Disney World is Discounting VIP Tours, Here Are Details & My Unpopular Opinion About Pricing.
Walt Disney World is now offering discounts on VIP Tours for select dates through Fall 2026. This covers details about the deals, but equally as important, our potentially unpopular opinion about the ‘real’ answer to fixing prices for this exclusive offering.
This VIP Tours discount comes not long after last week’s post, Disney’s Positive New Changes Aimed at Attracting More Middle Class Families. That was popular, but also controversial, as many readers argued that Disney wasn’t doing nearly enough and that this comes after years of price increases, cutbacks, nickel & diming, and aiming upmarket.
We agree. What’s covered there is only a small step in the right direction. Whether you want to emphasize the “only a small step” or “in the right direction” portion is your prerogative. But we’ve documented the moves made in the wrong direction to death (see also Is Walt Disney World Too Expensive for Middle Class Americans?), so it felt only appropriate to cover positive changes, too. If all we fans do is complain, what incentive does Disney have to listen to us? But I digress.
Let’s start with details about the discount, which was previously released to Club Level guests during their stay.
For a limited time, eligible Disney Vacation Club Members can save 20% on a Private VIP Tour at Walt Disney World during select dates this spring and summer. Explore the parks with your own Disney Private VIP Tour Guide during a customizable experience filled with incredible benefits.
The team at Disney VIP Tour Services will plan the most efficient, enjoyable way for groups up to 10 Guests to see and do the things on your list. Just tell your personal Disney Private VIP Tour Guide what you’d like to see, and they’ll customize your day to match your tastes!
This discount is valid for a Walt Disney World Private VIP Tour on select dates from April 26, 2026 through October 3, 2026.
This discount is not available May 22-24, 2026 and July 3-5, 2026. Call (407) 560-4033 to book. Reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance.
Offer is only available to Disney Vacation Club Members who are eligible for Membership Extras. Eligible Disney Vacation Club Member must pay for the tour and be on the tour. Offer is non-transferable and proof of eligibility is required at the time of booking. A valid digital Disney Vacation Club Membership Card and photo ID are required at the time of the tour.
All Disney Private VIP Tours require valid theme park admission for each park visited on the tour. Admission is not included in the price of the tour. Theme park reservations may also be needed depending on the type of admission and the date of the visit.
Important Information
- The number of tours allocated for this offer is limited.
- Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same tour.
- Advance reservation required. Valid for new reservations only. Should you need to cancel your Disney Private VIP Tour, please call (407) 560-4033 at least 3 days prior to the date of your tour to avoid a cancellation fee.
- Offer may not be combined with any other offer, discount or promotion.
- Offer subject to change or cancellation without notice.
- All tours must be booked for a minimum duration of 7 continuous hours, and your party may include up to 10 Guests, including infants.
- Guests age 17 or younger must be accompanied by a participating adult.
Walt Disney World’s personalized VIP services include:
- Pre-arrival planning
- A flexible start time, picked by you
- Visits to multiple theme parks
- The ability to enjoy some of your favorite attractions efficiently during your visit
- Shared insight from your highly knowledgeable Disney Private VIP Tour Guide throughout your tour
The price for VIP Tours ranges from $450 to $900 per hour depending on the date booked. If my math is correct, that means the minimum cost per discount is $3,150 or $315 per guest ($450 x 7 / 10). Of course, the maximum could be much higher than that, especially for parties of fewer than 10 people (which I assume is most).
As you know by know, Walt Disney World doesn’t offer discounts out of the goodness of its heart. It’s not like the company is thinking that the wealthy have really had a tough go of it lately, and deserve to save some of their hard-earned dollars on VIP Tours. It’s all about demand, or more accurately, the lack thereof.
Interest in VIP Tours has died down in the last few years, but it wasn’t that long ago that Walt Disney World had off-the-charts demand at full price. During the height of revenge travel and staffing shortages, I heard from Club 33 members who they were being offered trades of exclusive artwork in exchange for their allotted VIP Tours, because Walt Disney World didn’t have enough guides and was having trouble satisfying demand from guests willing to pay out of pocket.
