What are Disney's VIP Tours and are they worth it?

Disney guests enjoy being treated well and offered some great experiences at the parks. Disney tries to add to it with special treats, and few are as special as the VIP Tours. But how much do they cost, and is it truly worth it for the experience?

What are the Disney VIP Tours?

The Disney VIP Tours are pretty straightforward. Guests are met by a tour guide, notable for their snappy blue vests, who take them on a special trip around the Disney parks. The tours generally last roughly seven hours, but guests can “flex” the times if they want. They can also choose when they start and end the tours. 

The guide will often share stories and trivia about the attractions and the history of the parks as they take guests around. The big pull is that there’s no waiting in line as guests are led right to the loading area of some rides or at least the front of Lightning Lane. This cuts down majorly on wait times, so you can do a lot more in a day. 

If guests wish to change parks, that can be arranged. In Walt Disney World, they can take a special shuttle from one park to another that exits into a special entrance to the parks, allowing guests to hop right into the rides. For Disneyland, since the Magic Kingdom and California Adventure are so close, the guide can simply walk the party from one park to the other. 

There are also special touches depending on the parks. For example, the Magic Kingdom in Disneyland allows a look at the private apartment Walt Disney kept on Main Street. Likewise, each park has some special area the guides can give a tour of. 

How much do Disney VIP Tours cost?

Here’s the tricky part and the stumbling block for many guests to want to use the VIP Tours. As of January 2023, the prices begin at $450 per hour and can often go as high as $900 an hour, depending on the number of people in the party (the maximum number allowed is 10, including infants.) Thus, the tours can cost between $3,150 and $6300. Also, tours are more expensive during holidays and three-day weekends, while off-season mid-week is less costly. 

Keep in mind this is simply for the Tour, as guests still need to buy individual park tickets/multi-day passes. It’s also customary to tip the tour guide at least 15-20% of the tour cost, depending on the level of service provided.