disney vip tour review

Private transportation, backstage parking and skipped lines: What it's really like on a Disney VIP tour

As once smirked by "The Lion King's" villainous lion, Scar, "Life's not fair, is it?"

You see, even though all are welcome in the happy place that Walt built, not everyone waits in the same lines to ride Dumbo or Space Mountain. In fact, some barely wait in lines at all.

There's a way to experience Disney World without a hot trek through the parking lots or long waits for rides, but with perfect fireworks-viewing areas reserved just for you and with almost zero advance planning required. And on top of that, there's a way to get all-day access to a Disney expert with pockets full of pixie dust and keys to backstage shortcuts, who can guide you and troubleshoot any problems that arise.

This magic isn't a fictional fairytale or reserved for A-list stars. All of this (and more) is available to anyone willing to pay for the very real Disney VIP tour guides.

This small army of top-tier magic-makers is employed by Disney and can be spotted around the parks in their signature plaid vests whisking small groups of very fortunate guests into back entrances and to the front of the lines.

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After waiting several hours to straddle a banshee and ride Avatar Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom, you may be desperate to know how you can have one of these Disney "magicians" whisk your group out of the sun and into the fun.

While I've done the three-hour wait to ride a banshee myself, I've also now experienced the magic of not waiting. Here's how the Disney VIP tours work and exactly how much magic you can actually squeeze out of the day when you say goodbye to the long waits.

Related: These are the best hotels at Disney World

What's a Disney VIP tour?

A private Disney VIP tour is kind of like having your own assigned Mouseketeer and personal set of keys to the kingdom.

While I'm sure they could give you a more traditional tour of Disney World if that's what you wanted, it's really not exactly a tour.

When you are on a Disney VIP tour, you've got your own official Disney guide who can plan your day, serve as your own unlimited human FastPass, drive you to and from your Disney resort and from park to park with cool and efficient backstage parking. Most people who buy a Disney VIP tour do it to skip the bulk of the lines and experience as much of the parks as possible in a short amount of time. This is why TPG's founder Brian Kelly purchased the VIP tour with his nieces and nephews for a one-day visit to Disney World.

But it's not just the quicker ride access that is special. Even before you know you need it, the guides can also make bottles of water, rain ponchos and Mickey bars seemingly appear out of thin air.

These tours must be booked for a minimum of seven hours and you can have up to 10 people on the tour for the same hourly rate. Just don't have an 11th person because then you need a second guide and your cost doubles.

Related: What it costs to visit Disney World

What we did on our Disney VIP tour

We gathered up exactly 10 Disney-loving friends and family members and booked a seven-hour VIP tour.

In the end, we went a bit over those initially planned seven hours as we had a few more things we wanted to do when the original time limit expired. In total, our tour was about eight and a half hours from start to finish.

We lost about 15 minutes on the front end when we couldn't find our youngest daughter's MagicBand as we were walking out the door and then had some forms to sign when we met up with the tour guide. In hindsight, we should have skipped looking for the band and done the forms in advance. We also lost some time for lunch -- more on that below.

Counting transportation to and from our resort and the transfer between the two parks, we spent probably a little over an hour in transit. That means we had a bit under seven hours of true park experience to work with that translated into 16 attractions.

Here's how the time on our Disney VIP tour played out.

• 10 a.m. Official start time.
• 10:19 a.m. Depart Disney's Wilderness Lodge for the Magic Kingdom.
• 10:26 a.m. Clear security through side-gate entrance with no line and park in a backlot to the side of Main Street, U.S.A.

• 10:29 a.m. Officially walk into the Magic Kingdom.
• 10:33 a.m. Watch a cavalcade (aka a mini-parade) as it passed by the castle.
• 10:40 a.m. Try to ride Pirates of the Caribbean, but it was down and would stay down much of the day.
• 10:49 a.m. Ride No. 1 -- Magic Carpets of Aladdin.
• 10:56 a.m. VIP guide got waters for everyone and "pixie dusted" my youngest with Dole Whip since her favorite ride, Pirates, didn't work out.

• 11:09 a.m. Ride No. 2 -- Splash Mountain.
• 11:35 a.m. Ride No. 3 -- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
• 11:55 a.m. Ride No. 4 -- Haunted Mansion.
• 12:19 p.m. Ride No. 5 -- Peter Pan's Flight.
• 12:26 p.m. Bathroom break and hunt for hidden Pascals near the "Tangled"-themed bathrooms at the request of my daughters.
• 12:49 p.m. Ride No. 6 -- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
• 1:03 p.m. Ride No. 7 -- Mad Tea Party.
• 1:21 p.m. Ride No. 8 -- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
• 1:42 p.m. Ride No. 9 -- Space Mountain.

I ordered lunch in the Disney app by 1:10 p.m. but it wasn't actually ready until about 1:50 p.m. We weren't all done eating until about 2:10 pm., so while some in the group kept riding rides during that time, it also was a pretty inefficient part of the day for those who were scouting for tables and waiting for food. Waiting 40 minutes for chicken fingers and fries and fighting for a table isn't a great use of time when you are paying for a guide by the hour.

• 2:17 p.m. Depart for Hollywood Studios.
• 2:39 p.m. Arrive at Hollywood Studios and park in backstage parking near Tower of Terror.
• 2:56 p.m. Ride No. 10 -- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
• 3:11 p.m. Ride No. 11 -- Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.
• 3:57 p.m. Ride No. 12 -- Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway.

• 4:21 p.m. Ride No. 13 -- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
• 5:02 p.m. Ride No. 14 -- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
• 5:28 p.m. Ride No. 15 -- Slinky Dog Dash.
• 5:44 p.m. Ride No. 16 -- Toy Story Mania!
• 6:24 p.m. Arrive back at Disney's Wilderness Lodge.

As you can tell by some of the time gaps between rides, you don't always have a zero-minute wait to ride. Some rides, such as Runaway Railway and Rise of the Resistance, still had a bit of waiting involved.

At other times, such as with Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Aladdin and more, you essentially got to walk right up to the start of the ride.

It's worth a mention that we didn't need to compete with thousands of other guests at 7 a.m. for a Rise of the Resistance boarding pass, as one ride without a pass is included with the tour.

The VIP tour is really at a huge advantage right now as waits for most rides on this day were over an hour. And since FastPass has not yet returned to Disney World, there weren't many others in the FastPass line.

The guide, Annie, and I chatted about what we would do next and adjusted plans on the fly.

As the afternoon Florida rain came and some attractions were temporarily unavailable, we'd adjust plans again. When she'd pose a ride that we didn't want to do (like "It's a small world"), it was no big deal and we kept on going to the next thing. She was available to go on rides with us (which was really fun as she knew some awesome "secrets") and she was also available to skip the ride and do other things while we rode, such as order water or hold a bag.

While we did our tour during the day, the tour guide can let you access special, reserved VIP viewing of fireworks if you do it in the evening. And while we only went to two parks in one day, you can go to all four if you want. It's essentially your time to use however you please.

Related: Why you might want to think twice before a theme park trip right now

What does a Disney VIP tour cost?

Here's the bad news. A Disney VIP tour costs $425 to $750 per hour, depending on the season. And that's on top of your park admission tickets, which aren't included withe the tour.

There's no way to know exactly what your tour will cost without calling 407-560-4033 or working with a Disney vacation planner as we did. You can only book the tours 60 days in advance and they do sell out, so plan ahead. Remember, you need to book at least seven hours, so the minimum price for a Disney VIP tour will be $2,975 for up to 10 people. You can do a tour for up to 10 hours, so while the minimum price is $2,975, a 10-hour tour in super peak season could set you back a staggering $7,500.

On our July date, the tour was $550 per hour and we spent a total of $3,850 on the initially planned seven hours. (And sadly, this did not code as a travel charge, so use the credit card that awards you the most on everyday spending -- I went with my Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to earn 2 miles per dollar on the charge.)

With our added time, the grand total came to $4,675 before the tip. That's $467.50 per person on our tour, if you want to think of it that way. ( In terms of the tip, while it is at your discretion, this is a Disney position that can accept cash tip. It's common to go with 15 - 20% of the amount of your tour or tip the equivalent of one hour. )

While not all 10 people did every single ride, I'm going to assume they did here for simpler math since they all had the opportunity.

At $467.50 per person, given that we did 16 rides, that's kind of like spending $29.21 per "FastPass" access. That's not exactly a fair way to look at it as there were plenty of other perks to the tour including the door-to-door transportation, awesome insider knowledge from the guide herself, etc., but it's a decent starting point.

Additionally, throughout the tour, our group was given about 25 bottles of water ($3.50 each), 10 Mickey bars ($5.50 each), 10 rain ponchos ($12 each), one stroller rental ($15) and a cup of Dole Whip ($5). We were also each given a special Disney VIP tour pin which you technically can't buy, but we'll put the price at about $12, which is in line with the cost of other Disney pins.

The retail price for buying those goodies on your own at Disney is around $402.50, or $40.25 per person. If you factor that out of the total cost, the cost for quick access drops a little from $29.21 to $26.70 per person per ride.

Obviously, if you didn't stop for lunch, started right on time and moved at a quicker pace than our group, then you probably could have a higher ride total. You could even start right in the park if you don't want transportation and squeeze in more rides that way, too.

Related: These are the best restaurants at Disney World

But our goal wasn't to rack up ride totals for the sake of impressive math, it was to enjoy the heck out of the rides we love the most with the friends and family we've missed too much over the last year and a half. And while you could argue using time getting picked up and dropped off at our resort was a waste, with 10 people ranging from 6 to 70 years of age, it sure didn't feel that way.

Bottom line

There's absolutely no way we would have done those 16 rides in eight and a half hours on our own. Given what crowds and wait times were like at Disney during our trip , it's unlikely we would have done half that number on our own. Even if we had, it wouldn't have been predominately the headlining rides.

It's not necessary to spend a small fortune on a VIP tour to have a great time at Walt Disney World.

I've successfully been to the park dozens of times and never before had a Disney VIP tour guide at the ready. Timing your visit during the less busy days, being at the park when it opens (which is before it says it opens), doing rides during fireworks and close to closing time are also great ways to pack more attractions into your day without spending more money.

However, right now with the high crowd levels and no other FastPass options, if there was ever a time to rally a group of friends and go for it on a planned upcoming trip, there's no doubt the VIP treatment dramatically increased the enjoyment factor for our group.

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Is the Disney VIP Tour Worth It?

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At some point, in hour five of your day at a Disney park, you’re probably tired of standing in lines. The magic of Disney theme parks is undeniable, but when the sweat sets in and your feet begin to ache, you may be wondering if there’s another way.

The Disney VIP tour allows you to skip the lines with a dedicated tour guide and a custom itinerary. But, of course, it’s pricy, so let’s take a closer look at the Walt Disney World VIP tour, how much it costs and whether it’s worth it.

What is the Walt Disney World VIP tour?

Disney offers a variety of enhanced experiences for those willing to shell out extra money. This includes group tours and behind-the-scenes expeditions; however, its most premium product is the personalized VIP tour. The VIP tour isn’t just limited to Walt Disney World — you can also book these private tours at Disneyland and other Disney parks.

The VIP tour at Disney grants you your own Disney tour guide who’ll whisk you from ride to ride without waiting in long lines. In addition to this, you’ll also get special access to restaurant reservations and entertainment seating, including fireworks.

Disney VIP tours do not include park admission. You’ll have to pay for this separately.

You’ll tell your tour guide what you’d like to see and do, and they’ll plan the day. You can even park hop with the VIP tour, which means you’ll be escorted to another park in a private vehicle.

» Learn more: How to plan a trip to Walt Disney World

Disney VIP tour cost

The Disney VIP tour is costly and doesn’t include park admission. The rate for a tour depends on the season and the crowd levels. So just how much is the Disney VIP tour? Prices range from $450 to $900 per hour, and you must book for a minimum of seven hours. The price includes up to 10 people, including infants.

Be aware that cancellation policies differ across parks.

At Walt Disney World, canceling with less than 48 hours' notice will incur a cancellation fee of two hours at your booking rate.

At Disneyland, VIP tours are nonrefundable if canceled less than four days in advance.

» Learn more: How to go to Disney World for cheap

Are Disney VIP tours worth it?

The Disney VIP tour is expensive. Although unlimited front-of-the-line access and guaranteed seating are nice, you’ll really need to budget for an expense like this. Let’s break this down using Walt Disney World as an example.

The cheapest rate you’ll pay for a Disney VIP tour will cost you $3,150. In exchange, you and up to nine of your friends will receive seven hours of unlimited front-of-the-line access, a personal tour guide, premier access to dining reservations and dedicated entertainment seating.

At this rate, the total cost of the tour will be $315 per person. So it’s unlikely that you’ll want to book a VIP tour for multiple days unless you’re trying to squeeze in as much activity as possible.

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If you’re a large group with a relatively limited amount of time, a tour can help maximize your vacation. It’s probably best for family reunions, bachelorette parties or other family group trips for special occasions. These are the kinds of people who will be able to maximize the Disney VIP Tour.

You should probably skip the Disney VIP tour if you're on a budget, traveling in smaller groups or can afford to spend multiple days at Disney.

Disney VIP tour vs. Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane

When comparing costs in the following examples, let’s say you’re booking the VIP tour for just one day.

In October 2021, Disney introduced the paid Genie+ system, which replaced the now-defunct (and free) Fastpass Plus program. Genie+ operates similarly, with the ability to book individual return times on most Disney rides.

At Walt Disney World, this experience costs $15 per person per day.

Sadly, Genie+ doesn’t include some of the most popular rides at each Walt Disney World park, including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Space Mountain. Instead, the fast lane for these rides is priced separately and available a la carte via Individual Lightning Lane.

You’ll need to pay per person, per ride, for attractions included in the ILL. Costs vary according to demand but can be as high as $15/person. In addition, you can only purchase ILL access once per ride, per day. So there’s no way to use the fast lane for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance continually, for example.

» Learn more: How to book the new Star Wars hotel on points

Under the old Fastpass system, a return time didn’t guarantee you a front-of-the-line spot. Instead, you’d experience a shorter, separate line from the main queue.

Now let’s say that your party of 10 has chosen to head to Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios for the day. Naturally, you want to skip as many lines as possible, so you’ll pay for Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane attractions.

Genie+ comes out to $150 for the day for all 10 of you. It’s a little more challenging to predict ILL pricing, but let’s say it’s an average of $11 per ride. Everyone rode all four ILL available, two at Magic Kingdom and two at Hollywood Studios, which means you’ve paid $440 for ILL rides.

Altogether, you paid $590 to take advantage of Genie+ and ILL, which will have granted you shorter lines at most rides.

There’s a massive difference between paying $3,150 for a VIP tour or $590 — one option is five times the price of the other. But, of course, you can also choose not to spend any additional money at all, in which case you’ll pay for park admission and elbow it out with everybody else.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

The best benefit of the Disney VIP tour? Time saved

Consider the range of benefits you’ll receive when comparing a Disney VIP tour vs. Genie+ and ILL. Disney VIP tours give you a whole host of special perks, including one that’s almost impossible to find — time.

You’ll save time moving between parks in a private car. You’ll save time waiting for a good seat for the fireworks and save time in the Lightning Lane lines because a VIP tour jumps you past those who have paid for that luxury.

In this case, the Disney VIP tour makes a compelling example for those with limited time, especially if you can max out the tour group with 10 people. If you only have a day or two to experience the parks, why would you spend it waiting in the vast lines?

This is especially true when you consider the already high costs of a Disney World vacation, which can climb into the thousands of dollars for a big family and multiple days at the parks.

» Learn more: Best Disney World hotels to book with points

How to book a Disney VIP tour

You can start booking a VIP tour up to 60 days in advance.

For Walt Disney World, bookings can only be made by phone. So you’ll need to call the VIP tour office at 407-560-4033. The office is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

If you’re looking to book a Disney VIP tour at Disneyland instead, you can book by email at [email protected] or call the office at 714-300-7710.

» Learn more: How to budget for a family trip to Disney

If you want to book Disney’s VIP tour

There’s no doubt that a Disney vacation can be magical, but you’ll need to pay up to experience all that pixie dust. A Disney VIP tour is undoubtedly a splurge but can make sense for those looking for as much convenience as possible.

Before you book, make sure to do the math on costs and whether it is affordable. Otherwise, stick to options such as Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes to help re-create the experience at a fraction of the cost.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World.

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Disney World VIP Tour Guides (cost, tips, + a review)

By: Author Heather Thomas

Published: August 5, 2021 Updated: October 17, 2023

If you ever thought that Disney VIP Tours were only for celebrities and lottery winners, you’re not alone.

At one time we kind of thought that, too.

But an interview awhile back on the WDW Prep to Go podcast opened up our eyes to how this amazing private tour service might just fit into the travel budgets for lots of Walt Disney World guests.

So, in the name of research, we spent a day with 2 fantastic Disney VIP Guides checking out how it works.

(And before you ask, the experience was purchased with cold hard cash; nothing was comped. We went into the experience the same way any family visiting Disney World might.)

Here’s what we learned.

In this article

All the details

First of all, the price (at first glance) is not cheap, so don’t freak out when you see it:

The cost for reserving a Disney VIP Tour Guide runs between $425 and $850 per hour (busier times of the year will cost more), with a minimum duration of 7 hours.

You’ll need 1 guide for every 10 guests in your group, and infants DO count towards the 10.

So, on the “low” end, you are looking at a total of around $3000 for up to 10 people.

And that does not include your park ticket.

Everybody in your group will need a valid theme park ticket, and if you are planning on multiple parks during the day, you’ll need to have the Park Hopper option, too.

So, yes, that is expensive and may seem out of reach, but don’t say “no way” just yet.

We have some scenarios that make the cost seem a lot more affordable. More on that below.

How to book

Using a travel agent.

Whether you already have a travel agent OR you just want help with booking a VIP Tour, using a travel agent is a fantastic option.

They are experts in the park and if you’ve booked your trip through them, they’ll be able to help you weave the VIP experience into the rest of your trip.

Remember, these tours aren’t cheap. It would be silly to accidentally double up on something or waste time on a non-VIP day doing something you could have easily done with the guide.

Let your travel agent help you coordinate all of that!

Interested in connecting with a travel agent for help booking a VIP Tour? Get a quote now.  

On your own

You can also book guides up to 180 days in advance by calling (407) 560-4033.

In some instances, you can even book them same day, although we don’t recommend that since that would leave you very little time to plan out how you’ll spend your day.

Disney mentions on their website that space is limited; however, in reality, they have a vast network of guides and backup guides and are able to accommodate nearly all requests. They aren’t in the business of turning away guests requesting this experience.

What happens after you book?

If you booked through a travel agent, they’ll work with Disney and you to put together a plan for your time with the guide.

If you’ve booked on your own, you’ll receive an email confirmation shortly after booking that will list out all the details of your booking, including the cancellation policy which is a liberal 48 hours in advance with no penalty. If you cancel within 48 hours, you pay the equivalent of 2 hours/guide.

From that point, you’ll be asked to email Signature Services (which is the name of the department in charge of things like these tours) the list of the people that will be attending and a list of attractions you’d like to see.

That plan isn’t set in stone, however. You’ll be able to tweak it as you go, but it helps them get a feel for how their day will look.

What does a day with a guide from Disney’s VIP Services look like?

Try to imagine the most magical day ever at Disney World and that is pretty much what your time with a VIP Guide looks like.

You are in total control of the day, and as long as your request doesn’t break any rules or go beyond the scope of their job, your VIP Guide will try to make it happen. Like magic.

If an attraction has a Lightning Lane, you’ll have access to all of those with your VIP guide.

Want to ride Slinky Dog Dash multiple times? You can do that.

And Rise of the Resistance (which is notoriously difficult) is no problem either because your VIP Tour Guide can get you on without having to worry about snagging a Boarding Group .

Feel like stopping for a snack or a break in some AC? You’re with an expert that knows all the best places.

Want to watch fireworks without having to fight the crowds? Yep. That’s an option, too.

Officially, this is how Disney describes the services offered:

• Pre-arrival planning
• A flexible start time, picked by you
• Visits to multiple theme parks in one or more days, if desired
• The ability to enjoy some of your favorite attractions efficiently, even repeatedly
• VIP viewing areas for parades, select stage shows and nighttime spectaculars
• Shared insight from your highly knowledgeable VIP Tour Guide throughout your tour

See what we mean? An entire list of magic.

Two ways to make Disney VIP Tours “affordable”

Stay fewer days and use the money saved to book a vip guide.

For many years, suggesting guests consider adding a VIP Tour to a trip frankly wasn’t something that was on our radar.

But then we heard something that changed our entire perspective.

In a trip report interview on the WDW Prep to Go podcast , a guest was traveling to Disney World with her parents. For that trip, her parents set the budget and told her to plan the trip however she saw fit as long as she stayed within the allotted dollar amount.

Knowing that they wouldn’t be able to do a long trip, she instead opted to shorten the trip and use the money saved on hotel rooms, food, and park tickets to pay for a private Disney VIP Tour Guide for 2 days.

Not only did she stay within the budget , they still saw and did everything they wanted to because of their VIP Guide.

Mind blown.

The lesson learned here is that a VIP Tour becomes way more affordable when you realize that having a guide for a day (or more) means you’ll be able to get the same amount of stuff done in a less amount of time.

Split the cost across 2 (or more) families

When you book a VIP Guide with Disney, you get to choose the people that will be in your group, and as long as you stay within the 10 person/guide ratio, you’re free to put together your group however you’d like.

So, if you’re traveling with multiple families or couples, you can easily split the cost.

Even just splitting with one other family can be a huge savings and make a day with one of Disney’s VIP Tour Guides much more affordable than you might have thought.

(Click chart to view it larger.)

Who should consider booking a Disney VIP Tour?

While we think that anybody that can should give it a try (because it is just an overall amazing experience), we definitely think that there are a few times when it really might make sense:

Families short on time

If your time at Disney World is limited but you still want to see and do as much as you can, this is a fantastic option for that.

With a VIP Tour, you could easily hit most of the headliners in all 4 parks in 1 day, or split out your fun over 2 or 3 days instead of 7 or 8 days.

People staying offsite

Remember how we said up above that splitting the cost makes it more affordable?

Since lots of families share villas or houses they’ve rented offsite, that is the perfect opportunity to share the cost of a VIP Tour Guide at Disney World, too.

Plus, staying offsite is a great way to save some money on your trip, which would then free up some of your budget for extras, like a VIP Tour Guide!

Groups traveling together

Between conferences and sporting events and trade shows, there are lots of times groups of people travel to the Orlando area when (gasp!) Disney isn’t always the main focus.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a lot of Disney fun, and since you can split the cost with others in your group, it can make it quite affordable to add on a day of magic.

Families considering lots of “extras”

If you are considering adding a bunch of extras to your trip to give you a better view or go on more rides (things like After Hours Boo Bash or Disney Very Merriest ) you may find that it makes more sense to instead work with VIP Services and a VIP Guide.

