universal vip tour guide tip

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• Travel Guide

How Much Should You Tip A Vip Tour Guide At Universal Studios

Published: December 13, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Jandy Hathaway

• Plan Your Trip
• Travel Tips

Introduction

Welcome to Universal Studios, where entertainment and magic come together to create unforgettable experiences. As you plan your visit, you may be considering booking a VIP tour guide to enhance your time at the park. One question that often arises is how much should you tip a VIP tour guide at Universal Studios?

While tipping is not mandatory, it is customary to show appreciation for exceptional service. Tipping not only recognizes the hard work and dedication of the tour guide but also encourages them to continue providing exceptional experiences for future guests.

Calculating the appropriate tip amount can be a bit of a challenge, as it depends on various factors. In this article, we will explore the standard tipping etiquette, the VIP tour guide service at Universal Studios, and provide recommendations on how much you should consider tipping.

It’s important to note that the information shared here is based on general guidelines, and it’s always a good idea to consider your satisfaction with the service, your budget, and any specific circumstances that may influence your decision.

Factors to Consider

When determining how much to tip a VIP tour guide at Universal Studios, there are several factors to consider. These factors can help guide you in making an appropriate decision:

• Quality of Service: Consider the level of service provided by the tour guide. Did they go above and beyond to ensure your experience was enjoyable? Did they provide insightful information and make the tour engaging? The quality of service can influence the tip amount.
• Duration of the Tour: The length of the tour is an essential factor to consider. A longer tour may require more effort and dedication from the tour guide, warranting a higher tip.
• Group Size: If you are part of a large group, the tour guide may have had to manage multiple guests, handle various requests, and provide individual attention. In such cases, a larger tip may be appropriate.
• Personalization: Some tour guides go the extra mile to personalize the experience based on your interests, preferences, or special occasions. If your tour guide tailored the experience to suit your needs, it’s worth considering a higher tip.
• Knowledge and Expertise: Evaluate the tour guide’s knowledge about the park, its history, attractions, and behind-the-scenes information. A highly knowledgeable guide who provides interesting insights can deserve a higher tip.
• Attitude and Interaction: Consider the tour guide’s attitude and how they engaged with the group. A friendly, enthusiastic, and approachable guide who created a positive atmosphere may warrant a more generous tip.
• Additional Services: Some VIP tour guides offer additional services, such as assisting with dining reservations, securing prime viewing spots for shows or parades, or providing insider tips. If your guide went above and beyond in providing these services, it may be reflected in your tip.

While these factors can assist you in assessing the quality of service provided by your tour guide, it’s crucial to remember that tipping is subjective and ultimately based on your discretion. Consider these factors alongside your overall satisfaction with the tour to determine an appropriate tip amount.

Standard Tipping Etiquette

When it comes to tipping a VIP tour guide at Universal Studios, it’s essential to follow standard tipping practices. While tipping is not mandatory, it is customary to show appreciation for exceptional service. Here are some general guidelines to consider:

• Percentage-Based Tipping: A common approach is to tip a percentage of the total cost of the VIP tour. The industry standard suggests tipping between 15% to 20% of the tour cost. This percentage can be adjusted based on the factors mentioned earlier.
• Consider the Base Price: When calculating the tip, it’s important to consider the base price of the VIP tour and not include any additional fees or expenses incurred during the tour.
• Splitting Tips: If you are part of a group, consider dividing the tip among the members based on the agreed-upon percentage. This ensures fairness and reflects the collective satisfaction with the tour.
• Tipping in Cash: It’s advisable to tip your VIP tour guide in cash rather than adding it to a credit card transaction. This allows you to personally hand over the tip as a gesture of appreciation.
• Showing Gratitude: In addition to the monetary tip, expressing your gratitude verbally to the tour guide can go a long way. Let them know how much you enjoyed the experience and how their efforts made the tour memorable.

Remember that these guidelines are not set in stone, and you have the flexibility to adjust the tip amount based on your own assessment of the service provided.

While it’s important to follow standard tipping etiquette, it’s equally important to consider your own budget and financial situation. Tipping should be done within your means and should not cause financial strain.

Now that we’ve explored the general tipping practices, let’s delve into the specific VIP tour guide service at Universal Studios and understand the factors that may influence the tip amount.

VIP Tour Guide Service at Universal Studios

The VIP tour guide service at Universal Studios offers a premium and personalized experience for guests. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned park enthusiast, having a VIP tour guide can elevate your visit to the next level.

When you book a VIP tour guide at Universal Studios, you gain exclusive benefits and access that enhance your overall park experience. Your tour guide will assist you in navigating the park, provide insider information about attractions, help you skip the lines for popular rides and shows, and customize the tour to suit your preferences.

This personalized service ensures that you make the most of your time at Universal Studios. Your tour guide will take care of all the logistics, making sure you can enjoy the park without the stress of planning and organizing your day.

Additionally, having a VIP tour guide gives you the opportunity to learn more about the park’s history, behind-the-scenes facts, and hidden gems that you might not discover on your own. Their extensive knowledge and expertise enrich the experience and make it truly memorable.

The VIP tour guide service is available in different packages and durations, allowing you to choose the option that best fits your needs. Whether you prefer a half-day tour to cover the park highlights or a full-day tour for a comprehensive experience, Universal Studios offers options to cater to your preferences.

Now that you have a better understanding of the VIP tour guide service at Universal Studios, let’s explore the factors that may influence the amount you should consider tipping.

Understanding the Service Cost

Before delving into the tipping guidelines, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the service cost when booking a VIP tour guide at Universal Studios. The cost of the VIP tour will vary depending on several factors, including the duration of the tour, the number of guests, and any additional services or add-ons.

The pricing structure for VIP tours usually includes a base rate, which covers the tour guide’s services for a specified amount of time. This base rate typically does not include the cost of park admission, which you will need to purchase separately.

In addition to the base rate, there may be additional fees for services like priority access to attractions, reserved seating for shows, or special experiences. These fees can vary depending on the specific VIP tour package you choose.

It’s important to carefully review the pricing details and any additional charges associated with your VIP tour to have a clear understanding of the total cost. This will help you determine an appropriate tip amount based on the overall value of the service provided.

If you have any questions or need clarification on the pricing structure, it’s advisable to reach out to the Universal Studios customer service team or consult their official website for the most up-to-date information.

Now that you have a better understanding of the service cost, let’s explore the factors that may influence the amount you should consider tipping your VIP tour guide at Universal Studios.

Factors That May Influence the Tip Amount

When deciding on the tip amount for your VIP tour guide at Universal Studios, there are several factors to consider that can influence the final tip amount. These factors can help you gauge the overall value of the service provided and make an informed decision:

• Quality of Service: The quality of service provided by the tour guide is a significant factor in determining the tip amount. Consider if the guide went above and beyond to ensure your satisfaction, provided personalized attention, and created a memorable experience.
• Effort and Engagement: Take into account the effort the tour guide put into making your visit enjoyable. Did they display enthusiasm, knowledge, and engagement throughout the tour?
• Special Requests: If the tour guide accommodated any special requests or went out of their way to personalize the experience for you, it may be worth considering a higher tip.
• Group Size and Dynamics: If you were part of a larger group, consider how the tour guide managed the group dynamics, ensuring everyone had a great experience. Handling a large group efficiently and providing individual attention may warrant a more generous tip.
• Additional Services: Some tour guides may offer extra services, such as securing great parade viewing spots or assisting with dining reservations. If your guide provided these additional services, consider their value when determining the tip amount.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: Evaluate how the tour guide handled unexpected situations or changes in the itinerary. A guide who demonstrated flexibility and adaptability to ensure a smooth experience may deserve a higher tip.
• Overall Satisfaction: Ultimately, your overall satisfaction with the tour is an important factor in determining the tip amount. If you had an exceptional experience and felt the tour guide played a significant role in enhancing your visit, you may consider a more generous tip.

Remember, these factors are meant as a guide, and the final decision on the tip amount should be based on your own assessment of the service received and your budgetary considerations.

Now that we’ve considered the influencing factors, let’s explore the recommended tip range for a VIP tour guide at Universal Studios.

Recommended Tip Range

When it comes to tipping a VIP tour guide at Universal Studios, the recommended tip range is generally between 15% to 20% of the total cost of the tour. This range reflects the industry standard for tipping tour guides and allows you to show appreciation for exceptional service.

It’s important to note that the tip percentage is based on the base cost of the VIP tour, excluding any additional fees or expenses. Calculating the tip based on the base cost ensures fairness and consistency when tipping tour guides.

Within the recommended tip range, you have some flexibility to adjust the tip amount based on your assessment of the service provided. If the tour guide exceeded your expectations, showed exceptional knowledge and engagement, and personalized the experience for you, you may consider tipping towards the higher end of the range.

On the other hand, if you felt that the service was satisfactory but not outstanding, you could opt for a tip towards the lower end of the range. Remember, tipping is subjective, and you should consider your overall satisfaction and the factors mentioned earlier when making your decision.

While 15% to 20% is the general range, keep in mind that these percentages can vary based on individual circumstances, such as the quality of service, duration of the tour, group size, and any additional services provided.

It’s also worth reiterating that tipping is voluntary, and it’s important to consider your own budget and financial situation when determining the tip amount. Tipping should be done within your means and not cause financial strain.

Now that you have a recommended tip range in mind, let’s explore alternative ways to show appreciation for your VIP tour guide.

Alternative Ways to Show Appreciation

While tipping is a common way to show appreciation for a VIP tour guide at Universal Studios, there are also alternative ways to express your gratitude and acknowledge their exceptional service. These alternative methods can add a personal touch and make the experience even more memorable for both you and your tour guide:

• Write a Thank-You Note: Consider writing a heartfelt thank-you note or email expressing your appreciation for the tour guide’s efforts. Share specific details about how they made your visit special and mention any memorable moments or insights they provided.
• Give Positive Feedback: Take the time to provide positive feedback about your tour guide to Universal Studios’ customer service or on review platforms. Your positive feedback can contribute to the tour guide’s recognition and may inspire others to book their services.
• Recommendation or Referral: If you had an exceptional experience with your VIP tour guide, consider recommending them to friends, family, or fellow travelers who plan to visit Universal Studios. Word-of-mouth referrals can significantly impact a tour guide’s business.
• Gift or Souvenir: As a token of appreciation, you could consider giving a small gift or souvenir related to Universal Studios or something that aligns with the tour guide’s interests. It shows thoughtfulness and adds a personal touch to your expression of gratitude.
• Share Your Experience on Social Media: Take to social media platforms and share your positive experience with your tour guide and the VIP tour service at Universal Studios. Tag and mention the tour guide in your posts to give them recognition and increase their visibility.
• Complete Satisfaction Surveys: If Universal Studios provides satisfaction surveys or feedback forms, make sure to fill them out and highlight the exceptional service you received from your tour guide. This feedback can help guide future improvements and recognize outstanding performers.

These alternative ways to show appreciation can complement the monetary tip and have a lasting impact on the tour guide’s professional reputation. It’s important to remember that these gestures, combined with a tip, can go a long way in making your tour guide feel valued and appreciated.

As you explore these alternative means of appreciation, keep in mind that tipping is still considered customary and plays a significant role in recognizing exceptional service. Consider a combination of these methods to show your gratitude in the most meaningful way.

Now that we’ve explored alternative ways to express appreciation, let’s conclude our discussion on tipping a VIP tour guide at Universal Studios.

As you plan your visit to Universal Studios and consider booking a VIP tour guide, it’s important to understand the etiquette and factors involved in tipping. While tipping is not mandatory, it has become customary to show appreciation for exceptional service. Your tour guide plays a crucial role in enhancing your park experience, and recognizing their efforts can go a long way.

We discussed various factors to consider when determining the tip amount, such as the quality of service, duration of the tour, group size, and personalization. The general guideline suggests tipping between 15% to 20% of the total cost of the tour, but this can be adjusted based on your assessment of the service provided.

However, tipping is not the only way to show appreciation. Alternative methods such as writing a thank-you note, giving positive feedback, recommending the tour guide, or sharing your experience on social media can also be meaningful gestures.

Ultimately, the decision on how much to tip and which method to use should be based on your overall satisfaction, the value you place on the service received, and your personal budgetary considerations.

Remember, a combination of tipping and other forms of appreciation can have a lasting impact on the tour guide’s professional reputation and ensure they feel valued for their exceptional service.

Now armed with the understanding of tipping etiquette and alternative gestures of appreciation, you can confidently show your gratitude to your VIP tour guide at Universal Studios and create unforgettable memories during your visit.

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Guide to the VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood

What’s better than being a guest at Universal Studios Hollywood ? Being a VIP guest at Universal Studios Hollywood. Don’t get us wrong , every day at Universal feels like magic. But the VIP Tour feels like…well, extra cushy magic.

So what, exactly, does it mean to be an A-lister at Universal Studios Hollywood? In the VIP Experience , you’ll explore the theme park with a super knowledgeable tour guide, in a maximum 13-person group. The tours last a minimum of five hours and include one (truly delicious) meal, an extended Studio Tour , unlimited Express Pass access, and — well, let’s just get into it, shall we? Here’s everything you need to know about the VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

THE PRE-TOUR PERKS

When you hear the words “VIP,” it’s fair to assume you’re about to be peppered with sweet, sweet perks. The VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood is no exception to the rule. And, lucky for you, those fun little bonuses begin the second you arrive at Universal. Here’s what you can expect before you even start the tour:

• Valet parking. This is a huge perk! Just roll up to the main entrance to the Jurassic Parking garage, hand your keys over to a Team Member, and they’ll take it from there. No fretting over losing your keys or forgetting where you parked — you’re a VIP now. 
• Complimentary refreshments. Enter the VIP lounge (just look for the red carpet to the right of the entry gates after security) for a comfortable, air-conditioned waiting area before your tour. There, you can enjoy a complimentary spread including bagels, coffee, and other light bites.
• Sun protectants. You’re about to spend a full day in a theme park — there’s no such thing as enough sunscreen! Guests have access to complimentary sunscreen ,lip balm, and ice water in the VIP Experience Center.

