VIP tour questions

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

We will be in Tokyo this summer for AbD and plan to spend a couple of days at Disneyland at the backend. We are contemplating packages vs a VIP tour, and as there is so little clear information available online we thought we’d try to ask here.

1. Is it true that VIP tours are really only 6 hours long? Do they provide any kind of expedited ride access after the time ends?
2. Would it make sense to start later so we can do some of the less popular rides on our own?
3. If we book the 1 night unlimited package (2 park days) how annoying are the lines in the non-expedited rides? Do we just do those first? My kids are not fans of lines, which I know are unavoidable in Tokyo but we are trying to minimize them as much as possible. The fact that small world is one of my favorite rides and that’s standby only is a factor in this as well.
4. Does VIP have expedited access to rides beyond what is available in the unlimited package?
5. There are 5 of us so it looks like we will need 2 rooms. Do they both have to be suites or can we book 1 suite and 1 normal room and still qualify for VIP?

Thank you.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Yes, I know that VIP tours are only in Japanese. My husband speaks enough to get by. Or at least that’s the theory.

 

[gelatoni fan]

My understanding is that the only benefit that extends beyond your tour time is priority access to restaurant reservations which apply during your entire hotel stay. Before vacation packages were made available to people living outside of Japan, it was possible to pay an extension fee to have the tour last longer than 6 hours but your guides would take 3 hour shifts so you wouldn't stay with one guide the whole day.

In the past, VIP tour groups would use special entrances or enter through the exit so they aren't constrained by priority lines like vacation packages.

Only the group booking the VIP tour has to be staying in the suite and you can invite others to join you up to a group size of 10 people. Participants don't even have to stay in a Disney hotel as long as the organizing guest is in a qualifying suite.

If I were to do a VIP tour, I'd make it for the afternoon when lines are longest and to make sure that I can get utilize the show seating benefits. Summer wait times can be fickle because on some evenings, less popular attractions basically have no wait, especially if the weather is not good. But some weekends can can also have waits like 30 min for Dumbo and Jungle Cruise.

Note that info is based off reading Japanese blogs and I do not know if there are any differences for VIP tours for people living outside Japan.

Not sure when you're going but you are aware that It's a Small World is closed for the entire month of July and opens on August 3rd right? This is an attraction that normally has almost zero wait in the evening so I wouldn't bother going on it during a VIP tour.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

small world is closed?!? I may need to change my return flight!

(just kidding…I really can’t justify staying longer for just one ride)

Thank you so much for the lengthy reply. It’s super helpful.

 

[paladin732]

I know this is a bit older of a thread, but it seems worth to bump vs PM in case others have the same question:

Did you go? How was it? My husband and I are considering this for next year when we stay at Grand Chateau

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

We will be there in about 2 months. I’ll let you know how it goes.

 

[Safari23]

I'm curious about the VIP tours as well. Is it only for those staying in the Grand Chateau? And is it included in the price of the room? Or you pay extra for it?

 

[SPINster]

I'm curious about the VIP tours as well. Is it only for those staying in the Grand Chateau? And is it included in the price of the room? Or you pay extra for it?

Either Grand Chateau or there are some suites at Disneyland Hotel/Miracosta/Ambassador that qualify as well. No it is not included in price of the room, it's an additional cost, starting at 440,000 yen.

I know OP probably already went, but I did the 2 Day, 1 night unlimited package. The priority lanes are similar to WDW/DL-sometimes the merge point is close to the ride vehicles are you wait 2 minutes, other times it's further back and you wait 10-30 minutes. The average wait was 10 minutes or less, but a couple rides we waited closer to 30 minutes total.

ETA: the rides that didn't have priority lanes, we waited less than 15 minutes. The Fantasyland rides are all walk ons in the first hour, or last hour, so we just did them then. Jungle Cruise and Pirates did get up to 30 minutes, but we went during times they were walk ons.

At DisneySea we did everything when it was 15 minutes or less. Or skipped in the case of some of the Mermaid Lagoon rides that were for truly tiny kids.