It’s no secret that that the Disney parks often experience high crowds, which leads to long lines at the rides. This has got to be the number one complaint of every Disney visitor. And because of that, everyone is trying to figure out the best way to skip the lines! Of course, there are the Lightning Lanes and Genie+, which is the tool you use to access them, but it does not give you unlimited access. So how do you get unlimited access to all the Lightning Lanes? One simple solution – a Disney VIP Tour!
I won’t lie – the VIP tours do not come cheap. In fact, they are pretty pricey! With that being said, it really does give you the ULTIMATE day in the parks. If someone is looking for something really special to do on an upcoming trip, it might be worth exploring so that you can work it into your budget. Maybe that means going from a deluxe resort to a moderate, and using that savings for your tour. If doing a Disney VIP tour is a priority for you, then making a change like that might be the right move for your family.
What is a Private Disney VIP Tour?
With a private Disney VIP tour you get a personal guide that takes you around the parks and gives you access to all of the Lightning Lanes. You don’t have to use Genie+ to schedule anything, you just walk up to any ride, and the guide gets you in the Lightning Lane. It is a pretty sweet perk! And if you want to ride something a second, third or fourth time – no problem!
I always suggest having a park hopper ticket for your tour because the guide can take you to more than one park. They will drive you in a private vehicle between parks, and the really cool part is that you get to go through the back entrances. That means you don’t have to go all the way to the front and through security. Just a quick entrance right through the back. AND they will drive you right to the back entrance of exactly where you want to be in the park.
You also get private roped off areas to view the fireworks. No need to claim a spot hours in advance, you just show up right before the show is going to start and enter the private area for VIPs. On our tour, our VIP tour guide also treated us to complimentary Mickey bars for us to eat while we watched the fireworks. How amazing is that?!
If you are thirsty or hungry for a snack during your tour, don’t despair! Just let your guide know what you would like and they will go get it for you while you take your next ride. As you disembark, they will be there waiting for you with your drink and/or snack.
Sounds like a dream, right? Anyone can book these tours, you just have to know how because they do fill up as soon as their booking window opens up.
How Do I Book a Disney VIP Tour?
The Disney VIP tours open up 60 days in advance. That is 60 days in advance from check-in day for Disney Resort guests and 60 days from your tour day if you are off-site. I will say that staying on-site does give you the advantage to be able to book a bit earlier. If you are off-site, there is a good chance that right at 60 days, the day you are trying to book may already be completely full. So, do yourself a favor and stay on-site!
To book a Disney VIP tour, you have to call in to 1-407-560-4033. Alternatively, you can work with the amazing agents at Click the Mouse and they can book it for you. An agent can book your tour whether or not you have your original package booked with them. This will save you the time of having to wait on hold to get through to book it.
The information they will require to book is:
- Tour Date
- Time you would like to start the tour
- How many adults/children, ages of children
- Will you need car seats?
- Will you have strollers?
- A credit card to guarantee the booking, nothing is charged until the day of your tour
- Where you would like to start your tour and a general plan for your day
What is the Cost?
Now this is the burning question everyone wants to know! How much will it cost me to get this super VIP access to all the rides?!!
The VIP tours work on an hourly rate and the rate changes based on the date. It varies from $425 – $850 USD per hour, and you must have a minimum of 7 hours. You also want to factor in tip for your guide that you will give them at the end of the tour.
The cost of the VIP tour does not include admission, so you need to make sure you also have park tickets for the day of your tour. I always recommend hoppers so that you can take advantage and go to more than one park. The best way to spend your time on a tour is to use the guide to get you in to all the headliner attractions that have the longest lines.
If you want to finish your tour with a fireworks show, then make sure to factor that in to the start time of your tour. For example, if you only want to do 7 hours and fireworks are at 9PM, then plan to start your tour at 2PM. You can do the tour for up to a maximum of 10 hours, any extra hours that you spend above and beyond the minimum 7 hours will be charged to your credit card after the tour.
The private VIP tours allow you a maximum of 10 people. If you have more than 10 people, then it will require a second guide, which will double your hourly rate. If you are under 10 people, you are allowed to invite friends to join you so that you can split the cost of the tour, as long as you do not exceed the maximum of 10 people.
Conclusion
Obviously, the Disney VIP tours will not be for everyone. However, for those that do want to splurge on an extraordinary experience, this could be that extra magical experience to add on to your vacation. I have done VIP tours in the past, and I will say without a doubt, they were amazing experiences. I feel so lucky to have been able to experience them, and they are certainly worth every dollar.
So what do you think? Is this something you would consider for your next trip? Tell us in the comments below!
Our preferred travel agency is Click the Mouse. They specialize in Disney destinations and will help you plan out all the little details. Best part is that their services are FREE when you book your vacation with them. Personalized service at no extra cost to you! To get a quote from a Click the Mouse travel agent, simply click on the quote button below and they will be back in touch with you:
Get a Quote from CLICK THE MOUSELaura is a mom of one adorable girl with a love of all things Disney. She traveled to Disney World with her family in 2010 and was hooked. They have since been a total of over 15 times. With all her knowledge of planning Disney trips, she now wants to share that with others. She loves giving guidance, tips and advice to others planning their magical vacation!