The Dream VIP Tour-What Would You Do?

[trodrigue]

For our Feb 2009 trip I am planning on doing the VIP tour, if I can justify if I can justify it. So I am working on the absolute best dream VIP tour. It is now 6 hours, so I hope to fit a lot in. I know some of my ideas may not be possible, but it is worth asking, right?

Here is what I have so far. Anything that I have missed?

VIP seating for Fantasmic, Parade, and Fireworks, possibly ESPN Zone and Carnation Cafe (if I have not been able to make those)

Ride the Lily Belle
Drive the Mark Twain
Tender the Train
Tour the Roundhouse
Tour Pope Ranch and House
Tour Walt's Apartment
View the Dream Suite
View Club 33
As many fast passes as possible (can they get them unlimited, like the old AAA special fastpass, or do you still have to follow the time limits?)

Help with getting seats at Billy show and getting picked for Jedi Training.

I don't have anything planned for DCA. Is there anything "special" that we should request over there?

Thanks for your review and suggestions!
Tracey

 

[DangerMouse]

Since they have recently raised the prices and time limits on the tour, your experience may be different than mine was in April 2008, but I can tell you which things on your list they would not allow us to do:

Tour the Roundhouse
Tour Pope Ranch
Tour Walt's Apartment

They wouldn't let us tour the Dream Suite in April, but since they won't be using it anymore for the YOMD in 2009, you may have a shot at viewing it.

As an aside, the Roundhouse, Ranch, Dream Suite and Walt's Apartment tours were only available this year by booking the ABD Hollywood/Disney vaction package.

They will only let you into the lobby of Club 33, although we had too many people on our tour so they wouldn't let us do it.

The guide will collect FPs for you, but they will not be unlimited. You will have to wait for your window as normal.

I would ask for VIP seating for Aladdin as well.

If you can, I would request JD as a tour guide. Whatever you do -- don't get Ryan -- HE WAS AWFUL! Truly Truly AWFUL!

HTH!

 

[Danauk]

We are doing the VIP tour next month and I can confirm you will not be able to go to walts apartment, the ranch house, the round house or the dream suite. Also you might only be able to get VIP seating for the day you do the tour (this I was told specifically when I asked if we would have seating for Fantasmic on the night of the tour and firework seating the next.) We are however getting seating for the parade and Fantasmic. I asked for Aladdin seats but the show is not on the day we are doing the tour.

 

[bennyb98]

I've also recently decided to book a VIP Tour for my trip and still trying to decide what I all want to do.

I have read that they can "help" you meet characters faster and i'm a big character fan so that might be a big part of my tour.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

how much is it an hour?
I know its supose to be super excpicve.
Good luck looks fun

 

[Danauk]

Its $120 an hour for a minimum of 6 hours.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

wow ok

 

[trodrigue]

Hmm...If you have reserved seats, then wouldn't it be relatively easy to do the fireworks and then Fantasmic?

The price is terrible compared to what it used to be, but if you have 10 people so it is $72 per person, and then you really make the most of it and end up with several reserved seats, then it is really a great value (compared to just Fantasmic seating for $60 With cookies).

I think I heard that the seating for the Fireworks is the train platform. Can anyone tell me where the reserved seating for the parade and for Fantasmic are? Also, do you still need to arrive early, or are any of the reserved seats pretty good?

Thanks for all your replies.

 

[DangerMouse]

Our reserved seats for the Parade and Fireworks were at the train station. They have benches roped off for VIP seating up there.

The seating for F! was strange, it was in a roped off area but you sat on the steps. No chairs offered. It was an excellent view though, and we were able to show up just a few minutes before the show started.

 

[Califgirl]

I believe (though with all the changes you may want to check when you book the VIP tour) that you can get reserved seating throughout your vacation. That way you're not trying to hit every 'show' on the same day. Try for fireworks one night, Fantasmic another. I'm sure it depends on how many other VIP tours are out for the time of your visit. When the DIS Girls were there, we got bumped from some VIP seating by Adventures by Disney. If you're flexible, you might get seating on different days.

We asked about Billy Hill, and couldn't get VIP seating. Those tables in the front are given out by the Dream Squad.

Don't forget to ask about VIP seating for Aladdin and the parades, too!

 

[bennyb98]

So question for those of you who have taken a VIP tour before. I was on a "Brand X" Disney board this morning doing some research about the tours and someone on there who said they were a VIP tour guide was quite insistence that the VIP Guides CAN'T help you meet characters at all and if you ask you will be told that is not part of there job. Anyone else run into this? That seems kinda odd to me.

 

[Tink33]

You can only get VIP seating for the day of your tour. They will make exceptions for groups over 20 if you invest hours of time getting to the right person.

 

[disney-super-mom]

So question for those of you who have taken a VIP tour before. I was on a "Brand X" Disney board this morning doing some research about the tours and someone on there who said they were a VIP tour guide was quite insistence that the VIP Guides CAN'T help you meet characters at all and if you ask you will be told that is not part of there job. Anyone else run into this? That seems kinda odd to me.

You should go back to "Brand X" Disney board and ask the "CAN'T HELP YOU" person claiming to be a VIP tour Guide if his name is Ryan.

 

[DangerMouse]

You should go back to "Brand X" Disney board and ask the "CAN'T HELP YOU" person claiming to be a VIP tour Guide if his name is Ryan.

 

[bennyb98]

No such luck, it was a girl. But from now on I’ve decided to only listen to what Disney Special Activities tells me not what I read on the internet hehe.

 

[DangerMouse]

No such luck, it was a girl. But from now on I’ve decided to only listen to what Disney Special Activities tells me not what I read on the internet hehe.

And even then be prepared for them to change their story once you're at the parks. Best to have what you really want confirmed in writing.

 

[trodrigue]

And even then be prepared for them to change their story once you're at the parks. Best to have what you really want confirmed in writing.

And here is my other question: Can you get your plan confirmed in writing before you pay for it? Because this is a huge investment and I really only want to do it if it is "worth" it. Won't know if it is worth it until they will confirm what can be done.

Also, anyone know if you get rained out, would they maybe trade your VIP seating in for the next night (space available, of course). It seems like they would do something like that for you.

PS I will be specifying that Ryan will not do, even as a last resort.

characters from my 5 year old:

 

[bennyb98]

And even then be prepared for them to change their story once you're at the parks. Best to have what you really want confirmed in writing.

Thanks for that! I'll get that done, especially since I’m not sure exactly how closely DSA works with the actual tour guides if I want something special set up.