disney vip tour price

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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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.

Use a credit card that’ll maximize your bonus points on your Disney vacation.

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 VIP Tours

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Maximize your fun at the parks by taking one of our fun-filled and efficient guided tours.

Our World is Your Kingdom

• Book a private VIP Tour and customize the perfect itinerary for your group with enough time to explore the attractions and sights.
• Enjoy some of your favorite attractions efficiently.
• Learn from our Disney VIP Tour Guides who have been hand-picked and expertly trained to plan the perfect itinerary for you and your family.

Know Before You Go

• All VIP Tours require valid theme park admission, which is not included in the price of the tour.
• Disney Park Pass reservation is also required for park entry.
• 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.
• For additional information about the reopening of Walt Disney World, including important information regarding face coverings and temperature screenings, please view important details .

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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!

TPG approved: Using a VIP tour guide at Disney World to escape the crowds

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

In general, waiting in line is not my cup of tea, which is why I highly value TSA PreCheck , CLEAR membership and Global Entry . When it was time to take my niece and nephews on a family trip to Disney World this summer, I decided to do whatever I could to minimize waiting in line and maximizing having fun.

Since we only had one full day together on the ground, we went all-in on a private Disney World VIP tour. To set the scene, my three nephews and one niece are all under 6 years old, and I wanted to squeeze in more than a few rides myself on a busy day when I hadn't had the luxury of lots of advance theme-park planning and FastPass maximizing.

For us, this tour proved to be well worth the money. Here's why I thought a Disney VIP guide is worth the investment, if you can swing it -- and what to do if it's a bit out of your budget.

Related: TPG Guide to Visiting Walt Disney World

Pick-up and arrival

I knew the day was off to a great start when our personal driver greeted us at our hotel, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge . This is included in the cost of the VIP tour. Our driver was super friendly and helpful right off the bat with water at the ready for everyone inside the cool, air-conditioned van.

Once the seven of us all piled in (the price for a VIP tour guide is the same whether you have one person in your group or 10), we made our way to the Magic Kingdom. There, we entered through a secret entrance and got dropped off right in front of Main Street. Disney cast members welcomed us to the park with snacks and more water, which was perfect given the summer heat.

FOR NO COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG'S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS .

The park experience

Our first stop was Space Mountain, which had a two-hour wait, but we were able to get through the first time in six minutes and rode a second time within 20 minutes thanks to the unlimited FastPass+ access that comes with the tour guide. I almost felt guilty passing the same people twice, but that alone made the VIP tour well worth the splurge for us. In addition to jumping to the front of lines, our guide was also super attentive and helpful with the kids by pushing the stroller and even offering to watch them so the adults could have some fun on the rides.

Our guide, Clark, was excellent -- he wasn't just our personal FastPass for the day, but he was also a walking Disney encyclopedia and fascinating to talk to about the park.

In the seven hours we were there (the minimum length of time required to hire a Disney VIP tour guide), we were able to ride 11 rides, have dinner and finish up the day with a fireworks show at Cinderella's Castle.

The fireworks were the perfect end to both our day and the whole VIP experience, as we were able to enjoy them in a private, crowd-less spot in the VIP area with a great view.

When it finally came time to head home, we were able to get out of the park with ease, even as a mass of people were heading out after the fireworks. Instead of heading toward the bottleneck at the main exit, we were ushered through a private gate with no foot traffic. All-in-all, it took us about 20 minutes to get from Magic Kingdom back to the Animal Kingdom Lodge on the other side of the Disney World property (which is about the size of San Francisco). It felt very efficient.

Pricing and booking a private Disney VIP tour

If you want to book a Disney VIP tour, you'll have to do it over the phone by calling (407) 560-4033. All tours are booked for a minimum of seven hours and maximum of 14 hours. As for the price — it's a lot. The private tours start at $425 an hour, but exact pricing depends on the season. For example, I paid $525 an hour for my late-June weekend trip. Each tour can accommodate up to 10 guests (infants included) at no additional charge, but if you want to add more people, you'll need to book another guide at the hourly rate. The tour also doesn't include park admission, so you also have to purchase those tickets separately. If you plan to visit multiple parks with your tour guide (which is allowed), you will need Park Hopper tickets. ( Here are the best ways to use points for Disney tickets .)

