Anyone else use Tour Guide Mike?

[Crystal_27]

Just wondering if any of you guys use TGM for trip planning purposes. We are faithful TGMers every trip, and I'm so looking forward to planning my December, 2010 trip.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

Just wondering if any of you guys use TGM for trip planning purposes. We are faithful TGMers every trip, and I'm so looking forward to planning my December, 2010 trip.

No. I've never used TGM.

 

[Starr W.]

Yes, we've used TGM in the past, but after 2 yrs I think we've figured it out on our own.

From reading his stuff, if you are going Xmas/NYE go early!

 

[Chuck S]

I've never used a planner, but I traveled with someone who used a pre-published guide. It was horrible, running from one end of the park to the other to get fastpasses as recommended, dining at their recommended restaurants, while skipping my favorites. that lasted 2 days, and the planner ummm.. accidently got lost.

 

[DizGirl20]

Just curious, what services does he offer? Thanks!

 

[vicki_c]

I would check the Theme Parks touring board - there's a lot of posts there all the time about TGM, touringplans.com, RideMax, etc.

 

[Crystal_27]

that lasted 2 days, and the planner ummm.. accidently got lost.

Yeah, I could see how that could happen.

Just curious, what services does he offer? Thanks!

He has a website with a lot of articles about trip planning and a forum for members, but he also makes a determination about the best parks to be at each day, and rates them green, yellow, or red. I've read most of the articles and we have naturally incorporated his touring recommendations into the way that we tour the parks, and now I mainly use his website just to get his recommendations on the best parks to be at each day. I was just curious how many DVC peeps use his site.

 

[tjkraz]

Yes, we've used TGM in the past, but after 2 yrs I think we've figured it out on our own.

Ditto.

I can certainly see the benefit to rookies but there isn't a whole lot of value after you've made a few trips to WDW.

 

[Starr W.]

I've never used a planner, but I traveled with someone who used a pre-published guide. It was horrible, running from one end of the park to the other to get fastpasses as recommended, dining at their recommended restaurants, while skipping my favorites. that lasted 2 days, and the planner ummm.. accidently got lost.

We just use TGM for "what parks to go and why". I've looked at his "touring plans" and they are pretty sensible. Get to the park early, grab FP's as you go a long, no running hither and yon. Go back to your resort early afternoon and rest/swim. Go back to same park in the evening if you want to.

I think his advice for Easter/Xmas/NYE is spot on and overall I think it's a good tool if you haven't done the parks at a busy holiday time or you're a WDW newbie.

It even sent me an email to remind me to book ADR's. But I already had the date set in my Blackberry.

 

[discott71]

Just wondering if any of you guys use TGM for trip planning purposes. We are faithful TGMers every trip, and I'm so looking forward to planning my December, 2010 trip.

I discovered TGM 6 weeks before our trip last May and thought it was a great tool. We rode TSM 3x in one day and 2x another day. Did everything and never waited in any lines. I wish I had discovered it sooner. I renewed my membership and have started some preliminary planning over there already - November Vacation Club Member.

I'm also thinking of subscribing to RideMax. Have you ever heard of that one? I think you tell it which attractions you want and it spits it out in "best order" for that day. I figure TGM best days + RideMax = stress free touring .

We'll see - my DH thinks I'm nuts planning all ready!

Good luck and happy planning - I'm sure I'll see you on the TGM forums!

 

[Starr W.]

Ditto.

I can certainly see the benefit to rookies but there isn't a whole lot of value after you've made a few trips to WDW.

Since I went in October, I checked TGM out for park advice.

I actually went to MK on on of his "Red" days, I guess a mid-week red MK day in October(on a non-party day) is not comparable to a red day Thanksgiving week.

 

[TigerLaw]

I use it for the best parks analysis, but what's funny is I usually go directly against it, as I am a big believer in morning EMH and TGM is not!

 

[lulu2]

Just wondering if any of you guys use TGM for trip planning purposes. We are faithful TGMers every trip, and I'm so looking forward to planning my December, 2010 trip.

I TGM. We are also planning a December 2010 trip. We have our DVC room booked at OKW, airfare is purchased, I've been looking over the 2009 information to plan our days. What days are you planning? Where are you staying? We'll be at OKW December 10-15. DH won't let me take DD out of school any longer (unless our flights should happen to change )

We love WDW at Christmas time.

 

[kristie03]

I'm a big fan of TGM.... especially the least crowded park advice he puts together, which always seem fairly accurate.

Over time you definitely get a sense for his advice on the way to move around the parks, but I really like the least crowded park info.

And of course another planning resource is never a bad thing!

 

[Chuck S]

It just seems for DVCers, who return to WDW regularly and relatively often, that such intense planning is unnecessary. If you don't hit every attration every visit, there is always the next vacation. Isn't relaxing to smell the roses and going with the flow a big part of what DVC allows us to do?

 

[lulu2]

It just seems for DVCers, who return to WDW regularly and relatively often, that such intense planning is unnecessary. If you don't hit every attration every visit, there is always the next vacation. Isn't relaxing to smell the roses and going with the flow a big part of what DVC allows us to do?

Absolutely, I think becasue we use TGM we do slow down and enjoy! A huge difference from our first family visit in 2006 when we toured commando (never again).

 

[Coach81]

We have gotten much better about not going "commando" mode any more.. but we still like TGM to plan.. LOL

 

[Anjelica]

I don't consider myself a rookie at all and I still use TGM every trip. There is something for me to see the red, yellow and green on xx days that I enjoy. I know I could have pretty educated guesses on what those days would be as it is but something nice for someone to have already thought about it for me. Sometimes it's nice just to not have to think about every little thing...

 

[Anjelica]

We have gotten much better about not going "commando" mode any more.. but we still like TGM to plan.. LOL

ITA - our first few trips we were commando but its actually so much fun now not to do it.

I guess that's why I don't mind Christmas week, etc. because we on purposely buy the Deluxe Dining Plan with the thought process we will enjoy the meals, shows, etc. vs. the rides more at that time due to high levels of crowds.

 

[Crystal_27]

I TGM. We are also planning a December 2010 trip. We have our DVC room booked at OKW, airfare is purchased, I've been looking over the 2009 information to plan our days. What days are you planning? Where are you staying? We'll be at OKW December 10-15. DH won't let me take DD out of school any longer (unless our flights should happen to change )

We love WDW at Christmas time.

We'll be there December 18-January 1. I'm anxiously awaiting the December, 2010 Vacation Club opening. It looks like there are a lot of people who go every December close to or at the holidays, so I know I'll be leaning on them for park advice since we've never gone during a super peak season.

Absolutely, I think becasue we use TGM we do slow down and enjoy! A huge difference from our first family visit in 2006 when we toured commando (never again).

Yeah, us too. TGM makes us build in break time in our itinerary whereas before TGM we never did so (and were exhausted - - mentally and physically - - by the end of our vacations). For us, it makes for more effective touring and, even though we have DVC and even though we know we'll be back every year, I'm still at the point with Disney where I need to ride the headliners multiple times in order to really feel like I've done well. Also, with a few exceptions, I do think that he does have the crowd formula down to a science and any time I can avoid the masses is a great thing in my book.