Opinions Please!

[21stamps]

I am considering a VIP tour for Epcot/HS. This is not an easy decision for me due to the price tag.

Here are the advantages-

All popular rides/shows in both parks. Jedi Training spot. Priority access to Chewbacca and Kylo Ren.

This is a short trip so getting all of that done in 7 hours could allow us to be slower paced for the remaining days. After the tour we would head to dinner and then CP.

It would also allow us to not have to do rope drop at HS, and spend another half day at Epcot focusing on the storytellers, a resort break, and then an evening at HS for Minnie's Holiday Dine and F!.

So here's how I'm thinking to justify a bit of the cost-

Take out the 'in room experience' that I was planning.
Use DCL transportation from port to WDW (had originally planned to rent a car and keep parked at port).
There 2 things alone will save quite a bit of money.


I realize that in the end it's a very personal decision that only I can make, just would like to hear some thoughts about it.

What would you do?

 

[ghtx]

Do it. Pull the trigger.

 

[mm1971]

I look at it 2 ways. First if it's affordable based on your financial position and second, do you find the value of what you are getting to be worth the price of the tour. If the answer is yes, yes then go for it. If one of those answers is no, then I would pass. For us, we are able to use the FP+ and organize our days to maximize the attractions we want to visit and have never had to miss out on anything we had chosen (unless it was closed for refurb or broken down). The tours are expensive. I think if we were going at a peak time and had the funds set aside its a possibility, but we normally avoid the peak times.

For the cost, my family would prefer to do other activities. For example, we have done the Behind the Seeds tour and Trains (when DS was younger). In addition, we'll book the dinner/show reservations to make sure we can relax for dinner and still have a great spot to see Wishes, Illumination and Fantasmic!. It really is a preference.

 

[21stamps]

I look at it 2 ways. First if it's affordable based on your financial position and second, do you find the value of what you are getting to be worth the price of the tour. If the answer is yes, yes then go for it. If one of those answers is no, then I would pass. For us, we are able to use the FP+ and organize our days to maximize the attractions we want to visit and have never had to miss out on anything we had chosen (unless it was closed for refurb or broken down). The tours are expensive. I think if we were going at a peak time and had the funds set aside its a possibility, but we normally avoid the peak times.

For the cost, my family would prefer to do other activities. For example, we have done the Behind the Seeds tour and Trains (when DS was younger). In addition, we'll book the dinner/show reservations to make sure we can relax for dinner and still have a great spot to see Wishes, Illumination and Fantasmic!. It really is a preference.

We are doing the H&V Fantasmic package. And a dinner package for Candlelight Processional. I won't touch any of our planned meals to fit this in the budget, but am considering taking out the "Christmas In Room Experience" from Disney Flowers & Gifts.

I have not been on a 9/10 crowd level day.. And that is what Black Friday is projected to be. That's where the "value" comes into play. (I have to admit that I choked when typing "value" in regards to this lol)

 

[TXHauntedMansionFan]

I think if it's a green light financially for you guys then you're good to go on it. All the reasons you had listed make sense to me. If we were put in your situation, I would do it as well.

 

[21stamps]

I think if it's a green light financially for you guys then you're good to go on it. All the reasons you had listed make sense to me. If we were put in your situation, I would do it as well.

I'm confused on the tipping as well. The email I received from VIP services says that they don't accept tips. I have read posts here where people did tip.
What should be done? Is it 20%?
I obviously would need to budget that in, I just don't know why the email states the no tipping policy.

 

[Admiral Joe Fowler]

It really all depends on if you think the expierence will outweigh the price. Disney trips are always the best and though ive never done a vip tour, I can say that is something to expierence, think of it as a one time thing that you know you will enjoy. I vote do it.

 

[21stamps]

It really all depends on if you think the expierence will outweigh the price. Disney trips are always the best and though ive never done a vip tour, I can say that is something to expierence, think of it as a one time thing that you know you will enjoy. I vote do it.

If you were a 6 year old- receiving this WDW portion of the vacay, as an early gift from Santa on the last morning of your cruise-
Which do you think the better experience would be-
arriving to a resort with your room decked out in Holiday theme and personalized items OR this type of tour?

 

[ajwolfe]

If you were a 6 year old- receiving this WDW portion of the vacay, as an early gift from Santa on the last morning of your cruise-
Which do you think the better experience would be-
arriving to a resort with your room decked out in Holiday theme and personalized items OR this type of tour?

I think a 6 year old would prefer the in room experience to a vip tour, but that would have been my kids at that age.
Personally, I'm not sure I could pull the trigger on it. I would rather spend that kind of money on other experiences there and if I was going to do it I would pick to do it at MK not Epcot/HS.

 

[21stamps]

I think a 6 year old would prefer the in room experience to a vip tour, but that would have been my kids at that age.
Personally, I'm not sure I could pull the trigger on it. I would rather spend that kind of money on other experiences there and if I was going to do it I would pick to do it at MK not Epcot/HS.

Maybe I could have specified better in the original post- I'm not looking to take away from any of our other dining/resort/park experience.
Cutting the rental car/port parking fee and in room experience only.

Being able to be guaranteed a spot in Jedi training academy and do all the rides and SW characters without long lines. Although maybe FP lines are still long on a 9 crowd level day? I don't know, I've never been during Thanksgiving week, and it's freaking me out seeing the crowd calender in red lol.
We only have 5 total nights..2 days are MK MVMCP days. 1 is a resort day (arrival day from port).

I just wish I knew if it was possible to get "everything" done at HS and Epcot with those kind of crowds.

 

[Admiral Joe Fowler]

As a past castmember from epcot, I remeber seeing the vip tours backstage, in advance to being able to go on all the rides, you also get a peak at the backstage area, granted you cant take pictures but they bring you right behind test track and its a short walk right to test track. I think it would be a cool expierence to try.