How to best use VIP tour day

[MSP-guy]

Hello all!

Looking for some advice on how to play a VIP tour. We will visiting WDW on a Monday + Tuesday in January. We want to do MK, HS (esp. Star Wars), and maybe a little bit of AK (esp. Expedition Everest).

One of the two days, I'll also planning to book the VIP tour/service for the group. I see two options:

1) Do HS on our own Monday. Book VIP for MK+AK on Tuesday. And if for some reason HS didn't go well Monday, can maybe scrap AK and still get Star Wars done.

2) Do MK on our own on Monday. Book VIP for HS+AK on Tuesday. This gives us VIP for what I assume is the busiest thing (Star Wars).

I'm leaning towards #1 because (i) I feel like HS is easier to do on our own, because with our group if we hit Star Wars plus Tower of Terror plus maybe RRC, we'll be good, and (ii) might want to stay in MK for fireworks from VIP area, which I believe is a thing.

Any thought or advice from the group? Am I crazy to not use VIP for HS?

FYI group is about 7-8 people, no little kids (a few teenagers)

Thanks!

 

[Marthasor]

I think it's a good plan. By doing MK with the guide, it eliminates your need to try to get a VQ or ILL for Tron as well (if you are at all interested in Guardians at EP, I would do that with the guide too). I would do DHS on your own on one day (between the pre-shows and the experience, Rise takes a while and is kind of wasteful to do with a guide, IMHO) and on another, do AK/MK. Consider starting at AK on your own and getting some things done there as well - you could have the guide meet you there and then wrap up AK and head to MK.

 

[baler31]

Personally, we utilize the VIP tour days to hit all 4 parks and do the attractions that have the highest wait times. With the back door access, traveling between parks is usually easy. We usually finish the night with VIP access at whatever fireworks/show we want to do.

When we bring guests for the tours they are just happy to get an overview/highlight of the parks. With two days it will be impossible to do all 4 parks with any real depth. I advise you to make a list of what you really want to accomplish at all the parks and ask the VIP tour office for advice on a plan. They are very helpful with maximizing your time and may have an idea no one else would think of.

 

[mmouse50]

Just got back from Columbus Day weekend - Did HS & EP only - met guide in the park at 9:30 and did all the headliners (ROR, Smugglers, Slinky Dog, MM Train, RnR, TOT) by 12:40. We went to Epcot - did Remy, Frozen, Test track twice (once with designing cars and once without) GoG, ending with Spaceship Earth at 4:10 - had dining reservation at Space 220 at 4:30. We stood in the regular lightning lane lines with the exception of MM train,

 

[jimmymc]

If I were doing this, I would use Genie+ on a Magic Kingdom day and the VIP tour for AK+Studios. MK is pretty easy to get Genie+ reservations in, and there aren't really any shows that I think you'd need the VIP tour for. Maybe you could supplement with a dessert party if you wanted prime fireworks viewing, but even that isn't too bad to get with all adults and teens.

This way, you'd also have the VIP tour available for Star Wars, Pandora, the longer lines which are usually more difficult to get Genie+ reservations for at Studios, and shows like Festival of the Lion King or Finding Nemo if they interest you.

 

[T.G.I.Friday]

My advice - do the tour Monday. Meet your guide in AK and ride what you’d like. Then go to HS for Star Wars, TOT and RRC. Finish at MK - hitting as much as you can - and ending with the VIP fireworks.

Then you have all of Tuesday to re-ride any favorites or see anything you might have been interested in but didn’t get to check out.

 

[MSP-guy]

Thank you all! Lots to think about, haha. The combos can drive you crazy.

 

[MiketheGrate]

My advice - do the tour Monday. Meet your guide in AK and ride what you’d like. Then go to HS for Star Wars, TOT and RRC. Finish at MK - hitting as much as you can - and ending with the VIP fireworks.

Then you have all of Tuesday to re-ride any favorites or see anything you might have been interested in but didn’t get to check out.

I second this approach. When we've done VIP, we've always tried to do it as our first park day to relieve the stress of worrying about getting on this ride or that ride later in the trip. Then you can use your other day to do things that take a little more time without worrying about missing out.

We also really liked ending at the VIP area for fireworks at Magic Kingdom. Just a really great vantage point for the show. Just make sure to grab some snacks before the fireworks start!

 

[MSP-guy]

I wanted to thank everyone again for the advice. Because Rock 'n' Roller Coaster was closed (so even less to do at DHS), we ended up doing AK ourselves on Day 1, then the VIP tour to DHS, Epcot and MK on Day 2. It was absolutely terrific and it all went perfectly.

 

[twodogs]

So glad you had a great time! We have done many VIPs at WDW, usually at very busy times. We always do all 4 parks, but we leave off some of the rides that chew up a lot of time, like TT. I think all 4 parks are very doable with teenagers and adults (may be more difficult if you have young kids, strollers, etc or older family members who have difficulty walking quickly). We time it so that we have a leisurely start in the morning with the guide (letting the teens sleep in for once!) and then go all day until MK fireworks in the VIP area. You do need to still be “on tour” at the time of the fireworks to be in the VIP area, so keep that in mind with your timing. We usually do about 10 hours with the guide.