Anyone else have a hard time using Tour Guide Mike?

[disneybound31]

I have been trying my best to get info to help me plan and signed up for TGM... so far after two nights of deciphering the website all I have accomplished is bleary eyes and a pounding headache. Anyone else regret spending the $? Is it just me who is having such a hard time 'getting' it? Any suggestions to make it easier to understand? I feel like I'm just searching the whole time not getting any real info.

 

[kj2mom]

Post on the forums there, there are many people there who are extremely adept at getting the most out of the site. I find they are more than willing to help you figure out everything and anything if you ask what even feels like the smallest question.

 

[notnothin]

I have been trying my best to get info to help me plan and signed up for TGM... so far after two nights of deciphering the website all I have accomplished is bleary eyes and a pounding headache. Anyone else regret spending the $? Is it just me who is having such a hard time 'getting' it? Any suggestions to make it easier to understand? I feel like I'm just searching the whole time not getting any real info.

There is no doubt a lot of information to digest. Give it a little time and you should get the hang of it. Also, try posting on his forums so you can get ideas and tips from other TGM users.

 

[mom23boys]

I also had a hard time the first time using TGM. I even did not look at the site for a few weeks, but I have used him 3 times since and have loved it.

It is alot of information to process. If you post questions on his forums the people there are very helpful.

 

[HaleyB]

The site can be a bit hard to navigate, it is set up to control the order in which you read things. That might work well for someone at the very begining of planning but it drives me a bit nuts. I am way too ADD for that kind of thing.

About a year ago we begged Mike for a site index, where you could jump to any page- he did relent and give us one. I have since pretty much memorized everything he has to say except, of course, the new stuff This is my 3rd time with TGM. Wandered off my point there, I was going to say, ask for a link in the TGM forums to the index (try the tech board).

Make sure you do not miss his Fastpass advice and his EMH articles. Once you work your way through the site it gets a lot easier to deal with. Also, as others have already said, use the forums there to ask questions. Even if the question is "where is the page about X" someone will jump up and give ya a link.

 

[Disneymaniacs]

I agree. It is pretty hard to navigate but his advise does work. Be sure to check his EMH advise- that alone is worth the $$. Good luck!

 

[disneybound31]

Thank you to all who have replied. Your positive comments help and I can calm down now knowing it can be figured out. I thought I could just get info and plug it into my own touring itinerary but, like another poster said, it makes you go through a whole process and I, also, am too impatient for that. Thanks for the help.

 

[dreamalittledream]

just keep reading... just keep reading... reading... reading...

it is alot to digest but seems to be so worth it. I print out stuff and hilite the things I find important, just like school. I also copy things into my own document so I can organize my schedule better. He has alot of great info, I don't want to forget anything.

 

[Goofy DS]

We used TGM for our Christmas trip last year. What a big help!! It was so packed but with the help of TGM we did everything we wanted and then some!

I was alos looking for a "plug in my info" kind of trip planner and TGM is definitly not that kind of site, but it does have a ton of helpful info!

 

[cuucuu4karaoke]

Is it worth to buy in if someone is a disney 'veteran' like myself? or is it more geared towards newbies?

 

[mtemm]

Is it worth to buy in if someone is a disney 'veteran' like myself? or is it more geared towards newbies?

I was wondering the same thing. I can't imagine what TGM would tell me that I can't find out here or that I don't already know. am I just being naive? Is there really info there that is not on the all-powerful disboards?

 

[Ardenne]

I've learned stuff there that I hadn't learned here. I was skeptical at first, but I thought that with the money-back guarantee, there was nothing to lose. As it turns out, I'm glad that I gave it a try.

FWIW, I felt completely overwhelmed at first, too! One thing I found that helped was opening a Word document and cutting and pasting everything I wanted to be sure I remembered into that as I went along. Eventually I got the hang of it, but that really helped in the meantime.

My recommendation would be to start with 2 basic things: the best-days recommendations, to start planning which days you want to be where, and the forums (especially the one for the month of your trip), where you can ask questions and get individual help from other members. The TGM rules prohibit asking specific questions based on TGM info on other boards, like here, but there you can do it, and you'll have a lot of people who are really familiar with his methods and happy to help. Then branch out from there, starting with your 'clipboard' and just browsing around the articles from there, learning as you go.