Not only can your VIP Guide assist you with gaining access to the attractions, they also have access to VIP viewing locations for all the nighttime shows.

Tips from the experts

After spending 7+ hours with Disney VIP Guides, we were able to put together a list of their top tips and suggestions for people booking Disney VIP Tours.

Here’s what they had to say:

1. Wear matching shirts

If you were ever going to wear matching shirts, Disney World is the place to do it. On our last experience with a VIP tour, our group of 11 had matching shirts, and we were told multiple times by both our guides and the Cast Members working the attraction entrances how much easier it made it for them to do their jobs.

2. Make sure kids know height requirements

Even though you’ll be with a VIP Guide, you’ll still have to follow all the height requirement rules. So if you know you have little ones that aren’t going to be tall enough to ride certain attractions, don’t wait until you get there to let them know, and definitely don’t leave it to the VIP Guides to do the dirty work. It can be hard for them to build any sort of relationship with the kids if they are seen as the bad guy.

3. Follow the rules

Despite what you might think, unless your name is Beyoncé, you’ll still be standing in the Lightning Lanes. Only when safety is a concern are celebrity guests ushered in and out through back ways. Don’t ask your guide to break the rules or to let you skip the Lightning Lane because that’s not something they can do.

4. Don’t try to sneak extra people into your group

The rule is 10 people per guide, so if you have 11, you’ll need to get an additional guide. Don’t try to sneak an extra person into your group or think that 1 more person won’t matter. The VIP Guides have rules that they must follow, and if you try to have more than allowed, you’ll be asked to narrow it down to 10 or pay for an additional guide.

5. Start your time with your guide at the first attraction of the day

It may seem like a good idea to have your VIP Tour Guide pick you up from your resort (after all, driving you around is part of their job), BUT the clock starts ticking as soon as you meet up with them. Instead of wasting time driving to your first attraction, opt to meet them there.

6. Eat quicker meals

Lunch at any Quick Service location that has Mobile Order is a fantastic way to minimize the time you spend eating, so you can maximize the time you spend riding.

7. Think about tipping

Though the rules on this are a bit fuzzy and tour guides will tell you they don’t need to be tipped , you should spend some time thinking about what you want to do, especially since any tips will need to be in cash and it could be a lot of money.

In the end, we ended up tipping about 10%, but have heard reports of people tipping much more and less than that. Be sure to plan ahead so you’re not scrambling to figure it out when you’re there.

Our day going VIP

Hands down our day spent with 2 fantastic VIP Guides was one of the most fun days I’ve ever had at Disney World.

But it didn’t start out that way.

Note: Our adventure with a VIP Tour Guide was in the before-times (aka pre-pandemic).

Off to a rocky start at Epcot

Originally our plan was to have a lovely breakfast at Garden Grill and then meet up with the guides at the podium just outside the restaurant.

But, because we were a group that know how to party be on time, we were early to breakfast and then done way ahead of schedule.

With an hour to kill, we decided to head downstairs from Garden Grill to take a whirl on the not-so-much-a-thriller known as Living with the Land.

Only today, “Living with the Land” was a lot more like “Shipwrecked with the Squash” or “Marooned with the Melons.”

Don’t get me wrong, the first few minutes of our voyage were amazing. In fact, all was going great until just past the farmhouse.

That’s where our boat came to a screeching halt, right by the part where they loudly say “Here at Epcot, we’re learning to reduce the need for pesticides by using natural predators like ladybugs and wasps to control pests.”

Over and over and over we listened to that spiel as we slowly crept forward.

As we waited (and regretted those 2nd and 3rd refills of water we had at breakfast), we stressed out as our hour buffer before meeting our guides slowly dwindled away.

Once we knew there was no way we were going to get off that boat and back upstairs by noon, Shannon picked up her phone and called Signature Services and told them the problem.

And as expected, they were amazing!

Not only did they contact our guides for us, they also changed the meeting place to the exit of Living with the Land which was a huge relief. The guides also reset our tour starting time since the delays weren’t our fault.

Not long after (and right when we had just started a rousing game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine who was going to swim to safety to secure emergency supplies like Diet Coke and chocolate), help appeared and the Cast Members working at Living with the Land pushed our boat to the safety of the Aquaculture room.

There we were able to climb out and wind our way out through the greenhouses to our new meeting place where our our 2 guides, Carson and Lyssa, were waiting.

After a few short introductions (and a much needed restroom break), we were off!

Let the attractions begin!

Our goal for the day was to knock out most of the main headliners in all 4 parks.

Ambitious? Maybe. But if ever there was a time to try it, today with our VIP Guides was the day.

To start our journey, we started our day at everybody’s favorite glider-based Disney attraction: Soarin’.

As was the procedure at all of the attractions, one of our guides would always lead the way to let the person working the FastPass+ line (now called Lightning Lane) know how many people were coming through with them. This is where the matching shirts came in so handy!

It was so easy for them to say “11 people coming through – they all have on shirts that look like this!” and then they’d point at our cute shirts.

At Soarin’, we were quickly through the line and we were even able to request the top row middle, which are the best seats in the house.

The entire time we were in line our guides were chatting us up and we were peppering them tons of questions.

Have I mentioned yet just how lovely our guides were? They were not just regular Disney-friendly, they were top-tier Disney-friendly.

Our guides waited for us at the exit and then, since our next stop was Test Track, instead of walking out the “regular” exit, they took us out the back door of Soarin’ where they had 2 vans waiting for us – and they drove us over to Test Track!

Of course, since we were backstage, we couldn’t take any photos, but just know if you’re into Disney stuff like that, it was very, very cool. And, not having to walk over there saved so many steps on what was going to be an extra-long day.

Lesson learned: Having the vans gave us a safe spot to stash stuff – like our bags – if we didn’t need them. That was a nice perk when you’re just hopping out for a couple rides!

After a trip around the backside of the World Showcase, our guides parked near Test Track. We made our way from backstage out to the front of the attraction and before we knew it, we were in the preview room making our cars and then out racing around the track.

After we were done there, we headed over to Frozen Ever After where we had the perfect number for our own boat which made for an adorable photo. There may also be video of the whole boat singing, but we’ll keep that for ourselves.

With the Epcot headliners done, we headed back to our carriages white vans so we could continue on to our next stop, which was Hollywood Studios.

Meeting some *REAL LIFE* winners at Hollywood Studios

We were all really looking forward to Hollywood Studios because we were meeting up with a lovely family that had won a WDW Prep contest that gave them the chance to tour with us (and our VIP Tour Guides) in the new Toy Story Land.

Considering that at this point it was the middle of the afternoon, having the guides there to get us into the FastPass+ lines instead of having to use the long standby lines was a huge blessing because I’m 99% sure that Andy must live on the sun as hot as his “backyard” is.

Seriously. Toy Story Land is brutally hot in the middle of the day.

Before we could make our way to the sun Toy Story Land, we had to get parked.

Our VIP Guides expertly navigated to a lot that was kind of back by Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. Upon our arrival, we were met by other VIP Guides with iced down water and snacks – something we all desperately needed.

Then, since we were entering a new park, we were required to have our MagicBands scanned, but instead of having to go all the way to the front of the park, they used an iPad and scanned them right there in the parking lot.

Lesson learned: Being able to bypass the front gates is one of the perks (and time savers) of entering the parks with a VIP Guide. We only had to go through security and the turnstiles once (on our first park) and then every park after that, somebody either met us to scan our MagicBands or our guides took our MagicBands and scanned them for us while we were busy having fun on an attraction.

One of our guides needed to step away for a few minutes. While she was gone, another lovely guide stepped in to help our crew. All of that was totally seamless and very well choreographed.

After meeting up with the winners, we headed into Toy Story Land where we Rode Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, Toy Story Mania, and then Slinky Dog Dash one more time.

After we were “Toy Story Land”ed out we took a group photo with the lovely winners and then said our goodbyes. fyi – after telling 1 of our guides we wanted a group pic, this photo was choreographed between our guides and a PhotoPass photographer.

At that point we were a little bit ahead of schedule so we decided to give Tower of Terror a ride on our way back to the vans.

After finishing up at Tower of Terror we were ready for our next destination:  Pandora!

By now we were getting hungry and we were all ready to sit down for a bit which fit perfectly into our original plan of an early dinner at Satu’li Canteen.

So, to maximize our time, we all took out our phones and did Mobile Order on the ride over so that we wouldn’t have long to wait for our food once we arrived.

Dinner & Animal Kingdom

The parking here put us right behind Pandora. Like, RIGHT behind one of the walls there so it took just a minute to walk from the vans into the park.

There were no lines at Satu’li Canteen, but the seating there is always kind of a hassle, but have no fear –

Our lovely guides snagged us 2 tables in the air conditioning, which meant by the time our mobile orders were done we had a place to sit.

Our guides grabbed their dinner, too, and then we all relaxed and enjoyed the air conditioning for a bit.

After eating, we decided we should do Na’vi River Journey first (to give our stomachs a bit longer to rest) and with our stomachs full, we all headed that way.

Of course, we couldn’t leave Pandora without a stop by Flight of Passage, so that was next.

Lesson learned: one thing we didn’t really account for was how much harder it is on your stomach to do thrill rides back-to-back. Even things that didn’t usually bother us were a little iffy after riding so many attractions. If you’re prone to motion sickness when riding attractions, you might want to take that into consideration when mapping out your day!

After Flight of Passage we said “Eywa ngahu” (which Google tells me is Na’Vi for goodbye) to Pandora and we were off to our next stop: Magic Kingdom.

Ending the night with a BANG!

As we pulled up to Magic Kingdom, our guide reminded us to grab our stuff, which was a harsh reminder that we wouldn’t be coming back to our royal carriages  the handy vans again.

Our first stop here was Big Thunder Mountain which was followed up by Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and then Space Mountain and, because we had some time left before Happily Ever After, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.

By the time we were done with Buzz, it was 15 minutes until the fireworks were set to star which made me very nervous that there wouldn’t be any space left, but our guides assured us there would be.

And, of course, they were right.

They led us to a roped off area in the middle of the Hub, at the perfect distance from the castle.

The spot was partially full of other families and groups and their VIP Guides, and even though the crowds outside the ropes were shoulder to shoulder, we had plenty of room.

Knowing that our time with our guides was up, we all hugged and thanked them before the fireworks started.

At that point in the day, we were all close to (or over) 20,000 steps and exhausted, so a few tears of gratitude for our VIP Guides might have been shed and of course, Happily Ever After always brings us to tears so we were a puddle of sappiness by the time it was all over.

And just like that, the fireworks ended and our time with our VIP guides was done.

I’m not going to lie, it only took a few hours to get very used to having somebody lead the way, so to suddenly be left without that was a little disorienting.

But, we sucked it up and slowly made our way with the rest of the crowds towards the front of the park – exhausted, but still grinning ear to ear.

Do you have any questions about booking a VIP Tour? Let us know in the comments .

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Wednesday 7th of June 2023

How much was your tip

Scott Bonar

Sunday 5th of December 2021

What is a good guideline for tipping the tour guides?

Shannon Albert

Friday 24th of December 2021

About 10% is a good guide. Have had to make a quick ATM stop to make that happen since it's a lot of cash to have on hand.

Wednesday 6th of October 2021

Hi!! We are doing a vip tour on Friday - thanks for this article, it was helpful to know more of what to expect.

So, how exactly does the “waiting in line” part work? Do you actually wait in the fast pass/lighting/whatever we want to call it lines or do you just go on up to the front and hop on? My husband was under the impression you walked right onto the rides….just wondering how that really works!!

Thursday 5th of September 2019

Love all your advice, Shannon! Quick update on VIP Tour Pricing: between Christmas and New Years is $750 per hour (still 7 hour minimum).

Thursday 30th of May 2019

Awesome tips! How many attractions should I prioritize for 2 adults, a 5 and a 7 year old girl with 7 hours across Animal Kingdom, Hollywood and Magic Kingdom? I have 17 listed... Thank you!

Behind the Secret Curtain: A Personal Disney VIP Tour Review

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It may seem like a dream. A shiny black SUV arrives at your Disney World hotel. Out steps a private Disney VIP tour guide, and soon you’re off on your own personal adventure through Disney World parks. No lines, no waiting and royal magical treatment fit for a prince or princess.

As a travel agent specializing in Disney vacations , it’s incumbent upon me to try as much as Disney has to offer firsthand, to help my clients plan the best Disney World vacation . So, when a friend offered me the chance to join her on a VIP tour of Disney World, I certainly wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity.

While a Disney VIP tour certainly sounds like an elite experience, you may wonder if it really lives up to travelers’ expectations, and more importantly, is it worth the cost? I’ll answer these questions and more as I delve into my recent experience in this Disney World VIP tour review.

Table of Contents

What is a disney vip tour.

In case you’ve heard of a Disney VIP tour but aren’t quite certain what one entails, let’s start with the basics. A Disney VIP tour is a paid, premium experience at Disney World for travelers with deep pockets or anyone who would like a little extra vacation splurge.

Disney VIP tours are designed to whisk you out of the typical park experience into a more magical world where you wait in fewer lines, get access to Disney secrets, walk through backstage areas, and of course, wait in much shorter lines.

How Does a Disney VIP Tour Work?

When embarking on a VIP tour to Disney World, you’ll be assigned your own personal tour guide, whose job it is to see that your visit to Disney parks is magical and filled with enchanted wonder. The Disney VIP tour experience includes:

• Private pick up at your hotel. Smaller groups can enjoy the comfort of a decked-out SUV. Larger groups will travel in a passenger van.
• Snacks and drinks upon pick up and throughout the day.
• Personal escort through the parks and onto rides.
• Personal service, including assistance with park planning and tips to make your day more enjoyable.

Parties of up to 10 guests may book a Disney VIP tour, though you could certainly make this a solo experience or include a party of a smaller size. VIP tours are booked for a minimum of 7 hours and a maximum of 10.

You’ll be charged an hourly rate and billed for the first 7 hours 2 days prior to your tour. You have up until that time to cancel, or you’ll be charged the equivalent of a 2-hour rate.

Once on the tour, you may add additional hours up to the maximum of ten hours. This flexibility is great for accommodating a full slate of plans without having to worry about running out of time. However, if you want to stick to a certain timeframe, your tour guide will offer guidance to keep your day on track.

A Disney World VIP Tour Review: Our Personal Experience

Since I’m offering an overview of my personal experience here, I’ll say one thing up front in this Disney World VIP tour review: It’s an exhausting experience. Fun and magical, yes, but plan on being very tired by the day’s end.

Here’s what we experienced on our VIP tour:

The Disney VIP Tour Hotel Pickup

Every Disney VIP tour includes personal pickup at your Disney hotel or any other location you choose. Our personal VIP tour began when our tour guide, the amazing Helen, pulled up in a white passenger van.

Since we were looking for a nice luxury SUV, we were a little surprised (and disappointed?) but had to be realistic. Our group consisted of 8 adults and 2 children. That’s 10 total passengers, and we just weren’t going to fit into even the largest SUV. And that was fine, since Helen’s engaging personality made it clear from the start that she was going to do everything she could to ensure we had the best day in the parks, regardless of how we got there.

Helen began by introducing herself and speaking with our party lead, Sandy. While I, as a travel agent, had booked the tour for our party, Sandy was the planner behind it. She told me the parks she wanted to visit when I booked the tour with Disney, so I was able to convey these details at that time. Helen spent a few minutes confirming these plans and then helped us all get loaded into the van, even pulling out a stool for easier step up into the interior.

She chatted amiably with us throughout the drive to Hollywood Studios , our first park of the day. She offered little tidbits of information about the tour and little pieces of breaking news as she drove. It was hard to hear her in the back of the van, but we all appreciated her spirit and the bits of wisdom we were able to catch.

Arriving at Disney Hollywood Studios—Our First Park of the Day

If you’re thinking a Disney VIP tour guide is going to pull into the regular parking lot and drop you off at a magical location exclusive to tour guests, it gets better than that. Helen drove into a gated backstage area for our first stop, where several cast members were waiting.

They enthusiastically greeted us and offered us a selection of snacks. These included a variety of options for kids and adults alike, such as Mickey shaped Rice Krispie treats, Kind bars and potato chips. It’s not a meal by any definition, but we could take as many as we wanted.

Cast members also passed out pins for us to wear. These identified us as VIP tour guests, so we could have access to all of the included experiences. This will become particularly important later for gaining entry to expedited ride queues.

After taking care of the formalities and our stomachs, Helen escorted us into the park. This particular portal led us in beside the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster queue, so we made that our first stop. Helen scanned her magic Disney VIP tour guide card at the entrance to the Lightning Lane and held up the line for all 10 of us to proceed.

Once at the next check point, she showed her badge again. The cast member in charge here held us until we could be the first into the pre-show area. Once we were waved in, Helen led us inside and made sure to position us in front of the doors that would open to the ride queue.

When the doors opened, she ushered us in, holding off other guests who may have pushed their way into our party, to ensure we were first out the door and into the queue. Here, she worked her magic again, speaking to the cast member in charge of row assignments and telling them in which rows she would like her party to be seated. Her goal was always to place us in the best spot to experience the attraction, and she always got her way.

One incredibly nice thing about a VIP tour, is that your guide will take care of all of your bags during the ride. Helen gathered up an armload of backpacks, waist packs and the like as each rider took their assigned row.

Sandy and I decided to opt out of this coaster, since we’d already ridden earlier in the week. We’ve found that over time, that Aerosmith’s wild limo ride is a little too much for our aging joints, so Helen accommodated us by leading us to a backstage waiting area at the exit. We chatted for a bit until the riders in our party returned and then we were off to our next adventure.

In general, you can expect your tour guide to bring you into each attraction through the Lightning Lane . In the case of our next ride, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, we skipped all queues to the ride and entered through a backstage access door . This entry point led us right outside the doors to the pre-show.

Since Helen was allowed to enter the preshow first, she positioned us in a prime location. Once the preshow ended and the gate to the queue opened, we were once again the first ones in line. While we did have to wait in the last portion of the queue for this ride, we did skip the wait in the Lightning Lane. All in, we probably only waited a minute or 2 before Helen was instructing the cast member to seat us in rows 6-9 since these were the best for experiencing the attraction.

One thing to note here during our Disney VIP tour review, is that your tour guide will not ride on the attractions with you. Instead, they will work behind the scenes to prepare for the next steps in the itinerary or to take care of other tasks dedicated to your comfort. In this instance, it was heading out into the park to get ice cold bottles of Smart Water for all of us.

For those who are unfamiliar with Disney parks, you generally have 2 options when it comes to bottled water: Dasani or Smart Water. While Dasani is definitely cheaper, the Smart Water has a more palatable taste to most guests. The fact that Helen chose the more expensive Smart Water for our morning refreshment just underscores the fact that Disney recognizes the premium expectations of guests who book a Disney VIP tour.

We finished up our time in Hollywood Studios with a visit to Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run, Star Wars Rise of the Resistance , 2 rides on Slinky Dog Dash and a final show down on Toy Story Midway Mania. I’m proud to say that I hit my trip high score during our VIP tour, though as usual, it really was not much to brag about.

Off to Magic Kingdom, Second Stop in Our Disney VIP Tour Review

To head off to Magic Kingdom , the next stop on our Disney VIP tour, we made our way back to our van. I was pleasantly surprised to find the AC already running and a completely cooled interior, thanks to the Disney pixies hiding somewhere in the dedicated backstage area.

Our arrival at Magic Kingdom was greeted by some very visible pixies who assisted us out of the van and enthusiastically passed out Disney Rice Krispie treats. This time, we could even choose from treats with chocolate covered ears or candy-coated toppings.

As we munched, Helen led us into another backstage passage. For anyone who has attended a holiday party at Disney, this will look familiar. It’s the same pathway to the right off Main Street USA just past the Confectionary, where you start your trick or treating during Halloween.

We began our Magic Kingdom VIP experience by taking this path toward Magic Kingdom’s newest ride, Tron Lightcycle Run. This attraction was running a virtual queue during our visit and also offering guests the option to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) experience . Since we were VIP for the day, she led us directly to the ILL lane and into the preshow.

Since Helen took care of all of our bags and such, she told us not to stop at the lockers after the preshow and to head directly to the queue. This saved us a little time and put us ahead of the many guests who had to stop and stow their cargo before riding.

Understanding the Virtual Queue :  New rides at Disney World are usually operated with a virtual queue. Guests log into the My Disney Experience app at 7:00 am and are assigned a position to ride. You can keep tabs on where you are in the virtual queue using the app, and when it’s your time to ride, you’ll receive a push notification. You have one hour from that point to appear at the virtual queue entrance.

As we emerged from the ride, we found Helen overloaded with our bags as well as an armload of Mickey pretzels and churros. It seems the aim with a VIP tour is to give you a taste of each park. Since these are 2 of the most popular snacks in the Magic Kingdom, she wanted to make sure we had the chance to experience them.

As we ate, we walked over to 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. This was the first bottleneck in our Disney VIP tour review, and it was consistent with every other day we had spent at Magic Kingdom during the trip. This seems to be one ride where people are more than willing to pay the price for the Individual Lightning Lane, so the Lightning Lane queue was always very long, even for VIP tour guests. However, it went quickly with Helen escorting us to the second scan in point to ensure we got priority treatment here.

While we rode, Helen once again grabbed some water for us to wash down our snacks. We then headed over to the castle for a quick photo op and for some members of our party to grab an additional snack at Casey’s Corner. One thing that needs to be mentioned in any Disney VIP tour review is the fact that regular meals are not included. The previously mentioned snacks were all a part of the VIP experience, but if you choose to stop at Disney restaurants, you’ll need to make your own purchases.

With the number of snacks you are provided during a tour, it’s honestly hard to imagine wanting to eat. After munching on rice Krispie treats and churros or pretzels, we were provided a Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich or ice cream bar before getting back in the van and heading to EPCOT.

EPCOT, the Last Stop in our Disney VIP Tour Review

Our arrival at the EPCOT backstage area was similar to the previous stops mentioned in this Disney VIP tour review. We were greeted by cast members and offered more treats before Helen led us off to our next great adventure: Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

With this ride, we needed to fight our way to the ILL line like every other guest. If you haven’t experienced this attraction, I’ll explain.

The way the entrance is designed, there’s a bit of a bottle neck since there isn’t much room for guests to queue as they scan in for either the Lightning Lane or the virtual queue. Also, the Lightning Lane is poorly signed, leading many guests to try to scan in through the virtual queue instead of the correct point of entry. This leads to delays, as guests try repeatedly to get their card or MagicBand to work. The poor signage also has guests standing in front of the entry points, blocking access as they try to determine where they should be.

Since a VIP tour guide will never plow through guests inside the park, we had a bit of a delay to get to the scan point. It was nothing significant, but I mention it as part of the Disney VIP tour review for any guest who may be expecting to be whisked on and off rides away from all of the crowds.

Once inside the Lightning Lane queue, we were led directly to the pre-show. Helen accompanied us and again positioned us so we would have first access into the queue. This would have worked if some disrespectful guests hadn’t opened the door during the preshow experience. What transpired after was a stampede of guests, all thinking they had to leave the show.

