The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour Review

I thought I'd do a review of my favorite behind the scenes tour at WDW. (I'll apologize in advance for the long post)

I've been on the tour twice and plan on going on it every time I visit the park.

The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour is my favorite for two key reasons... First, I love steam trains, and secondly, they don't just allow cameras on the tour, they encourage photography! (Try that on Keys to the Kingdom) With a couple of exceptions, they allow photography on the tour even during the backstage parts. The only area they prohibited photography was where the tracks pass the employee entrance backstage because they didn't want photos of their security checkpoints to end up on the internet. Having said that, there is always someone on the tour who is upset because someone at reservations was confused and told them that no cameras were allowed. Apparently this happens all the time because the tour is the exception to the rule on photography, so bring your cameras, your tour guide will explain the rules.

The tour lasts 3 hours and everyone above the age of 10 is welcome to take the tour. Since the tour starts well before the park opens, you do have to get up early, and Disney Transportation may not be running at that time of the morning, so you may have to drive over (there is always someone who is late because the buses aren't running that early and no one told them that ahead of time). I took the tour in January 2002 and we parked at the Contemporary and walked over because there was no other way to get to MK at that time of the morning. In April 2007, the boats were running from the Wilderness Lodge to the Contemporary early enough for us to take them over and then walk from there.

The tour started in front of Main Street Station at 7:15am with a quick overview and rules talk and then we had the first photography opportunity of the morning. They park one of the engines right in front of the station and hold it there for a minute or so for pictures.



From there, we entered the park and had a couple of minutes to walk around in front of the station while our tour guide got a couple of things from the railroad break room, giving us the opportunity to photograph an empty Main Street at sunrise.





We boarded the Roger E. Broggie and rode around to Toontown while we listened to our guide talk about Walt's love of trains, the history of the engines that now are at WDW and general railroading procedures. From there, we reset the switch and backed into the backstage area to the roundhouse where we got to walk around the trains while learning more about their maintenance and opperation.





Then we got to climb into the cab where the engineer talked about operating the steam locomotives.



After that, they showed us the process of firing and steaming up the engines.



We boarded the train again and headed back to Toontown. Here is a shot of the Roy O. Disney passing under the bridge while we waited for it to pass.



After returning to Main Street Station, our guide talked a little more about the trains and then took questions. They used to give out silver spikes to all of the participants, but Orlando International Airport asked them to stop because people were trying to take them on the planes in their carry on luggage, so now they have a special pin they give out instead. The tour is popular, in fact, the Christmas Day 2006 and New Year's Day 2007 tours were sold out and everyone was there and on time for both, so try to get your tickets early. I highly recommend the tour to everyone, especially the Disney history buffs and railroad enthusiasts out there.

 

Thanks Roger!

I think they have converted all of them. As of August 2007 Roy, Roger and Walter had been converted and were running a 90%-98% blend (they slowly work the mixture up). At that time, Lilly Belle was still running on Low Sulfur Diesel #2 (the pink stuff) while she was awaiting her boiler inspection and conversion to run on the bio diesel. From what I've heard, the engines are harder to fire properly on the bio diesel.

 

I'm not all that into trains but it sounds like something different to do.

 

This looks such a cool tour I may have to check it out

 

I'm not into trains ... but I get the feeling my kid would love this. I may have to think about checking it out - if not this year, then next for sure. If nothing else, it sounds like a good way to get into MK and get some shots before the crowds in the summer. Thanks for the info !

 

Thanks everyone

 

I've never considered doing the tour thing before, but these pictures have me seriously thinking about it for next trip!

 

All I have to ask is how hot does it get in there behind the engine on a hot summer day? I'm sweating just looking at the pictures, and I'm in my cold basement, sitting with my legs folded up on the chair to reduce heat loss by reducing exposed surface area.

 

Dan, I think they said that it gets up to 120° in the cabs in the summer.

Let me put it this way. Someone on the tour asked how hot some of the pipes and fittings around the boiler get, and out guide explained it this way... " if its painted, its hot... hot enough to burn you. If its not painted, its hotter than that, and the firebox door is hot enough to peel the skin right off your hand instantly."

 

Ouch!