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Animal Kingdom

Disney Villains After Hours – Is it worth it?

by Jamie Rumph June 10, 2019

The newest in After Hours events has arrived! The Disney Villains After Hours at the Magic Kingdom!

Disney After Hours has been slowly expanding across the parks for a while now. It originated at the Magic Kingdom in 2016 and I was lucky enough to experience the very first one it shortly after moving to Orlando. I was in awe of the magic that happened when you walk onto every ride and feel like you have the park to yourself. It truly is magical!

2020 Villains After Hour Dates have been announced!

The event will run from 9 pm to 12 am on the following dates:

February 7, 21st
March 6th

and from 10 pm to 1 am on the following dates:

February 14, 28
March 11, 18, 27
April 3, 10, 17, 24
May 1, 8, 14, 22, 29
June 5, 12, 19, 26, 29
July 6, 10

I don’t anticipate additional dates will be added for 2020. In 2019 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party began in August as the late-night evening event through the beginning of November and then the year was finished out with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

While you may not be interested in attending these extra ticketed events you do need to be mindful of them when planning your vacation. You won’t want to schedule your Magic Kingdom day for an After Hours evening as your day will be cut short.

Disney's Villains After Hours at Magic Kingdom photo wall

When they introduced the same After Hours Event with a Villain spin I knew I had to try it out! Who doesn’t love a good Disney Villain!

Is it Villains After Hours worth it?

Before I can answer this for you, first I need to tell you what it’s all about!

Disney's Villains After Hours at Magic Kingdom projections

What is Disney After Hours?

The big idea around and After Hours Event is enjoying the park with a very limited number of guests and endless Mickey Bars. This means enjoying all Disney has to offer without a wait. And since it takes place after park closing you’re also doing it all in the dark without the heat of the Florida sun beating down on you! That alone has quite a bit of value! At Disney After Hours, you’re able to walk on, or minimally wait, for the most popular attractions and ride them repeatedly until your heart is content! It’s like every Disney lover’s fantasy!

Disney Villains After Hours at the Magic Kingdom

Disney's Villains After Hours at Magic Kingdom projections The newest After Hours event to debut is “Disney Villians After Hours at the Magic Kingdom”. It puts an evil spin on your typical After Hours event with a few special appearances!

What’s Included?

Disney Villains After Hours starts at 10 pm and goes until 1 am, but you’re able to enter as early as 7 pm. (some dates start at 9 pm and go until 12 am). This means you can arrive early enough to enjoy the evening fireworks before the event begins or get started riding your favorite attractions. Truth be told, this isn’t necessary! You will have plenty of time to ride all the attractions you want to ride!

Enjoy endless…

Popcorn
Bottled Soda/Water
Mickey Bars, Mickey Sandwiches and other novelty ice cream selections at select carts.
Access to the most popular attractions at each park

The Villains Spin…

When you choose to attend a Disney Villains After Hours Event a few extras are thrown in! The event felt like a mix of a traditional After Hours Event and a seasonal party but in a very toned-down way.

Entertainment

A Villainous DJ takes the stage on Cinderellas Castle and turns the Hub into a nighttime dance party while the castle is lit up in it’s a most gorgeous spooky overlay. I never thought I’d see the Magic Kingdom lit up like a club.

https://loveofthemagic.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/img_9272.mov

Villains Unite the Night Stage Show

Guests will also enjoy Villains Unite The Night at one of three theatrical dance shows on the Castle Forecourt Stage. In the evening I was there the shows were at 11:00 pm, 12:00 am and 1:00 am but you should check your event guide to be sure.

Hades and Meg from Hercules host the show with appearances from Jafar, The Evil Queen, Dr. Facilier and Maleficent. The show is 25 minutes in length and in my opinion a bit too long. I was satisfied after seeing the first few scenes and then I was ready to move on.

Maleficent at Night

Maleficent at night at the Disney Villains After Hours event

The most exciting part of the night for me was when Maleficent in her dragon form strolled through the park in the night. This is the same Maleficent dragon we all know and love from the daytime Festival of Fantasy parade. She makes her way from Frontierland to the Hub and back twice nightly (10:40 pm, 11:45 pm) and then makes her final stroll at the end of the party all the way down Main Street at 1:20 am.

There was something extra magical about her breathing fire in the night and with the lack of crowds she was up close and personal. In a sense, it seemed like she was wandering the park like the rest of us! My favorite place to see her was in Liberty Square and heading into Frontierland but probably the most magical photo opp happened and she made her way in front of Cinderellas Castle which was lit up quite spookily.

Villains After Hours Specialty Food & Beverage – for purchase

In addition to the included endless popcorn, novelty treats and bottled soda/water the Disney Villains After Hours event had a wide selection of treats for purchase. A few we’ve seen before at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party but many were new for the event. I tried several but truly I was in junk food overload before I could get all the way through them! (and many aren’t gluten-free)

Our favorites were the Dr. Facilier’s Tarot card and the Drink from the other side, both from Sleepy Hallow. The peanut butter filling with dark chocolate ganache was amazing! We both agreed that the Yzma’s Llama Potion from Cool Ship was way too sweet but had a fun element to it with the dry ice and bubbly smoking effect.