Once your group is assembled, fed and sunscreened up, it’s time to explore Universal Studios Hollywood — VIP style!

The tour guides are what make the VIP Experience truly one-of-a-kind. First, they’re perhaps the most knowledgeable folks you’ll ever meet about all things Universal. As your tour guide leads your small group through the theme park, they’ll hit you with factoid after factoid. It’s an inundation of anecdotes to use at your next cocktail party.

Do you know which other major studios you can see from the escalator on the way to the Studio Tour? Or what iconic 80s film the facade of Saul & Sons in the New York section of the theme park is based on? Or who dubbed Universal “the strangest city in the world”? Your VIP tour guide does.

Beyond a sky-high Universal IQ, the tour guides are there to help make your experience exactly what you want it to be. Each VIP Tour is different. Your Guide is given an allotted time to take your group to three things: the Studio Tour, the WaterWorld show, and lunch. Other than that, they have room to improvise. That means there’s lots of time for rides via Express Lanes. While you can’t completely tailor the experience to every little thing that you, personally, would like to do — you are on a group tour, after all — the guides are able to take your input into consideration.

THE STUDIO TOUR

The Studio Tour is your chance to see the ins and outs of how movies get made. But on the VIP Experience, the Studio Tour brings you just shy of straight-up making the movies yourself. While General Admission guests stay on the tram, VIP guests get to hop off and walk the sets. The exclusive access of movie and TV sets — plus certain luxe amenities — make this unlike any other Studio Tour you’ve experienced. In addition to all standard Studio Tour experience, VIP guests have access to:

• The VIP Trolley. Forget the tram, you’re a trolley rider now! Part of being very important means riding on a special trolley, complete with complementary ice water.
• Soundstage stop. Learn how movie magic comes to life inside one of Universal’s massive soundstages. You might walk through rooms that look totally real — until you learn all the walls are removable for lighting and camera access.
• Edith Head Costume and Prop department. Named for the legendary 20th century costume designer, this building homes hundreds of props used in iconic films throughout time. Just one rule: you break it, you buy it. So I’d keep my hands to myself. 
• Walk on a real set. VIP guests get to hop off and explore iconic movie sets on foot. It could be New York City, or Courthouse Square, or Colonial Street, but each tour is slightly different.

NOTE: These are all real, working sets! Therefore, all VIP Experience tours are subject to availability based on production schedules and other factors. Each tour is a little bit different.

VIPs? Wait in long lines? What a ridiculous concept! With your Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience comes an Unlimited Express Pass, meaning you get to use the Express Lanes on every ride in the theme park. That means less time waiting, and more time riding. We made it onto seven rides during my VIP Experience.

But the VIP Experience isn’t just about skipping lines, it’s about the little things. It’s all about removing friction from your day. Here are a couple examples of little luxuries on the rides:

• No Ride Locker Necessary. VIP guests can just hand their bag to their tour guide as they hop on a ride, who hands it back when you get off. Easy peasy. 
• WaterWorld Seats. Snagging seats for this crowd-pleaser is no sweat when you’ve got VIP seats waiting for you. 

PRO TIP: Your VIP lanyard functions as an Express Pass for the remainder of your day at Universal Studios Hollywood! If you’re a real thrill-seeker, snag a spot on an early tour — then hit the rides via Express Lane until the theme park closes. 

You’ve done everything at Universal Studios Hollywood, you claim? Bet you haven’t eaten at VIP Dining. If you haven’t already done the VIP Tour, you definitely haven’t. I mean, I hadn’t, and Iwork here.

VIP Dining, tucked in the Parisian (so you know it’s fancy) portion of the Upper Lot, is the VIP-only dining room. During your VIP Tour, you’ll enjoy a one-hour, all-you-can-eat experience here. And I do mean enjoy. VIP Dining has (arguably) the tastiest food available at the theme park and CityWalk. The whole buffet is delicious, but I especially recommend the mushroom risotto, the melon and prosciutto, the caprese salad, the asian cucumber salad — I could go on. And, you know what? I will: Don’t forget to save room for gelato, cheesecake and cookies.

The elevated menu, plus free phone charging stations and visits from Universal characters, makes VIP Dining the perfect oasis at which to refuel during a jam-packed day at the theme park.

THE DETAILS

Here are the nitty-gritty details you need to know:

• VIP Tours start at various times throughout the morning. The number of tours per day varies by season and day of the week.
• Tours are capped at 13 guests each.
• Tours run for a minimum of 5 hours.
• Children must be at least 5 years old to attend, and 17 years old to attend without an accompanying adult.
• Book your VIP Experience here.
• VIP Private Experience tours are also available. Call (818) 622-8477 to reserve yours.

THE SPOOKY VERSION

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the combination of two of the best parts of Universal Studios Hollywood: VIP + Halloween Horror Nights. It’s called the R.I.P. Tour. (Genius.)

The R.I.P. Tour differs slightly from the regular VIP Experience, but the bones (har-har) are the same. You’ll get a guided walking tour of the event, one-time express entry to each haunted house and available attractions, the Terror Tram backlot experience in a VIP trolley, and gourmet dining experience, and more. Check out the full details her e . But basically, it’s the VIP Experience, plus a whole lot of guts and gore and jump-scares. Hell really is a place on Earth.

THE VERDICT

So, should you splurge on the VIP Experience? The short answer: yes. But let’s break it down and see if it makes sense for you. The VIP Experience is awesome for…

• Universal superfans. If you want to soak up every last thing the theme park has to offer, the VIP Experience is an absolute must. As I mentioned, certain experiences, like VIP Dining and the up-close Studio Tour, are only available to VIP guests.
• Folks who want a cushier experience . Treat yourself! Theme park days can be long ones — make yours a truly relaxing visit with the VIP Experience.
• Entertainment buffs. Even the biggest film nerds can learn a thing or two from the brainiac VIP tour guides.
• Parents of young ones. Tired of planning every single little detail of the family vacation? Your VIP tour guide has got you covered. Parents will appreciate someone else taking the lead for a jam-packed day!

Overall? Going VIP totally elevates the Universal Studios Hollywood experience. Whether you’re a first-timer or have an Annual Pass, put this one on your bucket list.

What part of the VIP Experience are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments below.

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Grace Perry

Senior Editor, Universal Studios Hollywood. Lisa sun, Smithers rising, Disco Stu moon.

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30 comments.

I am thinking about doing the Vip experience on my own on Jan 19, 2024. Well I still have fun?

We think you’ll have the best time! 🤩

Hello, I booked a VIP tour for January 30, since WaterWorld will be closed what will the tour substitute?

Hi Naomi! We recommend reaching out to our VIP Team at (818) 622-8477 with any questions you may have regarding your specific tour!

We did it one time..WAS AMAZING.

was amazing , you really feel like a VIP

We’re so glad that you had a great time!

I spy Greg! He was our tour guide for RIP last year and was amazing. Looking forward to going again this year with fingers crossed we get him as our guide again!

We’re so happy to hear you had a great time on your tour, and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon!

We have a 5 year old. Would he enjoy the tour or be bored? I worry about the backlot portion?

Hi Sandra! For any questions or assistance with our VIP Experience, please feel free to reach out via phone at (818) 622-8477. We hope to see you soon!

Where and how we can get VIP experience..

Hi Rosita! To book a VIP Experience, we recommend contacting our team at 1-866-346-9350 as they would be more than happy to answer any questions and provide further assistance. We can’t wait to see you at our parks soon!

Goedemiddag,

We hebben vandaag ook deze tickets geboekt alvast voor komende zomervakantie in Augustus. Maar weet iemand ook of je met deze tickets voorrang krijgt om op de foto te gaan met de karakters die in het park staan/lopen?

Hi Marcel, we’re so excited to hear of your upcoming visit and VIP Experience! This tour does not include expedited access to our character meet and greets.

Does the unlimited express include the Bowser Mario Cart ride, or is it only once while on the actual tour?

Hi Michael, the only way to bypass the general queue for that attraction is the VIP Experience. Universal Express Unlimited does not include that attraction.

Is the Toadstool Cafe included with the VIP-Tour, or do I have to make a reservation?

Hi Moni! We recommend reaching out to our VIP Experience Team at 1 (800) 864-8377 for more information regarding your tour offerings!

Hi! Can we upgrade VIP tickets to platinum passes should we decide to become pass holders that day?

Hey Liz! If you had any questions regarding upgrading your ticket packages, we recommend reach out via phone at 800-864-8377. We hope to have you visit soon!

I see that during April-Aug, general admission tickets also can get off the tram and experience the movie sets. What am I paying extra for besides food and rides? This was a major draw for my family of 4 booking the vip tour and being able to leave the tram.

Hi Ramon, while Celebrating 60 Years of the Studio Tour, Guests will be able to step off the tram for about 10 minutes. During the VIP Experience, Guests get a much more in-depth look at some iconic movie sets on foot when stepping off the VIP trolley.

Is the VIP experience ADA accessible friendly?ni travel with a small mobility scooter and it autfolds down to size of carry on and only 42 lbs. My husband usually lifts it when needed. i can walk, just limited on times I can stand. I have called sales, they are unsure

Hi Chante! We recommend reaching out to our VIP Experience Team at 1 (800) 864-8377 for more information!

If our tour time starts later in the day, does that mean we can use our VIP line access for rides prior to our tour?

Hi Senti! VIP guests can check in at the VIP reception and pick up their lanyards prior to their tour. They can then go to the Park and use their lanyards for Universal Express Unlimited access. Keep in mind you’ll need to return to the VIP reception about 20-30 minutes ahead of your tour to enjoy refreshments in the VIP Lounge, as well as to meet your guide.

We have a group of 12 booked next month. One of our people currently has a mobility issue. Are wheelchairs available at the park?

Hi Sue! We have wheelchair rentals available towards the left-hand side upon entrance to Universal Studios Florida & Universal Islands of Adventure.

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How Much to Tip a Universal Orlando VIP Tour Guide

• Tipping for Guides
• March 4, 2024

When it comes to expressing your appreciation for a Universal Orlando VIP Tour Guide, navigating the waters of gratuity can often feel like uncharted territory. You’re likely wondering how much of your treasure to share, especially considering factors such as the guide’s wealth of knowledge, the personalized experience you received, and the duration of your adventure together. Standard tips hover around 15% to 20%, but is that the magic number for every scenario? Let’s explore the nuances of tipping etiquette together, uncovering the elements that might influence your decision, and ensuring you strike the right balance between generosity and practicality.

Calculator for Tipping a Universal Orlando VIP Tour Guide

The general rule to tip a Universal Orlando VIP Tour Guide is 15-20% of the total tour base cost. However, a higher tip is recommended during the holidays or special occasions.

Key Takeaways

• Universal Orlando’s policy prohibits tipping VIP tour guides, emphasizing verbal appreciation instead.
• A recommended tip for exceptional service is 15% to 20% of the tour’s base cost.
• During holidays, a generous tip of 20% or higher acknowledges the guide’s extra effort.
• Factors like tour length, group size, and the guide’s performance should influence the tipping amount.

Is Tipping a Universal Orlando VIP Tour Guide Expected?

Contrary to popular belief, tipping a Universal Orlando VIP Tour Guide isn’t expected due to the park’s policy. When you book a private tour at Universal, you’re signing up for an exclusive experience designed to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. The VIP Tour Guides are trained to offer you unparalleled service, aiming to enhance your theme park adventure without the need for extra gratuities. Universal Studios’ clear stance on prohibiting guests from tipping their VIP tour guides means you can focus on enjoying your time rather than worrying about tipping etiquette.

Despite this policy, you might feel inclined to show your appreciation for the exceptional service provided by your VIP Tour Guide. It’s important to remember that while Universal discourages tipping, expressing your gratitude verbally is highly encouraged. A heartfelt thank you can go a long way in acknowledging the hard work and dedication of your guide. So, next time you’re enjoying the perks of a VIP tour at Universal, remember that the best tip you can give is your sincere thanks.

How Much to Tip a Universal Orlando VIP Tour Guide?

If you’re considering tipping your Universal Orlando VIP Tour Guide, a general guideline is to aim for 15% to 20% of the tour’s base cost. This range is a starting point, reflecting the customary tipping etiquette for exceptional service at Universal Orlando. Keep in mind the quality of service you receive. Did your tour guide go above and beyond? Was the tour personalized to your group’s interests and needs? Consider these factors, along with the duration of your tour and the size of your group, when deciding on the tip amount.

When it’s time to tip, calculate the amount based on the base price of the VIP tour. If you’re part of a group, discuss and divide the tip amount amongst yourselves to ensure the tour guide is adequately compensated. Tipping in cash is preferable, as it adds a personal touch to your gesture of appreciation. Don’t forget to accompany your tip with a thank you. Expressing your gratitude verbally is a thoughtful way to show your appreciation for your Universal Orlando VIP tour guide’s efforts in making your experience memorable.

How Much to Tip a Universal Orlando VIP Tour Guide During the Holidays?

When considering how much to tip your Universal Orlando VIP tour guide, remember that during the holidays, a 20% or more tip is a generous way to express your appreciation for their exceptional service. The festive season is a time of joy and giving, and by tipping generously, you’re not only rewarding your guide’s hard work but also contributing to the overall holiday spirit. A higher tip reflects your gratitude for the unforgettable experiences your guide has crafted for you and your family.