For your $425 per hour (or more), you receive:

• A very knowledgable personal guide for a group of 10
• Door-to-door private Disney transportation from beginning to end in an air-conditioned van
• Unlimited FastPass+ access
• Complimentary snacks and water
• VIP tour of Disney with access to otherwise private areas
• Preferred viewing area for fireworks and parades

Since purchases from Disney can code as travel, entertainment or something else entirely, I used my Chase Freedom Unlimited that gives 1.5% cash back (or 1.5x points) on purchases to be on the safe side. In the end, I earned 5,374 points on the charge, which when moved to my Chase Sapphire Reserve, are worth about $107 in travel by TPG valuations .

Overall, this splurge cost me $3,565, which is by no means cheap — but the number of things we were able to do, the lack of stress and the reality that this was done last-minute and without a bunch of advance planning with such a large group made it well worth it for us.

Related: Best Credit Cards for Theme Parks

Express service without a VIP tour

Even if a private VIP tour isn't on the radar for your next trip, there are ways to replicate some elements of the tour at a much lower price. First, if you can handle the early morning wake-up call, consider Extra Magic Mornings, which can speed you on select rides in the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios for about $79 per person.

Disney also offers group VIP tours with behind-the-scenes access, knowledgable guides and walk-on rides from a couple hundred dollars per person.

Finally, Disney World lets all guests pre-reserve three FastPass+ attractions per day (30 or 60 days out, depending on if you are staying at a Disney resort) for no additional fee. With advance planning, you can have a very short wait for a few key attractions, and then continue getting additional FastPass+ attractions throughout the day using the Disney app after you use your original three. If you have the budget for Club Level access at at Disney Resort, you can purchase three extra FastPass+ reservations at a cost of $50 per person, per day on stays of three nights or longer. You can book these FastPass+ rides 90 days in advance, so they are extremely useful in getting quick access to popular rides.

Bottom line

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the door-to-door service from beginning to end. Our Disney guide was extremely attentive and super helpful, which added to the experience. Given that theme parks have a reputation for long lines that can wear you down a bit (especially with young kids along), I found the VIP tour to be well worth the money. Even though our family time was brief that weekend, we were able to maximize the time and fun we had together.

Read on for more tips for planning an Orlando theme park vacation:

• Inside a Universal Orlando Private VIP Tour
• The Best Times to Visit Disney World
• Save on Disney Hotels By Renting Disney Vacation Club Points
• Why Disney World is Better Than Disneyland
• How to Save Money on a Disney World Vacation
• Everything We Know About Disney's Star Wars Hotel
• How to Maximize One Day at Universal Orlando

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Private VIP tours at Disney can cost thousands of dollars, but are they worth it? Here's why die-hard Disney fans say yes.

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If you've ever been to Walt Disney World (WDW) or Disneyland, you've likely seen employees in plaid vests walking around the parks with groups of mouse ear-wearing park goers. Those red-vested people are VIP tour guides, cast members (Disney's term for its employees) whose job is to help people get the most out of their Disney day.

While you might assume the groups include a celebrity like Captain America actor Chris Evans, who's known to roam WDW, more often than not the groups are just normal guests looking for an elevated experience. Yes, that's right, anyone can be a VIP at WDW or Disneyland ... for the right price.

How much do Disney VIP tours cost?

At WDW , tours start at a cool $425 an hour and can run up to $850 per hour, depending on the season. But no abbreviated tours are allowed: All VIP tours must be booked for a minimum of seven hours, quickly running the cost into the range of $3,150 to $5,950 for the day.

Over at Disneyland , tours start at a base price of $3,500 for the day for a seven-hour tour. And no, these prices do not include park tickets in either location — you'll have to purchase tickets for each member of your group on top of the tour price.

What is included in the cost of a Disney VIP tour?

No matter which park the tour is taken in, each group has room for up to 10 guests. Often, the groups are made up of large multi-generational families looking for an easy way to do everything at the parks, or a big group of friends who split the cost and want to ride all of the attractions they can in one day.

