Review: Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour
In short...3 hours and about $150 (for 3 adults) well spent! Tours have become our way of keeping things new and exciting after so many visits to the Walt Disney World Resort. We count on them to provide insight, innovation and a bit of Disney magic that we haven't yet encountered. The Marceline to Magic Kingdom tour did not disappoint! This 2.5 hour guided adventure through the Magic Kingdom, lead by one of the most eager, knowledgeable and inspired tour guides we have had yet, was the highlight of our vacation.
Our party consisted of myself, my husband and my Dad. All great fans of Walt Disney, the man and his vision. Along with us were 13 other like-minded adults, seeking to learn a bit more about Walt's inspirations, the people he surrounded himself with and how his perseverance and perfectionist mindset lead to great advances in animation, animatronics and storytelling as a whole. You can read many books and articles online about what you will learn, but the gem of this tour was our guide, Anna. Her excitement and awe of Walt Disney and his team of imagineers was infectious. She has a thirst for Disney knowledge and the legends that created the company, that she tries to quench on and off the clock. Her genuine personality, kindness and jubilant attitude defines what a Cast Member should be.
This tour, as all in the Magic Kingdom do, meets at the Town Square Theater building which is to the right just under the train trestle as you enter the park. Once checked in, we received souvenir name tag pins, a bottle of water and our listening devices. We began the tour down Main Street USA, where we were given some history about Walt and his family and how Main Street USA is not an exact replica of Marceline, but rather how Walt felt about Marceline and how he saw it with his heart. We heard anecdotes of Walt's childhood, including some tales of his sister, whom we don't often hear about. We also learned about an indiscretion Walt and his mother were in cahoots on to allow him to serve the country he loved so dearly. At the end of Main Street we ended at the Partners Statue at the hub, where we were given time to take photos.
I will not post any spoilers, but will tell you that this tour takes you through three of the lands in the Magic Kingdom where interesting facts, history and hidden secrets are pointed out. You will embark on 5 attractions with no wait and while riding, your tour guide will be educating you, via the listening devices, on some secrets, hidden Mickey's, technology, history on each attraction and personal tales of Walt, his family and his imagineers. Of course the content may vary from what we experienced.
The tour itself is a walking tour, but it's not exerting and there is plenty of opportunity during the attractions to rest your legs and feet. We did take a bathroom break and as previously mentioned, water is provided. There really is no time to stop for a snack, so pack something with you if you haven't had a large breakfast. Children 12 and over are allowed on this tour. Should you take YOUR 12 year old? Only you can answer that. I know my 11 year old Disney-loving daughter, would have loved it.
I recommend this tour to anyone who admires Walt Disney, the man and the company. While we have decided to begin taking tours now, after visiting so many times, I encourage you not to wait. You gain insight and a new appreciation for the "World" he's created, that we often take for granted. Walt Disney was a true pioneer and this tour is an absolute homage to him, at this wonderful Walt Disney World Resort he never saw completed.
Please feel free to post a comment about this article, your personal experiences with this tour or your suggestions on our Facebook post containing the link to this page. If you would like to know specifics of our tour such as what attractions we visited, email us here. Have a magical day!