Tipping generously during the holidays also acknowledges the extra effort your Universal Orlando VIP tour guide puts in to make your visit magical. It’s a season when everyone aims to spread cheer and kindness, and your generous tip can greatly impact your guide’s holiday season, offering them well-deserved recognition for their dedication. Moreover, such a gesture enhances your experience, fostering a sense of goodwill and making your holiday visit to Universal Orlando even more memorable.

In essence, a generous holiday tip isn’t just a reward; it’s a reflection of the festive spirit of giving and appreciating the exceptional service provided by your guide.

Additional Factors to Consider

When considering how much to tip your Universal Orlando VIP tour guide, don’t just focus on the basics. Take into account how the tour’s length, your group’s size, the guide’s performance, their handling of any special requests, and even the day’s weather can influence your decision. These factors can significantly affect your overall experience and should guide your tipping amount.

Tour Length Impact

Considering the duration of your Universal Orlando VIP tour is crucial in determining an appropriate tip for your guide. Longer tours broken down into hours of personalized service, including Private VIP Tours, give you unparalleled access to Universal Travel’s best attractions. This extended time with your guide, who ensures a seamless experience per hour, deserves recognition.

As the tour length increases, so does the level of interaction and assistance provided. It’s not just about the number of attractions you see but also the quality of the experience. Hence, when you’re reflecting on the tip amount, remember the extended effort and personalized touch your guide adds to your adventure. Let the tour length guide your gratitude.

Group Size Influence

It’s important to recognize that the size of your group can significantly affect how much you should tip your Universal Orlando VIP tour guide. When you’re navigating the parks with a Private VIP Tour, a larger group size means your guide has to put in extra effort and attention. They’re managing more preferences, ensuring everyone’s having a seamless experience which can indeed increase their workload.

This added complexity influenced by group dynamics may warrant a higher tip amount, as the guide works harder to maintain the quality of service and personalized attention each member receives. Remember, the more people there are, the more the guide has to juggle, making their job more challenging yet crucial for your group’s enjoyment.

Guide’s Performance

Beyond group size, a guide’s performance significantly impacts the tipping decision. This includes focusing on their ability to tailor the experience to your needs. If your guide, possibly a former Cast member with deep park knowledge, crafted a custom itinerary that perfectly matched your group’s interests, this skillfulness deserves recognition.

Their expertise in navigating the park efficiently, ensuring you hit all the sought-after dining spots without the wait, adds immense value to your day. Additionally, the guide’s ability to provide insider tips that enhance your visit or personalize the experience, making it truly unique, reflects a high level of service.

Assessing how well they communicated and engaged with your group, along with any special accommodations they facilitated, should also influence your tipping decision.

Special Requests Handling

When planning your Universal Orlando VIP tour, don’t forget that guides can skillfully handle special requests, from securing preferred show seating to organizing unique photo ops. VIP tour guides are adept at accommodating special requests, ensuring you gain access to exclusive experiences and areas within the park. Whether it’s behind-the-scenes access you’re after or a specific spot for that perfect photo opportunity, these professionals are trained to make it happen.

Keep in mind, the complexity and feasibility of your requests might affect their fulfillment. It’s crucial to communicate your desires in advance, giving your guide ample time to arrange these unique experiences. Remember, the goal of special requests handling is to enhance your visit, making it as seamless and enjoyable as possible.

Weather Conditions Effect

Considering the unpredictable nature of weather, your VIP tour experience at Universal Orlando can significantly vary, with extreme conditions potentially altering planned activities and ride schedules. Extreme heat or rain may affect outdoor activities, prompting your guide to adjust the itinerary or suggest indoor alternatives.

Although not a Disney VIP Tour Guide, a Universal Orlando VIP guide is similarly skilled in ensuring your experience remains enjoyable, regardless of the weather. To make the most of your visit, it’s essential to prepare for varying conditions by wearing appropriate attire and bringing necessary accessories.

Understanding how weather influences the VIP tour will help you plan better and ensure that neither extreme heat nor rain affects your enjoyment of the park’s attractions and experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do you tip universal orlando vip guide.

Navigating tips is like sailing uncharted waters; you’re wondering how much to give your Universal Orlando VIP guide. Aim for 15% to 20% of the tour’s base cost, making their day and rewarding their excellence.

How Much Do You Tip a VIP Tour Guide?

You should tip your VIP tour guide 15% to 20% of the tour’s base cost, factoring in service quality, tour length, and group size. Split the tip if with others and prefer cash for a personal touch.

How Much Does a VIP Tour Guide Make at Universal Studios?

As they say, “Money talks,” and at Universal Studios, a VIP Tour Guide’s earnings can vary. You’re looking at an hourly wage between $15 to $25, plus tips, which can significantly boost their income.

What Is a Good Tip for a Private Tour Guide?

For a private tour guide, you’ll want to tip between 15% to 20% of the tour’s cost. Consider service quality, tour length, and personalization. Tip in cash and don’t forget to express your gratitude verbally.

Mark is a passionate food enthusiast and dining expert and brings a wealth of knowledge to TipCalculation.com. With extensive experience in tipping culture and understanding of global gratuity norms, Mark helps readers navigate the complexities of tipping etiquette, ensuring they make informed decisions at every meal.

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Is the Universal VIP Experience Worth It?

A few years ago, VIP tours at theme parks like Universal and Disney were only available for a select group of theme park guests, like public figures and celebrities . Today, any guest (with the proper budget) can book a VIP tour to experience white-glove service during their theme park day. Boasting benefits like front-of-line ride access, a private tour guide, peeks into backstage areas, and complimentary meals, Universal VIP Experiences are the gold standard when it comes to VIP tours. Universal VIP Experiences are well worth the price and are one of the best ways to spend a stress-free day while visiting a theme park. Here’s why Universal’s VIP tours are worth the splurge!

The Basics: What are Universal VIP Experiences?

Before we discuss why Universal VIP experiences are awesome, let’s go over what they are and what they include. Universal VIP tours offer multiple options with a private tour guide who spends the day escorting you around Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, allowing you to skip ride lines and giving you peeks of exclusive places and backstage areas. Food is included in some tours, as well. Universal offers two types of VIP experiences: Group Tours and Private Experiences. Group and Private Tours are then broken up into 1-Park and 2-Park options. Tip: you’ll get the best experience by booking a 2-Park Tour. During a Group Tour, you and other members of your party will be placed in a group of up to 12 guests. Your Tour Guide will escort your group around the parks, giving front-of-line access to at least eight attractions, sharing insider stories, and offering glimpses backstage. Private VIP experiences, on the other hand, allow you to craft a completely customized itinerary with a private tour guide just for your party. Tours can range between five and eight hours, depending on the type of tour and how many parks you’ll visit.

Ready to visit Universal Orlando in 2024 ? Our friends at The Vacationeer can help you plan the perfect trip! They’ll answer all your questions and make your reservations. And best of all, there’s no fee to use their planning services!

Get a free, no-obligation quote today and start planning your Universal Studios vacation with The Vacationeer !

Why Universal VIP Experiences are Worth It

Reason 1: included benefits.

Here are the perks that are included with every Universal VIP Tour :

• Dedicated tour guide
• Behind-the-scenes tours and experiences
•  Front-of-the-line access to attractions
• Valet parking
• Reserved seating at in-park shows
• Universal Express Unlimited passes for the rest of the day
• Discounts on merchandise and food
• Free admission to some clubs at CityWalk
• At least one complimentary meal (all 2-Park Tours)

 Private VIP tours include everything above and:

• A private tour guide for just your party
• Customized itinerary
• Dinner voucher
• Three-Day Photo Package (with unlimited digital downloads and free prints)
• Ability to use Child Swap
• Complimentary stroller rental

The number of perks and the numerous options available for VIP tours at Universal makes them an excellent choice for first-time VIPers.

Reason 2: Attraction Access

One of the main reasons people choose to book a Universal VIP Experience is to receive front-of-line access to rides. On average, you’ll wait less than 15 minutes to ride some of the park’s most popular attractions. Universal guarantees priority access for a minimum of eight rides for 1-Day, 1-Park Tours and ten rides for 1-Day, 2-Park Tours. However, guests often ride between 10 to 14 rides during a tour. You’ll also get an Unlimited Express Pass to enjoy for the rest of the day.

Although it’s never guaranteed, booking a VIP Experience may be the only way to skip the standby line at attractions that aren’t included with Express passes — specifically Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure™ and the VelociCoaster, which are the two most popular attractions at Universal right now. Just ask your VIP guide if these rides are available for priority access on the day of your tour.

Reason 3: Flexible Options

Universal allows a wide range of guests to experience a VIP tour, with Group and Private tours and multi-day options at different prices. Group Tours start at $189 per person (on top of theme park admission), making them potentially much more affordable than Disney’s Private VIP Tours , which are charged a flat hourly rate that starts at $450 per hour (with a seven-hour minimum requirement).

Reason 4: Complimentary Food

All guests on 2-Park VIP Tours have at least one complimentary meal. ( Note: food is not included with Group 1-Day, 1-Park Tours.) Not stressing about where and when to eat (and how much it costs) during your VIP tour day allows you to maximize your time with your guide and creates a relaxing experience.

Guests on tours that begin before 11 am are treated to a hot buffet breakfast at Cafe La Bamba at Universal Studios. View the breakfast menu . Cafe La Bamba is the official VIP Experience headquarters—it’s where you’ll check in for your tour, meet your guide, and plan your day. You can even check your children’s height in advance to save time once you arrive at the attraction queue. You’ll return to Cafe La Bamba for a buffet lunch later in the day. See the lunch menu here.

Those who book Private VIP Tours will also get a dinner meal voucher for a sit-down restaurant at one of the theme parks or CityWalk. Dinner includes non-alcoholic drinks, an appetizer (for every two people in your party), an entrée, and dessert. VIP Tour Guides are known for their ability to *possibly* pull some strings and secure reservations at some of the park’s most sought-after dining experiences, like the award-winning Mythos at Islands of Adventure or Bigfire at CityWalk. Be sure to ask your guide what options may be available on your tour date.

Common Questions About Universal VIP Experiences

How much does a vip tour cost.

Group Tours start at $189 per person. Exact prices vary depending on the time of year and crowd levels. Pricing does not include theme park admission, which needs to be purchased separately to participate in a VIP tour. Private Tour pricing also varies, but can be upwards of $3,000 per day for up to five guests.

Do you get to skip lines during a Universal VIP tour?

Yes. One of the best perks of a VIP tour is the ability to ride Universal’s top attractions with virtually no wait. Typically, you’ll wait between 5-15 minutes for each ride while on a VIP tour. You’ll get to skip lines at all Universal attractions, even ones not included in Express Passes, like Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure and VelociCoaster. Skipping lines for these two attractions is never guaranteed and is subject to availability.

Where do you eat during a VIP tour?

A buffet breakfast (for tours beginning before 11 am) and lunch are provided for all 2-Park Tours at Cafe La Bamba at Universal Studios. Dinner is included for Private Tours at a sit-down restaurant at Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, or CityWalk.

Are VIP tours kid-friendly?

All Universal VIP Experiences are kid-friendly, but Private VIP tours are better suited for families with young children. Private VIP Tours offer more flexibility when traveling with kids, as you can pick your itinerary and move through the parks at your own pace. During a Group Tour, you may feel like you’re playing a game of catch-up to stay with the rest of the group. Another disadvantage of doing Group VIP Experiences with children is that you won’t be able to take advantage of child swap. This could be a huge drawback if you have young children who can’t go on many of the big rides (which means someone in your party wouldn’t be able to go on them, either). Stroller rentals are also included with Private VIP Tours, which is an extra perk.

What behind-the-scenes experiences are available?

The backstage areas you’ll see largely depend on your individual tour guide and your goals for the day. If getting a sneak peek behind the scenes of Universal attractions is important to you, let your guide know so they can build that into your itinerary. Backstage experiences could include a private tour of the Immigration Floor at the Men in Black™: Alien Attack™, the egg-hatching facility inside Jurassic Park™ Discovery Center, and actor meet-and-greets after the Horror Make-Up Show. Private VIP Tours may experience a private show at Ollivanders™ Wand Shop.

Do you tip your tour guide?

Tips are never expected but appreciated for a job well done. If you wish to tip your VIP tour guide, it’s customary to tip 15-20% of your total tour cost in cash (you most likely won’t be able to add a tip to your initial tour cost).

Group vs. Private VIP Tour — What Should You Pick?

Private VIP Tours are the way to go if you want one-on-one attention, a dedicated tour guide, and the ability to plan a custom itinerary for the day. Private VIP tours are also ideal for traveling with young children. A Group VIP tour is your best option if you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to experience a VIP tour and don’t mind being in a group with other families.

How Do You Book a Universal VIP Experience?

For a stress-free, no-hassle way to book your Universal VIP Experience , use an experienced Universal Travel Agent like the ones at The Vacationeer . As a Universal Preferred Travel Agency, The Vacationeer has knowledgeable agents who are up to date with all Universal offerings. They will offer advice and book the tour for you! The best part? Their services are free to you!

If you don’t mind handling all of the planning logistics yourself , Group VIP Experiences can be booked online (based on availability). To book a private VIP Experience or book a group tour with a child under three, call the VIP Center at (866) 346-9350 between 9 am and 7 pm.

For VIP experiences at nearby Disney World , see our articles on whether Disney Private VIP Tours are Worth It , Five-star Disney Hotels , Michelin Guide Dining at Disney , and The Ultimate Luxury Disney Vacation .

For more Universal planning tips and tricks , check out our Universal Crowd Calendar and learn about the Best Times to Go to Universal Studios . View our Best Rides for Kids list and a breakdown of the Most Popular Universal Rides . Then, check out our guides to the Best Universal Hotels and Universal’s Best Restaurants .

