Disney's most exclusive tour: 12 parks and a private jet for $115,000
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Disney raised eyebrows when it debuted an interactive Star Wars-themed hotel that would cost upward of $5,000 per couple for a two-night stay.
Now, the entertainment giant is about to start selling spots for a private jet experience that costs nearly 50 times as much. Adventures by Disney, which provides fans with guided trips around the world, is bringing back its "Disney Parks Around The World" trip, starting at nearly $115,000 a person.
The 24-day, six-country, 12-park private jet experience stops at the company's properties in California, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris and Florida as well as some non-Disney landmarks including the Taj Mahal and Great Pyramid of Giza. The company promises "access to extraordinary opportunities not available to the public."
And if the tour is anything like the nearly identical (but slightly cheaper) version that the company offered last year, it will sell out quickly. That trip is scheduled for July 9 through Aug. 1 of this year.
The company has scheduled two of the journeys for 2024, one leaving June 16 and the other departing July 28. Each can accommodate 75 people on a "VIP-configured" Boeing 757 that comes with an in-flight chef. A physician will accompany the group for the entire trip.
"Disney fans love exclusive things . . . they like to have a Disney résumé," said Sue Pisaturo, owner of the Disney travel planning company Small World Vacations. "This would be the height of a Disney résumé."
She compared the segment of superfans to those who buy fine watches, designer sneakers or Birkin bags.
"Disney has that same level of experience collection," Pisaturo said. She added: "This is mind-blowing for a certain demographic that wants it and can afford it."
Representatives for Disney did not respond to questions about the tour.
A detailed itinerary promises VIP tours and expedited access to rides at many of the parks, and reserved seating for fireworks shows. In some cases, tour participants will enter before official opening times and get behind-the-scenes looks at the monorail transportation system in Florida and Disney's test kitchen. Tours of Walt Disney Studios and the Lucasfilm campus are also included.
Despite the length of the trip, the pace does not sound leisurely. On day 15, travelers have access to a sunrise photo opportunity at the Taj Mahal. They fly to Cairo the next day, then Paris the day after that. The tour starts in Southern California and ends in Central Florida.
There are some additional costs and fine print to consider: Transportation to California and from Florida is not included, and the prices only applies if two people are traveling together. Going solo? Tack on an extra $11,495. Young kids are not allowed; the minimum age is 12.
If all of that sounds fine, congratulations. But you still might not be able to go. Bookings open June 12 for Adventures by Disney customers who have taken three or more trips; two days later, all past tour company guests can book. Then members of Golden Oak - a luxury community at Walt Disney World - have an opportunity. And then, on June 19, anyone with the money can snag a reservation if spots remain.
Bookings for the costly trip are opening up not long after the company announced it was pulling the plug this fall on Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, the hotel and role-playing experience. Disney has been eliminating thousands of jobs to cut billions in costs. And the announcement about the tour comes as fans continue to complain that they feel priced out by high costs and fees for things like line-skipping privileges.
Tom Bricker, founder of Disney Tourist Blog, said in an email that the company has a long history of catering to the super wealthy with products and experiences that are out of reach for even the upper-middle class.
"The difference now is that there's much more visibility into these expensive and niche offerings, and they end up further validating fan complaints about price increases and other grievances as a result," he said. "There seems to be a heightened sense of scrutiny around everything Disney does."
Still, Pisaturo said one of her travel agents who sells a lot of Adventures by Disney has some interested clients waiting for the booking dates to open. Based on her experience as a Disney travel agent for decades, she said there are lots of affluent fans who could afford the trip.
"If you add it up, I'm not going to say it's a bargain," she said. "But if you add it up, what you're getting, it's not that outrageous."
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