Guest Services on rides?

[SamG]

On a couple MK rides last week, I saw some guest services (red plaid vest/white shirt/blue skirt or pants) CMs go through lines. I saw two on BTMRR (within a couple minutes of each other), and one on Aladdin's Magic Carpet. I think I saw one elsewhere too.

Were they escorting a family? That's my only guess and I didn't get a chance to ask.

[joanna71985]

On a couple MK rides last week, I saw some guest services (red plaid vest/white shirt/blue skirt or pants) CMs go through lines. I saw two on BTMRR (within a couple minutes of each other), and one on Aladdin's Magic Carpet. I think I saw one elsewhere too.

Were they escorting a family? That's my only guess and I didn't get a chance to ask.

Yes. Most likely they were a VIP tour guide.

[kakn7294]

As the previous poster stated, those are the VIP guides and the guest that they are escorting around have paid a premium for the service.

[SamG]

Darn, wish I would have looked closer to see if it was someone "famous"! :secret:

Or is this available to anyone with a big enough pocketbook?

[pianobabe]

If you have the money, you can sign up for the VIP tours.

[TheRustyScupper]

If you have the money, you can sign up for the VIP tours.

Cost:
. . . $125 per hour, six hours minimum
. . . tip
. . . lunch for the tour guide
. . . your car title
. . . rights to your first-born

[Ian]

I've been wondering lately if Disney is suddenly doing more to market the existence of VIP tour guides, because recently I've seen a ton of them walking non-celebs around the parks.

I don't really get the benefit, though. I mean you're going to pay like close to $1,000 for 6 hours worth of ... what??

From all that I've been told, front of the line access is not a part of the package. So what does the thousand dollars get you??

[Imagineer1981]

usually a vip tour.

[SamG]

The ones I saw on BTMRR were using the FP line. Since this was after the merge, I didn't see if they actually had FPs.

[KylesMom]

I've been wondering lately if Disney is suddenly doing more to market the existence of VIP tour guides, because recently I've seen a ton of them walking non-celebs around the parks.
In July we saw the same thing. They were in the plaid outfits with the fancy "D" pin - and seemed to usually be accompanying a child or two, sans parents. DH asked me about this, and I told him it was obviously children of parents who had some serious $$$ and wanted some time alone! Either that or they were attending a conference and this was a nice added perk!

[Goes4FastPass]

I've seen VIP escorts several times waiting in queues patiently with their guests. What I saw was not People Magazine celebrities but guests who apparently had the $$ to hire a guide.

I've sometimes wondered how WDW handles the kind of celebrities that would be mobbed by tourists if they were just walking around a theme park, though you read about movie actress so and so taking her kids to Disney World.

[Giggy]

I think I have heard before that with real serious VIP guests they let them take the tunnels under Magic Kingdom. it allows them to get around safely and straight to the ride.

I think they have done this for members of the British Royal family at least. I'd imagine the same applies for other high status guests.

[WDWdriver]

I've sometimes wondered how WDW handles the kind of celebrities that would be mobbed by tourists if they were just walking around a theme park, though you read about movie actress so and so taking her kids to Disney World.

Some Hollywood names, music industry people and sports stars prefer to be on their own. They try to remain inconspicuous and they don't ask for anything.

If one of these "names" wants to have an escort and priority access to the attractions, then Disney will provide it gladly. Because the alternative may be mob scenes in the parks that might take away from the "show". So they don't wait in any lines, not even FP. They and their party are driven backstage to the closest ride access point. They appear from nowhere, are whisked onto the attraction, then escorted backstage again. Even some of the ride CMs might miss it.

In the case of high security visitors, such as heads of state or royal families, there is no option. They automatically get the escorted on stage/off stage treatment. Their security details are always nearby.

[Speedy1998]

I too noticed several VIP tours on my last trip. Prior to that in 28 years of visiting WDW I had only ever seen one (though I probably would not them when I was a kid). I think some of it is that it was not something that most people knew about. However, they show it in the Disney Splurge! documentry that is on the travel channel all the time so I think more people are learning about it.