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• VIP Tour Experience at Universal Orlando Resort

If you’re looking for the red-carpet experience at Universal Orlando Resort, a VIP Experience guided tour may be just the thing for you. With multiple options spanning both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure , this is a perfect way to feel like a celebrity as you “live the movies.”

Each VIP Tour permutation has its own special benefits, which we cover for you in-depth on this page. Before we do, however, it’s really important to point out one key item: the VIP Experience does not include theme-park admission. Please keep this in mind when pricing everything out.

Now, with that out of the way, let’s walk that red carpet!

Skip to: Overview | Options | Pricing | FAQ

What is the VIP Experience?

No matter which VIP Tour you choose, there are a few key benefits that you’re guaranteed to enjoy. The first, as you might have guessed, is a VIP tour guide to escort you on a group tour through Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, or both. These guides are experts on all things Universal Orlando, so even if you think you know everything there is to know about the parks, you’re sure to be blown away by the fun facts and insider knowledge they share with you.

All VIP Tours also offer priority front-of-the-line access to all rides and attractions, including the ever-elusive Pteranadon Flyers and all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter . (Yes, that means you’ll get to ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure with no line, virtual or otherwise!) Other benefits of VIP Tours include:

• Exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences (photography not permitted)
• Complimentary Valet parking
• Reserved seating at shows (excluding the seasonal Mardi Gras and Mannheim Steamroller concerts)
• Complimentary continental breakfast and lunch
• Unlimited Express Pass access throughout the rest of the day following your tour
• Exclusive VIP lanyard and credentials
• Discounts at select Universal merchandise locations throughout the resort

How many VIP Tour options are there?

Before you get to reap all those VIP rewards, you’ll have to first choose which experience is right for you. We’ve broken down all the options below:

1-Day, 1-Park Experience

A 1-Day, 1-Park VIP Tour lasts for five hours and includes priority entrance into a minimum of eight major attractions at either Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure (you get to choose the park, though your tour guide sets the itinerary). And while you will receive all of the benefits listed above, keep in mind that you’ll only enjoy a free continental breakfast if your tour begins at or before 11:00 am. Generally, though, the 1-Day, 1-Park Experience kicks off at 9:30 am, so your chances of enjoying that meal are high!

1-Day, 2-Park Experience

A 1-Day, 2-Park VIP Tour lasts for seven hours and includes priority entrance into a minimum of 10 attractions at both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. Besides the additional park and tour length, the main difference between a 1-Day, 2-Park Experience and its singular-park counterpart is that this version includes lunch at a full-service restaurant. You can expect this tour to (usually) begin at 9:30, 10:30, or 11:30 in the morning.

Private VIP Experience

If you’d rather travel with just your own party, rather than in a group with other individuals, you can opt for the exclusive VIP treatment with this experience (which lasts for the whole day!). Besides receiving the undivided attention of your tour guide, the main draw of this option is the chance to create your own itinerary (for the non-private VIP Tours, your guide lays out the agenda for you). You’ll also enjoy three full-service meals, including dinner, at one of Universal Orlando’s restaurants and receive a three-day My Universal Photos package.

There are a few options if you’re in the market for a Private VIP Experience, including the only two-day tour available:

• 1-Day, 1-Park Tour (availability may vary)
• 1-Day, 2-Park Tour
• 2-Day, 2-Park Tour

How much does a VIP Experience cost?

As you might have guessed, the price of your VIP experience will vary drastically depending upon which tack you take. The one consistent here, though, is that all ticket prices are the same regardless of age – that means your two-year-old will have to pay just as much as you do to enjoy all that exclusive access!

• 1-Day, 1-Park: $229
• 1-Day, 2-Park: $239
• Private VIP experiences: prices vary; call 1-866-346-9350

Remember: in addition to the cost of a VIP Tour, separate theme-park admission is required. Furthermore, guests that are under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

VIP Experience Breakfast Menu

Available to Private and Non-Private VIP Tours that start at or before 11:00 am

House Baked Pastries

Dark Chocolate Chip Muffin

Flaky Butter Croissant

Blueberry Streusel Muffin

Elderberry Croissant

Fresh Cut Fruit

Golden Ripe Pineapple

Vine Ripe Strawberries

Oats & Yogurt

Overnight Oats Steeped in almond milk, agave, crunchy almonds, chia seeds, toasted coconut flakes

Vanilla Bean Yogurt Whole grain oat and wheat granola with slivered almonds and cinnamon

Warm Apple Oatmeal Flan

Hot Offerings

Applewood Smoked Bacon

Pork Sausage Links

Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

Red Bliss Potatoes Served with carmelized onions

Savory Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich Filled with braised mushrooms, leeks, scrambled eggs

VIP Experience at Universal Orlando – frequently asked questions

Do i need to buy a vip experience ticket in advance.

No, you don’t need to, but we strongly recommend it, as quantities are limited, and – you never know – Universal may sell out the morning of your arrival. Just as with Halloween Horror Nights , our motto is it’s better to play it safe and order in advance than be disappointed the day of!

Do I get to choose my itinerary for a VIP Experience?

That depends on which VIP Tour you go with. For the Non-Private 1-Day, 1-Park or 1-Day, 2-Park experiences, you’ll be touring with other traveling parties, so in the spirit of fairness, the day’s agenda will be determined by your tour guide. If you’d rather make the plans yourself, you’ll need to purchase a Private VIP Experience.

Is a VIP Experience worth it?

It depends on what you’re looking to get out of it. If you’ll only be in Orlando for a few days and want to make the most of your time at Universal Orlando Resort, a VIP Tour is a great way to do so. The priority front-of-the-line access can’t be beaten, along with the exclusive backstage experiences and insider tips from the VIP guides. Even if you’re a seasoned Universal veteran, you’re still bound to learn something new thanks to their expertise.

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Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour Guide: Should You Do It in 2024?

Have you ever wanted to do the Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour ?

BEWARE ThemeParkHipster! 

Only read further if you’re interested in getting the FULL VIP, red carpet treatment during your next visit to Universal Studios Orlando!

Yup, that’s right.

Today I’m talking ALL THINGS Universal Orlando VIP Tour.

From what the Universal VIP Tour is, to how much it costs, by the end of this post you’ll know FOR SURE whether or not the this tour is for you!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLOSURE  FOR MORE INFO.  Which means if you click on certain links, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Universal Orlando VIP Tour at a Glance:

• You are personally escorted by a Universal Orlando expert on a guided tour
• This experience can be a group tour or private tour
• You can choose from: 1-Day, 1-Park Tour (Not available during peak times), 1-Day, 2-Park Tour, 2-Day, 2-Park Tour
• Cost starts at $189 per person (however, based on my experience the price usually starts at $250) and DOES NOT include park admission

Keep reading to see if the Universal Orlando VIP Tour is worth the money!

What is the Universal VIP Tour?

The Universal Orlando VIP Tour is a private, exclusive experience available to all Universal Studio guests.

For an extra cost on top of park admission – which I’ll get into later – you’ll receive a 5 hour, 1 park or 7 hour, 2 park behind-the-scenes tour of Universal Studios Orlando and/or Islands of Adventure. 

You can also choose between a private or group tour.

Not only that, but the Universal VIP Tour includes:

• Escorted front of the line ride access
• Behind-the-scenes experiences
• Meals (breakfast and lunch)
• Valet parking
• Reserved show seating
• Access to all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ attractions
• Discounts at select Universal Orlando owned and operated merchandise locations
• An UNLIMITED Universal Orlando Express Pass

So, even when your Universal VIP Tour is over – you can still enjoy a little bit of VIP treatment!

ORDER NOW to secure your Universal Studios theme park ticket! GET MY TICKETS.

What’s Included in a Universal Orlando VIP Tour?

Ok, so I went into this a little bit above, but as always, when it comes to Universal Orlando add-ons like the Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour, everything’s not so cut and dry. 

By that I mean, there are different levels of the Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour that you can choose from. 

So, let’s get into EXACTLY what each one includes below.

1. The VIP Experience at Universal Orlando

• What is it?  A behind the scenes tour with other parties (capped at 12 people).
• What choices do I have? With the Universal VIP Tour, you get to choose if you want a 1 Day, 1 Park Experience for 5 hours , where a minimum of 10 rides of priority access is guaranteed, or a 1 Day, 2 Park Experience for 7 hours , where a minimum of 8 rides is guaranteed.
• What’s included? Personal behind-the-scenes tour guide, front of line access, valet parking (when available), breakfast and lunch, reserved show seating, all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ attractions and an UNLIMITED Express Pass.

2. The Private VIP Experience at Universal Orlando

• What is it?   A behind the scenes tour with ONLY YOUR PARTY.
• What choices do I have? A 1 Day, 1 Park Experience, a 1 Day, 2 Park Experience, or a 2 Day 2 Park Experience (which IS NOT a choice with the normal VIP tour).
• What’s included? Everything included in the VIP Experience, plus dinner at a full service restaurant and the ability to customize your own itinerary.

Ready to plan your theme park trip? Watch the best vacation planning tips on YouTube. Get started here!

3 Easy Tips to Prepare for Your Universal VIP Tour Experience

Now that you know what to expect on your VIP Tour at Universal and Islands of Adventure, let’s go through a few tips to help you have the BEST experience ever!

1. Plan to Stay at the Parks ALL DAY!

To make the most of your Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour, I recommend staying in the parks all day, from open to close. 

Why?  Because you’ll also get an UNLIMITED Express Pass to use the day of your Universal VIP Tour, even after the guided tour part is over.

So, think of it like this.  After your AMAZING 5 or 7 hour behind-the-scenes park tour, you’ll still have at least 5 more hours to take advantage of these add-ons. 

The UNLIMITED Express Pass lets you into the shorter, Express Pass ride queue on the vast majority of attractions!

Recommended: The Solo Theme Park Traveler’s Guide

2. Check Park Hours Before Booking Your Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour

Before deciding which day to book your Universal VIP Tour for, we highly recommend checking Universal theme parks and CityWalk’s hours here . 

Why?  Because park hours vary from day to day.

So, on some days you may find you get an extra hour or two of theme park fun , which is DEFINITELY something to take advantage of when you have an Unlimited Express Pass to use!

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3. Purchase your Universal Orlando VIP Tour Ahead of Time

Can you purchase your Universal VIP Tour upon arrival at Universal Studios Orlando? Sure. Is it recommended? No.

You see, the Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour has limited spaces, therefore it’s very possible that it will be sold out if you wait until the day of.

So, definitely plan like a pro and purchase your Universal VIP Tour pass here , well in advance of your park day!

For a no obligation, FREE Universal Vacation Quote, you can fill out the form with The Park Prodigy by Clicking HERE!

Pros and Cons of the Universal VIP Tour

Now let’s go over a few pros and cons of doing the VIP experience at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Pros of a Universal Orlando VIP Tour

1. good value.

Is the Universal Orlando VIP Tour pricey? Yes. Does it cost more than normal park admission? Yes. Do you still have to pay admission on top of the Universal VIP Tour fee? Yes.

HOWEVER, when you break it down by value – you’re actually making out on the deal. 

Especially if you book far in advance for a slow time of year – since the Universal VIP Tour price changes based on demand.

Anyhoo, remember that included in the Universal VIP Tour fee, you’re getting:

• breakfast ($12 value)
• lunch ($18 value)
• valet parking ($75)
• an unlimited Express Pass ($100+)
• in-park merchandise discounts
• behind-the-scenes and front of line access with a tour guide for 5+ hours

All of that is already well over a $200 value. And the Universal VIP Tour costs…. Well we’ll get to that in a sec.

2. So Many Perks Included

Honestly, it’s called the Universal VIP Tour for a reason.

You literally get everything handed to you for a seamless, headache-free, luxurious theme park day.

Meals? Taken care of. Parking? Done for you. Waiting in lines? Basically non-existent.

All of this to say, even when your 5 or 7 hour tour is over, you’re still getting the VIP treatment.

25 Mistakes You MUST AVOID for Universal Orlando Resort in 2024!

Cons of a Universal VIP Tour

Obviously this goes without saying, but unfortunately the Universal VIP Tour will more than double your park admission.

As I discussed above, if you look at the value of what you’re getting, you’re probably saving money in the long run, but if you don’t want to put out a big chunk of change up front for one park day, then this might not be the best choice for you.

Additionally, the cost of the tour isn’t entirely predictable since, like the Universal Express Pass, it’s on a sliding scale, so that the price matches demand. i.e. peak times, seasons, and certain days of the week cost more.

So, definitely purchase your Universal Orlando VIP Tour as far in advance as possible to maximize savings!

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2. Dirty Looks

This one’s silly, but, let’s be honest. 

If you were standing in the 95 degree humid heat for one hour to get on a ride, and then a group comes up and totally cuts the line, wouldn’t you be a little angry?

Of course you’ll be on the receiving end of the dirty looks instead of the giving end in the Universal Orlando VIP Tour scenario, but if you’re someone who doesn’t like drawing attention to yourself, it’s something to keep in mind.

Especially since you’ll be wearing a Universal VIP Tour lanyard throughout your tour.

Ready to start planning your next Universal Orlando vacation? Listen to the  latest podcast episode on Apple  or on your  non-Apple  device now!

How Much Does the Universal VIP Tour Cost?

Alright, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… how much is the Vip Experience at Universal Studios Orlando? $189, plus tax! Or, at least that’s the starting price. 

Because remember , the price spikes during peak seasons.  So let’s break down the specific costs below.

