Recent TOURING PLANS use questions..

[Disneyforus]

Questions for people who use it and actually follow it.

We’ve used “Touring Plans” for every trip...we have had great trips and minimal waits.

We do the personalized plans, btw.
Our last trip in 2017 was the first time we used it with the new FP+ system and it was a tad more cumbersome but I’m not sure that wasn’t just user problems
I struggled with when it “optimized” and told me not to use a FP and would override it occasionally.

1. My first question is...should I just optimize and leave it in your experience?

2. We are bringing our 5 yr old for the first time and want to introduce her to some of the Fantasy Land rides before heading off to BTMR or Splash etc..
Would it be better to use the premade touring plans for little kids or use the personalized plan and put the rides in the order I want?

That’s it for now, thanks for your input!

 

[chiisai]

I “optimize” once or twice early on after I put in all my plans, and then I tweak it the way I want, even force using FP if it doesn’t. (Sometimes, based on the waiting vs walking balance, it will make decisions that I just want to change, even if it makes me walk or wait more.)

I’ll then just “evaluate” multiple times as I refine it myself. If I decide I’d like to see how to change things up better - like if park hours change, or I add something that really changes up my time - I’ll make a copy and then optimize it to see what happens.

As far as which plan, you can start with the one for kids and add/remove rides as you wish to personalize it.

 

[mamaofsix]

We used "Evaluate" last year instead of Optimize. I like to have a bit more control over what we're doing, and Evaluate lets me do that without messing with my plan.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

As others said, Evaluate has some benefits over Optimize so play around and see if Optimize works for you. If you want to tweak things yourself switch to Evaluate. Whichever you use remember to do it again within a day or two of your park day to get the latest wait time info pulled into your plan.

 

[Disneyforus]

So, what does evaluate do?? Im gathering it looks at your plan and makes suggestions? I’ve not used that feature.

 

[cincystamper]

Evaluate takes the plan you built and gives you the estimated times. It doesn't change the order of your plan at all. So you can put things in the order you want them and then evaluate the plan and see what your wait times are estimated to be.

There's also an option to force the system to use your FP+ selections. In the Fastpass Selections box, click the little green + next to Advanced Options. At the bottom of that box, there will be a place you can check to make the system use your FP+ selections.

 

[gharter]

Another vote for evaluate instead of optimize.
I don't like that it will overwrite FP times in optimize. And I find the estimated wait times cna be close, but other times way off.

 

[glocon]

Hi jacking thread.... similar question.... the TP videos have you rope dropping fea, tt or soarin. But when I optimized a plan with soarin x2 and tt and other rides/experiences, it put SE first, then Soarin. Has anyone tried doing SE first before soarin or tt? I just rearranged to what I thought was a good plan, but if tp says SE first I’m having second thoughts on my plan.

 

[eeudj]

There are some tutorial videos on Youtube that helped me...... and I am truly of the "Laura Ingels, aka Little House on the Prairie " generation ; 0)

 

[gharter]

Hi jacking thread.... similar question.... the TP videos have you rope dropping fea, tt or soarin. But when I optimized a plan with soarin x2 and tt and other rides/experiences, it put SE first, then Soarin. Has anyone tried doing SE first before soarin or tt? I just rearranged to what I thought was a good plan, but if tp says SE first I’m having second thoughts on my plan.

I would not do SE first. TT, FEA and Soarin' generally have the longest lines at RD. With the 3rd theater, the line for Soarin' moves faster, but can still be 45 mintues within the first 1/2 hour of park opening.
I understand why it would say SE first. Its what everyone sees when they walk into the park and stop there to ride it.

 

[glocon]

I love the tp videos! Lots of tutorials and comparisons and tours. Totally agree- easy to find and watch with lots of useful info. From another Laura Ingalls girl...

 

[glocon]

I would not do SE first. TT, FEA and Soarin' generally have the longest lines at RD. With the 3rd theater, the line for Soarin' moves faster, but can still be 45 mintues within the first 1/2 hour of park opening.
I understand why it would say SE first. Its what everyone sees when they walk into the park and stop there to ride it.

Last time we rope dropped EP we walked on soarin twice in a row. I just assumed that would be the way to go this time too but didn’t want to automatically discount what tp recommended. I think that’s what we will do, it worked before, hopefully will work again since we will be back at the same time this year- last week of July.

 

[glocon]

Do the rides and times drop off thru the day? Like do the 0900 recommendations and rides drop off the plan at 1000? And is it best to optimize thru the day to save time?
This first time TP user this summer thanks you for your input!

