Disneyland has offered a number of different unique guest experiences over the years. Two of our favorites are set to return next month. One is tied to the Halloween season and the other is just returning after a hiatus. These offerings bring guests behind the scenes and give them a close look at Disney history that they cannot access without the experience. While some of these happen all year round, some are seasonal.
Disneyland offers several different guided tours throughout the year as a way to give guests some exclusive views of the parks. With the upcoming Halloween season, Disney is bringing back a fan-favorite Halloween tour soon, as well as a second guided tour that brings guests behind the scenes. Keep reading for all the information on these two tours, like when they will be returning and how much tickets will cost. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the effective end of a single rider line at a popular Disney World ride and a surprisingly weird rule for an expensive photo experience.
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Happiest Haunts Guided Tour Returning
The Happiest Haunts Guided Tour is Disneyland’s tour through both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure that is themed for the popular Halloween season. Both of the parks will be decorated for the season, and the tour will be full of spooky stories. It lasts for two hours.
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This tour will be returning this year on August 21. Guests can begin booking tickets for the Happiest Haunts Guided Tour on July 30, subject to availability. It typically runs through the end of October, so this tour will only be around for a limited time. Reservations can be booked 60 days in advance of the desired tour date. Tickets cost $130 per person.
Guests should check in for their tour 15 minutes before it begins at the Tour Gardens on Main Street U.S.A. Each guest with a reservation has to be present for check-in and will have to show an ID and the reservation confirmation. Late arrivals will unfortunately not be allowed to join the tour, so if you book a slot, be sure to be there on time!
The tour also comes with some goodies in addition to the walking part. Guests will receive Lightning Lane entry to Haunted Mansion Holiday, the annual Nightmare Before Christmas overlay of Haunted Mansion. They will also have access to a reserved viewing area for the seasonal nighttime spectacular Halloween Screams, which is only shown on select nights. A view from that reserved area is pictured above.
Guests also receive a Happiest Haunts Dirt Worm Crispie treat and a commemorative key with the tour logo as a keepsake. The tour also has come with a special photo op with Audio-Animatronics from the Haunted Mansion in the past. While that isn’t listed on the tour page this year, we expect that it is returning because it is always a fan-favorite. The photo at the top of the article is from that photo op.
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Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour Returning
Another fan favorite tour will also be returning soon. The Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour details Walt Disney’s life and inspiration as you walk through Disneyland Park. It features exclusive access to the apartment above the Fire House on Main Street, U.S.A., where Walt himself would occasionally stay. It is a great way to get up close to Disney history.
This two-hour tour will be returning on August 14. As with the Happiest Haunts Guided Tour, reservations can be booked 60 days in advance, and they are strongly recommended, since there is only a maximum of 12 guests allowed per tour group, so they fill up quickly. Tickets cost $170 per person.
A slight change has been made to this tour for its return. It will now begin at Disney California Adventure, where guests will hear about Walt’s earliest inspirations, including the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1920s, before returning to Disneyland Park for the iconic attractions and stories about Walt Disney. And, of course, the trip into the Fire Station apartment.
Guests on this tour will receive a speciality snack box. Disney will accommodate for any dietary restrictions, so don’t hesitate to ask! They also give out a commemorative name tag, lanyard and collectible pin for guests on this tour.
Again, guests should check in at the Tour Gardens on Main Street U.S.A. 15 minutes before their tour begins, and should be ready to show an ID and the reservation confirmation. Each member of your party has to be present during check-in.
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