• 1 Day, 1 Park VIP Tour: Starts at $189, plus tax, per person (however, based on my experience the price usually starts at $250)
• 1 Day, 2 Park VIP Tour: Starts at $260 , plus tax, per person
• Private VIP Tour: Starts around  $3,200.00 per party (this price changes based on the season so call Universal at (866) 346-9350 to get a price quote for your party)

Check out my latest theme park adventures on Instagram TODAY!

Universal Orlando Express Pass vs. Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour Experience… What’s the Difference?

Think of the Universal Orlando Express Pass as a Disney Genie+ that lets you take a shorter line on most rides, usually guaranteeing that your wait time is cut in half, and rarely ever more than 20 minutes total.

The Universal Orlando VIP Tour, however, goes FAR beyond that!

Sure, you get an Unlimited Express Pass, but you also get valet parking, meals , reserved show seating, and a 5+ hour behind-the-scenes tour. 

Basically, the Universal VIP Tour pales the Express Pass in comparison.

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Universal Private VIP Tour vs. Universal Non-Private VIP Tour… What’s the Difference?

Basically, there’s two major differences between the Private and Non-Private Universal Orlando VIP Tour: price and group size.

Whereas the Non-Private Universal VIP Tour will cost you in the hundreds and can accommodate up to 12 people from various different parties, the Private Universal VIP Tour is exclusively your party, and will cost you THOUSANDS.

Literally. The Private Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour starts at about $3,200 (price subject to change). And in addition to just being your own group, it also allows you to customize the itinerary, add a second day onto your tour, and have dinners included.

What’s Included in a Universal Studios VIP Tour for Halloween Horror Nights?

Just like how the normal Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour has multiple different offerings, the same is true for the Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. tour experience (RIP instead of VIP…get it?)

Basically, you can choose between the Halloween Horror Nights Behind-the-Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour for around $120 and the Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. Tour for around $300.

The difference?  The Unmasking the Horror Tour DOES NOT require ANY additional admission, and is a daytime, lights-on haunted house tour for your choice 3 or 6 houses.

Whereas the Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. Tour requires Halloween Horror Nights admission and allows you a guided tour and VIP front of line entry to each house – PLUS an Unlimited Express Pass, Valet Parking, food reception, and more. 

Basically, a great way to ensure you will experience EVERY haunted house during this limited time event!

25 BEST Halloween Horror Nights Tips (2024 Survival Guide)

Is a Universal VIP Tour Worth It?

As I broke down above in the Pros and Cons section, the Universal Orlando VIP Tour really does give you A LOT for your money!

Especially, when you consider that an Unlimited Express Pass alone already costs $100+.

I’d highly recommend the Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour to any Universal Studios superfan, anyone who’s never been to the park before, or any veteran ThemeParkHipster who wants to spoil themselves with the most stress-free theme park experience they can imagine!

Get up to 25% off of your Universal Studios Tickets with Groupon TODAY!

How Can I Book the Universal Orlando VIP Tour Experience at Universal?

You can book your VIP tour by clicking here or calling 1-866-346-9350 to book!

2024 Groupon Universal Studios Orlando Deal: How to Save THE MOST Money on Tickets

Wrapping Up…

Well ThemeParkHipster, I truly hope that this comprehensive guide gave you all the answers to your Universal Orlando VIP Tour questions!

So before you go, please do let us know in the comments below: Will you be booking the Universal VIP Tour anytime soon? Or, do you have your own Universal Orlando VIP Tour experience to share?

Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!

About the Author

Gina is a former Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line Cast Member who enjoys reliving the magic by writing helpful tips and tricks for future guests! 

Check out more about her Disney adventures and writing endeavors here on ThemeParkHipster or Florida Hipster!

UP NEXT: SMACKDOWN! Universal Studios vs. Islands of Adventure: Which Should You Choose?

(Original Article Date: August 9, 2021/Updated by Editor on February 18, 2024)

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2024 Universal Orlando Packing List Guide: What to Pack for an EPIC Trip!

Avoid the universal orlando wait times with express pass: is it worth it in 2024, 2 thoughts on “universal studios orlando vip tour guide: should you do it in 2024”.

We are doing a Private VIP Tour at Universal and was curious and tipping our guide.

Sorry for the late response. From my understanding I didn’t find a rule from Universal that stops us from tipping a Tour Guide. You can double check with the Universal representative by calling (866) 346-9350. I like to tip but just make sure it’s okay for your visit.

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We are blessed to have wonderful neighbors with kids almost the same ages as our boys, and we jointly decided to spend Memorial Day weekend 2022 together in Los Angeles. One of the cornerstones of our long weekend was the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP experience , which none of us had done before. The VIP experience offers exclusive access to the theme park that you can’t get as a member of the general public. From an exclusive VIP lounge at check in to an expert guide who takes you around the entire park with VIP privileges and a studio tour that gives you up-close-and-personal access (you get to go inside some of the sets!), is the Universal VIP Tour worth it? Read on for our comprehensive, unvarnished opinion of the Universal Studios VIP Experience Tour.

Want to see the rest of our LA itinerary? See our  review of the Beverly Wilshire hotel  and our list of  kid-friendly restaurants in LA.

Universal VIP Experience Tour Logistics

Universal Studios VIP tickets range in cost, depending on the time of year that you book. We visited over a holiday weekend, making our tickets more expensive than other times of the year. We spent $389 per person, the same for kids and adults. You will get the best deal visiting on a weekday in low season, but the prices don’t go lower than $369 per person, so you’re not saving much by going at off-peak times.

Booking was an easy process, and I completed the whole thing online. You do have to enter the names of each guest when you book, so you need to have finalized your group prior to booking tickets. You get an email confirmation with QR code tickets, and you will need to bring the tickets along with the credit card used for booking on the day of your tour.

When you book your Universal Studios Hollywood tickets, you choose your date and entry time. They recommend that you arrive at least 30 minutes before your tour start time so that you can get checked in and have something to eat before heading out on the tour. In reality, I don’t think 30 minutes is enough, especially if you have a large group.

Included with your ticket price is:

• 1 day park admission with an expert VIP guide
• Unlimited Universal express access (per day) to each ride, attraction, and seated show. Express line access is a separate line with a shorter wait time at each ride, attraction, and seated show. (Does not apply to food and retail locations or non-seated shows.)
• Free valet parking (but not free self parking)
• VIP access on the studio tour on a private trolley, the most exclusive way to see the movie and TV sets from some of the most famous shows on film, like Desperate Housewives and War of the Worlds
• Light breakfast and gourmet lunch

How Old Do You Have to be for the Universal VIP Pass?

Visitors on the VIP tour must be at least 5 years old, and at least 17 years old to attend without an accompanying adult. My kids were 5 (almost 6) and 8, and our neighbors’ kids were 7 and 9. I do think that 5 is the minimum age to visit, and older would be better. Our 5 year old liked a few of the rides, but some of them (like Transformers) were terrifying for him. He spent the entire ride screaming and burying his face into my chest…pretty traumatic for everyone. 

Universal Studios VIP Cancellation Policy

The cancellation policy on the VIP experience is pretty strict – tickets are non-transferable, non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Requests to change your reservation must be made at least 48 hours in advance. Before you book, be sure of your group, your date, and your time.

Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Food

The Universal Studios Hollywood VIP experience includes a light breakfast and a gourmet lunch. The breakfast was served upstairs in the exclusive VIP lounge, which you reach after walking a red carpet into the check-in area. Options included coffee, tea, juice, and water to drink. Breakfast food options left a lot to be desired, so if you care about nutrition or need to fuel up before a long day at the park, you may want to eat beforehand. I would compare it best to a respectable buffet at a budget hotel. If you’re looking for a VIP experience, you’re not going to get it with the breakfast. 

I also found that the staff couldn’t keep up with demand, and many of the platters were completely or nearly empty. This wouldn’t be an issue, as I assume they continually refill them, except that you are on a tight schedule, and when your group gets called to go into the park, that’s it. You don’t have another chance to eat until lunch (unless you bring your own snacks, and…really, who wants to do that when you’re paying this much for a VIP experience?)

On the day we visited, the breakfast options included:

• ham and cheese croissant
• egg and cheese croissant
• smoke salmon croissant
• caprese tartlet
• plain croissant
• pain a chocolat
• raspberry danish
• apple danish
• blueberry muffin
• raspberry cream cheese puff
• chocolate chip cookies
• fruit salad

Lunch was more impressive, with lots of cold and hot options, though I don’t seem to have photos of the lunch buffet. I do remember that adults and kids alike had lots of options, and everyone could find something they liked.

Overall, the food experience feels a little rushed, but then I suppose the point of the day isn’t necessarily to enjoy a leisurely meal – it’s to experience as much of the park as possible. Part of how they do this is to keep things moving quickly from one ride to the next, and to optimize your break periods to give you just enough rest to keep going until the next break. 

VIP Experience with Food Allergies

If you have food allergies, the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP experience will leave a lot to be desired. My son is anaphylactic to eggs, all nuts, and peanuts. This made it almost impossible to find food for him to eat at either breakfast or lunch. The staff was unable to give us clear guidance on what ingredients were in the breakfast options, which left my son with instant oatmeal and yogurt as his breakfast options. Not terrible, but when the buffet was full of breakfast sandwiches and pastries that he couldn’t eat, it’s a tough sell for a 6 year old. 

It may seem like a small thing for guests who don’t deal with allergies on a daily basis, but for us, it’s a constant stressor when traveling, and we often seek out luxury options ( like in Israel ) because they can easily – and happily – accommodate us. I mistakenly assumed we could receive similar treatment on the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP tour, and visitors with food allergies would do well to have proper expectations going in.

My husband is allergic to gluten, and his options were similarly limited. The majority of the breakfast items contained gluten, but he isn’t much of a breakfast eater anyway and he adapted ok. 

Lunch was even more disappointing (on the dessert front particularly). There were enough entree options to manage our allergies (hooray!) Dessert, however, was a frustrating experience. There were many dessert options, but the ONLY one that was egg-free…was covered in peanuts. That left my son literally no dessert options. Any parent knows how excruciating it is for a kid to watch a table full of other kids eat dessert and have nothing to offer them. 

What was most disappointing for a VIP experience and a supposedly gourmet meal was that even after the staff was aware of my son’s allergies and that there was nothing for him to eat, they did not offer to get him something different or bring in something from elsewhere in the park, which frankly I would expect at this price point. 

Instead, he and I left the private VIP dining room and ventured into the park to find an ice cream stand, where the very kind cashier let me check the ingredient labels on all the packaged ice cream treats until I found one my son could eat. She asked why the heck we were buying ice cream when our lanyards indicated that we were VIP guests and offered us a discount when she learned of our situation. It was far kinder than the service we received in the private dining room, and I very much appreciated it.

I suppose if you don’t deal with food allergies regularly, this might not be top of mind, but I hope Universal’s executive chef takes a second look at the offerings and makes some simple adjustments to make the menu significantly more allergy-friendly. As all of our allergies are in the Top 8 allergens worldwide, one would assume we aren’t the only VIP visitors with dietary restrictions to accommodate.

Universal Studios VIP Tour Experience Review

One of the first things you should know as a VIP guest is that you might think that you have a completely private tour, but you don’t (unless your group is large enough). We had 8 people in our group (4 adults and 4 kids) and we were paired with a family of 4, for a total of 12. Their kids were similar ages, and the kids ended up hanging out for the day, which was fine. I would have preferred a fully private group, especially since we were already 8 people, but it didn’t detract from the day.

Best Rides for Kids – Pets, Minions, Simpsons

Our private guide led us to each attraction, starting with the Pets ride. This one was good for littler kids, with interactive elements that weren’t scary. Both my kids liked this one a lot, but it was boring for adults. 

One of the additional VIP benefits that you get in addition to a private guide is skip the line tickets, which saves a lot of time standing in line. Our guide led us to the front of the line and we got right in.

The second ride we did was a crowd favorite, as it was Minions. There were lots of special effects but toed the line of being great for kids and being too scary. Again, the skip the line benefit got us quick access to the ride, though there was some waiting to get into the actual room. The ride is set up like stadium seating, and you go in a single file line, so it’s possible to be separated from your group (if you are in the third row, for instance, you may be in the third row of 2 different ride machines, as our group was – they don’t take your group and do rows 3 and 4 of the same equipment). Our kids were old enough (and with friends) where this wasn’t an issue, but if you have a little one who may need a helping hand, make sure you pay attention to where you are in line. 

One of the last rides we did was the Simpsons, which my kids really enjoyed despite having never seen The Simpsons before. We all enjoyed it, though it wasn’t one of the television shows I was allowed to watch as a kid, and it doesn’t hold any nostalgia for me. 

Scary Rides for Kids – Transformers and Jurassic World

I loved the Transformers ride personally, but my 5 year old thought he was getting actually attacked and completely lost his mind. I couldn’t wait to get off this ride because of how panicked he was, and our entire car was giving us sympathetic looks and trying to calm him down. We opted out of the Jurassic World ride for that reason, because our guide steered me away from it. Our older son and my husband went ahead, and they loved that this one ended with a literal splash!

The big hiccup we had with the Mummy ride was that you have to store your gear in a locker. It is supposed to be smart and save you time by giving you a keycode to use to open it rather than a physical key…except that my husband’s code wouldn’t open the locker at the end. We ended up waiting a long time while they had to get park maintenance to come open it for him, which put a damper on the day. We did feel that bringing a backpack was critical for our day, but it did get annoying on the rides where you couldn’t bring it on. 

Want to know what else we packed for our day at Universal Studios? Check out my  packing list and what to wear at Universal Studios Hollywood.

One of the nice perks of the VIP tour is that they think of the little comforts that make your day more pleasant – they provide bottled water (crucial for those hot days!!) as well as ponchos for the water rides. I loved that we didn’t have to carry everything ourselves, but yet we had everything we needed at just the right time.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Our tour ended with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which was just as well, because I sure as heck didn’t want to leave once we got there. The physical embodiment of one of the world’s favorite movies, Harry Potter World is nothing short of magical. Whether you’re a Muggle who has never experienced Harry Potter or you know just which house you belong to, you can’t miss Harry Potter at Universal.