Now, demand for VIP tours has dropped to the point that they’re being discounted. And this isn’t the first time, either. In digging through the DTB Archives, this same discount has been offered previously, including an almost identical offer last year. The biggest differences with the 2026 deal are a wider date range and fewer blockout dates.
It’s almost certain that Lightning Lane Premier Pass has cannibalized demand. This was an inevitability, as LLPP is a more cost effective alternative to VIP Tours.
While LLPP is a product aimed at filling the gap between Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and VIP Tours, it’s almost certain that some prior or potential purchasers of the guided tours are trading down to LLPP. Just because people are wealthy doesn’t mean they aren’t also frugal or value conscious.
There’s also the reality that some people would find Lightning Lane Premier Pass to be more subjectively compelling, even at equivalent costs. To wit: I’m not in the market for either of these products, but if I were, I’d buy LLPP over a VIP Tour since being accompanied in the parks by a stranger is very unappealing to me.
Obviously, not everyone is like me, and well-heeled first-timers are likely to appreciate the value added by the guide. But some people are like me, and would prefer their limited family time be spent with…their families.
Here’s where my potentially unpopular opinion comes.
Instead of discounting VIP Tours, Walt Disney World should do the opposite: raise prices on them.
Hear me out. At the risk of stating the obvious, VIP Tours are an upmarket product offering aimed at a very small percentage of guests. I don’t begrudge anyone who does purchase this or any other paid other upcharge; everyone should spend their money as they see fit. Nevertheless, I see price increases on it as a net positive in a couple of ways.
First, higher prices for VIP Tours would mean more guests hitting their balking point.
That’s theoretically good for the standby experience, as it would mean less attraction capacity is allocated to line-skipping. This is the more straightforward upside to higher prices being good for those who don’t buy, but I think it’s probably exaggerated.
One reason it’s probably exaggerated is because there aren’t that many guests taking VIP Tours in the first place. It’s truly a drop in the bucket, and even if VIP Tours were eliminated overnight with zero replacement, you might save 20 seconds in line over the course of a given day.
The other reason it’s exaggerated is because there is a replacement. Guests priced out of VIP Tours aren’t opting for “nothing at all,” they’re trading down to LLPP or LLMP. So it’s really rearranging deck chairs, at best from a time-saving perspective.
Second, it would mean a less visible presence of VIP Tours.
Seeing a plaid approaching used to be a cool thing. Who’s it gonna be this time?! Would it be Neil Patrick Harris, Mariah Carey, Ginnifer Goodwin, Shaun White, Ty Burrell, Leonardo DiCaprio and Blake Lively, Russell Wilson and his wife (who is also famous per Sarah), an endless parade of MCU celebs, or someone else. We’d always keep our eyes peeled, because there was a time when we’d spot a celebrity almost every visit to Disneyland (less so WDW).
We no longer even bat an eye when seeing a plaid now, because they’ve become so ubiquitous. It’s rare for me to recognize anyone on the tour, which is admittedly in part due to my declining pop culture awareness. It’s also because so many regular joes are doing VIP Tours. It’s not Christopher Walken; it’s the regional Coca-Cola distributor for Gulfport, Mississippi.
A decreased VIP Tour presence is actually why guests trading down to Lightning Lane Premier Pass would still be a net positive, even if it has zero impact on standby wait times.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass is discrete. Nobody is going to know whether they’re using the mass market Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single Pass or Premier Pass…unless a guest publicly declares, “I spent $450 to skip the lines, I am better than you!”
