New VIP Tours

[gericoronado]

I am not rich but I seriously do not consider $299 to be a stratospheric price. People pay that much for concert tickets and stage shows. Considering what's offered for the tour, I believe it has value.

 

[KimBean]

Ah, but if I buy my tickets from UT I can get 5 day park hopper tickets for the cost of 4 day...so we could plan it on our free day...at least I could sell it to DH that way We did a VIP tour(not the WDW one ) through a guy who worked at WDW for years. He got us in the park before RD, knew pretty much all the workers and even has some special furry friends there...but the best part was all of the fun facts he shared about the park.

Nice thinking!!!

 

[chloelovesdisney]

It would be nice if they just let you pick out which parks and rides you want to do.

 

[HWY20RIDE4MYSON]

Seems like a VIP viewing of Wishes would have been a great addition

 

[Disney_Princess83]

I am not rich but I seriously do not consider $299 to be a stratospheric price. People pay that much for concert tickets and stage shows. Considering what's offered for the tour, I believe it has value.

For us personally we have AP's regardless so we wouldn't need to purchase tickets specifically for this tour. We would also get the % off being AP Holders (10% or 15% I think?) If we only had one day before or after a cruise, we would consider doing this tour just to hit the highlights and then hop to EPCOT for Soarin, TT, Spaceship Earth and Illuminations

 

[ArwenMarie]

I saw a family getting picked up for the regular VIP tour at Portofino at UOR back in February, which I thought was interesting.

They seemed to be Brazilian as far as I could tell. They were staying at Portofino, I guess they were seeing Universal and probably shopping, but I assume they wanted an efficient tour of WDW.

So if you are trying to optimize the use of your time on what is already an expensive trip, it's not a bad use of funds.

 

[over50visits]

And now we begin charging for additional FP+. Let's see...10 rides $300+tax! that's about $30 per ride per person (after taking out lunch). And people will thank Disney for letting them do this.

I hope when they expand selling additional FPs individually they are less than $30 per pass. On the other hand, they might be more, then Disney can tell us how we are saving money by buying the package! Brilliant, just like the DDP.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I don't get the hubbub its just a cheaper option than hiring a plaid which people do all year long. Why all the hate for those whose want to spend the money they make their way? I'm what I'd consider 'cheap' about some things except on vacation. Even then I'd probably never do this but I won't begrudge someone who would.

 

[ArwenMarie]

And now we begin charging for additional FP+. Let's see...10 rides $300+tax! that's about $30 per ride per person (after taking out lunch). And people will thank Disney for letting them do this.

I hope when they expand selling additional FPs individually they are less than $30 per pass. On the other hand, they might be more, then Disney can tell us how we are saving money by buying the package! Brilliant, just like the DDP.

I don't think they will ever sell extra FPs one by one now. I did think so until they added the rolling 4th FP. I don't think they have the capacity to try to make it worth selling them one-by-one.

But I agree, this basically is selling FPs (actually even better FOTL), but so was the original VIP Tour.

 

[Disneyholic]

Seems like a VIP viewing of Wishes would have been a great addition

Actually you can get a FP+ for viewing WISHES. The viewing area is in the Rose Garden to the right of the castle. You can also get a FP for the parades and the viewing area is across the street from the front of the Castle. For both you only need to be there about a half hour early and you are NOT packed into the space like sardines. Some people tried to go under the rope to join us last year and the CMs asked for their FP and when they said they didn't have it they were told that it was a reserved area and they would have to leave.

I know most of you younger ones on here would rather ride the rides till the last minute and wouldn't want to waste a FP on fireworks or parades, but it is nice for us older ones who can't handle the BIG rides anymore and not having to wait and then be told by people & their kids who went on rides that we should move because "Disney is for kids!"

I don't think I could justify paying $299 for this because most of the rides for the adult one I wouldn't go on anyway. If they let adults go on the family one, it might be a consideration. I have PAPs, so wouldn't need to get tickets.

