Private VIP Tours have access to RotR

[rockinrollercoasters]

I wonder why it is starting Sunday. If I had one tomorrow or Saturday I would be annoyed. Super happy they are allowing when we are there though. For those considering definitely book at sixty days if you can. I just booked for end of august and our first two choices of days aren’t available and there is nothing significant about those days. I wonder if it’s more demand or less guides.

How do the bookings work? Is it like dining where you can book 60 days ahead for any day of your trip or can you only book exactly 60 days ahead of the date of the tour? Thank you!

 

[MarkS2112]

Most people cannot afford a private tour. So just to get on RotR without a boarding pass would be super expensive.

 

[scili]

How do the bookings work? Is it like dining where you can book 60 days ahead for any day of your trip or can you only book exactly 60 days ahead of the date of the tour? Thank you!

Currently, you can only book exactly 60 days ahead of the date of the tour.

 

[DisneyFive]

Yes for that cost any attraction should be available as desired

Dan

 

[PalmettoPath]

We cannot even get one for our August trip. They're booked solid and the VIP Tour waitlist is also full. So high demand (no surprise with no FPs etc.). I wonder how many they actually have right now. I'm going to keep calling in case someone cancels.

 

[trivan]

We cannot even get one for our August trip. They're booked solid and the VIP Tour waitlist is also full. So high demand (no surprise with no FPs etc.). I wonder how many they actually have right now. I'm going to keep calling in case someone cancels.

When I toured in June, was told there were 65 Plaids hired back. Also, learned that ride operations have full authority of what and how the rides operates, so they controlled the access or in this case non-access to VIP tours since RotR opened. They just didn't know how to deal with the crowds and what impact tours would have on the passenger flow. Scenario, group pays the $3k (rounding up) for a tour, with specific request to do RotR, ride shuts down for the day, i bet there are going to be a lot of complaining happening...

Granted this is all what I was told and could just be smoke....

 

[PalmettoPath]

When I toured in June, was told there were 65 Plaids hired back. Also, learned that ride operations have full authority of what and how the rides operates, so they controlled the access or in this case non-access to VIP tours since RotR opened. They just didn't know how to deal with the crowds and what impact tours would have on the passenger flow. Scenario, group pays the $3k (rounding up) for a tour, with specific request to do RotR, ride shuts down for the day, i bet there are going to be a lot of complaining happening...

Granted this is all what I was told and could just be smoke....

Wow. If they have a robust number like that then they're super popular right now. Again, with no FPs or any other options I guess it makes sense that they'd be busy. We'll see what happens -- maybe closer to our stay when we get nearer to the 48-hour cancellation window something may show up.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

When we had our tours at the end of June/beginning of July, we saw at least 10 other plaids out in MK or HS. Going on Falcon, there were 3 other tours that got into line immediately either before or after us. We did 7 hours a day, and that included about 45 min-1 hour for lunch, plus 30 minutes at Ogas. (DD#2 and DSoIL#2 paid for it, and we went along for the ride. We did cover the tip, but it was considerably less than they paid.)

On the 30th, at MK, the only rides we skipped were PM (waste of tour time); Astro (no interest); Aladdin carpets (bad storm started when we were in that area, and just didn't go back); Tiki (no interest) and Philharmagic (became a 'rain shelter for bad weather), and went on other rides multiple times.

On July 1, HS, the only ride that was skipped was Star Tours (family said BTDT and wanted to spend more time riding Falcon, RRC, and ToT). Oh, skipped Frozen too, because I had to sit through that movie too many times with DGS when they lived with us, so no thanks. Multiple rides on the other rides. We did get BG7 for RoTR, and had an Oga's for 9:05 am. Our tour guide left us at Ogas, and went to RoTR to ensure we wouldn't lose our BG.


All that being said, my not-a-Disney-fanatic husband said that we could go back for a day in December, as long as we did it with a VIP tour.

 

[F.R.I.D.A.Y.]

When I toured in June, was told there were 65 Plaids hired back. Also, learned that ride operations have full authority of what and how the rides operates, so they controlled the access or in this case non-access to VIP tours since RotR opened. They just didn't know how to deal with the crowds and what impact tours would have on the passenger flow. Scenario, group pays the $3k (rounding up) for a tour, with specific request to do RotR, ride shuts down for the day, i bet there are going to be a lot of complaining happening...

Granted this is all what I was told and could just be smoke....

Essentially yes, that is how attraction access is determined. Although in the case of Rise of the Resistance, Phil Holmes also had a lot to do with the lack of VIP access.

As far as the number of tours go, that is about the number of guides that they have been running with for the past couple of months. They are bringing in more as they get approval for additional head count, but the number of tours available for a day is fewer than the number of guides due to days off and the need to have extra guides as back up at the office in case other guides call in sick.

 

[RamblingRabbit]

This has been a thing already for at least a week.

Paula Abdul just took a VIP Tour, they started in EPCOT and still went on Rise.

