We booked a Plaid! Need your thoughts please (itinerary)

Just for clarity for those reading along... OP is referring to a Private VIP tour (https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/private-vip-tours/). The CM guides have plaid elements to their outfits (like what you would see with guest services CMs), hence the reference to ‘booking a plaid.’

Sorry, just making sure others know what that means. :goodvibes

OP, question if you don’t mind... are you planning on just the minimum 7 hours? Or longer? Or not sure yet?
That’s what my daughter does at dis but I’d never ever be able to afford to book her!
 
If you want shows/hard to book sit down dining, let them know ASAP, because they can't get you in if the place is already booked to maximum occupancy.
 
We have a tour scheduled for this coming Sunday. It'll be our one and only park day, so we're going to try to fit in all four parks? We're starting in the afternoon and intending to end at 9:00 p.m. to get a good spot for Happily Ever After. Here's my biggest question: do we need to reserve seating for HEA in advance? I called and asked and was told to simply tell our tour guide, but I've received laughably incorrect info over the phone from Disney before, as recently as last week, so I thought I'd double-check this.

Also, please let me run an idea by you. Rather than our guide picking us up at our resort (GF) in the afternoon, here is our plan. We have morning FastPasses for a few MK rides; pickings were slim as we just booked this LAST WEEK, so all we have is IASW, Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Our daughter is dying to ride the monorail at least once (it's been years!), so our thought is to ride from MK to Epcot and meet our guide outside Soarin'. It sounds good to me but I just thought I'd check to make sure I'm not missing something. THANKS!
 
You are starting in the afternoon and plan to end at 9pm but want to fit in all 4 parks? That does not sound reasonable at all. The parks are not that close and you will lose time getting to and from especially AK.The guides assist you with your experience but there is still going to be some waiting in the fast pass queue and a lot of walking inside the parks. The guides pick you up and have access to special parking and often use special entrances to avoid longer waits. You would really need an entire day from opening through extra magic hours and even then you will never see it all in one day. If you are trying to get into the most popular attraction or fully booked restaurants let them know as early as possible so they can work their magic.
 


We have a tour scheduled for this coming Sunday. It'll be our one and only park day, so we're going to try to fit in all four parks? We're starting in the afternoon and intending to end at 9:00 p.m. to get a good spot for Happily Ever After. Here's my biggest question: do we need to reserve seating for HEA in advance? I called and asked and was told to simply tell our tour guide, but I've received laughably incorrect info over the phone from Disney before, as recently as last week, so I thought I'd double-check this.

Also, please let me run an idea by you. Rather than our guide picking us up at our resort (GF) in the afternoon, here is our plan. We have morning FastPasses for a few MK rides; pickings were slim as we just booked this LAST WEEK, so all we have is IASW, Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Our daughter is dying to ride the monorail at least once (it's been years!), so our thought is to ride from MK to Epcot and meet our guide outside Soarin'. It sounds good to me but I just thought I'd check to make sure I'm not missing something. THANKS!

Since you are starting your tour in the afternoon, meeting your guide in Epcot is a good idea. Just call Special Services to let them know what you want to do. I think you will be able to hit all four parks, but you will have to be selective with what you want to experience in each park.
 
Are there ever any discounts for the VIP "plaid" tour? I've done a few of the group tours and was able to get either a DVC or AP discount...but wasn't sure if these ever had a discount.

We're doing a trip next January and figured a VIP tour would be a great way to visit Star Wars for the first time.
 
Christmas week 2018 we did all four parks in seven hours on a VIP tour. So yes, you can do all four parks - I kind of thought that was one of the main points. Plus they can drive you around to different entrances, on service roads, etc. to speed up the travel time. You won't ride every ride in all four parks (obviously), but you can get the headliners in. We started at 11:00 and ended at 6:00 ... you can start and end wherever is most convenient for you. For us we started and ended at our resort.

This is what we rode on Friday, December 28th
Slinky Dog Dash x2
Alien Swirling Saucers
Toy Story Mania
Star Tours
Navi River Journey
FOP
Buzz Lightyear
Space Mountain
Mad Tea Party
7DMT
Haunted Mansion
Splash Mountain
BTMR
Pirates of the Carivvean
Test Track x2
Frozen Ever After

We had a short lunch break and probably could have ridden a couple of rides then if we hadn't stopped. The ages and preferences of our kids dictated some of what we did - which is why you see no Tower of Terror or RnR, but you see the Mad Tea Party.
 


Are there ever any discounts for the VIP "plaid" tour? I've done a few of the group tours and was able to get either a DVC or AP discount...but wasn't sure if these ever had a discount.

