VIP Tour: Is it worth it?

[vacay77]

Going with my family to Disneyland this summer. I’m turning 45 and a VIP tour has always been on my bucket list. Besides my immediate family, my niece and nephew and my mom will be with us. My mom is the reason I love Disney so much and if I was ever going to splurge on the VIP tour, this would be it, especially since she’ll be there with all of her grandkids.

For those who have taken the tour, do you recommend it? I know this can be subjective, but did you feel like it was worth it? It’s a hefty price tag and we bought Genie+ with our tickets.

 

[trivan]

Only you can determine the worth. Done VIPs in Disney World only, but for me yes it’s worth it. You can find a few posts by me for the reasons why, but in summary we r not 1 week trippers. 3 or 4 days tops. Get all the header liners done in 7-9 hours, not having to waste hours waiting for a firework shows, just following along with the Plaid letting them determine the day based upon our request. yes for us it’s worth it. The $ spent on the tour save us some by not having to spend so many days in the parks. Each day saved for us is now about $1200/day. So factor that in with low stress, it’s worth it. We r blessed to have the means to do it for our trips so we do and rarely go without one.

 

[vacay77]

Only you can determine the worth. Done VIPs in Disney World only, but for me yes it’s worth it. You can find a few posts by me for the reasons why, but in summary we r not 1 week trippers. 3 or 4 days tops. Get all the header liners done in 7-9 hours, not having to waste hours waiting for a firework shows, just following along with the Plaid letting them determine the day based upon our request. yes for us it’s worth it. The $ spent on the tour save us some by not having to spend so many days in the parks. Each day saved for us is now about $1200/day. So factor that in with low stress, it’s worth it. We r blessed to have the means to do it for our trips so we do and rarely go without one.

I read somewhere where another poster said that they had to wait in the Lightning Lane/Genie + line. Wondering if you or anyone else have experienced that? For me, I think it would be worth it if we really didn’t have to wait in lines especially since my mom will be with us and that would be a huge factor as to why I would take the plunge so to speak.

 

[trivan]

We haven’t been since the new system, but will be in March. I think basically the same, as the old way as they used the fast pass lane. It’s not a get in front of the line tour, they are clear about that when booking. I will say that during peak times, some rides are as they have special entrances which do bypass the fast pass lane. I think the longest wait for us has been on Soaring due to how it queues up and one time on SDMT as it’s a popular ride. But thats 10-15 wait. Most are less then that. Again this is Disney World so Disneyland could be different.
are you considering it for your Mom to lessen the physical activity? Tour days are exhausting if you try to get in as many rides as possible.

 

[Steven G]

Hi, I have always recommended vip tours if you can afford it until I had my last one in Disneyland in December.

In that one, my guide told me that the guides are no longer allowed to use any shortcuts at Disneyland. We had to wait over 45 minutes on GOTG because of this, plus some other rather long waits. Compare that to Disney world, where on TOT, which is basically the same ride, the guide took us through a shortcut twice in succession, saving us at least 20 minutes each time.

Please note that there was no downtime of the ride that we could see, and the guide explicitly told me about this change, and that I should complain about it, which I did.

I am boycotting vip tours at Disneyland until I hear otherwise.

The usual caveats apply. I understand that you are not told that the guides can use shortcuts, and that this vip tour was during the Christmas season so it was very busy, but if they expect me to pay that much money, I will not spend that much to it in a line for 45 minutes again.

 

[Wilcojoe]

Hi, I have always recommended vip tours if you can afford it until I had my last one in Disneyland in December.

In that one, my guide told me that the guides are no longer allowed to use any shortcuts at Disneyland. We had to wait over 45 minutes on GOTG because of this, plus some other rather long waits. Compare that to Disney world, where on TOT, which is basically the same ride, the guide took us through a shortcut twice in succession, saving us at least 20 minutes each time.

Please note that there was no downtime of the ride that we could see, and the guide explicitly told me about this change, and that I should complain about it, which I did.

I am boycotting vip tours at Disneyland until I hear otherwise.

