Anyone have TourGuideMike and

[luuuceee]

Here I am. Found the site to be difficult (not terrible, not good). Basically, I wrote to TGM to criticize some broken links, and the lack of updates, and he bit my head off, and practically (figuratively speaking, of course) threw my money back at me. He dumped me, not vice versa. He's a very sensitive guy, evidently.

However much I disliked his site and his business practices, he DID refund my money very readily.

Wow, that doesn't sound like Mike at all. I'm not saying you are lying or anything - I'm just surprised that that was your experience. Maybe he was stressed out or having a bad day...not that that would justify the behavior, mind you. But he seems to respond to criticism very well on his message boards, so it's surprising that the email was as you said.

 

[Lewisc]

Wow, that doesn't sound like Mike at all. I'm not saying you are lying or anything - I'm just surprised that that was your experience. Maybe he was stressed out or having a bad day...not that that would justify the behavior, mind you. But he seems to respond to criticism very well on his message boards, so it's surprising that the email was as you said.

I'm not surprised. Other people who have canceled or otherwise criticized Mike have posted similar experiences.

 

[luuuceee]

I guess I just haven't read posts from others who have requested refunds. It's a shame that they have had similar experiences.

 

[JennaTX]

This issue, like many here, will never be settled. Everyone has their own opinion about the different resources out there for WDW.

I am a fan and user of TGM, but I understand that it is not everyone's cup of tea.

I have posted before about not liking the UG and not finding it very helpful (for the same reasons that some people don't like TGM, there wasn't much there that I could not find on DIS) and I had a ton of people respond about how much they love the UG, how crazy I was, etc. That is fine also, I respected their opinion.

I am just glad that I found the DIS, which gives great advice and also can give you advice on other websites, guide books, etc. that might be helpful to you. Since there is such a variety found here, everyone should be able to find something to help them!

 

[Markstudy]

I might go look at TGM just for kicks.

But I have one question first.....(Keep in mind I'm a night owl and 3:00am is bed time after DTD most nights)

If Tour Guide Mike's magic tricks (to make lines only 10-15 minutes long) has anything to do with getting up before 10:00 am.... let me know so I don't get my hopes up and think TGM might have a way to make lines short for Test Drive at 3:00pm when I really could use some help

You don't even have to pay me $20 bucks.... I'll tell you for FREE - "get up at 6:00am and you can be first in line to ride some quick rides with no lines"

 

[Holly]

TGM is my favorite vacation planner. I have used his itinerary planning for my past 2 Disney vacations and have found it very valuable.
Also, I had technical difficulties (due to my own computer) and Mike was very helpful in assisting me.

Perhaps, were he to be abrupt or even rude, the recipient deserved it.

 

[justcruisin]

I tried it but was not thrilled. I found it difficult to navigate, and that I already knew 90% of what I was reading and the stuff I did not know was not too important.

We are not overplanners and tend to travel non-peak times and always travel with the idea that we'll be returning. Getting on as many rides as humanly possible in the shortest amount of time does not interest us.

I emailed a couple of questions and each time was directed to the forums to post questions and find answers. I felt I was paying for a forum, not a vacation planner.

That being said, I asked for a refund and it was processed rapidly and professionally.

If someone is on the fence about trying it --- you really have nothing to lose (other than time).

 

[julia & nicks mom]

Wow, that doesn't sound like Mike at all. I'm not saying you are lying or anything - I'm just surprised that that was your experience. Maybe he was stressed out or having a bad day...not that that would justify the behavior, mind you. But he seems to respond to criticism very well on his message boards, so it's surprising that the email was as you said.

Actually I have found the opposite to be true of him - he seems to get VERY defensive when anyone says they think his site is confusing - I went in October and he posted a thread just before I left that was very defensive of his site -it is his baby and he is pretty protective of it - I do not think that is necessarily a bad thing - b/c he cares so passionately about it - he is very attentive to it

but his site does take a while to learn how to navigate - I liked that he gave his reasonings on why to do things - but I did not really learn anything I didn't already know - what I did like was that he was REALLY up to date on changes and what was going on and knew I would be totally up to date on what was happening when I was there - his message board also has some really good links to documents for his subscribers that I found very valuable (like a best time to ride chart)

the biggest concern I had with him was that he indicated that last year Columbus day was as crowded as Christmas and it would be again this year - it threw me into a panic and I cried about it - I think this was a gross exaggeration on his part as many people let me know that this was not the case when they were there last year and it was not the case when I was there this year

with that said - it was more crowded than I was used to but with his plan - I never waited in any lines and did everything I wanted to do that day

my point is - everything everyone is saying about his site is true - it is confusing, it is invaluable, he is overprotective of his site and takes criticism of it very personally, it is a fluid up to date site, there are new things you can learn - but you have to have the patience -

I can see where some people totally love it and I can see where some people totally hate it - that is what makes the world go around!

