Backstage Magic Tour

[marksniles]

Hi everyone! I just returned from WDW yesterday. Going through some serious DD (Disney Depression). Anyway, I went on the Backstage Magic Tour while I was there and I wanted everyone to know that if you have never taken this tour and are really interested in how things work at WDW you need to take this tour. I learned so many things that I never knew before. Did you know that someone actually examines every single piece of garbage we throw away to take out whatever needs to be recycled. They tried the recycle cans in the park but too many people liked to throw their regualr garbage away so they went back to the hand picking garbage out.

Anything I saw were the new "Clam" cabs that are going to be installed at the Living Seas. These cabs are nothing like the little blue cabs that were there when the attraction first opened. They are HUGE! Think of the DoomBuggy type cab. IT looks like it could seat about 3-4 adults comfortably and the clam shell is the back of your cab. So you won't be able to see what's behind you. It looked pretty cool!

I also saw the SpectroMagic Alligator/Hippo float. It was being worked on because in one of the parades the Hippo came lose and fell off the float. OOPPS! THis is the float in which the Hippo twirls on the finger of the Alligator or Croc whatever it is.

IF anyone is interested in more info I learned from the tour, let me know.

Later,
MArk

 

[foldmama]

Mark - I took the same tour in May and found it amazing! Sounds like you got to see some new cool stuff. What was your favorite central service shop? I was simply amazed by the Holiday Shop. It was just so cool to see how much went into all the decorations and see them in storage. In fast, while we were visiting they were creating a new tree for POR! I agree that this tour is a must for people who really want to learn what goes on behind the closed doors! When we were backstage at MK the butterflies were practicing out of costume for the parade!

 

[metscool]

This is a cool thread. I want to hear some stories about the tours.

 

[Summerland24]

I will be down there at the end of September....and we were thinking of taking this tour but have a better half that is worried that the "Magic" might be ruined

I know it has been discussed in other threads but I am always curious to see other peoples thoughts

Thanks

 

[kennyj29]

We went in 2000 and it was the best $179.00 per person we ever spent. We also loved the Christmas Shop!!!!! They were building Primeval Whirl at the time and they were showing us some of the accessories to the ride being built. One of the things I found very interesting was they told us that there were rumors that they wanted to make a new section in Magic Kingdom and take away Toon Town, Autopia, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, etc. It still hasn't happened but I think maybe someday it will. They also showed us behind the scenes by some of the rides, etc. It was the best 7 hours we ever spent!

 

[Lee]

Backstage Magic is pretty fun...but it used to be better.
The whole part about going to the florist department is pretty lame.

In the "old days" they used to take you into Body Wars and let you watch the ride operate from down below the simulator pods. MUCH cooler than the floral freezers.

Also, and this is true for all backstage MK tours, prior to 9/11 you spent a LOT more time in the utilidors...like 45min-1 hour. Nowdays...it's about 10min, tops.

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

My husband and I took the Backstage Magic tour last September. It was awesome. We're actually taking it again this September because when we got back and told my family my mother said she just had to go! So, back we go!

We really enjoyed the tour and Nancy, our guide, was great. Very informative. I was really impressed with her knowledge of all things Disney. It was amazing to see all of the people working on the ornaments for the holiday trees. It's a 12 month operation.

We were also impressed with the costuming department.

All things considered it was a lot of fun. I'm just wondering if we'll learn anything new this year.

 

[SGT623]

I have been on the backstage tour 4 times since the early 90's. Always something new always entertaining. I too miss the extended tunnel stays, but going every few years has alowed me to see just about everything there is to see backstage, some places I doubt they ever allow people into again. I'll give it another year or so and go again.

 

[forbidden donut]

My husband and I took the Backstage Magic tour last September. It was awesome. We're actually taking it again this September because when we got back and told my family my mother said she just had to go! So, back we go!

We really enjoyed the tour and Nancy, our guide, was great. Very informative. I was really impressed with her knowledge of all things Disney. It was amazing to see all of the people working on the ornaments for the holiday trees. It's a 12 month operation.

We were also impressed with the costuming department.