The usual caveats apply. I understand that you are not told that the guides can use shortcuts, and that this vip tour was during the Christmas season so it was very busy, but if they expect me to pay that much money, I will not spend that much to it in a line for 45 minutes again.

We were going to do the VIP tour for our trip next month until we read your post. I think at least one other person has confirmed this as well. That’s a major deal breaker at that price point.

 

[vacay77]

We haven’t been since the new system, but will be in March. I think basically the same, as the old way as they used the fast pass lane. It’s not a get in front of the line tour, they are clear about that when booking. I will say that during peak times, some rides are as they have special entrances which do bypass the fast pass lane. I think the longest wait for us has been on Soaring due to how it queues up and one time on SDMT as it’s a popular ride. But thats 10-15 wait. Most are less then that. Again this is Disney World so Disneyland could be different.
are you considering it for your Mom to lessen the physical activity? Tour days are exhausting if you try to get in as many rides as possible.

That’s part of the reason. We have 3 day park hoppers so it would be just for one of the days.

 

[vacay77]

Hi, I have always recommended vip tours if you can afford it until I had my last one in Disneyland in December.

In that one, my guide told me that the guides are no longer allowed to use any shortcuts at Disneyland. We had to wait over 45 minutes on GOTG because of this, plus some other rather long waits. Compare that to Disney world, where on TOT, which is basically the same ride, the guide took us through a shortcut twice in succession, saving us at least 20 minutes each time.

Please note that there was no downtime of the ride that we could see, and the guide explicitly told me about this change, and that I should complain about it, which I did.

I am boycotting vip tours at Disneyland until I hear otherwise.

The usual caveats apply. I understand that you are not told that the guides can use shortcuts, and that this vip tour was during the Christmas season so it was very busy, but if they expect me to pay that much money, I will not spend that much to it in a line for 45 minutes again.

This definitely would be a dealbreaker for me.

 

[vacay77]

We were going to do the VIP tour for our trip next month until we read your post. I think at least one other person has confirmed this as well. That’s a major deal breaker at that price point.

I agree. What a bummer.

 

[StormyCA]

Hi, I have always recommended vip tours if you can afford it until I had my last one in Disneyland in December.

In that one, my guide told me that the guides are no longer allowed to use any shortcuts at Disneyland. We had to wait over 45 minutes on GOTG because of this, plus some other rather long waits. Compare that to Disney world, where on TOT, which is basically the same ride, the guide took us through a shortcut twice in succession, saving us at least 20 minutes each time.

Please note that there was no downtime of the ride that we could see, and the guide explicitly told me about this change, and that I should complain about it, which I did.

I am boycotting vip tours at Disneyland until I hear otherwise.

The usual caveats apply. I understand that you are not told that the guides can use shortcuts, and that this vip tour was during the Christmas season so it was very busy, but if they expect me to pay that much money, I will not spend that much to it in a line for 45 minutes again.

Wait, what? By 'shortcuts' do you mean 'special hidden' entrances? VIP tours still use the 'regular' LL lines, right?

 

[Steven G]

Wait, what? By 'shortcuts' do you mean 'special hidden' entrances? VIP tours still use the 'regular' LL lines, right?

in the past, on certain rides in both WDW and DL, the vip tour guide, at their discretion, could use a shortcut to cut most of the line, even on a fastpass ride. This is NOT advertised, and there never is a promise of them using it, i.e your mileage may vary. I never ask for it, it is usually just done at their discretion.

In the past at least, the most common rides that I remember were GOTG, Indiana jones, and I think space mountain. I.e. Rides were the fastpass/LL doesn’t cut down too much on the wait.

during my last trip in December, Our guide let me know that the vip guides are no longer allowed to do this, at least at Disneyland, and asked me that if i was unhappy about it, to complain about it, if I wished to.

in Disney world, from my experience there are even more rides that we did this on

note it is entirely possible on a slow to medium day, that the guide won’t do this for you.

the hidden entrances typically is just going through the exit.

 

[whoever]

These days, YEP!!!