Confirmed that it’s bookable at 9 am EST and it’s 60 days +10, just like ADR
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Sounds like VIP Tours at Universal is a better deal.
What it’s like to get walk-on ride access on Universal Orlando’s group VIP tour (thepointsguy.com)
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Ya but I wouldn’t bother there. On site early access and the pass it comes from means you can get plenty done in a day without it.
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I thought we already knew this. The UOR non-private VIP tour is better than the WDW private VIP tour and it costs less than one hour of the WDW one.
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We had been set on cancelling our trip in Sept. but we have decided to limit it to a few days instead of 13 days. We booked a VIP tour for September 16th. It was $425 an hour for a minimum of 7 hours and a maximum of 10 hours. It does include ROR. You need park hopper tickets but you can do all four parks in one day if you choose. You don’t need to wait until 2 to park hop but you do need a park pass for the first park you enter. After that, you can go anywhere anytime and you enter rides through the fast pass lane. They pick you up at your hotel in a private van. For some of the rides, they take you to back stage entrances where you enter very close to the chosen ride. You make up the itinerary according to what you want to do. I got this information from the cast member who booked our tour–but we won’t know from experience until Sept. 16.
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That sounds like a fun day!
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Isn’t it recommended that you arrange a meeting location near your first ride so that you aren’t paying $425/hr to ride in a van?
Then you end with them dropping you off at some prime spot.
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That’s up to the individual to decide.
Some people like to be picked up at the resort and be whisked to the first park.
I have read reports from people who started their tour at say 3pm, included the fireworks (for the preferred viewing area) and had the plaid drop them back at their resort to avoid having to get Disney transport back.
The most important thing is to give the guide as much info in advance as possible, so they can plan out the day for you. So things like the starting park, the rides, any repeat rides, any split rides where group 1 do Space and group 2 do Speedway. In some cases the order matters. The more you can tell them in advance, the smoother things will be on the day.
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The way I look at it it’s your $425 to spend how you like. Avoiding Disney transportation might be a pretty fine way to start the day
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That sounds like good advice.
When I did my tour, I met them at the first attraction I wanted to do, and at the end of the night we ended it with preferred seating for Main Street Electrical Parade up on the train platform.
Personally, we wanted all of our time spent on attractions but still get preferred viewing for the parade without wasting VIP time on the parade itself.
We also have had friends who ended their time at their favorite restaurants.
It really is a personal choice and like @Nicky_S said, communication with the guide will be your best bet. Tell them how your perfect day would go and see if they can accommodate.
ETA: You’re going to love it.
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I didn’t think this was possible. For some reason I was under the impression that everyone would have to stay together. Tours just became a lot more attractive for my group!
It’s definitely possible. On my last trip there was a big VIP tour with mostly adults, but one mom and a toddler. We were in the DAS line for PPF, and the plaid walked her over, spoke to the person at the station about mom and child, and then left. We were talking to the mom and she said that the rest of the group were going to ride SDMT, but obviously the baby couldn’t so they split up.
I think it only really works if the rides are near each other, otherwise it’s hard for the plaid to do it
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Yes, it is possible but it needs to b e planned for and with rides near by. So whilst one lot do FoP the rest do Navii and then maybe ride Navii again with the whole group.
I’ve read reports of Space and Speedway, and also Space and Buzz, for example.
I meant to add, another thing that is useful for the guide to know is what kind of tour you want. Do you want to focus on getting the rides done or do you want your own Keys to the Kingdom type tour with lots of information? What kind of pace do you want to go at?
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We did Space and PeopleMover. I’m not a big fan of Space Mountain, but fricken love PeopleMover.
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Can I ask a couple of questions including going back a month to the Wild African Trek?
- Has anyone done the AKL safari type tour and can you compare it to Wild African Trek.
- How fit do you have to be for WAT?
- Is there a tour you would recommend for an 11 yo who is into the urban myths of Disney and how backstage functions?
I know none of these are open yet, but I would like to know what I should be stalking (besides a NYE fireworks dessert party cruise…)
Thanks!
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- I’ve done WAT and the Starlight Safari at AKL. The price point reflects the difference. We enjoyed the Starlight Safari, but it doesn’t compare. We got night vision goggles and we’re able to see quite a few animals, but nothing really up close. WAT was incredible. I’ll look for my reviews of each and link them to this thread if I find them.
- You don’t need to be terribly in shape. I was over 40 pounds overweight with a mobility disorder wearing leg braces and while it was tiring, it wasn’t insurmountable. Just need to be able to do a short walk through uneven ground and be willing to cross the bridges.
- I’m not sure, but DS loved WAT when he was 12.
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This was our trip report with Starlight Safari
This one had WAT
And this was our other WAT trip
Thank you! Can’t wait to read these!
I think I will just need to wait for my Daughter to be old enough for Keys to the Kingdom. But she would love WAT for sure. We live in Arlington VA and her girl scout troop got to do an overnight at the National zoo including a backstage tour of one part and a night time trek to see the cats when they were awake. She LOVED it. (And so did I.)
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One day at DHS I saw a random CM waiting over by the brewery and took the opportunity to ask her some questions about the RotR standby queue as we had a spot but were trying to figure out the protocol to balance with our Brown Derby ADR at noon. After she answered the query (she recommended doing the ADR if in direct conflict as RotR can be more accommodating - fortunately it wasn’t an issue), I noted she was actually a plaid and wondered where her VIP tour was. She was waiting on them and they were around 20 minutes late already. She said that was very common when she met groups in the park - sounded like people typically underestimate how long it takes to get them to the park and then deep into it.
I went to check out the Star Tours store and talked to her again on my way back - she was still waiting. I was horrified at that lost opportunity cost, but apparently it is fairly common…
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