With the hefty price tag comes premium services and amenities that each group has exclusive access to. On the day of your tour, a VIP guide will pick your group up from a designated starting location, usually your Disney hotel, and take you to the theme parks to get front-of-the-line access to attractions and shows. If your tour goes into the late evening, you'll get VIP-viewing of nighttime spectaculars like World of Color at Disney California Adventure or Harmonious at Epcot . The tours also include the ability to visit more than one park in a day, pending you have a ticket with park-hopping access. Each person on the tour will also get a commemorative pin, just for VIP tour guests.

But those who have taken one of these pricey tours often say the best part isn't access to rides or restricted areas — it's the guide themselves. Jordan Poblete, a Disney fan from Irvine, Calif., did a VIP tour at Disneyland, where their guide became more of a friend than a service provider. "It felt like this person was less of an accessory if you will, and more of just a part of our group," Poblete tells Yahoo Life.

On the day of their tour, Poblete and his crew were able to ride about 15 attractions, including Space Mountain, the Matterhorn Bobsleds and Indiana Jones Adventure. They also made their way across the esplanade to Disney California Adventure to do some of the top-tier attractions at that park.

Who is a VIP tour at Disney best for?

Eduardo Lara, a former VIP guide at the Disneyland Resort, explains that VIP service starts even before a guest walks into the park. "Usually what happens is when they book these tours, they talk to someone and give them a brief [list of] the things they want to do," he explains. "They'll say, 'I want to start off in Disney California Adventure or Disneyland."

To Lara, the best type of VIP tour group was always big groups of friends who had each saved up money for their share of the tour. "It felt like the tour itself was more personal to them because they all chipped in," he says. "So it just seemed like they had a lot more fun."

And it's all personalizable to the specific group: If he was working with a family with kids, for example, Lara loved pointing out hidden Mickeys — nods to Mickey Mouse within attractions and around Disney theme parks that look like Mickey's iconic three-circle silhouette.

Kait Killebrew , a Disney fan from Ponchatoula, La. and co-host of Carousel Project , a podcast about Disney history, has done two VIP tours with groups of friends at WDW. Her favorite part of both was being able to go "backstage," what Disney calls its employee-only areas, to enter each park faster. "The first VIP tour I took was [during the coronavirus pandemic] before park-hopping had come back," she recalls. "So we were able to park hop to all four parks in December 2020, which was amazing. It was really cool to see where they ended up letting us in to make the most of the time we had allotted for the tour."

A must-do of VIP tours is being efficient with the time allotted with your VIP guide. Killebrew explains her guide had a private car waiting for them to get from one park to the next. They also had the group mobile order meals well in advance of when they wanted to eat, so they could dash to the next attraction without having to wait long for meals to be ready.

Zeinab O'Briant lives in Los Angeles, Calif., and says her Disney VIP tour is among her favorite Disney memories. "I loved being able to walk backstage and experience Disney in such a different light that guests typically wouldn't see," says O'Briant, who shares Disney content at @adventuresandthingamabobs . "I'm such a curious person about the inner workings of things, so being able to pop into a park from the cast member entrance was really cool to see."

How to know if a Disney VIP tour is right for you

Wondering whether a VIP tour of Disney Parks is right for you? Lara suggests trying a smaller guided tour at one of the Disney parks first. Unlike VIP tours, which are private and allow guests to do what they want, guided tours give guests access to certain attractions and allow them to hear different stories about the parks based on which tour they book.

Each guided tour is specific to a story, like the Keys to the Kingdom tour at WDW, a five-hour group tour that gives an overview of Magic Kingdom Park, or the Walk in Walt's Disneyland Footsteps tour at Disneyland. "The similarities come in the easier access to the attractions, so [guests] can have a much quicker time boarding some of the attractions on those tours," says Lara. "That gives them a glimpse of the VIP experience."

After taking more than one seven-hour tour around WDW, Killebrew says she's constantly recommending VIP tours to others. "I do suggest them because especially with how Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane work now," she says. "It's nice to just have that secured — even for one day — to just know we can knock out all the big rides during the seven-hour period and the rest of the trip, anything else is gravy."

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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 00 800 2006 0809 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.

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) 939-5277 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.

