Walt Disney World has mastered the fine art of edutainment, and it’s no small feat to make learning fun for all ages! Cleverly disguised amidst the fun and frolic of the Disney parks are worlds of knowledge conveying tidbits of history, mechanics, ecology, culture, and more. All too often, we overlook the less blatant details, or fail to understand their significance. Sometimes, they’re even hidden from our view in the mystical backstage areas, which are strictly off-limits to park guests – unless you’re on an official resort tour, that is!
Guided tours offer the opportunity to see the parks from a new perspective. Led by knowledgeable park guides, tours vary in scope, focus, and length – most including behind-the-scenes elements. Naturally, you can expect to learn a few secrets behind the history and operation of the Disney parks and resorts, but you might be surprised by what else you can learn on a Walt Disney World tour.
1. There are good bugs?
Perhaps insects aren’t the best selling point for most of us, but you can learn about much more than bugs in the hour-long Behind the Seeds tour at Epcot. After experiencing the slow-boat ride Living With the Land, consider viewing the attraction from another angle – backstage! For $20 ($16 for children), you’ll be led through four greenhouses and the fish farm (at feeding time), as Disney’s team of Horticulture experts and interns demonstrate progressive gardening techniques, including hydroponics.
Your guide will share knowledge on ecological threats, including which bugs are good and which are harmful, and perhaps a tip or two that will motivate even the brown-thumbs among us to feel optimistic about our potential. Surprises and special experiences vary on the tours, but may include a ladybug release, fish feeding, starter seed gifts, and samples of the food grown on site. Behind the Seeds is another tour that welcomes photography, and younger guests. Additionally, the tour runs frequently throughout the day, and rarely needs to be reserved in advance.
2. How much food does it take to feed over 1,500 animals of 250 different species?
The next time you’re frustrated over cooking and baking for a family gathering, just think – three tons of food must be prepared and distributed each day to the 1,500 animals of 250 species that call Disney’s Animal Kingdom home. Disney is well-respected for its conservation efforts, and Animal Kingdom’s Backstage Safari tour provides a rare glimpse into that process.
This three hour tour includes a slightly more in-depth safari than the average Kilimanjaro experience, as well as backstage journeys through the Animal Nutrition Center, housing areas, and the veterinary hospital at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Along the way, you’ll encounter various Disney zoologists ready to share details about the resident wildlife, and Disney’s ecological programs. Backstage Safari is open to guests 16 ages and up, for $72 per person.
3. How do you tell a dolphin to “wave”?
The dolphin residents at Epcot’s The Seas with Nemo and Friends pavilion know a host of performance commands, delivered in the form of hand signals from informed trainers. For $199, you can experience the thrill of stepping into a trainer’s fins through the Dolphins in Depth tour. The entire tour lasts three hours, with 30 minutes of that time being spent in waist-high water, wading with dolphins. Limited to only eight guests per tour, Dolphins in Depth explores the anatomy, husbandry, and superior intelligence of the beloved, playful creatures. You’ll even learn a few hand signals for the chance to communicate with a dolphin yourself. Minimum age to participate is 13.
Epcot offers two underwater experiences as well. DiveQuest and Epcot Seas Aqua Tour are more immersive tours, with DiveQuest requiring proof of SCUBA certification to take part. DiveQuest is a three hour experience, priced at $175, for ages 10 and up. Join the more than 6,000 occupants of this 5.7 million gallon saltwater ecosystem for a deep sea exploration of epic proportions. Dolphins, rays, sharks, and over 60 other species join you on your 40 minute adventure after you enjoy video and lecture presentations. Epcot Seas Aqua Tour employs the “snuba” method – a combination of snorkeling and SCUBA – to explore the 27 foot deep tanks. This is a 2.5 hour tour, priced at $140, for guests 12 and up.
The best part about the tours at Epcot’s “Seas” pavilion is that none of them require park admission separate from the tour cost. Additionally, all proceeds go toward Disney’s Wildlife Conservation Fund.
4. What is a Christmas pickle?
A pickle hidden in the branches of a Christmas tree promises a special, extra gift to the lucky finder – or so the tradition goes in Germany. Germany is one of the representative nations of Epcot’s World Showcase, where you’ll learn about the many varied traditions that combine to celebrate a global holiday season. Disney’s Yuletide Fantasy tour is only offered on select dates in November and December, for guests 16 years and older. This three and a half hour whirlwind tour costs $89. Tour stops include Epcot’s Germany, Japan, Italy, and America pavilions, where you’ll compare and trace holiday traditions, and Magic Kingdom’s Main Street USA for a look at early Americana influence on a Disney’s holiday decor.
Speaking of decorations, you’ll also visit Walt Disney World’s crown jewel, The Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, and the guest-favorite life-size gingerbread house and bake shop in the resort lobby, where Victorian elegance blends with Disney magic. The highlight of the Yuletide Fantasy tour is arguably the stop at the Holiday Services Warehouse, where decorative duplicates are stored – including fully decorated back-up Christmas trees.
5. How do steam trains operate?
Join the opening crew of engineers to learn about the Magic Kingdom’s turn-of-the-century trains on the Magic Behind Our Steam Trains tour. Walt Disney had a lifelong love of trains, and Disney loyalists will appreciate this fitting tribute to the man and his “other” passion. This three hour tour allows access to staging areas where the trains of yesterday and tomorrow share slumber space. The two-story roundhouse stores both steam trains (below) and monorails (above) when not actively in use, and provides bays for maintenance and repair work. After a private ride to and from the roundhouse, the train station sets the stage for a closer look at Walt Disney’s connection to trains, and their special place in his parks.
