Did you know that you don’t have to be a famous movie, TV, sports or rock star to receive VIP treatment at Disneyland or Walt Disney World? Disney’s VIP services can be booked by anyone! It’s one of my guilty pleasures and a magical enhancement that I recommend everyone try (at least once!). Having experienced VIP a few times on both coasts, here’s my insider look at the experience.
Disney World VIP Services
There’s no better way to experience Walt Disney World’s four theme parks than with a VIP tour guide at your side. Here are some of the highlights:
- Ultimate Customization – I love that I can totally customize my experience – from focusing on one theme park per day and literally exploring all that that park has to offer, to enjoying an over the top park hopping day. We once visited all 4 parks in an extended day for a special birthday celebration and our VIP guide got us on ALL of the headline rides!
- Backstage Access – your Disney VIP tour guide picks you up from your resort, drives you around and gets you into the parks using backstage entrances. Finished riding Test Track and want to do Frozen the ride next? No need to walk – your guide drives you from the backstage door of Test Track to the backstage door of the Norway Pavillion! It’s an amazing opportunity to get a peek behind the scenes! Remember the kids from that episode of Black-ish when they did VIP? That was totally my 7-year-old nephew –turning heads as he emerged from a secret doorway and strutted into a ride pavilion.
- Reserved Viewing Areas – all VIP guests have guaranteed premium reserved viewing areas for the Magic Kingdom Parade as well as for fireworks. I have some amazing photos as a result!
- Premium Seating For Shows – whether it’s Lion King the Musical or Enchanted Tales with Belle, your VIP guide will get you the best seating in the house.
- Tier 1 Unlimited Access – whilst park guests can only make advanced fast pass reservations for one Tier 1 ride per park day, having a VIP guide means you get to do ALL of the Tier 1 rides on your park day (and more than once if you want to).
Disneyland VIP Services
The charm of Disneyland is truly enhanced when you stroll these parks in the company of a VIP guide. They take the time to point out all of the special spots that Walt Disney himself enjoyed and share interesting stories and trivia about the history of this magical place where it all began! Here’s what you can expect:
- Your Experience Starts In The Lobby Of Your Hotel: your VIP guide meets and greets you in the lobby of your Disney Hotel and gets your day off to a magical start from the get-go. We usually stay at Disney’s Grand Californian where the giant fireplace is the meeting point from which our VIP guide whisks us into the parks via GC’s private entrance!
- You Can Opt-Out – not up to doing a ride that your kids really really want to do? Your VIP guide is there to ensure no-one misses out. They’ll find you a comfy spot to relax in while they ride with your kids. If you find the Matterhorn is hard on your back, you’ll really appreciate this!
- You Can Split Up – does half your family want to ride Mr. Toad while the other half wants to ride Alice in Wonderland? No worries! Your VIP guide will work it out so you ride your preferred rides around the same time so no-one is just sitting around waiting.
- Reserved Viewing And Premium Seating – just like at Disney World, you have reserved viewing for all of the special shows, parades and nighttime spectaculars World of Color and Disneyland Forever!
- Front Of The Line Access – for rides at Disneyland that have no FastPass entrance, you literally get front of the line access and expedited boarding! For rides with FastPass entrances, your VIP guide is your human FastPass.
- Priority Character Meet And Greets – have a special character you want to meet? Your VIP guide can get you priority access (and some extra time with that character too!).
- You Will Feel Like A Celebrity – the one thing you will need to get used to at Disneyland when doing VIP is people staring intently at you trying to figure out who you are! Add to that the fact that you will possibly rub shoulders with actual celebrities (who may be doing an attraction with their guide the same time as you) and you are in for an unforgettable experience!
Pros of Disney VIP
- You can literally see and do everything you have the energy to do – your VIP guide acts as your human FastPass, and there is no limit to how many times you can repeat rides!
- Total customization – your VIP Guide is there to ensure you have the experience you want to have and that you get to do all that you want to do. Anything you want, just ask and they’ll get to work – think of them like your personal genie for the day!
- Navigating Crowds – your VIP guide has the intel they need to whisk you around the park (even on the busiest of days) to maximize your time and your experience.
- Umbrellas and ponchos on hand – in the event of unexpected weather, your VIP tour guide has you covered…literally!
- Being able to say YES!!! to “Can we do that again?” over and over again for favorite rides and attractions.
- Special extras – from entertaining your kids with silly stories, to magically producing ice cold treats or water just when you need them most, your VIP guide makes sure your day has a liberal sprinkling of Pixie Dust for an extra magical experience!
- One fixed hourly price – whether your group consists of one person or ten, you pay the same price. This means splitting VIP with friends or family can make it a more affordable add on for your trip!
Cons of Disney VIP
- It’s not cheap! Disney’s VIP service comes with an hourly charge and a minimum of 7 consecutive hours booking requirement.
- The hourly charge varies according to time of year – holiday seasons and special dates (like July 4th or attraction opening dates) carry a higher hourly rate.
- If you are planning to book Disney VIP for a holiday trip, you need to book well in advance – there’s a limited number of VIP slots available each day, and they get booked up fast during peak times.
Ready to experience Disney like an A-Lister? Your Castles and Cruises Travel Advisor is standing by to make it happen!