DISNEY VIP TOUR GUIDE: IS IT WORTH IT AT DISNEY WORLD?

by Magic Family Getaways | Jul 20, 2023 | Magical News , Magical Stories

AS TO DISNEY ARTWORK, LOGOS, AND PROPERTIES: ©DISNEY

The author is Shaun Knight , a Travel Advisor at Magic Family Getaways.

______________________________________

When it comes to a Walt Disney World vacation, the options for upgrades & special experiences are bountiful. From After Hours events to Lightning Lanes to character dining, there is no shortage of unique opportunities to be had at the Most Magical Place on Earth. One of the more under-the-radar experiences, though, is booking a VIP Tour Guide for your Walt Disney World theme park day.

To most people, the sound of booking a VIP Tour Guide for their own traveling party seems like a far-off dream; either unobtainable financially, unavailable to the public, or both. However, both of these myths are wrong, & booking a VIP Tour Guide is not only available to the general public, but it’s actually quite a fantastic value overall!

The first factor that most families assume is unobtainable when it comes to booking their own VIP Tour Guide is price. While it’s true that a private tour guide isn’t cheap, the reality is that it’s a great value when you crunch the numbers. A VIP Tour Guide at Walt Disney World for 2023 runs anywhere from $450-$900 per hour per party. For slower dates (such as September), prices hover in the $400 range, while more in-demand dates (such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, etc), the price generally rises to between $700-$800. For the sake of ease, we will assume a price of $550 per hour, as that is the general median price for 2023 VIP Tour Guides. Walt Disney World requires each party book a VIP Tour Guide for a minimum of 7 hours, bringing our grand total for the day to $3,850 per group. Now here’s the fun part, & the piece that most guests forget to factor in when pricing out a guide for their party – that price is for your ENTIRE group, and you can bring up to TEN people in your party! At that rate, the VIP Tour Guide comes out to around $385 per person for SEVEN HOURS of incredible service, backstage access, & seemingly never-ending perks (as we’ll get into later). Of course, each member will still need valid park admission for the day (standard day ticket, multi-day ticket, Annual Pass, etc.), and thousands of dollars for one day is certainly far from cheap, but when you consider the perks & the alternatives, the value is easy to see.

To get a better taste as to the terrific value of a Walt Disney World Tour Guide, let’s factor in the average price for a family of 5 for one day at a Walt Disney World theme park (assuming said family wants to maximize their day & ride as many attractions as possible). First off, each member of the family is going to need to purchase Genie+, which currently averages around $25 per day Next, each family member will need to purchase individual Lightning Lanes for (potentially) up to four attractions per day, assuming they are park-hopping. Let’s assume the family only rides three headliner attractions out of four, paying an average of $20 each for the Individual Lighting Lanes. We are now at a total of $425 for the day for a family of five. Add on Memory Maker to get your photos for the trip and you are somewhere around $600 per family. Since each VIP Tour allows up to TEN guests, we will double the $600 for two families of five, and now those two families (or one giant family) are looking at somewhere around $1,200 for their one day. Unfortunately, they are also at the mercy of the Genie+ and Individual Lighting Lane rules, meaning hours & hours spent on the cellphone to book rides, only one ride max per attraction, waking up early in the morning to book your first ride, only a one-hour window to access each selected ride, etc. As you can see, if a visiting family is attempting to prioritize attractions during their Disney day, the price can add up QUICK.

Now that we’ve broken down the math between a VIP Tour Guide (~$385 per person) and a regular Genie+/Lightning Lane day (~$120 per person), let’s take a look to see if the price difference is truly worth it by studying the perks of a VIP Tour Guide. When most people hear the word “Tour,” they assume a guided, pre-planned trip around the parks. Fortunately, that is nowhere near the case with a Walt Disney World VIP Guide. These 7 (or more) hours are ENTIRELY customizable by you & your party. Want to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind non-stop until you puke with no waits? Done. Want to dine at the most hard-to-get restaurants like Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest? Done. Want to ride rides all night until right before fireworks begin, but still get a perfect fireworks spot with no crowds around you? Done! A VIP Tour Guide is truly what you want it to be. Of course, your guide will still give you the best tips, tricks, & history on the parks, as each guide is incredibly knowledgeable on all things Disney. They’ll also take you backstage in areas not accessible to normal guests. All of these are woven together to make your day as magical as possible, and exactly how you want it! Little-to-no wait times for attractions, front-row seating for shows, direct Tour Guide transportation for Park-Hopping, backstage access, no waits for dining, & concierge-level planning BEFORE your day even starts. The perks truly are almost endless when it comes to a VIP Tour Guide.