Unfortunately, this is a new trend at this ride which we hope Disney finds a way to deter quickly. This happened 2 different times that we rode, as repeat guests tried to get to the ride faster by skipping the pre-show. If you’re ever so inclined, please be considerate of other guests and wait out the preshow. As Helen explained, by opening the doors, the guests shut down the preshow experience for the other riders in line, robbing new guests of the chance to understand the backstory so vital to the ride.

Once we found our way down to the ride, Helen as usual told the cast member in charge of seat assignments that she wanted her party to be placed in the front cars. If you haven’t been on the ride before, this is truly the best place to experience the attraction, so we were thrilled.

Following Cosmic Rewind, we planned to visit Frozen Ever After. However, since we had told Helen we wanted to keep the tour to 7 hours, she was always keeping track of time. After checking the wait for Frozen she let us know that we’d likely be over time if we wanted a second guide on Cosmic Rewind. Since Frozen is no match for EPCOT’s newest coaster, our group was happy to skip it.

That meant, we headed over to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure . Again, Sandy and I sat this one out to avoid motion sickness, so we had a chance to chat again with Helen. We talked about how tired we were and how we were dreading having to wait until our 7:00 reservation at Space 220 to eat and head back to the hotel.

This is where I think the biggest perk of a VIP tour can be experienced—dedicated attention. She offered to try to try to get us an earlier Advance Dining Reservation, while we took our last ride on Cosmic Rewind. Miracle worker that she is, she succeeded.

She met us at the exit to Cosmic Rewind and ushered us right to Space 220. We were a little late, so the restaurant had officially closed to new guests in order to prepare for the dinner rush, but she got us right in. We took one last final picture and headed to the turbo lift to dine in space.

Advantages of a Disney World VIP Tour

While I mentioned several of the advantages of a VIP tour in the Disney VIP tour review above, it’s worth speaking to some of the perks in greater detail. While it may sound like a simple perk, the private transportation to the parks is actually a tremendous timesaver.

If you’ve ever used Disney’s complimentary transportation , you know that waiting for the next bus, boat or monorail can come with a wait mid-day when park hopping. You don’t have to worry about this with a Disney VIP tour, and since you use backstage entrances, you don’t have to scan in at the entrance to parks and make the trek past the entrance to the attractions. In most instances, you’ll be entering right into the heart of the magic.

Also, keep in mind that your VIP tour will transport you back to your hotel, a restaurant or anywhere you’d like to go on Disney property at the end of your tour. We had dinner reservations in the EPCOT park, so we simply ended our experience there. However, you may ask for a final round of transport to end your tour, saving you a lot of time and hassle when it comes to getting back to your hotel.

The second big perk of a Disney VIP tour is the access to the Lightning Lane , or in some cases, directly to the final ride queue. While the Lightning Lane will always provide faster access to attractions, the fact that your tour guide will ensure that you are always placed at the head of the line is another time saver, helping you to do more with your day and tour.

Aside from time-saving perks, the biggest advantage of the tour is the premium experience. Our tour guide was knowledgeable, personable and dedicated to ensuring that we had the most magical experience possible. The fact that she thought of little things, like taking all of our bags while we rode rides and anticipated our needs, provided the perfect touch.

While I can only speak personally to our tour guide, I have honestly never spoken to anyone, client or friend, who had a bad experience on a Disney VIP tour. The only complaint I’ve ever heard is how tiring a VIP tour is, mainly because you’re trying to fit so much into the time with your guide.

How Much Is a Disney Private VIP Tour:

Disney VIP Tours are a premium experience with a star-quality price tag. You can expect to pay anywhere between $550 and $750 an hour for a VIP tour. Prices will vary depending on the day of the week and your dates of travel. In general, expect to pay more on weekends and around holidays. Keep in mind, that you will need to commit to a minimum 7-hour experience.

Is a Disney VIP Tour Worth It?

Whether a Disney VIP tour is worth it depends a lot on your vacation budget, how much you value the celebrity treatment and the $3,800 – $7,500 price tag. Since up to 10 people are allowed on each tour, guests with more limited budgets may split the cost across 2 or 3 families and find the experience more economical and magical.

On the other hand, guests with bigger budgets may enjoy several VIP tours during their trip. In speaking with Helen, she indicated that most people she works with will book a VIP tour for each park they visit, rather than hopping from park to park as I discussed in my Disney VIP tour review.

Taking this approach allows for a more leisurely pace. Guests may actually stop and dine at restaurants and still have time to enjoy each of the attractions, since waits in queue lines will be minimal.

On the other hand, if you’re thinking to book a VIP tour to completely avoid crowds, you may not find the experience worth the expense. There is a common misconception that a Disney VIP tour will take you from ride to ride via backstage passages, thereby avoiding park crowds completely. This isn’t the way a VIP tour works, nor do I think it’s completely desirable.

A Disney VIP tour guide will lead you through the parks, allowing you to experience all of the wonder you will find there. If you come across an impromptu character greeting, you can stop and enjoy the show. Every Disney park employs elaborate, realistic theming elements to take you different places and times. It would be a shame to miss this critical aspect of the experience in favor of tunneling through backstage areas just to avoid a few bottlenecks.

In truth, as we moved from place to place with our tour guide, I hardly noticed the other people in the parks at all. I was focused instead on the fun informational tidbits she provided or following her lead down different routes I might not have thought to take on my own.

How to Book a Disney VIP Tour

One of the most important things to understand when booking a Disney VIP tour is how to book. There are a number of third party companies that offer experiences they label as VIP, but there are only two ways to book the experience described in this Disney VIP tour review: directly through Disney by calling the tour booking line, or through a travel agent that specializes in Disney travel.

We’ve heard and read reviews where guests have had terrible experiences with third party guides. Part of the problem is access. Anyone not officially authorized by Disney will not have access to the backstage areas or Lightning Lane queues to help you make the most of your experience. If you want the VIP level treatement described in this review, be sure to book with a travel agent or call Disney yourself and book directly.

Have questions about a Disney World VIP tour not answered here? Just ask!

Disney World VIP Tour FAQs

While I’ve covered most of the VIP experience in the Disney VIP tour review section, there are a few other questions that guests often have. I’ve taken a few moments to address those here:

Does a Disney VIP tour include food?

While multiple snacks a day are included in your Disney VIP tour, if you wish to eat at a Disney World restaurant or stop at a kiosk not included in the snacks provided, you will be required to make your own purchases.

Do Disney VIP tours skip lines?

Guests on Disney VIP tours will skip the regular queue on rides and attractions. They will access lines via the Lightning Lane. While there will be some wait for the attraction using this approach, wait times are minimal.

Is Disney VIP Tour priced per person?

Pricing for a Disney VIP tour is assessed hourly for a party of up to ten people.

Do Disney VIP tours sell out?

Yes, Disney VIP tours do sell out. When I spoke with our VIP tour guide about this, she told me that Disney does offer a waitlist for guests who aren’t able to secure a VIP tour booking, but can’t guarantee a spot will open up. She also mentioned that the waitlist had been closed for the last three weeks of December 2024. Because there were far too many people wanting tours, even the waitlist slots had filled up. The important point here is to book early!

When to book a Disney VIP tour?

Since Disney VIP tours do sell out, it’s important to book your tour as soon as you are able to do so. For guests of Disney World resort hotels, that’s 60 days prior to arrival at your resort hotel. All other guests are eligible to book 60 days before the date they wish to take a tour.

Do you tip Disney World VIP tour guide?

It is customary to tip your Disney World tour guide. While there is no recommended rate or percentage, most people indicate that they tip between $200-$500 a day. However, your tip should reflect the quality of the experience the knowledge and dedication of your tour guide.

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Travel + 5 Kids + Real Life

Disney World VIP Tour: Worth The Extravagance or Not? Updated March 2024

Last Updated on March 14, 2024 by Leslie Stroud %AUTHOR_NAME% -->

Imagine walking onto any ride at Disney World, riding however many times you want, all while having your own personal Disney Guide.  Magical is just the beginning!

We’ve now done two Disney VIP Tours, and the resounding review is that they are tons of fun, incredibly cool, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially for hard-core Disney fans . However, they are also extremely, ridiculously expensive! They would have to be to make them truly VIP, right?

Let me start with something else: this is 100%, hands-down, one of the most frivolous and expensive things we’ve ever done. We did our first tour with our kids and my parents (who had NEVER been to Disney before—keep reading to learn why that wasn’t the best idea). We used our second VIP Tour to treat our company’s management team, which was such a fun surprise.

* Disclaimer:  This post may contain affiliate links. Opinions shared are my own, and I only endorse products I support. By clicking on any of the links below, I may get a small commission if you purchase at absolutely no additional charge to you. I appreciate your support. *

Table of Contents

• 1 Why We Chose To Do A Disney VIP Tour
• 2.1 The main benefits of the Disney Private VIP Tour Guide are:
• 2.2 What is NOT Included in Disney Private Tours?
• 3 How Many Rides Can You Do During Your Disney VIP Experience?
• 4 Wait, You Still Wait In Line?
• 5 What Are The Downsides To These Magic Disney VIP Tours?
• 6 How Much Does The Disney VIP Tour Cost?
• 7 Speaking Of Which, How Do I Book My Disney VIP Tour?
• 8 How Many People Can Do The Disney World VIP Tour?
• 9 What Else Do I Need To Know About The WDW VIP Tour?
• 10 Do You Tip Your Disney VIP Tour Guide?
• 11 Overall, Was The Disney VIP Tour Worth It?
• 12 How Many Days Should I Go To Disney If I’m Doing a Disney VIP Tour?
• 13 Will You Do The Disney Private Tour Again?
• 14 Additional Reading

Why We Chose To Do A Disney VIP Tour

Why did we do it?  Well, a few reasons:

• We’ve known about it for a while and always wanted to do it!   We found a reference to it long ago when booking a Disney trip… a guide to walk you around Disney?  What in the world?  However, we called and got the price and had a hearty laugh to ourselves.
• We’ve been really blessed. Since then, our businesses have seen a lot more success.  That initial figure that made us laugh isn’t as out of range as it once was.  Not to say it wasn’t still a total splurge, but it wasn’t out of the question anymore.
• The grandparents! My parents really surprised me by agreeing to come to Disney for a day!  This is a real shocker as they’ve never been.  Ever.  And we’ve been to all of the parks in the world . I think my parents were finally curious enough to see what it was really about.
• Park Hopping. Park hopping isn’t allowed until after 2 pm.  It was going to be hard to pick just one park to show my parents in one day.  We also would only get in 2-4 rides, realistically, all day.  Knowing with a VIP guide we could visit ALL the parks and do ALL the rides, we went for it!
• Future Company Trip . We wanted to check out the VIP Tour to see if we would want to take our management team or not later on. We did take our management team in May 2023, and it was even more fun than I expected it to be! Surprising a bunch of adults was much more difficult but also a lot more fun.

What Can You Do With Your Disney VIP Tour Guide?

Not anything you want, sadly, but about as close as you’ll ever get at Disney!  Our guide, Roy, was a rockstar.  He helped us to change our reservations to another park, got us a free stroller, worked to get us dining reservations, etc.  This was on top of all the rides!

He would not take us into the castle (yes, I did ask!) or any crazy areas like that.  However, you do see parts of the parks that you wouldn’t be allowed to see otherwise!

The main benefits of the Disney Private VIP Tour Guide are:

• Walking onto nearly any ride as much as you want.   Any new, super popular ride might be excluded from the VIP Tour, as Rise of the Resistance was when we did our first VIP Tour. However, on our second tour both Guardians and Tron were brand new and we were allowed to both twice!  The limit was two times. This may also vary depending on the time of year (as does the price of the VIP Tour) and the amount of time the ride has been open.
• You are transported in a private vehicle between parks. You enter backstage employee areas, sometimes right into a ride! We literally walked into the Tower of Terror. The Disney SUVs include any car seats you need.
• Being able to park hop , as much as you want to and when you want to. You can go back to parks you’ve already been to, but it does take time form your tour to travel between the parks.
• Learning about the parks and their history from your guide’s extensive knowledge.
• Maximizing your time in the parks .

What is NOT Included in Disney Private Tours?

• Your park admission
• Food (you buy your own or bring your own- they don’t care!)
• Your accommodation

How Many Rides Can You Do During Your Disney VIP Experience?

Honestly, as many as you want!  You have to pay for the Disney VIP Guide for 7 hours at a minimum.  You can also extend up to 10 hours. You pay by hour and can even d 15 min increments if there is a ride at the end of the day you just really need to do!

Our friends on Instagram that I saw do it logged 33 rides in a day!  Wow.  We only got to 20, but we did a lot of back and forth trying to get onto the Rise of the Resistance ride.  

My best advice would be to let your guide lead you.  They have the best routes mapped out, and with years of experience, they know how to do all the rides in a park in the quickest manner!

You can also do rides more than once.  We did several rides twice.  However, our guide warned us this could be a bad time loss, especially during Covid. They cleaned the rides every two hours, and on the VIP tour of not, you had to wait in line. This can also make you surprisingly sick! When we took our team, a couple of our managers were sensitive to motion sickness and nearly threw up after doing two big rides back to back.

Wait, You Still Wait In Line?

Yes, sometimes.  On some rides, Roy would walk us to the ride itself, like put us in our seats.  

On other rides, he would just put us in the fast pass line.  He walked into the ride with us and sometimes even rode with us unless there was a single ride line or even number.

Have a disability?  Talk to Guest Experiences at the front of the park about it and see if you can get this.  It basically allows you to come back to a ride after checking in at the ride to ride it and not have to wait in line.  However, if the wait time is 60 minutes, you have to come back in 60 minutes.

What Are The Downsides To These Magic Disney VIP Tours?

Really, are there any downsides to a private tour of Disney?  No.  Haha.  But there are a few things I noticed:

• You miss out on the anticipation of the ride when you are doing them constantly.  It sounds dumb, but as you wait in line, you build up your excitement and anticipation.  Like opening a present!  If you are just handed a chocolate bar, it’s still way cool, but a little less exciting than opening a gift.
• You don’t get to see the inside line queue part of the ride .  Again, not a big loss, but Disney Imagineers do a lot to make those line areas really cool!  For example, when you wait in line for Avatar, you get to walk through the lab and see a life-size avatar floating in a tank!  It’s way cool!  You don’t see any of that when you just walk into the fast pass line.
• It’s a LOT of stimuli .  Disney rides are designed to encompass as many parts of your brain as possible.. sight, sound, smell, etc.  Doing 4-7 of these in an hour is INTENSE.  I was feeling a little nauseous and certainly exhausted as the day wore on. 
• You don’t really want to stop and eat.   Eating at Disney right now is kind of hard.  You MUST be sitting.  Mobile ordering or a restaurant are the only options to buy.  You are NOT allowed to eat in your tour guide’s private car.  You also don’t want to waste (or at least I didn’t!) an hour of your tour guide to stop and eat.  This meant we had quick snacks in the parking lots, sitting on the ground, before going into the parks.  It wasn’t very glamorous.

Bringing my parents to Disney for the first time and throwing them into a VIP tour was probably a bit too much for them. Not only did they not have time to build up any excitement or anticipation for Disney, but the tour experience can also be intense. It is a lot of rides quickly. It’s also not worth much if you’ve never experienced Disney anyway and don’t know what you like. Oh well. We enjoyed having them along!

How Much Does The Disney VIP Tour Cost?

I know, this is your first question and I’m JUST getting there.  I’m not going to put exact prices in this blog post as Disney will likely change it.  It is also a range based on when you are going.  

However, I will tell you it starts at just over $700 per hour with a seven-hour minimum.  When I got a quote for New Year’s Eve, it clocked in at over $1000 per hour! You must pay that amount when booking, but I do think you have a period you can cancel without a fee.  For our first tour, we booked it only two days before, so our window had already passed to cancel.

That price is up for 10 people.  The amount of people doesn’t change the price.

If you extend past 7 hours (up to 10 hours), you will be billed to the same card after the tour for the extended hours.

You are also expected to tip. We couldn’t swallow 10% but did something closer to 5%, which is still a ton of money. Future career goals: Disney VIP Tour Guide.

Speaking Of Which, How Do I Book My Disney VIP Tour?

You have to call Disney.  Before COVID, there were several tour options, such as a big group tour that let you see inside the castle (yes, please!!).  

Right now, only the VIP Tours are running, but you still have to call to book any of them.  

If your requested date is full, you can be put on a waitlist.  I was told we could find out we got a tour any time, including the morning of , depending on staffing for that day.  

If you are better at planning, you can book up to 60-days in advance.

When you move from the waiting list, you are given a call.  I believe you have a couple of hours to call back before you lose your spot.

Our guide told us they do 30-40 tours like this PER DAY.  Sure enough, the day after and all the rest of our time at Disney, I saw the tour guides all over!  I never had noticed them before.

How Many People Can Do The Disney World VIP Tour?

Up to 10 people can be in your group.  The amount of people doesn’t change the price.

In theory, this means you could gather up to 9 friends and only be charged a little over $70-120/hr for a tour guide!  We just have too many kids 🙂

I also saw two groups going together when they had a group over 10.  It was a large group of about 12 with two guides. Other groups were small families with only one child or even guides with an adult couple. I’ve since learned that the 33 Club, a Dinsey exclusive, invite-only members club, includes several VIP Tour each year. However, it’s like joining a country club with a massive price tag.

What Else Do I Need To Know About The WDW VIP Tour?

Other things I learned:

• The Disney Tour Guide may or may not stay with small children while others ride .  There is no hard and fast rule.  We still did ride-switch for most of the day, which ate up a lot of time.  Our guide told us it just depends on the situation and their comfort level.  Will the child stay calm with a stranger?  Can they watch an iPad while you ride?  It’s just case by case.  We did have Roy stay with Grace near the end of the day.
• You can book your tour guide again in the future.   Once you’ve found the one you like, you can request them again.  Roy told us he has families that come to see him every year and he already knows what they want, so it’s great for everyone!
• Every tour is totally different.  Some groups might want to sit for a 2-hour lunch while others want to get in 30 rides.
• It’s best to tell your guide your top desires and let them guide you.   However, they will do anything you want when it comes to rides and which park to visit.
• With Covid restrictions, your guide could not eat with you.   However, on our second tour, Roy did join us and ate some of our fries and such. I am not sure if it’s expected to buy your guide food or not, but we enjoyed a quick snack with Roy on our second visit.
• No photography or video is allowed in special backstage areas.
• Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and can drop you off also, or you can stay in the park longer.
• You MUST have a ticket to Disney and a park reservation.   This is NOT included in the tour price.

Do You Tip Your Disney VIP Tour Guide?

This was a question we were scrambling to answer ourselves!  From what I’ve seen online, yes.  However, you can’t tip through Disney, so you need to do it another way. 

You can bring cash, of course, or our guide gave us his PayPal address.

How much?  I’ve seen all kinds of answers from 10-20% of the total to $100 per person.  We ended up tipping about $300 for our day for our first tour and then around $500 for our second.  Since we never carry cash, I was so glad Roy took PayPal!

Overall, Was The Disney VIP Tour Worth It?

Yes.  It was so cool.  It totally spoiled us for the next few days at Disney.  

However, it also took a lot of pressure off our remaining days at Disney.  We didn’t feel like we had to rush to the park to get on our favorite rides.  We were able to go and enjoy other parts of the park we usually don’t take the time to see.  I really like that part.

Our staff members also echoed this sentiment. With several Disney fans in our group, it was good to hear their perspective. They also felt completely satisfied after the VIP tour and didn’t need to go back to Disney for a while.

I would never recommend going into debt for this, but if you can invest this much into your Disney Vacation, I’d absolutely recommend it!

How Many Days Should I Go To Disney If I’m Doing a Disney VIP Tour?

We did our tour on the first of our five scheduled days.  I liked that a lot for a few reasons:

• We had the most energy on the first day! Disney can wear you down after days in the park.
• We were able to take the rest of our days slow and didn’t feel a ton of pressure to wait in the lines.
• What an awesome way to start your vacation!

I think doing it on your last day would also be pretty cool!  What a way to end your vacation (although you might be sleeping on your plane ride home).

If you wanted to just do one day of Disney, a tour would be amazing!  However, you will not see a lot of other areas of the parks.

How many days also depends a lot on if you are taking kids with you .  Kids make everything a bit slower, so you might want extra days, if possible when you go.

Ultimately, let your schedule and budget decide.  There are no wrong answers.

Will You Do The Disney Private Tour Again?

I think we will definitely do so with our management staff. We took them to Disneyland Paris in 2019 and only had one day.  This kind of tour would have been amazing in that situation! It was super fun to take them in 2023, but one of our group couldn’t make it last minute, and I’d love to do a repeat. As for splurging this on our kids, I doubt we will. It’s just too much money for something we can manage well with Lightning Lanes.

Or I’d do it with friends (does anyone want to?) to help offset some of the cost.  As fun as it was, I did feel a bit guilty at the end of the day!

If you have been on a tour or plan to go on one, drop a comment below!  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Planning for your Disney trip? Catch great fare deals from Booking.com , Skyscanner , Kiwi.com , or Expedia

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Additional Reading

Eating Gluten-Free At Disney World

Spending Halloween at Disneyland with Kids

Visiting Disney World During COVID: Finding Your Magic in a Pandemic

14 Comments

How do I get on your staff-ha! J/k. So interesting. I always thought these were famous people when I saw them doing this at Disney-although ya’ll are kind of famous. I really enjoyed this article and appreciate that you pointed out both the pros and cons. Thanks for sharing!

Hi! this was really informative as we were recently gifted with this for our upcoming trip, and had no idea how Covid played into everything. I have a few questions, if you don’t mind answering. First, do you need to have a park-hopper ticket, or just a one-park ticket for that day? Second, do they still give out the special VIP tour pin, or is there one available as an add-on? And, finally, how did you manage the RotR ticket? We’re worried if we don’t get one in the morning, we might have to arrange to be back at HS in the afternoon to try again. Is that what you did? Thank you!!

Hi Lynn! How exciting, you’re going to love it! To answer your questions: 1. You just need a one-park ticket. 2. Yes, all 9 of us got the VIP pin! 3. Yes, that one is tricky. We had to be in HS at the afternoon release time and got it then. We then went to another park and had to get back to HS. However, I’d recommend not paying for tour time with this ride.. we spent over an hour in line and it was a huge waste of our VIP tour guide!

Hope this helps! Enjoy your trip 🙂

Great tips! Thanks! We’re hoping we get RotR before our tour time starts, but knowing this we probably won’t try for a later time. I *think* that since one of our party has a DAS card, we have an extended time for return, so maybe if we got a late time, we could just go after the guide dropped us off at the end of our tour. But…that’s a lot of ifs. We have park hoppers for all but 1 day of our trip, and I’m definitely going to change that to be on the tour day, and then we can park hop every day! Thanks!

