Disney World - VIP tour & other Q's

[partgypsy]

I'm glad you had a good time. I think it's what I expected, there is no truly slow time at disney (except maybe bad weather non-holiday winter weeks) and it sounds like getting a guide was worth it.

ps when we went we did way more than 5 rides a day, but I'm a little ocd about planning so I try to make the most of it! We also had the meal plans so we also had at least 1 nice sit down meal a day, which I made reservations for. There is so much walking at least our family it was nice to be off the feet.
What is so funny, is that my husband was really anti Disney the first time we went. But he left feeling very relaxed and saying this is awesome!

 

[amc80]

I'm so glad you had a fun time! The private tour sounds amazing, and extremely efficient.

We are back to debating our Disneyland trip. I think we will just wait until it gets closer and see how huge and uncomfortable I am at that point. Sigh.

 

[MrsDarcy]

I don't know if you're still looking for tips but I am planning a trip to disney world as well and I found a newish website that's really been helpful. It's RealMomsDisney . com. Not my site but wanted to share in case you're still needing planning help. I used their recommendations for booking my dining and getting tickets and it really helped me.

 

[Rosebloom]

We are headed to Disney in April. My good friend is super involved in the Disney forum and she has me scared that it's already tooate to get the good restaurant reservations. Any thoughts?

 

[momhappy]

^April is a busy time of year (spring break, etc.), so I would have to agree that it will book up quickly. Have you signed up for a Disney account here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/
The site is great for dining reservations and you can also register your park tickets so that you can sign up for your Fast Passes, which I would do ASAP.

 

[Rosebloom]

^April is a busy time of year (spring break, etc.), so I would have to agree that it will book up quickly. Have you signed up for a Disney account here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/
The site is great for dining reservations and you can also register your park tickets so that you can sign up for your Fast Passes, which I would do ASAP.

Thank you! I will do so asap.

 

[Sparklelu]

Re: Disney World - VIP tour & other Q's

Just bumping this to say we just finished a day at the MK with a VIP tour guide and it was the best day ever. My BIL and sister spur of the moment decided to take their two grands to Disney from Georgia. They asked my DD and I if we wanted to join them, with her two boys.
Coincidentally my DH had booked us 12/31-1/3 at Art of Animation.
My BIL made all the arrangements. We are staying at the Waldorf Astoria and today went to MK. Tomorrow is Epcot for NYE.
Our guide Andy quickly became known as Magic Andy and the kids fell in love with him. We literally entered the park via a back entrance and hopped on Buzz Lightyear, bypassing a 60 minute wait. We then worked our way around the park popping into EVERY ride. Fast pass has nothing on Magic Andy!!
We had priority seating for the Christmas Parade and he magically found us tables for eating when the place was jammed!!

Tomorrow New Years Eve, will be another magical day our VIP guide will be Joe.

If you have the money... It is so well worth it especially during crazy times like this!!!

 

[ponder]

My friends just got back from a Disney trip and nailed one of the slowest weeks of the year. She took her kids out and skipped the last week of school before Christmas break. Weather was great, lines were short, and her kids missed very little educational activities in school.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Can anyone tell us the price of the personal tour guides? We last went the week following Memorial Day, which is before many public schools are out, and the lines were not bad at all and FastPasses worked very well. But we were with teens and didn't bother with the little kid rides in MK anyway.

Incidentally, we got the 5 day (1 day free) passes through Undercover Tourist.

 

[momhappy]

My DH booked the guide, so I'm not sure what the exact cost was, but I believe that it was around $2000 for the day. It's an hourly rate and I think it was a minimum of 6 hours. We also tipped our Guide pretty well because she did such a fabulous job.

 

[Sparklelu]

My BIL was in charge of the whole experience but he told me, the hourly ranges from 300-500 per hour depending on season. Our guide was $500. With a 6 hour minimum. We had the first guide Magic Andy meet us at 9AM , he met us at our hotel, The Waldorf Astoria and we traveled in a 15 passenger van to Magic Kingdom. He brought us back to the hotel at about 6:30. BIL tipped him about 300. I think. We also bought him lunch in the park.
Next day our guide was a different fella, he too picked us up at the hotel and we park hoped! First EPCOT did all the good rides, then to Hollywood Studios for toy story mania and Rockin Rollercoaster as well as Tower of Terror. We then scooted over to Animal a Kingdom for the big rides there.
Day ended at about 7PM
There are a few less expensive ways to get the VIP treatment. Disney has packages for families with small kids, and teen days too