Personal Park Guides

[lostatdisney]

We just returned from WDW on 3/19, and at least three times I noticed CM dressed in the plaid WDW uniforms escorting families. THe first time there was a young woman watching two toddlers in the play area by Splash Mountain, and she explained to someone else that the parents were going on a ride that the children were not old enough for. The second time I was coming away from taking pictures of DD at Mickey's Toontown Fair, and an escort (in the plaid uniform) was talking to a couple with a small child and saying, "Just let me know, and I"ll get you reservations." The third time an escort was with a guy and a child, and I swear the guy looked just like Kiefer Sutherland!

Anyway, maybe this is common knowledge, but I was just wondering! Who are these guys?

 

[lecach]

I noticed the same thing on our trip. I read somewhere that they are very expensive and that they dont get you to the front of the line or anything. But on BTMR I saw them cut through - even ahead of the Fast Pass people. I'd like to know more about it.

 

[lostatdisney]

They probably can't advertise automatic front of line access, but they must get it! After all, I've never seen a CM stand in line! And you definitely wouldn't get your money's worth if you were standing in line much of the time!

 

[Sammie]

They are VIP guides and it is very possible they were celebrities. Yes they are expensive and Yes there are unannounced perks with having a VIP guide.

Mike of TourGuideMike used to be a Disney VIP guide and had many celebrity guests and Saudi princes and their families in his group.

 

[chamonix]

yes we see them a lot--sometimes with celebrity families, but more often not. I know I have seen the cost for these and it's not astronomical--but it is pricey. I'm thinking it was in the range of $85-100 an hour, with a minimum number of hours--I think it was 5 hours? If I can find the link, I'll post it here, since my memory is not so good today, lol.

 

[heathrow42]

The thread starter also started a second post for this.. below was my reply the other thread is at
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=534948

It is called a V.I.P. tour and it used to be $75/hour with a 4 hour minimum. Anything over 4 hours must also include a meal.

The only perk *may* be multi fastpassing-- and I am not even sure that they even do this.

Years ago, we had taken the Keys to the Kingdom tour and liked our tour guide so much we arranged to have her be our guide. Every time we went back we would call in advance and arrange this.. Disney even went so far as scheduling her shifts around it. Most of this was before fastpasses, but on one of the last trips she asked us what rides we wanted to go on.. then she went ahead while we were in the tiki room and got fastpasses for everything.

Not long after this trip, she moved on from Guest Relations and into Guest Communications.. we haven't done a VIP tour since! Just haven't found any tour guides who had as much knowledge as she did.

We loved it because, everywhere we went she explained things, told us us stories and all about the history. However, this is not the case with all tour guides... my fiance arranged one when we were getting engaged (it was the only way he could get me to the Rose Garden without arrousing suspicion) ... the guide was pretty bad from our POV-- I was telling him things!

The only ones who get front line access are the celebs... and it is mainly a safety issue, both for guests and the celebs. However, it is the same group of tour guide cast members for celebs and non celebs.

--Heather