Not-So-Poison Apple Cupcake – Main Street Bakery
De Vil’s Treat – Casey’s Corner
Hades Temptation Mocktail- Tortuga Tavern
Hades Nachos – Tortuga Tavern
Dr. Facilier’s Tarot Card Tart – Sleepy Hallow
A Drink from the Other Side – Sleepy Hallow
- Headless Horseman Brownie – Liberty Square Popcorn Cart
Dragon’s Breath Float – Storybook Treats
Maleficent Cone – Storybook Treats
Yzma’s Llama Potion – Cool Ship
Evil Emperor Zurg’s Noodles – Cool Ship

Villainous Merchandise

Event Exclusive Tshirts/Tanks
Event Exclusive Hats
Event Exclusive Tumbler and cell phone cases
Headless Horseman Novelty Straw

Merchandise photo credit: Disney

These items can only be purchased during the Villains After Hours event. Day guests will not be allowed to purchase these items.

Face Painting

Add a touch of evil with event Face Painting in Fantasyland. I saw several people with their faces painted in some really cool designs. Prior to visiting the face painting station, I wondered if the lines would be outrageously long. After all face painting is a fairly tedious process and some of these are pretty intricate.

Disney's Villains After Hours event facepainting

When I arrived I was surprised to find no wait at all. My hunch is the price was just too much for a few hours during the event only to go back to your room to sleep it all off. I mean I know I slept like a rock after staying out past 2 am! I’m no spring chicken these days!

If you’re interested in having your face painted I suggest you go straight to the face painting area in between Mickey’s Philharmagic and Peter Pan at the very beginning of the event. That way you can enjoy the face paint as long as possible and also have it in all of your photos.

Photopass & Magic Shots

Scar in Adventureland
Main Street Castle
Oogie Boogie in Tomorrowland
Maleficent in Fantasyland

Villainous Adventure Attractions

Pirates of the Caribbean live characters (same as the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party)
Space Mountain – ride in the pitch black with villainous music

What happens when it’s over?

One would think you’d just simply leave tired and exhausted right?

Wrong! You’ll get one last glimpse of some of Disney’s favorite villains as they “throw” you out of the park with their comedic standup telling everyone to “get out” from high above Main Street on the train station platform! It was a great ending!

What Parks have an After Hours Event?

How much does After Hours Cost?

Disney Villains After Hours at Magic Kingdom:

$145 plus tax in advance for adults and children
$155 plus tax for adults and children when purchased the day of the event
DVC and Annual Passholders – $115 plus tax for adults and children

*prices are subject to change without notice.

How do I purchase party tickets?

To purchase tickets you can email me at Jamie@LOTMV.com

A small commission is paid when you purchase your tickets with me. It helps keep the blog running and the Mickey bars flowing!

Event Map

The Disney Villains After Hours Event map was extra special in of itself! I was shocked when they handed me a heavy cardstock, embossed map with a fun shape to it! The magic is in the details and Disney is superb at them!

Disney's Villains After Hours at Magic Kingdom event map

What if I’m a Magic Kingdom Day Guest?

Day guests who do not have a ticket to the Disney After Hours events will be required to leave the park at normal park close time. Cast Members are experts at politely directing you to the exit if you don’t have a party wrist band.

If you are a day guest staying for the Disney After Hours event you do not need to exit the Magic Kingdom and reenter with your wrist band. All guests can check-in at the event check-in in Tomorrowland in between Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin and Montsters Inc Laugh Floor.

Will Cast Members make me leave if I don’t have a wristband for the event?

Cast Members are positioned throughout the park and will ask to see your wristband for the evenings’ event. If you don’t have a wrist band you will be directed towards the exit.

Additionally, at each attraction or food kiosk, I visited Cast Members ask to see my wristband prior to joining the queue line for the attraction or allowing me to purchase any food. They are under strict instructions to not admit/serve anyone without an event wristband. As they should, the event has a fairly steep price tag and should be preserved for those who paid!

What to wear to a Disney After Hours Event

For a typical Disney After Hours event, your daytime park clothes are perfect to wear through the night. It is still pretty warm in the evenings/late night in Orlando.

At the Disney Villains After Hours event a spooky twist can be put on your attire! I saw many guests whose outfits had a nod to their favorite Disney Villain, also known as “Disney Bounding” and others who had Villain ears or event t-shirts on.

However, you’d like to celebrate the occasion is great! Do keep in mind that Disney does not allow adults to wear full costumes into their parks except for during the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Characters

Sadly the Disney After Hours events, even the Disney Villains After Hours event does not offer the opportunity to meet characters.

I’ve heard many say and I really do agree that if Disney were to add Villain Meet & Greet opportunities to this event that it would add a huge amount of value and fun! For now, we’ll have to look forward to Villain photo ops during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party!

Open Attractions

Magic Kingdom – So much of Magic Kingdom is open that it’s truly easier to tell you what’s NOT open!

Hall of Presidents
All Meet & Greets
Tom Sawyer’s Island
Liberty Square Riverboat
Enchanted Tales with Belle
Casey Jr. Splash N’ Soak Station
Carousel of Progress
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor

*subject to change.