Can I borrow your tour guide? I am booking tomorrow and heard not all guides are created equal! Do I just request Roy or does he have a last name? Haha

Yes, ask for Roy! He didn’t give us a last name, but there are only about 20 VIP guides right now, so you won’t have trouble!

Thank you SO much! Will do!!

Hello, we were gifted a VIP Tour and were told we needed to buy one day ticket with park hopper. Did I understand your previous response as that is not necessary? Thank you!

Yes, only a one-park pass is required!

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Leslie Stroud

Welcome, Fellow Traveler! I'm Leslie, a mom of five crazy kiddos. Along with my husband, Chris, we've been full-time or part-time traveling the world as a family for over 4 years! We continue to invest in memories as we travel the world and love to empower other families to explore full-time travel or add more travel into their family life. Besides travel, we are foodies and love to explore through our tummies and can't keep away from Disney parks around the world. We currently reside in Portugal and are exploring expat life and learning a new language. Please explore our blog and reach out to us!

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Travel + Global Inspired Lifestyle

March 24, 2023

A Totally Honest Disney VIP Tour Review – Is It Worth It?

If you have been to Disneyland before, then I am sure you know a little bit about the Disney VIP Tour. .. OH you know those Cast Members that are dressed in plaid escorting guests (Sometimes even celebrities) around the park for an ultimate VIP experience!

Our Family has always wanted to take part of this experience and decided to splurge and surprise everyone with the ultimate Disney day! That said, we decided to put together a totally honest Disney VIP tour review for you, so that you can know it ALL before deciding on a Disney splurge!

Our Disney VIP Tour Review

What is the Disneyland VIP Tour?

The Disneyland VIP Tour is a special experience offered at Disneyland Park, where guests can enjoy a personalized tour of the park with a super friendly tour guides… or as us Disney nerds call them “The Plaids!”

This exclusive tour includes skip-the-line access to popular rides and attractions, reserved seating for shows and parades, insider tips and information about the park’s history and hidden gems, and even some behind-the-scenes glimpses of how the magic happens.

How the Disney VIP Tour Begins

There are three spots that you can begin your VIP tour at, one is Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, another is the entrance to Disneyland Park and the third is the entrance of Disney California Adventure Park.

We decided to meet at the entrance of Disneyland Park, we chose this because we did not want to waste any of our time walking through Downtown Disney with the VIP Tour Guide and we wanted to immediately get down to business!

THE PROS: Disney VIP Tour Review

#1 skip the lines.

The first PRO that most people already know is that with purchasing a Disney VIP Tour, you get to skip the line on every single attraction. For example, anything with Lightning Lane, you end up going through the Lightning Lane line, which really makes what should be a super long wait a 10-15 minute wait! (Note – you are not skipping the Lightning Lane, you are able to enter Lightning Lane, which is super awesome!)

This is the case unless you are a celebrity, in which, they have separate entrances for celebrities. My Husband Mike, did however, try to convince our guide that we were celebrities, but they did not fall for that… nice try…Mike Mamian!

For rides that do not have Lightning Lane, they have you go through the exit to get you on the rides. We experienced this with mainly the smaller rides.

#2 Ordering Food Made Easy

If you want to order food at a quick service dining location within the parks and the time on your mobile app says it is two hours out, your VIP Tour Guide will update it so it is automatically there right away!

Reservations

Another thing to note is that your guide is able to set up reservations for you throughout the day. It is a good way to get those “hard-to-get” reservations!

#3 Private Viewing for Shows

You are able to get private viewing for entertainment within the park. For example, we were able to get VIP viewing for the Christmas Parade, which is located right by It’s a Small World! They have a seating area for VIP Guests, which gives you a nice break from walking.

We also were able to get VIP viewing for the fireworks.

One thing we did not know, is that as long as you did the tour earlier in the day, you can set up VIP viewing later on when you are NOT with your guide. They just add you to the list.

Note – you can also get VIP viewing for World of Color in Disney California Adventure Park and Fantasmic at Disneyland Park.

#4 Private Meet and Greets with Disney Characters

As part of your VIP Disney Tour, you are able to request private meet and greets with Disney Characters. Note though, that this is something that you need to book day-of with your Tour Guide.

You will need to let your Tour Guide know first thing at the start of your tour that you would like to do a private meet and greet and they will look to see what characters are available. From there, you are able to plan a 10-15 minute private meet and greet with that character.

#5 Parking is Included!

Parking is included with the Disney VIP Tour. You are able to get free valet parking at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which was SO AWESOME!

Disney VIP Tour Review – The Cost

The cost of a Disney VIP Tour is currently $450 per hour for a minimum of 7 hours and up-to 10 people. Note that this does not include the price of tickets and that you will need to purchase those ahead of time.

Split Your Group Up!

We absolutely loved that the Disney Tour Guide was able to split the group up if needed.

For example, if you had people in your group that were Teens and wanted to ride Space Mountain, but you also had little ones, like Jack, they are able to split up the group and ride different attractions suited for the age ranges.

How Many Disneyland Rides were we able to get on?

On our tour, we were able to ride: Space Mountain, Autopia, Matterhorn, Teacups, It’s a Small World, Rise of the Resistance, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Radiator Springs Racers, Guardians of the Galaxy, The IncrediCoaster, Toy Story Midway Mania and the swings!

That’s RIGHT! We were able to do 13 rides during the tour on top of having dinner, which was awesome!

Disney VIP Tour Review: Is It Worth It?

Personally, in our opinion – we think the Disney VIP Tour was worth it and might do it again for a special occasion/trip. However, there might be some things to consider prior to booking the tour to see if it is right for you and your group.

The cost is one of the CONS for this tour, but the PRO to consider is that you are saving a LOT Of time enjoying what you want to enjoy, versus standing in line.

The other thing to consider is the spontaneity of the day that you miss out on. When you book the tour, you want to try and maximize as much time as possible with the Tour Guide. That said, you are going to want to plan out the rides with them.

At the end of the day though, we think all the perks you get with the VIP Tour makes this experience special and WORTH the SPLURGE if you are able to do so!

If you enjoyed our article about the Disney VIP Tour Review, you might also enjoy:

DISNEYLAND HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW + AWESOME PRO TIPS

WHAT YOU CAN & CAN’T BRING INTO DISNEYLAND – 3 ITEMS WILL SURPRISE YOU!

DISNEYLAND PRINCESS BREAKFAST: THE MOST INCREDIBLE & AMAZING CHARACTER BREAKFAST

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO DISNEYLAND CHARACTER DINING!

DISNEYLAND GENIE PLUS RIDES: A COMPLETE LIST + HACKS TO HAVE THE BEST DAY!

Pin-it for later: A Totally Honest Disney VIP Tour Review – Is It Worth It?

Frequently Asked Questions: Disney VIP Tour Review

What does vip tour at disney get you.

A VIP tour at Disney typically gets you a personalized and guided tour of the park with a knowledgeable guide who can help you navigate the park and provide insider tips and information.

How many rides can you do with Disney VIP tour?

The number of rides you can do with a Disney VIP tour varies depending on several factors, such as the length of the tour, the size of your group, and the crowds and wait times in the park.

Typically, a VIP tour at Disney lasts about 7-8 hours, and during that time, you can expect to experience between 8-10 attractions, depending on the type of tour you choose and the size of your group.

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Reader Interactions

May 24, 2023 at 8:13 pm

Hi there, I really enjoyed reading your review however I’d love if you could clarify when you stated that the VIP tour guide takes you to the front of the lightening lanes. Disney told me when I booked our tour this was not the case & we join the end of the lightening lane? Just wondering how your guide took you straight to the front of the line?

May 25, 2023 at 10:26 am

Hi Kirsty – Thank you for taking the time to comment! You are 100% correct, you enter the Lightning Lane. I re-read our article, and can see how that was confusing! Updated a little disclaimer! Let us know if you do book it and tell us what you thought and if there is anything we missed! Have fun!

August 2, 2023 at 9:25 am

Hi there, I am just curious when you took your VIP tour? Your article is dated 3/23, and it looks like your trip was during the holidays. My family of 5 did a VIP tour 12/22 and the cost for us was $700/hour. I actually just got a quote from Disney for 10/23 and the price is still $700/hr, 7 hour minimum. Your article states the current price is $450/hr. Which if that’s the case, is well worth the money. But I don’t think it has been that low for quite some time. Did you get a discounted rate somehow?

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I've gone on 10 Disney World VIP tours that cost up to $900 an hour, and I swear they're worth it

• I'm a Disney fanatic who's lived less than five minutes from Disney World for the last six years.
• A VIP tour , which costs up to $900 an hour, offers experiences not available to everyday guests.
• I've been on 10 (and counting), and each tour guide makes the experience so special and unique. 

You get to spend a perfect park day with nine of your closest friends.

I moved to Orlando in 2017 to live closer to Disney World . Fresh out of college, there were many experiences on my Disney bucket list, and a VIP tour was always at the very top. 

Five years later, I've been on 10 tours — each more fun than the last — and I swear they're worth it.

Each VIP tour lasts for a minimum of seven hours, and up to 10 guests can take part in the experience. Tours cost $450 to $900 an hour for the whole group, depending on the season, and don't include park admission. 

Although they're pricey, it's an absolute blast to be able to share this experience with fellow Disney lovers, or even with friends and family visiting the parks for the first time.

Ride more rides than ever before.

As a Disney local, even a quick trip to the parks can take some serious planning.

In some cases, I have to purchase Genie+ Lightening Lanes (expedited line passes) if I want to ride a specific attraction like the newest coaster Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind . 

But on a VIP tour, all guests in the group bypass lines, which means more time riding, and less time waiting. Plus, the stress of planning the day and making it onto all the best rides is removed.

No more scheduling down to the second. You simply let your guide know which attractions and experiences are most important to you and your group, and the day is taken care of.

Visit all four parks with ease.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, park-hopping (visiting more than one theme park in a day) was easy at Disney World .

Today, because of the new reservation system, guests with park-hoppers tickets have to wait until 2 p.m. to go from one Disney park to the next.

But on a VIP tour, the guide takes you from park to park whenever you're ready, which I love. 

Plus, transportation is included in the day. Guides drive large vans that fit the entire tour group and utilize backstage entrances to ensure that everyone has as much time as possible in the parks.

Snacks are included in the cost of the tours.

I'm a bit of a Disney foodie , so snacks are always important to me. You'll never go hungry on a VIP tour as there's always some type of snack available. 

Whether you crave a Mickey-shaped pretzel or an Olaf strawberry-lemonade bar, the guides take care of it. Once our guides even treated us all to our favorite Starbucks drinks.

Plus, guides can grab your snack while you're on an attraction, so it's ready and waiting when the ride ends.

VIP tour guides have a wealth of Disney knowledge.

Disney VIP tour guides are typically huge Disney fans themselves, and they have the best little-known stories and information to share.

They have endless knowledge about the history and current happenings in the parks — like the latest attractions , Easter eggs, and hacks .

You get exclusive swag for your Disney collection.

I have a huge collection of Disney merchandise , but commemorative buttons and pins are among my favorite pieces.

Disney VIP tour guides give out lanyards, buttons, and pins so a bit of the tour can be added to your collection.

Even better, these exclusive trinkets are not for sale and are only available to people who've been on a tour.

The experience is tailored to each group.

The best part is that no two Disney VIP tours are the same.

Some people want to see all four parks, and others want to stay at their favorite — or even ride the same attraction on repeat all day. Some guests just want to stroll and chat with their guide.

It's a Disney experience that's completely tailored to your favorite things.

This story was originally published on January 14, 2023, and most recently updated on January 18. 2024. 

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Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary VIP Tour Overview

Walt Disney World  only turns 50 once and during the 18-month long World’s Most Magical Celebration , one of the ways Guests can enhance their celebration is with a new VIP Tour experience, fitting called the 50th Anniversary Tour . Hosted by a Disney VIP Tour Guide, the 8-hour tour is designed to maximize your appreciation of the history of the resort with a planned itinerary that includes resorts, theme parks, and Disney’s iconic modes of transportation. “Get ready to travel by land, sky and the seven seas on an adventure of a lifetime,” read the branding on the tour and with that, we set out for a magical day of experiences.

Your VIP Tour Guide will meet you at the Disney Resort you’re staying at, but since we weren’t staying on-property we met our guide Kelly at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. Each member of our party was given a special 50th Anniversary version of the Disney VIP Tours pin. This tour accommodates a maximum of 6 Guests.

Our first mode of transportation was by land in a deluxe motor coach with digital controls that could raise and lower the shades, turn on multicolored lighting enhancements, and even stream Disney+  during the ride on two TVs facing each other.

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground served as lodging for construction workers while Magic Kingdom  park was being built. Since Walt Disney’s first paying job as an artist was drawing his dentist’s horse for a nickel, we toured the brand-new Tri-Circle D horse barn and got to meet some of the steeds that pull the trolly and carriages down Main Street U.S.A. We also got to see the calliope that Walt Disney purchased, which was used in the film Toby Tyler  and parades at Disneyland  and Walt Disney World. It was recently redesigned in honor of the 50th Anniversary and as a special magic moment, we got to press the button to activate the calliope playing “When You Wish Upon a Star.”

Our next stop was Disney’s Contemporary Resort where, after learning about the unique way the main concourse was assembled, we took a private elevator up to the recently redesigned California Grill , with modifications designed to celebrate the history of the space. We toasted to 50 years with mimosas, took in the sweeping views of the 43-square miles of Walt Disney World property, and learned about how Walt Disney and his associates bought the land in secrecy to try and get a value on the land.

We had already traveled by land, so now it was time to take to the Seven Seas (Lagoon) via a privately chartered boat over the water bridge that connects the man-made lake to Bay Lake. Our guide shared some of the history of the Vacation Kingdom, even sailing us by the old wave machine that was used to offer surfing lessons at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort in the 70s. As we approached Magic Kingdom, we were treated to audio from Roy O. Disney’s dedication speech for the grand opening of the park.

Our first stop inside the park was Town Square Theater where Mickey Mouse recently resumed meet and greets with Guests, now wearing his EARidescent finest. We bypassed the queue to meet Walt Disney’s most famous character.

Kelly pointed out some of the windows on Main Street U.S.A. that honor the people who helped secure the land for Walt Disney World, including this one with a nod to one of the aliases used to buy the land, “M. T. Lott.”

Everyone who visits Magic Kingdom gets to see Cinderella Castle, but very few people get to enter the living quarters. One of the big draws of this tour is the chance to go inside the Cinderella Castle Suite.

Furnished in 2007 as part of The Year of a Million Dreams, the suite is undergoing a few upgrades and so photos inside weren’t allowed, with the exception of a peek out the window at Fantasyland.

It was then time for lunch, which is included in the cost of the tour. Our order was taken before we sailed to Magic Kingdom so when we arrived at Be Our Guest Restaurant, our orders came out quickly. There was no limit to what we could order, including signature drinks in souvenir light-up goblets. For dessert, an assortment of cupcakes were delivered with a white chocolate rose full of “The Grey Stuff” (it’s delicious!).

The first ride of the day Pirates of the Caribbean , which came with the history of the attraction and how Guests were so upset that it wasn’t part of Magic Kingdom when the park opened that plans for the Western River Expedition were scrapped to make way for it. Next, we walked to Liberty Square for a ride aboard a Doom Buggy in The Haunted Mansion . But the “Real” chills came later.

By far, the best part of the tour was when we stepped off our Doom Buggies and were brought backstage to the side of the attraction. No photos were allowed so I have nothing to prove that I got to do this, but we were taken underneath the ride track to see the figures that appear in the ballroom sequence through a Pepper’s Ghost effect. A railing kept us far enough away from the figures to catch the light and be seen by Guests onboard the ride. It was not only cool to see them all up-close and in-person, but also to learn that Abraham Lincoln is seated at the dining table (a blue variation of the figure from The Hall of Presidents ), as is Carlos, the mayor being dunked in the well from Pirates , who is blowing out birthday candles rather than spitting out water. I get goosebumps just thinking about the fact that I got to go down there.

Another place we got to go down into was the Utilidors, also known as the “Tunnels.” We descended beneath Mickey’s Philharmagic  underneath Fantasyland and took a walk down the center divide back to Main Street U.S.A., coming up behind the Emporium and getting a look at the “Backside” of Jungle Cruise . No photos are allowed in backstage areas, so you’ll have to take my word for it.

We traveled to EPCOT  via Monorail, receiving our own private car on both the Magic Kingdom Express and EPCOT line. On the way into EPCOT, we were told that the Monorail slowed down just for us so we could get a longer view of all the work being done to transform Future World into World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature.

On the theme of traveling by sky, after getting off Disney’s “Highway in the sky,” we were brought to the new restaurant Space 220  for a snack. After ascending the elevator for an omnipotent view of Earth, we were treated to two of the restaurants signature menu items (Blue Moon Cauliflower and Centauri Burger sliders), two dessert samples (Chocolate Cheesecake and Carrot Cake), and our choice of signature mocktail (The Milky Way, Moon Rocks, or Lightyear Lemonade), each of which came with a pack of souvenir trading cards.

Following our return back to EPCOT, we went backstage to find the van waiting for us to drive us to Pixar’s version of Paris for a trip aboard the newest attraction, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure , which opened with the start of “The Happiest Celebration on Earth.

After transitioning from mouse-height back to human-height, our last trip in the sky was aboard Disney’s Skyway to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, where the van was waiting to return us to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

As a special parting gift, we were gifted our very own Main Street Window, exclusive to this tour (one per party). It’s branded with the 50th Anniversary Tour, reminds us of our trip “Across Lands, Skies & Seven Seas,” and thanks us for taking the tour.

For more information about the 50th Anniversary Tour, visit the official website or contact your travel agent.

Disney VIP Tours: What You Need To Know: Cost, Perks, and Types

Robin Hutson

February 20, 2023

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It’s not just about skipping long lines in California or Florida. Here’s what to expect booking Disney VIP tours.

I had so many questions about hiring a VIP tour guide at Disney World.

• How do private tour companies differ from the official Disney tours? 
• When are the services worth it?
• What is actually included?
• What is the cost of a Disney VIP tour?
• How much gratuity to pay your Disney VIP guide

Here’s my best effort at answering questions regarding Disney VIP tour guides you may be considering for your Disney World vacation , which is definitely the indulgent and desirable “Enchanted Extra” in Disney speak, or “Expensive Extra” in my speak.

Read on for Disney’s private tours, non-Disney private tours and when to use each. There’s a time and place for each kind. Looking for a Disneyland VIP guide ? Read about our experience in California.

Different Types of Disney VIP Tours

I have used both private companies and the official tours from Disney. Disney World offers more options because there are more parks, more group VIP tours, and more unofficial tour companies in the market.

The most exclusive option is the Disney Private Premium VIP Tours where the “plaid vests” escort you around the park like a celebrity. You’ll use backstage areas to maximize your time park-hopping in less time and have access to all Lightning Lanes (the expedited priority line at rides) with your guide. It’s not truly front of the line access, but it’s close, and your wait times will be minimal.

If you plan to use a non-Disney tour company, stick with a company that has been around a few years and check their Trip Advisor reviews. We only book the best private companies for our clients that we use for our own families.

Be wary of any tour company that seems too good of a deal or whose promises include things like “Any ride you want” which indicates bending Disney’s rules or worse, exploiting Disney’s disability passes, the lowest of the low.

Disney VIP Tours Cost?

Disney World Private Premium VIP Tours cost significantly more than the non-Disney VIP tour companies.

The official Disney World Private Premium VIP Tours vary from $425 to $900 per hour with a seven-hour minimum. The dynamic pricing surges during three-day weekends and holidays. Best hourly rate is midweek outside of the high cost of Spring Break and Christmas season.

Disney allows guests to tour up to 10 continuous hours, and those hours beyond the first seven can be added while on your tour. You do not have to book your total hours in advance beyond the minimum seven. That brings the total Disney VIP tour cost between $2,800 to $4,200 for the experience, before gratuities.

Disney VIP Tour Tips and Gratuities

It is critical to incorporate your guide’s tip into your tour budget. A minimum of one hour’s rate should be given, and more if you can offer it. It is easy to bring cash, but most guides will share their Venmo account to make it easy to pay at the end of your tour since you cannot use a credit card.

VIP Tour Maximum Party Size?

All Disney VIP tours are designed for parties of no more than 10 people. Disney will require a second cast member guide for parties larger than 10. Infants, unfortunately, are included in that headcount of family members.

That second guide will stay close to the first group, but it offers a change for families to divide up by thrill level, too. Also, the 10 guests registered for the tour must be the same 10 guests throughout the tour. No changing family or friends within the parks allowed.

What is the Disneyland VIP tour cost?

Just like a Disney World VIP tour, here’s what to expect for a Disneyland VIP tour (Read our review of a tour from start to finish). They cost between $425 and $850 per hour with a 7 hour minimum. You can bring up to 10 people, including infants.

Non-Disney companies run from $200 to $350 per hour, typically with a six-hour minimum, bringing the total from $1200 to $2,500. The cost per hour for all companies varies due to the demand of the season.

The holiday week of Christmas and New Year’s Day is the busiest time of year. VIP services are most useful and in demand, so book early. The second busiest time is in March when Florida public schools are on Spring Break. Big states like Texas often share the same week, making it one of the toughest weeks to get hotel and dining reservations.

VIP Disney World Planning Services

Don’t stress, it’s a vacation. Luxe Recess is the leader in planning luxury Disney vacations, especially for those families who aren’t Disney die-hards. Read more about our services and fees. We’ll plan a five-star Orlando adventure for your family.

Disney World VIP Tour FAQs

What exactly does a disney vip tour guide do compared to a non-disney guide.

This is where the experience differs between the official Disney VIP Tours and the non-Disney companies. 

Join the  Luxury Disney World  Facebook group if we can answer questions about your next Disney vacation.

Pre-arrival and dining reservation assistance.

Disney’s Private Premium VIP Disney Tours only offers assistance for the day of your tour. They can assist with park tickets and reservations and dining, but they can only procure a dining reservation that was available on the public site. They also do not begin booking these until 9AM, and you could be booking your hard to get table as of 6AM that day.

Private companies will offer more hand holding in vacation planning, sometimes for an additional fee. This will include ticket booking, as well as park and dining reservations.

The day of your VIP Disney Tour

Your Disney guide can pick you up at your hotel or meet you inside the parks. I usually discuss the advantages of each option with my clients.

The Disney guides have access to all Lightning Lanes and can put you in the expedited lines to reduce wait time. The guides stay with you in line until you board the ride, so we would also get the first seats of each ride. Some rides have secret entrances that the Disney guides use at Magic Kingdom, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise!

When you are ready to move to the other parks, you can use backstage entrances where a VIP vehicle is yours for the duration of the tour. We were met with a snack basket by another guide outside our van to grab some chips.

After certain rides, our guide would meet us with bottles of water, Mickey bars, and Mickey pretzels. Not all guides do this, but the ones I request do. We did a 10-hour stint this summer in the crazy heat, and those snacks and waters made it physically possible.

