VIP Tour of Universal Studios

[BWVNUT]

Has anyone done the Universal Studios VIP Tour? We are considering doing this Christmas week since we think the parks will be very crowded and we haven't been to Universal since 1998!!! Thought it might be a good way to get around and see a lot since we only have one day...

Thanks in advance for any info positive or negative...

 

[Notatourist]

Might I recommend the non-exclusive (your family and other people) tour of both parks. You'll see the highlights of both in six hours, see no lines, and have an hour lunch break.

A tour is an excellent idea.

 

[BWVNUT]

Thanks Notatourist! We were considering the one park non-exclusive - didn't consider the two park one bec most of our group (7 of us) don't like rollercoasters (also we have a 48"-er in our group) and thought it'd be a waste to do Island of Adventure...but if you see this differently, I'd appreciate more insight....oh, and I simply couldn't tell the DH about the additional cost! ha ha ha!!!

 

[Notatourist]

Stay with the Studios. You guys sound like a fun group. In five hours, you see all the majors, Mummy, Shrek, Jimmy Neutron, ET, etc...

There's a lunch break, a chance to see the park like a VIP. There's also a discount lanyard, which enables you to several great discounts and is an express ticket after your tour.

The only negative is getting dirty looks from the lines that you walk past while you get on the ride, including express.

 

[lindalinda]

I've done the non-exclusive a couple of times (both parks). We had a blast, the guides are funny and entertaining. Ours gave us hints for MIB (before we knew about the thread here!). I highly reccomend it.

 

[BWVNUT]

Stay with the Studios. You guys sound like a fun group. In five hours, you see all the majors, Mummy, Shrek, Jimmy Neutron, ET, etc...

There's a lunch break, a chance to see the park like a VIP. There's also a discount lanyard, which enables you to several great discounts and is an express ticket after your tour.

The only negative is getting dirty looks from the lines that you walk past while you get on the ride, including express.

Thanks again, Notatourist! We are a fun group, if I do say so myself...
Didn't realize there was a lunch break as that wasn't on any of the documents or on web info - but that's great.

I was wondering how hey did express pass after tour - lanyard is cool.

We just did Keys to the Kingdom at Disney last month so we're already veterans of 'the dirty look' - and the best was when folks would just nonchalantly walk up and join our group!! Our guide handled it so well though - a simple "May I help you?" and they scurried away...it was priceless!

Thanks again!

 

[BWVNUT]

I've done the non-exclusive a couple of times (both parks). We had a blast, the guides are funny and entertaining. Ours gave us hints for MIB (before we knew about the thread here!). I highly reccomend it.

Thanks lindalinda! Appreciate your comments !

 

[micksterlee]

I couldn't find a cost for the VIP tours on the web site , any idea how much it is?

 

[BWVNUT]

I couldn't find a cost for the VIP tours on the web site , any idea how much it is?

Here's a link to the page describing tours and pricing...

http://www.universalorlando.com/tic_vip.html

if the link doesn't work click on tickets/park tickets - scroll to the end of the page and it says, "make your visit even better" - the last choice there is VIP Tours...

 

[micksterlee]

thanks

 

[BWVNUT]

my pleasure

 

[Notatourist]

I've done the non-exclusive a couple of times (both parks). We had a blast, the guides are funny and entertaining. Ours gave us hints for MIB (before we knew about the thread here!). I highly reccomend it.

Do you remember who your guide was?

And Bwv-no problem!

 

[ky07]

so sad we are going in a few days and can't fit the vip tour in our budget but oh well at least we will have fun at the parks.

 

[lindalinda]

Do you remember who your guide was?

And Bwv-no problem!

Sorry, I dont remember For our first US one it was a guy (college age). Then at IOA the first one was a college woman with dark hair, then the next one was an older woman with blond hair (not old, maybe 50?). I took the boys and it was the only time they have ever in their life written a thank you note, and sent it to guest services.

We stay onsite now, so I never figure its worth it, but we would like to do it again sometime.

 

[inkkognito]

We have done the VIP tour at both parks and loved it!! We've always done the non-exclusive one, and oddly enough the last time we did it at IOA half the people in our group were NOT coaster/thrill ride people. I never figured out why they would choose that tour! They just waited for the rest of us to ride all the rides. The guides were indeed very entertaining; the first time we got lots of trivia, but the second time seemed to be more focused on getting through the rides (maybe some guests have said they prefer that? Personally, we like the trivia).

 

[BWVNUT]

Thanks for your input - we love the trivia too - Hopefully we'll get a tour guide like that!