Our guide obligingly took photos of us at the entrance, and found us the best way to skip lines on the many rides within the bounds of Harry Potter. The whole world is magical, from Ollivander’s wand store and RFID-enabled wand activities throughout Hogsmeade to Hogwarts Castle and the Forbidden Journey ride (my favorite – I did it twice…but my stomach wished I only did it once). I loved that our VIP tickets for us unlimited express access, so I was able to zip through the castle…more or less…while my husband took the kids for food. 

My kids preferred the Flight of the Hippogriff ride, and they tolerated the long line (even in the fast pass line) well. So well, in fact, that they opted to ride it twice, one of the only rides they wanted to do again.

I did find that lines in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter were longer than in other parts of the park, but they make the experience so immersive that you sort of forget you are waiting in a line, especially while going into Hogwarts Castle. 

Live Show on the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour

To switch up the pace, we attended a live show during our day as VIPs. Our guide led us to the best seats, which had been reserved for VIP visitors only. They were farther up than I would have expected in the amphitheater, but we had a great view and we didn’t get hit with water like the lower rows. The show was a combination of daring stunts, acting, and audience participation. It was entertaining, believable, and very well executed. I wouldn’t have chosen to attend the show if it weren’t part of our itinerary, but it was a nice way to rest from all the movement of the day, and our kids loved it!

Universal Backlot Tour

After a full morning of rides, our entire group went together for our back lot tour. You are combined with other VIP groups to visit the set pieces and sound stages of the world’s largest movie studio. I didn’t love that we were put with a larger group, but it was generally ok. The tour on the bus (really more like an open-air trolley) is narrated by Jimmy Kimmel, and your expert tour guides get off the bus with you and explain more about the sets, like how they design them for camera angles, and how they achieve optical illusions in the filming process. We even got to go inside one of the houses on Wisteria Lane!

One of the most interesting parts was hearing how they adapt the same set for different productions with just small tweaks, and seeing how you could turn the corner on the bus and go from gritty downtown Chicago to a rural Mexican shootout town, showing just how efficient and immersive they can make a single “street.”

Visiting iconic sets of Hollywood movies isn’t the only activity on the backlot tour. There are several “rides” you experience as well – from King Kong to Fast and the Furious. My kids didn’t love these rides, and I did a lot of snuggling and reassuring that no, we weren’t going to catch on fire, and no, the giant ape wasn’t going to attack us. Another indication that 5 is definitely the floor for visiting Universal Studios…older ages may have a better, less scary time.

My favorite part of the backlot tour was the War of the Worlds section. Despite it being a plane crash, it somehow felt the most “real” to me, with sirens going off sporadically, and “smoke” emanating from the wreckage of the plane. My kids were freaked out a bit, it felt so real. After some reassurance, they loved seeing the wreckage spread out before them.

Best Spots for Photos at Universal Studios

There are several great spots for photos during the unique experience of being a Universal VIP. My favorites were the following:

• Red carpet leading into the check in area – don’t get shepherded in too quickly – your arrival is the only time you will be here. Take a moment to grab a photo!
• The Universal Studios fountain leading to the private VIP entrance – this one if FULL of people, so don’t expect to get a photo without a ton of people in it, but it is a classic photo with the Universal logo
• Standing at the gates of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Standing at the entrance of Hogwarts Castle
• Hanging out of the special trolley for VIP guests – this is a good place to get a family photo…if you can arrive early and each pop into a window seat, you can hang out the windows and get a cute photo
• The fake Hollywood sign setup on the backlot tour – the background is surprisingly real-looking, and you can crop your photo to make it look like you’re really there!
• On set on the back lot tour – pick your backdrop based on your favorite tv shows and movies…Wisteria Lane is possible, as is some of the Jaws set, the courthouse from Back to the Future, or just wandering down the various streets used to make movie sets look like anywhere but Hollywood – old Mexico, Chicago, and more. 

Is the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience Worth It?

Admittedly, I haven’t been to the Disney World VIP tour or to Universal Studios Orlando, so my review has to stand alone for the Universal Studios Hollywood. That said, yes, I would absolutely recommend it . You get a completely different backlot tour than you can get with a regular ticket, and the VIP guide helps you save a ton of time throughout the day. It’s great having the little things taken care of, like ponchos and water, and to have someone who can help you navigate lost items (RIP sunglasses) and hold bags at certain rides. 

The experience fell short for us on food, but when your time is limited, the VIP tour experience is a really solid value. With regular tickets starting at $109 and skip-the-line tickets starting at $199, the $369 starting price for VIP isn’t too much of a stretch. 

What do you think – is the VIP tour right for you?

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Complete Guide to the Universal Orlando VIP Experience

This article is your complete guide to the Universal VIP Experience! We are going to cover everything about the Universal Studios Orlando VIP tour! There are some major benefits to the Universal VIP pass, including front-of-the-line access to all the major shows and rides, free meals, free parking, and your tour guide for the day. We have done the Universal Orlando VIP tour a few times and have a lot of good things to say, as well as downsides for the extra cost.

We hope you find this post helpful! Our goal at The Park Prodigy has always been to help you save time and money on your next Universal Orlando vacation!  If you are planning a trip to Universal Orlando be sure to check out the latest deals on Universal Orlando vacation packages and our discounted Universal Orlando tickets which include EARLY PARK ADMISSION to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

SPECIAL NOTE: If you’re looking for the best time to visit Universal Orlando be sure to check out our Universal Crowd Calendar!

 Universal Crowd Calendar

What are The Universal Orlando VIP Tours?

The Universal VIP tour offers an unparalleled experience for guests. This tour is guided by an expert through the park’s top attractions and shows and is available at Universal Orlando Resort and sold on a per-day basis! This exclusive experience includes significant perks like the Universal Express Pass , allowing you to bypass lines at most attractions. The tour is offered in both private and non-private formats and provides the flexibility to customize your visit.

How long does the Universal Orlando VIP tour last?

The duration of the Universal VIP tours varies between 5-7 hours, depending on the type of tour package you choose. The Universal Orlando VIP tour typically spans 6-7 hours, while its counterpart, the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP tour, usually lasts between 5-6 hours.

Related Post: Complete Guide to Harry Potter Orlando Vs California 

How Does it Work

The Universal VIP experience provides guests with front-of-the-line access to both of the main Universal Orlando parks. Out of the many perks that the Universal Orlando VIP ticket also includes, the free Universal Express Pass ticket is our favorite one! The second biggest pro to the VIP experiences at Universal Studios Orlando is that they include the two most popular rides in Hagrid’s Magical Creatures, Motorbike Adventure, and the VelociCoaster.

It’s important to point this out as although both of these rides are included with early park admission, Hagrid’s is not included with the Universal Orlando express pass ticket at this time. The significance of this feature cannot be overstated, especially considering that the standard Universal Orlando Express Pass does not cover this ride. So when you decide to go for Universal Studios VIP tickets, you’re gaining an advantage that goes beyond the usual benefits!

Universal Orlando Non-Private VIP Tour Overview

You can purchase tickets for up to six guests for the Universal Orlando non-private VIP experience. Then, you will be combined with other parties to form a group of up to twelve people for the day’s adventures. The non-private Universal Orlando VIP tour typically begins at 11:00 AM each morning and typically lasts between five and seven hours. We will also say that even though guests follow the Universal tour guide lead on average they are guaranteed to get an average of ten rides.

One key distinction between the non-private and private Universal Orlando VIP experience is the role of the tour guide in selecting the day’s attractions. While the guide will make the final decisions, they typically conduct a group poll to gauge everyone’s interests. Given this, we strongly recommend engaging in a discussion with the other members of your non-private VIP experience Universal Orlando tour before it starts! This will allow you to align your ride preferences and ensure a more enjoyable experience for everyone.

What is Included in the Universal Orlando Non-Private VIP Tour?

• Free Valet Parking
• Front-of-the-line access to Universal Orlando shows and rides
• Backstage tour and knowledge from your tour guide
• Universal Express pass for after
• Complimentary breakfast and lunch

What does the Universal Orlando VIP Experience Cost?

Another common question we receive is, how much is the Universal Orlando non-private VIP tour?  The Universal Orlando non-private VIP tour for 2 parks over 1 day starts at  $289.00 per person plus sales tax, however most guests can expect to pay around $489.00. It’s also important to note that a valid Universal Orlando park-to-park admission ticket is required as well to participate in the Universal Orlando VIP tour.

Related Post: Complete Guide to the Lockers at Universal Orlando

Private Universal Orlando VIP Tour Overview

This option is mandatory for groups of seven or more who are interested in upgrading to the Universal Orlando VIP experience. The most significant difference between private and non-private VIP tours lies in the level of control you have over your itinerary. In a private VIP tour, the guests have the final say on which attractions they’ll visit during the eight-hour tour.

This level of customization can be a game-changer. For instance, if your private tour group is enamored with H agrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure or the VelociCoaster , you have the freedom to ride these attractions as many times as you’d like. This makes the VIP experience uniquely tailored to your group’s preferences.

As for the Universal Private VIP Experience cost , it’s worth noting that while this option may come at a premium, the personalized nature of the tour often makes it a value-added choice for larger groups or those seeking a bespoke experience at VIP Universal Studios .

Overall the private Universal Orlando includes the same private Universal tour guide to bring guests to the front of the line on all shows and attractions. It also includes free valet parking, a Universal express pass for after the tour, and two full-service meal vouchers which can be used inside the theme parks or at CityWalk. Non-private VIP tours also come with a 3-day Universal Orlando photo pass. 

What is included in the Universal Orlando Private VIP tour?

• Front-of-the-line access to Universal Orlando shows and rides which you select
• Universal express pass for after
• Complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• 3-day Universal Orlando photo pass
• Additional discounts on food and merchandise

Private VIP tour Universal Orlando Cost?

So, what is the Universal private VIP tour cost? The Universal Studios private VIP tour costs start at $3,099 for the two park-a-day private VIP experience for up to five guests, and additional guests will start at $375 per person each. The private VIP tours at Universal Orlando can accommodate up to ten guests. It’s also important to note that these are the starting costs and the final price can fluctuate based on the time of year that you are visiting.

Related post:  Complete Guide to All Universal CityWalk Stores

Is the Universal Orlando VIP Tour Worth it?

One of the most frequently asked questions we encounter is: Is the Universal Studios VIP tour worth it? As a general guideline, if your goal is to maximize your time and experiences, the Universal VIP tour is often well worth the investment. This is particularly true if you’re already considering an upgrade to include the Universal Express Pass ticket.

The reason for this is quite compelling. In the case of Universal Orlando, three major rides are not covered by the standard Express Pass but are included in the VIP tour Universal . This offers families a significant level of flexibility. You won’t need to worry about arriving for early park admission, which can sometimes be as early as 7:00 AM, to benefit from shorter wait times at the most popular attractions.

So, when considering a tour of Universal Studios Orlando, the VIP option provides a comprehensive and convenient way to experience the park. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned theme park veteran, the Universal Studios Orlando VIP and Orlando VIP experiences offer a premium, hassle-free way to enjoy all that Universal has to offer.

From a budgeting standpoint families will also be surprised to learn that the non-private VIP tours can make sense when you add up all of the extra benefits. We believe the fact that an unlimited Universal express pass is included with your Universal VIP ticket is huge as it will allow you to get onto so many more rides within your day. We also find that the Universal express pass is typically 60-70% of the cost of the non-private VIP tour anyway. So once you add the free valet parking and meals to your budget it might not be that much more to upgrade to the Universal VIP tour.

Related post:  Guide to the Universal Hogwarts Express

Universal VIP Tour FAQ

Does the Universal VIP tour include VelociCoaster?

As a general rule of thumb, the Universal Orlando VIP tour does include the VelociCoaster. It’s important to note that the VelociCoaster is not included with the Universal Express pass so you will be sure to want to ride this attraction during your tour throughout the day.

How Early Should You Arrive for Your Universal VIP Tour?

• 45 – 60 minutes before the tour begins

One of the most useful tips and tricks we can provide to get the most out of your Universal Orlando VIP tour is to arrive at least 45-60 minutes before your tour even begins. One of the main reasons is it will take you some time to get through security at Universal. And once you do arrive at the park gates, your group will still have to check in to your VIP experience. We also enjoyed getting to meet with our Universal VIP tour guide and coming up with a game plan for how the entire group would prefer to tackle the parks.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Universal Orlando?

Our   Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar  is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We breakdown the park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices by day, and average temperature.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Next Universal Orlando Trip?

If you’re ready to plan your trip to  Universal Studios,  be sure to check out  Universal Orlando Tickets! Not only will you save money vs buying direct, but all of our Universal Orlando tickets come with some amazing benefits that can help save you up to three hours in the parks!

And to stay up to date on everything going on inside the theme parks be sure to check out our partners at  Themeparktoday.com!

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Skipping the lines of 12 major rides at Universal Orlando on a $349 group VIP tour

Theme parks this summer are...busy. Very, very busy .

In a recent earnings call, we got an official statement that Universal Orlando's capacity and attendance are pretty much back to pre-pandemic levels, which matches what we've seen on the ground. After a postponed 2020 trip, we were ready to visit Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter to take our oldest on a delayed 11th birthday celebration (which is, of course, the age when you get invited to attend Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books).

But between the summer crowds, the heat and the ongoing pandemic, we wanted to avoid lines to the greatest extent possible while going full-on into the Harry Potter side of things.

