KIRSTIN'S MOMMY
<font color=0099FF>Creates edible masterpieces<br>
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2003
I'm on my third subscription! While I've been to WDW many times, his "best days" chart is worth the price to me, even if that's all that was there!
mom2kyleegrace said:Touringplans.com also has the best days and late risers schedule. Is it about the same or do these two vary?
minnymi said:I'm thinking of subscribing TGM. Does TGM have touring plans for late risers? We are not early birds and probably will not get there before parks open. I wonder if I should still subscribe
mom2kyleegrace said:I subscribed, but am unsure of how it all works. It all seems confusing to me! I found touringplans.com and it showed actual plans of what to do! Anyone offer some help? I feel like I just threw away my $22 that I paid to join!
amylevan said:The best days chart does vary from touringplans.com.
Disneynutbsv said:I've used his best days. Worked great! I'm waiting on him to finish August 16-31 for his least crowded park days so I can schedule my adr's around that.
Signed up for TGM a week ago, and am finding it strange folks here are saying how closely it agrees with TouringPlans. I have found their advice for our trip in May to be almost completely opposite with regard to best days. TouringPlans has lost credibility with me because on their paid site they keep scheduling rides or shows that are closed that day.Mainebound said:Not for my 11 day trip, they are exactly the same, with the slight exception that TGM, based on personal experience, suggests caution (but doesn't say "avoid") on one weekend day at a certain park due to influx of locals, where Touringplans does not include that caution, because their research finds it baseless. To me, this is a good sign, double confirmation, based on two different modes of gathering research (qualitative and quatitative, I guess).
My family thinks there are some really valuable aspects to TGM, some details on what's happening right now at the parks, and some really good suggestions for touring that you cannot find anyplace else, but I never understand the claim that his "best days" are super unique. If that's all a person needs, they can get a list at touringplans.com for free.
Then again, I am one of those people that thinks there are positives and negatives to almost every product one can purchase, TGM included. I really wish my Volvo, for example, had better front visibility and a better CD holder, but I'm not returning it to the dealer for a money back guarantee. That particular sentiment with regard to TGM makes me absolutely unique on the DIS and positively alien on TGM boards as far as I can tell.
mommykds said:I am thinking about subscribing. We will be at WDW 8/20-8/30.I have to make adr's this Tuesday (180 days out)..is the TGM schedule up for that time in August?
johnvree said:Here's where I am disappointed. His analysis on which parks are best on each day does not keep up with the ADR planning schedule. If you are going the last two weeks of August, like me, Mike has not completed his analysis for those weeks yet. His site says he is working on them and hopes to have them up soon. However, we are within the 180 day ADR date for the last two weeks of August and could be making ADRs for our entire trip. That's difficult to do when you don't know what parks you're doing on each day yet. So, for example, if Mike recommends that we go to MK on our first or second day and we plan on doing CRT breakfast, it is very likely that by the time Mike posts his recommendations, CRT will be booked solid for the day he recommends. When your site is dedicated to planning a trip at WDW, I think you have make sure that you are ahead of the curve, not behind it.
johnvree said:After reading this post, I decided to sign up for TGM. I buy any WDW guide book I can get my hands on, including updates some of the ones I already have (Unofficial Guide, Birnbaum's), so I figured what's another $20.
Overall, I really like TGM's site. It's organization seems a little convoluted, but I am getting used to it. It also has tidbids about parks, attractions and resorts that are not mentioned in the books I have and some of his suggestions seem contrary to reason and experience at first, but make sense after he explains them.
Here's where I am disappointed. His analysis on which parks are best on each day does not keep up with the ADR planning schedule. If you are going the last two weeks of August, like me, Mike has not completed his analysis for those weeks yet. His site says he is working on them and hopes to have them up soon. However, we are within the 180 day ADR date for the last two weeks of August and could be making ADRs for our entire trip. That's difficult to do when you don't know what parks you're doing on each day yet. So, for example, if Mike recommends that we go to MK on our first or second day and we plan on doing CRT breakfast, it is very likely that by the time Mike posts his recommendations, CRT will be booked solid for the day he recommends. When your site is dedicated to planning a trip at WDW, I think you have make sure that you are ahead of the curve, not behind it.