How to Take A Segway Tour At Epcot In Walt Disney World

Have you ever ridden a Segway Personal Transporter! Have you ever been to Epcot in Walt Disney World! Even if you've already done both of these, how would you like to combine both into one great experience? You can, by taking the Around the World at Epcot Segway Tour! I have done it, and it is awesome! Here is how to Take A Segway Tour At Epcot In Walt Disney World!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• You - In Florida!
• Park Admission To Epcot

1. 
   Book Your Epcot Segway Tour

   The first step is to make a reservation for the Around the World at Epcot Segway tour. Call (407) WDW-TOUR (1-407-939-8687), to reserve a spot for yourself on one of their tours. They are currently offered four times a day, at 7:45, 8:30, 9 and 9:30 a.m. These are early start times, yes, but the advantage is that you get to be in the Epcot World Showcase before there are any other guests there. You have it all to yourself! Select your date and time, pay by credit card, and you're all set! The current cost for the tour is $95.00 per person. You will also need separate admission to Epcot to take this tour. There are some restrictions for the tour: you must be at least 16 years old and weigh between 100-250 pounds to take the Segway tour. A guardian must sign a waiver for anyone 16-17 years old.

2. When you arrive at Epcot on the date of your reservation, you are asked to come at least 15 minutes before your scheduled time. You come in through the turnstiles at the entrance to Future World and go to the left to the Guest Relations lobby. You will check in there with the rest of your group and will be met by your guides/instructors for the tour. On my tour, three guides were assigned to our group of nine.

3. The Segway is a very safe conveyance to ride, but Disney does everything with excellence, so the first hour of your tour is spent training you to ride the Segway safely. You go to their indoor Segway Training Room where they show you Segway Operation/Safety videos, fit you with the required helmet, and introduce you to your Segway. You will be taught everything you need to know about the Segway before they turn you loose on your own! Segways are very stable and very easy to learn to ride. The instructors I had were fantastic - typical Disney! They taught us how to maneuver around obstacles, go up and down hills, go over speed bumps, and stop on a dime! Even the training was fun, so don't think you will be wasting your time. But, the best is yet to come!

4. 
   Segway Tour Group - Picture By Flickr User Mrkathika

   Your tour group leaves the training facility, led by and followed by the Epcot guides. You head towards the World Showcase, traveling single file, like ducks in a row! You feel like the whole World Showcase is there just for you to enjoy. There is no one else around except for a few workers sprucing everything up for the day, and it is a very quiet and peaceful place that you get to experience. You don't just take a quick trip past the different country pavilions, you get to ride through many of them! I remember riding into Germany, China, Italy, Morocco, and Japan, and hearing a little history about pavilion. We gathered around the fountain in Germany, went by the fish ponds and over the bridges in China, and rode through gift shops, among other things. You don't just get to ride Segways, you also learn something about the countries! Very fun and informative! At the end of our tour (the 9:00 AM Tour), people were just starting to come into the World Showcase. I think they wished they were us! It was a blast, very safe, well chaperoned, and I highly recommend it! Do it if you get the chance!

5. 
   Exclusive Epcot Segway Tour Pin

   If you are a Disney Pin Collector, one more reason to take the Segway Tour is that at the end of your tour, they give you an exclusive Segway Tour Pin! I know that's enough to convince some of you to do it!

Tips & Warnings

• If you are going on a cool morning, be sure to dress appropriately. Bring a jacket or sweater that you could tie around your waist later if it warms up. You aren't traveling too fast (they set the Segways on Snail Mode so you don't go over 6 MPH), but on a cool morning, there is enough of a breeze from your movement to make you feel cold.
• Bring a camera or video camera. There is a small bin on the Segway that you can store your camera in as you ride. You are not allowed to take pictures as you ride, but you will make several stops that provide unique photo opportunities. Remember The Experience - have one of the guides take a picture of you on your Segway with your camera!
• Feel free to ask your guides questions about the different pavilions as you tour. They are very knowledgeable.
• A 15 percent discount is available for AAA and Disney Vacation Club members, as well as Annual Passholders, Disney VISA cardholders, and Disney Cast Members. A photo ID will be required at the time of the tour.
• Don't be afraid of the Segway! The Segway Personal Transporter makes adjustments to balance the rider 100 times per second. It has many built in safety features and you receive excellent instruction on their operation before you head out! After I took this tour, I wanted my own Segway.(My wife said no!)

Resources

• Disney Segway Tour
• Official Disney World Segway Page

[sallyemaycreate]

on 6/22/2009 What a cool idea... thanks for the info about Segways! 5*

[dgrantdoherty]

on 3/4/2009 great article 5*s and a reccomend

[Upon-Request]

on 3/1/2009 If ever I go to Epcot - I'll definitely rent a Segway :)