Touring Plan

This may be the only time in the history of ever that you’ll hear me say (write) that you do NOT need a touring plan! That is just how magical this event is!

Touring Plans for all of the parks can be found here:

Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Hollywood Studios – coming soon
Animal Kingdom – coming soon

Is it worth it?

If you enjoy staying up late and the idea of your parks being less crowded or if you have a trip that is relatively short and you’re worried about being able to cover all of your favorite attractions this is definitely the way to accomplish it! But you should be prepared to sleep in the next day. I think it is definitely worth doing if this appeals to you!

For someone local like me who can visit the parks regularly and have an annual pass, I don’t really think it was worth the additional price of admission. I rarely feel like I have to accomplish everything in one trip! But I do remember the days when we were visitors and I literally checked off a list of everything I wanted to see and do while I was here. It was exhausting!

Disney After Hours is a sure-fire way to accomplish more in a short amount of time. Can it replace a full day in the parks? Maybe a second full day but I wouldn’t give up the daytime park activities and only do the After Hours event.

For most, I would say yes, it’s an event worth experiencing at least once!

More Information

For more information or help planning your Disney vacation email me at Jamie@lotmv.com

Also, follow along for Disney updates at fun on my Facebook and Instagram pages @loveofthemagic

June 10, 2019

Animal Kingdom Deluxe Resorts

Animal Kingdom Lodge

by Jamie Rumph May 20, 2019

written by Jamie Rumph

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Staying Deluxe at Disney

I recently spent 5 nights at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and was completely wowed by all it had to offer! I’ve visited the lodge often and have eaten there a time or two as well, but staying there and enjoying its serenity is in a league all of its own!

Animal Kingdom Lodge had two main buildings connected by a pathway. Jambo House and Kidani Village. The architecture is reminiscent of an African-style lodge complete with savannah lands and roaming African animals.

Jambo House is the original building at Animal Kingdom Lodge followed up by Kidani Village which opened as a new DVC property with over 300 villas in 2009, just 8 years after the original lodge was opened.

For Additional Pictures of Animal Kingdom Lodge visit here.

Resort Size

Savannah View at Animal Kingdom Lodge

955 Rooms – accommodate up to 4 guests, plus one child under age 3 in a crib.
Club Level accommodations available
Rooms have either 2 queen size beds, or one queen size bed and bunk beds, or one king size bed.
15 Suites
216 Jambo House Villas
493 Kidani Village Villas

Jambo House

Standard Room – 4 guests
1 Bedroom Suite – 5 guests
2 Bedroom Suite – 8 guests
King with bunk bed – 4 guests

Queen beds at Animal Kingdom Lodge Guest room at Animal Kingdom Lodge bathroom at Animal Kingdom Lodge (pictures shown above are the updated rooms as of May 2019, bunk bedroom shown below is prior to the room refurbishment)

Kidani Village

Deluxe Studio – 4 guests
1 Bedroom Villa – 5 guests
2 Bedroom Villa – 9 guests

Room Size

Standard Room 344 sq ft
1 Bedroom 777 sq ft
2 Bedroom Suite 1,083 sq ft
Deluxe Studio – 316 sq ft
1 Bedroom Villa – 710 sq ft
2 Bedroom Villa – 1,173 sq ft

Check In/Check Out:

Check In: 3 pm
Out: 11 am
Guests arriving earlier or later can check in and have their bags held with the bellhop.
Guests can pre-check in from the My Disney Experience app

Dining Options

Signature Dining/Table Service

Jiko – The Cooking Place, dinner

Table Service

Boma-Flavors of Africa, breakfast and dinner buffets
Sanaa – lunch and dinner

Quick Service

The Mara – breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Lounges

Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar
Sanaa Lounge
Victoria Falls Lounge – a favorite place of mine to relax and unwind while staying at the lodge.

Pool Bars

Maji Pool Bar
Uzima Springs Pool Bar

Special Experiences

Dine with Animal Specialist
Jiko Wine Tasting
Wanyama Safari

In Room Dining Available

Amenities:

2 pools with slide
Children’s pool
Interactive Water Feature
Playground
Whirlpool
Health Clubs
Select spa services
Family rec room
Arcade
Movies under the Stars
Sports courts (tennis, basketball, shuffleboard)
Grills
Animal programs at the savanna viewing areas
Safari tours exclusively for guests staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Daily activities

Stores

Zawadi Marketplace

Transportation

Bus to all 4 Parks, Disney Springs, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach
Minnie Van Service

Concierge Level

Exclusive Check-in Line
Concierge team to assist with reservations and other needs pre and during stay
Kilimanjaro Club Access includes:
Continental Breakfast
Mid-day snacks
Evening wine and appetizers
Deserts
The Animal Kingdom Club Level guests can also purchase the “Sunrise Safari Breakfast” at Animal Kingdom Theme Park. This is a private, guided safari with a zookeeper followed by breakfast. See concierge host for information.

