Scratching my head over Touring Plans

[SnipsNSnails]

Yes, evaluate not optimize. I have found it to be fairly accurate on the wait times. I like to print it out as I don't have a smart phone and I reference it as we go. It lists your FP times at the top of the page which was handy as well. I recorded ADRs as well so all my day's info was on one or two pages. If nothing else, it gives us a plan and when I'm asked where to next, I have an answer. Having a plan is one of the biggest time savers. We waste the most time when we get thrown off the plan and have to make it up.

 

[tcherjen]

Maybe this isn't everyone's case, but I used the line app a few years ago. It quickly killed my phone. I deleted the app and battery life returned.

 

[mrzrich]

Let me add that after I posted this thread, I got a personal email from Len Testa himself to resolve my issue. Great Customer service!

It seems I uncovered a bug in the program that he is having fixed.

 

[Lupeix]

Same here, evaluate not optimize. Plus the crowd calendars and lines app.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I'm settling down this week and doing a customized plan. I was using the "optimize" feature so I'll also run the "evaluate" feature. I've been using his touring plans since I had to rip the "Dumbo or Die" from the back of the book more than 10 years ago, and I've always been a big fan. Yes, I also buy the Unofficial Guide every year but I just haven't read do to time restraints.

I've only done 1 day so far and am having a hard time with the FP+ being incorporated. I can't possible use my FP+ for 1:40 PP; 2:40 FoFP and 4:45 7DMT into the schedule as it is made. It doesn't make the time for it if you know what I mean. It doesn't include it with the plan unless I did something wrong because it has me on other attractions at the same time. It doesn't make the time into the schedule for the FP+

 

[LilyWDW]

Pretty sure optimize is meant to be used the day of, taking into account current information that is being added by users. It's not meant to be used ahead of time. Thus why it doesn't work.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

Pretty sure optimize is meant to be used the day of, taking into account current information that is being added by users. It's not meant to be used ahead of time. Thus why it doesn't work.

If true, that isn't made clear on the site. The personalized plan tool allows users to just pick a list of attractions and optimize a plan for dates months in advance. Certainly people use optimize during the park day, some with consistent success, but I've not seen anything to indicate that is the exclusive purpose or intent.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

I'm settling down this week and doing a customized plan. I was using the "optimize" feature so I'll also run the "evaluate" feature. I've been using his touring plans since I had to rip the "Dumbo or Die" from the back of the book more than 10 years ago, and I've always been a big fan. Yes, I also buy the Unofficial Guide every year but I just haven't read do to time restraints.

I've only done 1 day so far and am having a hard time with the FP+ being incorporated. I can't possible use my FP+ for 1:40 PP; 2:40 FoFP and 4:45 7DMT into the schedule as it is made. It doesn't make the time for it if you know what I mean. It doesn't include it with the plan unless I did something wrong because it has me on other attractions at the same time. It doesn't make the time into the schedule for the FP+

I think I know what you're seeing. Selecting FP times doesn't force them to be used, probably because there are still multiple sequences of attractions for which the FP can be valid. That is, just because you select a FP window, that doesn't mean the app knows when during the window you want to use it or whether there are certain things you want to do before or after it.

The best approach is to select your order of attractions first with no FP then evaluate. Then select your first FP based on when it has you arriving at that attraction. Then evaluate again and select your second FP time. Then evaluate again and select your third. Then evaluate one last time so it is using the FPs at the right time. While doing this you may find you need to switch your order to avoid overlapping FP times or zig-zagging across the park.

Alternatively, if you want the FPs at certain times, add attractions, meals or breaks to push the FP attraction into the window you selected.

If I'm not understanding correctly let me know and I can try to give a better answer.

 

[mrzrich]

I've only done 1 day so far and am having a hard time with the FP+ being incorporated. I can't possible use my FP+ for 1:40 PP; 2:40 FoFP and 4:45 7DMT into the schedule as it is made. It doesn't make the time for it if you know what I mean. It doesn't include it with the plan unless I did something wrong because it has me on other attractions at the same time. It doesn't make the time into the schedule for the FP+

Per my email correspondence with Len Testa, I believe that this is the bug that he is working on fixing

 

[Meandnevaeh]

So, "optimize" might work when you're in the park using the Lines app. If I wrote it (and I most certainly did not!) it would take into account your location on the map, the most recent wait times, and the attractions the guest has selected to visit for the day and suggest the next attractoin to visit. It might do that now, I don't know, I didn't use it for our last trip (I did use TP though)

But unfortunately, the Lines app is too slow for me, as is the internet connection in the parks (WiFi or cellular) - and I don't want to be on their phone all day in the park.