The difference is that VIP Tours are visible. The Cast Members leading these tours have distinct and iconic uniforms; VIP Tour groups stand out from the pack in the parks. They turn heads when they pass (for the reasons above), which in turn draws more attention to them. For reasons beyond me, Disney has chosen to feed into this by selling a line of VIP Tour merchandise. VIP tours are a visual reminder of Disney’s monetization efforts to create different classes of guests.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how this clear hierarchy is at odds with the old “every guest is a VIP” mantra from previous decades, a point that former CEO Michael Eisner has hammered on repeatedly recently. And to that end, I really think one answer is dramatically reducing the prevalence of VIP Tours by increasing the barrier to entry. While they’re at it, another very obvious one is not selling VIP Tour (or Club 33) merchandise.
Obviously, Disney is going to do whatever’s in its financial interests as a publicly traded company. Disney wants to achieve revenue growth for the parks segment and they’ll will that into happening, one way or another.
They are not going to introduce a pricing structure for VIP Tours or any other upcharge that hurts the bottom line. With that in mind, I would propose a trade-off.
Increase prices on VIP Tours…and also maybe on Lightning Lane Premier Pass! Although the latter went up last year at Disneyland, it did not at Walt Disney World. This is despite the top-tier paid FastPass service selling out more frequently in Florida, which suggests money is being left on the table.
I’m a reasonable person, though. If two price increases is simply too much for Walt Disney World leadership to stomach (ha!), I would also accept increasing the inventory of Lightning Lane Premier Pass. It’s still available in only “limited quantities” according to the website, which explains why it sells out when Lightning Lane Multi-Pass doesn’t.
Honestly, I’d be perfectly fine with maintaining the current prices on Lightning Lane Premier Pass and uncapping sales. I’m unbothered by that approach and the potential impact on standby lines because price is a sufficient limiting factor; and even guests who are priced out of LLPP are using LLMP/SP. Meaning that even uncapped sales of Premier Pass should still have a negligible impact on wait times.
I’m likewise on board with Walt Disney World adding (or restoring) more upcharges, as that’s a way to create new revenue streams out of thin air to accomplish the same revenue growth goals. I’m similarly fine with higher prices on anything in the ‘Enchanting Extras’ collection; those are enhancements and not integral to the core park experience.
There are exceedingly few paths towards this goal as consumer spending tightens. Disney and other companies have repeatedly discussed how consumers at the lower end of the spectrum are becoming more cost-conscious.
As Disney raises prices on park admission and other ‘essential’ elements of the park experience, they shed guests. This as a bad thing. It means more people are being priced out, and fewer are experiencing Disney.
One of the best options for growing revenue is increased discounts on higher volume. This is something we’ve discussed with Walt Disney World improving hotel occupancy, which drove down prices but also increased guest spending by virtue of shifting stays from off-site to on-site and the higher fill rate.
I doubt anyone reading this would object to better discounts with the only “downside” being that more hotel rooms are filled. It’s pretty much the optimal win-win proposition.
I’d like to see this same logic applied more aggressively to park tickets. Instead of attendance being down another 1% this year, let’s see a 2-3% increase as a result of better deals. That’s not quite the win-win since it means higher crowds, but another one of my unpopular opinions is that the parks have excess bandwidth, and crowds actually are not that bad most of the time.
As mentioned previously, I’d like to see as many Americans as possible to have the opportunity to experience the parks. That’s why I view Disneyland expanding its number of $104 day tickets is such a win. And why I’d really like to see Walt Disney World follow suit, especially with Magic Kingdom, and even if it means price increases on upcharges and other things that impact me, personally.
More parents being able to afford to take their kids to Disney for even a single day is a good thing. Not just for the fandom, the parks, and the company–but as a societal net positive. I’d like to believe that is truly what Walt Disney would’ve wanted when he talked about middle class accessibility, as opposed to pretending he’d be upset about whatever personal pet peeves I have.
Ultimately, our view is that Disney should continue to seize upmarket revenue opportunities where they exist, as this represents a clear growth area. There’s nothing wrong with appealing to the affluent or even catering more to Childless Disney Adults!
However, it’s also possible for Walt Disney World to do this more discreetly (e.g. Lightning Lane Premier Pass vs. VIP tours), while making every guest feel valued regardless of how much they spent on their Disney day. Threading this needle is possible, and Disney was once deft at doing it. Class divides will always exist; make them less in-your-face.
