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Keys To The Kingdom
- Thread starter kwhdmd
- Start date
figmentmom
Well-Known Member
I'm taking this tour next time I go. Absolutely everyone I've talked to who has taken the tour has raved about the experience - go for it!
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nicholas
New Member
I LOVED the Keys tour. I was well worth the money for me. The hightlight, for most people, is going down into the tunnels and going backstage. Definitely exciting. I was worried doing that would ruin some of the magic for me, but it only heightened it and made me appreciate it more. Not sure if things change at all, but we went on three rides, Jungle Cruise, Pirates and Haunted Mansion, all skipping the lines, of course. Got some great information (that a lot of us already know) but still some great info that was new to me. But yeah, the highlight was seeing backstage and getting behind the scenes experience. Plus, if you're a pin collector, you get a Keys to the Kingtom Tour pin that is only available to people who take the tour. So that's a nice perk also.
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SusanAnne
Active Member
Went on the tour last year, and just loved it. We got in the park pretty early, and since we had about 30 minutes before the tour began, they told us to go walk around the park (by the castle and main street), which was really cool to be there at that time, and no one else was hardly there (i counted like 6 people). It was also great because you got to see the opening from the inside and then of course the mad rush. My 18 year old wants to go on it this year in March.......It is the best , you won't be dissapointed!!! 
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Jason21783
Well-Known Member
I went on the tour a few trips ago and it was really one of the best things I've ever done there. It's well worth it and lasts all day. I learned so much, it was hard to remember it all. For the rest of our trip, all I could talk about was the did-you-know facts I learned on the tour. We ate at the colonial place next to the Haunted Mansion. Not the Liberty Tree, but the other one. We had the upstairs all to ourselves. You get to see things you'll never see otherwise. It doesn't ruin anything. If anything, it makes the experience ever more rich.
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DiPSU224
Member
kwhdmd said:
We ate at the Columbia Harbour House when we took it last year and its probably still the same. One of the things I liked about lunch was they seated you at tables with your group members so we got to know some nice people.
If you take an early tour, make sure to take a picture on Main Street while there are no other guests around. Its a great photo-op! Enjoy! :wave:
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Speedbird
New Member
A highly recommended tour. We did it 2002 and it was much better then. Longer and you saw more. We got to see the parade floats close up and the then Electrical Parade floats too. They won't let you near the floats now. Anti terrorist paranoia I think, I don't know. Anyway, our guide was good this time round and if we hadn't done it in 2002, we wouldn't have known any different. Did the Walk in Walt's Footsteps at Disneyland, that was good fun too.
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ClemsonTigger
Naturally Grumpy
I strongly suggest you take advantage of the opportunity. Even thinking I know a lot about Disney, you can always pick up a bit more. I enjoyed backstage looking at the equipment staging and parade floats as well as the Splash Mountain water recycling (could be a staff swimming pool!).
Actually, you can do it a number of times, because the tourguide really makes it his or her own, and they can vary a lot. Not necessarily good or bad but different. There is a lot of flexability that the CM's have so it can always be fresh.
Lunch is upstairs at Columbia House (with an interesting bathroom story) in a private dining area.
The only downside is that as these have become much more well known and popular, the group sizes have gotten larger...loosing some of the intimacy.
Actually, you can do it a number of times, because the tourguide really makes it his or her own, and they can vary a lot. Not necessarily good or bad but different. There is a lot of flexability that the CM's have so it can always be fresh.
Lunch is upstairs at Columbia House (with an interesting bathroom story) in a private dining area.
The only downside is that as these have become much more well known and popular, the group sizes have gotten larger...loosing some of the intimacy.
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kwhdmd said:
We got back from WDW a couple of weeks ago, we took the Keys to the Kingdom Tour while we were there
and absolute MUST
this was one of the most interesting, involving and entertaining tours I have ever been on, Our guide was Mitch, and he was excellent in everyway,
as you'll no doubt know you get to go backstage and under the Magic Kingdom, which is cool
but for me the most interesting part of the whole thing was the history.
Finding out how Walt go to where he was, the ideas, the fact that you cannot see Cinderella Castle from entering the park and the story behind it, the whole scene change and the reasons the floors were painted red in the Magic Kingdom.
There is so much to learn and so much fun to be had, I whole heartedly reccomend this tour.
Also take a look at Behind The Magic, which incorporates this tour along with Epcot tours too (I think it's around the $200 which is why we did KttK instead)
If you do go on it, please come back and mention your guide and also what you thought
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I've been twice and highly recommned it. Every CM is different and has something different to offer. We went before and after 9-11 and the routes were different but they also told us the stories about 9-11 & how they evacuated the park. We'll worth the $$ and time.
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wannabeBelle
Well-Known Member
The restaurant was the Columbia Harbor House. Lunch was good I selected a cup of New England clam chowder and a half of a ham and cheese sandwich. This tour overall was well worth the time and money. It was just a great tour and as Nicholas said it just made me appreciate the magic more. If you are an AP holder or a Disney Visa cardholder, there is also a discount available. Have a great time!! Bellekwhdmd said:
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ClemsonTigger
Naturally Grumpy
If you are uncertain about transportation (particularly bus), check with your concierge, possibly the night before to know when busses start. They always start plenty early, and even the monorails, if you tell them you are doing a tour or going to Cindy's, you can get on much earlier than the "official" opening.
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WDW-Imagineer
Well-Known Member
I took the tour back in 1999 (my last trip 
), and being a absolute Disney fanatic, I loved every minute of it. I'm not sure how much it has changed in 6 years, but when I took it, it was definitely worth the money (not even sure how much). The tour is a staple for anybody who wants to know more about how MK was built, is run, and maybe even a few previews of whats to come.
), and being a absolute Disney fanatic, I loved every minute of it. I'm not sure how much it has changed in 6 years, but when I took it, it was definitely worth the money (not even sure how much). The tour is a staple for anybody who wants to know more about how MK was built, is run, and maybe even a few previews of whats to come.
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