YukiPhnx
The Minnie to my Mickey
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2009
- Messages
- 3,108
I'm not a newbie, but this is only my second time with kids and its been 5 years since the last time we went. What is Tour Guide Mike?
It doesn't look like anyone has answered your question. I've never used it myself, but from what I hear on the DIS, it's a site that helps you make your touring plans. They can suggest the best days to go to which park depending on crowd levels so you'll know which parks to go to and which to avoid on each day of your vacation.
touringplans.com is pretty much the same thing with with Unnofficial Guide. I know the UG has a crowd calendar and they can also plan your park itinerary for you, so you're not stuck wondering in the middle of the day, what to do next. They've figured out the best times to go on each ride to maximize your time in the parks.
I've also heard lately that Ridemax is also very good, and they take into account your dining arrangements as well.
As for the Op, I'm not sure if anyone has cleared this up for you yet, but if you buy your tickets now and don't use them until next year, they never expire. Tickets you buy are good for 14 days after you first use them. So you don't need to pay for the no-expiration date if you won't be going to WDW until next yr. They'll still be good park tickets.
If it's your first time, I don't recommend the Park Hopper. You won't know the parks well, so you won't really know which park to head to if you find you want to leave your current park. Also, you can spend a lot of time commuting between parks because other than Epcot and Mk, the parks aren't directly connected.