Theme park VIP tours

Sydney Edwards, right, takes a photograph of her mother, Marcy Edwards, in the Edith Head Building at Universal Studios Hollywood during their VIP Experience tour of the park.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Universal Studios Hollywood has upgraded its VIP tour to include access to the property and wardrobe room at the adjacent production studio and movie set back lot. Above, studio guide Bobby Machlin, left, explains part of the back lot to tour group members.   (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Sydney Edwards, left, and her mother, Marcy Edwards, take in the King Kong 360 3-D attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood during their VIP tour.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Victoria Dale, a guest relations guide at Disneyland, takes visitors on the VIP tour Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps. It’s offered to 15 visitors a day for $109 a person.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Disneyland tour guide Victoria Dale holds open the door to Club 33 for visitors on the VIP tour Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps. VIP tours are growing in popularity at theme parks.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Cami and Quenton Jones of Ogden, Utah, have their photo taken inside Walt Disney’s private apartment above the fire station in Disneyland. It’s a stop on the VIP tour Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

The Disneyland VIP tour Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps is popular. On a recent Monday morning, Disney officials said the tour was overbooked by six guests.   (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)