The Ultimate Disney Classics VIP Tour now available at the Magic Kingdom

[mousehockey37]

So, is it true that if anyone does this most recent upcharge at $200 per person,they have to pay the 100 plus regular park fee?????
If so, that is just crazy. Why would anyone pay to ride the rides you can do with somewhat of a wait? Are we getting that impatient as WDW guests? I remember waiting in line for every attraction, and it was not the end of the world. I think it is right that WDW is using this to test the waters for a high priced fp system.

The answer is simple. Society today has the people that "have to have it, and they want it right now!". Let's call this the "Katiebug effect".

So this Katiebug Effect is the new era of vacationing. You (general you here) spend massive amounts of money for your lodging and you bring the rugrats to see the mouse. However, since your tots are so much more special than the other tots in the world, you lobby Disney and tell them that you'll pay an extra amount of money if you can bypass the other tots. Disney then comes up with these plans (minus KTTK because it's a tour that's not for tots) and slaps a price tag on them and you pay it because you feel it is worth it and your little tots are getting on all the rides, with minimal wait and you feel like a super parent because you avoid little juniors "waiting in line" meltdown. Well, Disney doesn't stop there though when you talk to them. You mention about how crowded fireworks are, well, Disney has an answer for that. They take away areas of decent viewing and now make these spots "desert party" locations. Again, they slap a price on it, you pay it and they throw in a cupcake for your trouble to help keep junior tots quiet during the show.

Basically, Disney is going the way of any other business. The vacation-zillas are out there with their seemingly endless bank accounts and they throw money at problems and make other people solve it. So now, with Disney, we have tour upon tour upon tour, festival upon festival up on festival, upcharge upon upcharge upon upcharge.

Does the experience still exist that you can do everything most of these tours, desert parties, etc offer? Sure. Are there hidden little perks you might not get? Yes.

But a bigger question I have is this:

Is a Disney vacation about the paying super high amounts of money for experiences or having fun and making memories with your loved ones? If you answered towards the latter, you more than likely pay for regular admission, use your FP, stand in regular standby lines, and make the most of your vacation, unlike the prior where you are hoping that by throwing money at Disney, THEY do that for you.

 

[mouse_luv]

They ruined pecos bills food. The food quality hasn't gone up like the prices have. I almost prefer a sit down good meal to the quick service options

Same, if only there were more sit downs in the MK that doesn't require you to have an ADR for a year beforehand lol or serves such exotic food that some people can't eat it.

 

[drizgirl]

I'm guessing this tour is not aimed at people who know about extra magic bands and same day fastpasses.

 

[21stamps]

The answer is simple. Society today has the people that "have to have it, and they want it right now!". Let's call this the "Katiebug effect".

So this Katiebug Effect is the new era of vacationing. You (general you here) spend massive amounts of money for your lodging and you bring the rugrats to see the mouse. However, since your tots are so much more special than the other tots in the world, you lobby Disney and tell them that you'll pay an extra amount of money if you can bypass the other tots. Disney then comes up with these plans (minus KTTK because it's a tour that's not for tots) and slaps a price tag on them and you pay it because you feel it is worth it and your little tots are getting on all the rides, with minimal wait and you feel like a super parent because you avoid little juniors "waiting in line" meltdown. Well, Disney doesn't stop there though when you talk to them. You mention about how crowded fireworks are, well, Disney has an answer for that. They take away areas of decent viewing and now make these spots "desert party" locations. Again, they slap a price on it, you pay it and they throw in a cupcake for your trouble to help keep junior tots quiet during the show.

Basically, Disney is going the way of any other business. The vacation-zillas are out there with their seemingly endless bank accounts and they throw money at problems and make other people solve it. So now, with Disney, we have tour upon tour upon tour, festival upon festival up on festival, upcharge upon upcharge upon upcharge.

Does the experience still exist that you can do everything most of these tours, desert parties, etc offer? Sure. Are there hidden little perks you might not get? Yes.

