If there’s one thing we love more than Disney World, it has to be the extra magic and pixie dust you find with some super top-secret insider tips that not many people know about. If you’ve ever wondered how you can make your next upcoming visit to Walt Disney World extra special and oh-so magical, we’ve got a few ideas to share with you. Unveil the enchantment behind the scenes with our ‘Magic Kingdom Insider Tips’ guide! From hidden tours to privileged VIP experiences, learn about unique and little-known aspects of Disney World that can make your visit unforgettable.
Read on for the inside scoop:
Magic Kingdom Insider Tips: The Keys to The Kingdom Tour
Not many people realize that there is a private tour available to reserve timeslots for in Magic Kingdom. This incredible tour is called the “Keys to The Kingdom Tour,” and it’s not well-known or well-utilized for all that you learn, see, and do during the experience. “The Keys to The Kingdom Tour” is a fantastic opportunity to take advantage of, as long as your kids aren’t too young. If your kids are over the age of 16, you are in luck! You’ll be able to attend the tour with everyone in your party. Don’t try to sneak by the 16 & up rule, though! Everyone will be asked to show their ID upon arrival.
What makes this awesome tour so special is in part, that it lasts 5 hours. It’s not your average tour! This Magic Kingdom deep dive walking tour takes you behind the scenes in the coolest of ways. You’ll learn about the history of the park and how it became what Magic Kingdom is today. The tour goes even deeper than Walt Disney World history, however. You’ll get backstage knowledge of rides and attractions and their history as well!
One of the most fascinating aspects of the “Keys to The Kingdom Tour” is that guests will be shown the famous tunnels under Magic Kingdom that everyone has heard rumors about. These tunnels are underground, with their primary purpose being to allow Magic Kingdom employees to be able to facilitate secrets more easily. When people or things need to be moved, the tunnels are the best way to move them in secret!
On this tour, you and your group will see the tunnels, private elevators for Cast Members, and much, much more. For some, this tour can show a little too much. Not everyone wishes to see backstage of Disney because it might throw you off or ruin it for you to see your favorite Disney characters “off-duty.” By this, we mean not in full costume or without their character’s head. If you choose to participate in this fantastic tour, prepare yourself and your group that it could be surprising to see the side of Disney you’re not used to seeing!
The “Keys to The Kingdom Tour” is truly fantastic for a number of reasons. With a 5-hour full tour, the amazing secret Disney knowledge you’ll learn, and an excellent lunch provided during the tour – you’ll feel like the ultimate VIP!
(You cannot attend the “Keys to The Kingdom Tour” without a park ticket for Magic Kingdom that day.)
The Keys to The Kingdom Tour begins at $114/per person before tax, and your reservation time is pretty much set in stone. Make sure to arrive 15-20 minutes early, just in case. Because the Keys to The Kingdom Tour is so unique, specialized, and…sort of top secret, (Obviously, Disney is in charge of it and you did make a reservation…but nevertheless, it’s not well known!) Guests will not be allowed to take photos or videos, even on their phones, during the tour.
As a fun way to end your tour, Guests will also receive their own personal mini “key” to the kingdom. This tour is perfect for the Disney fan who wants to know how it all happens. Just be prepared for secrets to be revealed!
Elevate Your Experience with Private VIP Tour: An Insider’s Perspective
Going along with the same theme of private tours, did you know that Disney World has an option for a Disney Private VIP Tour? It’s true!
Unlike the backstage tour, this tour doesn’t focus solely on backstage access, but it does give you a few behind-the-scenes secrets and access, and it definitely makes you feel like a Disney VIP!
The perks of the Disney Private VIP Tour benefit the Guests, because it enables you to park hop, skip wait times, and more.
Much like the backstage “Keys to The Kingdom Tour,” you do need to have a Magic Kingdom theme park ticket for the day in addition to the tour reservation. Your tour will last at least 7 hours, and Disney cannot accommodate more than 10 Guests in a group. Going with a bigger party? Just split up into 2 Private VIP Tours, and you should be in tip-top shape!
