Seems I’m rather opinionated lately – reviewing everything we do…
This past weekend Matt and I went to Walt Disney World to use the second half of our previously purchased Florida resident 4-day pass. Since our park tickets had been paid for months ago and those were essentially a sunk cost – we decided to splurge for one of Disney’s behind-the-scenes tours.
We chose the Keys to the Kingdom Tour because I wanted to see the rumored tunnels under the Magic Kingdom. (They do exist!)
No one under the age of 16 is allowed on the tour – which didn’t make us too sad…
The cost was $99/person and WORTH EVERY PENNY. Not only did we ride three rides without waiting in line (The Haunted Mansion, The Jungle Cruise, and Pirates of the Caribbean), that cost also included lunch – in a roped off area – meaning we didn’t have to struggle to find a place to sit or stand and use a trash can as a table.
Just look how happy I was! —->
When we checked in for the tour, we were given bottles of water and ear pieces to wear so we could easily hear our tour guide as we walked around and rode rides. (We also ordered our lunch before we set out – choosing from a pretty limited menu, maybe about 6 different options…)
Our tour guide was Paul from St. Louis – and he was GREAT. He provided the perfect balance of Disney history, fun-facts, insight to the sensory tricks employed throughout the park, and humor. Our group of twenty people asked Paul questions all day –and he knew every answer but one (something about a screen with birds in the Haunted Mansion…) He was even able to answer questions about other Disney parks around the world.
We got to go down in the Utilidor – the tunnel system that runs under most of the Magic Kingdom. (They were pretty much what you’d expect of a tunnel… a little gloomy, concrete block walls, lots of pipes…)
We also got to go “off stage” behind Splash Mountain where they store all of the parade floats.
I think Disney is the most amazing company. I am CONTINUALLY impressed by their attention to detail and their insistence that everything be PERFECT for their guests. This tour only amplified that appreciation.
The tour is advertised as a 5-hour walking tour, but we were actually with Paul a little bit longer than that. (Which I didn’t mind at all… I would have followed him around for the rest of the day and into the evening if he would have let me.)
There were strict rules about not taking pictures in the tunnels or in the float staging areas, but that was fine. Everyone in our group seemed to be respectful of that. (Even though I REALLY wanted to take a picture of the floats…and the tires made by “GoodEar” that leave little Mickey’s behind if they are driven through a puddle…)
I HIGHLY recommend this tour if you have five hours to spare at Disney. Matt and I will most definitely try more of their tours after how much we loved the Keys to the Kingdom Tour.
BONUS REVIEW: We stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort this time (in Disney’s “moderate” price tier.) It was not my favorite resort on property. Everything was fine… but no real ‘wow’ factor. Our room was located in Jamaica which turned out to be an early bus stop and that was nice… we were the first ones on the bus on the way to the parks and the first ones off the bus at the end of the day. We don’t claim to be experts, but in the “moderate” range, Matt and I agree we liked our stay at Port Orleans Riverside the best.
Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/magic-kingdom/keys-to-the-kingdom-tour/