Anyone done the VIP experience?

I'm wondering if it's worth the premium? Sounds fun, but for four of us ends up being $800ish more than the Express ticket.

Any other general advice or tips?

We've been a couple times and always just had the express tickets. The days we've gone were medium busy so it may be worth it on a day they are slammed. It's not a huge park so you can get through a lot of it pretty fast if you know what rides you want to hit.

We did VIP for 4 during the summer and don't regret it at all. Had a great guide, no lines, breakfast and lunch included.

Big Al 1992 said:

---

We did VIP for 4 during the summer and don't regret it at all. Had a great guide, no lines, breakfast and lunch included.

---

Thanks for that.

Is it like an entire planned day? Or it part planned, part up to you?

Takes up about 6-7 hours of your day. We got them this summer (wife and daughter) and I feel it was worth it.

5 minutes from my house so, No.

Some of my friends have started playing up there on Wednesday nights, I think it is. I'll look up the details. In case you're into live music.

Edit: looks like they play sporadically at the Universal Bar and Grill, rather than Citywalk.
https://www.universalbarandgrill.com/

Pahdz said:

---

Takes up about 6-7 hours of your day. We got them this summer (wife and daughter) and I feel it was worth it.

---

So how do the rides work during that 6-7 hours? My family is mainly wanting to do all the Harry Potter with everything else being just a bonus if we get to it. Can you get them to skew it like that?

They'll take you to the front of the lines of pretty much all the major rides (that included both Harry Potter roller coasters) during that timeframe. The big part of the VIP tour is the expanded studio tour, which is a little over 2 hours, and on a nice trolley instead of the tram type tour.

They also get you into the wand ceremony deal. If you're kids are really into that stuff, have them dress up, they'll have a better chance of being the kid chosen to participate in that. My wife packed our daughter's halloween costume and put it on when we got to that portion of the park, and she got chosen there.

Awesome.

I think we'll spring for the extra.

The guide/tour - is that just 1:1 with my family? Or is it a larger group?

Larger group, I wanna say we had maybe 20 in ours.

The included lunch buffet is pretty damn good too

Yes the lunch is great. The price to not deal with crowds and lines is way worth it.
We had 3 families of 4. You really do just walk right on the rides and our tour guide held everyone's bags so no need for lockers. Also walked right in to front row at the Waterwold Show. Tour was over around 2-3 but then you had express passes the rest of the day to keep riding rides again.

And if you're a TV fan, I think the expanded studio tour is worth it. Unlike the standard team tour, you get to get off the shuttle and walk on a soundstage or 2, walk around Little Italy (now the Good Place sets although no longer dressed since they've wrapped filming), New York sets, the prop house, etc.