Keys to the Kingdom tour worth it for a park veteran?

[DisneyGigi]

Anyone that can offer any advice, much appreciated! This will be our 8th trip to the World, we stay 10 days and are park people. This year we are actually able to squeeze in an 11th day at the parks (10 night stay) thanks to comp tickets we received for DHS last year. (Thank you Disney and Guest Services, for completely going above and beyond to pixie dust an not so pixie dusted event. ) My main concern is giving up 5 hours of park time if the tour is just random facts I already know. I always get a ressie for CP before park opening so I see an empty Main Street anyway. The Utilidor, I would love to see, and the other backstage areas, but is it worth giving up the 5 hours? The 3 year old in me also does not want to see any characters, out of character either, if ya know what I mean! Thanks, in advance for all advice.

 

[Tom]

It's absolutely worth it....especially since you'll be there for 11 days! Yes, it's full of facts you probably already know, but there may be a few new ones.

You get to ride a few things, but, like you said, you also get to visit the utilidors. You also visit "backstage west" where they store the parade floats.

You don't see as many headless characters as you'd think. You may see a couple in the utilidors, but the tour doesn't go near the zoo, so it's typically just characters heading to and from Crystal Palace and the break room.

 

[JoeCamel]

Do it you will love it. Well worth the money

 

[DisneyGigi]

Thank you both for the advice. I love Disney history, especially real Walt history and a repeat will be okay. Just didn't want it to be a waste of park time. I treasure my park time! I am the girl who is there from opening to close, I can sleep the other 355 days of the year lol is how I see it. I would love the parade staging area. I am not gonna lie, the backstage character thing, I don't know how I will take, but if it is worth it.. It is also our 23rd Anniversary and we are doing either this or Wild Africa Trek at AK just for us, no kiddos! So that should be cool too. Any opinions on which one? I love the Walt History with Keys.

 

[Goofyernmost]

It's not really about hearing things that you already probably know about, it's about seeing areas that you have not been allow to personally visit and getting a better idea about the thought behind what you do see up top on stage. You will probably know about forced perspective or the windows on Main Street, but, even though you know about the utilidors, I'll bet you have never actually stood in them. You get to see where the parades are parked and how they are worked on, plus a few rides with some background. It is worth the 5 hours (besides your lunch in included in the tour). If, however, seeing the less then magical underpinnings of attractions sometimes ruins the "magic" for some people. If you are one of those then avoid it. I have as much fun seeing how things work as actually watching them work, so it worked for me.

 

[sxeensweet]

YES! Absolutely worth it for a park veteran!! We would even do the tour again in the future because we enjoyed it so much.

 

[Michael Forbes]

I love Disney history, especially real Walt history and a repeat will be okay.

 

[officialtom]

Yes!

From my March/April 2014 TR:

So thinking back now, KTTK was a little overwhelming. We were both very excited for it, and I'm definitely glad we did it. But you know, we'd read that some people feel that it takes away from the magic, and part of me might agree with that. Maybe it's just my subconscious not wanting to know exactly how things work, and where the food comes from, and where the CMs get changed and rehearse. But overall, it was worth it. Julie from Chicago, IL was our tour guide, and we found out at the end that it was her very first solo tour. A plainclothes CM had been walking along with us taking notes of her performance, and he told us that she did a great job, and we all agreed. She had been at Disney for just two years but she was able to answer every single question the group had. A real pro.

The tour took us on Jungle Cruise and the Haunted Mansion, and thanks to the nifty little listening things, we got some behind-the-scenes info on each. We had lunch in a private upstairs room at Columbia Harbour House. I had a delicious club sandwich. We got rained on a bit after the haunted mansion, but only for 20 minutes or so. Our ponchos kept us dry, and we ended up underground anyway.

KTTK is well worth the money as long as you don't mind learning some things that certain people would probably rather not know. I'd recommend it for anyone who's been to WDW 3-4 times or more and is craving just a little something more. Everything from how the garbage system works, to where the service trucks drive, to where they store the parade floats, to witnessing a live parade rehearsal (without costumes!) -- really neat stuff for the Disney addict to witness and learn.

 

[JohnD]

It's a great tour. These are the things they do in this order:

• Main Street with facts about the windows and facades
• Ride Jungle Cruise with tour guide providing info about it while you ride
• Go backstage behind Adventureland and Frontierland (see parade float warehouse, the rear sides of Splash Mountain and POTC, and if you're really lucky a parade team practicing)
• Lunch at Columbia Harbor House
• Ride HM (info provided before and after. Board through CM entrance)
• Go behind Main Street next to Casey's Corner
• Go downstairs into Utilidors

P.S. I'll also put in a plug for Epcot's UnDISCOVERed Future World, their version of KTTK. That tour is 4 hours.

 

[DisneyGigi]

Wow, thank you guys all for the info. It definitely sounds worth the time. The only thing I think may throw me a bit is the headless characters if I see one. Sounds like everything else will outweigh that though so we are going to do it! 64 days to go!

 

[DisneyGigi]

We never saw any "friends" uncovered when we took the tour. Having been to both DL and MK several times, DW and I really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes. Some facts I knew, others I did not.

We got to see the end of a parade, exiting Main Street. Seeing how the CMs played their role up to the edge of the "stage" (the visible part past the gates) helped me understand the on stage vs off stage show terms you hear on these forums.

A note about the two rides: In JC, the CM boat captain just "drives" the boat (lol!). Your CM host will share all kinds of detail on the ride, and not the normal dialogue that the captains give. Very interesting and sometimes humorous information! In HM, your host gives some cool info about how the special effects work - including the ballroom dancing, stretching room, etc.