Middle class families are Walt Disney World’s bread and butter, and the generational fans forged over decades is foundational to the parks’ 50-plus year success. It’s important that these guests feel valued, and that Disney remains an American rite-of-passage institution.
Chasing high-spending DINKs or one-and-done guests is lucrative in the short-term, but may prove to be foolish and detrimental in the long-term, especially once those affluent Americans get their fill of Disney and move on. Replenishing that foundational fanbase with a steady stream of new kids is vital to success in the next decade, as opposed to the next fiscal quarter.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about Walt Disney World offering discounts on VIP Tours? Agree or disagree with our ‘unpopular opinion’ about more price increases for optional upcharges? Thoughts on our assessment that Walt Disney World is inherently a middle class destination, and it needs this bread & butter demo in the long term? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
“And to that end, I really think one answer is dramatically reducing the prevalence of VIP Tours by increasing the barrier to entry. While they’re at it, another very obvious one is not selling VIP Tour (or Club 33) merchandise.”
Yeah, let’s make ‘stealth wealth’ a thing in theme parks, please!
Plaids betray the (very important) illusion of guest equality, but at least they look better than the Magic Kingdom cabanas.
we aren’t local, and we dont do disney multiple times a year. Im getting older, and my experience is with taking my grandkids. one of which does qualify for DAS. But I found the VIP tour ( a splurge to be sure) very valuable to us. With just one adult and multiple ages and interests, having some one available to stay with one of the kids who couldn’t or wouldn’t ride something was valuable. with my DAS child, we had to take a break in a quiet spot occasionally to regulate, and the time saved with the tour enabled us to do more, and not be juggling LL schedules. Yes premier pass works, but not if you park hop. We like the flexibility of park hopping bc of weather, or rides down. Last time We started early entry at Epcot on our own used her Das once, met the guide after an early lunch- did Guardian’s, then park hopped to MK,then finished up with Slinky Dog, the Minnie Mikey Ride at HS and walked in right before the Fantasmic show started in the reserved VIP section to finish the night.We were staying at Dolphin. We couldn’t have done all that with the Premier pass. If there wasnt a LL, they did take us in the exit or another way. The guide had snacks and water in the car when we moved which was nice.
and my experience has been ( did one a DW and one at DL) that the guide interacts as little or as much as you want. My gkids talked her ear off and were disappointed she wasnt there for our AK day
now if they would may a park hop version- that would be great.
A couple of thoughts on this. First of, raising prices on LLPP seems like a no-brainer in FL since it’s been selling out so often. As a general rule, if it sells out, the price is too low. At least for the busy days that are easy to predict, significantly higher / dynamic pricing than the current fixed bandwidth seems like an easy solution. Very similar to congestion-pricing on express lanes, where demand spikes excessively during small windows only. A fixed price range would be fairly useless in that scenario.
I disagree somewhat on the capacity aspects. Maybe that’s because I’ve been confined to the busiest times of the year by school/work/sports schedules, that I don’t see any of that excess bandwidth? Or to put it differently, even more crowding would have Disney trips lose out for me completely, against other vacation alternatives (easier to control money vs time for me).
Less subjectively – discounting and getting more people through the door, while simultaneously adding upcharge opportunities, would seem to enhance the caste experience in the parks. Essentially the opposite of Eisner’s proclamations (every guest is a VIP). More people through the doors and vastly different experiences due to upcharges, that make it more enjoyable (or bearable if you will).
I do agree with your first two paragraphs, but wanted to say something about the third (and just about this ‘class system’ in general.)
I make enough money to be comfortable, but also to where going to Disney even once a year is a stretch (and the two years I was an annual passholder I am *still* paying off in debt.) Despite this, I usually budget for a few upcharges because they hold the value for me. So, I do say this with that perspective (that I *could* afford LL, Desert parties, and most of the mid-range tours): Usually when I see VIP groups pass by or piles of people sitting in not-so-amazing paid parade or fireworks viewing locations? I actually end up feeling superior to them…because I found a way to have an incredible time without needing to spend that money. Sometimes I DO spend that money, though, and I also find that to be really enjoyable. The point is…either way I can win, just by changing my point of view.
