Behind the Scenes Opportunities at Disney World

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at Walt Disney World theme parks? Maybe you’ve heard the rumors about the underground tunnels and wondered if they were true. The folks at Disney are happy to share their background world with you. Just take one of their many behind the scenes tours.

There are literally dozens of opportunities to get an insider view of what makes Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida so spectacular. Let’s look at some extra special opportunities.

Backstage Magic Tour

This is the big daddy of all the behind the scenes opportunities. It’s a 7-hour tour that guides you through all four theme parks. The tour includes a look at the inner workings of The American Adventure exhibition in Epcot, a trip through the underground tunnels beneath Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. In Disney’s Hollywood Studios you’ll learn how the Imagineers created the frightening Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and see how they created the Jammin’ Jungle Parade at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You visit one of the onsite laundry facilities and learn how Disney staff keeps up with all the laundry every day. It was amazing. You will also visit a prop warehouse and learn how the props are made. My husband and I did this tour in April 2017. It was spectacular. You will learn a lot of information about Disney and the surrounding area. The tour guides were very knowledgeable about the whole inter-workings of Disney. Both of our tour guides had been with Disney for many years and love it. Their love of Disney shown through while they shared this tour with us all. We were served a huge lunch at the Whispering Canyon Restaurant in the Wilderness Lodge to put the icing on top.

Reservations are required for this tour and lunch is included. If you are a DVC member or an annual pass-holder you will get a discount on the tour.

 

Behind the Seeds

This is a one hour and fifteen minute tour of the greenhouses in The Land. The guide takes you through several stages of the greenhouse and educates you about hydroponics, drip-irrigation and many other types of raising herbs, fruits, and veggies. This is a very informative tour. My husband and I just did this tour on our anniversary trip to WDW in March-April 2019. Our guide was Lee, who has been working with Disney for 27 years. His professionalism and love for horticulture came out while showing us the ins and outs of raising your food. He even shared freshly cut-up cucumbers with us from the huge vine that was growing. This tour was fun and informative. It is worth the price.

Reservations are required for this tour ahead of time. If you are a DVC member or an annual pass-holder you will get a discount on the tour.

 

Backstage Safari

Do you love animals and nature? The Backstage Safari takes you through a three-hour look at how Disney Cast Members take care of the more than 1,500 inhabitants of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. You’ll get to tour the animal nutrition center, explore the housing area, visit the veterinary hospital and learn how Disney promotes global wildlife conservation and animal well-being.

Wild Africa Trek

This tour is not for the faint of heart. It is a three-hour walking and riding tour. The first hour and a half is spent walking, climbing and then crossing a scary wooden bridge. I say scary because I’ve always been afraid of heights and you are high up in the air over the Kilimanjaro tour, walking over hippos and crocodiles. But I did it!!! It was great. You learn a lot about what goes on behind the scenes with some animals like the hippos and crocodiles. The second hour and a half is spent riding through the safari with your guides, as you get the VIP treatment and stop for a meal at a secluded location overlooking the savanna. The guides are taking pictures the whole time, and these are included with your tour. Your meal is also included. Having lunch overlooking the savanna was the highlight of our trip as we sat and watched the animals and felt the cool breeze on a very warm day. I cannot say enough about this trip. Our guides Anna and Yuri were great. They provided so much information that you’re dreaming about it all that night. This tour is a must do.

Reservations are required ahead of time and lunch and photos are included. If you are a DVC member or an annual pass-holder you will get a discount on the tour.

 

Disney’s Dolphins in Depth

This adventure is limited to eight people per day. During this three-hour tour, you’ll get to meet the dolphins of The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion at Epcot. After learning about their behavior, you can take a souvenir photo, meet the trainers, and talk with the researchers who work with the dolphins. You’ll also have the opportunity to get into the water and interact with the dolphins and sit in on a training session. If you’re interested in dolphins or marine life, then this is a fantastic opportunity to get up close and personal.

These are just a few of the behind the scenes opportunities at Walt Disney World. They are well-planned, very informative and fun. My husband and I have done several as stated above and hope to do more in the future. In fact, we may do some of them again because they were so much fun. The tours are worth the price.

You want to plan ahead for the tours, and you want to dress comfortably and wear comfortable shoes for sure. Some tours require that you wear closed-toed shoes and certain types of apparel, so you want to make sure when you call to make your reservations that you find out what is required.

If you’d like to see more information on the backstage tours at Disney with the prices and guidelines visit: https://wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/tours.htm.