We're doing a trip next January and figured a VIP tour would be a great way to visit Star Wars for the first time.

We had a VIP tour in 2016 and received a 20% DVC discount. Unfortunately, they no longer offer any type of discount for the private VIP tour.
 
Here's what I hope to do (in alphabetical order, not in order of first to last):

Animal Kingdom:
Avatar - Flight of Passage
Expedition Everest
Na'vi River Journey
[Dinosaur if we think there's time]

Disney's Hollywood Studios:
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Tours
Toy Story Mania

Epcot:
Soarin'
Test Track
[Mission:Space if we think there's time]

Magic Kingdom:
Meet Mickey & Minnie at Town Square Theater
7DMT
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
End at 9 p.m. at reserved seating for 9:15 p.m. Happily Ever After

This is my family's wish list.

We will start our day in the morning, going to MK with FastPasses for IASW, Haunted Mansion and PoC. To satisfy my daughter's requirement for a monorail ride, we plan to ride from MK to Epcot (via the TTC, of course), walk into Epcot and meet our guide at Soarin' (but when I call tomorrow I'll ask if they recommend we meet them after we disembark the monorail). We plan for our adventure to begin at 2 p.m.
 
For driving between parks, I think normal and even busy days are fine. However, I would avoid too much driving on days with extreme traffic, ie xmas day, NYE. Driving can waste a ton of time. However, I think the VIP guides can drive up to backstage areas, which save time entering near your attractions.
 
For driving between parks, I think normal and even busy days are fine. However, I would avoid too much driving on days with extreme traffic, ie xmas day, NYE. Driving can waste a ton of time. However, I think the VIP guides can drive up to backstage areas, which save time entering near your attractions.
Thank you. This will be happening this Sunday.
 
Tim Tracker has a video of their day with a "Plaid". I believe it was from Christmas Day, so one of the busiest days of the year. As I recall, they visited three parks and did the headliners with no problem during the day. In addition to being driven around, they used alternate entrances so they missed a lot of the crowds that would have otherwise slowed them down. Its worth watching. I agree with PPs that I would squeeze in as much as possible to get the most out of it. Its worth being tired for at the end of the day!
 
Ok..plaids are amazing. I would suggest having them meet you at a park to avoid spending money for them to drive you in. Also tell the planners well in advance if you want to see a parade, fireworks, or fantasmic.

My dad wanted to take 10 of us to WDW for his 80th. My SIL, my brother’s wife, is a Disney HATER.not indifferent, not mildly grumpy, hate...my brother made her go. She tried to ruin the planning of the trip by changing their kids availability, reducing the days of the trip, faking/ over exaggerating kids illnesses, etc. she even made up stories about kids getting sick on rides. (The kids were looking at her with a “what you talkin’ bout Willis?” Look...) she would make a good Disney villian...no, wait, Disney villains have more redeeming qualities...but she did raise 5 well behaved, brilliant kids who like Disney...

So since we only had 3 days, we did 2 tourguide days, and we saw everything, my dad got to ride all his favorites, the kids got to enjoy Disney without drama...and I did not get into a huge fight with my SIL.

Anyway...I explained to the planning office the guide needs to just ignore the drama queen, and they gave us “name” who listened to her speeches, engaged with her, and kept the day moving and positive. Anything she threw at him, he was prepared! Wheelchair, check, water,check, place to wait during a thunderstorm, check...non Disney stories to keep her from flipping out...check...Wow. I know, without him, the trip would have not been what my dad wanted...his family together. I can only stand so much of her manipulative behaviors. She tried to stop the fun, but He was brilliant, and I believe she tipped him, at the end of the day...wow.

I wish she could have done something she wanted to do, like go to the spa or stay at the pool...I never made her come along....but the amazing plaid, was perfect for our group.

Worth every penny.
 
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Here's what I hope to do (in alphabetical order, not in order of first to last):

Animal Kingdom:
Avatar - Flight of Passage
Expedition Everest
Na'vi River Journey
[Dinosaur if we think there's time]

Disney's Hollywood Studios:
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Tours
Toy Story Mania

Epcot:
Soarin'
Test Track
[Mission:Space if we think there's time]

Magic Kingdom:
Meet Mickey & Minnie at Town Square Theater
7DMT
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
End at 9 p.m. at reserved seating for 9:15 p.m. Happily Ever After

This is my family's wish list.