That said, I do get more frustrated in the lines where you can *see* the LL users just streaming past you (like the Safari)…and much less frustrated in the lines (like RoR) where I never see them at all. So fixing the optics of THAT would help with those heartbreaking questions I hear of kids wondering why they have to wait in a line that isn’t moving. The only time I feel superior *then* is when the regular line is short and those who spent money for LL are very much aware of it.
I’ve looked at the VIP tours and I just don’t think the value is there. Based on my research, on a VIP tour:
– The guide can “skip the line” only on lightning lane attractions. On my last WDW visit, I saw a young woman in a plaid vest waiting at the exit of the Guardians of the Galaxy attraction. Since she appeared to just be waiting for her tour group, I stopped and asked her about the VIP tours. She confirmed she was a VIP Tour Guide. She was very polite, very pleasant and very professional. She confirmed she could skip the line only on Lightning Lane attractions, but pointed out those were the only attractions which really merited skipping the line. Point taken. Based on my interaction with that particular VIP Guide, I think my family and I would really enjoy spending the day with her as a guide. With other guides, maybe not.
– You may or may NOT be permitted to experience the same attraction multiple times in a row. It depends on the particular day and the particular tour guide.
– The tour guide may or many not be able to accommodate requests. And it might not be that big of a deal. At Magic Kingdom, I was waiting for the train at Main Street station when the afternoon parade started. On the platform, I was standing only a few feet away from a VIP Tour Group watching the parade. The only difference was, when the train eventually arrived, I had to get on it. I saw almost all the parade with the same view as VIP Tour Group did. I was thinking about how much that parade experience was costing the VIP Tour group; the meter was running for them the whole time while it wasn’t costing me anything extra.
– Some VIP tour guides will provide snacks. Others won’t. Apparently, it’s something the VIP tour guides do on their own? Not sure, but I’ve heard a lot of inconsistency there.
– If I have to provide my own park admission AND my own park reservations, that’s not really VIP service.
If you truly are a celebrity who will be recognized by guests and create a crazy situation, sure, a VIP Tour is the only answer. Imagine the pandemonium when people recognize Emma Stone is in line at Haunted Mansion. Otherwise, yeah, I’ll pass.
In addition to the VIP tour, previously Walt Disney World offered a less expensive Guided Tour that included maybe 3-4 rides. It was priced by the tour, not by the hour plus minimum. Sounds like a win-win option for Disney.
“More parents being able to afford to take their kids to Disney for even a single day is a good thing. Not just for the fandom, the parks, and the company–but as a societal net positive. I’d like to believe that is truly what Walt Disney would’ve wanted when he talked about middle class accessibility, as opposed to pretending he’d be upset about whatever personal pet peeves I have.”
An unexpectedly moving comment and one I cannot disagree with.
I would like Disney to do more special priced offerings that don’t interfere with the everyday guest experience . If its fireworks viewing parties or VIP tours or premiere pass, most of those don’t have much effect on the everyday guest experience but is still another revenue source. I think that is a better way for them to cater to the wealthier visitors but not have it take away from the average guests’ day. And if they charge a high price for that, it doesn’t matter since many won’t be doing those, it usually doesn’t affect the lines, and most importantly it doesn’t change the hours (like a separate evening ticketed event does.)
We’ve done 3 VIP tours and Premiere Pass ever trip since they introduced it and we prefer Premiere Pass-no forced chit chat with the plaid but mostly no time pressure. On VIP, you are watching the clock and running to optimize the ROI, where PP just allows you to go at your own pace at take your time. There are only a few rides the plaids can let you ride more than once, and only a few with super lightning lane access, so park hopping aside, it’s a comparable product. If VIP offered something more exclusive (2 snacks and unlimited water and some backstage access is not it), even at an increased cost, we might go back.
