VIP Tours and RotR Discussion

[taramesu]

I just spoke to Signature Services & was told the earliest time a private VIP tour may begin is 5:30 AM. HS park hours changed to open at 6 AM on our VIP tour date. I was told that our guide would be able to pick us up from CR at 5:30 AM & have us in HS backstage entrance by 6 AM when the park opens.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Yeah, good luck with that.

They said yes!!! LOL!! My DS12 sort of had a pained look on his face the whole time, but he did squeak out a yes eventually . . .

I called this morning to change our time to 5:30 am. The CM I spoke with said she was 99.9% sure they will not have VIP access to RoTR for the duration of the holiday season. She seemed to indicate that might change in the New Year, but did not have a date as of yet. We'll see. I really hope when they say DHS is opening at 6:00 am on our tour day that it really opens at 6:00 am. If they open earlier and we end up with an afternoon BG, my whole plan will be turned on its head again.

 

[taramesu]

They said yes!!! LOL!! My DS12 sort of had a pained look on his face the whole time, but he did squeak out a yes eventually . . .

I called this morning to change our time to 5:30 am. The CM I spoke with said she was 99.9% sure they will not have VIP access to RoTR for the duration of the holiday season. She seemed to indicate that might change in the New Year, but did not have a date as of yet. We'll see. I really hope when they say DHS is opening at 6:00 am on our tour day that it really opens at 6:00 am. If they open earlier and we end up with an afternoon BG, my whole plan will be turned on its head again.

I also worry that HS will open earlier than posted hours & all the rearranging will have been for nothing.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I just spoke with Signature Services and they told me that they would not be able to enter the park before the official opening time of 7am. They seemed unaware that the park was opening earlier. It just feels like nobody put any thought into these tours and you just have to wait and see.

I also worry that HS will open earlier than posted hours & all the rearranging will have been for nothing.

Yes, I have the same fear. The first 6:00 am opening is December 26 and we are going a few days after. I'm going to see what time they actually open on December 26 and, if it's earlier than 6:00 am, I guess I will be calling Signature Services again. We are staying at Riviera, so I am hoping that, even if we have to stick to the 5:30 am pick-up, we'll actually get there earlier than 6 am. I'd love to get a morning BG, but, at this point, I think I'm going to be happy with whatever we get. We are chalking all of this up to "be adventurous" at this point and I know it will end up being one of those WDW days we talk about for years to come!

 

[taramesu]

Yes, I have the same fear. The first 6:00 am opening is December 26 and we are going a few days after. I'm going to see what time they actually open on December 26 and, if it's earlier than 6:00 am, I guess I will be calling Signature Services again. We are staying at Riviera, so I am hoping that, even if we have to stick to the 5:30 am pick-up, we'll actually get there earlier than 6 am. I'd love to get a morning BG, but, at this point, I think I'm going to be happy with whatever we get. We are chalking all of this up to "be adventurous" at this point and I know it will end up being one of those WDW days we talk about for years to come!

Have you done a private VIP tour before? This will be our first.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Have you done a private VIP tour before? This will be our first.

I have, but it was a few years ago.

 

[trivan]

Have you done a private VIP tour before? This will be our first.

you’ll be spoiled forever, 6 years ago we said it would be our 1 and only time. We are on #4.

 

[taramesu]

you’ll be spoiled forever, 6 years ago we said it would be our 1 and only time. We are on #4.

This is my fear

 

[Hieatt]

I would be shocked if they opened the park earlier than 6:00 am. Pure speculation, but my guess is that they are going to move back to opening the park at the actual published time. I have to think they have gotten some negative feedback from people who didn’t research these boards but diligently showed up 30 minutes before published park opening only to find out it’s been open for an hour already and the boarding groups for RotR are already gone. With that said, before SWGE at DHS didn’t they used to let people into the park before published opening time and then dropped ropes within the park? E.g., even if they don’t actually let folks into areas where rides are, might they start tapping people through the turnstiles at 5:30 or 5:45... at which point those folks would be getting their boarding groups at about the time I am getting in a VIP van? That would be bad.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would be shocked if they opened the park earlier than 6:00 am. Pure speculation, but my guess is that they are going to move back to opening the park at the actual published time. I have to think they have gotten some negative feedback from people who didn’t research these boards but diligently showed up 30 minutes before published park opening only to find out it’s been open for an hour already and the boarding groups for RotR are already gone. With that said, before SWGE at DHS didn’t they used to let people into the park before published opening time and then dropped ropes within the park? E.g., even if they don’t actually let folks into areas where rides are, might they start tapping people through the turnstiles at 5:30 or 5:45... at which point those folks would be getting their boarding groups at about the time I am getting in a VIP van? That would be bad.