Universal Orlando actually has several available options for those looking for a shortcut to the front of the lines. Universal has private VIP tours and Express Passes, both of which we have tried before. But this much-anticipated trip presented a good excuse to try something situated at a price point between those two choices: the group VIP tour.

The Universal Orlando group VIP experience gives you a guide, walk-up attraction access, two meals and valet parking, but it costs a lot less than the private VIP tour. It also includes unlimited Express Passes for you to use after the tour concludes, but the ride access it provides during the tour is faster than the Express Pass lines.

After trying the Universal group tour out for ourselves, we found the tour to be outstanding for certain situations — and not so great for others.

Related: Guide to visiting Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando group VIP tour basics

The one-day, two-park Universal Orlando group tour lasts for seven hours and provides priority entrance into at least ten rides and attractions. It will start at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. and run until 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. The day starts with a private VIP buffet breakfast at Cafe La Bamba, which is also where the VIP buffet lunch takes place.

Those meals and some bottled water are included, as is valet parking — which was extremely helpful and came with its own security screening. Normally, valet parking costs $75.

The group tour starts at $239 per person on the least expensive days, with rates going up to $300 to $400 per person during peak dates. For our busy Saturday in July, the group tour was $349 per person. This is obviously a lot of money on top of admission tickets, which are not included. However, it's magnitudes less expensive than paying for a private VIP tour, which costs over $3,000 . This is especially true if you only need the tour for yourself or a small family.

You'll get an Express Unlimited Pass to use when the VIP tour concludes. While the best way to get Express Unlimited Passes is normally by staying at a Universal Orlando Premier hotel such as Loews Portofino Bay Hotel , Hard Rock Hotel or Loews Royal Pacific Resort , you can also purchase the passes individually for anywhere between $110 to $240 per person per day if you aren't staying at one of those resorts.

If you were planning to pay for those extras, you are already a decent chunk of the way to the cost of the group VIP tour price.

You can price out and book the Universal group VIP tour online directly with Univeral or you can book for no extra cost via our friends at Mouse Counselors, who will help you navigate the pros and cons of all of these options for your group.

Related: Why you may want to rethink that Florida theme park trip

Our experience on the Univeral Orlando group VIP tour

We spent the night before the tour at the Hyatt Regency at Orlando International Airport using points and made the drive to Univeral Orlando that morning. While there were reports of back-ups in the garage parking and security screening that Saturday morning, we didn't have any problem pulling right up into valet parking and zipping through that dedicated security entrance.

We were at the Univeral Orlando entrance within minutes after parking, ready to head into the lobby for the VIP tour, where you get your tickets and lanyards for the day. Our check-in time was at 10 a.m. and by arriving about 15 minutes before, we had ample time to pick up the included stroller and head over to Cafe La Bamba for the included buffet breakfast.

The food was good, but not over-the-top amazing.

It's also important these days to note that it was a traditional buffet, and you are seated at full tables with people not in your party. Masks are not currently required at Univeral Orlando and there are really no pandemic precautions in play on this tour.

Our actual tour started at around 10:35 a.m. when our group of 12 — the maximum size for the group tour — headed to ride E.T.

This classic ride is one of my favorites, but unfortunately, it was "on delay" (aka not working) when we arrived. The same was true for Men in Black, the next ride we attempted to ride on the tour. It finally started working right as we were getting ready to leave the building, so we rode our first attraction of the day at 11:16 a.m. Later in the morning, we had the same problem with Transformers, which we didn't get to ride.

In fact, we only successfully rode three attractions before lunch, and it got to be a bit frustrating with the amount of bad luck our group encountered. Here's a quick look at our morning:

• 11:16 a.m. Men in Black Alien Attack (regular wait posted as 45 minutes)
• 11:51 a.m. Harry Potter: Escape from Gringotts (regular wait posted as 50 minutes)
• 12:48 p.m. Revenge of the Mummy (regular wait posted as 50 minutes)
• 1:15 p.m. Lunch break

Lunch was made up of a variety of buffet options such as salad, sliders, chicken wings, salmon, mashed potatoes, asparagus, macaroni, tater tots, cookies, macarons, fruit and beyond. We were also given more bottles of water to get us through the hot afternoon.

Thankfully, the afternoon was significantly more successful when it came to attraction availability. After a slow start that morning, we still surpassed the "guaranteed" 10 rides on the tour:

• 2:25 p.m. Hogwarts Express (regular wait posted as 20 minutes)
• 2:50 p.m. Harry Potter: Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• 3:05 p.m. Harry Potter: Forbidden Journey (regular wait posted as 60 minutes)
• 3:30 p.m. Harry Potter: Flight of the Hippogriff (regular wait posted as 40 minutes)
• 3:50 p.m. Velocicoaster (regular wait posted as 80 minutes)
• 4:15 p.m. Jurassic Park River Adventure (regular wait posted as 60 minutes)
• 4:30 p.m. Skull Island: Reign of Kong (regular wait posted as 70 minutes)
• 5:08 p.m. The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (regular wait posted as 45 minutes)
• 5:26 p.m. Incredible Hulk Coaster (regular wait posted as 40 minutes)

If the posted wait times were true, that was over nine hours of lines we mostly skipped since this was almost walk-on access (other than the lockers you still have to deal with before many of these rides). You often enter through alternative entrances that usually entirely bypass the traditional queues.

And all of that saved time doesn't even count the virtual queue we didn't have to mess with for Hagrid's Magical Creatures since it was included in the tour. (However, that ride is outstanding and therefore worth whatever effort it takes to get on it.)

Once the tour ended after the Hulk Coaster, we were free to continue our adventure in the park on our own — which is exactly what we did. We rounded out the day with another ride on the Hogwarts Express and more time spent living out our best Harry Potter lives in Diagon Alley.

Related: Here's what happens on a Disney VIP private tour

Is the Univeral Orlando group VIP tour worth it?

Unlike with the (much pricier) Disney VIP tour , there wasn't a commemorative pin or any tangible takeaway item provided on the tour, but the $349-per-person fee did get us 12 walk-on attractions, an Express Pass Unlimited, valet parking, two meals, multiple bottles of water, large lockers at each attraction where they are required (usually, only the smallest ones are free to use) and a stroller rental.

If we hadn't hit bad luck in the morning with multiple rides that weren't working, our ride total could have easily been 13 or 14 rides.

If you put no value on the meals, parking, lockers, the Express Pass, and other extras, that breaks down to $29 per ride for walk-on access. Obviously, the more value you put on those extras, the lower your cost-per-ride.

Given the very high crowd levels on this particular day, I thought the tour was an overall good value for us. However, there are some situations when I don't recommend this particular group tour.

First, if you have young kids (or kids who aren't yet over 48 inches tall), you won't get the full benefits of the group VIP tour.

Our youngest daughter is right at 48 inches. It was a big debate between Universal team members each time she would get measured as to whether she was tall enough for a given ride, so we eventually stopped trying and had her skip rides on the tour.

Unlike on the private VIP tour, where you get to dictate which rides you do and in what order, there are no re-rides on the group tour. This means parents can't take turns sitting out with a kid not tall enough to ride while each gets a turn.

The tour guide did sit with our youngest daughter while we both did the newer Hagrid's ride, but for the most part, one of us skipped anytime there was a ride she couldn't or didn't want to do.

Second, while this tour does help you avoid time spent in line, you have to be comfortable being in pretty close contact with mostly unmasked people for the day. Your group will stay together, ride attractions together, eat together, and more.

Frankly, while I planned the tour long ago, the pandemic situation was changing (again) by the time it actually happened, and it was uncomfortable for us at several points in the day — especially around the relatively crowded meals.

This is in contrast to the private VIP tour we did a few years ago, where we ate in an essentially empty Cafe La Bama restaurant and were really only in close contact with the tour guide. That may or may not matter to you, but it's worth knowing these days.

Bottom line

If you want walk-on ride access, have a traveling group that is over 48 inches and are OK not being the one picking out the rides and planning the agenda, the Universal Orlando group VIP tour may be a good fit. It offers many of the conveniences of the private VIP tour but at a fraction of the price.

Being able to truly skip the lines, get some "backstage access," enjoy valet parking, eat two included meals, score some inside info from your tour guide and get an Unlimited Express Pass to use when the tour ends is a pretty solid return for an added price that starts at $239 per person.

This is not the tour to do with little kids, but if there are just a handful in your group (and you want a special experience at a more reasonable price than a private tour), this may be exactly the tour you're looking for.

The SATURDAY SIX Takes a 2-Park VIP Tour at the Universal Orlando Resort (The Perks, Behind-The-Scenes Looks, Priority Access and MORE!)

This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a 2-Park VIP Tour at the Universal Orlando Resort! As a theme park fan, I’ve seen many references over the years to VIP tours at the Disney parks. As a member of the theme park community, it won’t be long until you understand that the Cast Members walking the parks in the plaid outfits at Walt Disney World are generally giving private tours for celebrities and day guests like you and me. TouringPlans has reviewed several of Disney’s VIP Tours over the years, and they offer some pretty great benefits.

Despite being immersed in the Universal Orlando parks for over a decade now, it is still rare for me to ever hear of anyone taking one of the various VIP tours they offer. So when Len Testa himself asked if I wanted to try one out to see what they were like, of course I jumped at the chance!

Universal offers two types of VIP tours. The first option is a VIP Experience that can be a 1 day/1 park or 1 day/2 park tour. In this offering, you’ll be grouped with others also taking a VIP Experience tour. The second option is the Private VIP Experience , which can accommodate up to 12 people in your private group and can be for 1 day/1 park, 1 day/2 parks, or even 2 day/2 parks. I was going to be part of a Private VIP Tour: 1 Day/2 Park, and it started with…

# 6 – Check-in and Welcome Breakfast

After purchasing a VIP Tour, the confirmation email gives you directions on where to check in. The map below shows how to get from the Valet Parking section of Universal to the VIP check-in at Universal Studios Florida, because each VIP Experience of any type comes with one complimentary valet parking pass . I was not lucky enough to be the beneficiary of the valet parking for our tour group, so my journey started just a little farther back… in the Universal parking garage.

It didn’t take long to get to Universal Studios Florida though, and the check-in for the VIP Experience is before the main turnstiles. It is to the right-hand side in the picture below, near Guest Relations.

You knew blogger-in-the-sky @bioreconstruct was gonna have a handy dandy bird’s eye view of this area to help out!

There is signage outside the VIP Experience check-in alerting you where to go.

Park admission is NOT included with any of the VIP Experiences offered by Universal. They verified my Annual Pass at the check-in, and gave me credentials that would be used anywhere we went on the tour. A nice benefit of the VIP Experience is you never need to go through the main turnstiles at either park. As a person who hates waiting at the turnstiles at any park, this was one of my personal favorite perks of the tour. I  finally got to have my moment like in Wayne’s World with the Aerosmith backstage passes .

Before your tour starts, VIP Experience guests head over to Café La Bamba for a complimentary breakfast. As far as I know, nothing like this exists for any of the Disney VIP tours.

Inside Café La Bamba there were buffet-style food sections to grab whatever you wanted.

There were hot food options including pancakes, eggs, bacon, roasted potatoes, apple oatmeal flan, and an egg, leek, and mushroom biscuit.

There were also plenty of fruit and other options for those weirdoes perfectly sane people who prefer healthy fare on their vacation.

Also available was a selection of pastries including plain croissants, elderberry croissants, chocolate chip, and blueberry muffins.

This breakfast was all-you-can-eat, or at least that’s how I interpreted it because I was already on my second plate before Len Testa and the rest of the TouringPlans team arrived. Big thumbs up for breakfast.

You’re directed to your own seating area in Café La Bamba, and the tables for each group will have chilled water bottles for each person in your group. Servers come by to see if you’d like anything else to drink, including coffee, milk, and orange juice.

# 5 –  Your Tour Guide

At Café La Bamba, you’ll be introduced to your tour guide. Our tour guide was named Logan and he was terrific. Because the Private VIP Experience will do whatever you want to do, Logan was there to lead us to wherever we wanted to go, while giving information about the parks and the attractions throughout the tour. Previously, I’ve only taken Unmasking the Horror and RIP Tours at Halloween Horror Nights, but in my experience the VIP tour guides at Universal are some of the most knowledgeable and personable people you will come across in the parks, and Logan was no exception.

# 4 – Immigration Room

Universal has many “secret” tips and tricks at their parks , including the ability to take a tour of the famous Immigration Room at Men In Black: Alien Black.

For those who don’t know, the Immigration Room is an area you walk through in the Alien Attack queue that was ripped straight out of the first Men In Black film. Guests are on the second level of the Immigration Room, looking down at the MIB office area below. There are some occasions when you’ll be in the queue and see guests walking around the office area below. Now, in theory any guest can partake in this, by asking for an Immigration Room tour before entering the attraction, but there needs to be an available Team Member to take you to the room. Since the Covid Shutdown in 2020 , having extra personnel on hand for luxuries like this is no guarantee at the parks. Your best bet is to going on a slow day at the parks and ask in the morning.

Thankfully, with a VIP Experience tour, you’re guaranteed to get into the Immigration Room if it’s something your group wants to do (and you should , it’s fun!)

You’ll get an up close look at Bweryang and Bob, the two aliens working the main computer.

Fun Fact: The monitor in front of  Bweryang and Bob contains the actual names for several of the aliens you blast away at during the ride!

You’ll also have time to explore the area, and check out all the details on the various desks in the room.

You’ll find several examples of paperwork being prepared for aliens, including some who just may be recognizable in other areas of Universal Studios Florida…

Other desks will have registration books that guests can sign into.

Throughout the room there are fun photo-ops, such as this table with a unique set of playing cards.

One photo-op that is a must are these highly stylized seats.