“…being accompanied in the parks by a stranger is very unappealing to me.” Me too, Tom, me too. As much as I enjoy taking to cast members and I love learning about Disney history and the parks, the idea of spending a whole day with a stranger while on vacation with my family makes my introverted self want to crawl in a hole.
I feel very lucky that my family can purchase LLMP and LLSP when we go, and that’s what we do every single time because we really don’t like standing in line for hours. However, we can’t justify the expense of LLPP. Perhaps if it was a one and only trip for us and we saved to do that, then maybe; but it’s hard for me to even think of considering that, let alone a VIP tour even with my DVC discount.
“Unpopular opinion” seems like clickbait here, Tom — seems like a “populist” take. DTB disproportionately attracts wealthy people so maybe your audience is slightly weighted toward the “VIP tour” demographic but I’m squarely in your camp — raise those prices! I’d be thrilled if they got rid of these tours altogether (or just reserved them for famous recognizable folks who’d create havoc or security issues if they wandered the park on their own). These tours only diminish the guest experience for the 99.9% of visitors who can’t afford them.
For anyone who says “I paid for a VIP tour and I’m not rich” then you’ve lost touch with the reality of our world. The dollar amount after taxes, tips, etc. to take a VIP tour is more than what half of the world’s population makes in an entire year.
I would much rather have Disney collect as much as possible from the wealthy and use those proceeds to keep basic “price of entry” costs like admission and food more accessible for the folks who might barely be on the cusp of affording one “once in a lifetime” trip to the parks. These tours probably have this subsidizing effect to some extent today, but not enough — and unfortunately Disney has decided to wring every drop they can squeeze out of every one of their guest demographics recently.
I pushed a very similar point with raising prices on Lightning Lane Premier Pass previously and higher tier Annual Passes before that, and both received far more reader backlash than positive reactions. Of course, this is a more extreme example than either of those.
I think it boils down to fans being reflexively opposed to price increases, even those that’ll never impact them. Maybe it’s aspirational? Idk.
I don’t know if aspirational is the right word, but I think for a lot of people there’s a big difference between “I choose not to buy this because I don’t see the value” and “I couldn’t afford this even if I wanted to.”
A lot of the commenters on this blog mention taking yearly (or even twice yearly) trips where they stay at Deluxes, do multiple sit down meals, etc. A lot of those people could, with some extra saving/motivation, swing the cost of LLPP or a VIP tour if they so desired. Knowing they could but choose not to feels good, whereas having the option removed due to massive price increases feels bad.
Which is exactly what is happening to those folks who are borderline being able to afford a trip at all are facing right now, and so I agree with you: charge more for these top tier upmarket experiences to help keep base entry prices lower!
I have noticed plaids exactly twice and both times it’s because they were being pushy and annoying me in the process. Twice is not exactly a pattern but my impression of the plaid institution isn’t stellar. To be fair this was during peak crowd levels at MK so getting from Point A to Point B and keeping your group – who paid a lot for the experience after all – happy is no doubt difficult. But that’s specifically why I think plaids aren’t a good idea in that situation. Why put a CM in a situation where they’re going to have to be snapping at guests to get out of the way, when those guests also paid a great deal for their vacation? It just seems like bad optics. As an invitation only type thing for those who truly need it (celebrities who would get mobbed, those with security concerns and such,) fine, but I say limit it to them.
That said, I do like the idea of more upcharge experiences, strange as that may sound. I’m super happy when Disney adds *extras*, vs. charging for the experience I was already having.
Every time I, as a normal guest, have encountered a Plaid in the past 20+ years, their attitude has consistently been they do have not the time, interest, or skills to interact with anyone not paying for their services.
