Real Disneyophiles love to get the inside scoop on how the theme parks operate, and nothing gives you more scoop than the behind-the-scenes tours. Tours change on a regular basis, so call 407-WDW-TOUR for the latest info on times, prices, and offerings.

The tours presently being offered are:

MAGIC KINGDOM

Keys to the Kingdom is the most popular tour, because it takes you into the famed tunnel system of the Magic Kingdom where you can see wardrobe, the production centers, and all the other backstage support networks. ("Tunnel" is actually a bit of a misnomer. When engineers first tried to build a tunnel they found that if you dig a hole in Florida, it will immediately fill with water. Ergo, the support system is ground level and the Magic Kingdom is actually on the second "floor.") The 4.5-hour tour includes lunch and visits to several popular attractions.

Family Magic is the only tour which allows kids under 16. This two-hour romp through the Magic Kingdom involves looking for clues that will lead you to one of the characters. It's a bit like a wacky scavenger hunt through the parks and kids love it. The cost is $25 for adults and kids 3yrs. and up.

EPCOT

Undiscovered Future World is a 4.5-hour exploration of the pavilions of Future World and costs $49. You'll check out some of the attractions and walk away with some amazing trivia. Did you know that the aquarium tank of the Living Seas is so huge that Spaceship Earth could actually float inside it?

Hidden Treasures of the World Showcase is, I must confess, my personal favorite. During the 3.5-hour tour, which costs $59, you'll go backstage in several pavilions and learn how many of the optical illusions of Epcot were created. For example, the Eiffel Tower in the France pavilion is a prime example of forced perspective and it really isn't very tall. When it was first built, birds would land on it and look so huge in comparision to the tower that, in the words of my tour guide, "It was like King Kong on the Empire State Building." Imagineers had to paint the tower with a sticky substance to repell the birds and keep them from ruining the illusion of height.

Gardens of the World Showcase is a great favorite because it divulges the secrets of how gardeners manage to keep so many diverse plants--most imported from their homelands in Japan, England, and Norway--thriving in the hot Florida sun. The fir trees atop the Canadian Rockies, for example, undergo two years of acclimation before they are brought onstage. And even then, they are nestled in large buckets among the rocks instead of being actually planted; that way an understudy can quickly be brought in if the star is struck by lightning--a common hazard when you're working on the highest point in the park. The 3-hour tour costs $59, and is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Originally published in January 2001. Last Updated November 2005.