Written by Tyler Braun

We recently did the iconic Keys to the Kingdom tour in Magic Kingdom! It’s been a bucket list item for us for years and we finally had the chance to do it in late fall 2024.

This blog post is split into two parts. The first is a “Spoiler Free” section, which includes some basic tips and information you might need if you’re researching the tour with the hopes of doing it soon. The second part will delve deeper into the tour and talk more about our experience. If you want to be surprised on your tour, don’t read part two. If you don’t plan to do the tour but want to know what it’s like, or you don’t like surprises, read on! At the bottom you’ll find a link to our podcast episode we did on the Keys to the Kingdom tour on YouTube.

*Did you know that the guest areas of Magic Kingdom actually sit on the “second floor”, and there’s a whole system of underground tunnels below the park?*

Spoiler Free Zone

Here are a few basic things to know about the Keys to the Kingdom Tour.

What is the Keys to the Kingdom Tour?

First of all, you might ask, “What is the Keys to the Kingdom tour?” Very basically, it’s an in-depth, 5-hour look at the history of Walt Disney World, specifically the Magic Kingdom.

Here’s what Disney’s official site says about the tour:

Unlock the fascinating history of Magic Kingdom and gain backstage access to legendary hidden areas.

This 5-hour walking tour explores the creation and remarkable growth of one of the most beloved parks at Walt Disney World Resort! Explore secret locations you’ve always wondered about and get the inside scoop on some of your favorite attractions.

During your tour:

Uncover the hidden secrets of classic attractions at Magic Kingdom park.
Access the famed underground “Utilidor” tunnels that allow people and supplies to travel beneath the park unseen.
Discover little-known facts, trivia and other exciting tidbits about the park.
Enjoy a delicious lunch—included with your tour.
Take home an exclusive keepsake!

Does This Tour Explore the Utilidors?

If you didn’t already know, everything a guest experiences in the Magic Kingdom is actually situated on the “second floor” of the park. Beneath the park lies the famous Utilidor system, an enigmatic network of tunnels that, out of sight of the guests above, carries Cast Members, deliveries, and even trash beneath the feet of unsuspecting guests as they wait in line for their favorite attractions. With this tour, guests get to experience the Utilidor for themselves and witness the engineering magic that lies beneath the surface of Magic Kingdom park.

How Much Does It Cost?

As of this publish date, tickets cost between $149 to $169 depending on the date. Walt Disney World Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can qualify for a 15% discount. If you use a Disney Visa, you can also get a discount. I was able to get the cost down to $126 when I signed in to Disney’s site with my Disney Visa.

How Do I Book the Tour?

You can book directly on the Disney website, or your People Mover Travel agent can book it for you ;). Book early, however. The tour has a tendency to sell out quickly, so if it’s on your list, be sure to have your plan in place 60 days prior to your arrival so you can snag your reservation.

What Time Is the Tour?

Typically there are three tours offered each day. Tour times are usually 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, and 9:00 AM, but double-check your dates to be sure. We suggest you book the earliest tour available. It will get you into the park earlier with smaller crowds, and after you’re done with your tour, it will give you more time to enjoy Magic Kingdom for the rest of the day.

Who is the Right Audience for this Tour?

Our suggestion is to do this once you would officially self-classify yourself as a “Disney Nerd”. While not required, it’s probably best for those that already possess a base knowledge of Disney Parks. If you’ve watched “Behind the Attraction” or “The Imagineering Story” on Disney+, this tour is for you. We wouldn’t necessarily suggest it for anyone’s first trip.

Does it Ruin the Magic?

Probably the most common question we received from our listeners was, “does it ruin the magic?” We would say that’s a resounding, “no.” Many people on the internet disparage this tour with a slew of non-flattering nomenclature. But for us, if anything, it only enhanced the magic. You take out of it what you put into it, and don’t let the Grumpys of the world change your mind.

Is this the same as a VIP Tour?

No, this isn’t the same as a VIP Tour. VIP Tours typically run into the thousands of dollars, and they are private, guided tours of the parks with just your travel party. VIP Tours are for those wanting a private guide and for those seeking front-of-the-line access to rides and attractions. The Keys to the Kingdom tour is a small group tour (16-20 people) focused on the history of Magic Kingdom.

