Non-private VIP Tour

[mom25kiddos]

When I was booking our tour, I couldn't read enough about the experiences of others, so thought I would share mine. We had our tour at the end of August, it was quiet at the parks, so we could have likely done a lot without a tour guide, but let me tell you, the very best part of it was making zero decisions all day, and having my kids not ask me one single time where we were going next! We did the 7-hour, 2 park tour. Our tour guide made all decisions and our job was to follow him and have a good time. We were paired with another family that we met at breakfast and we all became fast friends. I was kind of nervously looking around the breakfast room, not seeing a lot of kids, so when this family came through the door and was paired with us, it was relief! Our kids quickly started riding the rides together, and it made for a super enjoyable day. We had a leisurely breakfast and then headed out-we rode so many rides I likely can't list them all. My husband, our youngest, and the youngest kiddo from the other family chose not to ride the 2 big rollercoasters. The front of the line access was incredible, we felt so spoiled, and our guide was a wealth of information. We had lunch at a sit down restaurant (not a buffet like I was expecting) and had 1 appetizer for every 2 people, a main each and a dessert, it was a lot of food. Our kids were considered adults, but some chose to eat the kids meals which was no problem. They also chose milkshakes for their desserts and got them to go. I think we completed 13-14 rides/attractions.

We were there pre-hurricane in Florida (like the day before) so as our tour ended the skies opened up and it rained, after the tour we had continued to spend time with the family we were joined with (just without our guide). Once it poured we said our goodbyes and had something to eat at the brewhouse before leaving. If anyone has any questions about the tour, please ask away. The question we mostly get asked is was it worth it-of course that is subjective but for us, yes, even though it was a quiet day at the parks, it was amazing being herded around without looking at a map, deciding where to go next etc.

 

[uandmfan]

How did you decide what rides to go on? My kids want to see the Harry Potter stuff and I'd be worried that we'd be paired with others who had different interests

 

[CarouselofColor]

How did you decide what rides to go on? My kids want to see the Harry Potter stuff and I'd be worried that we'd be paired with others who had different interests

On a non-private tour, it's not up to the guests, it's up to the tour guide. You can use your tour credentials after the tour to do Express for any attractions that weren't hit on the tour.

 

[KathmanduKat]

What rides didn't you get to? anything you wanted to ride, but it never happened?

 

[mom25kiddos]

What rides didn't you get to? anything you wanted to ride, but it never happened?

Good question! I think the thing we didn't do that we would have liked to was spend more time in diagon alley. At the end of the tour we continued with the other family for a bit and were going to head over there, but the heavens opened up (it was the day before the hurricane), and the rain was intense, so we didn't go back and spend much time wandering around as we would have liked. I don't think there was a ride that was on our bucket list that we missed. We didn't do Men in Black or ET, but our kids wouldn't have known that. The tour is fast and furious rides, so you don't really have time to stop and smell the roses, however as soon as our tour guide left us we realized how much time he saved us as we stood there trying to decide what to do next!

 

[mom25kiddos]

How did you decide what rides to go on? My kids want to see the Harry Potter stuff and I'd be worried that we'd be paired with others who had different interests

I can't imagine they would ever not do Harry Potter stuff. We hit those up first, and it was amazing not to wait, but also to have someone organize us so we didn't have to debate what next or how to get somewhere. We didn't have a say in where we were going and we never knew where it was until we were heading there (in case rides shut down he doesn't want to make promises, etc.)-it sounds like that wouldn't be fun, but honestly it was amazing-as the trip planner I didn't have to decide anything, and kids weren't asking me where next etc.

 

[KathmanduKat]

Good question! I think the thing we didn't do that we would have liked to was spend more time in diagon alley. At the end of the tour we continued with the other family for a bit and were going to head over there, but the heavens opened up (it was the day before the hurricane), and the rain was intense, so we didn't go back and spend much time wandering around as we would have liked. I don't think there was a ride that was on our bucket list that we missed. We didn't do Men in Black or ET, but our kids wouldn't have known that. The tour is fast and furious rides, so you don't really have time to stop and smell the roses, however as soon as our tour guide left us we realized how much time he saved us as we stood there trying to decide what to do next!

ty for the response! so your tour ended around 5pm? and you could have stayed at the park until close? but with standby passes - unless you bought the upgraded one?

 

[Steven G]

ty for the response! so your tour ended around 5pm? and you could have stayed at the park until close? but with standby passes - unless you bought the upgraded one?

the VIP tour includes unlimited express passes, so that after the tour ends, you will still go into the express lines.

 

[KathmanduKat]

oh, okay that's great to know - ty

 

[pangyal]

Thank you for the review! Can you please share where you had breakfast, lunch and dinner (if applicable)?

 

[Nike4000]

VIP tour includes a full breakfast buffet and lunch. Dinner is on your own.

 

[mom25kiddos]

Thank you for the review! Can you please share where you had breakfast, lunch and dinner (if applicable)?

The breakfast was a buffet of usual fare-bacon, eggs, pastries, juice, coffee etc. It was a nice buffet, but not out of this world or anything. I thought, as others have said we would do a buffet lunch, but we didn't. We went to a sit down restaurant (and I apologize I can't remember which one). It was a lot of food. We chose 1 appetizer for every 2 people, then we each had an entrée (some of our kids chose to eat from the kids menu even though they were older), and then we each got a dessert. I had a chicken fried rice for my entree, my husband had a pho soup I think, and I can't remember what the others had (it was a varied menu). The kids choses to get milkshakes for their desserts. We invited our tour guide to join us, and he happily did (otherwise he was going to go eat his lunch somewhere on his own). The only thing we 'paid' for was any alcoholic beverages.

 

[Nike4000]

@mom25kiddos is right! Totally forgot that lunch was a sit-down/order-style type of restaurant. I think the place was called Finnigan's.