Resort Location

Located near the Animal Kingdom

Additional Things to Know

The Animal Kingdom Lodge savannas have views of African wildlife and are worth paying an upgrade for!
To enjoy the views of the savanna from your personal balcony, reserve a savanna view room
To get between the main lodge and Kidani Village you can walk apx 10 minutes or use the inter-bus system at the resort.

Other Deluxe Resorts at Disney World

Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Towers
Boardwalk Inn and Villas
Grand Floridian Resort, Spa and Villas
Polynesian Resort, Villas and Bungalows
Wilderness Lodge, Villas and Copper Creek Cabins
Yacht Club Resort
Beach Club Resort and Villas
Old Key West Resort
Saratoga Springs Resort, Spa and Treehouse Villas

Moderate Resorts and Value Resorts

Need more help planning your Walt Disney World Vacation? I’m happy to help! Email me! jamie@lotmv.com

May 20, 2019

Animal Kingdom Disney Resorts Epcot Hollywood Studios Magic Kingdom Planning

New at Disney World in 2019

by Jamie Rumph November 27, 2018

written by Jamie Rumph

Disney World has many new and highly anticipated additions coming in 2019! Here is a complete list of what we have to look forward to in the new year!

I’ll continue to add pictures to this post so bookmark it and check back to see the progress!

Magic Kingdom

Mickey and Minnies Surprise Celebration

Mickey and Minnies Surprise Celebration begins on January 18th at Magic Kingdom. Mickey and Minnie will finally be together in one spot for a picture taking opportunity! I’m so excited!

Move It, Shake It, MousekeDance It!

Move It, Shake It, MousekeDance It also begins on January 18th. This updated version of the current Move It, Shake It, Dance It, Play It parade will have new music and costumes celebrating our favorite mouse!

EPCOT

EPCOT Forever Nighttime Spectacular

Summer 2019, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, a long-standing fan favorite will end and a new show Epcot Forever, will begin. It’s unknown if this will happen simultaneously. The new show will play for a limited time as Disney reimagines the feel of Epcot.

Hollywood Studios

Galaxies Edge

Perhaps the most anticipated new addition at Disney World is Galaxies Edge (Star Wars Land) at Hollywood Studios. This fully immersive land will feature two new attractions “Millenium Falcon – Smugglers Run” and “Star Wars Rise of the Resistance” when it opens in the Fall of 2019 along with new dining locations and of course a gift shop. The new Star Wars Hotel will also be part of the land but is not slated to open in 2019.

I’m not even a huge Star Wars fan and I’m really excited to experience this new land! Sorry guys, Star Wars is great and all I’m just not a diehard.

However, seeing glimpses of what’s to come while riding Slinky Dog Dash and just what’s peering over the tops of the walls has me pretty excited to experience what Disney has dreamed up this time!

Mickey’s Runaway Railway

This Mickey filled experience is taking the place of the Great Movie Ride inside Hollywood Studios. I was completely sad when Disney closed the Great Movie Ride I’m equally excited about the opening of Mickey’s Runaway Railway! This new 3-D attraction is scheduled to open in 2019 and is sure to be loved by all mouse fans!

Metroville

Pixar Place is currently being reimagined at Metroville home to the Incredibles and will open on January 18th. This area was once the entrance to Toy Story Midway Mania and home to the Woody and Buzz meet and greet but upon the new Toy Story land opening Disney quickly put up walls and began construction on something new.

Meet Mike and Sully

On January 18th, Mike and Sully from Monsters Inc will be coming to Hollywood Studios for a new meet and greet. You will find them inside One Man’s Dream in the same spot we’ve seen Guardians of the Galaxy, Moana and some other character favorites. Because of where they are meeting I anticipate they will only stick around for a short time.

Lightning McQueen Racing Academy

Beginning in early 2019 Lightning McQueen and his racing buddies Tow Mater and Cruz Ramirez will star in a new show located near Rockin Rollercoaster. I anticipate this show to be in the building behind the coaster that has featured a few dance parties in the past. Lightning McQueen is excited to share his racing knowledge with all of us but has to think on his feet when it doesn’t go as planned.

Wonderful World of Animation Show

Disney continues to celebrate the history of animation and movies in Hollywood Studios with the debut of a new nighttime show beginning May 2019. This projection show will share 90 years of Disney Animation and is assumed to be another projection show on the Chinese Theater. As long as they include the original animation Steamboat Willie my little Disney heart will be happy!

Animal Kingdom

Hakuna Matata Time

A new dance party titled “Hakuna Matata Time” begins on January 18th as part of the celebration of Mickey throughout Disney World. I don’t anticipate this one to draw crowds like the shows featuring Mickey.

New Transportation at Disney World!

Disney’s Skyliner

Opening in the fall of 2019, this new gondola system will connect 4 resorts, Disney’s Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach and the new Rivera Resort, to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

All of the connector poles are in place and the cable system is being installed. Each of the 4 new platforms to board the gondola are also well underway. Each platform has been designed to match the theming of its location.

Resorts

Rivera Resort

In the Fall of 2019, just in time for Galaxies Edge, Disney’s new Rivera Resort will be opening at Disney World. This new resort is the fifteenth Disney Vacation Club resort. There will be approximately 300 new rooms and views of Hollywood Studios and Epcot fireworks from the top floor restaurant.

Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

In July 2019 this new 545 room tower which includes 50 suites will begin welcoming guests in a two-story grand lobby. This new tower is situated to the right of the original resort and will be the new check-in location. Two new restaurants will also open at the resort. One on the rooftop of the tower and the second on an island in the middle of the 14 acre Lago Dorado lake. The original rooms at Coronado Springs are also getting a facelift to match the resorts new style.

Disney Springs

City Works Eatery & Pour House

Disney Springs has had an abundance of “new” over that last several years as it was transformed from Downtown Disney to Disney Springs. This shopping, eating and entertainment area has been very popular among guests and is often quite crowded in the afternoons and evenings.

City Works Eatery and Pour House will open in the summeopen019 and will feature over 80 beers on tap and abundance of large screen TVs. This sports bar type atmosphere will be family-friendly and perhaps a favorite hang out location for all of the sports-loving dads out there.

November 27, 2018

Animal Kingdom Epcot Extra Magic Hollywood Studios Magic Kingdom

Disney Worlds Private VIP Tour – Everything You Need to Know

by Jamie Rumph November 26, 2018

written by Jamie Rumph

Recently I experienced a Private VIP Tour at Disney World. You don’t want to miss this magical extra! Here’s why!

My Private VIP Tour Experience

I went on a Private VIP Tour with a large group, 13 total including myself. Each Private VIP Tour has a maximum of 10 people and therefore we needed two guides for our group size.

In our 7 hour tour, we wanted to cover all 4 parks and the majority of the E-Ticket attractions in one day.

E-Ticket means the most popular attractions. This term comes from when Disneyland first opened and guests bought ticket booklets to ride the different attractions instead of the all-encompassing ticket we purchase now.

Our guides picked us up at 10 am at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. This is where the excitement really began! We piled into our two private vehicles and we were off to Magic Kingdom!

Park One: Magic Kingdom

One of the greatest perks on the tour is entering each park from backstage and skipping the long ticket and bag check lines!

At the Magic Kingdom, we entered through “Park One” near Space Mountain. This parking lot is heavily restricted and only the most important Cast Members are allowed in. In fact, after your VIP Tour Guide lets you out of the vehicle and escorts you into the park another Cast Member moves the vehicle out of the way until your return! That’s just how small and coveted this parking space is!

After arriving in Park One/Magic Kingdom we were given water bottles and snacks, our Magic Bands were scanned and off we went!

We entered Magic Kingdom via the bypass that runs behind Main Street USA. The bypass is only opened on really busy nights after fireworks or during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Attraction One: Buzz Light Year’s Space Ranger Spin

From there we walked straight to Tomorrowland and rode Buzz Light Year’s Space Ranger Spin. We went into through the exit door, loaded the attraction and off we went. I was lucky to ride with one of our tour guides Kelvin. He pointed out all the targets to shoot for the highest score! It seems however if you can’t aim very well, you still can’t win! Even the greatest tour guide can’t fix my lousy aim!

Attraction Two: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Unfortunately, Space Mountain was temporarily closed so we passed it up for our next great attraction Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. This attraction consistently has a 90 – 120 minute wait time and a FastPass can be pretty hard to get if you don’t grab them at 60 days prior to arrival.

Another perk of the Private VIP Tour Guide is unlimited FastPasses so to speak! We entered Seven Dwarfs Mine Train via the FastPass line and went straight to the front! In a matter of minutes, Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho It’s off to work we went!

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is one of my favorite attractions at Magic Kingdom. This short smooth roller coaster is great for all ages. A starter coaster I sometimes call it!

I don’t get to ride if often because of the long wait so this was a real treat for the day! An extra treat was riding it with our other VIP Tour Guide, Julia, where she pointed out TWO hidden Mickey’s! I’ll give you a clue, they’re both in the mine!

Attraction Three: Haunted Mansion

After Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, we walked through a crazy congested Fantasyland and straight in the back door of the Haunted Mansion. We entered this attraction in the same place as I did with the Keys to the Kingdom Tour, another magical extra that you must try!

This special entrance takes you right into the holding room, skipping the standby line and FastPass line. We then entered the stretching room. (Did you know there are actually two stretching rooms?) After the stretching room, we made our way to the attraction queue. (Another side note, when touring by yourself always stand under the “Pink Lady” the door opens under her!) We entered behind the crowd in order to keep our large group together but were then escorted from the back of the line to the front of the line bypassing the remaining queue. I tell you this VIP Tour has perks!

Because I had ridden Haunted Mansion on the Key’s to the Kingdom Tour I knew the magical secrets being shared here! It’s fascinating how this attraction works! And of course, there’s a hidden Mickey and a few other great secrets in here as well! I don’t want to give them all away so if you want to know more take the Keys to the Kingdom Tour!

Attraction Four: Big Thunder Mountain

By the time we’d exited Haunted Mansion, it was about 11:15 am. We had been in the park for just over an hour and already ridden three of the most popular attractions. We continued our loop around the Kingdom and over towards Big Thunder Mountain. The crowds were insane at this point and it took some maneuvering to get through Liberty Square and Frontierland.

