It doesn’t matter how big of a Disney fan you are, there are always new things to learn and experience. One of the best ways to expand your Disney horizons is to take one of their behind-the-scenes tours. Out of all the tours we’ve taken, the Marceline to Magic Kingdom tour is our favorite.

Utilizing the combination of a short tour, great ride experiences and a unique way to learn about the Magic Kingdom’s history, The Marceline to Magic Kingdom tour is a great choice for a Disney behind-the-scenes tour. The tour is only $50 a person with applicable discounts for Annual Pass and Disney Vacation Club members. It’s worth noting that you need to have a ticket to the park (or annual pass) in addition to the cost of the tour and it does not operate on certain days of the week. It’s always best to check the website for dates.

What is the Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour?

The Marceline to Magic Kingdom tour chronicles how Walt Disney’s early life in Marceline, Missouri influenced the designs and ideas behind the Magic Kingdom. Not only does the tour cover aspects of Magic Kingdom that you’ve probably seen but never realized, but it also gets you special access to The Haunted Mansion and Carousel of Progress. Your walking tour of the park ends at the mosaic under Cinderella’s castle with plenty of time left in the day to have fun at the park.

What is the Tour Like?

We won’t go into any spoilers for the specifics of the Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour, but we’ll give a general idea of what your day will be like.

Arriving

You’ll arrive at the park around 7 a.m. to park. This may sound early, but it comes with two great benefits. The first benefit is there aren’t any parking attendants at that early hour, which means parking is essentially free. And speaking of parking, getting to the park that early also guarantees you a prime parking spot.

After arriving at the Magic Kingdom’s gates you’ll check into your tour and be given a souvenir name tag and a free bottle of water. This is a good opportunity to use the bathroom one last time before the tour starts. There is a bathroom break during the tour, but there isn’t any real chance to go outside of the one break.

The Tour

The entire tour is wonderful, but you really get your money’s worth during the first hour because you’re the only ones in the park are fellow tour-goers or those with early dining reservations. The Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour gives you the chance to take some of the best pictures of Cinderella’s Castle and best friends statue that you’ll ever get.

After leaving Main Street, USA you’ll head to The Haunted Mansion for a behind-the-scenes look. You’ll learn the stories behind the headstones and busts located in the queue, as well as learn exactly how the famous Haunted Mansion ballroom scene is made. After your behind-the-scenes tour, it’s time to ride the ride itself with your guide providing commentary throughout.

Next on your Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour journey is an informative walk from Haunted Mansion to Carousel of Progress. You’ll learn more about the designs behind those sections of the park and have your bathroom break. You’ll eventually head to the Carousel of Progress where you’ll get a theater all to yourselves. During the show, your guide will provide trivia and explanations on one of the park’s most famous, and oldest rides. Lastly, you’ll travel underneath Cinderella’s Castle where you’ll learn the history behind the giant mosaic that’s living under there.

Is the Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour Worth it?

Absolutely!!

This was the first tour we ever did and still remains one of our favorites. In fact, if you’re thinking about doing a Disney tour, but have never done one before, we think this is a great place to start. The three-hour time limit is manageable for older (and younger) guests and you get inside info on two of Magic Kingdom’s most famous rides. The $50 price tag is also much lower than some of Disney’s other tours and won’t present too much sticker shock after buying a park ticket. When it comes to backstage tours, the Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour is one you don’t want to miss.