# Theme Park Sherpas



## oldngrk (Jul 28, 2012)

We are heading down to Orlando in September we are staying at the HGVC on international drive.  A friend was telling us that you could hire a private guide to get you through the park (disney, epcot, etc.) in an expeditious manor.  He said that the guide will put you on a line while he runs over to another line to get a fast pass. this is our first time going to orlando with the kids. We were thinking one at a park, one day off as a routine. Any tuggers hire one of these guys and if so what's the going rate? Or any other suggestions?
Thanks 
Oldngrk


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## SOS8260456 (Jul 28, 2012)

Never used one, but I think that they are very expensive.  There is no way to see it all, but with a little preplanning you can get alot in plus you are going in a slow season.  Sept is usually slow because children are heading back to school.

Save the money for some special experiences or meals while on vacation.


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## justmeinflorida (Jul 28, 2012)

check out this site for all you need to know about Disney mousesavers.com

and have a customized map made for free *takes up to 3 weeks for delivery.


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## simpsontruckdriver (Jul 28, 2012)

Labor Day is basically the end of Florida vacationers. The demand falls, so what was once LOTS of money on Labor Day, becomes a great deal afterwards. Also, you don't need a "Sherpa" to do all that. All you need to do is walk to the FastPass for that ride and get your seat. Signed, sealed, delivered! Then, show up at the appointed time, and walk right by those without.

TS


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## wed100105 (Jul 29, 2012)

I suggest reading trip reports on Disboards.com and reading _The Unofficial Guide_ and using touring plans. We are here now and have managed to do almost everything we wanted to do. We have a one-year-old with us and although I love him dearly, he is slowing us down. :rofl: We do rope-drop though and that is how we are able to get so much done. 

Enjoy your trip!


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## vacationhopeful (Jul 29, 2012)

Oh, get those GROUP tee shirts made up for several days before you leave home. Bright colors and labelled with some saying. Makes it much easier to see the group.

I just sent an email to my 11 yo nephew to bring his "team" (me and him at WDW/AKV trip) teeshirts for the Alaskan cruise next Saturday - as we are cabinmates. I am sure the other 11 family members will just _NOT_ get it. I have to go as no one else wants him in their cabin or it is NOT WISE to have him in their balcony cabin. It is his parents 25 wedding anniversity trip and I was a bridesmaid in their wedding. My 2 other sisters (and husbands) and their families are coming too along with my nephew's 2 older brothers.

Dang, I may just go have tees made up for this gang also. It will be great fun.


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## pedro47 (Jul 29, 2012)

To the OP, please write a review after your September visit; to let us know your experiences with your private guide.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jul 29, 2012)

I use touringplans.com to check daily crowd levels.  You can print a touring plan from there and save yourself a ton of money.  He tells you things like, "Get a FastPass for this ride, then go to this ride, then this show, then back to use your FastPass," etc.  His plan will have you in and out of the park quickly, and it's a small membership fee for it.  I love his site.  He writes the _Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld _book, which we bought for years and years.  Now the site is great for all of our trips.  

Unless you have money to burn?  September is slow.  There are days where the crowd levels in September are 1 out of ten for some parks.  You need to know which parks to avoid each day, and he gives that info to you on a silver platter.  Bob Sehlinger is truly a Disney expert and makes you feel like one too.  Our first trip to Disney was in early June and we used his book (1991).  We never stood in a line, and it was crowd level 7 most of our time there.  You have crowd level 1's, 2's and 3's in September.


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## mecllap (Jul 29, 2012)

While they don't act as "sherpas" the women and men in the VIP Tour services ( http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tours-and-experiences/vip-services/ ) do take smaller groups around fairly efficienty, at least so it appears (I don't think they need to get fast passes).  As previously noted, they are expensive --- looks like the minimum is 6 hours at over $100-300 per hour.  If you are going be there at least a few days, I think you can work out your own plan (making "rope-drop" -- getting to the Parks a little before opening hour).  Another site that is helpful is disboards.com.

The Backstage Magic all-day tour is a little over $200 per person and a great way to see a little of each of the 4 main Disney Parks in Orlando and learn a lot about Walt Disney World.

Unless you are staying for at least two weeks, you will not be able to do "everything" -- Disney World is huge and can be exhausting.  You can see/do most of the big attractions in a week, if you research ahead and prioritize what's most important to you.