At Big Thunder Mountain we joined the FastPass queue which was somewhat backed up. The wait was not long by any means but we didn’t hop right on as we had at the other attractions. At most I’d say we waited 10 minutes which truly isn’t a bad wait!

Once again I rode with our VIP Tour Guide Julia and she shared the hidden Mickey at Big Thunder. Big clue, it’s near the end as you make your way back into the mine house.

Attraction Five: Pirates of the Caribbean

Our fifth and final attraction at Magic Kingdom was Pirates of the Caribbean. We used the FastPass entrance and were whisked right through to boarding the boat. Our tour guides stayed behind to have our VIP vehicle called back to Park One while we enjoyed the attraction. As our boat pulled away our guide yelled from behind the jail bars “the Hidden Mickey, he’s in the locks scene”.

This is an attraction I have ridden so many times that I couldn’t even begin to count but I loved listening to the guests who have never ridden this infamous ride! And of course, help them locate that Hidden Mickey in the locks scene!

From there we walked through Adventureland and across Main Street USA, stopped for a quick picture with the castle and continued our march back to the bypass and out of Magic Kingdom. It was an odd feeling to have experienced Main Street and the “Castle shot” and the end of our Magic Kingdom tour and not in the beginning but it’s a feeling I could get over if it meant I got to tour the park VIP style!

Park Two: Animal Kindom

After getting back to our private vehicles we headed across Disney property to the other side of the World and Animal Kingdom. If you’re a park guest it’s a long way to the other side! A minimum 20-minute drive and that’s if the traffic is decent. But when you tour with the VIP Tour Guides everything magically takes less time!

We drove from Magic Kingdom to Animal Kingdom in 10 minutes via a back road that only Cast Members have access to. I’ve seen this road many times and have wished to enter but never been able too. One of the downsides of living with a Cast Member is knowing all of the cool backstage access they have and wondering what it’s all like! I’ve seen a few things here and there while participating in RunDisney events but this Private VIP Tour took me all the places! (ok not all the places but quite a few) and this magical shortcut road to the Animal Kingdom was one of them!

Attraction Six: Flight of Passage

We entered Animal Kingdom from backstage and parked directly behind Pandora – World of Avatar and Flight of Passage. Which would be our sixth attraction of the day! The line here is consistently 120 minutes long and the Fast Passes are gone often before you’re able to get them 60 days prior to arrival. (Trick: make Animal Kingdom your third of forth park day to have a better chance of getting a Fast Pass for this attraction). We accessed the line via the FastPass entrance and walked right to the first holding point to get on the attraction.

This is arguably the best ride in all of Disney World! I say arguably because there are so many elements that go into a ride being the best! Therefore we could choose other attractions based on various factors, however, Flight of Passage definitely earns the best attraction for the most innovative and immersive attraction at Disney World. Here you are truly whisked away on the back of banshee inside the world of Pandora. I LOVE to watch newbies experience this and listen to their awes and exasperations as they dip, drop and smell their way through this awesome attraction!

Lunch Break

We stopped for a quick lunch at Pizzafari with the kids, which I mobile ordered while waiting in line for Flight of Passage. The adults opted for Flame Tree Barbecue. (My favorite quick service location inside Animal Kingdom).

Ideally, we would have mobile ordered this as well but the service was not working. The adults instead walked over to order and brought their good back to Pizzafari to join the kids. After lunch, we proceeded to our next attraction!

Attraction Seven: Expedition Everest

Expedition Everest was our next stop! I was surprised when the VIP Tour Guides loaded us back into the vehicles and drove us around the backside of Animal Kingdom to get closer to the entrance of Expedition Everest. We parked behind Finding Nemo – The Musical building and quickly walked to Everest.

Did you know Animal Kingdom is the largest park at Disney World? Magic Kingdom has more ground for guests to cover and a manages a higher capacity of people but because of the large savannah that is part of Kilimanjaro Safaris Animal Kingdom is actually the largest of the parks!

Here we used the FastPass entrance to board the attraction and ride through the Forbidden Mountain Pass and past the trouble making Yeti all on full tummies! This may not have been our smartest move of the day but everyone survived so that counts for something!

With our final descent from Everest, we were off to our forth park of the day just a little over 4 and a half hours from our 10 am start time.

Park Three: Hollywood Studios

Our next stop on this Private VIP tour was Hollywood Studios. At Hollywood Studios, you park behind Rockin Rollercoaster and walk the entire length of the park to do the attractions on the other side. Granted this is the smallest of the four parks at Disney World and therefore fewer steps to cover it all. But it can also feel the most crowded due to its smaller size. By 3 pm when we arrived it was really crowded!

Our guides warned us that we were starting to cut close our ability to do four parks in one day. Even though we were able to utilize the FastPass lines for everything we had done, it still took some time to maneuver around the parks with the crowds.

Because we wanted to cover all four parks without adding any time to our private tour, we opted to only ride Slinky Dog Dash and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios.