 

[Lewisc]

I might go look at TGM just for kicks.

But I have one question first.....(Keep in mind I'm a night owl and 3:00am is bed time after DTD most nights)

If Tour Guide Mike's magic tricks (to make lines only 10-15 minutes long) has anything to do with getting up before 10:00 am.... let me know so I don't get my hopes up and think TGM might have a way to make lines short for Test Drive at 3:00pm when I really could use some help

You don't even have to pay me $20 bucks.... I'll tell you for FREE - "get up at 6:00am and you can be first in line to ride some quick rides with no lines"

This isn't even one of his "top secret" tips. In his viptour pages he stresses the importance of getting to the parks early and then taking a break later in the day.

 

[LeesyUD]

LeesyUD, you were doing great... for a minute. Concrete examples of what you were unhappy about. I humbly disagree, but that's okay. No flames necessary.

THEN you went for the low blow... the personal ("unprofessional", "not very humble", "he only posts to praise or defend"). Tell me how that makes a difference on his tips and advice ? There are some that don't like his style - say that and why, fine. But I've never found him to to be unprofessional, in fact, I've always been very impressed how quickly he responds to email inquiries. As to whether he's humble or not, well, I think you are projecting. Quite honestly, just give me great advice that maximized my vacation and he certainly does that.

Actually, I think he's too short. Definitely impacts my vacation. (tongue in cheek)

I honestly don't see how in anyway it was a low blow, it was my opinion that I came to from reading posts that he made on his website that were very rude and unprofessional...I am not going to get into to details about it, but that is what I saw. Everyone on here has different opinions and I respect them, and even though you say you "humbly disagree" and "no flames necessary" I don't see how that could be true when you went on to say I was giving "low blows". I don't see why that was necessary when I was just expressing my opinion from concrete experiences. Anyway, I also do have a friend that signed up for Tour Guide Mike that sent some very constructive criticism(in no way was it offensive, only polite suggestion) and rather than respond to her or ask her if she wanted a refund(which at the time she did not), he just refunded her, nothing else. I do not see how that is professional IMO. And from what I witnessed, it seems that he can't take criticism very well, which is a must in business. I did also say in my post, if you would be so kind as to read it again, that he did have some very good info, but I did not like the site overall. And his attitude does not change the facts on the page, just makes me not want to use it. Just like I would not buy from a store or go to a restaurant that has bad service. Also if one person had a great experience at a store/restaurant and another had a negative experience and said something about it...would you say that was a low blow? I certainly would not. I think there needs to be more respect on here for those that have different opinions. And I can honestly say I truly respect those that have positive experiences with the website, I wish I had but I didnt, and that is a fact. Sorry everyone, long post, just wanted to say my peace.

 

[LeesyUD]

Actually I have found the opposite to be true of him - he seems to get VERY defensive when anyone says they think his site is confusing - I went in October and he posted a thread just before I left that was very defensive of his site -it is his baby and he is pretty protective of it - I do not think that is necessarily a bad thing - b/c he cares so passionately about it - he is very attentive to it

but his site does take a while to learn how to navigate - I liked that he gave his reasonings on why to do things - but I did not really learn anything I didn't already know - what I did like was that he was REALLY up to date on changes and what was going on and knew I would be totally up to date on what was happening when I was there - his message board also has some really good links to documents for his subscribers that I found very valuable (like a best time to ride chart)

the biggest concern I had with him was that he indicated that last year Columbus day was as crowded as Christmas and it would be again this year - it threw me into a panic and I cried about it - I think this was a gross exaggeration on his part as many people let me know that this was not the case when they were there last year and it was not the case when I was there this year

with that said - it was more crowded than I was used to but with his plan - I never waited in any lines and did everything I wanted to do that day

my point is - everything everyone is saying about his site is true - it is confusing, it is invaluable, he is overprotective of his site and takes criticism of it very personally, it is a fluid up to date site, there are new things you can learn - but you have to have the patience -

I can see where some people totally love it and I can see where some people totally hate it - that is what makes the world go around!

BTW I would just like to say thank you for having such respect of everyone's opinions...I also (even though I personally did not like the site) see why some people would love it and some would hate it.

