Are Touring Plans really beneficial?

[ttkvaca]

I have read several guide books and they all strongly suggest following one of the various Touring Plans for each park. They claim to save you time in lines at the attractions and ensure that you see everything you want to in the time you have allotted. Has anyone used any of these touring plans and if so, were they beneficial?

 

[Quinn222]

I think a touring plan is essential. Otherwise you end up wandering aimlessly and waiting in long lines all day. You don't have to follow one from a book or TGM exactly but it's a good start and when you go to the parks you should have at least some idea what you want to see and in what order.

 

[MSC]

I think they are essential for the principles that they lay out for you. I had a plan for every day for every park. I didn't follow them exactly, but I did follow them in general, taking from them the principles that make them work.

That way, we weren't walking around aimlessly, but we weren't tied down to having to be POTC @ 10:15, Haunted Mansion @ 11:00, etc. That's no fun.

- msc

 

[Willow25]

All the years my parents and I visited Disneyland in California and we would do the start at one end and work your way around the park. It was not until I read a WDW guidebook that I realized we were making a big mistake by following the same plan as everyone else.

I know use TGM, I do not follow the plans exactly because we generally go duirng slower times of the year. However I am always amazed to see the herds of people not following any sort of plan and they are usually the cranky looking ones standing in long lines in the middle of the day.

If you do not want to have a plan for the entire day then at least have a plan to arrive when the park opens and a plan to get some of the major rides out of the way first thing.

 

[scoolover]

I don't do touring plans but I will have a basic plan in my head. All our days are scheduled months ahead on the least crowded days. We will hit the big rides early and relax. Luckily, I have been enough that if something is really busy we will hit it next time. I am sure that they help but I could not follow a specific plan. Have a great one.

 

[Kitty347]

These parks can be very overwhelming. A plan for approaching each of them is ABSOLUTELY essential, especially if this is your first visit. I suggest reading one of the guide books available, take their tips into consideration, then plan your own itinerary based on your interests, the ages of the members of your group, etc. Some plan strategies require criss crossing the park. That's something I CANNOT do! Some rides may be appropriate for certain ages groups. Skip those that you may not like to try. I think Dumbo is cute, but I wouldn't be caught dead riding it! My sister hates rides that spin, so the teacups are out for her. Be prepared with a plan, yet be prepared to be flexible on the day you visit. Unexpected things come up, eg. lines may be longer (or shorter) than anticipated, rides may be closed for refurbishment, etc. Study park maps. Know where the rides are, restrooms, etc. Read about the restaurants and fast food venues. Check menus. Get an idea of where you'd like to eat (and where you'd rather not) in each theme area. The more you know BEFORE you go, the more time you'll save and the fewer steps you'll walk!

 

[DrTomorrow]

I'm a True Believe in the Unofficial Guide (fighting the good fight in the Great Tourbook Holy Wars ) and it was invaluable for our first few trips. However, regardless of who you end up picking, a few thoughts - the following are cases in which having a touring plan is more helpful:

1. You've only been to WDW a few times.
2. You won't be back to WDW for a long time.
3. Your "gotta do" list is pretty long.
4. It is a busy time of year.
5. Your time at WDW is limited.

Disney theme parks are textbook definitions of "sensory overload" - while you don't need to plan down to 5 minute intervals ["10:00AM Get off Dumbo. 10:05AM Go to bathroom"] it is definitely helpful to have an idea of where to go next. There are also helpful tips that can really make a difference. For example, there are some attractions (Indy @ MGM, Presidents @ MK) that disgorge a ton of people when they end - this can swamp nearby attractions.

I like the way that the UG put it: smack dab in the middle of the MK on a busy day is not the time or place for spontaneity.

IMHO - YMMV - Be well!

 

[AussieAngel]

Does anybody have an example of a plan they've made, for a day?

That might be helpful!