My kiddo was lost for 10 minutes (felt like 100) during our last trip. A VIP tour guide in plaid heard my distress while talking to my husband, stopped the tour and came to help me. She asked for my kiddo’s photo, last known location, relayed that info to CMs in that area and didn’t leave my side until it was confirmed my kiddo was with my husband and on their way to me. Plaid CMs have a job to do like everyone else but when situations occur the tour won’t take priority if other needs arise.
Eliza… glad you had a good experience, although mine has been different. Once it was a plaid barking at us that we needed to move as we waited for the steamboat to arrive (where we were supposed to wait, we weren’t blocking an area we weren’t supposed to be), once it was an instance where I went to park a stroller in a spot where a plaid had parked 5 or 6 strollers and was told the stroller parking was only for her group.
Both of these were minor things, I’m not talking about anything egregious – but it left a bad taste in my mouth. The message of “you’re not quite as important as these guests“ is far more palatable when it’s built into the structure of the park experience itself. When it’s communicated directly from a CM, that’s where it feels more personal.
Nic I think you’ll appreciate this one – one evening last summer my son was waiting for a slice of pepperoni pizza at Connections Cafe. His slice came up, was ready, was waiting under the light, the CM at a counter acknowledged to him that it was his slice but they were finishing some little thing and needed to change gloves to hand it to him. (they had to wait for a new pizza and it was late so it took about 10 minutes, he was basically alone in the place)
In comes a plaid. “I need a slice of pizza now.”
CM behind counter – “it will be a moment, that is a different slice”
Plaid: “No, can that BE Jessica’s pizza?”
CM: “sorry, that boy who has been standing here knows it’s his and not Jessica’s pizza, and he has been listening to this entire exchange as you try to claim his food”
Plaid continues to get huffy. Didn’t want to settle for we can’t steal someone’s food right in front of them. We really appreciated that CM because the kid has ARFID and has to eat when his body will let him, but we now joke with each other all the time asking if something “can be Jessica’s” whatever when it’s the last of anything.
S… wow, that one would have made my blood boil! My son is also somewhere on that spectrum when it comes to eating (not sure if he’d qualify as ARFID but certainly a very picky and often restricted eater who needed liquid supplements until he was about four). The Florida heat tends to make it much worse so getting food into him on vacation is really important.
The thing is, I am super sympathetic to CMs in most situations. That’s why I wish Disney wouldn’t put them in this position where they’re to some extent pitting “Jessica” against the other guests in the park. Now that CM is tasked with making sure Jessica is happy over and above everyone else, not helping guests as a whole. It just create a bad dynamic out of the gate.
“That’s why I view Disneyland expanding its number of $104 day tickets is such a win.”
Totally agree with this. I have been baffled at why Team Orlando hasn’t followed suit on this. Especially at Animal Kingdom.
I have been unsatisfied with the shameless pursuit of fat margins for a long time, all while the experience has been watered down.
I agree that there can be a happy medium with pricing that increases both utilization and operating income. Reaching back into my fuzzy memory of Econ 101 there is in fact a sweet spot that balances volume and pricing, and maximizes revenue and profit.
Let’s see what the new CEO does. The ball is in his court.
I generally agree with your analysis – I’d rather the premium products stay an elite premium, and stay rare, so that everyone else can effectively have the same experience. (I don’t bat an eye when seeing a plaid with a large group, but I did see it recently for just a dad and his son. They both looked so excited, and I thought it was very sweet. I hoped they had the best day ever and the kid realized how lucky he was!)
I’m not a fan of the little upcharges, however. I do think they detract from the overall guest experience, like when prime standing areas for shows/parades get walled off for special dessert party guests or something similar, or when folks see others sweeping past them in the LL lanes. I’d rather they charge a higher overall ticket price (gives people predictability on total cost; people can save up for it) and every guest can feel like they’re getting effectively the same day as everyone else. IMO, that’s better than coming to the park and seeing that a cordoned-off area is not available to you because you didn’t pay extra for something fancy.
But I’m sure that’s me, just stuck in the past, and is probably not the way to Maximize Revenue or something similar. One other interesting thought: “Nobody is going to know whether they’re using the mass market Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single Pass or Premier Pass.” I suspect some people using these upcharged products want to flaunt it, actually!