On the RoTR planning thread, a few people are reporting that they have been opening prior to published opening times for safety and security reasons. The crowds have been just too big to keep them in the entrance area. Apparently, they opened earlier today because of lightning in the area. I agree, even with a 6:00 am opening time, I would assume people will just start lining up even earlier, thereby making it necessary to open the tapstiles earlier than published opening again. I do think, however, if we, as VIP guests tap in as soon as we get to the backstage entrance area (we have a 5:30 am pick-up from Riviera, so hopefully we'll be tapping in by 5:50 am if it's open then) we have the chance of getting a BG. No telling when it will be, but at least we will have one and then I can work the estimated boarding time into our day. When I spoke to the CM today about our desire to do this, she wasn't too keen on it, at first. I think they are really cognizant of the fact that they have very little control over this and cannot craft a great guest experience by putting RoTR into the VIP tour mix at this point. She was also very thoughtful of our time and didn't want us to "waste" our VIP tour time. I let her know that, for our family, SWGE is our primary goal and I was confident that, with the help of the VIP guide, they will still make our DHS day, as a whole, worthwhile. (My friend got through all of DHS, including RoTR with her VIP guide by about 10:30 am on December 5 with a 7:00 am start). I also let her know that I was fully aware that the ride could go down at any given moment and we were willing to take that chance.

While it's difficult to plan around an opening time that appears to be fluid, I will say I'm happy they've implemented the BG. It seems to have completely eliminated the running and pushing that has typically come with people rushing to try to be first in a new ride's standby line at WDW.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

you’ll be spoiled forever, 6 years ago we said it would be our 1 and only time. We are on #4.

We did two this last week and now we are spoiled!!!! Trying to figure out how to fit it into our regular trip budget.

also, side note to those coming in the back entrance at park opening, do you know if their iPads can scan the park tickets will also do boarding Groups? Not everyone’s MDE will give immediate access once scanned into the park, some take a few minutes which is part of the reason why they have all the cast members with tablets waiting when you enter the park.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We did two this last week and now we are spoiled!!!! Trying to figure out how to fit it into our regular trip budget.

also, side note to those coming in the back entrance at park opening, do you know if their iPads can scan the park tickets will also do boarding Groups? Not everyone’s MDE will give immediate access once scanned into the park, some take a few minutes which is part of the reason why they have all the cast members with tablets waiting when you enter the park.

I'm not sure about the VIP iPads. My friend who did the tour on December 5 said as soon as they tapped their park admission, she pulled the app up on her phone and the VIP guide assisted her with booking the BG on her phone. That's a GREAT question though - I think I will call and ask!!

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

I'm not sure about the VIP iPads. My friend who did the tour on December 5 said as soon as they tapped their park admission, she pulled the app up on her phone and the VIP guide assisted her with booking the BG on her phone. That's a GREAT question though - I think I will call and ask!!

Mine and my husbands worked immediate but our friends did not. We walked right to a cm with the iPad/tablet and they were able to assign him to our boarding group. He said some accounts take up to 5 minutes to give access.

 

[taramesu]

We are wait listed for a VIP tour on Dec 28. What are the odds that we will actually get to do the tour that day?

 

[10CJ]

We are wait listed for a VIP tour on Dec 28. What are the odds that we will actually get to do the tour that day?

Someone might cancel if they do not have access to ROTR. They may waiting as long as possible to cancel though just in case.

 

[taramesu]

Someone might cancel if they do not have access to ROTR. They may waiting as long as possible to cancel though just in case.

I thought that too.
I have no idea how many people are waitlisted ahead of me though.

 

[trivan]

We are wait listed for a VIP tour on Dec 28. What are the odds that we will actually get to do the tour that day?

Are you trying to move your 27 booking or trying to do 2 VIP days?

 

[taramesu]

Are you trying to move your 27 booking or trying to do 2 VIP days?

Move it.

 

[Nycraig79]

We just had our VIP tour and can confirm there is no access to RoTR.

What I will warn you of is our tour guide Gabe. This was the worst and most unfroffesional Disney Cast member I have ever encountered and if you have a tour coming up then I would call and request that Gabe is not your guide. PM for details, but the short is that he said he was not a fan of Disney and spent the entire time on Facebook and texting someone in his phone named, “mi amore”. No Disney magic with this guide and you will feel robbed of $3,000 after his “tour”. PM for more details and I’ll post a detailed review soon. Just wanted to warn anyone with an upcoming tour to steward clear of him! I was shocked with the fact Disney hired him.

 

[MFL101]

We just had our VIP tour and can confirm there is no access to RoTR.

What I will warn you of is our tour guide Gabe....

Just a recommendation, but in the future if you get someone who isn't a good fit, quickly ask for a replacement so as to not waste the day. They do accommodate if possible.