http://www.touringplans.com/ Anyone used?

[Bella2000]

I'm looking for feedback on using this site: http://www.touringplans.com I initially read about it in the Unofficial Guide. I have gotten excellent (responsive) emails back from them answering my questions however I also figured I'd ask whether anyone has used them.

 

[Samsma]

I'd also like the answer to this. Has anyone actually tested their suggestions? Do you feel they actually saved you time over what you would have chosen anyway?

 

[ScarletIndigo]

I've never seen TouringPlans.com before, but if you're looking for something along these lines, check out www.tourguidemike.com. The price for a personalized "Automated Tour Planner" is $22.95 with the $2 MouseSavers.com coupon code (enter EB5AB-6EL in the promo code field).

I visit my own Automated Planner at least once every couple days, and you'll have a great time reading through descriptions and reviews of all of the various attractions, restaurants, resorts, etc. This is ESPECIALLY helpful for anyone who hasn't been to WDW in a long time, if ever. It's been 10 long years for me, and I read each and every review and description of all the rides. I feel MUCH more prepared for my trip than before, and the Automated Tour Planner offers lots of other helpful information as well.

Just my two cents! Hope you enjoy your vacation!

 

[sm4987]

Giving this a bump as I have never heard of this either and would like to know more information.

 

[jaysue]

Yes, we requested some custom plans through the site and they worked out great - normally you do not need a custom plan unless you are arriving other then park opening or you have a specific set of attractions and rides you want to go on.

We requested custom plans since I had only DS (3 1/2) with me and wanted to build an touring plan around his preferences and ride abilities.

If you go during off peak quiet times, the plan will generally not be needed.

Lentesta crawls these boards and he is the software writer of the plans. I am sure he will catch this thread sooner or later

Thanks
jaysue

 

[lentesta]

Hey Bela2000,

As JaySue mentioned, I help run the TouringPlans.com website. I also wrote the software the Unofficial Guide uses for its touring plans. We've provided touring plans to literally hundreds of families in the past few months. I'll be happy to provide you (or anyone else) with references from recent customers if you'd like.

Another source of information you might find interesting is Mouseplanet.com's Mike Scopa, who gives details on the touring plan software in his review of the Unofficial Guide. The link is: http://www.mouseplanet.com/mike/ms030516.htm .

Finally, the May 26 edition of U.S. News and World Report has a small blurb on the software, as part of an interview with Bob Sehlinger. That link is: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/030526/misc/26diversions.htm .

If enough folks are interested in the concept of customized touring plans, I'll be happy to post a sample plan. Someone pick a park, let's all decide on the attractions and meals, and we'll see what the software can do. Hey, that sounds like fun!

Sincerely,

Len Testa

 

[Samsma]

OKAY!!! Let's pick MK w/ EE option!

 

[mykidsmom]

How about lunch at Crystal Palace. We need to do Fantasyland and all the mountains, too! And Buzz of course!

 

[Samsma]

To quote my kid as he was throwing his typical MK tantrum - I wanna ride Peter Pan!!! I wanna ride Peter Pan!!!

I also wanna watch the parade
Haunted Mansion

 

[jaysue]

Go for broke, throw in a sample plan for MK on an EE/EMH day with every single attraction - then people who do not want to follow the whole plan/have enough stamina just skip the attraction/step they do not want to do and move on to the next one

Thanks
jaysue

 

[Samsma]

I guess the reason for the specialized plan would be picking the best time for the attractions that your family would want to do? If you vary a little, say spend too much time for lunch - does this throw off the whole thing? Would skipping a long line at one attraction alter the overall plan?

 

[lentesta]

Hi Samsma,

We usually suggest folks allocate at least 40 minutes for lunch and 50 minutes for dinner. But going over on that, say, an hour for lunch and 75 minutes for dinner, wouldn't significantly alter the plan. You'd be fine. We're usually very conservative with the timings in the plan, too, and we don't assume you're power-walking between attractions, either.

Jaysue, we've already used the software to have someone see every attraction and show in the Magic Kingdom in one day. Forty-one unique attractions in exactly eleven hours. We dubbed this the "Ultimate Magic Kingdom Touring Plan." The guy that did it also provided a nice writeup of his experience. Let me know if you'd like to see it. It's not for first-time guests, families, or anyone not in top physical shape. But we think it's nice for the kids to have something to shoot for.