Getting There

The tour meets at the Town Square Theater, right inside Magic Kingdom on the right-hand side. Disney recommends you get to the Town Square Theater at least 15 minutes prior to your tour time. We recommend you use the Disney busses to get there (or the monorail if you’re staying at a Resort Loop hotel), and get on the earliest bus you can. Busses typically start running at least an hour prior to park opening, so plan to get there early. Don’t take an Uber or drive your own car, cause you’ll be forced to go to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), and then you’ll have the added step of taking a boat or monorail to the Magic Kingdom, which could make you late for your tour. You could potentially ask to be dropped off at the Contemporary and walk to Magic Kingdom, but unless you have a dining reservation at The Contemporary, chances are the parking lot security guard will make you turn around and go to the TTC anyway. Just take the earliest bus possible and you’ll be fine.

For example: Our tour was at 8AM, and we were concerned that we wouldn’t get there in time. We ended up taking the Disney bus and got there with 5 minutes to spare. As we rushed to the meeting point, the Cast Members didn’t seem worried at all about our “late” arrival, as Disney technically says to arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour.

Once you get to the Magic Kingdom, inform a Cast Member that you’re there for the Keys to the Kingdom Tour and they will tell you where to go. (If the park isn’t open yet, tell a Cast Member you’re there for the Keys to the Kingdom Tour and they’ll let you know where to go. )

Important Info

Theme park admission is required, but NOT included in the price of this tour.
If you are an Annual Passholder, you will still need to make your own theme park reservations.
No cameras, video equipment or mobile phones may be used throughout the duration of the tour.
Guests must be 16 years of age or older and have a valid photo I.D.
Lunch is included as part of the tour.
Tours will happen rain or shine, so dress appropriately.
Tours are Wheelchair and ECV accessible, however, Guests must be able to transfer to experience some attractions.
There is a 1-day cancellation policy. Full price will be charged/forfeited if Guest cancels within 1 day or no shows for the reservation

Spoiler Zone

In this section I will go into more detail about our experience on the tour. Of course, things are subject to change, and your itinerary may be different. You may take a different route, ride different rides, have lunch at a different restaurant, etc. If you’re interested in hearing even more about our experience, at the bottom you’ll find a link to our podcast episode we did on the Keys to the Kingdom tour on YouTube.

Checking In

Upon arrival at the Town Square Theater, we check in and receive our name tags, audio device (so we can better hear our tour guide), and a bottle of water. We also order our lunch for later in the day. The Cast Member at the check-in desk shows us a menu and tells us we order a main course, a side, and a drink. I order a lobster roll (even though it sounds terrible right now at 7:45AM, I’m banking on the fact that it will sound good when lunchtime rolls around), and Jess orders chicken tenders.

After check-in, we have a few minutes to relax and use the restroom before the tour starts.

Our Experience

We start our tour by standing on the front porch of the Main Street Theater. We were introduced to our guide and she told us about what to expect on the tour, a little about herself, and she started to give us the basics about Magic Kingdom. From here, we walk down Main Street as our guide educates us on forced perspective, the acquisition of the land for Walt Disney World, and the significance of the windows on Main Street. We spend a bit of time in “The Hub”, and from there, we make our way to Adventureland.

We have our first restroom break in the Adventureland bathrooms, and from there, we hop over to the Jungle Cruise. Our guide tells us some of the history of the ride, and she shows us the small building that was once a ticket booth in the days of E-Ticket ride books. She then disappears for a moment and then returns and tells us she was able to secure a boat for our tour. This is a total surprise to us, and we board, giggly as school children. As we set out, our guide takes over the microphone and regales us with a unique historical look at the Jungle Cruise.

From there, we walk over to Pirates of the Caribbean and our guide tells us some fun stories about the history of this iconic ride.