One of the best aspects to the entire land is the roaming characters. Everywhere you look & every corner you turn, a brand new superhero pops up to greet you or take a photo. We spent over 10 hours combined at the land during our trip, & we still felt like we didn’t get to see every character that was available. Not only do these roaming superheroes make the land feel vibrant & alive, it also makes you the guest feel apart of the action! Not to mention the fantastic photo-ops for the little superheroes in your party, too. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or just a casual theme park fan who enjoys character meet-n-greets, the characters of Avengers Campus are one of the coolest aspects to any land at the entire resort.

We could probably go on for pages & pages with the ample amount of other perks available to VIP Tour guests besides these, but that would just be spoiling the magic. A large part of the fun (& value) of a VIP Tour Guide is being surprised around every corner at what kind of magic your guide is able to make for you & your party! VIP Tours may seem far-fetched to most, but once you book one yourself, you’ll be hooked for life!

As you can see, booking a Walt Disney World VIP Tour Guide for your family/friends is not only available & obtainable, it’s also quite an incredible value. While most families likely can’t spend thousands of dollars each day (on top of their tickets, food, & lodging) while visiting Walt Disney World, there is no denying that splurging for a day (or two) on a VIP Tour Guide will create unforgettable lifetime memories while allowing guests to experience a Disney Park like never before. 

Shaun Knight Travel Consultant Magic Family Getaways LLC  An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner MagicFamilyGetaways.com Phone  +1 (253) 332-3190 Fax  +1 (973) 969-3010

Office Hours:  Monday through Saturday 9:00am – 7:00pm PST Sunday & evening hours by appointment

Shaun became a travel advisor after 4+ years in the banking industry. He is a self-proclaimed travel extraordinaire, although his go-to destinations are Orlando & Southern California. Shaun met his wife at Disneyland Resort in 2018 while they were both on solo trips to the park. He told her he loved for the first time in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle 4 months later & proposed to her in front of the Rivers of America 3 months after that.

When he is not actively planning a future Disney trip for himself or his clients, Shaun spends his time making Disney ranking videos for his YouTube channel, interacting with the theme park community on Twitter, & playing basketball. He is dedicated to using his vast knowledge & experience with the resorts on both coasts to give you the Most Magical Vacation Ever!

Shaun has a Bachelors Degree from Washington State University (Go Cougs!). He has spent his entire life living up & down the west coast, from Seattle to San Diego, & currently resides in Seattle with his wife & puppy.

At  Magic Family Getaways , advisors plan and design unforgettable vacation experiences for families who want the confidence that every step is handled. Its team of expert advisors can save you time and money and attend to the smallest detail so you can focus on creating memories that last a lifetime.

Behind the Secret Curtain: A Personal Disney VIP Tour Review

DISCLAIMER: Our posts may contain affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may receive commission. You won't pay more, but you will be providing us with a small commission, which helps to keep the lights on. All recommendations are based on our own opinions and preferences. You can read our complete disclaimer here . Thanks!

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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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• Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar: The Ultimate Guide

If you’re planning a trip to Disney World, you may be wondering what the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar is and how it can help you plan your visit. In this guide, we’ll provide you with all the information you need to know about the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar, including what it is, how it works, and how to use it to plan your dream vacation to Disney World.

What is the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar?

The Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar is a tool that allows you to see the prices of the VIP Tours offered by Disney World on specific dates. VIP Tours are private guided tours that give you and your party a personalized experience of the Disney World theme parks. With a VIP Tour, you’ll have a private guide who will take you on expedited tours of the most popular attractions, provide insider knowledge about the parks, and help you make the most of your time at Disney World.

How does the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar work?

The Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar is a simple tool to use. First, you’ll need to visit the official Disney World website and navigate to the VIP Tour page. From there, you’ll see a link to the Price Calendar. Clicking on the link will take you to the calendar, which shows the prices for VIP Tours on specific dates.

