Do you get frustrated when people refuse a touring plan?

[flortlebap]

We never take a touring plan. For us it detracts completely from the enjoyment - where's the spontaneity?

We do always plan an itinerary in advance (14 days, plan around 10 and leave 4 days free for rest/whatever we feel like on the day) because IMO that is important - that way we know we can see the shows, fireworks and parades we want to, go during the longest hours if we wish, and go when crowds are lowest.

I can't help but think it's common sense which rides are going to be busy at which times, unless I'm just a Disneyaholic and have spent way too much time planning We've never taken a plan for each day, and on the last trip (which I planned myself) we didn't wait more than 10 minutes for anything (and at it's peak there was a 2 hour wait for ToT!) :-O

JMO, of course!

 

[rhiannonwales]

I just looked up your listings out of curiosity. You need to charge more!

Robin,
You're right, i really do. There was some competition so i was trying to build a reputation first and then raise the price. I think i'm almost there. Most of the time its kind of fun but this last one just gives me a stomachache!

And i never plug my listings here on the DIS because if youre here, you probably already know all the stuff i can tell you!
Sherrie

 

[dizcrazee]

I've spent years as a WDW commando. We normally take our trips with extended family and they wind up as a Disney-themed Bataan Death March. Everyone all mad...hot...lines too long, etc. Since I've always been with a big group, I've just followed along...but I always suspected that there had to be a better way to tour WDW.

Well, this year we went alone (just me, DH, and DD). For several months before we went, I did in depth research and planning. People scoffed. They laughed at my weird obsessiveness. I didn't care. I read everything I could find and filled binders with information.

So...we go to Disney World. Guess what? There was no Bataan Death March, no misery, no gnashing of teeth. We saw, rode, ate, and did everything we wanted and waited no more than 15 minutes for anything! I kid you not! We were relaxed, peaceful, and happy. We didn't get hungry, overly tired, or frustrated. My hubby and daughter deeply appreciated the fact that my planning saved the day.

Yes! Victory at last is mine! I didn't follow a hardcore touring plan, I just followed some basic principles based on known traffic patterns and so forth. I will never again just go and wonder aimlessly, now that I am enlightened!

So anyway, in response to the OP - I have tried to share my pearls of wisdom with WDW bound friends. Alas, they are never interested. Although I pity the fools (as Mr. T used to say), that's okay. Let them wait miserably in line at Peter Pan. I have now seen the light, and I'll never return to the darkness of 120 minute waits at Soarin.

 

[BTown]

I would never use a touring plan. Making ADRs is bad enough. The OTHER 51 weeks of the year that I am NOT at Disney, my life consists of running around from place to place, trying to keep a schedule and being at a certain place at a certain time. When I am at Disney, I'm taking it easy. I'll go with the flow and relax. If it means to wait longer in a line, so be it. But I'd rather wait, than feel rushed or imposed by a looming schedule.

 

[Tosie]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE people who don't use touring plans. They're never doing what I'm doing and I don't have to wait on line more than 5-10 minutes.

Since I love to plan, there's no pressure on anyone else in my family. They just say "Where to next?" and off we go!

I don't mind making ADRs months in advance. I just pick the park and research the dining options in that park. I try to visit at least one restaurant we've never tried before.

To me, planning is just the prequel to the vacation.

 

[disneyjunkie]

First of all I don't get frustrated about other people's vacation.

I think those who are super pro touring plans, fail to realize that some of us WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EMH.

Also tour plans my mean different things to different people.

My touring plans include all ADRs, which park on which day, (We try to hit all EMHs during our visit) and how long we'll stay in each park.

Once we enter the parks, we move fast and use fastpass.

We only travel when school's out (peak and regular seasons so far) we've never missed anything on our must do list. Each trip we manage to do the head liners anywhere from 5-15 times.

We've never had a problem catching fireworks or parades.

We hardly ever wait in lines.

So we don't have a touring plan that tells us when to ride each ride, when rest, when to hit the restrooms . . . but we've still managed to have awesome trips and not miss anything.

 

[mking624]

First of all I don't get frustrated about other people's vacation.

I think those who are super pro touring plans, fail to realize that some of us WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EMH.

Also tour plans my mean different things to different people.

My touring plans include all ADRs, which park on which day, (We try to hit all EMHs during our visit) and how long we'll stay in each park.

Once we enter the parks, we move fast and use fastpass.

We only travel when school's out (peak and regular seasons so far) we've never missed anything on our must do list. Each trip we manage to do the head liners anywhere from 5-15 times.

We've never had a problem catching fireworks or parades.

We hardly ever wait in lines.

So we don't have a touring plan that tells us when to ride each ride, when rest, when to hit the restrooms . . . but we've still managed to have awesome trips and not miss anything.

ITA!

This year is the first we'll be traveling during a value season...we typically go during regular and peak seasons. We love taking advantage of EMH, we've never waited in any line for more than 5-15 minutes (the only exception being Soarin' when we were at evening EMH last year..we waited 30 minutes and that was with a fastpass we got the moment the fastpass machine opened at the beginning of EMH), we're able to do everything we wanted to do (which is just about everything), we've been able to never miss a parade or fireworks show and get prime seats even when sitting down just moments before it begins (ie, last year we sat right in front of the castle about 10 minutes before Spectromagic began and there were plenty of others sitting spots around us so DH & I and other guests were stretching out and enjoying ourselves), etc. And keep in mind that we usually don't arrive at any park until at least 11am...we're not morning people at all. I think there's a big misconception that you couldn't possibly do any of that without a touring plan Particularly if you're going during a busy time). But honestly sometimes there are rides we'll avoid the fastpass and go in standby...not because we do't know any better, but because we want to have fun and look at everything they did with the queue. We did this one year when we played around with our Hidden Mickey's book. We love looking at all the little details. Or that you have to pay money to learn these things...because simply by visiting various Disney boards, I've been reading for free what other people pay to acquire.

Now I'm not downing the people who use touring plans...I think they work great for some. And yes, maybe to some people a touring plan might benefit them. This year,because of free dining, I've done a lot of planning as to which parks we'll be at one which day and even around which time. And I HATE it. DH & I love waking up in the morning and just saying "let's do this park today!" All this planning now gives me a big headache. Tour plans are useless for us.