Now we begin to get into the fun “behind the scenes” sections. We take another restroom break by the Pirates ride, then we head back to Frontierland. We stop at the large gate right next to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, where the parade floats enter and exit, and take our first steps into the Cast Member-only areas. We see the “show buildings” that house some of the actual rides, and we get to walk around some of the massive warehouses that are home to the parade floats. We see the floats from the Festival of Fantasy Parade, as well as the floats used in the Christmas Parade for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

We also get an up-close look at the floats used in the Electrical Water Pageant that takes place in Seven Seas Lagoon each night. I’m flabbergasted by how quaint the water pageant floats are. I’ve always heard that the Electrical Water Pageant was never meant to be a permanent installation in Walt Disney World, and looking at these old floats I can see that they seem to have been hastily put together. They basically seem like giant chain-link fences with Christmas lights zip-tied to them. They’re incredible, and seeing them up close makes me so happy.

From here, we walk to Columbia Harbour House where we are going to have our lunch. Our guide takes us right upstairs to an area that’s been set aside for our tour, and our lunch is already sitting out and waiting for us, labeled with our names.

After lunch, we walk out and make our way to Liberty Square. Our guide tells us about the Liberty Tree, the Liberty Bell (bell), and the Liberty Belle (boat). As she’s talking, a character cavalcade begins, so we get to sit and watch the parade from our seats.

*The Haunted Mansion was one of two attractions we were able to ride during our Keys to the Kingdom Tour.*

After the parade, our guide tells us several fun and spooky stories about the Haunted Mansion, as we can see it from our vantage point. We then make our way over to the ride and we’re ushered into the exit. We meet our Ghost Host, board our Doom Buggies, and debate the merits of becoming the 1,000th ghost. From here, we have our final restroom break at the Tangled Bathrooms.

Now, on to the main event - the trip through the Utilidors! This is really the entire reason I want to do this tour. The Utilidors have always been cloaked in mystery for me, and though I’ve stood above them hundreds of times, it’s always been my dream to meander through them myself. Yes, yes, yes, I know. They’re basically just hallways. But they’re magical hallways. It’s like going backstage at a Broadway show. You look around and think, “Hmm, what are these? Cinderblock walls? Cheap doors? Cluttered props? Sandbags?” Yes. But all this average building architecture and miscellaneous bric-a-brac somehow becomes magical because of the context. This is the same thing.

We make our descent into the Utilidors from the gift shop right outside Philharmagic. Our guide has warned us that they have a very specific smell, and she is correct. The smell honestly reminds me of a mix between the kitchens of the hotel I used to work at and of being backstage at a Broadway show. Since I’ve already done the Broadway analogy, I’ll do the hotel one here. It makes sense - in the hotel we had the kitchens wafting heavy smells from the banquet halls, cleaning chemicals, and a huge laundry facility. It’s the same here. There’s costuming, laundry, trash removal, break rooms, and cleaning chemicals. But honestly, it’s not as bad as our guide made it sound. She told us some people can’t stand the smell, but I get over it in about a minute.

The utilidors are all color-coded so Cast Members don’t get lost, and they know what land is above them. Maps hang on the walls like subway maps. Everywhere I look, there is something that I could spend hours staring at.

Now, I don’t want to tell you too much about the Utilidors, because honestly, if you’re reading this article, chances are you want to take this tour and I want you to be surprised. I’ll just say that it was so fun being down there, and if we did nothing else on this tour, this portion would have made the price worth it for me. There was amazing memorabilia everywhere, including wall art, construction photos, shadow boxes, and pin trading history. We see Snow White in sweatpants. We see the Main Street Band kickin’ it in their off time. We see storerooms for merchandise for the Emporium. We stand at the elevator that takes you up to Cinderella’s Royal Table and all the way up to the Dream Suite at the top of the castle. We walk all the way down Main Street, following a long hallway housing massive tubes all around us carrying electrical wires, water, and trash. It’s amazing.

Our guide leads us around the corner to one final stop where she tells us the amazing story of Roy Disney, Walt’s brother, and what an impact he had on the Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney World specifically. It’s enough to bring a grown man to tears.

We then make our way back outside, where we emerge right behind Main Street in the secondary walkway, and then walk back to the Town Square Theater. We receive our Keys to the Kingdom pin as a special souvenir, and we say our goodbyes to our tour guide.

Interested in adding the Keys to the Kingdom tour to your next WDW vacation? Let a People Mover Travel agent make that dream come true!

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