flowerstales.blogspot.com/2012/07/disneyland-dream-suite-exploring-rooms.html

Or, you can hop on You Tube and search "Disneyland Dream Suite." There are tons of great videos that will give you a glimpse of the magic that is inside that suite.

Actually, can I be honest? If you think you will see the Dream Suite on your WiWF tour, I would recommend NOT looking into any information about it and just going in blind. It really was breathtaking and a big part of that is just the magic they've built in all around. I'm glad I didn't spoil it before I saw it!

 

[MadeToLove]

Actually, can I be honest? If you think you will see the Dream Suite on your WiWF tour, I would recommend NOT looking into any information about it and just going in blind. It really was breathtaking and a big part of that is just the magic they've built in all around. I'm glad I didn't spoil it before I saw it!

You are right, it is best when you don't spoil the magic. I just don't want people dismissing the Dream Suite because they don't know what it contains. I've not been in either the DS or Walt's apt., and will be fine with whichever is open the day we go next month, but I can't help but thinking that Walt's apt. seems a bit boring in comparison.

 

[Belle612]

Hi everyone, I did this tour in mid-October and it was the only disappointing Disney experience I have ever had. I think in the future I will give it another try, but I thought it might be a good idea to share my experience from the tour.

--We did not visit Walt's Apartment or Club 33. When we checked in for the tour, they did not mention this to us, either. Visiting these two locations was the #1 reason I booked the tour.
--Our audio devices did not work so we had to do the tour without them. It was difficult to hear our guide and I felt like I was straining the entire time to hear him. There was actually someone on our tour who told our guide he was hearing impaired, so I can only imagine what a challenge it was for him to hear.
--We only rode 2 attractions, Peter Pan and the Tiki Room.
--The tour ended up lasting FOUR hours, and they told us it would be 3. We spent most of the 4 hours slowly meandering around an extremely crowded park straining to hear our tour guide.
--We did the later tour on a Saturday, which includes lunch. They served us “lunch” at 5PM, and took us to the dream suite after lunch, so the tour did not end until 6.
--The dream suite was awesome, but I felt that they should have told us at the beginning we would not be visiting Walt’s apartment, and then taken us to the Dream Suite when we walked through New Orleans Square on the tour. Instead, we visited it after our “lunch” and when we got there, the appropriate CM was not there to bring us up, so we spent another 15 minutes waiting.

Full disclosure, I did visit guest relations and expressed my concerns with the tour. The CM’s who ran the tour and the CM I spoke to in guest relations were all AWESOME. They gave us multiple fastpasses to make up for the wasted time. Based on the high price tag we paid for this tour, we had extremely high expectations, and these simply were not met. My mom had a 1 day park hopper only and was only spending 1 day in Disneyland on this trip, so not only did she spend money on a 1 day ticket, but she also had to pay for the tour. If the tour had been the advertised time length (3 hours) and if we had been given full disclosure at the beginning of what we were visiting and if we had gone on maybe 1-2 more attractions, we would have had no complaints.

The CM at guest relations did let us know our experience was not the norm and that he hoped we could try it again one day, and I fully intend to as I have a Premier Annual Pass. My main tip to anyone thinking of booking the tour would be – DO NOT book the tour if you are only visiting the park for 1 day. This is the mistake we made with my Mom and we regretted losing 4 hours of time in the parks for her.

It is definitely encouraging to hear so many good things about the tour, and I look forward to giving it a chance again in the future.

 

[MadeToLove]

FYI - I'm pretty sure Club 33 will not be returning to the tour... ever. They've sealed up the old entrance to the lobby, and the elevator they used to let you take pictures in has been removed and repurposed into a seating area.

 

[KatrinaVanTassel]

I wonder why Walt's apartment is going under such a length refurbishment? I hope that doesn't mean that it's being turned into something else, like another dream suite. It really makes me sad whenever DL loses a piece of history.

 

[petals]

I wonder why Walt's apartment is going under such a length refurbishment? I hope that doesn't mean that it's being turned into something else, like another dream suite. It really makes me sad whenever DL loses a piece of history.

I don't think they would do that. I do think though that considering the fact the website doesn't mention it's down for refurb that they should tell people before they book it that it's not available at the moment. Alot of people only book this tour so they can go in the apartment, yeah the Dream suite looks all fancy and nice but Walt didn't live there ever and it's not mentioned on the website that there's a possiblity you would go there instead of what is mentioned on the tour. Again I understand refurbs are needed but selling something as one thing and providing a different thing is false advertising

 

[TheChapman6]

They are telling you when you call to book. I was there in september and I called to book it and they told me Walt apartment was not part of the tour. I decided to wait til it's done

 

[south park]

What timing! I just did the tour last Saturday.