People rarely book sit down meals during their tours. It’s a day for ordering quick service meals using the mobile app. There is a VIP fireworks viewing area for Magic Kingdom if you time your tour to conclude when the fireworks begin. I can help you map all of this out.

The Non-Disney VIP Experience

Our non-Disney guide introduced herself by phone and asked us about our ride priorities to create a loose plan for our tour. She offered to arrange private transportation or guide us on the best parking options.

Our non-Disney guide used her detailed knowledge of the rides, their duration, their wait time patterns, and locations to maximize our time so that we saw as much as possible. She asked what we had never done and weighed in one rides we should try at least once.

While she didn’t have Disney’s line access, there are definitely patterns to learn when you do this every day that gives you far greater expertise than a typical Disney park goer, even an enthusiast passholder.

In addition to a park plan, there are several concierge-type experiences that our guide offered. At each ride, she parked our strollers and waited for us with our stroller at the exit. She would go get waters, popcorn, or iced tea while we were on a ride and had them waiting for us.

Our VIP guide took pictures of us with her phone, and she extracted my camera from around my neck a few times so that we now have proof that I was actually at Disney World with my family, a wonderful perk for me that lasts long after the tour.

Towards the lunch hour, she took our orders, set us on rides, and then we met her at the Columbia Harbor House where she waited for us with our plates of salmon and broccoli at the table. My husband thought this service was worth its weight in gold.

The perks of a true Disney World expert

They were, of course, many moments where our guide’s park knowledge surpassed my own, and I loved it. On the Buzz Lightyear ride, we were playfully competitive shooting lasers at Zurg’s various targets.

She sat with me and showed me where to shoot my laser gun. By the time we had gone through the first room, she had maxed out the score at 999,999. Sit on the left side. Now I know. Lots of little insider tricks of hers made the rides more fun.

What if you already know the Disney parks really well?

There were many intangible perks to using a guide, too. I still found Disney VIP Tours different because I was able to enjoy the day without being the family navigator, planner, and boss. I could truly check out and not be in charge. This gave me the opportunity to let the experiences reach my own inner six-year-old much more easily. I smiled a lot more. Worth every penny.

Another benefit is how the dynamics shift when a neutral party is involved and in charge. If you are traveling in a group where more than one person wants to take charge, a tour guide smooths the tension. Especially for multi-generational trips where there may be too many cooks in the kitchen.

After we finished our day with our guide, we pulled into the Four Seasons Orlando , my daughter gave our guide a big hug, and I was so grateful to experience Magic Kingdom park in a way that felt like a real vacation for me.

When to splurge for Disney’s Premium Private VIP tours for ultimate backstage access

Ride access is more challenging now, and even the best Genie Plus users will adit it is harder now to get ride access. So if you are going to ride all of the new rides, ride all of the best rides, or try and combine more than one park in a day, you need a VIP tour.

With the Premium Private VIP tours, you are paying for their VIP Lightning Lane access for any ride (formerly the FastPass line) to avoid long waits. These Lightning Lanes are at most of the rides at all of the theme parks, especially guests’ favorite attractions.

Younger children’s energy will put a ceiling on the special access you have paid for, and some attractions offer no Lightning Lane, so you are still might wait in line for things, even with a VIP escort and the magic access they offer.

If you have small children and you are still traveling with strollers, I think the private guides can give parents a major perk of a much needed break leading the family around Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom with a pro. You’re tired. You deserve it. Make this the best day for all of you.

Which parks and attractions work best with Disney VIP guides?

Truthfully, all parks are on the table now given that Epcot, where guides didn’t use to visit, is now the hot park to take people on the latest Guardians of the Galaxy coaster. (It’s that good!)

Magic Kingdom’s number of rides and roller coasters puts it in its own league compared to the other Walt Disney World Resort parks. It has more Lightning Lane experiences than any other park, and the layout is vast and can be overwhelming for newbies. The timing of all the attractions and crowd formations is not easy to learn if you’ve only been a few times. And Hollywood Studios has many great rides and a very confusing layout, so I never suggest people visit their first time without a guide there, either.

In our four park whirlwind tour with our Disney guide, we got to ride the following rides. Rise of the Resistance, Smuggler’s Run, Star Tours, Flight of Passage, Toy Story Mania, Slinky Dog Dash, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tower of Terror, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Kilimanjaro Safaris, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Expedition Everest, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, just to name a few.

If I were organizing a multi-generational family vacation to Disney World, I would also use the services of a VIP tour. To assign the leadership to a knowledgeable nonmember of the family keeps everyone happy.

People who go to Disney once and hate it simply don’t know what they were doing. It is a complicated trip. The goal is to have fun, and you’ll have a lot more fun and better memories when your kids aren’t seeing you stressed trying to figure out where to go or what to do when you don’t have a clue.

I would also book a tour if I dreaded the idea of going to Disney and wanted the “one and done” approach. Warning : I thought I was going to be one of those people, but several thousand dollars later, Disney has the last laugh.

Need an expert to take over the planning? We  plan your Disney World vacations . I’ll share what VIP experiences are worth every penny and tell you what to skip.

Headed to Universal Studios? Check out why the Universal VIP Tours are worth every penny, and we book those, too!

Disneyland Hotel Club Level: Celebrating Walt In Style

These luxury portugal resorts were designed for families in every detail, 17 thoughts on “disney vip tours: what you need to know: cost, perks, and types”.

A VIP tour sounds like a great way for Mom to be able to sit back and enjoy the time as well and not have to worry about planning or feeling like you are going to miss something. Also like the idea of having one with a group so there is no question of who is in charge!

We are going to Disneyworld Orlando in December and would like a VIP Guide. Do you have a person/company you can recommend please? Thanks

That is all outlined in the above article. ?

I really really enjoyed this article as I have long wondered what these tours did and now finally know. I’d love to try one – sounds so much less stressful than the degree we had to take in Disney Studies for our trip!

Honestly I had no idea these tours existed before reading your article. It sounds like an amazing way to save yourself (and your family) some stress if you can afford it. I know we would have loved this option a few times we went to the park when our kids were younger and when we traveled with my parents. It would have made things a lot easier.

You missed a few perks of using Disney’s Premium service.

We’d love to hear more! What else besides the pixie dust Fast Passes did you enjoy?

One of the best perks for us involved them transporting us around property. We park hopped all four parks going to just the rides on our list. We were loaded into their white vans and transported via backstage to the different locations saving us a ton of time. We maximized our time and never felt rushed.

Yes, that’s true in that it can make a big difference in parking hopping multiple times in one day. I can’t imagine my kids handling more than two parks in a day, but that might be just be my own preference projecting. If getting on rides was my priority, I would probably prefer to do the Ultimate day of thrills and spend the other thousand dollars saved elsewhere on food and spa and extend my stay at the Four Seasons or Waldorf!

So interesting! There is SO much strategy to navigating the parks; I can see why having a Cori could make a HUGE difference. Thanks for sharing!

Yes, Paula! I consider myself savvy but Cori helped us use our time on a whole new level.

I am reaching out to anyone who would like to share with our family a VIP private tour (up to 10 people) we are a family of 3 so 7 of you would like to share $450.00 an hour for 8 hours at Disneyworld – we want to schedule a private tour on 6/16/2017 from 2pm to 10pm somewhere during this timeframe Pandora and elsewhere – Anyone interested email me at [email protected]

Patricia, you should join the Luxury Disney Facebook group and ask there. The link is in the article.

We splurged for a private VIP tour a couple of years ago when we took our kids to Disneyworld for the first time. We started out at the Magic Kingdom and managed to fit in 10 rides in 90 minutes! Many of these rides had wait times of at least 30 minutes. The pace slowed down at the other parks since the rides are more spaced out geographically but it was very stress free having our guide drive us to the different parks and lead us to the fastest routes to get where we needed to go. We were able to get to every ride on the kids’ wishlist in 1 day and ended up the day in a prime reserved section for the night show at Hollywood studios.

That sounds like it was an incredible vacation! Would you do it again?

We decided to take a last minute trip to Disney, taking our niece for her first time. Since we are only 1 month out and have nothing planned, would you recommend Disney Private VIP tour or MyVIP?

How old is your niece? Is the goal to see the most in the shortest amount of time? Or just someone to maximize your time arranging so you can enjoy and not plan?

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8 Reasons $8,000 Disney VIP Tours Are Worth It

There’s no doubt about it, Walt Disney World is a mission.

It takes time, it takes money, and sometimes this theme park even steals your sanity.

When I imagine the perfect fairytale Disney vacation, I see myself skipping over the steps of the theme park castle, singing Disney songs after a restful sleep at a Disney resort . What I get is a crazy 25,000 steps on my FitBit , heatstroke, dehydration, and a whole lot of patient practice.

And that’s just one park, forget about doing any more than that would be the definition of insanity.

So when Visit Florida asked me to do a Disney private VIP tour visiting 3 Disney parks in one day, I thought they were insane. But always up for a little insanity, I pulled on my runners, got custom lanyards made, ensured my FitBit was charged, and pulled up my big girl panties. Let’s do this!

Does Disney World have VIP Passes?

I was greeted in front of a sparkling clean white unmarked can by bright, bubbly, vivacious Emily. She wore a red plaid skirt with matching suspenders and a crisp, white blouse with ginormous gold buttons.

What stood out was her long, luscious red hair, like The Little Mermaid stepped outside of the movie and into real life. Our very own Disney park princess turned out to be our very own Disney World tour guide.

How Much Is A VIP Tour At Disney World?

Can you pay to skip lines at Disney World ? Well, our guide shared in a conspiracy-like tone that ‘YES’ you can with Disney VIP tours .  

We were about to take the almost-secret Disney World Premium VIP Tour . And how much does a VIP Disney tour cost? The Disney VIP tours cost anywhere from $450 – $700 per hour, with a minimum of 7 hours.

If I had been drinking coffee it would have been sprayed on the back of her head. What?! Who pays that for a Disney World private tour?

Turns out plenty. It’s the type of people who don’t want to spend months planning, parents who don’t want to stand with crying kids for hours in long queues under the hot sun, CEOs who have executive jobs to get back to, and folks who have more important things to do, people who have done Disney before and just want to re-live their favorite rides… Or people who just want to see 3 Disney Parks in one day… like our group.

This Disney World VIP pass can take a group of up to 10 people. So if you throw a couple of families into the mix, it might even be considered an excellent value.

Once booked, your Disney World tour guide takes care of everything. Just let them know your favorite rides, restaurants, and parks and they will orchestrate the entire day to make sure everything fits in, in the most sensible amount of time.

What does that mean? Ultimate ease. You’ll spend less time waiting and more time soaking up Disney’s spectacular magic. The way Walt intended.

So what did I think of my Disney VIP tour guide? Well, keep reading as I spill the secret in my Disney World VIP tour review.

Perks To The Disney VIP Pass

Want a ride to the door .

Our Disney tour guide picked us up and escorted us right to our chosen Disney park, and then using employee-only backroads, to the front door of the actual ride. Often we would leave our van parked behind the scenes and walk through a non-descript door that opened up where we wanted to be.

Outside the Tower of Terror, beside California Soarin’, or next to the Animal Safari. No long walks, no dehydration, and no heatstroke. Perfect air-conditioned comfort! How many times did I go on Space Mountain ?

Want a FastPass+ expedited entry to rides?

No more waiting. On our Disney VIP tour , we simply walked straight to the FastPass+ queue.

And bonus you can ride as many times as you like. Regular Walt Disney World visitors can obtain a maximum of 3 FastPass+ tickets per day, but not with your Disney tour guide . Ride as often as you like.

But don’t confuse your FastPass+ as a front-of-line pass, but it is just as good. Especially when it comes to meeting Walt Disney World characters . Those lines can be intense, but we managed to hug Chewbacca pretty quickly.

And because the Disney VIP tours are allowed to go as many times as they like, we enjoyed rides like Mount Everest at Animal Kingdom four times. Screaming every single time.

Speaking as a tourist who has been on a Disney vacation and has not taken a single ride because of the ridiculous wait times and hordes of kids, this Disney VIP tour cost is worth every penny.

Want the best seats?

We didn’t need to race to any shows at the Magic Kingdom with our VIP tour guide Disney World , there was always a seat ready for us. We watched “The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” nighttime show at Animal Kingdom in fabulous saved VIP seats. And by the way that show was awesome, highly recommend it.

Stop by the Tree of Life afterward – it’s simply stunning.

Want to know Disney secrets?

The guides have extensive training about all of the theme parks, as well as Disney ‘s history. You’ll be amazed at the backstage magic they are privy to.

Our Disney VIP guide was full of knowledge. Knowledge of working at Disney , knowledge of celebrities who visit, knowledge of the Magic Kingdom rides, and Disneyland Resort restaurants.

She never seemed to run out of answers to our endless list of questions. If you ever wanted to know about the inner workings of Disney , this is a real plus.

Want to do three parks in one day?

Doing one park is hard enough, but on Disney VIP tickets we had plenty of time to do three parks, plus enjoy a delicious, laid-back meal at one of Disney’s fine dining restaurants. More about that further down.

Getting between the Magic Kingdom and the Disneys Animal Kingdom can normally take up to 45 minutes by shuttle, let alone walking through the parks. This door-to-door Animal Kingdom VIP tour means you can maximize your time in the park. And take your time eating.

Want to ride the newest and longest rides?

One of my favorite perks was that Emily knew exactly what was happening at the Disney park that was worth showing off. The brand new Frozen ride had been added to Epcot the day before we arrived. Not to mention the Avatar flight .

The California Soarin’ had just changed to “Soarin Around the World”. No research is necessary. She had us heading to brand new attractions and, of course, old favorites as well. How many times did I go on Space Mountain ?

Want booked meal times?

Of course, your Disney guide can book you a great meal. We had lunch at the aptly named Nomad Lounge in the Disneys Animal Kingdom. The food was impeccable and I loved the travel theme. The bar had hundreds of travel stories pinned to its walls.

But the best part? We had so much time to sit and enjoy it, because we knew afterward we could jump in our air-conditioned van to any ride and hop in the FastPass+ lane.

Want to feel like a VIP rockstar?

Oh, and did I mention there is the ultimate rock-star feeling that goes with these Disney World VIP tickets? It’s pretty special.

You might want to keep a big pair of dark sunglasses handy to hide from all the wistful stares or curious bystanders trying to work out who you are as your tour Hollywood Studio . Total glam life! It is the ultimate day .

The Non-Perks Of Disney Private Tours

It’s expensive.

Ok, so it was expensive. No doubt about it. The Disney World VIP tour price can cost you up to USD 8,000.  But I know what goes into planning a trip to a Disney park and I know how much time is spent in queues.

So yes, your wallet is going to feel a very fine pinch. But the Disney VIP tour guide cost is also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Loss of Pizzazz

You might feel like you lose some of the pizzazz of Disney since you won’t walk through the front doors with the music and all the fanfare.

But the good news is, you can book that in with your VIP tour Disney World guide and then skip the rest of the walking.

Is The Disney VIP Tour Worth It?

Probably the most important non-perk is knowing that after you’ve done a VIP tour… you are not sure how you will ever be able to do a Disney park again without it. After the manic of Hong Kong Disney, I can’t go back.

How you will ever stand in a queue, walk thousands of FitBit steps and spend an hour waiting for a show or parade to begin? After all, don’t they know who I am?

The real secret to this secret tour

What makes the private VIP tour pass cost within reach of regular holidaymakers like you and me is this simple economic principle – when you add up the cost of premium accommodation and food for a 5-day stay in Orlando for Disney World , it’s not cheap.

The Disney VIP tour service will save you money because you can squeeze a 5-day vacation into just 1 (or 2) days. If you’re paying upwards of $400 per hotel room per night in a Walt Disney World Resort , and require 2 hotel room s for a large family (or extended family), shaving 3+ days off will reduce your vacation expenses by $2400. Adding meals at your Walt Disney World Resort and your total saving will probably exceed $3000.

So what seems like an extremely expensive and indulgent private VIP tour service will put you in front financially… plus (and this is a big plus) you’ll be much more relaxed and enjoy the whole experience as a family all the more. Bam!

How is Covid affecting Disney Parks?

All Disney parks around the world except one are now open to visitors.

From February 16, Disney announced that all of its resorts in the US would lift mask requirements for vaccinated guests. Those who are not fully vaccinated are expected to continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations.

Disneyland has eliminated on-site temperature checks and is allowing guests to “self-determine” social distancing since California has removed distancing requirements. S ome parks have reduced capacity and require temperature checks still.

Some Disney parks have resumed their nightly fireworks shows and parades.

Capacity has been cut in Disney’s theme parks, with numbers further limited in restaurants and in queues to prevent overcrowding.

You can read the latest updates on Disney’s covid operations below:

Update on Walt Disney World Resort Operations

Disney Cruise Line Coronavirus (COVID-19) Travel Alert

Update on Disneyland Resort Operations

So what do you think of my Disney VIP tour review? Would you like to do a Disney park like the rich and famous? I would love to hear your opinion in the comments below.

Check how many Disney World tickets are here! And this is a cheap special offer .

Or get the best deal on Disney resorts right here. 

Use our Universal Orlando Studios guide while you’re in town. Or check out this Orlando CityPASS attraction as an alternative for several tickets throughout Orlando.

This was back in Travel With Bender days. 

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SO HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU GO ON SPACE MOUNTAIN???? Sheesh 😛

HAHAHHA It’s a secret! 😛

Hi Erin, love your article!

I’m travelling by myself this year, and would love to go on the VIP tour. Do you happen to know any travel agency that create groups for the VIP, so I could join other singles or smaller families? Or the VIP is something specifically for a party. My party has me only. Ha ha ha

Hi Karina, So glad it could help. I believe the price is set no matter how many people there are. For instance, you can have up to 10 people in a group so at $500 an hour that works out to $50 per hour per person. Whereas if it was just you, you could still go, but you’ll be paying the full $500 per hour by yourself. I would consider giving the reservation line a call and asking if there are any other groups that might be looking for members – Call (407) 560-4033. But it’s a great idea – maybe a Facebook Disney page could also be a place to grab another 9 people to join you! 🙂

Thanks, lovely! xoxo

whoops… I forgot to write a message! We have taken 3 extended WDW family trips. My youngest son (23) is graduating from college in May. We love Disney, but not the lines and crowds. A Disney trip was not on the radar until I read about the VIP tour. So worth it!! So, WDW is back on the agenda perhaps. My family of four is a huge Star Wars fan and have not been to Disney since 2013, so all of that is new to us. I am not sure if May 20th timeframe is not enough notice but that is what I was thinking. Otherwise, a fall Halloween timeframe is good too. Ideally, I plan a WDW trip a year ahead, so I am way behind so the VIP tour seems fitting.

Oh please do let me know if you do it! I think for a family short on time and planning it’s perfect. They can help you plan so I hope it works out for you.

Erin – good day – when did you go to Disney World and do the VIP Tour, was it during Covid? I have heard mixed reviews during Covid on these tours (mostly negative)… Please expand on your travel dates…

We went preCovid. I cannot say how it would be different now, but I would think it would be better with all the social distancing requirements currently.

OMG I NEVER KNEW THIS EXISTED IM IM Just A KID! And once I Read All Of THIS!!! This Is WOrth The Price Hoping In The Future Ill Buy This AT Least For ONCE IN A LIFETIME PLEASE!!! OMG! BOI!!! SO Worth The Price Ill Be Famous For A Day Living The RICH!!! Heh Heh Style In DIsney World And Etc So Many Other Stuff Oh And Your RIght ABout The Sunglass Part DOn’t Want People To Know Who You Are So Many Good DEALS!!! About This Tour Thing Only Cost 8,000 HAHAHAHAHAHA WOrth It Man Ha Ha Im Excited For This In Future Heh Oh And Also How’d You Create This Website explore with Erin Maybe When Im An Adult I Might Like To Create A Website ABout Disney Or Maybe EVEN! SOmething ELse EHeh Heh ANd Add Comments To Comment Me If They Have Questions Problems Or Liking my Thing And More ETc Ha Ha SO mUch MORE!!! HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Thank You Alot Erin Ha Ha Ha Ha >=)!!!!!

I hope you get to go Isaac! Thanks for writing.

Hi Erin! Loved your review of the VIP Tour! Hoping to book one in 2022.

Warm regards,

Hi Tara, I really enjoyed it and for a group could see the value. You will have the best time!

Wow….never knew that was a thing! Can see the benefits though! We only had 2 days in Orlando….did 2 parks….Epcot and Animal Kingdom….I felt very stressed with the heat and the crowds and trying to see as much as we can . Had a ball and thoroughly enjoyed it but will try to allow longer next time. Hardly did any rides as couldn’t get any fast passes and waiting in the long lines meant we would hardly see any of the parks. Fun place though!

Disney is so stressful! I’m not sure I’d ever do it again unless it was this way.

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Walt Disney World VIP Tour Experiences

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Walt Disney World VIP Tour Experiences - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Disney Park Nerds

Disney VIP Tour (4 Parks, 10 Hours, 20 Attractions)

The Disney VIP Tour provides guests with a personalized experience at Disney parks. It includes benefits like a private tour guide, priority access to attractions, reserved seating for shows, and special transportation options. This premium service offers a tailored and hassle-free Disney experience for those seeking an exclusive adventure.

In this article we’ll be reviewing our Disney VIP Tour experience just for you!

( The Ultimate Guide to Disney World Tickets )

The Start of Our Disney VIP Tour

Finally, the middle of the Nerd bucket list finds another checkmark…and boy is it a doozy.

Bucket List Item #6: Club 33 Membership (Read our guide to on what is Club 33 at Disneyland? )

Bucket List Item #7: Disney VIP Tour – CHECK!

Bucket List Item #8: Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney – CHECK 2019!

Who needs Tahiti?

Certainly not the Nerds.

In fact, when the changes in international travel interrupted the Nerds’ plans, heading off to Walt Disney World and the beaches of Florida seemed a solid second choice.

Plus, it’s the only game in town right now!

Fresh off a giant refund from the Tahitian hotels, the Nerds decided to cobble together a family trip and surprise the Nerdlings and Grammy Nerd with a vacation-kick-off Disney VIP Tour.

Even though the parks are not especially crowded, the thought of being chauffeured around the parks, seeing “back stage” areas and having the ultimate Fastpass+ experience was too irresistible.

Plus, the Nerds has wanted to do this for YEARS and it finally looked as if he might get his way (plus, he didn’t tell anyone and the Disney VIP Tour was paid for by the time they found out about it).

What is a Disney VIP Tour?

Disney World generally offers a variety of tours , but this private custom experience stands heads and shoulders above the rest.

These tours do not come cheap and range between $425 and $750 per hour, with a seven hour minimum.

You can add hours “on the fly” the day of the tour, but this is the pre-charged starting point.

During the less crowded times, this means your tour will cost at least $2,975 and during peak times, the minimum charge is $5,250 – plus optional gratuities.