Attraction Eight: Slinky Dog Dash

After grabbing a quick coffee we joined the other toys in Andy’s Backyard, bypassed the 180-minute wait to ride Slinky Dog Dash, and slinked our way over the backyard on the backside of Slinky Dog catching a quick glimpse of Galaxies Edge in the distance. This attraction always has me giggling like a kid and living up the endless childhood nostalgia that screams 90’s kid!

Attraction Nine: Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

I have a lot of favorites at Disney World! In fact, I have so many that if you ask me what my favorite is I can’t tell you! I can’t choose just one. But Tower of Terror is right at the top of my list!

I love Tower because it’s different every single time! Yes, I know what’s going to happen, but the order of elevator drops is never the same, always leaving me in the same childhood anticipation that every great theme park ride gives you.

What I had forgotten I loved so much about this attraction was experiencing it with someone who has never ridden it before! This was the case with my group of 12! The majority of them had never been on the ride and it was terrifyingly funny listening to their every gasp as doors opened and closed and the elevator car moved about the storyline.

When the elevator finally clicked into the drop zone and the ride truly began all I could do was laugh and scream as we all experienced this part for the first time. One of those first-timers may have let out an “I hate you all” on the final drop! I”ll never tell who.

There is something about laughs of joy, screams of delight (ok maybe terror) that make family theme park days so much fun!

Park Four: Epcot

And with that, it was time for Epcot! At this point, we’d already walked over 15,000 steps and everyone was Disney exhausted! You only know exactly what this means if you’ve walked Disney World through your exhaustion and kept on moving by the magic of Disney! Somehow your feet just keep going!

We parked behind Test Track and entered to the side of it which was fantastic because that’s exactly where we were headed!

Attraction Ten: Test Track

The kids on our tour we’re dying to try out Test Track and that’s just what we did! We joined the FastPass line, built our streamlined cars in the waiting queue and then buckled ourselves in! After break checks and a responsiveness test we went from 0 to 60 in seconds and circled the outside of the building with the cool breeze in our hair. It was the perfect carefree ride to end our VIP Touring day!

The End

After loading back up into the van our guides dropped us back off at Disney’s Polynesian Resort were our VIP Tour had come full circle.

This was a truly amazing, one of a kind park day that I highly recommend! 4 parks, 10 E-ticket attractions all in 7 hours on the day before Thanksgiving with holiday-sized crowds! Wow!

Why 4 Parks in One Day?

Four Parks in one day at Disney World is a Disney bucket list item for many Disney parks fans. It can be done many ways but often includes one to two E-ticket attractions at each park to say you’ve done it. I have to say it was exhausting doing it on a Private VIP Tour and I’m positive it would be even more exhausting if I’d had to navigate Disney parks transportation, ticket ques and bag checks.

It’s a Disney World bucket list item I have not done in the past simply because I’m spoiled by having Disney in my backyard and access to the parks weekly. I will say however that I have the Parkology Challenge has been looming in the back of my head to be completed at some point. I should do that soon since it’s only going to get harder to accomplish with the opening of Galaxies Edge in the Fall of 2019!

How Disney’s Private VIP Tour works

Tours have a maximum guest count of 10 people per tour guide.
All guests including infants count in the guest count for the group.
There is a minimum touring time of 7 continuous hours
The start time is flexible, you can begin when you’d like.
Guests can add on time in increments of 15 minutes to their touring time prior to the start of the tour or while the tour is taking place.
Tours are prepaid 48 hours prior and range in price from $425 – $625 per hour, per tour guide. (Prices can change at any time) Holidays and peak season will be higher in price.
VIP Touring guides will pick you up at your desired location and return you to your next destination at the end of your tour.
Everyone in your group will ride in the VIP Touring vehicle that your tour guide will drive.

How to reserve your VIP Tour guide:

To book your VIP Tour guide call your Love of the Magic Vacations travel agent or 407-WDW-PLAY (our travel agents make a small commission off your tour and help us keep our blog running. Your price is the same as if you booked it directly)
VIP Tour guides can be reserved 180 days prior to arrival.

FAQs

What’s included?

Included in the cost of your VIP Tour is one Disney VIP Tour Guide specific to your group.
Access to any of the four parks from backstage skipping the ticket entrance and main bag check.
Your VIP Tour Guide will tour you through any of the four parks, your choice, and give you FastPass access to any attraction with a FastPass queue.
VIP Tour Guides will make suggestions based on your attraction style and offer expertise in touring the parks and the parks history and details if you’re interested.
VIP seating at most parades, stage shows, and live nighttime spectaculars.

Do you need a Disney World park ticket for the VIP Tour?

Yes, all guests need a park admission ticket for the tour.
The VIP Tour price does not include park admission.
If you’ll be touring more than one park in a day like I did you’ll need the Hopper option added to your park ticket.

Is lunch included?

The cost of lunch is not included on your VIP Tour, however, your Tour Guide will be happy to stop for lunch (or any meal) as desired.
Tour Guides can make suggestions of where to eat in each park.
Keep in mind that time spent eating is less time touring the parks and truth be told, make for a very expensive meal if you eat slowly!

Should you tip your VIP Tour Guide?

It is customary to tip your VIP Tour Guide 10% of the total cost of your tour.
Please keep this in mind when budgeting for your tour total.

Do I have to do the same tour you did?