The “Private VIP Tour” price depends on crowds and what time of year you’re reserving a tour. Expect the cost to be anywhere from $450-$900/per hour. (And as a reminder, it’s a 7-hour tour (at least.)
One of the most worth-it reasons to do a Private VIP Tour, is to skip the lines! That’s right, you heard that correctly. Skip the long, long lines at your favorite rides and attractions. Special access to the rides and attractions and no wait times are included with your tour reservation. So cool, right?!
Having a reservation for the Private VIP Tour means that your personal Disney tour guide will tailor your day’s schedule to be exactly what you and your group prefer. This means ride and attraction preference, so if you absolutely have to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, your tour guide can see to it.
Along this specialized, unique tour, you’ll learn special insider fun facts and backstage secrets. Every tour guide is different, but there’s no doubt that you’ll have the inside scoop and the fast-tracked no-wait-times, VIP-treatment that you can only find in the VIP Private Tour at Disney!
Insider’s Secret: The Cinderella Castle Suite
Speaking of VIP-treatment, one of our favorite Magic Kingdom secrets is the Cinderella Castle Suite. You might have heard of it, but unless you’re a celebrity, you’ve been very, very lucky, won a sweepstakes, or some other unique opportunity, odds are you haven’t been inside the Cinderella Castle Suite yourself.
When the suite was first set up, guests were randomly chosen and gifted to have a one-night stay in the suite of any Disney fan’s dreams. Ever since, there have been sporadic opportunities to enter to win contests, etc. for a stay in the Cinderella Castle Suite, but the chances are always rare. (Also backing up a bit to when the suite was first designed – the original intention was actually to be Walt Disney and his family’s private apartment, but was never completed. So cool!)
The interior of the gorgeous suite is ever so castle-like. It looks exactly as regal and impressive as you’d expect. Ideal for royalty. The suite is a total of 650 square feet. The rooms are exquisite with gorgeous, ornate gold décor and stained-glass windows.
If you ever have the chance to stay, definitely accept that opportunity. Whether you win a sweepstakes, or a Cast Member gifts you the option, the Cinderella Castle Suite feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Magic Kingdom Rope Drop – An Insider Tip for Early Birds
Closing out our list of best Magic Kingdom Insider Tips, we want to talk about something a bit more accessible than the Cinderella Castle Suite.
If you’ve never entered Magic Kingdom at Rope Drop, we’re about to convince you.
True Disney fans know that if you arrive at Magic Kingdom earlier than the park opens, you’ll be allowed into the front section of the park, only held off by a Cast Member waiting to cut the “rope drop” for the day. The fun part about this is that you’re allowed to walk around the stores if you choose until it’s time to be let into the rest of the park! You’re also allowed to go to the Main Street, U.S.A. Starbucks! What a perfect opportunity for morning coffee, while you’re waiting to be let into the park.
The other reason Guests love to “rope drop” is because you have quicker, direct access to getting on your preferred rides first. If there’s a ride you don’t want to miss, and you know it’s popular, this is potentially your best opportunity to ride.
There’s also a super magical “Welcome Show” performed in front of Cinderella’s Castle that only happens at the beginning of the day (every day) in Magic Kingdom. If this is something you or your kids are interested in, don’t miss your opportunity!
In Conclusion
We hope you feel more in-the-know now and able to more effortlessly access WDW’s Magic Kingdom insider secrets and magic. For any ultra-Disney fans, there’s nothing more exciting than having the backstage pass to what goes on behind the scenes. There’s also nothing more amazing than entering Magic Kingdom before everybody else and being the first riders on your favorite rides.
Now, the next time you take your family or friends to Magic Kingdom, they’ll ask, “Where did you learn that awesome secret?”
Don’t forget to let us know if you try any of these insider hacks! Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop!