But a bigger question I have is this:

Is a Disney vacation about the paying super high amounts of money for experiences or having fun and making memories with your loved ones? If you answered towards the latter, you more than likely pay for regular admission, use your FP, stand in regular standby lines, and make the most of your vacation, unlike the prior where you are hoping that by throwing money at Disney, THEY do that for you.

I have to say this, Your assessment of why people pay for "extras" is so far off base. Maybe a very miniscule amount of parents may fit that description, but the majority do not.

 

[mousehockey37]

I have to say this, Your assessment of why people pay for "extras" is so far off base. Maybe a very miniscule amount of parents may fit that description, but the majority do not.

You a Katiebug @21stamps?

There's a lot of people here and off of here that have admitted over time, that if money will solve it, they'll pay it.

 

[S 2]

I have to say: Some of you guys are such babies! So eager to complain. I feel like some of you are just digging your heels into the claim that Disney today is money hungry and money is all they care about and just constantly look for reasons to make your point so you don't have to admit this isn't always true. I'm one broke fool, I just find money for my vice which is Disney. The same way some people constantly have the newest smartphone or insist on wearing Gucci or drive the newest car even though they really can't afford it. This is nice to me and something I would consider investing in to cover more ground and learn some interesting things and even just to get to enter a ride through the back! I think the VIP tours that are $1000+ would be ideal for rich families with children, but this is affordable to me and trust me: I'm poor....

 

[SorcererMC]

But a bigger question I have is this:

Is a Disney vacation about the paying super high amounts of money for experiences or having fun and making memories with your loved ones? If you answered towards the latter, you more than likely pay for regular admission, use your FP, stand in regular standby lines, and make the most of your vacation, unlike the prior where you are hoping that by throwing money at Disney, THEY do that for you.

That is a false dilemma. Paying money for experiences and having fun/making memories with your loved ones is not mutually exclusive.

The answer is simple. Society today has the people that "have to have it, and they want it right now!".

There has always been a 'Veruca Salt' sort of person....Consumers themselves have not changed, they want value for their time/ money and always have.

Frankly, at a $200 price point, I question calling this a 'VIP' tour at all.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I have to say this, Your assessment of why people pay for "extras" is so far off base. Maybe a very miniscule amount of parents may fit that description, but the majority do not.

Do you think a majority of families that go to wdw are going to do this tour? I'm thinking the # of parents who will agree to do this is pretty small compared to the # who go to WDW overall.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I have to say: Some of you guys are such babies! So eager to complain. I feel like some of you are just digging your heels into the claim that Disney today is money hungry and money is all they care about and just constantly look for reasons to make your point so you don't have to admit this isn't always true. I'm one broke fool, I just find money for my vice which is Disney. The same way some people constantly have the newest smartphone or insist on wearing Gucci or drive the newest car even though they really can't afford it. This is nice to me and something I would consider investing in to cover more ground and learn some interesting things and even just to get to enter a ride through the back! I think the VIP tours that are $1000+ would be ideal for rich families with children, but this is affordable to me and trust me: I'm poor....

This tour would be $800 for a family of four....I'm not sure I would consider that very affordable on top of the price of tickets.

I just bought my brother''s family discounted tickets to wdw. It was $950 for the following:
Two 3 day adult base tickets
One 3 day child base ticket
One 1 day adult MK ticket.
These are military discount tickets (not the Salute ones, just regular discounted tickets).

This tour would almost double the cost of their admission. While I do see the value that some will put on it, I don't know that I'd consider this extremely "affordable" in the scheme of the vacation.

 

[RobbinsDad]

The answer is simple. Society today has the people that "have to have it, and they want it right now!". Let's call this the "Katiebug effect".