[kathiep]

When we were on Toy Story Mania in Sept, there was a Cast member with the plaid vest in the car behind us. When the ride stopped, we were face to face with Roger Clemens. We tried to get off slowly and saw his whole group gather together on the platform. I don't know where they went after that because the certainly didn't exit behind us. They also had not been on line behind us! I think they were using different entrances and exits for this group.

[GBBT]

When we were on Toy Story Mania in Sept, there was a Cast member with the plaid vest in the car behind us. When the ride stopped, we were face to face with Roger Clemens. We tried to get off slowly and saw his whole group gather together on the platform. I don't know where they went after that because the certainly didn't exit behind us. They also had not been on line behind us! I think they were using different entrances and exits for this group.

And you didn't say,"Say it ain't so Rog"!

[IamBelle]

[QUOTE=TheRustyScupper;1806179]Cost:
. . . $125 per hour, six hours minimum
[QUOTE]

WOW! I now know my career path! That sounds like a nice job. $125 an hour having fun riding rides in WDW all day!! My dream job!!

[Goes4FastPass]

[quote=IamBelle;1806880
WOW! I now know my career path! That sounds like a nice job. $125 an hour having fun riding rides in WDW all day!! My dream job!![/quote]

Ha! You're assuming the CM gets a big hunk of that $125 per hr.

and

The last plaid vest CM I saw was wrangling a couple of pre-schoolers while Mom and Dad looked at the gorillas... may not a dream job.

[Ian]

I'm yeah ... I'm sure the guide sees about nine bucks worth of that $125 ... not exactly a high-paying gig ...

But I still don't see the benefit at all. I mean okay, so it can function as very expensive babysitting, but really ... what's the deal?? What do they do for you that's worth $125 an hour??

[Goes4FastPass]

I'm yeah ... I'm sure the guide sees about nine bucks worth of that $125 ... not exactly a high-paying gig ...

But I still don't see the benefit at all. I mean okay, so it can function as very expensive babysitting, but really ... what's the deal?? What do they do for you that's worth $125 an hour??

Isn't this a simple case of "we'll offer it as long as enough people want to buy it?"

[FaithTrustPixieDust]

I chatted with a Red Plaid Vested CM during my last trip. He told me that the VIP service does not guarantee front-of-line. Instead, these experts will map out your ride strategy, dash across the park for your fast passes, etc. They do the planning and legwork so that you can just wander and enjoy.

We are so thankful that we had friends do this FOR FREE for us!! Many of you who also love taking newbies to WDW and guiding them around . . . .take note you may now charge $125/hr for that service!!! :mickey:

DH and I noticed several of these folks in the parks in October, and they often seemed to be with non-English speaking guests. Our theory is that the US dollar is so weak right now, it's much more affordable for people overseas to visit WDW than it has been in recent years. Also, these folks may have a stronger need for a tour guide if they don't speak or read English.

[Ian]

Isn't this a simple case of "we'll offer it as long as enough people want to buy it?"Oh absolutely ... I'm not questioning why Disney offers it. I'm just wondering why anyone would actually pay that much?? :confused:


I chatted with a Red Plaid Vested CM during my last trip. He told me that the VIP service does not guarantee front-of-line. Instead, these experts will map out your ride strategy, dash across the park for your fast passes, etc. They do the planning and legwork so that you can just wander and enjoy.Wow ... and someone out there thinks this service is worth $1,000 for six hours???

I'm sorry ... I waste more money than anyone, but even I think that's absurd.

[mom2morgan]

Wow ... and someone out there thinks this service is worth $1,000 for six hours???

I'm sorry ... I waste more money than anyone, but even I think that's absurd.
Yeah, but I think I'd like to be rich enough to have the OPTION of wasting it so foolishly...;)