 

[agavegirl1]

I “optimize” once or twice early on after I put in all my plans, and then I tweak it the way I want, even force using FP if it doesn’t. (Sometimes, based on the waiting vs walking balance, it will make decisions that I just want to change, even if it makes me walk or wait more.)

I’ll then just “evaluate” multiple times as I refine it myself. If I decide I’d like to see how to change things up better - like if park hours change, or I add something that really changes up my time - I’ll make a copy and then optimize it to see what happens.

As far as which plan, you can start with the one for kids and add/remove rides as you wish to personalize it.

This is exactly what I do. Right now, I have an Optimized half day plan for HS that is sitting there waiting for announcements re: SWGE. I like that I can tweak at any time and Evaluate. I also have multiple plans some days and delete one after all ADRs are made. Sometimes I don't get a time or venue I had hoped for and go to plan B.

 

[yorkieteacher]

I “optimize” once or twice early on after I put in all my plans, and then I tweak it the way I want, even force using FP if it doesn’t. (Sometimes, based on the waiting vs walking balance, it will make decisions that I just want to change, even if it makes me walk or wait more.)

I’ll then just “evaluate” multiple times as I refine it myself. If I decide I’d like to see how to change things up better - like if park hours change, or I add something that really changes up my time - I’ll make a copy and then optimize it to see what happens.

As far as which plan, you can start with the one for kids and add/remove rides as you wish to personalize it.

This ! I re-evaluate up to the day I'm there, only optimize the first time I make it, then rearrange and evaluate according to how I want to tour and the actual fast past times I get. I always try to get fast passes where the predicted arrival time on TP is right in the middle of the hour time frame. I always put relaxed walking, and sometimes have used a different date that had a tad higher crowd predicted. That way I wind up having either a little extra time, or I am not disappointed with what I didn't get to do.

 

[Dracarys]

I always use Evaluate. I like to try to finish most of a land before moving on to the next or at least tour in an organized order. I don't want to be walking all over the place with 3 young ones. I don't feel committed to a plan though. So the day of, we follow the plan generally but allow for some spur-of-the-moment plan changes. We usually accomplish most everything on the plan within the time frame it predicted. But we are a young family, so things always end up taking longer than they should. I try to remember to use the app when we are in the park to mark off what is accomplished. I only recently learned you can optimize while in the park. I may or may not try doing that though. I try not to look at my phone more than is necessary.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Do the rides and times drop off thru the day? Like do the 0900 recommendations and rides drop off the plan at 1000? And is it best to optimize thru the day to save time?
This first time TP user this summer thanks you for your input!

They stay in your plan but you can access them from the Lines app and mark them done. It either makes the step invisible or puts it to the bottom of the screen. I forget which.

From the Lines app you can also Evaluate during the day to get updated times in the plan and if you are a very brave soul (or just not a control freak like me) you can click Optimize and based on the rides that are remaining and updated wait times it will reroute you to the most efficient plan. I have never done this but my SIL swears by it. If you go that route I would definitely save a backup of your plan before hitting the park that day just in case you aren't happy with the Optimize results and want to get back to your plan.

 

[Kcags]

I am using this feature for the first time as well on our next trip. I love playing around with the evaluate tool. When I use optimize, it rearranges the order so that the wait may be less, but you are walking clear across the park. I have young kids also, so I do mine one land or area at a time and keep evaluating to see what to do from there or in what order to ride.

 

[mamaofsix]

Hi jacking thread.... similar question.... the TP videos have you rope dropping fea, tt or soarin. But when I optimized a plan with soarin x2 and tt and other rides/experiences, it put SE first, then Soarin. Has anyone tried doing SE first before soarin or tt? I just rearranged to what I thought was a good plan, but if tp says SE first I’m having second thoughts on my plan.

SE has had some CRAZY wait times lately, and Soarin' is getting more reasonable. So, I wouldn't be surprised if touring plans suggested this. Your wait for SE first thing in the morning is likely 5 minutes vs. probably 60min. later in the morning. Even with FP's for SE last November, we waited 20 min. at 10:00a.m. We rode Soarin' twice with no fp's and 15 minutes waits - once at 9:15 a.m., and once again at 7:00p.m. Hope that helps you!

 

[agavegirl1]

I am using this feature for the first time as well on our next trip. I love playing around with the evaluate tool. When I use optimize, it rearranges the order so that the wait may be less, but you are walking clear across the park. I have young kids also, so I do mine one land or area at a time and keep evaluating to see what to do from there or in what order to ride.

Make sure you select Minimize Walking instead of Minimize waiting for your criteria.