 

[Thierry444]

I think they are essential for the principles that they lay out for you. I had a plan for every day for every park. I didn't follow them exactly, but I did follow them in general, taking from them the principles that make them work.

That way, we weren't walking around aimlessly, but we weren't tied down to having to be POTC @ 10:15, Haunted Mansion @ 11:00, etc. That's no fun.

- msc

But, it's funnier than waiting in line !!

 

[Quinn222]

Does anybody have an example of a plan they've made, for a day?

That might be helpful!

Those of us using TGM or Unofficial Guide can't really post them here, it's a copyright violation. However if you go to either of their web sites you can see sample plans. There is a link to TGM at the top of this page (gets you a discount for joining too!) and UG is at touringplans.com

 

[Jarv]

I think tour plans are a good idea in theory but not taken too literally. I for one dont enjoy running between rides and missing out on little things in the park. That said it makes sense to make some sort of priorities list of what you want to do in an a geographically or time sensible order. If you are in a large party with people wanting do different things I also think it makes sense.

 

[Thierry444]

If you plan wisely and efficiently, you can do all the rides you want without running between them and still have time to enjoy the little things in the parks...

 

[Kick Save]

Does anybody have an example of a plan they've made, for a day?

That might be helpful!

Here's a sample from this site: http://www.wdwinfo.com/Just_for_kids/touringMK_kids.htm

We used that last June one morning, and it worked great. We didn't use it after lunch, as we hopped to a different park. But, we got all of those done plus Philharmagic and a second trip on Pooh by 11:00 or so. Granted, there are no headliners on there, but it fit our needs well because of the kids. (2 and 6 at the time.)

It did get me to looking into UG and TGM, though. If that little plan worked so well, can't wait until I put one of theirs to use.

 

[savs]

Tourning plans are a must if you are visiting the mouse during the busy times of the year. If you are going during slower times, it won't hurt to wonder from the touring plans as long as you still keep ahead of the crowds.

This year we signed up for the TGM and I can't wait to put his tourning plans to the test.

 

[mouseRD]

I already worked out a touring plan, but subscribed to TGM just to compare our plans to his suggestions; we're going at a busier time of year (over Memorial Day) & I thought it was a very reasonable price to pay to have a reference for comparison/additional input. That being said, I would echo others' comments that you may not follow the prescribed plan exactly.

 

[MiamiBeach]

We make a point to only go to WDW during the slowest times because we LOVE wandering aimlessly, taking in the small stuff, just enjoying BEING there. That said, we intuitively follow a touring plan, i.e., we love rides so hit the big ones first, then fill in the day going to things with short lines or fast pass. You end up criss-crossing this way and that does mimic the basic tenets of the Touring Plans (to which I subscribe).

Of course, we're a middle-aged couple without kids and we've been to WDW many times, so there is no one having a melt-down if we miss something...

 

[MiamiBeach]

Oh, one other thing -- we DO make a lunch reservation ahead of time, no matter how empty the park is. Spots like the Sci-Fi Dine-In are such a hoot and always have a line, so we avoid disappointment there by having an ADR. We both get pretty cranky if we're hungry...

 

[lark]

If you are going during a non-busy time of the year, you probably don't need a touring plan. The non-busy times at WDW are, however, rapidly disappearing. There are maybe just a handful of weeks left where you don't need one -- and even for those weeks, park hours are much shorter so a touring plan actually is good even then.

For the other 40 to 45 weeks of the year, I would say the difference between touring without a touring plan and touring with one is like the difference between getting hit in the ribs with a stick and not getting hit in the ribs with a stick. ;0)

 

[cjhaus]

I quote the Sehlinger Unofficial guide when I say,
"You either need a good plan or a frontal lobotomy."

 

[DrTomorrow]

Does anybody have an example of a plan they've made, for a day?

That might be helpful!

AA, see if you can find a copy of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World at your local library. Even if it is out of date, you can see all of the touring plans at the back of the book to see what all the excitement is about....