 

[caribbeanme]

In any event, if you are an infrequent visitor, and don't have a half-dozen trips under your belt, some outside resource is useful.

From my perspective, the two resources have a different philosophy. Both are fine approaches, but one has to decide which approach is best for them at any given time....

The UG wants you to see every attraction you can possibly see, and the touring plans are designed to help you do that. After all, you've paid a lot of money to be here, so you should try to do things you can't do anywhere else...TGM touring plans typically have a list of "must do" attractions, and a list of "maybe-if-time" attractions, and the plan is designed to make sure you see the must-dos and can incorporate the others as you like---a TGM user tends to ask "should we stay and see one more attraction, or would my family be happier if we went to the hotel pool now?"

A third difference is that UG has good offsite coverage---TGM doesn't really consider life outside of The World. In contrast, I've found TGM's park/resort coverage to be more in-depth....

Contrasting both UG and TGM to the DIS: for any question posted on DIS, you'll get ten responses, with six different answers. With the infrequent exception, there is never consensus on *anything* around here. That's fundamentally because. when it comes to matters of opinion, there isn't one right way to do most things. But, for an inexperienced visitor, that's more confusing than it is helpful. The UG and TGM each have slightly different perspectives, but they each speak with one voice, and that's often very useful to someone (like me) who doesn't have time to read DIS for an hour each day.

All that said: if you're someone who's owned an AP for a few years now, and you never bother picking up a guidemap, because you know three ways to get from Space to Splash without looking, then you probably don't need either UG or TGM. Likewise, if WDW planning is your hobby (hobby: anything on which one can spend unlimited amounts of time and money) then daily DIS purusals are probably more your style.

Brian, I was going to write my own post when I realized that you expressed my opinions far more beautifully than I ever could. As Brian said, it takes all kinds to fill the freeways. As this thread shows, people want different things from their trip guides-- some want ease of use, some need the whys and wherefores of everything, some are pros who want to make sure they haven't missed anything and are only looking to buy guides which give them something new. Asking someone to vary from their opinion would be like asking them to be another person. The best solution is to buy all the sources you can and/or peruse guides at the bookstore and keep only those sources that work for you.

I would add: for those of us who obsess over planning, TGM is just another tool in our toolbox. We renew our TGM subscription every time, much like people buy a new copy of the UG or Passporter when it comes out-- we don't necessarily need it as much as we did our first trip, and we know how to roll TGM/UG/Passporter style, but why not? Personally, I subscribe to TGM at this point just for the actualized "best days" analysis, the helpful forum, and the pictures. I'm a sucker for overexhaustive picture-taking.

PS- I found TGM was te best guide for me. I work 60-80 hour weeks, but I usually plan trips at least four months ahead of time, which lets me really take advantage of what TGM has to offer. I also often have to power-vacation (squeeze as much fun and relaxation as I can into short bursts of time), and I've had to leave my vacations early because of work. I have never waited longer than 10 minutes in line during any of my WDW trips at diff. times of year, which is priceless. Not everyone will have my experience with TGM, but just wanted to add why TGM worked for me.

 

[JennaTX]

This isn't even one of his "top secret" tips. In his viptour pages he stresses the importance of getting to the parks early and then taking a break later in the day.

Is there anywhere that can tell you how to get on Test Drive at 2:00 pm after only waiting for 10 minutes? If so, please let me know!!! That is not just TGM who can't tell you how to do that, no one can!

Also, getting to the parks early is what the UG stresses and what I have read from a lot of posters here on DIS.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Anyway, I also do have a friend that signed up for Tour Guide Mike that sent some very constructive criticism(in no way was it offensive, only polite suggestion) and rather than respond to her or ask her if she wanted a refund(which at the time she did not), he just refunded her, nothing else. I do not see how that is professional IMO. And from what I witnessed, it seems that he can't take criticism very well, which is a must in business. I did also say in my post, if you would be so kind as to read it again, that he did have some very good info, but I did not like the site overall. And his attitude does not change the facts on the page, just makes me not want to use it. Just like I would not buy from a store or go to a restaurant that has bad service. Also if one person had a great experience at a store/restaurant and another had a negative experience and said something about it...would you say that was a low blow? I certainly would not. I think there needs to be more respect on here for those that have different opinions.

This was my experience exactly! I honestly thought I'd get a professional response, since my suggestions were definitely submitted in a most professional manner. What I got was a nasty note saying that I insulted him by criticizing the site, and my membership would be terminated immediately, and my money refunded.