Using the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar to plan your vacation is easy. Simply select the date you’re interested in visiting Disney World, and the calendar will show you the price of the VIP Tour for that date. You can use the calendar to compare prices for different dates and choose the best day to take your VIP Tour.

It’s important to note that the prices shown on the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar are the base prices for the VIP Tours. Additional fees may apply, such as park admission, which is required for all guests.

How to Use the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar to Plan Your Disney World Vacation

Planning a vacation to Disney World can be overwhelming, but using the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar can make it much easier. Here are some tips for using the calendar to plan your dream vacation to Disney World:

• Start by deciding which parks you want to visit. The Disney VIP Tour is available for all four parks, but you’ll need to decide which parks you want to visit before you can use the calendar.
• Choose your preferred date range. The Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar allows you to search for prices on specific dates or within a date range. If you’re flexible with your travel dates, searching within a range can help you find the best price.
• Check for special events or holidays. Prices for the Disney VIP Tour can vary depending on special events or holidays. Be sure to check the calendar for any events or holidays that may impact the price.
• Compare prices for different dates. Once you’ve narrowed down your preferred parks and date range, use the calendar to compare prices for different dates. This can help you find the best deal for your VIP Tour.
• Book your VIP Tour in advance. VIP Tours can sell out quickly, so it’s important to book in advance. Use the calendar to find the best date for your VIP Tour and book as soon as possible to secure your spot.

Benefits of Using the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar

Using the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar has several benefits for planning your Disney World vacation:

• Save money: By using the calendar to compare prices for different dates, you can find the best deal for your VIP Tour and save money on your vacation.
• Avoid crowds: With a VIP Tour, you’ll have expedited access to the most popular attractions, which means less time waiting in lines and more time enjoying the parks.
• Personalized experience: With a private guide, you’ll have a personalized experience of the parks and can tailor your tour to your preferences.
• Insider knowledge: Your guide will have insider knowledge of the parks and can provide tips and recommendations to make the most of your time at Disney World.

Final Thoughts

The Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar is a valuable tool for planning your dream vacation to Disney World. By using the calendar to compare prices and book in advance, you can save money and ensure that you have the best possible experience at the parks. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned Disney World veteran, a VIP Tour is an excellent way to make your trip unforgettable. So, start planning your Disney World vacation today and use the Disney VIP Tour Price Calendar to make the most of your trip!

Five Star Orlando VIP Tours is an independent VIP Concierge service that leads the industry in organizing Disney VIP Tours. TRUST Our Expertise and Never Miss A Moment.

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Is the Disney VIP 50th Anniversary Tour Worth the Price?

NOTE: This tour is no longer being offered.

For information on current VIP 50th Anniversary Tour tour offerings, visit our  Guide to Disney Private VIP Tours , and our article  Are Disney Private VIP Tours Worth It?

Walt Disney World has introduced an incredible way to celebrate its 50th year: the  Disney 50th Anniversary VIP Tour . This 8-hour tour is a celebration of Disney World’s rich history with a planned itinerary that includes theme parks, resorts, and iconic modes of transportation. Sounds fantastic, you might say, but is the  Disney 50th Anniversary VIP Tour  worth the price? First, let’s investigate the ins and outs of this exclusive VIP tour.

How Much Does the Disney 50th Anniversary Tour Cost?

There’s no better way to celebrate Disney’s 50th anniversary than a  Private VIP tour . But, unfortunately, it doesn’t come cheap.

Disney World’s 50th Anniversary VIP Tour costs $6,500 for a party of up to six (6) people .

For $6,500, a Disney VIP Tour Guide will provide your party with a day of unparalleled magical experiences. This magical 8-hour tour will take you behind the scenes and to the forefront of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, select restaurants, and other fascinating spots.

How Can You Book the Disney 50th Anniversary VIP Tour?

Disney’s marketing tagline reads, “Get ready to travel by land, sky, and the seven seas on an adventure of a lifetime.” Count me in! Where do we sign up?

Disney has permitted a limited number of travel agencies to offer this tour. Among the handful of top-tier Disney travel agencies with this capability, we recommend  The Vacationeer  to our readers. They can help you plan and book your 50th Anniversary VIP Tour and your other Disney reservations (if you so choose).

