How are outside VIP tour companys allowed to operate?

[Happyinwonerland]

I was researching the official Disney VIP yours when I came across reviews of some much, much cheaper disneyworld VIP tour companies, and I am confused. How do they get away with selling the tours and basically operating a business on Disney's property? And how are they able to get their tour guests onto all of the rides with no wait, since they aren't official Plaids? I would think Disney would have banned them a long time ago, given how protective they are of their profits. Anyone have any insider info?

 

[cvjw]

We used one a few years back. This particular tour company had an agreement with Disney and could enter thru the fastpass lines, just as the official Disney vip tours do.

They said that Disney had agreements with a small number of outside tour companies and allowed them to operate at Disney parks.

It does seem counterproductive to Disney. Why pay Disney’s vip tour prices if you can use a much cheaper service that has the same access to the parks.

 

[sam_gordon]

I would guess the 3rd party tours pay Disney for the privilege of the FP access. Therefore Disney still makes money off of them. Granted, not as much as they would when people pay Disney directly, but more than someone not paying for the special access.

 

[bethwc101]

I was researching the official Disney VIP yours when I came across reviews of some much, much cheaper disneyworld VIP tour companies, and I am confused. How do they get away with selling the tours and basically operating a business on Disney's property? And how are they able to get their tour guests onto all of the rides with no wait, since they aren't official Plaids? I would think Disney would have banned them a long time ago, given how protective they are of their profits. Anyone have any insider info?

I would guess the 3rd party tours pay Disney for the privilege of the FP access. Therefore Disney still makes money off of them. Granted, not as much as they would when people pay Disney directly, but more than someone not paying for the special access.

I agree, but then by the outside company doing it, whatever disney gets paid is just profit.
If they have their own company do the tour, they also have to pay for their employee to be there. So I'm guessing the fee disney charges is very close to what disney gets paid for the disney run tour-plaid cost.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

So the companies have an a agreement with Disney for use of the FP lines?

 

[bcla]

I would guess the 3rd party tours pay Disney for the privilege of the FP access. Therefore Disney still makes money off of them. Granted, not as much as they would when people pay Disney directly, but more than someone not paying for the special access.

Aren't they also required to pay for tickets for any tour guides? That could be part of a group rate though. I've heard that Disney doesn't allow the use of season passports for any commercial use.

 

[sam_gordon]

Aren't they also required to pay for tickets for any tour guides? That could be part of a group rate though. I've heard that Disney doesn't allow the use of season passports for any commercial use.

I don't know. I took a guess. I even said it. Feel free to google.

 

[bcla]

I don't know. I took a guess. I even said it. Feel free to google.

This came up with the "disabled guides" discussion a few years ago.

 

[Hikergirl]

I don't really know anything about VIP tours, but do the outside companies do everything the Disney one does?

 

[sam_gordon]

This came up with the "disabled guides" discussion a few years ago.

OK.

 

[rwdavis2]

I don't really know anything about VIP tours, but do the outside companies do everything the Disney one does?

Highly doubtful.

 

[Feralpeg]

Be careful. There have been stories on the local news about companies that try to do this. Some are legit and have deals with Disney. Some are not. Some have tried to use their own disability passes to get people on rides without waiting. They cracked down on that a few years ago, but you still need to be careful.

 

[Hikergirl]

Highly doubtful.

That is what I assumed but wasn't sure if these tours offered guests something more than just fast pass access.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Be careful. There have been stories on the local news about companies that try to do this. Some are legit and have deals with Disney. Some are not. Some have tried to use their own disability passes to get people on rides without waiting. They cracked down on that a few years ago, but you still need to be careful.

Oh wow, I would hate to think they are abusing a disability pass for profit . That hadn't even occurred to me.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I don't really know anything about VIP tours, but do the outside companies do everything the Disney one does?

No. There is no backstage van to whisk you away between parks, and I'm sure there aren't as many no-wait rides. They claim to be able to get you on all the rides at MK with no wait, and will get your food for you while you're on a ride and have it waiting. The cost is under $1000 for the 6 hour day, vs disney's roughly $3k charge. I just don't understand how they can do it.

 

[robinb]

Oh wow, I would hate to think they are abusing a disability pass for profit . That hadn't even occurred to me.

You were not around for that? It was a poop storm of epic magnitude. People were acting as tour guides and using their GACs (Guest Assistance Card) to FP/back door their clients into rides. It is the primary reason why disabled guests and their families can no longer use a GAC for FP/back door access to rides and attractions. It was replaced by the DAS (Disability Access Service card) which is essentially (as I understand it) a wait time placeholder and you come back when the current posted wait time has elapsed.

 

[Hikergirl]

No. There is no backstage van to whisk you away between parks, and I'm sure there aren't as many no-wait rides. They claim to be able to get you on all the rides at MK with no wait, and will get your food for you while you're on a ride and have it waiting. The cost is under $1000 for the 6 hour day, vs disney's roughly $3k charge. I just don't understand how they can do it.

Seems fishy if you ask me.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Seems fishy if you ask me.

I agree, but then I have read a ton of really positive reviews on the tours.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

You were not around for that? It was a poop storm of epic magnitude. People were acting as tour guides and using their GACs (Guest Assistance Card) to FP/back door their clients into rides. It is the primary reason why disabled guests and their families can no longer use a GAC for FP/back door access to rides and attractions. It was replaced by the DAS (Disability Access Service card) which is essentially (as I understand it) a wait time placeholder and you come back when the current posted wait time has elapsed.

I guess I didn't realize they were operating as "tours". My understanding of all that was that families were basically finding people that qualified for the GAC and paying for their vacation to come with them and use their pass. I didn't think they were marketing themselves as tour guides.

 

[bcla]

Be careful. There have been stories on the local news about companies that try to do this. Some are legit and have deals with Disney. Some are not. Some have tried to use their own disability passes to get people on rides without waiting. They cracked down on that a few years ago, but you still need to be careful.

Haven't used the new system, but I heard it was turned into a virtual wait in line. Visitors can't just take advantage of their "guide" for immediate access to several rides in quick succession. So if there was an estimated 2 hour wait in line, the guest would get a pass that allowed a return at that time, but only one could be issued at a time sort of like FP.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/disney-parks-disability-access-service-card-fact-sheet/