The Universal parks — both in Orlando and Hollywood — offer daily VIP tours that offer quick and private access to attractions and food.
There are several different tour types, including fully private or group tours for up to 13 people. I've done six fully private tours, where the guides allow you to customize the day based on your preferences and interests. The price for us has typically been between $3,500 and $4,500, though it really depends on the size of your group.
My most recent private tour was at Universal Orlando for its annual Halloween event, Halloween Horror Nights. I've been visiting since the 90s and wanted to splurge as the tour allows for special expedited access to all the event's haunted houses.
We booked a VIP tour (dubbed the RIP Tour), as soon as it became available in April. By booking early, we could also request our favorite Universal guide, Paul.
Our 10-person private tour cost $3,600, before the optional gratuity. Here's what it was like.
From the moment we checked it, it felt like we were getting the red-carpet treatment.
We were able to get to the event early, before the crowds.
Carly Caramanna
Halloween Horror Nights is from 6:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., but we could check in to a private VIP lounge at 5:30 p.m.
The process was a breeze. Plus, we were presented with a special lanyard and limited-edition pin, both exclusive to the tour.
We then enjoyed complimentary food.
There were cute Halloween-themed treats for VIP guests.
Carly Caramanna
I was surprised to find a large assortment of complimentary sweet and savory foods — enough to cover dinner — including a taco bar.
There were also some specialty Halloween treats, like a delicious mummy cheesecake pop.
It was a great way to save time on the tour since we wouldn't need to stop for food again.
The lounge also offered a perfect view of the opening ceremony.
There's a fun ceremony to kick off the Halloween event.
Carly Caramanna
Regular ticket holders will line up hours before the event opens, so I've never seen the Halloween Horror Nights opening ceremony.
The "Opening Scaremonies" typically include live stage performances and event intros.
Luckily, the top-level lounge offered a perfect vantage point. Afterward, we were ushered into the park by our guide via a private entrance, away from the crowds.
We hit the ground running with the haunted houses.
We were able to bypass the lines at the haunted houses.
Carly Caramanna
This year, there are 10 haunted houses themed after popular movie and television franchises, including "Stranger Things," "Chucky," and "The Last of Us."
This was by far the biggest priority of our tour. We had our own private entrance to the houses (often in "backstage" areas closed to the public) and walked right in.
Many of the houses had wait times between one and two hours, making it nearly impossible to do them all in one night without the add-on experience.
Our guide offered introductions to each house.
It was nice to have a knowledgeable guide bringing us around the event.
Carly Caramanna
One of my favorite aspects of the RIP tour is that our guide offered a behind-the-scenes explanation before entering each house. I was especially appreciative of his explanation for "The Last of Us" house because I hadn't seen the show or played the video game.
He also clued us in on Easter eggs and other things to look out for. Because of this, I noticed things I'd never seen at Halloween Horror Nights before.
Our first haunted-house break was for a new show.
"Nightmare Fuel: Revenge Dream" is a show at Universal's Halloween Horror Nights.
Carly Caramanna
Since we were VIPS, we got front-row seats to the event's main show, "Nightmare Fuel: Revenge Dream."
The high-energy show is a fan-favorite, and I enjoyed watching it from an excellent vantage point.
We also enjoyed breaks at exclusive lounges for RIP guests.
There was a full bar in the VIP lounges.
Carly Caramanna
We kept at a steady pace but never felt rushed. There was even time for several breaks at the VIP-exclusive lounges.
Throughout the night, we had access to private restroom facilities and a full bar during our short breaks.
We were able to see more than just houses on our tour.
The scare zones were fun to explore around the park.
Carly Caramanna
The tour wasn't limited to the haunted houses. We also got to skip the lines at all the attractions that were open during Halloween Horror Nights.
We enjoyed several rides but kept them to a minimum since we visit the parks often and wanted to prioritize the event-exclusive entertainment.
Our guide also shared backstories on each of the event's scare zones, highly themed walk-through areas with scenery and scare actors, as we passed them throughout the park.
We were able to experience all the houses (at least once) throughout the night.
I loved walking right into the haunted houses without waiting in line.
Carly Caramanna
The highlight for me was getting to experience all the haunted houses with no wait times.
We were even able to visit houses multiple times. "Stranger Things" ended up being my favorite, and I went through it three times during the evening.
I highly recommend a Universal VIP tour, especially during Halloween.
The Universal RIP Tour was absolutely worth it for me.
Carly Caramanna
Universal's Halloween Horror Nights is a popular event, and it's nearly impossible to do everything in one day with a standard ticket.
Our tour broke down to just over $350 a person, which felt like a great value. Just to skip lines alone, the Universal Express Pass costs anywhere from $90 to $380 a person depending on the day and how many lines you want to skip.
The tour included unlimited front-of-line access to all houses and attractions, reserved show seating, private lounge spaces, complimentary all-you-can-enjoy dinner, and valet parking. On top of it all, our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and fun.
I loved how the tour was tailored to our interests and we could experience sought-after haunted houses multiple times. This was my third Halloween RIP tour, and I can't wait to book another one next year.