So this Katiebug Effect is the new era of vacationing. You (general you here) spend massive amounts of money for your lodging and you bring the rugrats to see the mouse. However, since your tots are so much more special than the other tots in the world, you lobby Disney and tell them that you'll pay an extra amount of money if you can bypass the other tots. Disney then comes up with these plans (minus KTTK because it's a tour that's not for tots) and slaps a price tag on them and you pay it because you feel it is worth it and your little tots are getting on all the rides, with minimal wait and you feel like a super parent because you avoid little juniors "waiting in line" meltdown. Well, Disney doesn't stop there though when you talk to them. You mention about how crowded fireworks are, well, Disney has an answer for that. They take away areas of decent viewing and now make these spots "desert party" locations. Again, they slap a price on it, you pay it and they throw in a cupcake for your trouble to help keep junior tots quiet during the show.

Basically, Disney is going the way of any other business. The vacation-zillas are out there with their seemingly endless bank accounts and they throw money at problems and make other people solve it. So now, with Disney, we have tour upon tour upon tour, festival upon festival up on festival, upcharge upon upcharge upon upcharge.

Does the experience still exist that you can do everything most of these tours, desert parties, etc offer? Sure. Are there hidden little perks you might not get? Yes.

But a bigger question I have is this:

Is a Disney vacation about the paying super high amounts of money for experiences or having fun and making memories with your loved ones? If you answered towards the latter, you more than likely pay for regular admission, use your FP, stand in regular standby lines, and make the most of your vacation, unlike the prior where you are hoping that by throwing money at Disney, THEY do that for you.

 

[21stamps]

You a Katiebug @21stamps?

There's a lot of people here and off of here that have admitted over time, that if money will solve it, they'll pay it.

I don't know what being a "Katiebug" means. There are plenty of things that I pay for, but yes could do myself...from taxes to my eyebrows.
There's also plenty of things I will pay for to make something more "convenient".. and, there's things that I will pay for to give me a little extra "special" experience.
I know that I'm not alone in this. I used myself as an example but you can apply to mostly anyone who makes the same choices.

Here's where you are way off base-
Choosing an upcharge is not because my child is more special than another. Or because I want to prevent tantrums. Or because I don't want him around other children who aren't doing the same upcharge as us.

Your major flaw is in thinking that it has anything to do with more than the Family who is making the choice. It's about their convenience, that's all. If they see an experience that can benefit them, then why wouldn't they do it?

Your other equally major flaw is that you think it is "purchasing fun" and relying on someone else to show them a good time. It's not. It's about adding an experience to an already wonderful day.

Every "upcharge" thread is the same. Some just can't fathom why anyone would make a different decision than what "you" would make.
Just try, for once, to understand that just because something doesn't benefit "you", doesn't mean that it won't benefit anyone. And dial back on your contempt of the What, Who, and Why.

This tour is not for my family. I understand that other families will find this attractive.

Do you think a majority of families that go to wdw are going to do this tour? I'm thinking the # of parents who will agree to do this is pretty small compared to the # who go to WDW overall.

No. I never said they were. Not quite sure what you're talking about here.

That is a false dilemma. Paying money for experiences and having fun/making memories with your loved ones is not mutually exclusive.



There has always been a 'Veruca Salt' sort of person....Consumers themselves have not changed, they want value for their time/ money and always have.

Frankly, at a $200 price point, I question calling this a 'VIP' tour at all.

Your first part- Exactly.
2nd part- I think society has gone in a direction of willingness to pay for convenience, much more than any previous generations. I don't think that's a horrible thing though. It just is what it is.

 

[S 2]

This tour would be $800 for a family of four....I'm not sure I would consider that very affordable on top of the price of tickets.

I just bought my brother''s family discounted tickets to wdw. It was $950 for the following:
Two 3 day adult base tickets
One 3 day child base ticket
One 1 day adult MK ticket.
These are military discount tickets (not the Salute ones, just regular discounted tickets).

This tour would almost double the cost of their admission. While I do see the value that some will put on it, I don't know that I'd consider this extremely "affordable" in the scheme of the vacation.

