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Behind the Magic: An Exclusive Disneyland VIP Tour
The Disneyland VIP Tour offers an unparalleled, personalized experience for those seeking to maximize their time and immerse themselves in the magic of the parks. Led by knowledgeable and enthusiastic VIP Tour Guides, guests enjoy expedited access to attractions, reserved viewing areas for parades and shows, and insider knowledge about Disneyland’s history and secrets. Beyond the practical benefits of skipping lines and navigating the parks with ease, the tour provides a tailored experience, allowing guests to customize their itinerary and focus on the attractions and experiences that matter most to them, creating truly unforgettable memories.
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My family and I recently had the opportunity to experience a VIP tour at the Disneyland Resort. We were joined by friends and their children to complete our group of 10 (the most allowed in one tour group). Our tour guide was with us from 10 am to 6 pm and we were excited to be able to enjoy as many rides as we could in those 8 hours.
Before we officially started the tour, we wanted a chance to purchase the exclusive VIP tour merchandise. While each guest receives a VIP pin, we were excited to see the limited edition merch. Guests can only purchase these items during their tour. The merchandise includes a hat, spirit jersey, Loungefly Minnie ear headband, Mickey ear hat ornament, Loungefly mini backpack, pin set, and a lanyard. All items the distinct Royal Stuart Tartan plaid design, which is a signature element of the VIP Tour Guides’ attire. I personally collect Minnie ear headbands and I can’t help myself when a new spirit jersey is released so I had to buy those!
Now, to the rides and characters we were able to do during our tour. Guests on a VIP Tour get to go through the Lightning Lane with their tour guide and skip a majority of the line. No return time is needed. Our guide asked us what experiences we wanted to have and then put together an itinerary of sorts for us to follow so we could check everything off in the most efficient way.
We started in Tomorrowland and rode Space Mountain. From there, we experienced Matterhorn Bobsleds and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. After that we were getting hungry so we Mobile Ordered the delicious Cheesy Garlic Pretzel Bread from Edelweiss Snacks. Our tour guide was able to expedite our food so we didn’t have to wait long after ordering.
The next rides we experienced were Peter Pan’s Flight, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones Adventure, and Haunted Mansion. In between Indiana Jones Adventure and Haunted Mansion we were able to grab some Dole Whip and get a meet & greet with Winnie the Pooh near Pooh Corner. We were able to enter the meet & greet through the exit when the Pooh character swapped out.
All of that was done in 5 hours at Disneyland park. We did want to ride Big Thunder Mountain but the attraction was down while we were in that park. At 3 pm we decided to head to Disney California Adventure for the big attractions in that park!
Disney California Adventure is a park guests can navigate quicker than Disneyland. The first thing we did was stop and see Oswald the Lucky Rabbit right inside the entrance. Our first attraction was Soarin’ Over California. That version of the ride has returned for the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. It is a must-do! Afterwards, we made our way over to Avengers Campus. We waited in line for Spider-Man Web Slingers for a few minutes only for it to break down. No worries, though, as we just moved on to the next!
All but 3 of our group experienced the terror of Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Breakout. I personally hate drop rides so I stayed off with two of the younger kids and picked up a scrumptious milkshake from Schmoozies while we waited. While waiting, we got to witness the groovy Guardians of the Galaxy Dance Party with Starlord and Gamora.
Carsland was next! After a quick ride on Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree (a personal favorite of mine) we raced over to Radiator Springs Racers. It’s so nice not having to wait in that LONG line! We planned to head back to Web Slingers but the ride remained closed. Instead, we took the opportunity to meet Spider-Man. I love that he is a masked character but is still able to talk with guests. With about 35 minutes left with our tour guide we made our way to Pixar Pier and accomplished Incredicoaster and Toy Story Midway Mania.
Since we missed out on two rides on our list (Big Thunder Mountain & Spider-Man Web Slingers), our guide gave us 2 Lightning Lane Passes that could be used on almost any ride. We were able to use both of those that evening to finally ride Web Slingers and do Toy Story Midway Mania a second time.
To finish off the day, we had reserved VIP viewing for World of Color – ONE. It was super nice to be able to experience the show while sitting! All of the kids in our group were able to see the show since no one was standing in front of our group. It was a great way to end the day!
One thing we were misinformed on before the tour was that the tour guides would stay off rides with kids that weren’t tall enough. There is mixed information online but from our experience, an adult needed to be with any of the children under 18 at all times during the tour. Which makes sense. That could end up being a liability for Disney.
Our VIP tour guide was very knowledgeable about the parks, Disney history and fun facts, and was very kind and accommodating. She helped us have an extra magical day. She brought her own drink and ate with us when we got snacks. It’s also customary (but not mandatory) to tip your guide 20% of the cost of the tour.
While the experience was wonderful, the price tag is still a shock. The tour is $500-$800 per hour for a minimum of 7 hours. If you are traveling with others who can split the cost with you, it is definitely worth it! If not, it might be more affordable to purchase the Lightning Lane Premier Pass. It’s not the same as having a personal guide for the day, but it does give you access to all Lightning Lane attractions in both parks once per day without having to wait for a return time.
Have you ever experienced a Disneyland Resort VIP Tour? If you’d like to experience one, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are free, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
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