Non Private VIP review

[NJlauren]

I don’t see many reviews of the Non-Private VIP so I thought I would give our review!

We did the Non-Private VIP yesterday. Over all this was an amazing experience! The cost was I think $240 a person, this included breakfast, lunch, and express pass after the tour is over. They guarantee you’ll do 10 rides, we did 12 and would have been 13 if MIB didn’t go down. Our guide said we saved 11.5 hours as opposed to stand by waits.

We did a 10am tour and it worked well for us, but to maximize the value the earliest tour available is best as you then get the most use of express pass after the tour.

Some concerns we had were people not wanting to do big rides, and we got lucky everyone on our tour wanted to do all the major rides! There were some other groups we saw who had the majority of people sitting out during some of the big rides. I would say we lucked out but this could be a negative on a tour.

Most of the entrances we took on rides were via exits or back entrances. It was a great experience for us, and I may have had to promise another one soon!

Happy to answer any questions!

 

[jormom1030]

We did it back in February and we thought it was amazing. I would definitely do it again. We loved the food.

 

[isabellea]

If not staying at a Premium hotel, it sounds like a good deal!

 

[MousetersInc]

...to maximize the value the earliest tour available is best as you then get the most use of express pass after the tour.

Some concerns we had were people not wanting to do big rides, and we got lucky everyone on our tour wanted to do all the major rides! There were some other groups we saw who had the majority of people sitting out during some of the big rides. I would say we lucked out but this could be a negative on a tour. ...

Oo, a couple of things that were not obvious to me as someone who hasn't done them:

1. Oh, I guess this is spelled out on Universal's website, but I hadn't noticed it: you also get express pass for the rest of the day once the tour finishes! How long did the tour take overall?
2. Wait, the itinerary isn't set? The group kind of decides as a group what they want to do? Or are you saying you hit the same rides regardless, and some folks chose to sit out—how would that be a negative; mightn't it make the group move faster?

 

[NJlauren]

Oo, a couple of things that were not obvious to me as someone who hasn't done them:

1. Oh, I guess this is spelled out on Universal's website, but I hadn't noticed it: you also get express pass for the rest of the day once the tour finishes! How long did the tour take overall?
2. Wait, the itinerary isn't set? The group kind of decides as a group what they want to do? Or are you saying you hit the same rides regardless, and some folks chose to sit out—how would that be a negative; mightn't it make the group move faster?

1 - correct your VIP pass is express pass for the rest of the day. Out tour was 10-5ish we didn’t start till 1030, as people were wrapping up breakfast etc. we also got VIP area for the parade which was nice and started at 5:30. Also had lunch in there. Next time I would do the 9am tour I think. I had my reasons for the later tour and am happy I did the later one, but next time I think I would do 9, or first available.
2 - I only see it as a negative if you want to do all big rides and the rest of the group doesn’t you could end up skipping say the hulk, or forbidden journey or something. Another possible issue is after the ride you need to find the people who sat out if they wondered. Again this was not an issue for us at all.

Our guide told us the only rides they are required to visit are Hagrids and Velasicoster as they don’t take express pass. However other then that the group mostly lets the guide know what they want, it seemed our guide had a general idea of what she was going to do, but it was based on what we all said we wanted to do.

There was another family who didn’t wanted to do big rides (in another group) they ended up sitting out a lot, which I think is a waste of money, but to each there own. I wouldn’t take my 4 year old on this tour.

 

[spewey]

I've looked at the UO website for this answer, but am still a little confused. I know you can book and customize a private tour, but that's very pricey. But is there a limit to the size of your group in a non-private one?

I assume there may be, as if the non-private is capped at say, 12 people, and your group has 10, that could be unfair to the other two. I ask we are are soon to visit with another family, seven of us in total. Wonder if that would be allowed.

it is good to note that Hagrid's and VC are on the list - when I called to ask about the itineraries last year I was told they were not, for reasons I cannot recall.

Last question - if we do book, it would be mostly as crowds will be insane when we're there (over the Holidays). But we're at RP, so our Express will work fine for pretty much all but the really popular attractions. I assume, though, that in the tour, even if everyone agrees, you can only hit each ride once? In other words, you can't just concentrate on a few biggies, like VC, Hagrid's, Gringotts, and so on? That would be the benefit for us - not actually interested in shows or parades and stuff like that ...

 

[NJlauren]

I've looked at the UO website for this answer, but am still a little confused. I know you can book and customize a private tour, but that's very pricey. But is there a limit to the size of your group in a non-private one?

I assume there may be, as if the non-private is capped at say, 12 people, and your group has 10, that could be unfair to the other two. I ask we are are soon to visit with another family, seven of us in total. Wonder if that would be allowed.

it is good to note that Hagrid's and VC are on the list - when I called to ask about the itineraries last year I was told they were not, for reasons I cannot recall.

Last question - if we do book, it would be mostly as crowds will be insane when we're there (over the Holidays). But we're at RP, so our Express will work fine for pretty much all but the really popular attractions. I assume, though, that in the tour, even if everyone agrees, you can only hit each ride once? In other words, you can't just concentrate on a few biggies, like VC, Hagrid's, Gringotts, and so on? That would be the benefit for us - not actually interested in shows or parades and stuff like that ...

My understanding is 7 is the max in 1 group for non private, 8 or more and you need to do private. We had 11 total, groups of 4,3,2,2 could have easily been 12, our table was always set for 12.

We all asked to do hagrids a 2nd time and she said it’s only allowed once. However, one of the people in our group said her sister did the private tour and they were allowed to do it more then once. Now that is 2nd or 3rd hand info so take that with a grain of salt. We did 11 rides 1 show and the parade was after the tour officially ended and only because we wanted to.

 

[jo-jo]

Is this something new or newish? My DD took the older grandkids about a year ago and this would have been great for them. They went just for one day while staying at Disney.

 

[spewey]

My understanding is 7 is the max in 1 group for non private, 8 or more and you need to do private. We had 11 total, groups of 4,3,2,2 could have easily been 12, our table was always set for 12.

We all asked to do hagrids a 2nd time and she said it’s only allowed once. However, one of the people in our group said her sister did the private tour and they were allowed to do it more then once. Now that is 2nd or 3rd hand info so take that with a grain of salt. We did 11 rides 1 show and the parade was after the tour officially ended and only because we wanted to.

Thanks! That makes sense - seems like 12 is the max for a non-private, so capping a group at seven is fair.

So it's like I assumed - one ride per attraction. But what you heard is true - in the private VIP tour, you can hit the same ride over and over again - at least that's what it says on their site. However, again, those are extremely expensive - can't remember the exact price I was quoted last year, but it was over $3K (for up to six people).

 

[spewey]

Is this something new or newish? My DD took the older grandkids about a year ago and this would have been great for them. They went just for one day while staying at Disney.

Not new, or even new-ish. Their VIP (or "RIP" for Halloween) tours have been around in one form or another for quite some time.

 

[jo-jo]

Not new, or even new-ish. Their VIP (or "RIP" for Halloween) tours have been around in one form or another for quite some time.

Thanks. Will have to mention it to her for another time.