Definitely a great tour for veterans. In fact, I think it is better suited for veterans than for novice guests.

And, as a bonus, if you are into pin collecting, you get a very special pin on this tour.

I would love, love to do the tour at Disneyland! I have only been once, for just a day, but walking where I knew Walt had was amazing to me. Hope to make it back one day and stay longer. I do have a pretty decent pin collection so that is a very cool added bonus! I am parade obsessed so that will be really neat for me. Thanks for the info.

 

[Misterdcp]

I've never done this tour, but I am definitely planning on it for my next trip

 

[JoeCamel]

If you have a choice between this and WAT at the AK you really can't go wrong. I have done and enjoyed both. WAT is a lot more money so if that is a factor then let it decide. You won't go wrong either way.

 

[Bairstow]

The only guided tour I've done as an adult was the Backstage Magic tour a couple years ago, and it was pretty great.
It costs about three times as much as Keys to the Kingdom but includes lunch and doesn't require a park pass.
You also get to see the utilidoors, but the tour takes you all over property, including to the unspeakably cool Central Shops.

 

[DisneyGigi]

If you have a choice between this and WAT at the AK you really can't go wrong. I have done and enjoyed both. WAT is a lot more money so if that is a factor then let it decide. You won't go wrong either way.

There is a discount right now that takes the WAT down to 200, a good bit more than the KttK but if it is worth it I would pay it. Which did you prefer? For a first time tour taker? If you had to choose?

 

[DisneyGigi]

The only guided tour I've done as an adult was the Backstage Magic tour a couple years ago, and it was pretty great.
It costs about three times as much as Keys to the Kingdom but includes lunch and doesn't require a park pass.
You also get to see the utilidoors, but the tour takes you all over property, including to the unspeakably cool Central Shops.

Thought about this one too, but have not found much info on what you get to do.

 

[Bairstow]

Thought about this one too, but have not found much info on what you get to do.

It's subject to change, but when I did in October of 2013 we met the tour group outside the gates of EPCOT. From there we...

1. Got a brief tour of the backstage areas of EPCOT and the World Showcase from the bus.
2. Watched a little of the American Adventure from the behind the stage work area where you can see the machinery that moves the stages/sets/figures in and out of position.
3. Briefly walked around the American section of the World Showcase before it was open to the public, being shown things about forced perspective, etc.
4. Drove through the back streets of MGM and toured the wardrobe design/production studio workshop they've got back there.
5. Chatted with one of the mechanics at Tower of Terror and got to look in and underneath one of the ride vehicles sitting in their maintenance bay.
6. Lunch at Whispering Canyon
7. Toured Disney's topiary garden/greenhouse facility.
8. Saw some of the backroads of Animal Kingdom and walked through the hangars where the Jammin Jungle Parade floats were being kept/charged up.
9. Toured Central Shops. This was the highlight. Got a close look at a ton of stuff being worked on, including the 7 Dwarves figures, most of the Jungle Cruise, Astro Orbiters, etc.
10. Entered the Magic Kingdom via the utilidoors behind Tony's. Walked around there for a bit, popped up on the other side of Main Street, then watched the 3-o-clock parade go by.
11. Went back to EPCOT and were dismissed.

Interspersed through all of this is guidance/lecture by a pair of tour guides, both of which were dudes in their 40s who used to be instructors at the Disney Institute. A lot of the time you're out of the bus you have radio headsets you can use to listen to the guides while in a park/facility.

Your actual itenerary will probably vary depending on timing and whether certain areas are safe to enter.

 

[LAKid53]

Yes, as a Park Veteran, it is worth it. We did it last year after visiting 4-5 times each year for the past 3 years. Plus you get a chance to show off your knowledge of Disney trivia also. The walk through the utilidors gives you an appreciation for the construction of the MK. I don't remember seeing any characters off stage during our visit last year.

Word of warning. It IS a 5 hour walking tour. Make sure you wear comfortable clothes and shoes. And plenty of sunscreen if you take the tour in the sunnier/hotter months, since you spend probably 75% of the tour time outside.

Also done WAT at DAK. Riding Kilimanjaro after that is just so hum drum....

 

[Jon81uk]

I'm trying to decide between doing Backstage Magic or just a keys to the Kingdom (plus maybe Segways at the Fort). Backstage magic looks good, but Animal Kingdom now instead of the parade floats you talk to a guide of the Africa Trek, which feels a bit pointless. But central shops, Tower of terror and utilidors would be highlights.

But keys to kingdom looks good too and is a lot cheaper...

 

[DisneyGigi]

Yes, as a Park Veteran, it is worth it. We did it last year after visiting 4-5 times each year for the past 3 years. Plus you get a chance to show off your knowledge of Disney trivia also. The walk through the utilidors gives you an appreciation for the construction of the MK. I don't remember seeing any characters off stage during our visit last year.

Word of warning. It IS a 5 hour walking tour. Make sure you wear comfortable clothes and shoes. And plenty of sunscreen if you take the tour in the sunnier/hotter months, since you spend probably 75% of the tour time outside.

Also done WAT at DAK. Riding Kilimanjaro after that is just so hum

Lord knows I do like to talk Disney trivia!
We are total park people, August-September park people. We walk and walk and walk, never stop but for a show, a ride or a meal, from park opening til close for 10 days each trip . We love the crazy Florida heat so we would be okay there. I really wanna do the Trek too because I love the Safari, that would be so cool to see it in a different view/up close.