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Tag Archives: Keys to the Kingdom
Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour
I was lucky enough on a recent trip to take part in the Keys to the Kingdom Tour at The Magic Kingdom. Let me tell you, this is well worth the price of admission. I used my annual pass to get a 15% discount on the tour. My total was around $66 for the 5 and 1/2 hour tour which included lunch at Columbia Harbour House.
My tour began at 9 am, but we were allowed into the Magic Kingdom at 8:30. This was great since the park was not open yet and we could take those wonderful photos of an empty main street! We checked into our tour at The Chamber of Commerce and were treated to some super cute name tags and bottled water. We were also given our ear pieces at this time and selected what we would eat for lunch.
At 9:00 am sharp we met our tour guide, Molly. Molly was everything that is good about Disney! She was fun, funny, informative, entertaining, and so knowledgeable. She was also an amazing story teller. I absolutely adored her. Molly informed us that we would not be allowed to take any photos on the tour, either “on stage” or “backstage” and we were happy to comply. For this reason, you will not be seeing any pictures that were taken during the walking tour.
Molly began our tour with a walk down Main Street, explaining to us what the Keys to the Kingdom are: Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency. It is upon these building blocks that the entire Magic Kingdom and Disney World as a whole is run. As we walked down Main Street she explained how beginning at the train station you are seeing a show. The station acts as curtain concealing the star; Cinderella Castle. As the curtain lifts and you enter Main Street you will see concessions such as popcorn and soda for sale and walk along a red walk way that is representative of the red carpet! The windows of the buildings act as credits for the people who brought this production to life.
Keys to the Kingdom Tour – What’s it All About?
The Keys to the Kingdom Tour is a fabulous “extra-curricular” for any Magic Kingdom fan that wants to add even more knowledge and fun facts to their repertoire. Even the most knowledgable Disney trivia buff will learn something new on this tour. While I won’t give away the secrets about this tour, I will give you some helpful information and insight about it.
Just like ADRs, you may schedule the Keys to the Kingdom tour 180 days out. All tour participants MUST be at least 16 years old. There are 3 tours given per day. Each tour lasts about 5 hours. Lunch is included at the Columbia Harbor House.
Chip’s Tips: Choose the first tour of the day, as it begins before park opening, allowing you the opportunity to get some great pictures of an “empty” Main Street USA and Cinderella’s Castle.
When arriving for your KTTK tour, check-in at Guest Relations. If your tour begins before park opening, your name will be on a Tour List at the turnstiles – they will allow you early entrance. At Guest Relations, you will be given a name tag as well as an ear piece (a clip-on ear phone) in order to hear your tour guide. You will also pre-order your lunch from the Columbia Harbor House menu.
All of the KTTK tour guides have an incredible knowledge of Walt Disney, his ideas, and the details that went into planning the Magic Kingdom park. The tour begins on Main Street USA, where you’ll learn about forced perspective, and the stories behind a few of the names you see written on the 2nd story building windows. You’ll stand in the hub in front of Cinderella’s castle and learn why the entrance to Tomorrowland is nearly twice as wide as the entrance to Adventureland. Your tour guide will even point out certain trees and tell you why they’re important – one reason being, some are strategically placed to hide certain park icons from being seen while in another land. Your tour guide will show you how the details in the park transition as you walk from one land into the next. From the music changing, to the detailing in the walls, even to the changes in the pavement that you’re walking on!
Top 5 Reasons to Experience the Keys to the Kingdom Tour
Want to know more about Walt Disney World? Do you want to go behind the scenes and see and experience the parks in a whole new way? Walt Disney World, as usual, has you covered with a variety of tours to choose from; and recently, I decided to take the plunge and experience Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour!
The Keys to the Kingdom tour lasts about 4 to 5 hours or so and takes place in the Magic Kingdom! The tour teaches guests about the Disney “keys” to success, as well as some Disney history, secrets, and how Disney puts on a show.
While I won’t give everything away, I will let you in on the top 5 reasons you should experience the Keys to the Kingdom Tour yourself, as well as what magic awaits during your experience!