During our late January / early February visit, Thursday, Sunday and Monday were $425/hr and Friday and Saturday were $550/hr.

Our visit encompassed a Thursday – Monday park touring schedule and we were bummed to find that Sunday was not available.

Though to be fair, we were making reservations less than 2 weeks in advance and reservations are available up to 60 days ahead of time.

The helpful Cast Members quickly offered to “wait list” our party for Sunday and we proceeded to book on Thursday.

Our initial thought was to book on Saturday – expected to be the busiest day of our trip.

But the combination of not wanting the tour in the middle of our trip and the extra $875 convinced the Nerd that Thursday was perfect.

The Disney VIP Tours are good for up to 10 people (all ages, including infants, count in the total).

The Cast Members who answer calls to discuss reservations are delightful, friendly and eager to help.

The kindly answered all of our questions, provided advice and were quick to suggest (or discourage) certain ideas.

And the Nerd had a lot!

After discussing various options and scenarios, a day was selected.

We picked the time and place to be picked up and provided a credit card (we were assured it would not be charged until the day before our tour).

We were reminded of a few Disney VIP Tour basics:

• The tour could be cancelled up to 48 hours in advance to avoid a 2-hour charge
• The specifics (time, location, etc) could be changed up to 3pm the day before the tour
• The hours are consecutive and you cannot take an “unbilled” break; so if you want to enjoy a sit-down meal, it will likely be the most expensive meal you’ve ever had!

When to Book a Disney VIP Tour

Boy oh boy was this a debate (in the Nerd’s head). Talk about overthinking yourself into a corner.

We would arrive at Disney World on Wednesday evening and grab dinner at T-REX Cafe in Orlando .

A favorite starting point for the Nerdlings.

Before checking into Disney’s Pop Century .

We had Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday to tour all day and Monday until 3pm, when we would need to depart for the airport.

Book the Disney VIP Tour on Saturday because this will be the most crowded day.

In fact, the tour was initially booked for Saturday for this very reason.

Buuuuuttttt, Saturday (and Friday) were $875+ more than the other days and it seemed to break up the vacation in a funky way.

In thinking through the logistics of a Disney World vacation, doing the tour in the middle prior to experiencing all of the parks felt sort of anti-climactic.

Or maybe it was the $875 additional cost.

At any rate, this date was changed.

Book the tour on Monday as a way to efficiently revisit all of our favorites after an amazing vacation.

In this way, we wouldn’t be worried about being distracted by souvenirs, shops, dining and could focus on attractions and really get our money’s worth.

Buuuuuttttt, we would only have 7 hours between the earliest park opening (Animal Kingdom) and leaving for the airport.

We had read (and the Cast Members at Disney VIP Tour reservations had shared) that it is really common for people to tack on time.

So, now, Monday felt rushed.

And nobody wants to be “rushed” when they’ve thrown down $3k for a day.

If Monday were a “full day”, the Nerd thinks he may have chosen this date AND it was recommended by the Cast Member.

Who worried that experiencing the tour too early in the vacation might “spoil” the rest of it when we had to wait in line.

Book the tour on Sunday – our last full day.

In this way, we would have already visited all four parks, ridden our favorites and still had time to really enjoy the full day.

This all made sense as the Nerd thought about it and mulled it over with the delightful reservations team.

Buuuuuttttt, when the Nerd called the next morning, there was no more availability (Nerd Hint: Book early, it’s free to cancel).

The reservations team put our group on the wait list and we moved on.

Book the tour on Thursday, our first day at Disney World.

This could be a great way to dive into the vacation, ride all of our favorites to our hearts’ content and really get lost in the Disney magic.

Plus, the Nerd REALLY wanted to tell everyone about the Disney VIP Tour!

This had the additional benefit of possibly making the remainder of the trip more “chill” than normal.

Sure, the Nerd family would be at a park each day when it opened.

But there would be less stress (okay, okay “stress”) about getting on all the headliner attractions since we would have already ridden them multiple times.

Instead, perhaps we would take the time to smell the roses, browse the shops, hop on the Disney

Skyliner and head back to the hotel for nap and pool breaks.

Perhaps we might linger over our meal at the Sci-Fi Dine-In (a Nerd staple) a bit longer or not be so antsy at dad when he stops every 90 minutes for a Mickey Pretzel and a Coke!?!?!?

Seriously, the whole “no eating in line” rule makes it tough for the Nerd.

Ultimately, the Disney VIP Tour would be booked for Thursday.

More to come on how it all worked out.

What Happens After You Book Your Disney VIP Tour?

Shortly after making the reservation, we received an email recapping everything that was discussed and reviewing all of the rules (like photo ID’s being required for all adults on the tour).

We were encouraged to call or email with questions or suggestions for our trip.

We were also reminded that we need to make a park reservation for the first park we wanted to visit that day.

Guests on a Disney VIP Tour could Park Hop any time (no waiting until 1pm or 2pm for “park hoppers” to be admitted), provided

The Nerd knows the Nerdlings and knew that attractions would be the star of our first Disney VIP Tour.

We emailed them a list of all we wanted to achieve in our 7+ hours on tour…and it was ambitious:

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

We asked to be picked up at 9am and dropped off/left at Epcot at the conclusion of our Disney VIP Tour in order to make our 6pm San Angel Inn reservation and the team was happy to oblige.

The Disney VIP Tour Details – It’s Go Time!!

At 8:43am – 17 minutes before we were “on the clock”, we received a text from our guide that he had arrived in front of our hotel ( Disney’s Pop Century ).

Telling us precisely where he would meet us.

As we approached the vehicle, Roy bounded out of the car, made introductions and we were on our way.

Our ride was a silver Chevy Suburban and we hit the road!

First things first. Roy confirmed there were no delayed openings for the morning and suggested we head for Magic Kingdom to kick off our day.

Our entire crew readily agreed.

Even on a Disney VIP Tour, Magic Kingdom is quite a hike from just about anywhere on Disney World property.

It took us more than 15 minutes to get to the hotel – no traffic, very few stops or slow downs…it was a straight shot.

This gave the Nerd time to pepper Roy with countless questions, talk Disney trivia and strategy, ask about unruly guests and work through the plan for our busy day.

The first stop was the Contemporary Resort for temperature screening and was just a short stop.

Before we knew it the Nerd clan was back in car and on the way to our first stop – Magic Kingdom.

Stop #1: Magic Kingdom Park

Parking for Disney VIP Tours at Magic Kingdom is nothing short of amazing.

In fact, the moment Roy parked the car, we all knew it was going to be an amazing day.

We parked literal steps from Tomorrowland, left anything in the car we didn’t want to take with us and stepped into the Magic Kingdom.

Roy knew we had quite a “to do” list for the day and asked about our walking speed and desired pace.

After the Nerd assured him our goal was to pack in as much as possible for the day, he lead the way at a brisk pace.

The Disney VIP Tour Guides are terrific.

They will take the reins and lead the way.

If you want to chat with them (we did), they are happy to answer all of your questions.

If you want to let them lead while you hang back with your group, they are fine with that.

They truly go out of their way to help you accomplish your goals for the day.

Potty stop?

No problem.

Just say the word.

Our first attraction was Space Mountain where we used the FastPass+ queue to access the attraction. Roy escorted us all the way to the ride and had a great time!

We scanned our MagicBand to secure our attraction photo via Memory Maker , browsed the gift shop for a bit and found Roy just outside waiting for us.

Next, we were off to Fantasyland and Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train .

The socially distanced line was already more than halfway around the mountain, but Roy walked us to the attraction’s entrance where we were scanned into the FastPass+ line for a 5 minute wait.

We made the short walk to Peter Pan’s Flight where FastPass+ was once again our mode of entry.

Having defeated Captain Hook and returned safely from Neverland, we took a brief restroom stop.

The Nerd was still getting used to this entire concept and debating between yelling at the group “this is costing a fortune, there are no bathroom breaks!” and walking slower to smell the roses knowing we had all the time in the world.

This Disney VIP Tour battle – the angel and the devil on his shoulder – was fought in his head periodically throughout the day.

Our group rounded the corner to Haunted Mansion where Roy walked us into the attraction through the exit, around a corner and straight to the front of the line.

Despite the attraction”s warning of there being “room for one more”, our entire group put off the ever after for the moment and found Roy outside the mansion’s front gates.

We walked across the park to Splash Mountain where Roy scanned us into the FastPass+ queue and sent us on our way.

Only four of the six Nerds rode this for fear of being wet and cold despite our Disney VIP Tour Guide’s insistence that we need not worry.

Exactly as Roy predicted, we met up with our group bone dry!

We shuffled a few steps and found ourselves again being scanned into a FastPass+ queue for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (if this schedule seems crazy, it’s because it was).

We walked right onto our train and climbed, dropped, twisted and screamed our way through the mine.

The group found Roy who immediately began to lead us back to Tomorrowland.

Not so fast!

We all know how the Nerd feels about Mickey Pretzels …and it was time for a snack.

And the best part?

Roy knew exactly which kiosk would be selling the warm salted pieces of heaven coveted by Nerds around the globe (and Churros for those who cannot recognize perfection in a Mickey head).

After a snack break, Roy found a great spot for a family photo in front of Cinderella’s Castle and then it was off to Tomorrowland.

Our last stop at Magic Kingdom was to be Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin .

Instead of the FastPass+ queue, we were escorted through Buzz’s Star Command (the ride’s gift shop), through a door, around a corner and right onto the ride.

It would be later that the Nerd would have chance to go back and secure his 999,999 points, Galactic Hero sticker and the respect of his Nerdlings.

Before we knew it, Roy walked us through a side door (we never knew it was there!!) and out of our secret entrance (I guess we should call it a secret exit?) and back to our waiting vehicle.

We got situated, loaded the Nerdlings into the far back, buckled up, noted – amazingly – it had been about 90 minutes since this party began and headed off to our next stop.

So far, so good.

We were getting a lot done on our once-in-a-lifetime Disney VIP Tour and it seemed like the day had really just started.

Certainly, we were going to accomplish more than we ever had (by a very very long shot) in a day.

And this wasn’t even one of those get to Animal Kingdom at 7a and leave Epcot at 11p kind of days!

Stop #2: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

We could hear the ROAR of the engine – okay, a bit dramatic – we actually cruised to Animal Kingdom in comfort.

Now, we were expecting a Disney VIP Tour entrance to the park in an area we had never seen, leading to an area of the park we never would have imagined was so directly accessible.

And you know what?

We got exactly what was expected!

We were definitely disoriented with regards to the park’s entrance and not quite sure where we were.

We could have asked – and Roy would have gladly told us – but where is the fun in that.

This time we entered an area that did not take us directly into the park, as we had with Magic Kingdom , instead we walked through a Cast Member area with folks heading to and from their jobs. Cool!

As we rounded the corner, we found ourselves in the middle of Pandora and a few steps away from our first stop, Na’vi River Journey .

Roy used his magic cellphone app and escorted us to the front of the attraction via the FastPass+ queue.

As we had seen several times before – from the parking lot guards, to Cast Member after Cast Member – they

greeted Roy with a smile (some knew his name before he was close enough for them to read his name tag) and asked him how many guests were on his Disney VIP Tour and waved us through.

After the calm river ride, it was time for the banshee craziness of Avatar Flight of Passage .

Once again, FastPass+ was our queue and we quickly navigated our way to the front of the line and into the pre-show.

Once we de-bansheed and arrived back in Pandora, the craziness of walking straight onto attraction after attraction set in.

But no time to waste – we had more mountains to conquer!

SIDE NOTE: Roy tried to make his case that the Colossal Pretzel with beer cheese at Pongu Pongu was a strong rival for the Nerd favorite Mickey Pretzel (news flash – it’s not) as we made our way toward Asia.

The Nerd concludes Disney VIP Tour Guides may not know everything .

Expedition Everest is a Nerd and Nerdling favorite!

Our Disney VIP Tour Guide took us to the side entrance for the attraction where we were immediately let through and escorted to the front of the queue.

We were told due to COVID that they were not taking line requests, but the Cast Members kindly accommodated and we scored excellent seats for our Yeti encounter.

After exiting the ride, we found Roy and he took the four people who wanted to ride again right back to the front of the line.

They returned, exhilarated and a bit dizzy, and we made our way to the front of the park.

While we took a quick “comfort break”, Roy took our MagicBands and scanned us in for the day so that our tickets were verified and a day was used.

Before we knew it, he was back and escorting us to a different

Cast Member area and back out to the parking lot to our vehicle.

As we got settled, he asked us about lunch and, after hearing us all talk about how much we were starving (forget the fact that we had eaten before he picked us up and already eaten a small fortune worth of Disney World snacks.

He recommended we place a mobile order so that it would be ready about the time we arrived at our next destination!

Stop #3: Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Roy suggested ABC Commissary for lunch and we passed around a phone for mobile ordering (and geez, Grammy Nerd was slow and the Nerdlings even slower – choose something to eat already!).

And placed our order before we arrived and parked at a side entrance to Hollywood Studios .

We left our sweatshirts in the car as the day was heating up and “magically” appeared by Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy as we moved swiftly (lest the Nerdlings get hungrier) toward lunch.

We were notified via the My Disney Experience app that our food was ready just as we arrived and we were ushered into the dining area, picked up our food and found a table – the timing (Roy’s timing) was perfect!

It was almost as if he had lead a Disney VIP Tour before.

After lunch, we were excited to experience Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and were brought in through a side door and quickly made our way to the front of the queue (seriously, I will never be able to stand in line the same way again!).

We slid into our seats, whirled and twirled our way through the zany and exceptional attraction and, as was becoming habit, found Roy waiting for us as we exited.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios had felt like a half-day park for years.

There were two headliner attractions – The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.

That made touring pretty easy.

Sprint for one of the two attractions first thing in the morning, ride the other immediately after (or at the end of the day), experience your favorite shows, have lunch and bounce.

Today, just two years later and after 5+ years of being an after thought, Hollywood Studios arguably has the most headliner attractions.

And certainly the longest average wait time for a headliner if you think Magic Kingdom has more.

This makes touring the park much more difficult because you are bound to find yourself waiting in several 60+ minute lines, regardless of the order.

And the park just keeps filling up throughout the day.

So while Magic Kingdom is larger with more ground to cover, Hollywood Studios made an incredible impression on us Nerds during the Disney VIP Tour.

It set the stage to allow us, when touring on our own without a guide, to pick and choose the attractions we wished to experience a second time instead of being forced to choose between long lines for rides we had yet to enjoy!

And so we did!

Our next stop was Slinky Dog Dash where we were scanned through the FastPass+ entrance and after a 5-minute wait, we were on the roller coaster flying past Woody, Jessie and all of our Toy Story favorites.

We walked a few steps and Roy escorted us through the FastPass+ entrance of Alien Swirling Saucers where we smiled and laughed our way around the famed claw!

This attraction along with Disneyland’s Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree is highly underrated as a family ride, though the proximity and bright colors at Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Toy Story Land keep the line long and the crowds coming back.

Dizzy from the ride, the Nerd talked to Roy and decided to call an audible to our Disney VIP Tour plan.

We were knocking things off the list right and left and we had decision to make.

Earlier in the day, our group secured a spot in the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance virtual queue.

The good folks at the Disney VIP Tour planning department had recommended against experiencing this attraction during the tour.

Their reasoning was sound: the guides would have no way to expedite our experience and we would, therefore, be waiting in the same line whether we experienced the ride with Roy or alone.

To the Nerds way of thinking, this was excellent advice.

However, there were two nagging thoughts.

First, we had trouble securing Rise of the Resistance passes on our last trip and we were unsure if it was the change to 7am distributions, lighter crowds or blind luck that we had secured them today.

Second, given the attractions that had been experienced thus far, the remaining days of our trip would be ours to control if we experienced this attraction today.

Since Rise poses unique challenges with park reservations and switching parks at the last minute.

All doable but this would take the stress off.

Our boarding group had been called hours ago and our Disney VIP Tour Guide explained that Cast Members at Rise of the Resistance were generally pretty good at accommodating people who were late (never for those who are early).

So, new plans made and a meeting place selected, Roy once again collected our MagicBands to go make sure we would be able to experience Rise of the Resistance and scanned us into the FastPass+ queue for Toy Story Mania .

Fresh off our Toy Story competition, it was time to save the Galaxy and we made our way to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

We found Roy and he set us in motion to experience Rise of the Resistance.

While waiting in line, we continued to strategize a bit and decided we would end our tour in Hollywood Studios instead of Epcot.

Because the Skyliner to Epcot was scheduled to be down the rest of the day and we preferred to have our car vs taking a Disney bus at the end of the night.

Our Disney VIP Tour Guide offered to go a bit into “his time” to get us to Epcot and get settled.

We also had the option of extending the tour.

We considered both and were grateful for Roy’s offer.

The devil and the angel appeared back on the Nerd’s shoulders to have the. “Is it worth $500 to have someone drive you to Epcot to get on Frozen and Test Track ?”.

Ultimately, it was the travel logistics at the end of our night, long after we would have split off from Roy that determined our course.

We made our way to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and two in our party were feeling the effects of our wild day.

They opted to just “chill” while four of us sped our way to LA for an Aerosmith concert.

Given our change in plans, we had to make a quick trip to the car to get our sweatshirts and other items we had left in the car.

We were rewarded with yet another entrance into the park – those Disney VIP Tour Guides sure know how to make something seemingly basic into something wonderful!

Roy guided those of us Nerds left standing to the FastPass+ queue of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

Where we said our goodbyes, tipped our Disney VIP Tour guide and made our way to the hotel lobby to experience one of Disney World’s best attractions.

Exhausted – not from walking, but from attraction overload, we checked out a few stores (the Nerd may or may not have grabbed another pretzel) and made our way to the Skyliner .

The plan was to head back to the hotel for a little bit of a break before our 6pm dinner reservation in Epcot .

As we disembarked the Skyliner at the Caribbean Beach Resort to transfer to the Pop Century line, we noticed the Skyliner to Epcot had reopened!

So we hopped on and started our Epcot adventure a little early.

We would eventually experience Gran Fiesta Starring the Three Caballeros prior to dinner and experience a 20-25 minute wait (which felt like a lot after our Disney VIP Tour escorts and 0-minute waits!) for Frozen Ever After prior to heading back to the hotel for the night.

Disney VIP Tour Recap

The day was a spectacular one and as we munched on chips and salsa, sipped margaritas and Diet Coke and reflected on our day.

We were amazed at all we had accomplished, experienced and seen.

We joked about the secret entrances, our Disney VIP Tour Guide’s knowledge and what it might be like to be a Club 33 Member.

We talked about how crazy the day was and how just 9 hours earlier, we had started at Magic Kingdom.

We were also excited about our trip – after all, this was just Day 1.

And the Disney VIP Tour had set us up to enjoy our remaining four days in a completely different way.

We no longer needed to “stress” about seeing all the headliners.

We already experienced them!

In fact, the next four days would be a trip at a slower pace than any Disney World vacation in recent memory.

We would dawdle more, snack more, spend more time in shops, take nap breaks and still get a chance to experience our favorites again with minimal waits.

We spent a lot of time talking about if we would do a Disney VIP Tour again or, if so, how it would be different. It was a mixed bag with no clear answers. In fact, The Nerds own analysis is like a stream of consciousness that makes no sense.

If money were no object, it would be nice to do this for two days.

One day solely at Magic Kingdom due to the sheer volume of attractions.

This would allow plenty of time to “smell the roses” and not feel rushed. The other day could be a headliner tour at the other parks.

BUT, this would bring into play the issues we experienced of too many rides too close together and a scrambled brain.

Could you get a Disney VIP Tour Guide for three days?

But now, it’s $10k plus tickets for three days at Disney World and that seems exceptionally insane.

Perhaps the strategy would be different once FastPass+ is back up and running where you could combine a Disney VIP Tour with late evening FastPasses at a park.

At least you would have the headliners scheduled for minimal waits throughout the trip.

Would we do it again? Maybe.

It’s all so confusing! We walked away with incredible memories and the knowledge that what we really need are the Club 33 passes where we can experience whichever FastPasses we want all day long.

With no concern that we are paying someone to stand by while we take a 25 minute nap on Carousel of Progress.

Perhaps that would be the ultimate Disney experience?

The search continues…

Interesting Tidbits from the Disney VIP Tour

The Nerd asked and asked and asked questions during the Disney VIP Tour.

Here are a few of the interesting things we uncovered that were not a part of this post:

We observed many Fastpass+ queues in use even though the program is suspended.

Although we entered the FastPass+ queue for many attractions, Roy scanned us in – what we observed were guests without a guide using their own MagicBands .

It turns out these people were generally comprised of people with disability access cards and Club 33 (see bucket list item #6 at the top of the article) members/guests.

From the research we did, Club 33 members/guests using a pass can get use +/- 12 FastPass+ queues per day across all Disney World Parks.

Stay tuned in coming years for THAT review!

The Contemporary Resort’s Convention Center was the site of President Richard Nixon’s famous “I am not a crook” speech .

Prior to COVID, some days saw up to 180 Disney VIP Tours operating simultaneously.

Today, a busy day is closer to 32. The Nerd is expecting some pent up Disney Demand in the coming months.

Due to COVID, the Disney VIP Tour Guides are not permitted to ride or dine with guests; though this had been an option previously.

Yes, some people exclusively visit Disney World via Disney VIP Tours.

It could be as many as 3-5+ days in a row with the same guide.

Many request the same guide each visit – even if a couple of years apart.

Yes, sometimes people take these Disney VIP Tours alone.

The Nerd felt like he should have known about the Hidden Pascal’s (that cute little chameleon from Tangled ) in Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland.

There are 10 of these adorable critters blending in with their surroundings near the Rapunzel’s tower by the restrooms between it’s a small world and Haunted Mansion .

So….Was the Disney VIP Tour Worth It?

Yes and no.

Yes – absolutely!

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and was wonderful.

We experienced parts of the park and the luxury of bypassing crowds and bottlenecks.

It was unique, it was fun and we saw an incredible amount of Disney World .

If you were crunched for time or looking for a way to keep a group of 10 together (especially if you can split the cost), it’s terrific.

It is also too much of a good thing when experiencing the parks at the pace we set for ourselves.

The Nerd found himself looking at it as costing X dollars to experience a ride instead of stepping back and saying, “the day is paid for, let’s make sure we enjoy it.”

There was a nagging feeling of getting great value – and we did – instead of just enjoying the day.

To do it all over again, the Nerd would have to get his head on straight and focus on simply having a great day instead of experiencing everything possible.

It’s fun to skip the lines, but the best part is being with friends and family and enjoying the parks.

The next time, the Nerd would pick a park – probably Magic Kingdom – and start there and see where the day goes.

Perhaps we would experience fewer attractions and maybe it would be more.

But we would slow down and experience what was interesting with no regard for the length of the line, eat when we want to eat, shop when we want to shop.

If this includes just chilling before the next showing of the Country Bear Jamboree , so be it.

That’s the point, to do what you want, when you want and spend the day like a VIP.

