Behind the Scenes: Tips from a Former Disneyland® Resort VIP Tour Guide

A trip to Disneyland® Resort is often the highlight of an Anaheim-area visit. Spending a day enjoying everything The Happiest Place on Earth has to offer can be a wonderful lifelong memory… but what if there is a way to make it even better? To have a full day that’s been tailored just to you and your family? That’s the role of the VIP Tour Guide team, which counted Michael Young among its ranks for years. Today, Michael is the Director of Tourism Development here at Visit Anaheim, but he still has tons of stories and tips to share about the Disneyland® Resort for travelers of all types. 

Becoming a VIP Tour Guide requires a lot of training. “There was a large tour book with details on all the attractions, retail shops, food and beverage options, fun facts and where to find specific things. After that, there’s also a mentor program to help keep honing your host skills and deepening your Disney knowledge,” Michael said.

This expansive history informs every tour as well. “Most guests have experienced the enchantment of Disney magic in some way before stepping into the park and they bring this excitement with them. As an expert, a VIP Tour Guide can talk about the history, introduce beloved characters and lead guests to iconic attractions, adding to their sense of wonder, imagination and nostalgia. A guide might share little-known facts about Sleeping Beauty Castle, tell fascinating stories about the early days of Disneyland or point out hidden gems, making each moment in the park more magical."

VIP Tours are customized around what a perfect Disney day means to you. This includes itinerary planning, expedited access to rides and attractions (including the classics in Fantasyland), reserved parade and fireworks seating, assistance with dining reservations, the opportunity for exclusive merch and more.

Even with all of this included, the best part according to Michael is making tour guests feel extra special in unexpected ways. “Disney has very much empowered their cast members to create magical moments for the guests,” he said. “For example, if someone loves being on the water, a Tour Guide might look into letting them go up to the wheelhouse to ‘steer’ the Mark Twain Riverboat.”

What are some of the tips and tricks that a seasoned tour guide can share with everyone?

For starters: “At Disneyland® Park, one of the best restrooms is tucked away underneath the Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree in Bayou Country. At Disney California Adventure® Park, the ones right across from Soarin’ just because they’re big.”

And the best food? Michael is partial to the corn dog, and offers this detail: “If you really like the corn dog, a few great places to pick one up are the Little Red Wagon on Main Street, U.S.A., at Stage Door Café in Frontierland, or at Corn Dog Castle in Disney California Adventure® Park.

The Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor in Disneyland® Park and Ghirardelli Soda Fountain in Disney's California Adventure® Park are both amazing. I’m also a sucker for Alien Pizza Planet in Tomorrowland, where they have the Count Down Chicken Fusilli. And if you want to dine like the park’s founder? Order Walt’s favorite dish, Walt’s Chili — a hearty recipe he loved — at Carnation Café."

There’s also one special way that a regular guest can get a taste of the VIP magic: ”At City Hall they give out buttons for a first visit, graduation, marriage or other special occasion. Cast members love interacting with guests, so when you wear your button throughout the Disneyland® Resort, they will greet you by name, say happy birthday and cheer on your celebration.”

Being a Tour Guide is great for the families and groups on the tours, but the guides also find their roles very rewarding. “It’s great - you get to relive this through new eyes every day. Then you become a parent, and you’re doing it through your kids’ eyes, and they’re making discoveries that you didn’t even see. That’s the magic. Some of the experiences that I had working with Make-A-Wish - seeing nonverbal children speak for the first time, saying ‘Mickey Mouse!’ and running into the arms of the character - you get a front row seat for some amazing moments.”

For more information on how to make amazing moments of your own with a Disneyland® Resort VIP tour, click here to learn more.