Rolling Out the Red Carpet: Disney VIP Tours

Disney VIP Tours let you take a step away from planning every second, so you can enjoy the rides and attractions you dreamed of when booking your Disney vacation.

We’ve been there… standing in line, trying to cross off our family’s “must-ride” list when a carefree group is escorted through the queue by a well-dressed Cast Member. They don’t question where they are going, and are certainly not glued to their smartphones, trying to plan their next Lightning Lane at the other end of the park.

Once the longing wears off, you realize that these and many other guests have opted for the customized Disney VIP tour to get the most out of their Walt Disney World vacation. While it’s certainly a splurge, the tour continues to grow in popularity for guests who want to guarantee they see and do as much as possible, with some extra pixie dust thrown in.

We sat down with MVT Agents Cori, Sharon and Becky to discuss their own VIP tour experiences, and to learn their tips and tricks to extend the value of your day.

A Disney VIP tour is a personalized, guided tour around the parks, led by a specially-trained Cast Member. Guides accompany their guests around the parks at a comfortable pace, escorting them to the rides they want to ride, bringing them between parks, and providing Cast Member insight along the way.

It serves as many as ten guests for seven to ten consecutive hours, depending on how much time you want to spend in the parks, and how many attractions you want to see.

After you’ve booked your tour, you’re able to start mapping out which parks and rides you want on your itinerary. A wish list helps your guide plan the most efficient day, completely custom to how you want to experience Walt Disney World.

Come tour day, you’ll start by meeting your guide at either a park entrance, or at your resort. No matter which you choose, know that any transportation you’ll need throughout the tour is taken care of. Guests are moved around property in air-conditioned, private transportation, and are typically brought into the parks via a backstage entrance to save from the time and hassle from going through the main gates.

Our agents recommend meeting your tour guide at the parks whenever possible.

“It’s more cost effective to meet your guide in the park, because that 7-10 hours can go by very quickly,” said Sharon, “but if you’re moving along pretty well, you can expect to do probably 13 or 14 rides.”

Your guide will do whatever they can to make your dream tour a reality. The “ultimate park day” looks different for every tour group, so you could spend a leisurely day in one spot, or kick it into high gear and knock rides off of your list from all lands and parks.

“This tour is really whatever you want it to be,” said Cori. “You could do one park, you could do two – you could even do the four-park challenge, it’s completely at your discretion.”

Of course, a tour lasting 7+ hours is likely to leave you at least a little snacky.

Our agents highly recommend sticking to quick service restaurants and snack carts for tour day, but if you have your heart set on a particular table service meal, your guide will do what they can to book a table for your group.

“Your guide will book a reservation for you if they can,” said Cori, “but you’re on the clock.”

For us, one of the most special parts of a Disney VIP tour is the Cast member input you’ll get as you move around the parks – which is a big reason agent Becky made sure to stick to the front of the tour her first time around.

“Guides have little nuggets that they toss out when you’re walking to rides,” she said. “Ours was giving out fun facts that I would have missed out on if I wasn’t close to the front, and that’s really my kind of thing.”

Each guide has their own special way of hosting their tour groups, from conversation, to providing snacks, and foreseeing ways to provide a little extra magic along the way. When the tour concludes, your guide will typically circle up the group for a concluding “thank you,” and you’ll be provided with a special VIP tour pin to commemorate your day in the parks.

VIP tours vary in price, depending on season and demand. They range from $600-$900 per hour, with a minimum commitment of seven hours. Keep in mind the duration of your tour includes stops for shopping, dining and transportation – hence the private cars or vans that get you from place to place as quickly as possible.

It’s also important to remember that the cost of a VIP tour does not include your required theme park ticket (park hoppers are recommended), nor does it factor in gratuity for your specially-trained guide.

Disney VIP tours don’t actually come with a “catch,” but there are a few important things to remember if you’re considering booking for you and your group.

When selecting a tour duration, remember that the 7-10 hours are consecutive. This may make the difference between adding in a table service meal, reworking your tour time around children’s nap schedules, or starting sooner to account for park hours.

Additionally, while it may seem like you’re being escorted right to the front of the line, VIP tours allow guests access to enter attractions via the Lightning Lane. For particularly new or popular rides, like Rise of the Resistance, this may still mean waiting on line for a good chunk of your tour time.

Our agents recommend rope-dropping rides with historically-long wait times, or trying to get a Lightning Lane on another day of your trip.

“If you want to maximize the VIP tour, it’s probably better to save some (rides) for another day,” said Sharon.

Last, if you’re considering a VIP tour and have young children, it may not be the best use of vacation funds. As wonderful as the guides are, they’re not obligated to stay with young children who are too small for rides, and nap or feeding breaks count against your 7-10 hours.

Our agents were all on the same page about which guests would benefit the most from a Disney VIP Tour.

A Disney VIP Tour is a great way to elevate any vacation, because it’s custom to what you want. Whether you’re crunched for time and want to do as much as possible in one day, or have a full week in Orlando and want to spend your second (or third, or fourth) Magic Kingdom day feeling like a celebrity, there’s something for everyone.

For Cori, Sharon and Becky, a VIP tour is an even sweeter treat for busy moms and dads who need a break from being the planner.

“As a single mom, I’m constantly thinking about making decisions, all the time. What’s for dinner? What am I doing for traveling?” said Cori. “To not have to think, be on your phone, or decide where to go next… that is so nice.”

If you’re playing with the idea of a Disney VIP tour for your next trip, tell your agent as soon as possible. Tours can be booked 60 days out from your arrival date, and they do sell out.

Luckily, VIP tours can also be canceled up to 48 hours before your meeting time, so you’re not on the hook if circumstances or plans change.

Finally – and this may be our favorite tip for VIP tour guests – you can plan your itinerary to end with reserved VIP viewing of shows and nighttime spectaculars.

All you have to do is find out when events are scheduled, and backtrack about 7-10 hours, depending on the length of your tour. If you give yourself enough pad time, your guide will check you in to the reserved VIP viewing area, letting you experience Disney fireworks from the best seat in the house.

If you’re into seasonal and special events, consider pairing a VIP tour with Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. You’ll get the same star treatment, but even shorter lines with fewer in-park guests, and priority viewing of party-specific parades, shows and fireworks.

Of course, reserved areas are first come, first serve, so be sure to tell your guide as soon as possible if you want to make fireworks a top priority.

At the end of the day, a Disney VIP tour is a special way to bring your Walt Disney World vacation to the next level. It’s certainly a splurge, but those who have taken the plunge say it’s well-worth it to be able to go with the flow and not have to think about planning every next move.