It's definitely NOT automated, by any stretch of the imagination, and I really think he ought to change that name, because it confuses so many people -- but I have found a lot of useful info there, so I'd have to say it's worth the time and effort in the long run. Good luck

 

[smnornes]

I was wondering the same thing. I can't imagine what TGM would tell me that I can't find out here or that I don't already know. am I just being naive? Is there really info there that is not on the all-powerful disboards?

I joined TGM mainly to get the "best days" advice, and even though I know a lot about Disney, and know where to go when I have a question, his advice about crowds and which park to go to on which days has been great! I can't get his attention to detail anywhere else.

 

[rlduvall]

Is it worth to buy in if someone is a disney 'veteran' like myself? or is it more geared towards newbies?

IMO: I am a researchaholic. To me, a majority of the fun of my vacation is the researching and dreaming and fantasizing . . . I have been on the disboards for many years, have read the majority of all Disney guidebooks and still check out Disney guidebooks from the library just to have them at my fingertips when planning.

That being said, I learned a few new things from TGM, but mostly just had a blast having basically the same information available in a different voice and different format. There are a few nuggets of gold he has . . . .

Will it make or break a trip if you are an expert - not at all. Will you enjoy the site if you like researching and planning your Disney vacation - Absolutely!!

 

[kerry34]

I felt the same way when I first got on as well. Now I am comfortable navigating through the site and have gained some very useful info that I have not been able to find elsewhere. Also I like the fact that there is a downloadable word document that you can use from there instead of making up your own. I printed a blank one for now and will write in my scedule and when everything is final, I will just copy it on the downloaded version and print it out. Just keep plugging away, there is alot of info to digest and I recommend to anyone if they are going to purchase this, get it as far out from your travel dates as possible that way you have plenty of time to go through everything you need.

 

[MartDM]

You're not alone. Myself and many others have commented about the poor organization and navigation functions on the site. You really have to make a heavy time investment to get through all the extraneous stuff and get to the real meat of the matters.

With time & practice, you should be able to easily skip around all the "clutter" and get to the info you seek.

 

[disneybound31]

I agree with MartDM... I spend more time and get less info than here on the dis. I am trying to get my $'s worth, but got another HUGE headache last night wading through the clutter, as you say. Thanks for the comments-- glad I'm not alone.

 

[Shell0616]

This is really subjective and just my opinion but I don't really like the TGM web site. I have used it enough that it would be wrong to ask for my money back but I don't like the layout of the site.
However, my strongest criticism is the way TGM himself treats some of the posters there. TGM is a celebrity there and many of the posters treat him accordingly.

One posted said that she was not happy with the lack of information about the food and wine festival. The info was posted here first and she felt that since she paid for the info it should have been posted earlier. He really berated her in his following posts. It was uncomfortable to read and I was shocked at his lack of professionalism. I would give you the details but of course I am under contract not to. That fact is thrown in your face on almost every page and mentioned often by the posters. If anyone posts here about TGM you can bet someone from TGM will send you a PM as well as write about it on the boards there.

With the exception of the "best days to go" and a print out you can get all needed info on this site. For free.

 

[scubamouse]

Is it worth to buy in if someone is a disney 'veteran' like myself? or is it more geared towards newbies?

I've been about as many times as you and I find it incredibly helpful. I'm an analyst by nature and for work and knowing the WHY is really helpful to me.

As for the OP, I felt the same way at first but I started printing off the articles to read away from the computer and that was when things started to click for me. Start with the planning articles

 

[scubamouse]

IMO: I am a researchaholic. To me, a majority of the fun of my vacation is the researching and dreaming and fantasizing . . . I have been on the disboards for many years, have read the majority of all Disney guidebooks and still check out Disney guidebooks from the library just to have them at my fingertips when planning.

That being said, I learned a few new things from TGM, but mostly just had a blast having basically the same information available in a different voice and different format. There are a few nuggets of gold he has . . . .

Will it make or break a trip if you are an expert - not at all. Will you enjoy the site if you like researching and planning your Disney vacation - Absolutely!!

I'm the same way and completely agree.

As for posting stuff from there elsewhere/here, I look at it as I paid for the info and so did a lot of other people, please don't give away for free what I paid for.