Questions about special tours in parks

[laprana]

I'll be heading to WDW from May 29-June 8 with my DBf, sister, and mom, and one of the things we're interested in doing on this trip is a tour in one of the parks. We've never done any of the tours before, so we're not too sure what all they entail or what to expect. I'm hoping some fellow Intercotees can help! :thumbsup:

We're looking mainly at the Behind the Seeds tour in the Land pavillion at Epcot, or the Keys to the Kingdom tour in MK. So, here are my questions:

- Do you have to book these tours in advance, or can you just go to the park and go on the tour?
- If you have to book in advance, how far in advance should or can they be booked?
- We've booked our trip through AAA, so if we do book the tours in advance, can our AAA do that for us?
- Can anyone who has been on either of these tours share some input on them? Are they worth the $$ and time to do them?

Thanks so much in advance for any input you can offer! :mickey: :rocks:

[DCDisney]

I'd call 407-WDW-TOUR to make your reservations. Reservations are required in advance. They will ask for a credit card number.

If you don't want to make the long-distance call, I would guess that AAA can handle the reservation for you. But I'm not positive.

I have not done a behind the scenes tour at WDW. I have done a Segway tour, however. I have done behind the scenes tour at DisneyLand. They were both well worth it. They go at a nice pace with plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

Have fun !! :wishes::wishes:

[disneycouple2004]

407-WDW-TOUR is the phone number i think..
Yes book it as far in advance as possible they fill up fast..We have taken many of the tours..our all time favorite is the (The Keys to the Kingdom). It's about a 5 hour tour, it includes lunch, and our guide took all of us through the back entrance of the HM and right onto the attraction..It also takes you underneath MK into the tunnels where all the backstage magic happens..and all the employees work and take their breaks etc..You will also see many of the secrets that make the show happen...very intresting, and well worth the price and the time it takes..As far as booking you should do it yourself and discounts you will need to ask..we did get a good discount because of being DVC members..I could tell you more about the tour but i don't want to be a spoiler ..:secret:

have fun..:thumbsup:

[BugeyedMuggy]

I could tell you more about the tour but i don't want to be a spoiler ..:secret:

The Keys to the Kingdom tour can spoil some of the "magic". Since you do get to see alot of the MK without the "show".

I loved the tour, but it does take a little of the fantasy away. In my opinion.

[WishingStar2006]

if you have a disney visa they offer a discount on ALL of the tours!!!!

and, for my :twocents: worth, i would NOT want to ruin the magic by taking the Keys to the Kingdom tour....do the segway tour around the world showcase!

[irish1967]

You may want to make a decision and call soon.

I made ressies for the Keys to the Kingdom tour for our mid-July trip yesterday. The CM mentioned it was a good thing I called because they often do fill up.

[Taja]

I've done KTTK and thoroughly enjoyed it. My friend--who's comment was "What? Why would I want to pay to tour of Disney?"--still talks about it!

It's a lot of walking, with very little sitting. Not fast or difficult walking--just walking! *LOL*

We were able to book for a weekday tour after arriving at WDW, but it was during early October, which is slower than summer.

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

KTTK tour was fantastic. We enjoyed every moment of it.

We've also done the Hidden World Showcase tour (which I don't think is offered any more), the Undiscovered Future World tour, and the Magic of Our Steam Trains tour. Every single one of them was very enjoyable and well worth the money and time.

I think my personal favorite was the train tour, but that's because I'm a real train nut.

I'd recommend booking each of these as early as possible. My guess is you have to do it directly with Disney via the 407-WDW-TOUR number. You need to pay in advance when you book. Don't forget to ask about discounts. Disney Visa (as previously mentioned), DVC, annual pass, AAA. Ask them to help you pick the best deal that you qualify for.

I think the only one you don't absolutely need an advance reservation for is the Behind the Seeds tour. There's a desk in the Land Pavillion that you can basically do a walk-up to and get a same-day tour. This is only a one hour tour and they do it multiple times a day.

[kurt]

i did the keys to the kingdom tour in 2006. i booked in advance when i booked the trip. it's about 5 hours walking. the guides do let you have breaks and lunch was included( it was the first tour). we got nifty radio receivers for the tour to hear the guide better. and got an exclusive ride on the jungle cruise. we also got to enter Haunted Mansion through the backdoor and just get on the ride(they might change the rides they take you on). we went behind the scenes & got a collectors pin at the end.:goofy:

[jefmblrd]

My wife and I loved the Keys to the Kingdom tour; it was awesome and worth every penny. The best part was being able to go backstage and down into the utilidors or "tunnels." It would have been worth it for me if that's all we did, but we also toured around with the guide and went on Jungle Cruise, Swiss Family Treehouse, and possibly one more ride (it was a few years ago). The fun part of the Jungle Cruise was that the tour guide took the microphone and told us things about the ride.

As far as taking the magic away goes...I can see how that might happen for some people-it didn't for us though.

The other tour we've taken and loved is the Backstage Magic Tour. It lasts 7 hours and includes Epcot, MK, and the Studios. It's pricey at $199 pp, but it was worth every penny, and I would do it again in a minute.

Hope this helps.