It’s not a license to skip lines, it’s a promise that you will enjoy a day unlike any other.

If you can experience a Disney VIP Tour, you should.

Curious what the Disneyland private tour cost is? We have the answer PLUS tips!

It’s a great experience for everyone involved.

As they say, “practice makes perfect!”.

It seems we will be “practicing” this again!

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Are Disney Private VIP Tours Worth It?

11 Reasons Why This Luxury Experience May Be Worth The Money

Disney Private VIP Tours are the ultimate way to experience Walt Disney World. You get unrestricted access to all the rides and attractions and a personal guide who can help make your day extra special. However, luxury and service come at a price – they aren’t cheap. So are Private Disney VIP Tours worth it? Here are 11 reasons why this premium service is worth the money.

1. Disney World VIP Tours Are Customizable

One of the best things about Disney VIP Tours is that they are entirely customizable. With the assistance of your Disney travel planner or VIP tour guide, you can customize your itinerary to include only the things you are most interested in. You’ll be able to choose your start and end times, as well as the rides, shows, and theme parks you wish to visit. Whether you want to focus on the best roller coasters or learn how Disney magic happens behind the scenes, you can create an itinerary tailored to your interests – the choice is yours! In short, a Disney VIP Tour offers the most personalized and customized experience at Walt Disney World.

To learn more about Disney Private VIP Tours or to start customizing your itinerary, don’t hesitate to contact The Vacationeer , our recommended Disney travel agency.

Their free Disney planning services and personalized assistance will help you plan the perfect Private VIP Tour and Disney vacation. Click HERE to get started!

2. You Select The Tour Participants

Disney Private VIP Tours are unique because they allow you to select who joins your group. You will get more one-on-one time with your guide and smaller groups than any other Disney tour. Additionally, Disney will never pair you up with tourists you don’t know. You can choose to bring family, friends, or whoever you want – as long as there are no more than ten people in your group. The tour is perfect for those who desire a more personalized and VIP Disney World experience. In addition, it’s ideal for families with young children and grandparents because everyone is welcome.

3. You’ll Be Guided by a Disney Expert VIP Tour Guide

Disney Private VIP Tours are a great way to see the parks without worrying about logistics. Each tour is led by a Disney tour guide wearing a plaid vest. This Cast Member is highly-trained and hand-selected by Disney specifically for this role. They’re friendly, personable, professional, and knowledgeable about everything Disney. They’ll handle all the logistics so you can relax and enjoy yourself. And because they’re great with kids and attuned to families’ needs, they’ll ensure everything goes smoothly. So if you’re looking for a stress-free way to experience the magic of Disney, your VIP tour guide has you covered.

4. Save Time by Skipping Lines

A Private Disney VIP Tour is the best way to experience the most rides in the shortest amount of time. You’ll have access to special entrances that bypass the standby lines, so you can easily whisk onto rides. How does it work? Essentially, your tour guide serves as your express pass to breeze through the Lightning Lane or a side entrance. By cutting in front of everyone in line and moving up to the front, there is no waiting. It’s definitely one of the most satisfying perks of a VIP tour! Moreover, you can go on any ride as many times as you like, even the most popular ones. Skipping the lines will enable you to make the most of your time at the park and create wonderful memories.

5. Learn the Secrets of Disney

Disney Private VIP Tours are great for various reasons, but one of the best things about them is that you can learn the history of Disney World from your tour guide. They will be with you every step, providing insider tips and tricks on making the most of your visit. In addition, they can answer any questions you might have, so you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of Disney and its fascinating inner workings. So, a Disney Private VIP Tour is an excellent option if you want an educational experience in addition to the thrills.

6. Access to Backstage Areas

When you take a Disney Private VIP Tour, you’ll have backstage access to areas of the park that are typically off-limits to regular guests. You’ll be able to enter the theme parks through backstage entrances and use the backstage doors to different areas of the park. While VIP tour guides take you through Lightning Lane entrances on most rides, you’ll also access some through backdoors or side doors. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get a peek behind the scenes! Just request backstage access from your VIP Tour guide, and they’ll be happy to take you to areas only Cast Members can access.

7. A Disney VIP Tour Has Fixed Hourly Pricing

Disney VIP tours are some of the most popular tours offered by Disney. They are also some of the most expensive. Disney Private VIP Tours range from $450 to $900 per hour , depending on the season and date you take it. However, one of the benefits of a Disney VIP tour is that it is a fixed price per hour, regardless of how many people are in your group. So, if you have a large group of up to 10, the cost per person may not be as expensive as you think.

Note : As our Guide to Disney Private VIP Tours article explains, VIP Tours must last at least seven consecutive hours. You are welcome to add extra hours (or additional days) to your tour, but 7 hours should give you enough time to do most of what you want. Eat breakfast or lunch right before or after your tour, so you don’t have to sit at a restaurant while the clock is ticking. You can maximize your money’s value by meeting your guide at the park rather than at your hotel — the clock starts when you connect with your guide, and if you meet at the park you can start riding attractions immediately.

8. Complimentary Treats Throughout the Day

As part of Disney Private VIP Tours, you will receive complimentary snacks and beverages throughout the tour. For example, your guide might give you bottles of water, Mickey pretzels, or Mickey bars when you exit a ride. In addition, some people receive snack baskets containing fruit, trail mix, and other snacks. Not all guides do this; however, those who do find that it helps to keep guests hydrated and energized, especially on long tours or hot days. So if you’re looking for a way to beat the heat and refuel during the tour, be sure to ask your travel agent or guide about getting some complimentary snacks and beverages on your next tour.

Note : Besides food and drink, VIP tour guides always carry umbrellas and ponchos in case of rain . They have you covered!

9. VIP Viewing for Shows, Parades, and Fireworks

One of the benefits of Disney Private VIP Tours is its premium viewing areas for shows, parades, and fireworks. Guests have exclusive access to reserved viewing areas for the nightly fireworks and Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade at Magic Kingdom. In addition, VIP guests have premium seating for Disney live shows , including the popular Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo shows. The reserved viewing areas allow you to get close to the action and take some great photos.

10. Door-To-Door Transportation From Start to Finish

Disney World is a large and sprawling resort, and getting around can be challenging for visitors. Fortunately, Disney Private VIP Tours offer door-to-door transportation all day long. Hence, you can rest assured that you will always have a ride to your next destination, whether it’s another park, ride, hotel room, or restaurant.

Disney World transportation is abundant all around the parks, but only VIP Tours shuttle you privately from resort to park, ride to ride, park to park, all day long. Imagine not having to walk all the way across the park to get from Space Mountain to Big Thunder Mountain! This is how celebrities do Disney World , and it’s the best way to ensure that you make the most of your time at the resort. With Disney Private VIP Tours, you can sit back and enjoy the ride while someone else handles the driving.

11. Enjoy Hassle-Free VIP Planning with Disney Travel Agents

Planning for Disney World trips can be stressful and confusing. But with the help of a Disney travel agent, you can simplify the process and ensure your trip will be magical.

Prior to your Private VIP Tour, your Disney vacation planner will work directly with your tour guide to customize the itinerary. They will consider factors such as the size of your party, the ages of your children, and any special interests you may have. An itinerary tailored to your needs will maximize your time at Disney World.

Your Disney travel agent won’t just help with your Disney VIP Tour. Since they’re familiar with all the ins and outs of the park, they can help you choose suitable ticket options, make restaurant reservations, and book hotels and transportation. They can advise you on what to see and do and provide you with custom-made touring plans that fit your family’s interests. The best Disney travel agents will take care of all the details for you, so all you have to do is focus on having a great time. Plus, they can often help you secure special perks and amenities often overlooked by the general public.

Working with a Disney travel agent is a great way to ensure you have a hassle-free and truly memorable Disney VIP experience. Contact The Vacationeer and speak with a Disney expert today!

Disney Private VIP Tours: The Pros and Cons

A Disney Private VIP Tour provides many advantages over a regular theme park experience (and non-VIP group tours). Here is a summary of the main benefits, as detailed in the previous section.

Pros of Disney Private VIP Tours:

• A Disney VIP Tour is customizable and completely private, so you can do what you want with the people you choose.
• Disney Private VIP Tours provides you with a dedicated tour guide, so you don’t need to worry about logistics.
• You’ll avoid long lines and maximize your fun with priority access to all rides and attractions.
• Guests can access premium viewing areas for shows, parades, and fireworks.
• You will learn all about Disney World’s history and inner workings during the tour
• Your guide will provide complimentary snacks and beverages throughout the tour.
• You will have door-to-door transportation all day, so you don’t have to worry about getting around from place to place.
• The fixed hourly rate covers up to 10 people, including infants.
• Disney treats you like a celebrity from start to finish!

While this type of tour can offer many benefits, there are also a few drawbacks. Here are some of the main cons of taking a Disney Private VIP Tour.

Cons of Disney Private VIP Tours:

• Disney VIP Tours are not cheap! The price range for this luxury service is $450 to $900 per hour.
• The hourly rate varies depending on the time of year you go to Disney World , so you can expect to pay more during the vacation and holiday seasons when the park is most crowded and less during off-peak times.
• There is a minimum booking window of 7 consecutive hours. You’ll be able to book more than 7 hours if you want, but never less.
• Tickets to theme parks are not included in the tour price, so participants must purchase them separately. If a tour visits a single park, you only have to purchase a ticket for that park. A Park Hopper ticket will be necessary for tours that cover multiple parks. Contact The Vacationeer to arrange your ticket purchases.
• If you cancel with less than 48 hours’ notice, you will be charged two hours at your booking rate.
• Meals are not included in the cost of the tour. However, you are welcome to dine during the tour if you wish.
• Disney Private VIP Tours usually sell out well in advance. You must book one well in advance, particularly if you plan to go during peak season.

Many people ask, “Are Disney VIP tours worth it?” The simple answer is YES… if you don’t mind paying for premium services and luxury experiences. Considering how quickly Disney VIP Tours sell out, most people think they are worth it. But several factors play into whether or not a VIP Tour is suitable for you and your group. Here are some things to consider.

• One crucial factor to consider is your budget. VIP tours can be expensive, so they might not be the right choice if you have a strict spending limit.
• Another factor to consider is how much time you have planned for your trip to Disney World. If you have a long vacation planned, you may not need the help of a VIP tour guide to maximize your time in the parks. However, a Private VIP Tour can help you make the most of your visit if you are short on time. Your tour will maximize your time so you can see and do everything you want in a single day or two.
• Another consideration is why you are taking a trip to Disney World. If you celebrate a special occasion, plan a multi-generational trip, take the grandkids to Disney World , or whatever, a VIP tour can add extra magic to your experience. Your trip may be more memorable if you add this service.
• Finally, a VIP Tour is a must if you demand nothing but the best. You get unlimited front-of-the-line access to all rides and attractions, priority seating at shows, and unmatched access to backstage areas. You also get a personal tour guide who will take care of all the details, so you can simply enjoy your day. Plus, the door-to-door transportation will make you feel like a celebrity.

There are many reasons why luxury travelers and families may choose to take a Disney Private VIP Tour, but the chance to avoid crowds and be pampered throughout the day are tops. Those who want to experience the best of Disney should choose a VIP Tour, which is undoubtedly the ultimate luxury Disney experience . So while it is not a cheap option, it is worth it for those who have the resources, demand the best, are celebrating a special occasion, or want to maximize their limited time at Walt Disney World . Overall, it’s worth it if you fall into any of these categories.

We hope this information helps you decide whether Disney Private VIP Tours are worth it. Ultimately, only you can decide if a Disney VIP tour suits you.

Note: If you’re planning on visiting Orlando’s other theme parks, you’ll be happy to know that Universal Orlando offers VIP tours , too!

Are you Ready to Book your Private VIP Tour at Disney World?

When you book a Disney VIP tour with The Vacationeer , you can rest assured that you’re getting the best possible service. You’ll work with only one expert Disney vacation planner to create a custom tour that fits your family’s needs and interests. Your dedicated planner will also take care of all the details, so all you have to do is show up and enjoy your vacation.

The Vacationeer can reserve and customize your Disney VIP Tour, so you get everything you want and need. Also, they can take care of purchasing your theme park tickets, making your hotel reservations, dining reservations, etc. Whether you want all the luxury – including five-star hotels at Disney World , Michelin-rated Disney restaurants , tee times at Disney’s best golf courses – or something more modest, The Vacationeer is there to assist you. They can even take care of your car rentals, transportation, stroller rentals , childcare , and more.

The Vacationeer will work as your personal assistants for Disney World to ensure your trip is as magical as possible, and there’s never a charge for their services. Click HERE to contact The Vacationeer to start planning your VIP Disney vacation!

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Are VIP Tours At Disney Parks Worth $3K? A Breakdown

Being treated like a Kardashian has its perks.

Anyone who has ever been to Walt Disney World or Disneyland will tell you that a trip to the theme parks requires some pre-planning. This is especially true if you want to hit up every ride on your to-do list, try all the snacks you’ve been craving, and still have time to shop for some Mickey Mouse ears. Even with tons of planning, you may not get to everything you want. This is where splurging for a VIP tour at the Disney Parks can help. However, Disney’s private VIP tours are not cheap, which might make you wonder if it’s worth splurging on the package.

I got to experience being a part of a VIP tour at Disneyland that was magical, but there are a few factors you should take into consideration before reserving one. If you’ve ever been to Disney and have seen a group of people following a cast member in a plaid outfit, that’s a VIP tour. As part of your experience, you get your very own VIP Tour Guide, who will take you everywhere you want to go in the park for that day. Not only will they lead you around, but they can also help you bypass the standby line for attractions, get you snacks while you’re riding, and point out Disney easter eggs along the way. You’ll truly feel like royalty at Disney, but you’ll need some royal savings to make it happen.

How Much Is A VIP Tour At Disney?

The price of a VIP tour at Disney changes depending on when you’re going, and ranges from $450 an hour to $900 an hour. You can expect to pay more during the busier times of the year — aka peak season, which is usually in the summer and around the holidays.

The price of your tour also doesn’t include admission to the park. You’ll need to pay for that as well, and make your own park reservations. If you’d like to park hop, which means you can go to any of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World in one day, you’ll need to spend a little more on your ticket. One-day park tickets are also based on seasonal prices. For just one park on an off-peak day, your ticket starts at $109 per person. However, the most expensive day with a park hopper option can cost as much as $252 a person. When I went, I was an annual passholder so I didn’t have to worry about paying for a ticket on top of the price of the VIP tour. This was also back in 2017, so ticket prices were a lot cheaper.

Since Disney requires you to book a minimum of seven hours for your VIP tour with up to 10 people in a group, you’re looking at $8,820 or $882 per person during a peak day at Disney World. If you manage to book something during a slow day and you stick to just one park, that’ll cost about $4,240 or $424 a person. When you think about how the most expensive park ticket is around $250, $424 really doesn’t sound that bad — especially with all the perks.

What Is The Disney World VIP Experience?

Reserving a VIP tour at Disney World is the closest you’ll get to being treated like a Kardashian. In fact, back when Kim Kardashian was accused of photoshopping her Disneyland day pics , she was being escorted around the park with Disneyland’s VIP experience. Oftentimes, when a famous actor or musician is visiting Disneyland or Disney World, a cast member wearing plaid is not too far away, because VIP tours are basically celeb treatment.

While you may not love the looks you get from guests trying to guess if you’re actually a celebrity or just someone who splurged on a VIP tour, I loved feeling like a Kardashian for a second. I highly recommend wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap if you want to trick people into thinking you’re someone famous going incognito.

At Disney World, before you even get to the park, you’ll be picked up from your Disney World hotel (if you’re staying on property) and escorted into either Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, or Hollywood Studios. That means you won’t have to worry about getting on the crowded monorail or waiting forever for the right bus to show up. Since Disneyland is pretty walkable, you don’t get the luxury of a personal driver but that’s OK. Instead, you can go from park to park a lot quicker if you’re doing the park hopper option.

Once you’re in the park, your personal VIP Tour Guide will take you wherever you’d like to go. Forget waiting in a line, because your guide can get you priority access on all the attractions you want to see. Most of the time, you’ll be using the Lightning Lanes for these attractions, so you may have to wait a bit. However, unlike paying for Genie+, you can go on these attractions whenever you’d like. You don’t have to wait for a certain time to come back, which means you can always just return when a Lightning Lane is less crowded.

While you’re riding, your tour guide can grab snacks for you so you can have a Mickey pretzel when you get off. The tour also includes VIP seating and viewing areas for the shows at each of the parks, like fireworks and parades. According to TikToker @_victorialeon_ , you’ll also get a discount on merch, and your tour guide can go shopping for you while you’re on a ride. All you need to do is tell them what you want, and they’ll get it for you.

Your guide can also provide water throughout the day, according to TikToker @lesleyetp , and your experience gets you free ponchos when it’s raining. If you’ve ever been to Central Florida, you know there’s almost always a daily rain shower, so ponchos are needed. Another perk is that your guide is there to take all of the photos you need. No more awkwardly asking strangers to snap a pic of your entire group in front of the castle.

Along with all these pros, there is one con that TikToker @disneydarcy points out that could be a red flag for foodies. Since you’re paying per hour, you might not want to stop for a full meal during your VIP tour. While your tour guide can make reservations for you, you’ll get the most out of your experience by just snacking throughout the day and hitting up every attraction you can. If you are only reserving seven hours, you can always make a reservation at the end of the day to refuel or in the morning for a large breakfast that’ll keep you going.

A Review Of The VIP Tours At Disney

I’ve never been on a VIP tour of Disney World in Florida, but I think my experience at Disneyland is comparable. Disneyland’s VIP tours are $500 to $700 an hour with a seven hour minimum for up to 10 people each. For just one-park, tickets start at $104 a person for off-peak days. For the cheapest VIP experience, you’re looking at $4,540 or $454 a person. If you decide to get park hopper tickets that allow you to go into both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park, which is what we did, your tickets will start at $169 and go up to around $244 on busy days. All together, you’ll spend about $7,340 or $734 a person.

There are so many factors that can make or break your experience. For instance, if you’re going with a large group to make it more budget-friendly, make sure you pick a group who wants to do everything you do. Basically, you don’t want to go with people who are slow if you want to hit up every thrill ride on property. At the same time, if you aren’t a roller coaster person, you don’t want to be left behind while everyone else is having fun. I definitely had a hit or miss time because my group was half people who wanted to do everything, and half people who wanted to take it slow. Since I’ve been to Disneyland a few times before, I wasn’t too concerned, but it would have been nice to really use all the perks the VIP experience has to offer and try to ride everything.

My friends also stopped for a very long lunch. Since you’re with a large group, sit down restaurants will take longer to get through, so I highly recommend doing the snack method. After all, you go to Disney for the churros and Mickey-shaped pretzels, right? A nice meal before or after is a great compromise.

Overall, I found the experience to be something every Disney fan should do at least once. Even if you’ve been to the parks a million times, getting the VIP treatment is one-of-a-kind. Not only do you get to see some behind-the-scenes areas and hear fun facts from your guide, but that feeling of being treated like a celebrity is unmatched. If you can manage to get nine of your besties to commit and you go during the off-season when it’s slightly cheaper, getting a VIP tour at Disney World is definitely worth it.

Disney Private VIP Tours

Making our kingdom yours.

Explore the parks* with your own VIP Tour Guide during a customizable experience filled with attractive benefits.

The team at Disney VIP Tour Services will plan the most efficient, enjoyable way for groups up to 10 Guests to see and do the things on your list. Just tell your personal VIP Tour Guide what you'd like to see, and they'll customize your day to your desire!

After being picked up in a private vehicle from your Walt Disney World Resort accommodations or branded partner resort accommodations, enjoy unparalleled hospitality and experience some of your favorite attractions alongside a VIP Tour Guide.

Some of the personalized services include:

• Pre-arrival planning
• A flexible start time, picked by you
• Visits to multiple theme parks* in one or more days
• The ability to enjoy some of your favorite attractions efficiently through most Lightning Lane entrances
• Shared insight from your highly knowledgeable VIP Tour Guide throughout your tour

*All VIP Tours require valid theme park admission, which is not included in the price of the tour

Pricing and Reservations

• Pricing:  Ranging from $450 to $900 per hour, depending on the season (valid park admission is required for each park visited on tour and is not included in the price of the tour).
• Reservations: Call (407) 560-4033 to book. Guests under the age of 18 must have parent or guardian permission to call. Learn when advance reservations can be made.

Know Before You Go

• All VIP Tours require valid theme park admission, which is not included in the price of the tour
• Disney VIP Tours participate in full security screenings (including bag checks) during your Disney VIP Tour. Guests should be prepared for screenings with their appropriate government issued identification.
• Disney Private VIP Tours at the Walt Disney World Resort are very popular and may be limited in availability. Advance reservations are highly recommended. Learn when advance reservations can be made.
• All Private VIP Tours must be booked for a minimum duration of 7 continuous hours, and your party may include up to 10 Guests, including infants.
• Entertainment offerings are subject to availability and may be restricted by capacity constraints at the time of booking.
• You will incur a cancellation fee equal to 2 hours at the booked rate per tour if you do not provide at least 48-hour notice when cancelling any Private VIP Tour.
• No cameras, video equipment or cellphones may be used while in backstage areas.
• Guests 17 years and under must be accompanied by a paying participating parent or guardian.
• Pricing and information are subject to change without notice.

Related Activities

Celebration at the top – sip, savor, sparkle, specialty cruises, custom-designed celebrations & gatherings.

What is a Walt Disney World VIP Tour?

If you’ve always wondered whether a VIP Tour at Walt Disney World is worth splurging on, we’re sharing our firsthand experience.

A few weeks ago, a friend invited me along on a Walt Disney World VIP Tour. I’d heard of such things, of course, but hadn’t ever taken one. Did I want to tag along? You bet Donald’s pants I did! Our tour guide met us in Adventureland and whisked us backstage. Yes, backstage at the Magic Kingdom . That was the first clue this tour included some special things.

“Have to put away my phone, can’t text, am about to get in a black Suburban backstage at MK,” I texted some friends, and felt quite fancy doing so. Of course, even VIP Guests can’t take pictures backstage, but the most magical places at Walt Disney World aren’t backstage, so I didn’t mind.

My friend, who belongs to Walt Disney World’s ultra-exclusive Club 33 , wanted to visit all four Club 33 lounges in one day, plus hit up some rides. While I can’t write about what we saw in the Club, I can tell you I would not have had the energy to hit four parks, have a meal or drink at each, and ride a couple of rides on my own. By the end of the day, that back seat of the Suburban was a welcome, comfy place to ride.

What Does a Walt Disney World VIP Tour Include?

The magic of a Walt Disney World VIP Tour is that it includes… well, whatever you’d like it to include.  Your tour group gets a private guide who can tell you (almost) all the secrets of the most magical place on earth. VIP Tours include pre-planning your visit to the park, so you can let them know ahead of time what you want to get out of the tour. Once in the park, the fun begins. Our tour guide brought us water, swapped our spent fuel rods while we rode Kilimanjaro Safaris, and found us last-minute VIP seating for the Garden Rocks concert. Also — here’s the big one — she made sure we walked on every attraction we wanted to ride — with virtually no lines. That’s right: Walt Disney World VIP Tours come with unlimited Lightning Lanes .

