TourGuideMike vs. touringplans.com

[wrighter]

As a spinoff from another thread, we are considering using a more formal touring plan this year - since crowd levels are going to be 10s across the board for our upcoming trip. Yikes!

We were hoping for some input on the ins and outs of the above touring plan providers. Are they very different from one another? Does one provide something more unique than another? Just wondering what satisfied (or otherwise!) users thought.

 

[Robo]

TourGuideMike vs. touringplans.com

 

[dr&momto2boys]

 

[jjsdad]

I have recently purchased both and I like them both. To be honest they both seem to give out similar info on which rides to do first, and by the sounds of you are no rookie so I'm not sure either will help you out THAT much. I will say this much, I have enjoyed reading the tour guide mike site a lot more than the touring plans. The gripe with TGM is his stuff does not appear to be updated while touring plans def is. His stuff is more written out while touring plans will give you a straight up plan/map, but once again if you know what you're doing I think you will probably have a similar plan to either one of these sites recommendations.

What I love about touring plans is the iphone app they have(it gives you ride line/wait times, and on busy days it is updated a lot via live reports from users who are at the parks). It's great.

 

[dolphindan1]

the Mods really need to make this a sticky...I think

Oh and there really is no comparison cause I think they both are different...for my money and what I am looking for TGM is better...it just comes down to waht you want...also dont forget ridemax...I got all three last Nov and i always deferred to TGM...great trip...we have used TGM the last 5 or trips after using TPs the first couple...we like TGM better...he gives advice....not just a step by step plan and he lasways tells you why he suggests a park over another park and evening breaks it down to morning or evening...my money is better spent on TGM

 

[Carl Fredricksen]

RideMax is the only one I would consider during the busiest times. And I would generate the itineraries the day before we left so they were as up to date as possible. Touringplans is good for crowd forecasts if you are manually generating a plan, but RideMax factors that in as well. TGM is good for informative type stuff, but doesn't really generate a plan for you, just makes suggestions, then you figure it out from there. Kinda cool for the slower days, but I would go the RideMax route on a 10 day.

 

[The Iron Giant]

RideMax is the only one I would consider during the busiest times. And I would generate the itineraries the day before we left so they were as up to date as possible. Touringplans is good for crowd forecasts if you are manually generating a plan, but RideMax factors that in as well. TGM is good for informative type stuff, but doesn't really generate a plan for you, just makes suggestions, then you figure it out from there. Kinda cool for the slower days, but I would go the RideMax route on a 10 day.

If you use the forums on TGM there are many people who will be happy to give you plan for what order to hit the rides.

We have used TGM many times and the people on the forums are great. Just give them a list of the rides you want to do and any ADR times and they will generate a ride plan for you so no need to spend extra on RideMax.

 

[jjsdad]

RideMax is the only one I would consider during the busiest times. And I would generate the itineraries the day before we left so they were as up to date as possible. Touringplans is good for crowd forecasts if you are manually generating a plan, but RideMax factors that in as well. TGM is good for informative type stuff, but doesn't really generate a plan for you, just makes suggestions, then you figure it out from there. Kinda cool for the slower days, but I would go the RideMax route on a 10 day.

Now I guess I have to try ridemax

This is what I don't get, if the crowds are crowded how would you plan change when it is a 7 versus a 10 outside of which park to choose? I mean, if you plan to get there at rope drop and say hit the MK the day after EMH and you want to hit all levels of rides, is dumbo not going to be your first stop? To me it seems like your plan would really not change that much, but you would plan to have a bigger crowd whereever you go.

 

[dolphindan1]

Now I guess I have to try ridemax

This is what I don't get, if the crowds are crowded how would you plan change when it is a 7 versus a 10 outside of which park to choose? I mean, if you plan to get there at rope drop and say hit the MK the day after EMH and you want to hit all levels of rides, is dumbo not going to be your first stop? To me it seems like your plan would really not change that much, but you would plan to have a bigger crowd whereever you go.

Ridemax would have all the current info from disney, park hour changes, EMH changes and whatever else it uses to generate its plans...so if Disney changes its info at the last minute then ridemax does too...and it could have some impact on the plan ridemax generates

ridemax is a powerful tool and yes a 7 vs a 10 would somewhat change its overall plan as would Disney changing its hours from 8 to 9 for a park