Learn about the daily routines and operations of the four steam trains that transport guests around the 1.5 miles of track encircling the Magic Kingdom, as well as the mechanics behind how they work, before climbing into the cab yourself to take a peek at the gauges and controls! The Lilly Belle, Roy O. Disney, Walter E. Disney, and Roger E. Broggie are fully restored antique trains with almost a century of history each, dating back to their service hauling sugar cane through Mexico. Today, they haul more passengers each year than Amtrak. These are just a few of the fun facts you’ll learn on the steam trains tour. The cost of the tour is $54, with a limit of 20 guests per tour. Minimum required age for this tour is 10 years. Photography is allowed on this tour, unlike many behind-the-scenes adventures.
6. Where did Walt Disney and his team of Imagineers leave their mark?
The Walt Disney World founders and creators left signatures and tributes in design details throughout the parks and resorts. While hidden Mickeys may be Disney’s worst-kept secret, they aren’t the only “Easter egg” styled features left behind to discover. Two tours specifically highlight the hidden touches and memories scattered throughout the Magic Kingdom – Walt Disney: From Marceline to Magic Kingdom, and Keys to the Kingdom.
From Marceline to Magic Kingdom is a three hour walking tour – considered to be the light version of Keys to the Kingdom, which lasts five hours. Marceline was Walt Disney’s hometown for a mere four years, but it left an indelible impression on the boy who would one day duplicate those memories in his plans for Main Street USA. From Main Street, through Cinderella Castle, and into Liberty Square, you’ll discover how Imagineers “signed” their contributions in clever ways, and how Walt Disney’s life events inspired the park’s appearance and layout to the smallest detail. This tour includes ride stops at The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Carousel of Progress, and The Haunted Mansion, where tour guides will share secrets and facts about each, not the least of which is an amazing, backstage reveal behind one of The Haunted Mansion’s most intriguing scenes! While I’ll keep a couple of secrets to myself, I will say that many consider this tour (open to guests 12 years and up) worth the $30 price tag simply due to this stop.
Keys to the Kingdom is more than double the cost ($79), but it has the one big added “weenie” of a trip through the Utilidors. What’s a weenie? What’s a Utilidor? The weenie is what Walt referred to as the big lure that visually guided you into the parks, and the Ultilidors are what die-hard Disney geeks dream about. Just a couple more fun terms you will enhance your vocabulary with on a tour!
The Magic Kingdom is actually built above a ground-level megastructure known as the Utilidors, where Cast Members and park operation systems flurry about in a frenzy. It is the heart and brain of the Magic Kingdom, and it houses all of the park’s greatest secrets. Well, that may be a little exaggerated, but it is an exceptionally intricate, impressive area. You’ll also journey into the Production Center, home to the parade floats and show props, to learn what it takes to produce the large-scale performances Disney is famous for. Tour guides demonstrate how the “keys” of safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency are woven into the details of Magic Kingdom’s operation, with ride stops at Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Haunted Mansion. Lunch at Columbia Harbour House is also included in the Keys to the Kingdom tour, which is limited to guests 16 years and up.
7. Where can you find a “hidden Tinkerbell”?
Back to the subject of hidden Mickeys – did you know that there are many other characters “hidden” in design elements? After you learn about the hidden Donald Duck at The Haunted Mansion, go on a hunt for the hidden Tinkerbell at Disney’s Boardwalk! The Boardwalk Ballyhoo tour is absolutely free, and you do not need to be staying at Boardwalk to enjoy this 45 minute guided glimpse through time.
Starting at the Belle Vue Lounge, period decor and games set the scene for this look at life in 1920s-1930s coastal towns such as Atlantic City and Coney Island. Guides point out decorative elements and working models that celebrate the vibrant amusements and fanciful elegance of early boardwalk recreation scattered throughout the lobby and pool area before embarking on a stroll beside the shops and restaurants that line the waterway. Your guide will likely point out the hidden Tinkerbell as you make your way to the elevators from the lobby, so pay attention for this unique find! This tour is open to all ages.
8. Where can you find the combined waters of over 20 nations?
The International Ceremony of the Waters was held over thirty years ago in dedication of the Fountain of Nations at Epcot. Samples from 25 bodies of water representing 29 nations were poured by national representatives into the fountain, in unison. The Fountain of Nations resides at the center of Future World, which is comprised of pavilions that spur from the central hub. The pathways and features of Future World’s two sides are meant to represent the hemispheres of the brain – with the left (logical) side consisting of straight lines and clean edges, and the right (creative) side composed of light, meandering walkways through water features. Little factoids like this are around every corner at Epcot, and you’ll learn all about the park’s design and operation on the UnDISCOVERed Future World tour.
This four hour tour examines Walt Disney’s original intention for Epcot, and the innovations behind Future World. Backstage pathways through the Cast Member Wardrobe Department and VIP lounges are high points of the tour, with a couple of ride stops along the way, including front-of-line access to Soarin’. You’ll learn behind-the-scenes secrets of Spaceship Earth, The Land, Mission Space, Test Track, The Seas pavilion, and Journey Into Imagination, on your way to the staging area for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, where you’ll discover what goes into creating Epcot’s famed nightly fireworks and light show. At $64 per guest, this tour is limited to guests 16 and older.
There are a few things you need to know while planning any Disney tour. Advance reservations are generally required for most tours, and always a good idea! Make your reservations by calling 407-WDW-TOUR. Backstage areas are strictly “no photograph” zones unless otherwise clearly stated, and they do mean it! Souvenir photos are included with some tours. Discounts are often available for Disney Vacation Club members, Annual Passholders, and more. Walt Disney World’s guided tours offer a new way to view and appreciate the parks and resorts, for new and returning visitors alike. Nothing quite compares to a VIP experience cleverly smothered in edutainment, after all!
