Question about Tour Guide Mike

[tzuhouse]

I've seen a lot of people talking about this and it seems like everyone loves it, unless they go to Disney over and over. This will be our second trip and first with our boys. I've bought 3 books already and now I'm considering doing TGM also! Am I nuts?!

Here is my question. The day we go to MK, the first thing we HAVE to do it ride the train. Then, we are going on the Family Magic Tour. Will TGM allow you to put things in that MUST be done and then create a plan for the rest of the day or not. I don't want to buy it just to not have it give me the freedom to do that.

Thanks for info.
Mary

 

[iwannabeminnie]

Tour Guide Mike doesn't MAKE you do anything. He merely makes suggestions and tells you what has worked over and over for the groups he has led and for individuals. You won't spend any more for TGM than you would for a guide book and you might find some very valuable information and some options you had never considered.

 

[ryanmilla]

The great thing about TGM, which you will either read or hear from other DISers, is that he tells you why certain plans work and don't work. He gives you the reasoning behind the crowds and where to be. That helps YOU make the decisions on where to go and when. You won't have a printed plan like with the UG, but will have information and knowledge as to how to make your own plan.

However, it is A LOT of information. If you are one who likes to plan and read up on why things are the way they are, then I would definitely say to subscribe to TGM.

 

[Disneynutbsv]

We've been quite a few times and this is the 2nd time I've used Tour Guide Mike. I love it! The advice and tour plans and more! He's got a lot of pictures on there. I'm very happy with TGM

 

[Brian Noble]

The AVP is more similar to the Unofficial Guide than it is to RideMax---the AVP and the UG have collections of pre-planned park tours, with lots of information to help you customize the tour to your needs. They both have lots of other stuff too, but the AVP doesn't do what the OP thinks it does. RideMax, on the other hand, takes a specific list of attractions you want to see, and generates a "good" schedule. However, even RideMax won't let you say "but I really want to do the train first."

For what it's worth, none of the "professional" sources of advice I can think of will tell you that riding the train first is the way to minimize waiting in line. Then again, that's not necessarily the only thing to worry about, and if you really want to ride the train first for tradition's sake, go for it!

I think TGM is great, and find myself gravitating to it more than most other sources for in-park touring advice, but there is such a thing as over-planning. Each resource has a slightly different view on how to attack the parks. If you already have three of them (and at least one of them has a good touring plan for the parks) you may not need to get a fourth.

For your specific situation, I'd read either the Unofficial Guide or TourGuideMiKE---both have good (and reasonably similar) lists of "best times of the day" for each attraction. You can use that info plus your own constraints to put together a decent touring plan.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I wouldn't bother with TGM. Have done that route, and personally, his information, although mostly good, is convoluted and confused, with multiple links to the same informational pages. Yes, I agree, his reasoning for suggesting the things he does is sound, and useful, but if you are looking for specific advice about how to make your train ride work into your plans, I don't think he's the way to go. I like TouringPlans.com a lot better, and for customized plans for park touring at certain times of years, for particular groups of people, I find them much more concise. No, not perfect, just better (and cheaper!).

 

[Pedler]

The great thing about TGM, which you will either read or hear from other DISers, is that he tells you why certain plans work and don't work. He gives you the reasoning behind the crowds and where to be. That helps YOU make the decisions on where to go and when. You won't have a printed plan like with the UG, but will have information and knowledge as to how to make your own plan.

However, it is A LOT of information. If you are one who likes to plan and read up on why things are the way they are, then I would definitely say to subscribe to TGM.

This hits the nail on the head. There is a lot of information on TGM. It does not provide a spoon fed itinerary. There are some samples but the best thing it does is provide the reasoning why he suggests certain plans. For the cost it is definitely worth it.

I do agree that the seasoned WDW vets that go time and time again may not get much out of it but that is becuase thier touring goals and methodology are different than someone that may only go once every few years. Some people here at DIS go every year or some even go multiple times in a year. What they want to accomplish on a WDW vacation is most likely different than the person that only goes once every 5-10 years.

Good luck with your trip planning.

Edited to add: I agree with the above in that I don't think you will find any guide that will suggest taking the train first thing. Having said that the one nice thing about TGM is that if you do deviate from the advice you are better prepared to adapt to the change if you understand the why as opposed to following a strict prepackaged touring plan.

One knock on TGM is that at times the presentation of the site is can be confusing but the informationis worth it. Also the message boards are not nearly as active as the ones here but there is none of the animosity that sometimes comes up on these boards and there are a lot less "fluff" posts. The "I'm leaving in X days come dance with we" type of stuff.

 

[dwmlaf]

I signed up with TGM. After spending a few days reading it I was able to create a plan that was RIGHT FOR ME. I didn't like Touring Plans, I felt I was going with the "flow" of others and not be able to make decisions.

I found a lot of useful information with TGM and I have never been to WDW.

 

[HaleyB]

I am one of those over planner, read the books types. I joined TGM for my trip last year and found his advice so much more helpfull than anything in any of the books that I joined again this year so I could reread his advice before our trip. I have been to WDW multiple times and grew up in Disneyland, so I was pretty surprised to find TGM had a few things to teach me.

I think TGM is the BEST guide that will give you useful advice given your situation. However the site is not an Automatic touring plan generator- it is a vacation planning tool. He does have several sample touring plans for people that want to use them and more importantly he teaches you how to develop your own touring plan. He tells you why certian rides should be hit early and teaches you how to be your very own tour guide. They do take some work, but he gives you all the information you need.

Joining TGM will also allow you access to his private message boards, these are a fantastic source of information and help.

My second choice would be the Unofficial Guide, they do give you most of the data you need to make your own plans BUT they do not give you much reasoning because they generate plans based only on collected data, so there really isn't much 'why' do it this way in their book.

 

[tzuhouse]

Thanks! I guess I'll get it as soon as DH gets paid next week. I'm a huge planner and can spend hours at a time working on stuff. I've been planning this vacation since last October and we don't leave until December.

Thanks for the information.
Mary

 

[ajcolorado]

Tour Guide Mike costs about the same as a guidebook. www.themouseforless.com/membersavings/Benefits/TourGuideMIKE.shtml has a discount code for $3.00 off the Tour Guide Mike service - type in A82E8-2AH as your Promo Code during checkout.