The Vacationeer is a Diamond Level Producer and an Earmarked Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. As such, you know they offer the service in business and strive for customer satisfaction. Best of all, the services of The Vacationeer are 100% free to use!

Click  HERE  for a free, no-obligation price quote .

Disney World’s 50th Anniversary VIP Tour is only available for a limited time, so book your reservations before it’s gone!

What is the 50th Anniversary VIP Private Tour at Walt Disney World Resort?

Gather up a party of up to 6 people and meet up with your personal Disney VIP Tour Guide for a magical day filled with unforgettable experiences. See your favorite attractions in a whole new light; your guide reveals some of Disney’s most fascinating behind-the-scenes secrets and a sneak peek of a few exciting things to come.

After transport from your Disney hotel, you’ll head over to the iconic Disney’s Contemporary Resort to discover how this architectural marvel became one of the first hotels at Walt Disney World Resort back in 1971. Then, after taking in the views and a champagne toast, you are whisked off to the Seven Seas on a private charter boat to  Magic Kingdom.

Next, you’ll enter the enchanting realm of the Disney World Company original theme park, Magic Kingdom. Here you will explore all this iconic park offers, including hidden areas of Main Street U.S.A and a tour inside the Cinderella Castle Suite. After you’ve worked up an appetite, it’s now time to experience Disney’s exclaimed Be Our Guest Restaurant for lunch.

After Magic Kingdom, the tour moves over to Epcot, where you’ll discover what happens when the magic of Disney combines with the power of human imagination. There’s a stopover at Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and a visit to Disney’s all-new  Space 220  for a treat!

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Contact  The Vacationeer  to book your 50th Anniversary VIP Tour and your other Walt Disney World Resort reservations. They can also provide you with a  free quote  and helpful tips and tricks. As always, the services of The Vacationeer are 100% free of charge!

Is it Worth the Price?

Without question. Disney’s 50th Anniversary Tour is very expensive. Unfortunately, it’s not going to be affordable for most people.

That said, this tour is definitely worth the price if you have the money to spend and the desire to experience Disney like never before. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Perfect for the Disney fanatic that has everything in the world except Disney VIP magic. Bring your closest friends and have a blast!

The Fine Print of Disney Private VIP Tours

Here is some important information you should know before booking your Disney World 50th Anniversary VIP Tour.

• All Guests are required to have valid theme park admission (with Park Hopper option)
• Theme park tickets are not included in the price of the tour
• You will receive your park pass reservations at the time of booking.
• Guests should be prepared for full security screenings. Bags will be checked, and you are required to present an appropriate government-issued ID.
• Disney Private VIP Tours may be limited in availability. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Contact The Vacationeer today!
• The 50th Anniversary VIP Tour lasts up to 8 hours. There is an active agenda (with built-in breaks) so you should prepare accordingly.
• Guests with mobility issues or other disabilities should check with Disney or The Vacationeer before booking.
• Guests must be 12 years of age or old to participate.
• The 50th Anniversary VIP Tour is limited to a 6-person maximum (including infants or persons of any age).
• Entertainment and experiences are subject to availability, and the itinerary is subject to change without notice.
• A cancellation fee (equal to the cost of 20% of the tour price) is charged if you do not give at least 72-hour notice.
• No video equipment, cameras, or cell phones may be used during certain portions of this special experience tour.
• Guests with special dietary restrictions should make arrangements with The Vacationeer or Disney before the tour.
• Any Guest age 17 years and under must be accompanied by a participating parent or guardian.
• Information and pricing are subject to change without notice.

Enjoy your Walt Disney World trip!

Have questions about the tour? Do you need help planning your Disney trip?

Contact  The Vacationeer  to book your 50th Anniversary VIP Tour. They can also provide you with a   free quote  and helpful tips and tricks. And, as always, the services of The Vacationeer are 100% free of charge! It’s a no-brainer.

Please check out our  How to Plan a Disney Vacation ,  Disney World Resort Comparison ,  How Much Do a Disney Honeymoon Cost? ,  Best Time to go to Disney World ,  Disney World for Couples ,  How Much does it Cost to go to Disney World , and  Disney World for Adults  pages.

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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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