TGM worth it? POLL

[mickeysaver]

I wish you had made this where you could put multiple answers. I learned most of what I needed to know from www.wdwinfo.com www.disboards.com www.allearsnet.com www.mousesavers.com and the UG touring plans website. TGM is horribly outdated and it takes too long for the vital park crowd projection charts to be issued and updated. The price is also a rip off. Why pay almost $20 when you can spend less than half the price and get lots of great touring plans from the UG site?!?!?

I just don't understand the allure of TGM. I tried it just to see what all the hype was about, but I have to say that it was not worth it and I will not renew! Maggie

Edited to add...the customer service on TGM also totally stinks!

 

[Markstudy]

I payed the $7.00 (or what ever it is) for the UG touring plans website.

I don't know how good it is, but they give you the entire year, which is the 1st thing I care about, add that plus what I learn on the DisBoards, I feel that I just need to pick my slow months, and then...my park days so I can book my 180 day ADR's

TGM is something I'd like to try...and I don't care about the money. But I'm counting how many years people are going to say his web site needs to be organized. Some day when he fixes that, I'll join. I guess I just don't have the patients for hunt-and-peck.

TGM... I'm looking forward to sending you my money...when you get your site sorted out.

 

[lady danger]

I used this for my last trip to WDW and found it to be a good resource. It helped make the first trip to WDW that I ever planned by myself a little less overwhelming. His itinerary tips were what made it particularly worth my $$. We didn't use any of their hour by hour plans, but I appreciate TGM's advice about which parks would be the most crowded on which days.

 

[JessiMommy]

Go to the park in the morning that had EMH the night before. I did that before reading TGM, so not exactly a state secret. The crowds follow the EMH, go opposite for lower crowds.

While that advice is definately good & I've used it many times, TGM's plans don't always follow that rule. There is more that comes into play than just what park had an EMH yesterday.

 

[eliza61]

It was ok but I found the same information on the web (dis, allearsnet & others) for free. Mousesavers for one, had way more up to date info. The information is good if your a first timer. It's the same price as a tour book.

 

[honeybee30]

I recommend TGM, especially his best days predictions. His advice on where to view parades & fireworks is also useful. We've used TGM for the past 4 trips. Our subscription just expired (right before our January trip ),and I'd renew it in a second, if I was planning another one.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

There's nothing inherently wrong with TGM, and am glad I joined up once upon a time. But I hardly think I need it now.

 

[scheddj]

I've used it and feel it's well worth the $17 if only for the red/yellow/green day advice. It really made a huge difference on our Thanksgiving trip.

 

[knelson]

I used it and it had some good info - but I am more of a full service type of person. I used Breezy's Laughing Place ....www.easybreezyplanning.com - Easy Breezy Planning. Brianna is wonderfull and she makes reservations for you and provides a great binder of info customized for your trip.

As far as get in early - I would say no way, stay late!!!! We did the magic hours and were walking on the rides. AM magic hours are one hour - big deal and not worth dragging the kids out of bed. 2 - 3 hours at night and you can do most of the park. We also went back to the Magic Kingdom between 11 and 1 when they were open late and it was just as good as the magic hours - and this was during Christmas week - which is supposed to be the busiest time of the year.

 

[portia9]

I haven't done a test run yet but I have been thrilled with the information I have received there. I am a newbie though and knew nothing before joining. The people on the forums have been incredibly helpful too.

 

[KitKate]

I also find the TGM site very useful but you do have to read a while until you realize his organizational style as there is a lot of information to go through. Make sure you locate the area with Stephen's Cool Stuff and Monica's Cards on the TGM site as they summarize a lot of the actual info into a carry-in-a-quick-view format. Those saved me alot of time in the actually touring method.
I also love the DIS boards!

 

[tmatthews]

just bought it for our upcoming trip. I did so because we are going over Easter break and I know the crowds will be tough! I do find the site terribly frustrating though. I am glad to get info about parks and will feel my way around the order of rides/attractions.

 

[Hotdoggie1977]

Me and my wife had our very first trip during Easter break and didnt have a problem at all. Of course I read this site for months before we went. So I think if you have time and enjoy planning, that you should save your money and do it yourself.

 

[missypie]

We had 7 park days. We went during Thankgiving week. We rode everything we wanted to ride, multiple times if desired, and never waited more than 12-15 minutes for any ride. To me, that says that TGM is DEFINITELY worth it.

I got a lot of very valuable info from the TGM boards. I did notice that quite a few people on the boards were not following his advice, posting things like, "I know that Mike says that MK is a red day that day, but....." To feel like Mike's advice helps, you need to actually follow Mike's advice!

 

[sbell111]

We've been to WDW many, many times over the years and are annual pass holders.

For our recent post-Christmas week at WDW, I used TGM. Honestly, I wasn't that impressed. The site is very difficult to find your way around and the advice didn't seem that helpful.

There were days that we followed his advice of which park to go to and days that we ignored it. Our experience in the parks was pretty much the same. Obviosly, that doesn't mean that the parks that we didn't choose would have been better or worse. It is what it is.

In the future, I won't bother with TGM. I will continue with PassPorter, however.

 

[sbell111]

As far as get in early - I would say no way, stay late!!!! We did the magic hours and were walking on the rides. AM magic hours are one hour - big deal and not worth dragging the kids out of bed. 2 - 3 hours at night and you can do most of the park. We also went back to the Magic Kingdom between 11 and 1 when they were open late and it was just as good as the magic hours - and this was during Christmas week - which is supposed to be the busiest time of the year.

This has been our experience as well during peek seasons. Sleep in, stay late, have fun.

 

[scammermom]

The most valuable part for us was the Least Crowded Days charts. The boards were ok but I can get most of my questions answered here. It was very interesting to read his tour plans. It does take some getting used to the way he has it laid out.

I don't part with my money easily and I found this to be a good value.

 

[goodferry]

We have used TGM for three trips, still find his website useful, still find his best days incredibly helpful and as far as one park being empty and another being full...well not exactly empty but I have been to the MK on a Green day and a red day during the same trip and there was a HUGE difference in the number of people there and the wait times.

 

[mshoo1]

I frust used TGM for a one-day excusion from Tampa to MK. I was amazed what a difference the TGM itinerary made compared to an earlier trip using the unofficial guide. I also like all of the detailed information. My wife finds it overwhelming and tough to navigate, but appreciates the info nonetheless. We have used the site extensively this year to plan an upcoming Feb. 2008 trip.

 

[missypie]

I frust used TGM for a one-day excusion from Tampa to MK. I was amazed what a difference the TGM itinerary made compared to an earlier trip using the unofficial guide. I also like all of the detailed information. My wife finds it overwhelming and tough to navigate, but appreciates the info nonetheless. We have used the site extensively this year to plan an upcoming Feb. 2008 trip.

I admit that for our first trip to WDW a couple of years ago, I used every bit of Mike's info...where to try to sit at every show, neat places to explore in the AK trails, etc. This last trip, I didn't have the energy to consolidate it all, so I didn't use as much of the detail (but I had already internalized the general ideas.)

I will say that there are a few places - such as one recommended for Wishes-where Mike says that no one has discovered them and he is right-no one has discovered them. We went to Wishes, and waded our way through an astonishing crowd after the first Specto-thousands of people were around....then we got to Mike's "secret" spot for Wishes and NO ONE ELSE was there!!!