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## bnoble (Jul 29, 2012)

Here's an example of such a service.

http://www.michaelsvips.com/

Not cheap, but in the right situation, could be fun.  And, maybe not a bad idea if you don't have the time to do all the research yourself.


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## oldngrk (Aug 1, 2012)

*I will defintely post about the experience*

I am on the fence as to whether to use one.  One friend said, it's a must especially if we are thinking that we won't be going back soon.


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## bnoble (Aug 1, 2012)

Here's the deal for any theme park visit: you can spend money or you can spend time.  It's up to you which way you go.  We've not done one of the private tours, but we have done things like get a "throwaway" hotel room at a Universal resort for two days' of front-of-the-line access at their parks.


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## youcanfly (Aug 2, 2012)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I use touringplans.com to check daily crowd levels.  You can print a touring plan from there and save yourself a ton of money.  He tells you things like, "Get a FastPass for this ride, then go to this ride, then this show, then back to use your FastPass," etc.  His plan will have you in and out of the park quickly, and it's a small membership fee for it.  I love his site.  He writes the _Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld _book, which we bought for years and years.  Now the site is great for all of our trips.
> 
> Unless you have money to burn?  September is slow.  There are days where the crowd levels in September are 1 out of ten for some parks.  You need to know which parks to avoid each day, and he gives that info to you on a silver platter.  Bob Sehlinger is truly a Disney expert and makes you feel like one too.  Our first trip to Disney was in early June and we used his book (1991).  We never stood in a line, and it was crowd level 7 most of our time there.  You have crowd level 1's, 2's and 3's in September.



I fully agree! I too use touring plans and they are great. We are limited when we can travel and we have traveled several times during the busiest time of the year, Christmas week...It really plans EVERYTHING


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## oldngrk (Sep 26, 2012)

*No Sherpa retained*

This is why TUG is such a resource.  A friend tells me I need one, I post on TUG - I get other opinions and a lot more information.  The truth is as, one poster had noted, the parks are slow in September.  I was given a number of websites:
http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/crowd-calendar
http://www.mousesavers.com/
http://allears.net/tp/themeparks.htm
http://ticketsatwork.com 
http://undercovertourist.com

I spent a couple of hours doing a little research and viola' saved at least $300/day.

Don't get me wrong if the first day was a disater, I would have called in a sherpa but it wasn't necessary this time.

Just an FYI we hit everything we wanted to see.
This was our schedule we got a 5 day park hopper from ticketsatwork.com (your company has to have a membership - slightly cheaper than undercovertourist.com).
Sunday - SeaWorld
Monday - MK
Tuesday - AK (B-in-law got a little sick after eating at the Yaking Yedi and then hitting Everest so we left a little early ) but we had dinner at Epcot
Wednesday - HS (Kids loved HS)
Thursday - Epcot
Friday - HS in the morning and then to AK - To finish off what we didn't get to see bc of B-i-L

Thanks All
OldNGrk

P.S. The rollercoasters at Seaworld -Manta and Kracken waaaaay crazier than at anything at Disney.


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## justmeinflorida (Sep 26, 2012)

oldngrk said:


> This is why TUG is such a resource.  A friend tells me I need one, I post on TUG - I get other opinions and a lot more information.  The truth is as, one poster had noted, the parks are slow in September.  I was given a number of websites:
> http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/crowd-calendar
> http://www.mousesavers.com/
> http://allears.net/tp/themeparks.htm
> ...



Glad you got to do everything and didn't have to shell out all that $$$ for an unnecessary guide. Yes...Manta & Kracken are awesome rides, to bad you didn't get to go to Busch Gardens (maybe next time) Shekra & Cheetah Hunt are my favorites


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## oldngrk (Sep 26, 2012)

oldngrk said:


> This is why TUG is such a resource.  A friend tells me I need one, I post on TUG - I get other opinions and a lot more information.  The truth is as, one poster had noted, the parks are slow in September.  I was given a number of websites:
> http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/crowd-calendar
> http://www.mousesavers.com/
> http://allears.net/tp/themeparks.htm
> ...


P.P.S We stayed at the HGVC at Seaworld, not the HGVC on International Drive as I stated in the original post.


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