So, I evaluate and live with my plans. We generally travel as a group of adults...if we miss something or a line is longer than we'd care to wait, we just skip it. We don't do many M&Gs but that will change w/ the ability to meet Chewie and/or Vader.

The optimize feature is definitely meant to be used while in park, I used it and optimized throughout the day, I did not find it to be too bad, but until you are actually there it's best to just use the evaluate

 

[ArielSRL]

I think I know what you're seeing. Selecting FP times doesn't force them to be used, probably because there are still multiple sequences of attractions for which the FP can be valid. That is, just because you select a FP window, that doesn't mean the app knows when during the window you want to use it or whether there are certain things you want to do before or after it.

The best approach is to select your order of attractions first with no FP then evaluate. Then select your first FP based on when it has you arriving at that attraction. Then evaluate again and select your second FP time. Then evaluate again and select your third. Then evaluate one last time so it is using the FPs at the right time. While doing this you may find you need to switch your order to avoid overlapping FP times or zig-zagging across the park.

Alternatively, if you want the FPs at certain times, add attractions, meals or breaks to push the FP attraction into the window you selected.

If I'm not understanding correctly let me know and I can try to give a better answer.

This is exactly the way I do it. Works great.

 

[lentesta]

Per my email correspondence with Len Testa, I believe that this is the bug that he is working on fixing

Yes, this is exactly the bug. If you tell us you've got Fastpasses for attractions A, B, and C, then (for now) you also need to manually add attractions A, B, and C to your plan. It's bad UI design - sorry about that. It's a simple fix, maybe a couple of days once we run it through the standard tests. Thanks again, @mrzrich.

 

[tentaguasu]

So just to be clear, because this is the first time I'm using TP plans, are the wait times with "evaluate" reasonably accurate? I mean, I know it'll never be perfect, but reasonably close?

 

[snayak]

So just to be clear, because this is the first time I'm using TP plans, are the wait times with "evaluate" reasonably accurate? I mean, I know it'll never be perfect, but reasonably close?

I believe they are based on history & statistical wait times - nothing can account for a tour group getting in line right before you or a thunderstorm clearing the park, but I couldn't find any major issues with their forecast wait time (especially 2-3 months ahead of time!).

 

[lentesta]

So just to be clear, because this is the first time I'm using TP plans, are the wait times with "evaluate" reasonably accurate? I mean, I know it'll never be perfect, but reasonably close?

Yes; they're our current best estimate of what the waits are likely to be at that date and time. Also, we use the same wait times for the "optimize" and "evaluate" buttons.

 

[ArielSRL]

So just to be clear, because this is the first time I'm using TP plans, are the wait times with "evaluate" reasonably accurate? I mean, I know it'll never be perfect, but reasonably close?

And they/he/it "grades" itself. The site will tell you how far off the wait times were for, at least, the day before, and maybe more.

 

[jcemom]

So just to be clear, because this is the first time I'm using TP plans, are the wait times with "evaluate" reasonably accurate? I mean, I know it'll never be perfect, but reasonably close?

We have used TP over multiple trips and have found the estimates to be reasonably accurate. The estimated walking times are pretty accurate too.

 

[lentesta]

I believe they are based on history & statistical wait times - nothing can account for a tour group getting in line right before you or a thunderstorm clearing the park....

On the day you're in the park, we update the wait-time estimates every 5 minutes, based on what we're actually seeing that day. It helps the plan work even if the original estimates were off a lot.

 

[Raeven]

I subscribed to TP before our first trip, and even then I knew the touring plan part just wasn't right. We didn't want to crisscross the parks as we had mutiple days and I thought it would be easier to do everything in an order, but touringplans always recommended it. I ended up making my own touring plan that worked for us, but I find a lot of the other information helpful. Their estimated wait times and crowd calenders helped me make my touringplan and their menus were helpful too (though I think some are outdated). We also subscribed to the Universal portion because it was hard to find some of that information on Universal (like all menus together, wait times) and that was helpful too.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Yes, this is exactly the bug. If you tell us you've got Fastpasses for attractions A, B, and C, then (for now) you also need to manually add attractions A, B, and C to your plan. It's bad UI design - sorry about that. It's a simple fix, maybe a couple of days once we run it through the standard tests. Thanks again, @mrzrich.

Ok. I will wait a few days and do my plans. Will I still need to add the attractions?

ETA I did not know to "Optimize" while in the park and it will use current wait times. That was very helpful information indeed! That makes the TP even MORE helpful. Thank you to the PP.