Wanna personal disney guide?? Here's how

[BFJen]

So, I know that I've asked the question - how do celebrities get their own tour guide? Can I? Well, I learned something this weekend - here it is

You can get a VIP Tour Guide that can host up to 10 guests. More than 10, there will be an additional cost. Your admission is not included with the tour guide cost.

Pricing - $75.00 per hour/per VIP Tour Guide. 4 hour minimum when scheduled more than 48 hours in advance. $95.00 per hour/per VIP tour guide with a 4 hour minimum when booked the same day - if guides are available.

Your personal ambassador will customize your visit by arranging special seating for parades, shows and restaurants. They will also share their personal insight and experience throughout the tour.

You can book your own tour guide by calling Disney Special Activities at (714) 300-7710. You can book up to 90 days in advance.

Interestingly enough, it does say that priority entrance to attractions is neither offered nor available - Yeah, right.

So, there ya go.

[barfownz]

A personal tour guide?!

[PragmaticIdealist]

I don't like this use of the term, "V.I.P."

All guests to Disneyland are V.I.P.'s, and that fact is the reason they all have to wait the same length of time to experience the attractions. Disneyland should only be referring to these private tours as "private tours".

[PirateMunkee]

I don't like this use of the term, "V.I.P."

All guests to Disneyland are V.I.P.'s, and that fact is the reason they all have to wait the same length of time to experience the attractions. Disneyland should only be referring to these private tours as "private tours".

Ok, I will explain this one last time. VIP stands for Very Impatient PirateMunkee and this refers to me waiting in line for more than 30 minutes.

[Opus1guy]

Private Tour Guides have always been available. But what surprises me is that back in the 1980's...their hourly rate was $65. That's not much inflation, when you think about the $75 per hour it is today.

Also, back in the 70's and 80's...Disneyland had "The Executive Club." Which they advertised to companies as assisting them in hosting their most important clients to Disneyland by, "Armchair Entertaining."

You got this big gold embossed brown leather three ring binder thing, and it was full of Disneyland Admission, Food, and Merchandise vouchers you could tear out (very organized with tabs and such)...which you could give out to your employees or clients as gifts after "authorizing" the vouchers with special company-personalized stickers that you were advised to keep separate and safe from the vouchers. Sort of a gift certificate system. There were many types and degrees of vouchers, and prices as well...natch. Casual Dining. Fine Dining. Etc. Any vouchers that were issued and redeemed...you were later billed for by invoice.

Anyway...part of this program also including customized private guided tours for your special guests.

But you didn't really need to be a member of The Executive Club to arrange a private tour guide. Anyone could call Disneyland and make such arrangements. As still is the case.

Many years ago, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World tested out a VVIP private tour guide program that included Exit Clearance (no line waiting) to attractions. It was uber expensive, but it did seem to sell fairly well. But Disney dropped that element pretty quick, though I can only speculate why.

Again...just to be clear...the currently offered private guided tours do not include line skipping as part of them.

Regarding VIP's at Disneyland...from the 1962 Disneyland Cast Member Guidebook:

EVERYONE'S A VIP

We've had much more than our share of Kings and Queens
and Presidents and Dignitaries at Disneyland. We've had Prime
Ministers, Movie Stars and Senators. You'll meet some more
while you are here.

You have to remember that DISNEYLAND is a world
attraction...known by more people throughout the world than
perhaps any other single place.

We love to entertain Kings and Queens, and we scurry
around entertaining them...sometimes Walt meets them at the
main gate, and we have special tours and lots of security
officers and all that.

BUT...the vital things to remember is this - - -

EVERY GUEST RECEIVES THE "VIP" TREATMENT.

Yes, that man with the sport shirt and camera and wife
and three children, or anyone who visits us gets the same
friendly treatment as a King or Queen.

We roll out the red carpet for the Jones family from
Joliet, just as we would (with a few embellishments) for the
Eisenhowers from Palm Springs. These "VIPS" will be from
every state in the Union and burstingly proud of lt.

They will represent every creed...Christian, Jew,
Buddhist, Hindu, and others.

They will be rich and poor, refined and unrefined. If
God created them, you'll meet them at Disneyland.

And each must receive the red carpet welcome. Every
guest IS a King or Queen at Disneyland.

This is a nice, human courtesy...a happy way to welcome
people.

And on the practical side, remember THIS...

The Guest pays Us to make him happy.

Of course the key little understatement in that, that differentiates a VIP from a VIP is, "with a few embellishments."

[Chelle-Belle]

^^ You have a 1962 Cast Member Guidebook!? That is so far beyond awesome! Wow!

[steamboatpete]

I don't like this use of the term, "V.I.P."

All guests to Disneyland are V.I.P.'s, and that fact is the reason they all have to wait the same length of time to experience the attractions. Disneyland should only be referring to these private tours as "private tours".

Back when we was poor, and envious of the hotshots, we used to say that VIP stood for ... venereally ... infected ... and then the p-word depended upon whether it was a man or a woman we were trying to insult.

Now that I get the VIP treatment quite a bit, I don't find it quite as funny.

[disneyfnatc]

I have seen Disneyland Tour Guides giving people "exit" entrance as you say. Are these celebrities?

[Opus1guy]

I have seen Disneyland Tour Guides giving people "exit" entrance as you say. Are these celebrities?

Perhaps. Or State Department Guests. Or special Guests of Disneyland or Disney executives. VIP Guided Tours with Exit Clearance certainly do exist. Always have. But it's nothing the general public can purchase.

Yet.

Best the general public can get is the type mentioned in the original post, without Exit Clearance.

Often these personalized private tours do include a special element or two. And sometimes at the conclusion the private tour guide might give everyone in the group one Fastpass each to the attraction of their choice. But usually such little extra trinkets are not mentioned as part of the deal.

[Malcon10t]

You can book your own tour guide by calling Disney Special Activities at (714) 300-7710. You can book up to 90 days in advance.

Interestingly enough, it does say that priority entrance to attractions is neither offered nor available - Yeah, right.

So, there ya go.

Actually, they do not include the priority entrance. You can often find a guide standing in line with you. They will get you priority seating for the fireworks at the train station or parade seating there.

The VIP tour is nice because you can customize a tour to what you want. Want something like the Walk in Walts Footsteps tour, but also with holiday overtones? They will do it.

And this "tour" books very fast. Rarely can you book within 72hours, though they say they charge more then. Many times you can call 60 days out and there will be nothing left.

[Malcon10t]

I have seen Disneyland Tour Guides giving people "exit" entrance as you say. Are these celebrities?

Yes, or relatives of "celebrities", or guests of the higher ups. The VIP tour does not include the priority entrance. They explain this when you sign up and again when you arrive for the tour. But, often you will get a couple yellow passes at the end. It is a nice tour.