• (866) 338-6786
  • (347) 254-8457
  • [email protected]
CONTACT
Caballeros Vacations
  • Home
  • About
    • All-Inclusive Resorts Specialists
    • Family Travel Specialists
    • Group Travel Specialists
    • Mexico Travel Specialists
    • Theme Park Specialists
  • Popular Destinations
    • Adventures by Disney
    • 🇺🇸 Aulani
    • 🇺🇸 Disney World
    • 🇺🇸 Universal Orlando
    • 🇲🇽 Cancun
    • 🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
    • 🇲🇽 Tulum
    • 🇲🇽 Los Cabos
    • 🇲🇽 Puerto Vallarta
    • 🛳️ Disney Cruise Lines
    • 🛳️ Family & Luxury Cruises
  • Promotions
  • Traveler Resources
    • Disney Trip Planning
      • Disney Genie Explained
      • Disney World Character Dining
      • Disney World Dining Options Outside The Parks
      • Money Saving Tips For Disney World
      • Fix MagicBand+ Connection
      • How To Link Your Marriott Reservation
      • Find Your Mobile Checkout Receipts
      • Walt Disney World Planning Date Calculator
    • Mexico Trip Planning
      • 🇲🇽 Playa Del Carmen Resorts Map
      • 🇲🇽 Cancun Resorts Map
      • 🇲🇽 Customs, Immigration & Passport Control Guide
      • 🇲🇽 VISITAX Explained
      • 🇲🇽 Mexico Smoking & Vape Laws
      • 🇲🇽 Resorts With Sargassum Barriers
      • 🇲🇽 Top 10 Rainy Day Activities
      • 🇲🇽 The X-Parks: Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor, Xenses, Xenotes, Xoxomilco & More
    • General
      • ✈️ CDC Travel Notices
      • 🛳️ Cruise Travel Requirements
      • ✈️ Customs Duty Free Rules
      • ✈️ FAA Packing Rules
      • 🇲🇽 VISITAX Official Online Portal
      • 🇲🇽 Mexico Departure Health Form
      • ✈️ STEP Enrollment
      • ✈️ TSA Travel Tips
  • Travel Blog
Caballeros Vacations
  • CONTACT
Logo

Schedule A Free Travel Consultation

GET STARTED

Contact Info

  • (866) 338-6786
  • [email protected]

On A Trip? We're Available By Text Message or WhatsApp

  • (347) 254-8457
  • (866) 338-6786)

Is the Non-Private VIP Tour Experience At Universal Studios Worth It?

Home » Travel Blog » Travel Tips & Tricks » Disney & Universal » Is the Non-Private VIP Tour Experience At Universal Studios Worth It?
Disney & Universal

Is the Non-Private VIP Tour Experience At Universal Studios Worth It?

  • By Caballeros Vacations
May 16, 2022

Over the years we have attended countless non-private VIP Tour Experiences at Universal Studios. We’ve booked even more of them for our clients! In doing so – we’ve learned exactly what kind of expectations you should have when booking this tour. Having the wrong expectations can drastically affect your final experience. So we’ve put together this article to help give some honest feedback on exactly who the non-private VIP tour experience is ideal for. If this is something you are considering, we strongly suggest you read through this blog before booking.

What Is It

If you aren’t familiar with what the VIP Tour Experience at Universal Studios is, here is a quick overview. This is a guided group tour through Universal Studios Florida or Universal’s Islands of Adventure, or both with a 2-park experience. You get to ride most of the rides and attractions with minimal or no wait, and along the way you get to see some behind the scenes things and learn some cool facts. 

There are two main types of these tours.

  1. The first is a 1-park, 5 hour tour. This will get you priority access to at least 8 major rides and attractions.
  2. The second is the 2-park, 7 hour tour. This one gets you priority access to at least 10 major rides and attractions. 

What You SHOULD Expect

First off – those pesky expectations. It’s very hard to set the correct expectations for this VIP tour experience without previously participating on a few yourself. This is mainly because the flow of the overall experience can differ heavily from one tour to another. This is due mostly to 2 things – which you have little to no control over.

  1. The rest of the group.
  2. The tour guide you get.

We will get into detail on each of these later on.

The key thing that will stay the same across almost all VIP tours is the ability to ride a minimum of 8-10 major rides with minimal wait times – and this should really be what your expectation should be focused on. That said, here is what else you get, officially, as part of your VIP tour experience booking:

  • Priority front-of-the-line access to all rides and attractions including The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man®, TRANSFORMERS™: The Ride-3D and all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ attractions
  • Exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences in the parks (subject to availability)
  • Complimentary valet parking (one vehicle, based on availability, just show your confirmation email to the parking booth attendant when entering)
  • Reserved seating at shows (excludes live performances during Mardi Gras and Mannheim Steamroller during the holidays)
  • Complimentary continental breakfast and/or lunch
  • Universal Express Unlimited ride access at participating rides and attractions throughout the rest of the day (during normal park operating hours)
  • Exclusive VIP Experiences lanyard
  • Universal CityWalk Party Pass™, valid only on date of VIP Experience (during normal CityWalk park operating hours)

1st Key Factor: The Rest Of The Group

One of the key things that seperates the VIP Tour Experience from a Private VIP Experience is the rest of the people joining you! Remember that this is a non-private, group tour. There will be 12-15 people, on average, in a group. To ensure the most positive outcome from the tour for everyone, Universal runs these tours under a majority rules system. So if you are prone to motion sickness from screen-based rides, and the majority of the group isn’t, you may find yourself being dragged onto rides that may not be your first choice. This is pretty easy to prepare for by just bringing some Dramamine or a Sea-Band.