I would never fault those who subscribe to TGM for the good advice the site offers to many. Like many posters say, we can use all the planning tools we can get. I DO get very creeped out by those who have an almost-cult mentality about the site's owner (Mike can do no wrong, how dare you criticize him, it must have been something YOU did, because Mike would NEVER do that). I believe that is why most threads involving TGM end up locked after a while. It's almost like "if you're not with us, you must be against us". Polarization, mud-slinging...it's almost formulaic.

Who's next?

 

[Lewisc]

Get a FP.

Is there anywhere that can tell you how to get on Test Drive at 2:00 pm after only waiting for 10 minutes? If so, please let me know!!! That is not just TGM who can't tell you how to do that, no one can!

Also, getting to the parks early is what the UG stresses and what I have read from a lot of posters here on DIS.

 

[caribbeanme]

Is there anywhere that can tell you how to get on Test Drive at 2:00 pm after only waiting for 10 minutes? If so, please let me know!!! That is not just TGM who can't tell you how to do that, no one can!

Agreed. Although I have gotten on Test Drive at 2:30 using a FP, does that count? Any guidebook which promises you that you'll get on any ride at any time without some sort of work on your part probably has a coupon in the back for 20% off your purchase of the Brooklyn Bridge.

I think very few would keep a susbcription to a service whose only tip was the universally known "get there early". Interstingly, TGM is a service that a significant number of people subscribe to only after hearing about it on this website or other Disney planning websites (hence, it's not only naive people who sign up). Finally, it's a service that people renew and use in multiple trips. There's something at TGM for its happy subscribers, and that's cool.

Sometimes people act as if it's a failure of character to prefer something, be it the Dis, TGM or the UG (or a particular hotel, or a particular ticket, etc etc.) Who cares? I'm sleeping at night because my decisions are right for me. If preferring something is considered foolish, then I guess I'll have to add that to my other flaws of character (right next to my crazy love of Project Runway and my inability to eat only one piece of cherry pie).

The way I figure, for something to be considered useful, it doesn't need to be universally useful. Some people only need the Dis or the UG. That's awesome and, in the Dis' case, cheaper. But a TGM subscription might just have something that some people prefer to have rather than not have it at all. My suggestion-- if you're curious, give it a try.

Edited 'cuz that's what I really meant.

 

[JennaTX]

Get a FP.

Even if you get a FP, that will still not get you on Test Track at 2:00 in 10 minutes.

Besides, getting a fast pass is not anyone's trick/secret/tip. That is public knowledge.

 

[caribbeanme]

I thought that Lewisc's point was that TGM, like others, doesn't promise Test Track at 2, or 3:00 p.m. without FP or without a wait. In fact, he suggested that it was against TGM's general approach to all parks. Thus, if a guide's worth is measured by its ability to get anyone on Test Track mid-afternoon for that little a wait every time, then all guides fail equally, even the UG. And people pay for that too.

Those of us who have used TGM and UG can tell you that there is a material difference in how long you wait and how you go through the park even though both guides suggest you get there early. Again, people are paying for TGM even though wonderful tips and plans are already available here or in other guides. It's not just get there early. Unfortunately, there's no other way to prove TGM is useful or, for that matter, to prove that it is not useful than by trying it, because it all depends on whether you have a better trip by comparison to your previous trips. Some people have trips that they like more, some people have posted that they don't. Again, experiences will be as varied as people and their individual tastes.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

Is there anywhere that can tell you how to get on Test Drive at 2:00 pm after only waiting for 10 minutes? If so, please let me know!!! That is not just TGM who can't tell you how to do that, no one can!

Also, getting to the parks early is what the UG stresses and what I have read from a lot of posters here on DIS.

Actually - I was there October and rode test track with a FP at 4:30 on a Sunday Afternoon - the FP line was longer than the standby line and if I had been willing to be a single rider - it was even shorter -

so yes - there are times in the afternoon you can ride test track without a FP and wait in line for 10 minutes!

 

[JennaTX]

Actually - I was there October and rode test track with a FP at 4:30 on a Sunday Afternoon - the FP line was longer than the standby line and if I had been willing to be a single rider - it was even shorter -

so yes - there are times in the afternoon you can ride test track without a FP and wait in line for 10 minutes!

You are right, I am sure in October or other months where it is not so crowded, you can get on to Test Track.

Unfortunately, I am someone who can only go during the summer, so that is what I was thinking about when I mentioned being able to ride Test Track at 2:00. Maybe someday I will be able to go on the "off" times and experience the no wait!

Edited to add: I love the pics of your children!