We went to the Dream Suite and it was amazing.

We walked by the new Club 33 door but did not go inside and Walt's apartment is still not on the tour.

I knew in advance the Dream Suite was on the tour and this was one of the main reasons I booked it. I am local to LA - so, I plan to do the tour again when the apt is back.

If you have any specific questions, I am happy to try to answer them.

 

[krispin41]

I just booked this tour yesterday for 12/11/14 and was not informed of any change in seeing Walt's Apartment due to refurbishment. I am fine seeing either though. I live in the Bay Area and just visited the Walt Disney Family Museum and they have replicas of some of the furniture in the lobby of the museum.

And by the way, the museum is AMAZING, so if you are up north, take the time to visit.

 

[petals]

They are telling you when you call to book. I was there in september and I called to book it and they told me Walt apartment was not part of the tour. I decided to wait til it's done

They definately didn't tell me. I only found out it still wasn't available reading the dis boards. I only booked it to see the apartment

 

[TheChapman6]

They definately didn't tell me. I only found out it still wasn't available reading the dis boards. I only booked it to see the apartment

I see that in reading the responses now. What a bummer that they sold it without telling. I'm planning to go another time I really want to see walts appt. The dream suite doesn't really do much for me? I'm not a fan of tons of breakable stuff everywhere, maybe because I have 6 kids? I like the mickey penthouse pics more at the DLH

 

[ldymcbth]

FYI - I'm pretty sure Club 33 will not be returning to the tour... ever. They've sealed up the old entrance to the lobby, and the elevator they used to let you take pictures in has been removed and repurposed into a seating area.

Yes, I was not aware of the change of not going into the lobby/elevator picture of club 33. While the apartment change was told to me in advance, Club 33 was not mentioned.

Timing wise, I agree that my tour lasted WELL beyond the stated 3ish hours - our tour started at 9:30 and I texted my husband at 2:30 to let him know I was on my way back to the hotel.

 

[petals]

I see that in reading the responses now. What a bummer that they sold it without telling. I'm planning to go another time I really want to see walts appt. The dream suite doesn't really do much for me? I'm not a fan of tons of breakable stuff everywhere, maybe because I have 6 kids? I like the mickey penthouse pics more at the DLH

Someone from guest services finally replied today and said that the tours number people should have given a refund but eitherway guests are allowed refunds on the day if the apartment isn't on the tour. Everyone I speak to seems to have a different opinion on that though.

 

[Brunolvr]

We booked this tour a week ago for December 5th and no mention was made of not touring Walt's apartment. I sure hope by then it is once again included in the tour.

 

[Brunolvr]

Any updates???

 

[crystal1313]

Someone from guest services finally replied today and said that the tours number people should have given a refund but eitherway guests are allowed refunds on the day if the apartment isn't on the tour. Everyone I speak to seems to have a different opinion on that though.

If they emailed you that, I would print and have it on hand in case the apartment isn't on the tour and you want a refund. Really hoping the apartment will be done in time for your tour though, I know how badly you want to see it. Fingers crossed for you!

 

[Karin1984]

As FYI, I ran into the WiWF's tour this morning at Peter Pan. For my tour this Thursday I won't see the apartment. She didn't know when it would be back on the tour.

 

[Karin1984]

I did the tour today and I can't imagine Walt's apartment being better than the visit to the Dream Suite! It was so amazing and filled with Disney imagineering and Disney Magic! If I ever get to stay there I will not leave the master bedroom, unless to spend hours in that gorgeous bathroom or the balcony to overlook New Orleans Square and watch Fantasmic or the living room, or...

For those interested: I had Esteban for my regular tour guide, very sweet. Keving was the guide for the Suite and was an amazing storyteller. We rode Peter Pan, the railroad from New Orleans to Tomorrowland and Greats Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Lunch was at Jolly Holiday and the new Market sandwich is recommended.

(I'm not in to pins, but I will cherish this pin forever )

 

[petals]

If they emailed you that, I would print and have it on hand in case the apartment isn't on the tour and you want a refund. Really hoping the apartment will be done in time for your tour though, I know how badly you want to see it. Fingers crossed for you!

I have the print out going to try check at some stage Saturday and show them
the email as well

 

[Disney127]

Met some people who did the tour today and they visited the Dream Suite. Walt's apartment is off limits for now until Disney can put in walkways/ramps for people with mobility issues.