Top VIP experiences at theme parks and attractions

From queue jumps at popular theme parks to gaining private access to some of the world’s most prestigious museums without the crowds, booking a VIP experience for your clients will ensure they remember it for years to come.

While there’s inevitably a higher cost attached to a VIP experience, be sure to highlight its pricelessness when upselling, suggests Malcolm Davies, product destination manager for Funway Holidays: “Consumers increasingly see holidays as an opportunity to escape their ordinary lives and to try something different and be pampered, so VIP experiences are very popular.”

Annette Meijer, senior product manager at Attraction World, adds that VIP doesn’t necessarily have to mean expensive. “We have a VIP tour of the Duomo [cathedral] in Florence.
It’s not VIP from a luxury perspective – it’s a tour where you’ll see what no other tourists get to see.”

Here, we round up some of the most popular VIP experiences to recommend to your clients.

For foodies

“One of our most popular VIP experiences is Dinner at Planet Hollywood Orlando,” reveals Funway Holidays’ Davies. Guests are taken to Downtown Disney in a stretch limousine with champagne before arriving at Planet Hollywood to dine surrounded by movie memorabilia. The experience also includes fast-pass entry and VIP seating, which means guests will get a table as soon as they walk in. “The VIP meal card includes a main course, dessert, unlimited soft drinks, and tea and coffee, offering great value for money,” adds Davies.

Book it: Dinner at Planet Hollywood Orlando starts from £55pp for transport and a voucher
towards the cost of the meal. funway4agents.co.uk

For sports fanatics

For clients who want to catch a baseball game while they’re in the US, the New York Yankee Stadium offers a couple of VIP options, with the action viewed from private suites. “Far from queuing for hot dogs and beer, guests can experience the best hospitality suites in the business while still enjoying the hustle and bustle of the crowd, and all the action of the game,” explains Tahlor Levine, assistant director, premium ticket sales and service at the New York Yankees. Clients will have a personal suite attendant, can opt for a concierge-led stadium tour, and can even have their name put up on the scoreboard. For an extra-VIP experience, clients can hire the Legends Suite. “This experience is one of the highest acclaimed in all of North American sports,” says Levine. “Guests will enjoy inclusive five-star dining with options ranging from fresh lobster and king crab to pasta. And you never know, you may walk right past a celebrity!”

Book it: Regular suites start from $12,000, fitting 16 people. The Legends Suite is $575pp. Both prices are available on net rates. Email tourism@yankees.com

For architecture admirers

Clients can see Florence from a different perspective on a VIP tour of the Duomo and its secret terraces. “They can admire Florence’s panorama from the Duomo’s 32 metre-high terraces and climb the northern terrace of the cathedral rooftop. They’ll walk through narrow and open-air corridors that have been closed to the public for centuries,” says Attraction World’s Meijer. The guided tour offers exclusive access to the circular room where experts work restoring statues. The 24-hour VIP ticket also includes access to the Duomo’s other wonders, including Brunelleschi’s dome, the baptistery, Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Opera del Duomo museum.

Book it: Attraction World offers a VIP Duomo & Secret Terraces Tour in Florence from £53 per adult and £35 per child. attractionworld.com

For movie buffs

Universal Studios Hollywood’s VIP Experience gives clients an immersive, behind-the-scenes look at some of the most iconic films ever made. Alison Montague, managing director EMEA for Universal Parks & Resorts, says: “The vast Universal prop store is a particular favourite of mine on the six-hour VIP tour. Food is included in the price, with a light breakfast and delicious gourmet lunch provided in a private setting. At the end of the tour, VIP guests are welcome to stay in Universal Studios to experience all their favourite rides again.” The experience also includes all-day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood, with express access to all rides including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Jurassic World: The Ride, which opened this summer.

Book it: A one-day Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience from DoSomethingDifferent.com costs from £307pp. dosomethingdifferent.com

For art enthusiasts

With the Empty Met tour, clients have the chance to see The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, aka The Met, before public opening hours. One of the museum’s expert guides will lead guests through an intimate view of 5,000 years of human history. Stephen Braun, marketing manager for tourism at the museum, reveals what makes the experience stand out: “The tour guides we use are the creme de la creme – I followed one tour led by a professor of art history from Columbia University.”

Book it: Agents can either buy out the whole VIP slot at $3,000 for a group of 1 to 25 people, or affiliates of Viator can purchase up to 25 EmptyMet tickets from $179pp. viator.com; or email kristen.vanderziel@metmuseum.org

For Disney lovers

Clients visiting Mickey and co at Disneyland Paris have a range of VIP experiences to choose from. The park’s VIP Tour Guide can help guests select which rides and attractions to visit with
priority access included, as well as booking restaurants for them in the park and arranging front row seats at Disney shows. Clients who are celebrating birthdays or special occasions at the park can opt for the tailored In-Room Celebration, where their room can be embellished with balloons, flowers or gifts. The experience also allows clients to meet their favourite Disney character in the comfort of their suite.

Book it: Prices start from € 1,900 for five hours for the VIP Tour Guide Services. In-Room Celebrations are bespoke and created to order. Email dlp.disney.special.activities@disney.com