Anyone else use Tour Guide Mike?

[Malaguti Ball Clan]

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.



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.

Crystal- We used TGM last June for two weeks and he nailed it The crowd levels were very high , but we hit everything we wanted to do without problem. We also have incorporated midday breaks/siestas and find it was a routine that made for a GREAT Trip...nobody was overly tired and as is the case in June (HOT) we avoided the midday heat... We are using TGM for our Sept Trip, but not as intensively as last trip.. -Alex

 

[dgaston]

I know many say that TGM doesn't add much to what can be gleaned from the boards here, but I am a firm believer in the recommendations for Best Parks on a given day. I have also appreciated finer details about best routes to get FPs, and emails about hurricanes when we have a trip planned.

I think it's always worth the $20.

 

[MinnieGi]

Even though we are veteran WDW visitors, I started using TGM when we switched to more crowded times to visit, like Christmas week, T-day, week etc. and have found his least crowded park advice to be invaluable!! I will again be signing up for our Dec. 2010 Christmas trip as for those crowded park times you want every advantage to having an enjoyable relaxing trip!!!
And by following his advice I go at the most crowded times and still relax b/c we are one step ahead of "them"!!!

 

[edk35]

WOULDN'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT HIM. I have not even read the replies to your thread yet. but I have always been very pleased with his planning techniques and which park to visit or avoid on the days of our trips. It always works like a charm. I have used him for many years for many trips. He is as much a part of our Disney trips as this board is. We started using him when he used to give you the best park days based on whether you went to the EMH mornings OR avoided them. LOL LOVE LOVE LOVE using his web site.

 

[Anjelica]

I know many say that TGM doesn't add much to what can be gleaned from the boards here, but I am a firm believer in the recommendations for Best Parks on a given day. I have also appreciated finer details about best routes to get FPs, and emails about hurricanes when we have a trip planned.

I think it's always worth the $20.

And if you go more than once a year its cheaper than $20.00 each time - you get a discount for using him more than once a year.

 

[TagsMissy]

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.

and I bet you don't have an ounce of guilt nor any knowledge of the whereabouts of the planner

OP no i don't use any planners; just common sense ((if that's possible knowing my hubby any myself ))

 

[quirty30]

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?

I totally agree - I love to just be spontaneous on our trips. I always tell my kids, if we miss something, we'll do it next time.

 

[gailanncreates]

I think that the folks who could get the most out of it, don't use it. First timers are in disbelief that you could really need this, and ignore it. I wish I would have known about it the first trip with the kids! This is a better purchase than a Disney guide book.

 

[wildernessDad]

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?

Exactly.

 

[LittleWonders]

We used TGM last year and found some of the information helpful. We also used the Unofficial Guide to WDW book, and subscribed to their web site www.touringplans.com. We prefer the touring plans web site, but everyone is different and you will find something that works best with your style of visiting WDW. Have fun planning

 

[Starr W.]

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?

His advice helps you avoid the "newbie" or totally clueless crowd, because he is really spot-on about them. I like to zig when they zag.

 

[jelliott04]

I haven't heard about TGM but we use touringplans.com. They have a mobile update too now so we plan to use that on our upcoming trip and update wait times while in the park.

I would be curious how TP compares to TGM for recommended parks/days etc.

Touringplans is $8.95 for a year and we use it just for the crowd calendar.

Jen

 

[bandjbaine]

I love TGM! I think it's just another place for me to go and browse Disney stuff!! Seriously though, I think he has great advice- I don't use it all but have found some great tips on it that I havn't read here- or maybe there's just SO MUCH here- sometimes there it's a little easier to find.

 

[photobob]

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?

I agree Chuck.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

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?

We like TGM as well. I suppose if you go often enough, no guides or even message boards are needed, but for most of us, there is something new since the last visit and I find TGM helps us evaluate what we should see and what we can pass on. He doesn't advocate commando style touring even for first timers on limited schedule. I also enjoy his writing style. -- Suzanne

 

[dr&momto2boys]

We use TGM! My favorite part is the recommended park days. We're certainly not novices. We're junkies! I also like the forums because they're are people as OCD about planning as I am. For the relatively little money, you're certain to get value out of it even if you don't become TGM's biggest fan.

 

[Jaylin]

I have always love TGM too, well, up until this trip....something is seriously going on over there. He's getting slower and slower publishing his park day schedule, which at this point is really the only thing I need from him. He still doesn't have the entire month of Aug up yet and my ADR window starts in 3 days. I would love to finalize my trip, but I really like to make sure my days are "green" It's been very frustrating this year......

 

[Malaguti Ball Clan]

I have always love TGM too, well, up until this trip....something is seriously going on over there. He's getting slower and slower publishing his park day schedule, which at this point is really the only thing I need from him. He still doesn't have the entire month of Aug up yet and my ADR window starts in 3 days. I would love to finalize my trip, but I really like to make sure my days are "green" It's been very frustrating this year......

This is not a new trend, same thing was happening last June as well, way last minute I wondered how he would do with shift to 180 Day ADR's Good luck to you, and the same advise as I am sure you heard on his boards...look at last years schedule...and use the pattern for this year....NOT what we PAY for....I will see how he does for our Sept Trip

 

[5by5]

We are big TGM fans. Normally I at these type of pay for advice websites, but TGM is worth every penny.

 

[deedeetoo]

We have been using TGM for about 3 years but the only thing I really look at is the Least Crowded Park Days. We only go during peak times - last year we were there for 4th of July and the week after Christmas. We have found the LCP rating to be very valuable. Even during these very busy times we have found the crowds to be manageable using his advice.

We don't use the touring plans. I agree with others that when you go often there is no need to go commando making sure you see everything. The thought of sending a runner somewhere to get FP just seems ridiculous to me.