All things considered it was a lot of fun. I'm just wondering if we'll learn anything new this year.

Was it this Nancy?

 

[marksniles]

Was it this Nancy?

YES! That's Nancy! She was our Tour Guide too. She was great!
I loved the Holiday decorations too. That was an amazing buidling. But I really loved the laudry facility building. Sounds strange but it was really interesting to see how they wash tons of towels and sheets each day.

Mark

 

[foldmama]

Yes, the costuming department is amazing. When I was there, they showed us the new cars costumes for cars that would be used in the MGM parade. It's amazing when some of the CM's spend time talking about the things they have created over the years. My tour guide was Carmen and she was great!

 

[Shaman]

Nancy rocks!!! She made the tour fun and the time passed fairly quick! I agree with Lee though...the floral place was lame....I personally felt, that while it was fun, it should be a bit cheaper (or they should add something more like taking a look at another attraction or something).....but yeah the tour guide was great....

 

[scotth1224]

We are taking the tour in 20 days on Sept 11. We are excited!

 

[InstImpres]

Another vote for the tours being amazing!!! I have done several. If you are looking for something else unique, try lunch with an imagineer. It was incredible!!! And a bonus of a great soveneier. We were told currently 16 different imagineers do the lunches so it is always changing depending who you get, sorry no requests though!

Sandy

 

[foldmama]

On Tuesday I woke early and ran to Epcot in the pouring rain. Tuesday was the Backstage Magic Tour. Our tour guide was Carmen (who was originally from Brooklyn) from the Disney Institute. If you love detail, this is the tour for you. We visited the backstage area of the American Pavilion to learn how the show works. It was so much fun to see everything up close and to drive on the CM roads around Epcot. We also visited the employee building as many of the Epcot CM’s were arriving for work. We visited the area where they pick up their costumes each day. We then headed over to MGM where were visited the inside of the Costuming area. Now, this was amazing. We were able to speak to several of the CM’s creating costumes and saw some new ones just finished that will be used in the Parade from the new movies “Cars”. I was amazed at how heavy some of the costumes were. We then headed over to lunch at Mama R’s and the meal was amazing. Several of the people on the tour kept trying to convince me to buy into the DVC, but it’s just too expensive for me. After lunch, we rode over to the Magic Kingdom. We visited the Christmas Shop. Did you know that they start preparing for Christmas two years before for each Christmas. I was totally blown away buy this place. They were actually decorating a new 40 foot tree for Riverside while we were there. The place is massive and just amazing to see everything in one place and to see what goes into preparing for the holidays. We visited the central shop where they were repairing several ride vehicles, the paint stop, you name it, we saw it! We visited the underground tunnels. It was a great day and a wonderful learning experience

 

[raven]

Did you know that someone actually examines every single piece of garbage we throw away to take out whatever needs to be recycled. They tried the recycle cans in the park but too many people liked to throw their regualr garbage away so they went back to the hand picking garbage out.

Normally I would think this is very gross, and I guess I still do. But after reading this post I took out my trash since it was pick-up day and my apartment manager was doing the same thing! :lol: Trying to recycle I guess. But you won't catch me diggin' through other people's garbage at WDW. Not with all those dirty diapers I see sitting on strollers. :hurl:

 

[mikelan6]

Nancy was our tour conductor as well. We even got to meet her son, who works at the Magic Kingdom - Guest Relations I think.

 

[Shaman]

Nancy was our tour conductor as well. We even got to meet her son, who works at the Magic Kingdom - Guest Relations I think.

We met him too....

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

I hope we get Nancy again when we take the tour in September. She told us which days she works each week, but I don't remember what they are.:brick: Does anyone recall her mentioning which days a week she works?

Nancy said that both of her children work at Disney, but we didn't get to meet them.

 

[Chape19714]

Ya, that's Nancy, she was our guide. I recall her saying she works Fridays. Anyhow, In case anyone is wondering, her son is now in Special Events for WDW, so we didn't meet him. He led Paris Hilton and a bunch of other celebs. throught the parks. Her daughter is now there too, in entertainment (charactor)

Just in case you all want to know!

Backstage Magic is the BEST!