We will start our day in the morning, going to MK with FastPasses for IASW, Haunted Mansion and PoC. To satisfy my daughter's requirement for a monorail ride, we plan to ride from MK to Epcot (via the TTC, of course), walk into Epcot and meet our guide at Soarin' (but when I call tomorrow I'll ask if they recommend we meet them after we disembark the monorail). We plan for our adventure to begin at 2 p.m.

I would highly recommend trying to get to MK at RD and trying to get as much on your MK wish list done before you get on the monorail to meet your guide at Soarin'. If you can hit the three mountains (I would go to 7DMT at RD) and your 3 FP+, you will be golden as all you will need to do in MK with the guide is meet Mickey/Minnie and see HEA. The only reason I suggest that is some of the FP+ lines you are going to be in in the other parks can be quite long - Soarin', FOP and RnRC, in particular. It has taken us up to 45 minutes just to get through FOP with FP+ and up to 30 minutes just to get on Soarin' with FP+. If you can get as much as you can done in MK in the am, it will give you some breathing room to do as much as you can in the other 3 parks.
 
I would highly recommend trying to get to MK at RD and trying to get as much on your MK wish list done before you get on the monorail to meet your guide at Soarin'. If you can hit the three mountains (I would go to 7DMT at RD) and your 3 FP+, you will be golden as all you will need to do in MK with the guide is meet Mickey/Minnie and see HEA. The only reason I suggest that is some of the FP+ lines you are going to be in in the other parks can be quite long - Soarin', FOP and RnRC, in particular. It has taken us up to 45 minutes just to get through FOP with FP+ and up to 30 minutes just to get on Soarin' with FP+. If you can get as much as you can done in MK in the am, it will give you some breathing room to do as much as you can in the other 3 parks.

I was concerned with a long FP+ line at FOP when during our VIP tour because we started in Epcot, AK had EMH and it was Spring Break. We were able to bypass the line. Our guide led us through a door to a hallway that brought us to the front of the FP+ line.
 
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I was concerned with a long FP+ line at FOP when during our VIP tour because we started in Epcot, AK had EMH and it was Spring Break. We were able to bypass the line. Our guide took led us through a door to a hallway that brought us to the front of the FP+ line.
Agree. I have taken no private VIP tours, but I have taken some group tours. There are several rides that do not require entering via the standard FP+ line. Haunted Mansion, Soarin’ and Tower of a Terror are others I can remember quickly.
 
Agree. I have taken no private VIP tours, but I have taken some group tours. There are several rides that do not require entering via the standard FP+ line. Haunted Mansion, Soarin’ and Tower of a Terror are others I can remember quickly.
FWIW, the only ride I have had Plaids comment regarding total experience time was Safari. Apparently the rhinos would not leave the roadway. Just the Safari was 45ish minutes plus the wait in line. Plaids and their tours do occasionally get stuck on or evacuated from a ride, as do we all.
 
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Here's what I hope to do (in alphabetical order, not in order of first to last):

Animal Kingdom:
Avatar - Flight of Passage
Expedition Everest
Na'vi River Journey
[Dinosaur if we think there's time]

Disney's Hollywood Studios:
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Tours
Toy Story Mania

Epcot:
Soarin'
Test Track
[Mission:Space if we think there's time]

Magic Kingdom:
Meet Mickey & Minnie at Town Square Theater
7DMT
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
End at 9 p.m. at reserved seating for 9:15 p.m. Happily Ever After

This is my family's wish list.

We will start our day in the morning, going to MK with FastPasses for IASW, Haunted Mansion and PoC. To satisfy my daughter's requirement for a monorail ride, we plan to ride from MK to Epcot (via the TTC, of course), walk into Epcot and meet our guide at Soarin' (but when I call tomorrow I'll ask if they recommend we meet them after we disembark the monorail). We plan for our adventure to begin at 2 p.m.

I have an idea for you.

You may start the tour a few hours earlier and for HEA just do the desert party. This way you can free up an hour. You still pay extra but it would be a perfect finish for the day.
 
That’s what my daughter does at dis but I’d never ever be able to afford to book her!
If you have a party of 10 and dividing it out, I think it is suprisingly affordable for what you get. If it were a party of two people, then it is very expensive, but I can only imagine what a party of two could get to do on this tour.
 
Curious for those who have done this,...... when you get to a ride, do you just walk into the FP line or is it more front of the line situation. For instance. Most rides have a line, then a holding room or two and then the actually ride. With these tours, where do you start?
It depends on the ride. Some of them (Space Ranger Spin, Haunted Mansion, Flight of Passage) have a special line that bypasses most of the Fastpass line. Most lines you just go on the Fastpass line.
 

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