How Much Does a Walt Disney World VIP Tour Cost?

VIP Tours range from $450 to $900 per hour , depending on what experiences you want. VIP Tours have a minimum of seven hours. That means tours start at $3,150, and from there, the sky’s the limit. Every Guest must also have a valid theme park admission as well as a park reservation.

How Many People Can Take a VIP Tour?

Up to 10 people can take a single tour. That includes infants, although children younger than 3 years do not need a theme park ticket. While that $3,150 starting price might seem costly, for 10 people, it breaks down to $315 per person. Bear in mind that what you want to do and experience will dictate the price.

Is a Private VIP Tour The Right Choice for My Family?

That depends on you! If you love to wing it at Walt Disney World but hate spending time in line (and the average two-to-three Lightning Lanes per day isn’t enough for you), you’ll like the VIP Tour. These tours are also great for people who want to maximize their day — for example, people who can’t get back to the parks every few months or every year .

Admittedly, the price makes it a luxury. But if you’ve ever wanted Walt Disney World to offer a ticket with unlimited Lightning Lanes — and remarked that you’d pay extra for it — Walt Disney VIP Tours make perfect sense.

The post What is a Walt Disney World VIP Tour? appeared first on WDW Magazine .

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I did a Disneyland VIP Tour – and it was the best $4,200 I’ve ever spent at Disney

Last updated on Feb 28, 2024 by Adam Bryan . This post may contain affiliate links.

I did a Disneyland VIP tour and it was the best money I’ve ever spent at a Disney Park.

Yes, I know, it’s expensive af, but let me start by saying that you have no idea how bad I’ve always wanted to do one.

Plus, pair that up with seeing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – a place I’ve been dreaming about visiting for years, and it was basically eating at me to go ever since it opened.

So I decided to bite the bullet.

Disneyland VIP Tour Review

Here’s a quick rundown on how it works:

• Instant access to 30 plus attractions which basically means you get unlimited access to all Fastpass attractions and priority access to about 15 additional attractions.
• Reserved viewing experiences for popular shows, parades, and fireworks in a special reserved viewing section.
• Faster access to character meet and greets.
• 7 hour minimum per tour
• Max 10 guest per 1 tour guide which asl includes children under 3 years old

So here’s how my Sunday with a VIP tour guide went at Disneyland (in May 2019).

And of course it was peak season so just my luck it was $600 an hour. So let me say that first just to get it over with.

Thankfully 2 of my friends came with us so I didn’t feel like I paying that much just for my wife and I.

We met our tour guide Samantha outside of California adventure and proceeded directly to Disneyland park.

Then we finally made it to Galaxy’s Edge. Seeing the Millennium Falcon was everything.

Then with a 5 minute wait, we headed right into the Millennium Falcon.

Riding it twice and being both pilots was a dream. I honestly could’ve went home right after.

Then we did some exploring around Galaxy’s Edge and got some snacks like Green and Blue Milk…

…sweet and spicy popcorn….

…and the coolest Coke bottle you’ll ever see, period.

Then it was time to ride some more rides with our “unlimited Fastpasses!” Our tour guide even rode with us which was pretty cool.

Then once we knocked out all the major rides like Indiana Jones, Big Thunder, Matterhorn, and Hyperspace Mountain, we went over to Disney’s California Adventure to to the same.

The best part was honestly being able to rides Radiator Springs Racers stress-free.

Then once we finished up at the park, we headed back to Disneyland as the sun went down.

Last but not least, we got to watch the fireworks in a reserved, roped off seating area on benches. No standing necessary.

And to make things even better, during the Fireworks, our tour guide went to Galaxy’s Edge and got us a reservation to ride Smugglers Run one last time.

Just a perfect way to end the day.

How much is a Disneyland VIP Tour?

A Disneyland VIP tour ranges from $450 to $900 an hour for a minimum of 7 hours.

The pricing for a Disneyland VIP Tour varies by season and crowd levels.

• Hourly rate is $450 – $900 per hour, per tour guide
• 7 hour minimum
• Park admission is an additional fee
• 2 hour cancellation fees is charged when tours are cancelled within 48 hours.

Is a Disneyland VIP tour worth it?

That 100% depends on you.

Would I do it for 3 days at that peak season rate? Hell no!

But if you only have one day at Disneyland and it’s a weekend and you really really really want to ride a certain ride or explore a new attraction, then yes.

Because in all honesty, there’s only one thing a VIP tour really saves you and that’s time.

No waiting, short lines, and even access to Star War Land, I mean come on, it’s a fantastic offer.

But if money is an issue, bring 9 people with you, split the cost , and it can be quite affordable, especially during offseason (like February).

So in conclusion…

I’ve been to Disneyland quite a few times and I must say, just those 7 hours alone was probably one of the best visits I’ve EVER had.

Great VIP tour guide, awesome company, and nonstop rides at both Disneyland and California Adventure and you got yourself the perfect day.

Update: My Tour in February 2022

So I went on another VIP Tour on February 1, 2022 and I must say, it was a pretty similar experience. But instead of only four of us, there was 8 of us total. But that really didn’t slow us down as we were able to knock out every major ride with a couple hours to spare for repeats.

One difference between this tour and the previous one is that no rides were off-limits. We got to ride Web Slingers in Avengers Campus back to back and entered using the Individual Lightning Lane entrance.

The only thing that was semi-limited was that you are only able to ride Rise of the Resistance once, but honestly, once is enough, especially if you get to bypass that 90+ minute wait.

But if there was one thing that truly separated this experience from my previous VIP tour, its the price.

Since it was off-season and not a Friday or weekend, my hourly rate was $400 (with a 7 hour minimum still).

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About Adam Bryan

Hey what's up, I'm Adam, founder of Urban Tastebud Disney and I spend most of my days eating (and researching, but mostly eating) around Disney Parks to create useful travel planning content that will help you maximize your time and money at Disney.

Reader Interactions

July 26, 2019 at 11:21 am

Sounds like you had a blast…but if you really want to save money and time. All you have to do is be the first group at the park… then you really have time to ride all your favorite rides 2-3 times each (we always do). Then in our group we like pretty much every fantastic ride so we ride each ride by town. Oh and in between these rides we definitely stop at our favorites again like Space mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones etc. and little ride nearly all rides at the park. Oh and easier waiting in the lines when you have a person who is handicapped. When your handicapped you cant cut lines, but you do get to sit down and be called to your ride spot and take the elevator. Oh and while your waiting on say that one ride you go grab the fast passes to your favorites before hand and match the times. Your done and have immediate access to the next ride… but we only pay the ticket and food or merchandise. Lastly, we do have time for the parade and some people stay…I dont because that is a prime time to go ride rides…just have a map or you will get lost and cut off multiple times due to the parade. Overall, Disneyland is starting to become a 2 day thing. Because lines are ridiculous. But we like our ways of getting around them.

February 07, 2021 at 8:47 am

Seriously that’s just insane, terrible advice from a 1%’er or just an idiot that doesn’t know how to plan his day at Disney

DARREN HUNTER

February 14, 2021 at 4:01 pm

This is a dumb article.

Ramiro Licea

February 08, 2021 at 12:09 pm

Oh and Yes this is what everyone does.

January 31, 2021 at 12:28 pm

I could not read this. My 9 year old has better grammar than this author.

February 01, 2021 at 7:15 am

I could not read this paltry remark. My 7 year old has better insults than Sarah’s 9 year old.

John bremburger

February 01, 2021 at 6:05 am

This was a very nice first world story with people who have some intense first world problems.

February 01, 2021 at 7:10 am

No problems were mentioned at all – very petty comment to make – envious much?

Looks like you learned a new adjective and your goal was to use it twice in one day. Congrats!

February 01, 2021 at 7:12 pm

Stfu rich cunt, youre just mad because your precious hege funds are in trouble and your daddys gonna be broke

February 14, 2021 at 8:27 am

Hilarious how a complete stranger can push your buttons and cause you to toss out obscenities on a site devoted to Disney. Emotion much?

Fred Rubble

July 08, 2021 at 5:31 pm

I can tell by your language you are both trash and obviously uneducated. I would bet money you do not even know what hedge fund really is or the tax implications and advantages to owning or investing one. However I can see that you will never enjoy the success of having money to spend and are full of vitriol towards perfect strangers who simply advised about a good time they had. We are nothing more than sad that you will live a pathetic existence full of failure and hate. Have fun with that!

July 27, 2021 at 6:44 pm

Jeez. You people are a bunch of whining, petty jerk offs. Oh wait. I get it. Disneyland is in OC. You’re just behaving OC-typical.

June 06, 2022 at 7:27 am

Sounds like someone is jealous!!

February 08, 2021 at 3:11 am

Well, you basically have two options. You can continue to angrily respond to everyone pointing out that no matter how well off a person is, this is an insane amount of money to throw at an amusement park (as if your replies will somehow change that fact)….or you can go spend several thousand yourself on this experience. I guarantee you no one here will be upset if you choose to throw away your money that way.

February 14, 2021 at 6:02 pm

I didn’t see anger in the commenter’s comments, just a response to people attacking the author. And that someone gets to the point where they are lashing out and say “STFU…cunt” wow…..complete overreaction.

I respectfully disagree there are 2 options he has – and you know that as well. It’s just your way of marginalizing their comments to two negative responses.

Whether or not it’s an insane amount of money, calling someone out for their grammar/spelling is rude. As far as the insane amount of money, I’m still interested in hearing what options are out there – even if I choose not to spend my money that way.

Why do people want to get snarky about how someone else spends their money?

April 15, 2021 at 7:57 pm

I have to agree with that

December 03, 2021 at 6:39 am

I’m doing this trip..and if you had the money you would to! Don’t hate, participate…

February 01, 2021 at 5:01 pm

Quit trying to sell this over priced experience. We need to send disney a message. “Make your shit parks more affordable” the end.

September 24, 2023 at 7:19 pm

If it’s a shit park, why do you care what it costs? According to you, even if it was $5.00 it would still be a shit park.

Andrew V Rossetti

February 01, 2021 at 8:16 pm

Never been to Disney yet, but that seems like a real good way to go! Thanks for posting

February 16, 2021 at 4:27 pm

February 03, 2021 at 9:15 am

Thanks for posting. I am considering a Disneyland trip with my kiddos someday in the future and I appreciate all the tips people write in their articles. Thanks again!!

February 16, 2021 at 4:31 pm

no problem!

July 03, 2021 at 4:16 pm

Alot of jealous people commenting i see. Good for you man for experiencing a good day at Disneyland!

February 04, 2021 at 2:16 pm

To all readers Sadly this will not happen at Disneyland Park in California with all the new restriction guidelines We’ll have to make a reservation then you’re limited to guests being parks You’ll have to make reservations to get on rides a lot of changes I don’t know how it is in Florida but in California it’ll be way different

February 16, 2021 at 4:32 pm

Yeah that’s kind of a bummer. They did bring back the tours for Orlando so helpfully sometime in the next couple years it returns to Cali

February 07, 2021 at 10:51 pm

My family & I have been to Disney countless times, know the parks & always have a blast. We sprang for the VIP last time (first time) it was worth every penny! I would do it again in a heartbeat. We had 10 in our group & it was amazing. We hit every experience & ride in both parks in our time in one day. Our guide was amazing, the kids still talk about him.

February 12, 2021 at 6:53 pm

How much did you tip your guide? On an hourly or daily rate?

February 16, 2021 at 4:30 pm

We tipped off the hourly rate and a little bit extra since our tour guide did an awesome job

October 28, 2021 at 3:28 am

Would you say you tipped roughly an extra hours worth?

MarkClusters

February 13, 2021 at 3:03 am

Cant you just buy a fast pass ticket for all the rides? It’s not clear to me wbat the added value is of dragging this guy along.

February 16, 2021 at 4:29 pm

Yeah that’s usually how everyone (myself included) does it since it’s honestly the better option. However, since we were flying in from Orlando and Star Wars Land was very new and busy, this was the best way to practically guarantee entrance at that time.

April 18, 2022 at 4:02 pm

The lightening lane pass is only available on certain rides and does not include the new one in the Star Wars area (Resistance). So your guide will get you to the front of the line for ALL rides with a maximum wait time of 15ish minutes.

August 31, 2023 at 11:38 pm

No, that won’t work. Genie+ limits you to once per ride, requires a timed return time, and limits you to holding one Lightning Lane entry at a time (until 2 hours have gone by). With all the scheduling restrictions and limited availability, you might get to use 3 or 4 Lightning Lanes in a day, and you’ll be having to adhere to a schedule to be at certain rides at certain times (often backtracking across both parks). VIP Tour solves all of that – go to any ride you want, in whatever order you want, as many times as you want (except ROTR – limit once). We did 17 rides across both parks in 7 hours, including Cars and Guardians twice each. There is no substitute for a VIP tour. It’s the only way I do Disney nowadays.

February 20, 2021 at 3:30 pm

Wow, what a mouth on the jealous chick! I think this is a great option …… I’ve done it three times with two families….. I’m sure it will change now …..plan on doing again ….great fun and time well spent , anyway between two families, you almost spend as much anyway ! We all had all year passes , by the way ……🤪

March 10, 2021 at 1:28 pm

Great article! Totally makes me consider doing a tour which I never considered before, thanks!

April 04, 2021 at 8:27 pm

While the tour guide makes between $15-17/hour. Gotta love Disney. 🤣

April 05, 2021 at 2:57 am

I really wonder what kind of people would spend $4200 to have a guy lead you around in Disneyland. Yes, you save a bit of time because the guy probably knows the place better than you. But you lose the sense of discovery. You lose the privacy and intimacy of your household. And you lose a disgusting amount of money.

Katherine Wong

April 21, 2021 at 6:40 am

Disgusting to YOU. How anyone chooses to spend their money is their business. What someone thinks is exorbitant is chump change for another. As for the other commenters saying the 1% blah blah, “hedge fund manager”, my husband is a mechanic. We scrimp and save for these experiences. Pre-pandemic Disneyland was a local-infested, freaking zoo. Wish people would add, in my opinion to their inane analyses on the way people live their lives. Live and let live. Or, live and let die.

April 27, 2022 at 4:58 pm

What are you implying by “ local-infested, freaking zoo”?

April 28, 2022 at 4:06 am

Still I find it weird that somebody would like to spend their day at Disneyland with a complete stranger, let alone pay for it. It’s not as if you need to find your way around in a strange country where you don’t speak the language and you risk your life if you end up in the wrong neighbourhood. It’s a f***ing theme park. You get a little map at the entrance.

April 15, 2021 at 10:13 am

For the price I was expecting to read that you learned a lot about the park, history or some behind the scenes gems. Here’s my pro tip, which is much cheaper: go early, avoid the magic morning park, buy a MaxPass (when available again), use the mobile app to preorder food as much as possible. Your feet will thank you.

John Marbles

April 15, 2021 at 10:57 am

For that price I would expect a blowjob by Minnie Mouse herself.

April 21, 2021 at 6:43 am

You like ’em dry…and with a side of hantivirus to boot, eh?

July 08, 2021 at 5:26 pm

Crude but funny!

garthbiscuit

April 16, 2021 at 1:35 am

My preferred way of visiting Disney World is the following. I pay a professional journalist 250K to spend a whole week at the park. He will taste all the food items, ride all the rides and even interview other guests. Then he will write everything down in a nice booklet, which is then printed on fancy looking silky paper. This way, I can enjoy the park, reading the booklet in bed or on the toilet! I don’t even have to leave my house. And best of all, no waiting lines!

April 16, 2021 at 2:59 pm

Thanks, Adam. I loved the article, and hope to take the tour, with my family, some time in the future. Just wondering how you tipped your guide?

April 17, 2021 at 4:36 pm

You had to pay for tparking??, that’s laughable, sad really. No behind the scenes tour, or maybe a peek inside the apartment above the fire station.

April 21, 2021 at 6:42 am

Some people just go for the rides, ya know?

Sander Theys

April 29, 2021 at 1:16 pm

As a european: why the hell do you have to tip the guide? You just gave him 4200 dollar to spend a day at disneyland. I really dont understand that whole tipping thing…

Windsong Conlon

December 11, 2021 at 2:58 am

I wonder that the hourly wage is for the tour guides. If it’s only $20 an hour then it’s just $140 pay for 7 hours. A $500 tip means everything to them if that’s the case. But I really don’t know.

May 08, 2021 at 2:54 pm

Did they check your ID when entering? I know it’s only open to CA citizens but a few people in our party aren’t from California.

June 19, 2021 at 7:52 pm

Love this!! Thank you for the review!! Definitely considering this for our next trip to Disney!!

Not A Cheap Ass

June 20, 2021 at 4:21 pm

Don’t listen to all these cheap ass people who live in liberal, broke ass, CA. The VIP IS 100% worth it. No need to get there early as hell or having to run around getting passes to ride what you want to ride. With the VIP, you do what you want, when you want.

October 11, 2021 at 1:20 am

Hates liberal, broke ass CA, drops over $4,500 to spend an entire day there. You really showed them my guy

Emil Cheaffers

July 09, 2021 at 1:41 am

I really don’t get why you would want to spend your day with a total stranger, breaking the intimacy of spending quality time with your family. I would not do this even if it was free. The only explanation I can think of why people should do this is when they are a bit retarded and not able to read the little park map you get at the entrance. You don’t want to get stuck in Alice’s maze for 9 hours straight.

December 11, 2021 at 3:02 am

The tour guides are fun! At least that’s what I’ve heard 😉

August 26, 2021 at 11:54 am

Any idea if Webslingers or Rise of the Resistance is included?

September 10, 2021 at 1:40 am

So for a few days Rise of the Resistance was included but they backtracked on that. Web Slingers is probably still too new to be included

November 09, 2021 at 9:08 pm

Hello! Thank you for sharing. Your VIP tour guide followed you guys the whole 7 hours? Or let you guys walk around on your own and meet up later? How soon do you let the VIP tour guide know to reserved seats for the fireworks? The roped off seating area on benches sounds awesome. You mentioned 7 hours with the tour guide – from what time to start and end?

December 22, 2021 at 6:16 pm

Hey Sandy, the tour guide follows you the entire time. The only time they ever left us was when they didn’t want to go on the ride with us. For the fireworks, we told our guide during the tour that we wanted to end the day watching fireworks so she made sure to get us back in front of the castle just before they stared. It’s a 7 hour minimum and you can choose any time slot. I just prefer afternoons/evenings so we started our later in the day. Hope this helps!

December 29, 2021 at 12:01 pm

Great article. I think you just sold me on this. Definitely doing this next time. Totally worth it to knock out all the big rides and then some in one day for both parks. Cost per person is reasonable if you max out the # in your group, seems like a great deal to me. My time is worth way more than waiting in line for over an hour.

Those haters can go fly a kite. And I like having first world problems.

Happy new year!

February 14, 2022 at 11:38 pm

We are going for a VIP tour in the morning and CAN NOT Wait! Thank you for your article.

February 15, 2022 at 1:31 am

Great! We did it last month and now we can’t get enough of this kind of activity. Yesterday I paid $7500 for the Walmart VIP Shopping Tour. This tour guide helped me picking the best produce and pointed me straight at the cash register with the shortest line. Money well spent, I would say!

Erin Holmes

February 22, 2022 at 11:02 am

I did it too! It was so worth the money. Not sure how I’ll ever do it again without the VIP!

Deborah Williams

March 28, 2022 at 11:48 am

Thank you for the info! Our VIP Tour (for Disneyland only) will be at the end of April and we are very much looking forward to it! Few perks have been added to the VIP Tour now that I’d like to share: free valet parking up to 2 cars at Grand Californian Hotel, free lockers, free manual wheelchair, free dinner/parade/fireworks reservations (even if your tour has concluded, you still get the reservations). I am waiting to hear back if we get complimentary ponchos for Splash Mountain so will report back. Also, not all Tour Guides will have a tour that day and will be assistants for those that do! So if you have merchandise, popcorn buckets, etc and don’t want to carry any more, an assistant will come and get your things and hold for you until tour has concluded. I saw a video of someone sharing their VIP Tou experience and the tour guide waited in line for popcorn for the guests! The guests still ad to pay but I mean waiting in line for a churro if I need to visit the ladies room? Yes please!!

April 11, 2022 at 9:17 am

How munch is it total for 5 people? And is it only for one day?

September 02, 2022 at 12:40 am

Thanks for writing about your experience, as I was curious what the VIP tours entail. If money is no object, then it sounds well worth it especially not having to stand in those endless long lines Disneyland always seems to have.

John Galbraith

September 02, 2022 at 1:22 am

I don’t think those lines disappear just because you’re dragging a complete stranger along.

November 12, 2022 at 1:05 pm

My wife and I went on the VIP Disneyland California tour November 1st 2022. We have been visiting Disneyland from Ireland every year (except 20 & 21 since 1992. I will compare it with Universal VIP, Universal gives you breakfast & lunch, you get genuine immediate access to attractions, no wait in the lightning lane for 10 minutes, also you can still use your VIP pass after the tour has finished for the remainder of the day. Universal is very much less expensive, although you are in a group of about 15. Universal also gives you access to a special lounge. Disney is really out to make as much profit from people as possible, the guide was pleasant, but I felt the value was poor.

January 31, 2023 at 5:27 pm

My family and I still talk about how great our Universal VIP tour was. Well worth the money for sure

January 27, 2023 at 4:28 pm

I was wondering how much you ended up tipping your guide? There are 4 of us that will be with our guide so similar to your first tour.

Thanks in advance!

January 31, 2023 at 5:26 pm

Hi! So if I remember correctly, it was around $100

February 27, 2024 at 3:53 pm

Yikes…$100 seems kinda low. For a 7-hour tour (at $700/hour), I tipped $500.

March 05, 2024 at 5:52 pm

ISMAEL GOMEZ

May 10, 2023 at 1:12 am

well just love your pictures and story… We are doing this for our 45 anniversary because we always wanted to do this And we just love Disney… And if people cry about cost,,, Stay home……..

February 27, 2024 at 3:52 pm

This is one of those clickbait “articles” that gets its dateline constantly updated so it appears “fresh”, when it is actually many years old. The VIP tour price quoted ($425-600) is woefully outdated. I took 2 Disneyland VIP tours last year (2023) and have one scheduled for June 2024. On my last tour (September 2023), I paid $700/hour on a Thursday. Based on recent quotes, the price is now $600-900 per hour, but I’m sure that will continue to rise. Regarding all the comments about it being outrageous, all I can say is: I found it to be a good value – the freedom to enjoy the attractions in any order with minimal waiting resulted in a stress-free 7 hours where we rode 17 rides in DLand and DCA (all the E-tickets plus a few other faves). Well worth it.

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