 

[FCDub]

This has been a thing already for at least a week.

Paula Abdul just took a VIP Tour, they started in EPCOT and still went on Rise.

I mean, celebrities get to do all sorts of different stuff. Doesn’t mean the OP is wrong.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

This has been a thing already for at least a week.

Paula Abdul just took a VIP Tour, they started in EPCOT and still went on Rise.

It wasn't in play on July 1st. That was our HS tour day. Our guide was clear that he couldn't get us on the ride or into Oga's, but that they were going to be removing RoTR from the tour guide "NO" list; he just didn't have an exact date..

 

[SDKMom]

It wasn't in play on July 1st. That was our HS tour day. Our guide was clear that he couldn't get us on the ride or into Oga's, but that they were going to be removing RoTR from the tour guide "NO" list; he just didn't have an exact date..

Same with our tour on July 7. The confirmation clearly stated no RoTR. Kind of bummed we missed out on having it as an option, but we did get a BG both of our HS days, so I guess it worked out fine for us. It was rather gratifying that all of our "practice" paid off!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Has anyone who had a VIP tour since this change confirmed the change of no BG yet still able to ride RotR?

 

[10CJ]

Has anyone who had a VIP tour since this change confirmed the change of no BG yet still able to ride RotR?

I thought this change started today. They could still be touring!

I also do not put much into what Paula Abdul is able to do. Celebrities are definitely treated differently.

 

[twodogs]

Also, when we have done a VIP pre-COVID, you went through the FP line for the rides (we have not done a VIP at WDW since ROTR opened). I saw guides at DLR with VIP tours in the regular ROTR line with everyone else with a BG last week when we were there. There is a FP line for ROTR, which we have used when the ride broke down for a very long time and we were given an ME FP to return. This has happened to use twice when trying to ride ROTR. So, I wonder if the new VIP access to ROTR means the VIP group gets to go through the FP line or still has to wait in the regular BG line? The regular line would chew up a lot of time on some days, so getting to use the FP line would be a big plus, in addition to not having to try to get a BG at all!

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Also, when we have done a VIP pre-COVID, you went through the FP line for the rides (we have not done a VIP at WDW since ROTR opened). I saw guides at DLR with VIP tours in the regular ROTR line with everyone else with a BG last week when we were there. There is a FP line for ROTR, which we have used when the ride broke down for a very long time and we were given an ME FP to return. This has happened to use twice when trying to ride ROTR. So, I wonder if the new VIP access to ROTR means the VIP group gets to go through the FP line or still has to wait in the regular BG line? The regular line would chew up a lot of time on some days, so getting to use the FP line would be a big plus, in addition to not having to try to get a BG at all!

I'm not sure if the family went through the main line or the FP line. I'll ask when they get up. I didn't go on the ride, cause ride chicken and all that. I'll check with them.

We did use the FP lines for most of the other rides, but HM and POTC, and a few other rides too, we went in the 'back door'.

 

[10CJ]

Also, when we have done a VIP pre-COVID, you went through the FP line for the rides (we have not done a VIP at WDW since ROTR opened). I saw guides at DLR with VIP tours in the regular ROTR line with everyone else with a BG last week when we were there. There is a FP line for ROTR, which we have used when the ride broke down for a very long time and we were given an ME FP to return. This has happened to use twice when trying to ride ROTR. So, I wonder if the new VIP access to ROTR means the VIP group gets to go through the FP line or still has to wait in the regular BG line? The regular line would chew up a lot of time on some days, so getting to use the FP line would be a big plus, in addition to not having to try to get a BG at all!

We did a VIP tour in late June at WDW. We secured our own boarding group at 7 am. The time of our BG did not really work with the rest of our tour plan. Our guide was able to bring us to Rise at the end of our tour, that was the last thing he did for us. We did go through the FP line. Not sure if all VIP tours were doing that though.

 

[anomamatt]

Also, when we have done a VIP pre-COVID, you went through the FP line for the rides (we have not done a VIP at WDW since ROTR opened). I saw guides at DLR with VIP tours in the regular ROTR line with everyone else with a BG last week when we were there. There is a FP line for ROTR, which we have used when the ride broke down for a very long time and we were given an ME FP to return. This has happened to use twice when trying to ride ROTR. So, I wonder if the new VIP access to ROTR means the VIP group gets to go through the FP line or still has to wait in the regular BG line? The regular line would chew up a lot of time on some days, so getting to use the FP line would be a big plus, in addition to not having to try to get a BG at all!

FP line was used in May. Post-covid but before the need for a BG was removed.

 

[DisneyOma]

On the 30th, at MK, the only rides we skipped were PM (waste of tour time); Astro (no interest); Aladdin carpets (bad storm started when we were in that area, and just didn't go back); Tiki (no interest) and Philharmagic (became a 'rain shelter for bad weather), and went on other rides multiple times.

I can't figure it out - what ride is PM at MK?