Question on WDW BTM & Calif. ABD differences

[sacinatl]

My family is planning to sign up for the 2011 California Behind the Magic ABD trip as a going away to college treat for the DD as she graduates high school that year. We are DVC members, so we of course make several trips to WDW every year. I always try to come up with something new that we hadn't done before to do when we are in WDW. This year, I was considering the Behind the Scenes tour since my DD and her friend that is going with us are both now over the age of 16 and can actually do the tour. My DW however reminded me that we are planning this 2011 ABD trip that is all about Behind the Scences, alabeit, in Disney Land. She is wondering if it is worth spending the money in Disney World this year for the tour, only to find that we might be seeing essentially the same thing in DisneyLand in 11.

SO, here is my question. Has anyone did the Behind the Magic ABD in California AND the Behind the Scences tour in Disney World? If so, are they similar so much that it wouldn't really be worth us doing the tour in WDW this year? Having never been to Disneyland, I have no idea whether the parks are run essentially the same or if there are vast differences in what you would see.

Thanks all for any advice you can offer.

 

[WeLoveABD]

I grew up in LA, and now live in San Diego--and we regularly go to Disneyland. Even so, if money were no object I would definately go on the ABD trip--you get behind the scenes at Disneyland (and CA Adventure), including going up into Walt's apartment above the firehouse (the main reason I would do this trip--that's something I've wanted to see since I was a kid walking around on main street). But you also get into studios, get to the Burbank complex where much of the animation history originates (and where the historical archives are, overseen by Dave Smith), to the Muppet creative studios etc. All very different from WDW!

 

[runskyhy]

Just returned from the ABD BSM tour last month. The ABD behind-the-scenes tour of each park (DL & CA) is a half day each - so we spent about 5 hours touring each park before being let on our own there. I don't want to ruin the tour by telling you what we saw (unless you want to PM me or google for trip reports) but I do think that it was a very interesting and definitely fun tour.

I have not taken the WDW BSM tour, but I have taken the Keys to the Kingdom tour and the Behind the Steam Trains tour, both at the Magic Kingdom. I thought these tours were of the same caliber as the ABD ones, so if the WDW Backstage Magic tour is like these, I think it would be a great way to spend the day at WDW.

All the tours (CA & FL) include some history of the parks and how they started, so there was some overlap there, but we definitely didn't feel they were the same. I'd be happy to go into more detail, just let me know it won't 'take away' from the tours.

Have fun on your vacation! It will be fantastic!

 

[Christyvoltron]

My husband and I have done both and they are like comparing apples and oranges. Behind the Magic is a wonderful full day tour and you get to see a bunch of stuff that a regular visitor will not see but anybody can take the tour. Backstage Magic is a bunch of stuff that nobody gets to see unless you go with ABD. For example, Henson Studios is not open to the public. Nor is Imagineering. Nor, for that matter, is Disney Studios however that one is a lot easier to get into. BUT at each place along the way you get people who direct your tour who are way up the food chain at each location, i.e., you don't get the janitor at Imagineering you get a real bona fide Imagineer. We really enjoyed both but the trips were not at all repetitive. For instance, there are no tunnels under Disneyland but there are in Florida. And there is no American Pavilion in California. I don't know whether the Behind the Magic tour now includes Soaring but that was a HUGE highlight of our trip on ABD. Anyway -- IMO they are dissimilar enough that I think you will really enjoy both tours. And frankly at Disneyland and DCA you get to go into the park when there are NO and I mean NO other guests and that's not something you can ever do. At least I can't.

 

[sacinatl]

Thanks ALL of you. Very excellent information. Christy, this was just what I was looking for, so thanks for your sharing. Looks like that WDW tour is going to get booked for us.

 

[knewton64]

Just returned from the ABD BSM tour last month. The ABD behind-the-scenes tour of each park (DL & CA) is a half day each - so we spent about 5 hours touring each park before being let on our own there. I don't want to ruin the tour by telling you what we saw (unless you want to PM me or google for trip reports) but I do think that it was a very interesting and definitely fun tour.

I have not taken the WDW BSM tour, but I have taken the Keys to the Kingdom tour and the Behind the Steam Trains tour, both at the Magic Kingdom. I thought these tours were of the same caliber as the ABD ones, so if the WDW Backstage Magic tour is like these, I think it would be a great way to spend the day at WDW.

All the tours (CA & FL) include some history of the parks and how they started, so there was some overlap there, but we definitely didn't feel they were the same. I'd be happy to go into more detail, just let me know it won't 'take away' from the tours.

Have fun on your vacation! It will be fantastic!

....our tour group was never shown some history of the parks and how they started (BSM 03-27-10 to 04-03-10) so hopefully my return to WDW via BSM, KTTK, etc - tours will shed some light on what I felt was badly missing from my most recent Disney vacation..

And what better way to report back (objectively) to all of you than through my below listed pre-trippy report the differences between the 2 tours.


T.T.F.N.


P.S. hmmmmm.... who has better rice krispy treats dipped in chocolate....... WDW OR DL?????
only one way 2 know & that's thru my ptr.