The Only Way to Really Skip the Lines at Disney

Fantastic rides, dazzling shows, tasty treats—there’s a whole lot to love about a trip to Disney. What’s not so great, though? The crowds of fellow Disney fans and the ever-growing lines for rides. We’re talking about possible 90-minute waits in the Orlando heat and humidity for popular Walt Disney World attractions such as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Slinky Dog Dash and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. And the same goes for Disneyland, where you could wait close to two hours for a spin around Radiator Springs Racers on a busy day.

And yes, Disney does have a Lightning Lane system that allows you to pay for expedited waits for the most popular rides. But there are multiple steps to take, and pay for, and it’s easy to get bogged down in logistics and miss out on other fun in the parks while you try and plan your day.

But there is an easier, one-stop-shopping option to go straight to the head of every line at Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Read on to learn about Disney VIP tours.

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What’s the way to skip lines at Disney parks?

So, what’s the way to skip the lines at Disney? It’s called a Private VIP Tour, and it may spoil you for life.

With this service, you’re paying for a private Disney guide who helps you customize every detail of your trip and assists with everything from transportation to making dining reservations. And yes, best of all, whisking you to the front of every line, for every ride, for every Disney park you’ve chosen. You may have seen these exclusive guides who are easy to spot in their plaid vests.

And your VIP guide doesn’t just escort you to the ride. “Our guide was like a true fairy godmother—she looked like one, talked like one and made actual magic happen,” says Michelle Vartan, who took part in a Disneyland VIP Tour with her 4-year-old daughter as part of a birthday party group. “[She] was able to somehow magically part the crowds, it felt like we were floating through the park and we never waited for more than three minutes for a ride.”

Ashley McGinnis and Jared Geist, who used the VIP service at Walt Disney World with two of their children, then 4 and 6, told us, “Our guide was just so professional and made us feel so special … we aren’t celebrities, but he made us feel just as important.” And, says the couple, they were able to ride their family’s favorite rides, Slinky Dog Dash and Seven Dwarves Mine Train, both of which have notoriously extensive lines, multiple times without any waits, not to mention every other ride in Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, their two chosen parks. “It was an amazing experience.”

What are the other perks of a VIP tour?

It’s not just about going to the front of the line (although that part is pretty awesome). There’s a lot more to love about a day with a Disney VIP Tour Guide.

“A VIP Tour Guide becomes an extension of your party and family for the day,” explains Vy Spear of Disneyland public relations. And, she adds, “they can provide expedited access on attractions or for character experiences, assist with booking your dining reservations in advance, arrange reserved viewing for parades (such as the Paint the Night Parade, which just returned for the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration) and provide the insider knowledge and service that only a Disneyland Resort Cast Member can.”

Planning services

Don’t know where to start when you’re planning a Disney trip? Can’t figure out the park layouts and Lightning Lane services? Afraid you’re going to miss the most important attractions and shows? No need to worry, your VIP guide has got you covered.

“VIP Tour Guides handle the logistics and planning, so guests can maximize the time they spend with their friends and family,” says Spear of Disneyland.

For Vartan, her Disneyland VIP Tour Guide planned out their day to make the most of their time, and also make the day comfortable for the party of 4-year-olds. “We tackled the park by section, doing all the rides and attractions in each part,” and, she notes, since we didn’t have to wait or come back at a special time, “we could visit everything.” The guide also had a plan for bathroom pit stops and dining reservations.

With the VIP guide, she adds, “It felt like you’re getting to experience four days worth of Disneyland in a day,” since you get to go on so many rides and not spend time waiting. And, best of all, she adds, “It was like being a kid at Disneyland,” since all she had to do was follow the guide and have fun with her daughter, rather than plot out logistics of how to get around or where to go next.

White glove transfers

When you’re a VIP for the day, you don’t have to worry about getting around or waiting for transportation. Instead, a private vehicle will pick you up at your Disney resort hotel and drive you to the parks you want to visit. For the McGinnis family, VIP car service included a private, air-conditioned car that whisked them from Magic Kingdom to Hollywood Studios. They even entered Hollywood Studios through a backstage entrance that’s usually off-limits to guests. And, Ashley notes, “they even had the correct car seats installed for our kids, they literally think of everything.”

Dining reservations

Getting a dining reservation at Disney’s sit-down restaurants can often feel like a competitive sport; you’ve got to log on to Disney’s dining portal at exactly the right time on exactly the right day and then cross your fingers that you’ll be able to get a table. With a VIP guide, however, you can sit back and leave the planning to them. At Disneyland, says Vartan, this meant not only a table for 10 at the Carnation Café, but also prime seating with views of the action on Main Street.

Prime viewing locations

Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

Want to see fireworks without jockeying for position, or catch a parade from a prime spot? This is another time a VIP guide works their magic, escorting their guests into special reserved viewing areas where you can stroll up at the last minute and watch from an ideal location—no need to waste precious park time reserving a space on the curb. The guide will also help you get spots to see shows and meet characters and princesses, too.

Insider insights

Another fun part of touring with a VIP guide is getting the scoop on Disney’s behind-the-scenes secrets and insider insights. Vartan recalls hearing about how the Peter Pan ride was built and even having small details pointed out, like “miniature houses painted on the side of a ride that I would have missed on my own.”

Special perks

The icing on that Mickey Mouse-shaped cupcake? Guides will often provide cold drinks and have snacks waiting when you step off a ride (which was something McGinnis and Geist experienced when their VIP guide provided Mickey pretzels and ice cream for a special treat in addition to having cold drinks on hand all day). And if you’re a Disney pin collector, you may be happy to know that there’s only one way to get a special collectible VIP tours pin; it’s gifted to you as part of your tour.

What does a VIP tour cost?

As you may have guessed, this type of VIP service doesn’t come cheap. First of all, you have to purchase park tickets separately for every member of your party. The VIP service is then charged per hour for a group of up to 10 people (but on the good news side, you don’t pay per person).

In Walt Disney World, prices range from $450 to $900 per hour (the most popular days are the most expensive, which is the case with park admission as well), with a minimum of seven hours and a maximum of 10 hours. And note that if you want to park hop, you’ll need to have valid theme park admission for each park you want to visit.

At Disneyland, the per hour price is $500 to $800 per hour, also for a group of up to 10 people, and as at Disney World, you will need to have valid theme park admission.

And note that you should budget for tips for the guides as well.

Some tips for making the most of your VIP experience

“Since you’re paying by the hour, make all your time count,” advises McGinnis. She had her VIP guide meet her at Magic Kingdom instead of her Disney resort hotel to maximize their time with the guide in the park.
Decide whether a sit-down meal is for you. A VIP tour guide will help you make reservations and secure a great table, but if you’d rather be hitting Slinky Dog Dash a third time instead of having a leisurely lunch, you can opt for quick service meals, too.
Since you pay for a VIP experience by the hour, and not by the person, and a session has a 10-person limit, it often makes sense to maximize the number of people in your group. Consider pairing up with friends or another family to get the full value out of your experience.
Remember that Disney utilizes dynamic pricing, meaning off-peak time will be less expensive for park tickets as well as for VIP services, so keep an eye on the Disney parks calendar to find the most affordable pricing.

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