2nd Key Factor: The Tour Guide

The second major factor is the tour guide. We’ve had amazing tours where the guide really went into extreme detail on the many different secrets and easter-eggs hidden across Universal Studios. We spent a large portion of our time exploring the depths of Diagon Alley & Hogsmeade. We learned a lot and saw plenty of things behind the scenes.

We’ve also had the opposite side of the spectrum, where we had guides who gave very minimal info about the park and the rides, and instead focused on getting us onto as many rides as possible. During these tours we’ve always surpassed the 10 promised rides.

Neither of the two types of tour styles are bad, but your opinion will vary depending on what you expected initially.

This is again why I make it a point to focus on the aspect of maximizing ride time, while minimizing wait time, as being the key factor to booking this tour. Could you end up with a tour guide that knows a lot of awesome facts and secrets about Universal Studios? Yes. Could you end up with a tour guide that primarily runs you through the attractions? Also yes. If you expect to go into this and focus on riding the promised number of rides – everything else you experience will simply be an added bonus!

 

Final Thoughts

When it comes to first timers, and people with limited park days, I HIGHLY recommend the non-private VIP tour experience. You really can knock out the majority of rides across both parks, within 1 day. Plus you walk away with an Express Pass to all the rides for the remaining hours of that day. Then, if you happen to have another day left over at Universal Studios you are free to spend it focusing on all the details around the parks!

The VIP Tour Experience is equally perfect for anyone who is doing several days at Disney World, and has just 1 or 2 days to explore Universal Studios.

However if you want a tour that focuses heavily on the history, the secrets, and the behind-the-scenes aspects of Universal Studios – you may leave this tour disappointed. For these types of experiences, we strongly suggest going for a Private VIP Tour Experience. Let your travel agent know exactly what kind of tour you would like, and we can work directly with Universal Studios to line your group up with the perfect tour guide! 

Are You Ready To Make Some Memories?

Let's Start Planning Your Universal Studios Vacation!
SCHEDULE A FREE TRAVEL CONSULTATION

Continue Reading

Top 15 Disney World Dining Options Outside The Parks
Stay At Walt Disney’s Swan & Dolphin For A Great Couples Disney Trip With Perks
Disney Genie Explained: The Complete Guide to Genie, Genie+ & Lightning Lanes
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Cabin Tour Videos

Post Tags:

Orlando Universal Studios

Share This Post:

One Comment

Orlando Luxury Travel - The Top 12 Must-Try Experiences | Caballeros Vacations
May 16, 2022

[…] As a Universal VIP you’ll also be shown behind-the-scenes special knowledge, receive complimentary meals, reserved seating at designated shows, and even discounts in select shops! Unlike Disney World, Universal offers a non-private, group VIP tour experience that is significantly cheaper too! Check out our full write-up about that here.  […]

Comments are closed.

Join Our Email List For The Latest Vacation Promotions, Travel Tips & Uplifting Trip Reports!

* indicates required
Don't worry - we will never sell your email address, or send you unsolicited spam emails.
Get Social With Us
Join 11.1k Other Caballeros!
  • 435Fans
  • 2kFollowers
  • 8kLikes
  • 137Subscribers
  • 513Subscribers
  • 15Travel Leaders Reviews

Post Categories

  • Packing Tips
  • Travel News
  • Travel Tips & Tricks
    • Disney & Universal
    • Mexico
  • Trip Reports

Are You Ready To Make Some Memories?

Let's Start Planning Your Orlando Vacation!
LETS GET STARTED

Featured Disney Guides

Vacation Fun – An Original Animated Short With Mickey & Minnie at Hollywood Studios

Beat The Heat With The Best Shows At Each Walt Disney World Park

The Best Vegan Dining Options in Magic Kingdom at Disney World

Top 15 Disney World Dining Options Outside The Parks

Best Disney World Character Dining Available In 2023

How To Fix A MagicBand+ That Won’t Connect

Money Saving Tips For A Disney World Vacation in 2022

Disney Genie Explained: The Complete Guide to Genie, Genie+ & Lightning Lanes

Recent Posts

Impression Moxche: A Luxurious Paradise for Pool Lovers

September 8, 2023

Best Portable Chargers for a Walt Disney World Vacation

September 5, 2023

Orlando Luxury Travel – The Top 12 Must-Try Experiences

August 30, 2023

The Best, Xcaret Approved, Reef-Safe & Biodegradable Sunscreens for Cancun & Riviera Maya

July 24, 2023

The Best Low Cost & Free Things To Do On Vacation In Orlando

July 24, 2023

Latest Travel Deals

RIU Resorts

Save Up To 65% + Kids Stay Free At RIU

Iberostar Resorts

Save Up To 40% At Iberostar Resorts

Grand Iberostar

$150 Air Credit With Iberostar Grand Resorts

Oasis Resorts

Beat The Heat Sale at Oasis Resorts

Mexico

Up To 40% Off At Zoetry Paraiso + Exclusive Perks

What Are You Waiting For?

Let's Start Planning Your Orlando Vacation!
LET'S GET STARTED

Caballeros Vacations is a family owned & operated travel agency, specializing in planning amazing vacations to Disney World, Universal Studios; along with all-inclusive vacations at resorts like Iberostar, RIU, Dreams, Breathless, Secrets, Zoetry, Sunscape, & More!

Travel Partners

  • Disney Vacation Planners
  • Universal Studios Preferred Agency
  • Certified Inclusive Collection Agent
  • Iberostar Preferred Agency
  • RIU Resorts Preferred Agency
  • Playa Resorts Travel Partner
  • Marriott Travel Professional

Specializing In

Contacts

  • (866) 338-6786
  • (347) 254-8457
  • [email protected]
  • Email Mike Directly
  • Email Lana Directly

Caballeros Vacations © 2023 All Right Reserved. By Michael Boguslavskiy

  • Ethical Travel Agency Pledge
  • Sitemap