You do not have to do the same touring plan or attractions our group did on our tour.
Your groups VIP Tour can be customized to the experience you want to have at Disney World.

Does Disney offer group VIP Tours?

Yes, Disney offers a handful of group tours that you can join. These tours are not customizable and have a schedule the VIP Tour Guide follows.
View the Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP Tour, Ultimate Disney Classics VIP Tour, and Ultimate Nights of Adventure VIP Tour here.

Can you go to the front of the Photopass/Character lines?

VIP Tour Guides have the ability to move you through any attraction or character meet and greet through the FastPass line.
Guides can not cut other lines or lines without FastPass ques. For example, if you’d like your picture taken on Main Street by a Photopass photographer you will have to wait in line like other guests or have your guide take your picture with your camera.
Other examples include characters that have lines to meet guests on the streets do not have FastPass ques and therefore VIP Tour Guides do not have the ability to get you to the front of the line. You will have to wait in the same line as non VIP Touring guests.

Was it worth it?

100% without a doubt YES! I’m a Disney World local and visit the parks weekly. I know my way around all four parks, never need a map and know the ins and outs of the parks like any great Disney junkie does. I have literally ridden ALL of the attractions more times than I can count (yes I love it every single time, it never gets old) and I still say this tour is 100% worth it!
Why? Because it’s a Disney experience like none other! Having the ability to have unlimited FastPasses to the attractions is just part of the fun. Skipping the lines is great but skipping the ticket lines, parking lots, trams, and bag checks all while seeing backstage and having your VIP Tour Guide share cool Disney news with you is what makes it worth it for me! I LOVED it!

Do you recommend dining with your VIP Tour Guide?

We all have to eat something during the 7-hour tour timespan and a snack probably isn’t going to cut it so do plan on eating a meal while on your VIP Tour.
I would suggest a quick service meal that you can mobile order from your My Disney Experience app. Your VIP Tour Guide can help suggest when and where to do so on your tour.
I do not recommend a table service (think waitstaff) dining experience while you’re on your VIP Tour simply because of the amount of time it takes for a sitdown meal. I don’t personally think it’s a good use of your VIP Tour time or expense.

Can the VIP Tour Guides get a reserved parade or show spot?

Yes, your VIP Tour Guide can utilize VIP reserved viewing areas during parades and shows including the fireworks displays. Simply let them know that’s one of the items you’d like to do on your tour.

Can the VIP Tour Guide get you in to hard to eat places?

As part of the concierge level of services the VIP team provides they will check on and make your dining reservations at 180 days prior to your arrival for the entire duration of your Disney World vacation, not just your VIP Touring day.
However, they do not have the ability to book reservations at restaurants that show no availability.
While you are in the parks your VIP Tour Guide can inquire at any location you’d like to eat to see if there is an opening. They can not guarantee you’ll be able to eat at your desired location. See above about using your VIP Touring time for table service restaurants and my thoughts on that.

Are your bags checked on entry?

Yes, your bags are checked as you enter the backstage parking lots in your VIP vehicle.

Are your tickets scanned at each park?

Yes, your park admission ticket or MagicBand is scanned at each park you enter on your VIP Tour.
Valid park admission is required for any of the four parks you enter.

What if I cancel my Private VIP Tour?

VIP tours can be canceled at any time prior to 48 hours of your scheduled tour without penalty.
If you cancel inside the 48-hour window you will pay a cancellation fee equalling two hours of the booked tour rate.

What kind of vehicles do the VIP Tours use?

Depending on your party size you will be driven around in a large van or Suburban.

How to do a VIP Tour more affordably.

If you’re dying to try out the VIP Tour but it’s out of budget consider these options to make the experience more affordable:

Book your tour during low season. Use my crowd calendars to determine lower crowd levels and off-peak seasons.
Gather a group of 10 friends and split the cost. At the lowest price of $450 per hour and 7 hours that makes the cost of the tour around $315 per person plus tip.
Instead of doing the Private VIP Tour you can choose one of the group VIP Tours Disney offers.
Consider taking off one of your park days to help defer the cost. With the VIP Tour you will cover more attractions in one day and theoretically can shave off a day of your park tickets or even a night of your stay.

November 26, 2018

Animal Kingdom Epcot Hollywood Studios Magic Kingdom Planning

Disney World Ride Height Requirements

by Jamie Rumph February 12, 2018

written by Jamie Rumph

Disney World Ride Height Requirements

Much of Disney World allows for entire families of all ages, and ride tolerances, to enjoy the parks together!? After all, that was Walt’s desire; to create a place that parents and children alike, could enjoy a day together.

There are a few rides that do require a specific height to enjoy the attraction.? This is for the safety of it’s passengers.? Disney is very strict about this, and for good reason.? So, there is no reason to try to cheat the system.? It just won’t work!

I’ve complied all of these height requirements in one place for you.? Helping to make planning your Walt Disney World vacation that much more simple!

If someone in your party doesn’t meet the height requirement for an attraction but you’d still like to experience it with your other family or children, have no fear, Disney has that covered too!? Simply use the rider swap option to enjoy the attraction with those that meet the height requirement.