 

[quandrea]

I love the idea of this as a birthday gift for a disney fan. It's like a perfect disney day. With the discount and an ap, I don't see it as being off the charts. The time involved in transportation has real value as do the insights of the guide. I like it.

 

[River Country]

I actually feel bad for people that have to do this....i have the money to spend on this tour I just wont do it. Its a shame that celebrities or the 1%ers cant enjoy WDW like the rest of us. FP+ MB's MDE ADR's 180+10 or 60 days for FP+, Rope Drops, waiting online at Aloha Isle 6 hours for A&E

 

[JanaDee]

Wow! Nearly $2k for a family of 4 for one day seems like a lot!

"Seems" like a lot? It IS a lot!!!

 

[ZehnJahren]

I ended up booking this today, and one of the informational snippets the guy on the phone gave me for the tour was to "just go and park at the Contemporary and walk over" so we'd be sure to be at the tour on time! I laughed to myself but won't attempt to take that advice; I would be very angry if I only budgeted enough time to walk to MK and they made me turn around and park in the TTC parking lot and I missed the tour starting.

 

[2102raven]

I actually feel bad for people that have to do this....

It's not a matter of 'having to do it' - it's either can/want or not. Those who can and/or want to participate should go for it

 

[JimmyV]

With the introduction of Magic Bands and FP+, I wonder if an "underground" industry might pop up where someone with enough registered MBs could book enough FPs for a party of two, or three, or four and drive those people from park to park, thus providing the same "front of the line" experience for a reduced cost. Whereas the GAC was being abused by "private tour guides", local residents with APs and multiple bands might be able to make this work "legally". Since the guest has to have their own admission to the parks, that's 3 FP+ right there. Then, if one were a local resident with their own AP, that would be three more FP+s. All one would need to do is to load up the AP of a spouse or siblng with 3 more FP+s, and let a paying customer use all 9 FPs during the day.

 

[wilkeliza]

With the introduction of Magic Bands and FP+, I wonder if an "underground" industry might pop up where someone with enough registered MBs could book enough FPs for a party of two, or three, or four and drive those people from park to park, thus providing the same "front of the line" experience for a reduced cost. Whereas the GAC was being abused by "private tour guides", local residents with APs and multiple bands might be able to make this work "legally".

Only thing is the APs are still linked to finger prints. Unless it is a kid having issues they ask for ID to match to the name coming up on file before they will reset your finger scan

 

[JimmyV]

Only thing is the APs are still linked to finger prints. Unless it is a kid having issues they ask for ID to match to the name coming up on file before they will reset your finger scan

No scan necessary. The guests get in with their own admission card and their own fingerprint. The MBs apparently don't need to be scanned each day in order for FP+ to work. At least, that is what is being reported by people who enter the park with a pocket full of them.

 

[Dan Murphy]

As this these are 7 hour tours, I wonder if there is any or much 'touring' (similar to Keys, Backstage Magic, Undiscovered Future World, etc), or if it is limited to just rushing to the rides, riding them and on to the next one.

 

[ArwenMarie]

With the introduction of Magic Bands and FP+, I wonder if an "underground" industry might pop up where someone with enough registered MBs could book enough FPs for a party of two, or three, or four and drive those people from park to park, thus providing the same "front of the line" experience for a reduced cost. Whereas the GAC was being abused by "private tour guides", local residents with APs and multiple bands might be able to make this work "legally". Since the guest has to have their own admission to the parks, that's 3 FP+ right there. Then, if one were a local resident with their own AP, that would be three more FP+s. All one would need to do is to load up the AP of a spouse or siblng with 3 more FP+s, and let a paying customer use all 9 FPs during the day.

Yep. I could see this becoming a business.

Some people are also buying an extra set of tickets, not using the tickets for admission, but booking and using FPs with them. So you put out the money, but you can use the tickets later. You could do this over and over hypothetically.

And there is that other loophole where you can book at a kiosk using your room bands and use your bands/ticket for another set of FP, something like that, I forget the exact details, it was that huge thread.

Lots of loopholes. Makes me wonder when they are going to close this loophole, if they haven't already.