Is touring plans worth it?

[shawthorne44]

Just downloaded the app and there's really nothing in the free version, so I found this thread to see if it's worth getting the subscription. So for clarification, it looks like the cost is now $17.99 (not the $15 referenced throughout this thread).

Still debating internally, though - have never used their actual touring plans. In the past, I've subscribed to get their calendars when I was planning ADRs and FPs way out in advance. I'm leaving on Saturday and, I think, having the real time wait times would be the most beneficial feature. But maybe I'll give the actual touring plan a whirl, too.... Any additional insight on how to maximize this app would be helpful. I thought, as a WDW veteran, I wouldn't need a "touring plan" - I know what I want to see. But seems like this would be good for our family, too, if you get to pick your hit list of rides and then the app suggests how to go about that - is that a correct understanding?

That is correct. You enter your plans for that day, what attractions you'd want to do, when you want your meals, breaks, desired walking speed. Then click optimize and it will reorder things. The best part is that while in the parks, you can tell it what you've done in the plan, and re-optimize. If the data has changed, it will re-order things for you. The cool thing is that the data change is the real-time wait data that was entered that day by other liners.

Since you are experienced, I'd start out entering the plan you'd make without them, and then optimize from there. You might prefer XYZ ride in the afternoons. If you put it third, and it doesn't make any difference, it will leave it third.

If FP+ ever returns, you entered those too and it optimized around them.

I guess I'm a geek, but I liked entering the wait times, because then I could see how long I'd been in line (vs. how long it felt). It has a function, where you push one button when you start and one when you finish.

 

[jbish]

That is correct. You enter your plans for that day, what attractions you'd want to do, when you want your meals, breaks, desired walking speed. Then click optimize and it will reorder things. The best part is that while in the parks, you can tell it what you've done in the plan, and re-optimize. If the data has changed, it will re-order things for you. The cool thing is that the data change is the real-time wait data that was entered that day by other liners.

Since you are experienced, I'd start out entering the plan you'd make without them, and then optimize from there. You might prefer XYZ ride in the afternoons. If you put it third, and it doesn't make any difference, it will leave it third.

If FP+ ever returns, you entered those too and it optimized around them.

I guess I'm a geek, but I liked entering the wait times, because then I could see how long I'd been in line (vs. how long it felt). It has a function, where you push one button when you start and one when you finish.

Super helpful! Thank you! I just pushed the purchase button.

 

[snickbar]

I guess I'm a geek, but I liked entering the wait times, because then I could see how long I'd been in line (vs. how long it felt). It has a function, where you push one button when you start and one when you finish.

How do you do the stopwatch type function to time how long you're in the lines? Do you have to be in the park for that function to appear? I purchased this recently and looking at the app, I don't see the option.

 

[shawthorne44]

How do you do the stopwatch type function to time how long you're in the lines? Do you have to be in the park for that function to appear? I purchased this recently and looking at the app, I don't see the option.

In the app, go the park you are theoretically in. You will see a list of attractions, each in their own box. In the upper left corner of those little boxes is a symbol that probably means Timer. When you click on that, it gives you the option to either enter the posted time, or Time your wait in line. When you select Time your wait, you get a "Start Timer" button. I usually like to also enter the posted time so that I can see how my wait compared to Disney's posted time, and the app's estimated time.

 

[Pookie9922]

We used it for our 2018 "once and done trip" and it was perfect! Will be using it for our second trip too! lol Should have known better than to say it was a one time only trip! I think so much of the success of that trip was due to Touring plans.

I put in a few timed breaks to give some extra buffer for snacks and bathroom stops. And so that even if we got behind the schedule we didn't feel like the day was ruined. I like to go, go, go, but I knew I'd lose my family if I was like a drill instructor all trip! Even so, several days I looked at my clock in the afternoon and we were to the minute on schedule.

I set mine up so we more or less circled each park once to minimize steps going back and forth and left time at the end of the day to repeat anything we wanted to. But the plans were crucial for me figuring out what was doable and what I should leave out if it wasn't too high priority. (We are disneyland people so there was plenty we could leave off without feeling like we missed out, but wanted to do if possible) We were able to 100% of the things we had hoped to see and then plenty more. For a first timer in the parks, if you don't mind spending the time ahead of the trip planning it out, it's soooo worth it! And given how expensive a trip is, I feel like every hour I put in ahead of time paid for itself!