Not extremely affordable, just affordable; doable...possible. Even for struggling families. If this is a one time trip and the next may not be realistic until the kids have their own families, it might be worth it to be able to see more than a few rides, get some extra info and feel the excitement of walking in an area where normally only CM's are able to go... In addition to and extra day of tickets, an extra night in a hotel + meals for everyone could also be a consideration...

 

[contrariwise]

I have to say this, Your assessment of why people pay for "extras" is so far off base. Maybe a very miniscule amount of parents may fit that description, but the majority do not.

I am unclear on how you can know that the majority of parents do not fit that description. I would love to see the study though.

The "Katiebug Effect" thing was interesting. I will say that there are some people who purchase these upcharge things because of specific reasons. Maybe they have one day in MK and they need to maximize their time, for instance.

However, people who repeatedly buy into these fall into a different category. There has to be something else going on.

I have a friend whose husband will only buy name brand everything. Doesn't matter how much cheaper or how good the alternative is. He's super into status, from his cars right down to his laundry detergent. You can't explain that away as, "Oh, he's particular to one brand." There's something else going on there. Maybe insecurity or overcompensating for something else or whatever.

Same with upcharge repeat buyers.

 

[21stamps]

I am unclear on how you can know that the majority of parents do not fit that description. I would love to see the study though.

The "Katiebug Effect" thing was interesting. I will say that there are some people who purchase these upcharge things because of specific reasons. Maybe they have one day in MK and they need to maximize their time, for instance.

However, people who repeatedly buy into these fall into a different category. There has to be something else going on.

I have a friend whose husband will only buy name brand everything. Doesn't matter how much cheaper the alternative is. He's super into status, from his cars right down to his laundry detergent. You can't explain that away as, "Oh, he's particular to one brand." There's something else going on there. Maybe insecurity or overcompensating for something else or whatever.

Same with upcharge repeat buyers.

I don't even understand this.
His laundry detergent is a status symbol? Or maybe..could it possibly be that he just likes a certain brand? lol. Are Yankee Candles or Capri candles bought for status? Or maybe people like the smell and longevity? What about toilet paper? Or Dawn dish soap? Is that a status symbol too?
People who buy brands that they prefer are overcompensating for something or are insecure because they prefer these items over generic or maybe less expensive ones? What?!?

People who want to avoid crowds, not stake out spots for a parade, or maximize their time in a theme park are insecure and overcompensating? For what? How do you arrive at that conclusion?

I'm hoping that you were just trying to make a joke.lol.

I think the main recurring theme is that some people are just too concerned with what others are doing. Live and Let Live. Who cares what someone else is choosing to do? If it makes someone feel better to consistently place judgement on other people's choices..that's where the flaw exists. Not in those that you are criticizing or concerning yourself with - critiquing what kind of car they are driving or what brand of laundry detergent they are using. I'd say one situation definitely shows the bigger insecurity. Think about it.

 

[RobidaFlats]

I am unclear on how you can know that the majority of parents do not fit that description. I would love to see the study though.

Fortunately, I can shed a little light on the scientific process that leads to this knowledge. It's actually quite simple:

Does the statement in question support or refute 21's current feeling?

• If it refutes, then it is to be denounced for being an overreaching generalization which is inherently unverifiable.
• If it supports, then it should be taken as obvious fact.

You're welcome. Oh, before I forget, there is always a refutation of this principle where 21 attempts to explain that it's somehow different and applications of logic do not apply to 21's posts or the posts of others that disagree. It should be along shortly.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Not extremely affordable, just affordable; doable...possible. Even for struggling families. If this is a one time trip and the next may not be realistic until the kids have their own families, it might be worth it to be able to see more than a few rides, get some extra info and feel the excitement of walking in an area where normally only CM's are able to go... In addition to and extra day of tickets, an extra night in a hotel + meals for everyone could also be a consideration...

I can see what you are saying. As a question, though - Does this tour have anything backstage? I didn't get that impression from the description. As I understand it, most tours that have ride access, the guide takes you through the FP line...not into cm only areas. I could be wrong, though.