# 3 – 30 Rock

Another area in Universal Studios Florida that you can explore is at the 30 Rock building, home to Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon.

During the VIP Tour, you can be escorted up to the second floor of Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, and get to walk around this area for some unique views of the park!

Here is a close-up of this 30 Rock space as seen from the ground…

…and here is ace photographer Brandon Glover taking a selfie in this spot. In the background you can see the blue-painted wall of Transformers: The Ride 3D along with all of Minion Land.

There is some seating in this area for those guests who need to take a break.

Here is a look at some of the spaces you can walk around in.

You can take some really fun photos of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit in this area.

Along with getting some interesting viewpoints of the park.

Logan then took us through the Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon building, where we saw the control room for the attraction along with the area where Hashtag the Panda will wave down to guests below.

Here’s a look at this area in context.

# 2 – Universal Production Offices

I have written several articles over the years on the movies and television shows filmed at the Universal Orlando Resort , but I had never been in the Universal Production Offices. During our tour, Logan took us through this building and talked about many of the video shoots that have taken place on property over the years. The first floor of the building is filled with photos, including this AMAZING one below of Universal Studios Florida before there was a Universal Orlando Resort. Check out all the amazing differences between then and now, including the Hard Rock Cafe being on the far right of this photo. Believe it or not, the Hard Rock Cafe actually opened a couple months earlier than the park itself in 1990, was elevated off the ground , and the entire building and walkway to the restaurant was in the shape of a giant guitar.

Of course our boy Bio had a photo of this back in the day in his archives…

Logan gave us behind-the-scenes stories for the various productions that were filmed at Universal over the years as we walked by each photo.

The movie Sharknado 3 may not have won any Academy awards, but it won the heart of this theme park blogger as it was entirely filmed onsite. Eagle-Eyed fans of the Universal parks and resorts will notice locations in the film like the Swizzle Lounge at Cabana Bay Beach Resort or the Royal Pacific Resort’s beach area. Below we have the character Finn jumping on a car in a scene filmed in the New York section of Universal Studios Florida.

Many people know that the music video “My Sacrifice” by the band Creed was filmed at Universal, and here is an amazing behind-the-scenes shot showing how they flooded the park for this music video.

Members of the band NSYNC autographed this photo of themselves inside the Production Offices.

As a longtime fan of professional wrestling, I was shocked to see how many photos were dedicated to wrestling in the Production Office building. Over the course of thirty-plus years, hundreds – if not thousands – of video shoots (TV commercials, TV shows, and movies) have been filmed at Universal, but only a small percentage of them have photos posted in the Production Office building. Professional wrestling has multiple photos highlighted in this building, including this photo below of TNA Impact.

This photo below is representing the professional wrestling company Ring of Honor.

There is also a photo of the living legend himself, Hulk Hogan .

When Universal opened Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show filmed a week of shows at the resort. I remember watching these when they aired, and it was wonderful because each night the monologue would reference the parks and there would be skits filmed at various attractions like Jimmy and Kevin Hart riding Rip Ride Rockit (which includes a hilarious joke involving a height check board.)

The Production Office building is located with the group of soundstages that sit between Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. While we were walking to the Production Office building, we popped into a couple soundstages that were home to Halloween Horror Nights mazes, including this one below for Stranger Things . That was definitely a cool bonus that I wasn’t expecting going into the tour.

# 1 – Even Better than Unlimited Universal Express

For a person like me who has done the parks a million times, being able to go to places I never get a chance to see is the main reason for taking a VIP Experience tour. For example, I have heard lots of Rumors and Innuendo about the Kongfrontation track still being in the Revenge of the Mummy building. Over the years I’ve done articles on the various extinct attraction tributes in rides like Revenge of the Mummy , but I’ve never seen this Kongfrontation track. Because you can’t …unless you take a VIP Experience tour. After we rode Revenge of the Mummy, our guide Logan explained to us the history of Kongfrontation and its transformation into Revenge of the Mummy and asked us if we’d like to see this track. The group said yes, and we went back into the building and into an area that walked underneath the roller coaster track. It was a wild experience, and we got to see things that you would never see as an average day guest. FOR ME, this was awesome , however…

…I imagine most guests are going to be drawn to the fact that you can get to experience a whole bunch of attractions on the VIP Experience tour with pretty much ZERO wait. When you tell the tour guide what attraction you want to ride, you don’t just go to the Express Pass line, you generally go through a completely different route and end up being the next person on the ride. It was CRAZY!! I had no idea these VIP Entrances even existed, and here we were entering some of the most popular attractions in the parks and getting on immediately .  These included VelociCoaster, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, E.T., Escaped From Gringotts, and Revenge of the Mummy. It was bonkers . Not only could you get on any ride you wanted right away, but you could also re-ride whatever attraction you wanted, as many times as you wanted .

Trust me when I say “next on,” I mean literally the next on the ride, as you skip all the pre-shows and are walked right to the load station for pretty much every attraction in both USF and IOA. We’d be walking through Hogwarts Castle, our Tour Guide would open a door, and all of a sudden we were at the load station for Forbidden Journey. It was mind-blowing .

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is the true gem of the Private VIP Experience tour, because not only were we walked onto the ride, but we all went for a re-ride immediately afterwards. This is something impossible to do for any other guest because Hagrid’s is not part of the Universal Express Pass line-up.

The E-Ticket thrill rides are great, but don’t sleep on stuff like High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride in Seuss Landing. It’s a true gem.

It gets even better… when your tour is officially finished, your VIP Experience credential works as a Universal Express Unlimited pass for the rest of the day!

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Taking the Private VIP Experience was the best day I have had in any theme park in years. It was AMAZING. Is it worth it? To me, a VIP Tour is very similar to getting a cabana at Volcano Bay , in that its “value” is subjective. How much is riding as many rides as you can with almost zero wait worth to you and your family? For each person and their budget, the answer is different, but for me it was always a theme park bucket list item and I’m so glad I was able to do it. If you’re interested in any of Universal’s VIP Experiences you can learn more by CLICKING HERE .

So there you have it: The SATURDAY SIX Takes a Private VIP Experience Tour at Universal!   See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you enjoyed yourself, be sure to check out the THEME PARK ENJOYMENT INDEX , giving a monthly recap of all the theme park news you need to know (and a lot more you don’t need to know, but we’re gonna tell you anyway). You can also follow Your Humble Author on Twitter ( @derekburgan ).

If you enjoyed this article, you will surely like the following: 

The SATURDAY SIX Celebrates Ten Years with TouringPlans

SATURDAY SIX Presents: The Disney Merchandise Hall of Shame

SATURDAY SIX Presents: The Disney Signage Hall of Shame

SATURDAY SIX Presents: The Disney Food Hall of Shame

SATURDAY SIX: Tribute to Josh easyWDW

SATURDAY SIX: Tribute to Ian Barritt

Special Thanks to The Elite  Brandon Glover , Digital Maestro Scott Walker , the bio-est of all reconstructs @bioreconstruct , Captain Cruiseline Scott Sanders of the world famous Disney Cruise Line Blog , my personal protege Hunter “Elvey” Underwood , artist @SonderQuest , the mighty maven of merchandise Hedgehog’s Corner , the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and “the Dadalorian” Nick , hot shot Michael Carelli , charter member of the Universal Four @Nitro230 , the permit princess Alicia Stella , master cartographer Tommy Hawkins , and Hermione Granger’s tutor Megan Stump for their invaluable assistance with this article. Absolutely no help was added by SeaWorld Influencer @SuperWeenieHtJr . The SAT SIX is inspired each week by goofballs Aengus Mackenzie and LitemAndHyde  and you Potterheads will  enjoy Meg’s other blog work over at the Central Florida Slug Club .

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2 thoughts on “ The SATURDAY SIX Takes a 2-Park VIP Tour at the Universal Orlando Resort (The Perks, Behind-The-Scenes Looks, Priority Access and MORE!) ”

So….how many rides on the VIP tour did it take for Bacini to get pushed to the top of the leader board at Villian-Con? 😉

There’s a deep cut on that first alien form for Kang; it lists Springfield as the city, but the county as Multnomah and the zip code as 97220. Both are real; the zip code is in Multnomah County, Oregon on the east side of Portland. (For locals, the rough boundaries are NE 82nd, NE 122nd, E Burnside, and the Columbia River.)

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Travel Japan

Tourism Guide for Japan Trip.Here is the number one source for tourists and people who want to know about Japan, travel to Japan.

How to book Universal VIP Tour at USJ/Where to Buy Tickets

2023/10/2 2024/3/10 Amusement park , Osaka

USJ VIP tours may seem expensive, but they offer a full range of benefits.

• 0.1 What is Universal VIP Tour?
• 0.2 Universal VIP Tour Overview
• 0.3 Universal VIP Tour: Selling Price
• 0.4 Universal VIP Tour: Privilege Details
• 0.5 Universal VIP Tour: Where to Buy Tickets
• 0.6 Web Ticket Store (USJ official website)
• 0.7 Direct-in (QR code)
• 0.8 Home delivery
• 0.9 Purchase at the park (same-day sales only)
• 0.10 Universal VIP Tour: Where to meet and how to register on the day of the tour
• 0.11 1.Arrive at the “Studio Tour Reception Desk
• 1.1 Receiving method “Direct In”.
• 1.2 Receiving method “Home delivery
• 2 3. Enter the park through the special entrance.

What is Universal VIP Tour?

Universal VIP Tour” is a paid park tour of USJ. A dedicated tour guide will take you around the parks with fun and excitement.

The benefits include priority access to popular attractions, discounts at restaurants, and much more! You can also ask your tour guide about park secrets and trivia!

Universal VIP Tour Overview

Time required: approx. 3 hours Fee: 15,000-41,000 yen

*One ticket must be purchased per person except for children under 3 years old *Children of elementary school age and younger cannot participate alone (must be accompanied by a junior high school student or older). *Guidance is available only in Japanese.

Universal VIP Tour: Selling Price

USJ’s “Universal VIP Tour” has different selling prices depending on the admission day. Please check the USJ official ticket store to see the selling price for each day.

Selling price: 15,000-41,000 yen (for one person; for both adults/children/seniors)

USJ’s “Universal VIP Tour” requires the purchase of one ticket per person. Children under 3 years old do not need to purchase a ticket as they are free.

Please note that USJ’s “Universal VIP Tour” does not include admission fee, so you will need to purchase a Studio Pass to enter the parks.

It would be better to purchase a studio pass in advance.

If you want to visit Universal Studios Japan, first make a ticket reservation! If you have a discount coupon, you can make a reservation and purchase tickets online at a discount price. Buy discount Tickets

Universal VIP Tour: Privilege Details

Special entrance for Universal VIP Tour

Priority access to 4 popular attractions

You can experience the following four popular attractions in the form of priority guidance! The attractions are as follows

List of attractions you can choose from

Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man the Ride 4K3D Jaws Mario Kart – Bowser’s Challenge Yoshi Adventure

10% off at restaurants in the park

Universal VIP Tour: Where to Buy Tickets

Prices vary depending on the type of VIP tour and date, so be sure to check at the sales location before purchasing

Web Ticket Store (USJ official website)

Tickets for the “Universal VIP Tour” can be purchased at the official USJ web ticket store. They are available two months prior to the admission date.

https://www.usj.co.jp/ticket/guidetour/viptour-nintendo-kids.html?utm=castel

It is best to check the inventory calendar as stock may not be available depending on the date of admission. You can choose to receive your order by “Direct In” or “Home Delivery”.

Direct-in (QR code)

Direct-in payment methods are credit card payment (lump sum/revolving/ installment) or convenience store payment. Credit card payment can be purchased until the day of admission!

Convenience store payments can be applied for up to 3 days prior to the admission day, but payment must be completed by 23:59 on the day following the day of cart addition. If you make a payment at a convenience store, a “QR Code” will be issued, which is required to join the VIP tour.

Home delivery

A delivery fee of 740 yen per purchase is required for home delivery. (From February 1, the fee will be 800 yen.) Payment can be made by credit card (lump sum/revolving/ installment) or at a convenience store. Credit card payment can be made up to 9 days prior to the admission date, and tickets will arrive approximately one week after purchase is completed.

Convenience store payments can be applied for up to 11 days prior to the admission date, but payment must be completed by 23:59 on the day following the day the cart is added. The ticket shipping process will begin the next day after the convenience store payment is completed. You won’t receive your tickets at the convenience store.

*Delivery address is within Japan only. *Cannot change the delivery address or deliver to accommodations. *If you have purchased tickets in multiple installments, we will not be able to deliver them together.

Purchase at the park (same-day sales only)

If the tickets are sold out in advance, they will not be sold on the day of the event.

Universal VIP Tour: Where to meet and how to register on the day of the tour

The following is a summary of the meeting place and reception for the “Universal VIP Tour” at USJ. Please refer to it on the day of admission.

1.Arrive at the “Studio Tour Reception Desk

USJ’s “Universal VIP Tour” will start at the tour start time! Please complete the registration at least 30 minutes before the tour departure time.

The “Studio Tour Reception Desk” is located to the left of the entrance gate.

2.Register at the “Studio Tour Reception Desk”.

The Universal VIP Tour at USJ is accepted by presenting the “QR Code” that was sent to you when you purchased your ticket. Direct-in and home delivery, the respective presentation methods are as follows.

Receiving method “Direct In”.

Present the “QR Code” from the purchase completion page or purchase history page to the “Studio Tour” reception crew.

Receiving method “Home delivery

Present the “QR code” on the ticket ticket sent by courier to the “Studio Tour” reception crew.

3. Enter the park through the special entrance.

Studio VIP tours do not use ticket booths or general gates, but instead enter directly through a dedicated entrance. After registration, follow the tour crew’s directions to enter!