Oh it’s not just you, not at all! I think if given the choice, the majority of park goers would rather know the cost and not see all the little nickle and dime adds at every single turn.
I generally agree with you when it comes to prime viewing locations, and am glad they got rid of Lightning Lanes for parade and fireworks viewing, especially since that didn’t maximize space. But I’m perfectly okay with the Magic Kingdom dessert party, for example, as Tomorrowland Terrace is suboptimal viewing anyway. They did something similar at DHS pre-COVID over by Gertie with a dessert party, and another in the GMR courtyard. All of those are also fine.
As a general matter, I think upcharges that don’t come at the expense of anyone else are a net positive. They capture revenue for Disney, and give repeat visitors something to do. Lots of things fall under this umbrella, including pretty much all Food & Wine upcharges, Brunch at the Top, etc.
We are only talking about VIP Tours that skip multiple queues and not other tours like Keys to the Kingdom or Behind the Seeds… right?
Correct.
As someone who always praises and defends cast members, i’m surprised you wouldn’t want to spent time with a “stranger” (Cast member) on a VIP tour. I’ve down 3 VIP tours and find it very fulfilling to spend the day asking questions and learning from the cast member about the parks as we skip lines and do all the rides. They are well-trained, super kind, and go above and beyond (watch the stroller with a sleeping baby if we do an adult ride, grab waters and snacks while the full family is on the ride). Don’t knock it till you try it!
It comes down to being an introvert. I enjoy brief interactions and can generally do pretty well at them (IMO?), but the thought of having to be “on” for several hours sounds awful.
With that said, I could absolutely do it if I were part of a 10-person tour and no one expected me to say anything. I like people, but I prefer observing conversations than carrying them. (Probably sounds weird, but it is what it is.)
Are we witnessing the birth of Umbrella Bricker?? 🙂
No, because I want price decreases for things like single day tickets and trip basics. I’d also love to see a return of $99 nights at the All Stars! I want higher occupancy and attendance.
This is essentially the opposite of what Chapek did (and some fans argue in favor of doing), which is raising prices to ‘thin’ crowds. I think that approach went too far.
Gotta say, the marketing campaign makes me want to consider it! I don’t agree with you about not wanting a stranger around – the parks are full of strangers, and we make friends with them in line. The question to me is whether the experience would truly be that much better than what I can design (and feel the triumph from) myself.
I was recently on a VIP tour paid for by young relatives who stay at Pop but think the tour is a worthwhile splurge (this was their second one). I am an experienced Disney planner and park-goer, and I’m not sure I can say it was “truly that much better than what I can design” myself, but there are aspects that I’ll never be able to replicate, such as going on both sides of Space Mountain with a short wait. We had seven people on the tour and visited both MK and DHS – we were transported by van between parks. I can say that we did more in 7 hours than I could ever have accomplished without the tour. And the plaid was very friendly and very knowlegeable. She even helped a lost child who came up to her, which she later told us was not uncommon.
I don’t want to admit to thinking you are right that the price should go up. Nobody wants to be the lowly peasant watching the anointed ones following a plaid and skipping the waits. It’s not a good look, and that’s coming from someone who can pay for this crap.
A large part of my agreement is wanting to see lower use of those LL queue spaces, acknowledging your point that tours are not a big crowd… but if this has anything to do with middle class, they would be looking back at undoing the paid LL idea. Back it down to “Everyone gets 1” or whatever during pre-planning, and cap those LL lines way lower than they are. Make it special to use rather than the item to anyone with any park experience is piling up as others pull out their hair trying to navigate. This has the mild effect that it would open that queue enough for disability use while also letting people think the regular lines are an acceptable place to be in the first place. Let the lines actually move at a real loading pace and they aren’t as stressful. Right now most people in the park behave as if waiting in the regular line is a diminished status vs standard protocol for a major theme park.