I also made different versions of the plan depending on how the day started - like one if we successfully rope dropped or not. Another if we felt like doing ride B instead of ride A or if we missed a showtime. Another if we wanted to go clockwise vs counterclockwise in Epcot. I don't think I optimized during the day since I had them pretty specifically planned, but I built up lots of contingency plans to begin with. I may have reoptimized if we got behind schedule too much but I can't remember.

I'm sure right now everything is so messed up that they have a hard time predicting what a week will look like, but it's probably better than nothing! We aren't going until next spring so I'm betting things will be more consistent then.

 

[Jennywebb]

I really loved using the touring plans to help me loosely map out my day and what might be doable during each day of our trips. Also loved having the app for in the parks to help me with making adjustments!

 

[mdmost]

We just got back and I think Touring Plans was definitely worth helping me figure out the best way to tackle Magic Kingdom. I would take their crowd levels with a grain of salt though. They said HS and Epcot would be 1s each day we were there this past weekend. That was definitely not the case. I broke out the app a few times to help with choosing or declining a ride based on their stated wait. They were fairly accurate with the real wait times.

 

[StageTek]

I would take their crowd levels with a grain of salt though. They said HS and Epcot would be 1s each day we were there this past weekend. That was definitely not the case.

What would you say the crowd levels were this past weekend?

 

[mdmost]

What would you say the crowd levels were this past weekend?

Not sure but there was a massive jump in crowd levels from Friday to Saturday. I was shadowing our trip all week and most stuff in HS was walk-on for most of the day. Saturday waits were in the 45+ minutes range for most rides by 11am. It had to be on the 3 to 4 level on Touring Plans for crowds. We went early both days this weekend and got a lot done before noon.

 

[Solo2987]

I decided to sign up to use the crowd calendar, which reportedly is more accurate than most. I was unsure about the value until I used their reservation finder and got a Be Our Guest reservation for the evening of our bachelor/bachelorette party. Long story short, they keep watch and e-mail you when a spot opens up, and I was a hero for getting that reservation. $15 was worth it.

Of course, there's no guarantees, but it is nice to have the ability. In my case, I paid $15 for a one day visit to Disney World and was glad to have done it.

 

[CWTC]

We’ve never subscribed to TP - pre COVID we used FP+ heavily and had a routine/plan. We have been going regularly since 2008, etc so I’m not confident the actual itineraries will be useful. With lack of FPs and G+ release unclear, is it worth subscribing just to get accurate wait times? Also am I wrong -would the itineraries be helpful?

Thanks!

 

[twincruisers]

My feeling on TP is that the fewer days and the more rides you want to do per day, the more TP makes sense.

The more leisurely the pace (e.g. more days), the less value as you can take your time and not optimize every waiting minute.

that said, I also like supporting good data science, so I pushed buy for my 10-day ticket in support of TP.

 

[CWTC]

My feeling on TP is that the fewer days and the more rides you want to do per day, the more TP makes sense.

The more leisurely the pace (e.g. more days), the less value as you can take your time and not optimize every waiting minute.

that said, I also like supporting good data science, so I pushed buy for my 10-day ticket in support of TP.

Thanks for your input - we will be there for 9 days with an AP and returning in May 2022 (+/- 2 more trips in fall 2022). For us the urgency is less about getting as many rides in and more about doing our usual rides (plus new ones ie MMRR and ROTR as stand bys) in the most efficient manner possible.

 

[twincruisers]

Thanks for your input - we will be there for 9 days with an AP and returning in May 2022 (+/- 2 more trips in fall 2022). For us the urgency is less about getting as many rides in and more about doing our usual rides (plus new ones ie MMRR and ROTR as stand bys) in the most efficient manner possible.

TP can help with that. We have RotR scheduled for 2-3 rides each of the 3 days we are in DHS.

 

[shawthorne44]

TP also has the "I Walk Slow" and "Minimize Walking" options on the personal touring plans. I find it more efficient to wait an extra 10 minutes in a nearby line than walk 5 minutes to save 5 minutes in a line across the park. So, I love those options.

 

[noahdove]

I have used for a few Disney trips and I have found it fairly accurate for crowd numbers and park planning.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

I can’t wait to see their genie+ touring plans, when these are released.

 

[ElizBlair]

It's been a while, but we were really pleased with them for a previous trip. We created our own customized plans and used them to optimize while in the park. The wait times were much more accurate than the Disney app at the time, and I hope that continues to be true.

 

[Micca]

For the $18 you can subscribe to TP for a year, or you can get a cheeseburger meal at WDW. The burger def isn't worth the $18.

 

[davper]

Yes