i didn't think it was necessary but there is a ton of helpful information that you don't get as basic. just wanted to recommend it to any newbies such as myself.

You are so right, there is so much you miss without it.  Especially helpful in researching providers, all the details in the reviews are available.

Swim

I really picked up my game when I got vip! So many unknowns without it.

And the analogy really holds up: you're spending a lot of money to go to places you've never been before and want to get the most out of the experience!  Why not spend a small percentage of that investment to make sure you have a good time?  I've had a VIP since very early on and it's worth every penny!  I can count on one hand the number of bad experiences I've had doing this and none of those happened when I did my due diligence here!