 

[contrariwise]

I don't even understand this.
His laundry detergent is a status symbol? Or maybe..could it possibly be that he just likes a certain brand? lol. Are Yankee Candles or Capri candles bought for status? Or maybe people like the smell and longevity? What about toilet paper? Or Dawn dish soap? Is that a status symbol too?
People who buy brands that they prefer are overcompensating for something or are insecure because they prefer these items over generic or maybe less expensive ones? What?!?

People who want to avoid crowds, not stake out spots for a parade, or maximize their time in a theme park are insecure and overcompensating? For what? How do you arrive at that conclusion?

I'm hoping that you were just trying to make a joke.lol.

Either I made my point poorly or you just missed it. I'm afraid I know the answer, but I'll try again.

First, I don't know what a Capri candle is.

Second, my point was this: If you have certain things you like for whatever reason, I get that. I don't get reaching every time for the most expensive brand. If every time, you reach for the most expensive brand, there's something else going on.

If you can't do a Disney trip without multiple add-ons and VIP this or that and before/after hours upcharge events and cabanas and whatever, there's something else going on.

That's all. I get it when a family looks at the time they have in their trip and the money they have in their pocket, and sees certain options as appealing and logical. Totally understandable. Salivating every time a new upcharge event is announced is not.

 

[Biff215]

I have to say: Some of you guys are such babies! So eager to complain. I feel like some of you are just digging your heels into the claim that Disney today is money hungry and money is all they care about and just constantly look for reasons to make your point so you don't have to admit this isn't always true. I'm one broke fool, I just find money for my vice which is Disney. The same way some people constantly have the newest smartphone or insist on wearing Gucci or drive the newest car even though they really can't afford it. This is nice to me and something I would consider investing in to cover more ground and learn some interesting things and even just to get to enter a ride through the back! I think the VIP tours that are $1000+ would be ideal for rich families with children, but this is affordable to me and trust me: I'm poor....

To me "affordable" is more than just determining it I have enough money to pay for it. I also think about if it makes sense and provides some sort of value to me. While some may feel it does, let's be honest, those of us who have been to WDW a few times know this isn't necessary for the attractions being offered, regardless of price. If you're "poor" as you claim to be, then I really question your affordable label.

You also mention learning interesting things and entering a ride through the back, but are we sure those things are even included? There's no indication on the Disney Parks Blog of any of that, just "up to 10" non-height restricted attractions, Mickey meet, and a snack, with a VIP tour guide. I wouldn't expect anything like the true VIP tours. This is simply for those who unfortunately don't know better IMO.

 

[contrariwise]

I can see what you are saying. As a question, though - Does this tour have anything backstage? I didn't get that impression from the description. As I understand it, most tours that have ride access, the guide takes you through the FP line...not into cm only areas. I could be wrong, though.

From what I can tell, no. It's just paying extra for more fastpasses.

 

[21stamps]

Either I made my point poorly or you just missed it. I'm afraid I know the answer, but I'll try again.

First, I don't know what a Capri candle is.

Second, my point was this: If you have certain things you like for whatever reason, I get that. I don't get reaching every time for the most expensive brand. If every time, you reach for the most expensive brand, there's something else going on.

If you can't do a Disney trip without multiple add-ons and VIP this or that and before/after hours upcharge events and cabanas and whatever, there's something else going on.

That's all. I get it when a family looks at the time they have in their trip and the money they have in their pocket, and sees certain options as appealing and logical. Totally understandable. Salivating every time a new upcharge event is announced is not.

I haven't seen anyone on this thread salvitate over this less expensive replacement of another similar tour.
Have you?

I think this thread could be very important in what could be coming in the next month or so. But, instead of discussing that, people can keep projecting their judgements on people who make different choices than they do.

Upcharges are almost non existent for the next few months. Ones that have been around for awhile..ranging from a year or more. The $299 tour that this new one replaced was gone well before this was announced. So, what does that mean? Are more coming? New ones? Are they restructuring and changing what's been around for a year or more?