GeekDad Goes to Disneyland Part 1: Discover the Magic Tour

We went to the Disneyland Resort this week for a little pre-Holiday treat, and it’s been fantastic.  Indeed, as I write this, I’m sitting on the balcony of our room, looking at the Grizzly of the Rapids fame, bathed in nighttime lights, with the broken letters of the Hollywood Tower (of Terror) blinking behind him in the distance.  It’s all good.

I’ll have more to write up when we get back, and when Christmas has settled down, but I thought I’d try to get one post done from here (while the Geekwife rests her feet from a day spent almost entirely in Tomorrowland.  This post is about a great treat for your kids and family, something that you may not have heard about before.  It’s a bit pricey, but in the end worth it for the fun, the joy of your kids’ enjoyment, and the special access you get.  It’s called the "Discover the Magic Tour."

Let’s get the hard part out of the way first: the price if $59 per person for the first two tickets (minimum), and $49 each for any more to be part of the group. We were two parents and two boys, which seemed just about perfect.  So yes, it seems like a steep price, but by the end, we found it to be quite worth it.

We were met next door to the City Hall on Main Street by Beth, from Guest Relations.  She showed up with a chest filled with interesting items from "Goofy’s Garage Sale," one of which was half a map.  Yes, it was a treasure map.

What followed was a 2.5 hour tour of the park, traveling from clue to clue, ride to ride, finding chests hidden out in the open all over the park, searching for a final treasure.  We were able to get immediately seated on six different rides, including Pirates of the Carribean and Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters.  It ended with a private audience with Mickey himself.  The kids ate it up.

The best thing about the whole adventure was feeling just a little bit special, like a VIP guest at the park.  The preferred access to the rides, and the little adventure laid out beforehand for us really did provide a bit of magic for our whole family, and it’s something we’ll all remember for a long time to come.

So, if you’re coming to the Disneyland Resort, especially with elementary school-age kids, give it a try.  And bring your video recorder along to capture the magic.

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