Do I need to buy a touring plan?

[Miss Ang]

I'm thinking about buying TGM's touring plan. We are leaving in 1 week. I already have meal reservations - 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 3 dinners. I've planned to be at the parks where we have reservations, and I've read the guidebooks and tips here and have an idea of what rides to hit first and what to get a FP for. What else do these touring plans have? Is it worth the $21.95?

 

[Aliceacc]

A much cheaper alternative would be a visit to the library and last year's edition of the Unofficial Guide.

 

[my3sonstx]

we are going for our 1st time in 17 days. I actually bought TGM and ridemax. I actually prefer ridemax better. The website was really easy to navagate around. All I had to do is pick the rides and attractions we wanted and put in our ADR's and it made my touring plan for me. It is so simple. I like TGM too, just alot of reading and more difficult to navigate through the website. Hope you have a great trip!

 

[Miss Ang]

we are going for our 1st time in 17 days. I actually bought TGM and ridemax. I actually prefer ridemax better. The website was really easy to navagate around. All I had to do is pick the rides and attractions we wanted and put in our ADR's and it made my touring plan for me. It is so simple. I like TGM too, just alot of reading and more difficult to navigate through the website. Hope you have a great trip!

Did you find that you recieved the same plan from each site or were they different?

 

[Miss Ang]

A much cheaper alternative would be a visit to the library and last year's edition of the Unofficial Guide.

I just recieved the 2009 Unofficial Guide and am reading through it this afternoon. Are the plans in the book a good choice to follow?

 

[LWatson]

We went in Feb and didnt have one and still did everything we wanted to do. We just went area by area and did what we wanted to. We did have a plan in our head on what we wanted to ride first though. Like we hit Fantasyland first and made sure we got on Peter Pan, Snow White, and IASW first thing.

 

[Elmo888]

I just recieved the 2009 Unofficial Guide and am reading through it this afternoon. Are the plans in the book a good choice to follow?

Yes! I've used these a number of times, and it is easy to follow. Just skip the attractions in the list that you don't want to try (this worked fine). We usually go during off season, so we used the plan through the really popular/crowded rides and then abandoned the plan by lunch time. During a more crowded time, I would stick with a touring plan. If you go to their web site, I think that you can get in for free since you purchased a book. They do have some additional touring plans, such as "MK for girls 4-8". Just following the book's plans is fine.

We went in Feb and didnt have one and still did everything we wanted to do. We just went area by area and did what we wanted to. We did have a plan in our head on what we wanted to ride first though. Like we hit Fantasyland first and made sure we got on Peter Pan, Snow White, and IASW first thing.

There are some good points here. If you are going during a less popular time, touring plans aren't as needed. I don't think that next week is the low season, so I would definitely check out a touring plan. Also, if you already know what rides get crowded (I really enjoy the chapter in Unofficial Guide on the "why" some rides get crowded quickly, besides popularity), you may not need a touring plan. You know what to hit first.

I find that touring plans help you get bang for your buck. You make the most of the time that you have. Also, if you consider the amount of money that you spend on the trip, I wouldn't hesitate to spend another $15, $30 or even $50 on information (web sites or books) to get the most for my money. I heard someone say that once, and it really makes sense.

Have a great trip!

 

[Karenj2]

I LOVE TGM, but for much earlier in the planning stages... In fact, I've used that site to determine when DH and I were to go. We've gone with my sister 3 years in a row, and last year we didn't follow TGM's park days, and we hit lines everywhere. The last two years we did (loosely) and had a much better time. (We're using him again this year.)

It'd be pointless for you at this point, though.

 

[cuppycake]

I agree with the PP that TGM is much better to help plan in the earlier stages. Lots of great advice to help you pick where to go and when!

If you've already decided where you are going which days, I'd stick with going to the touringplans website that is associated with the Unofficial Guide and not even spend the money.

 

[ekatiel]

Another vote here for Ridemax. The great thing about RideMax is that you tell the program what you want to ride (you can even tell it that you want to ride a certain ride 2 or 3 times in a day), and then it spits out a touring plan for you that minimizes wait time. It was the best $20 we spent on our entire vacation. --Katie

 

[NJFabFour]

I'm a TGM believer! I've also referenced Unofficial Guide but I follow TGM's advice religiously and he's managed to keep our waits for two peak season weeks in August to under 15 - 20 min's! He's great at knowing what the majority of the crowd is going to do and steering you in the opposite direction! I agree with pp's though that his site takes time to get through and learn to navigate. It was worth the extra time and little bit of cost though IMHO. You'll have a great time regardless!

 

[LORI522]

I love TGM, but this late in the process, his advice may make you second guess all your ADRs and plans. So, I wouldn't recommend it for this trip. Definitely consider it for next time.

Have a wonderful trip!!

 

[TnTWalter]

And they're predicting crowd leves 7-8 and some 9s for early June....

But since you're on the crunch...touringplans.com is cheap $7.99.

I went crazy this year and joined TGM, Touringplans and ridemax....for quick and painless touringplans and ridemax are easier. Touringplans also has great 'cheat sheets' I think they're called based on crowd leves it tells you when to hit the rides and whether to get fast pass or not. Cool!

I might consider combining touringplans and ridemax. Ridemax is $18.95.

I have so many plans printed out...now I have to read them! UGH.

Good luck. Have fun. We'll be there at same time!

Trish