4 Disney World Secrets That'll Make You Think "I Wish I'd Known About This Sooner"

While Walt Disney World may be one of the most visited tourist destinations on the planet, the resort still holds secrets that many guests wish they’d know about before their visit.

Cinderella Castle

From entering the Magic Kingdom’s underground tunnels to finding some of Disney World’s best foods, knowing these “secrets” beforehand can completely change the game as far as a Disney World vacation goes.

VIP Tours

We’re not going to sugarcoat this: A personalized VIP Tour Experience at Walt Disney World is expensive. According to current pricing, the cost ranges from $450 to $900 per hour, with a minimum of 7 hours and a maximum of 10 hours, all of which is on top of theme park admission. That makes it way out of reach for many guests.

However, for those who can afford it, a VIP Experience offers a great many amenities. According to Disney, after being “picked up in a private vehicle from your Walt Disney World Resort hotel or other select hotel, enjoy unparalleled hospitality while you experience some of your favorite attractions alongside a Disney Private VIP Tour Guide.”

Via @joshgad on Instagram

Some of the personalized VIP services include:

Pre-arrival planning
A flexible start time
Visits to multiple theme parks
The ability to enjoy some of your favorite attractions efficiently during your visit
Shared insight from your highly knowledgeable Disney Private VIP Tour Guide throughout your tour.

The only negative we’ve found about VIP Tours? The time it takes to Park Hop. While the tour may initially seem like a hack to get on every in-demand ride, the time spent traveling between parks by car and walking from ride to ride can add up to quite a bit of time, and quickly eat into that expensive hourly allotment.

Slinky Dog Dash

Enter the Utilidors

While not on the level of a VIP Experience, the Keys to the Kingdom Tour at the Magic Kingdom is a 5-hour walking tour that “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.”

Main Street, U.S.A. in Disney World

The tour includes access to attractions, lunch, a keepsake souvenir, and arguably the most fun of all for diehard Disney fans: Access to the “famed underground Utilidor tunnels that allow people and supplies to travel beneath the park unseen.”

©Disney | Obtained via News 6 Orlando

The Keys to the Kingdom Tour costs between $149 and $169 per person, before tax, and not including theme park admission.

Hotel Restaurants

While this is well known to Disney aficionados, many first-time visitors to Disney World may not know that some of the best dining on property can be found beyond the theme parks. Specifically, Disney’s resort hotels feature some critically acclaimed options, including Victoria & Albert’s at the Grand Floridian (which has earned a coveted MICHELIN Star), the California Grill at the Contemporary, Topolino’s Terrace at the Riviera Resort, and Boma and Jiko, both located at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, among others.

Topolino’s Terrace

No Parking!

Guests traveling to the Magic Kingdom via automobile should keep in mind that Walt Disney World’s original theme park technically doesn’t have a parking lot of its own. See, to avoid the industrial look that had sprung up around Disneyland, Walt Disney World’s designer instead played the new park at the head of the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon.

Monorail entrance

Guests park their cars at the Transportation and Ticket Center, and then travel to the park via the Walt Disney World Monorail or one of several watercraft that sail the aforementioned lagoon.

The ferry boat at Magic Kingdom

These “secrets” would definitely improve the Disney World vacations of many guests… if they knew about them. Stay tuned to DFB for more on Disney World’s best-kept secrets.

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