Okay, we've got the MK during an EE day, including lunch at the Crystal Palace. We've also got the following attractions:

-------------------
- Fantasyland -
-------------------
Cinderella's Golden Carousel
Dumbo
it's a small world
Mad Tea Party
Peter Pan's Flight
Snow White's Adventure
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

----------------------
- Tomorrowland -
----------------------
Buzz Lightyear
Space Mountain


-------------------
- Frontierland -
-------------------
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Splash Mountain


And the afternoon parade.


That's eleven attractions, the afternoon parade and lunch. Still not hard enough. How about the next five posters pick another attraction, and throw in a mid-day break for a couple of hours?

Thanks,

Len

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

I'll throw in Pirates and Haunted Mansion.

And how about Jungle Cruise and the Country Bear Jamboree???

 

[Samsma]

I would like to take an afternoon break to check out the WL and FW!

 

[Mickeyluver37]

Originally posted by lentesta
Hi Samsma,



Jaysue, we've already used the software to have someone see every attraction and show in the Magic Kingdom in one day. Forty-one unique attractions in exactly eleven hours. We dubbed this the "Ultimate Magic Kingdom Touring Plan." The guy that did it also provided a nice writeup of his experience. Let me know if you'd like to see it. It's not for first-time guests, families, or anyone not in top physical shape. But we think it's nice for the kids to have something to shoot for.


Len

I'd like to see this!! With only 5 days in the world, who's got time for afternoon breaks? Thanks.

 

[Bella2000]

Since I'm the original poster do I get to I pick one?! What about Toon Town - Goofy's Barnstormer! Actually Len I'm going to email you because I think I have my answer by your willingness to do such a plan here - don't get me wrong I still want to see Barnstormer and midday break to go back to the BCV to swim!

This is too cool - thanks everyone for feedback and to Jaysue for "user feedback"

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by lentesta
we've already used the software to have someone see every attraction and show in the Magic Kingdom in one day. Forty-one unique attractions in exactly eleven hours. We dubbed this the "Ultimate Magic Kingdom Touring Plan." The guy that did it also provided a nice writeup of his experience. Let me know if you'd like to see it.

I think we'd all like to see this! I'd also be interested in the guys writeup of it.

Back to your original question....You didn't ask what age group you're planning for. Let's assume it's your run of the mill "average" Disney family with 2 kids and 2 adults. No particular special needs.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by Mickeyluver37
I'd like to see this!! With only 5 days in the world, who's got time for afternoon breaks? Thanks.

I agree, we can sleep on the way back home.

You have to include spectromagic and FITS in this touring plan.

Do you get many request for touring plans from single parents?

How do you test your touring plans? Do you have a team that works with you or do you pick people in the parks to test them?

 

[lentesta]

Wow, this is quite the thread! Give me a couple of hours to go through these posts, and I should have the touring plan posted Monday evening. I'll assume a family of 4 with no other special needs.

Disneyjunkie, as you'd imagine, we get touring plan requests from every type of Disney visitor. That includes single parents, grandparents, parents of "special needs" children, expectant mothers and everything in between.

We use both research team members and volunteers to test the touring plans. We usually post requests for volunteers here, on Rec.Arts.Disney.Parks, and on Deb Wills' AllEars newsletter. We do our best to try "double blind" the touring plan tests, where we don't know which plan the volunteers are getting, and they don't know either. We usually pay for lunch for the volunteers, too, in case anyone is interested in participating.

We usually spend the spring months testing new touring plans against the existing plans. For example, we tested new Epcot and Animal Kingdom touring plans in March, April and May of this year. Look for new Epcot plans in the 2004 edition, and a "tweaked" version of the Animal Kingdom plan as well.

We also test the touring plans against control groups. For example, we've tested the One-Day Magic Kingdom Touring Plan for Adults against people with no touring plan, and against Disney veterans (50+ trips, minimum) who were allowed to modify the plan as they thought best. We compared each group to someone who started at the same time and simple followed the touring plan in the order shown.

People without touring plans fare poorly, as you might imagine. Many are not able to see all of the attractions listed.

The closest anyone's ever come to equaling the touring plan is a group of Disney veterans (50+ trips) who had only one extra hour of waiting in line. That is, they finished in about 12 hours something the control group finished in about 11. The veterans had a copy of the touring plan, but were allowed to modify the sequence in any way they wanted. They ended up splitting into teams (no kidding) to survey FASTPASS booths to see which would give them the most benefit. It's not something that typical families could do, and they still ended up waiting an hour more than they would have had they simply followed the touring plan, but that's the closest anyone's come.

Hope this helps. Again, I'll be posting the touring plan this evening. In the meantime, feel free to ask any questions.

Sincerely,

Len

 

[cruisnfamily]

Bump