Booking a Disney VIP tour is without question the best way to experience the parks (and consequently, the most expensive). You’re provided with a personal tour guide who will escort you from attraction to attraction of your choosing, drop you off at the front of the line, obtain food and beverages, all while providing incredible insight and knowledge into the parks, among countless other customizable, personalized services.
Disney expressly advertises VIP tour services to include: pre-arrival planning, a flexible start time, picked by you, visits to multiple theme parks, the ability to enjoy some of your favorite attractions efficiently during your visit, and shared insight from your highly knowledgeable Disney Private VIP Tour Guide throughout your tour.
If you travel between parks on your tour, you will likely get to experience some of the Disney backlot that is generally off limits to guests.
There is a significant price tag that comes with such an incredible experience. Pricing ranges from $450 to $900 per hour, with tours ranging between 7-10 hours (7 hour minimum), and allowing up to ten guests per tour group.
Valid theme park admission is also required for each theme park visited on the tour and is not included in the price of the tour.
If that is cost prohibitive, but still in consideration for you and your group, we have four suggestions for fitting it into your budget:
1. A Disney World VIP Tour Allows You to Cut Down on Additional Park/Vacation Days
One of the hidden potential benefits of the Disney World VIP tour is that it is extremely efficient. Even groups that generally take more time to make it through the park than others—whether due to small children, elderly individuals, or other reasons—can accomplish everything on their to-do list for at least two of the four Disney parks.
An ambitious group could do the same for three parks (and any group can spend meaningful time in all four on a single tour if desired). This means that if you book the Disney World VIP tour, you could consider spending one less additional day on park tickets, or one less day of vacation altogether. It also makes for a good option if you are trying to fit a Disney World vacation into a smaller window.
2. Make it a Party
The Disney World VIP tour can admittedly be costly for a single family, but keep in mind the tour permits up to ten guests per group. If you have the option, consider going as a larger group and spreading the costs around, such as between extended relatives, friends, or other families. They Disney World VIP Tour also has a bunch of cost benefits (such as VIP fireworks seating) that add to the value.
3. Off-peak Timing
The hourly rate for a Disney World VIP tour varies widely depending on the time of year, and it is much more reasonably priced during off-peak seasons. Booking a tour when vacationing during these months can be much more budget-friendly for that reason.
We have found it especially beneficial to book a Disney World VIP tour during the hotter months—the ability to skip lines, have beverages at the ready, and air-conditioned transportation creates an unbeatable park experience on those days.
4. Book a Shorter Tour
A full day tour offers more flexibility—and makes it more feasible to check off every wish-list attraction in upwards of three parks—but there are options. Guests have the option of booking a tour for as brief as seven hours. The experience is entirely customizable, and you will be given the choice of starting later in the day or ending early.
You will still be free to experience the parks and enjoy Disney as you would any other day before or after the tour.
How to get the most out of a Disney World VIP Tour
If you are interested in embarking on a VIP Tour, we have four suggestions for getting the most out of the experience:
1. Itinerary Planning
The amount of down time you experience on the VIP tour is entirely up to you, limited only by how long it takes you to get from attraction to attraction.
In our experience, just about any group can comfortably visit every attraction on their wish list for at least two parks, but a well-planned tour can aim for much more ambitious accomplishments.
Keep in mind that your tour guide will have a van capable of parking in the backlot for quicker transport when appropriate. Ultimately, by planning your tour route carefully, you will be able to maximize the experience—but don’t overdo it, and be sure to leave room for flexibility and spontaneity on your adventure.
2. Visit the Most Popular Attractions
Perhaps an obvious point, but there are attractions at every park that generally have much longer wait times than others. Visiting these rides one after the other after the other while on your Disney World VIP tour is obviously time well spent and allow you to better enjoy the rest of your trip.
Making sure you ride attractions that typically require Tier 1 Multipass or Lightning Lane Single Pass gives you more bang for your buck.
3. Pack Extra!
On the Disney World VIP tour your guide will have a van to park backstage and transport you from one park to the next (or from one side of the same park to the other if it would prove quicker than walking).
Normally there are plenty of personal belongings we would like to bring into the parks but leave in the hotel room due to the difficulty of carrying and storing them as you navigate the park. When on the tour, you will be able to store your belongings in the van, making it much easier to bring what you need for easy access without the need to carry it.
4. Get the Most Out of Seasonal Events
Not only are there special seating areas for the Disney World VIP tours at the regular nightly firework shows at the parks, but Disney generally reserves prime seating areas for the seasonal and holiday parades, shows, and other special events that occur throughout the year.
If special happenings are occurring during your vacation window, you might be able to get more out of them by scheduling them into your VIP tour—and in any event it’s a great topic to pre-plan and discuss with your personal tour guide!
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