TourGuideMike...Which days at which parks & EMH ??

[Sorcerer Figment]

Hi

To all of you who disagree with TGM, TGM's mission, TGM's business model, or TGM's outfit. Great. Don't use TGM.

To those of you who love TGM, great. Use TGM.

Some people like Fodor's, others like Frommers. In the end, only you know what works for you.

That said:

1. I have seen an incredible amount of misinformation on this post, and I do think that's misleading to someone trying to make an informed decision on whether to use TGM or not, or to use EMH or not.

2. But, this is a public discussion board, and people can post whatever they want, whether it is an opinion or a fact. In the end, people have to evaluate for themselves what others are posting and decide if it's credible or not.

3. I don't see a difference in whether a guide book is offline, as in a physical book, or online in terms of whether you should pay for it or not. Just because a service is internet based it should be free? I'm not sure I follow. A service is a service. If someone wishes to provide that service for a fee, I don't understand why that would offend someone. If you don't wish to pay for a service, then don't. I wouldn't expect the folks at wegoshop.com to deliver my groceries for free, just because it is internet based. I understand that "knowledge" is a more abstract product than a "delivery," but a product is a product is a product.

4. I do understand how people might misinterpret "automated," and do agree that perhaps TGM should listen up and come up with a more accurate means of conveying to the public exactly what it is that his service provides. Any good business will listen to customer feedback and adapt.

5. Can we all agree to disagree?

6. I love the DIS!

Thank you! Exactly!

 

[thelionqueen]

Hi all, after reading this thread for over an hour (over 2 days) I see the strong sides of this conflict. I have always been one to "see for myself" and subscribed to TGM yesterday.

I spent over an hour navigating the site, which, in his defense, he tells you is jam packed with info. and to take your time and learn how to navigate it 1st; which I think I did.

Here is my opinion....So far, everything I've read, I already know. BUT that is because I have spent COUNTLESS hours of researching, chatting and looking into over several years. I am STILL going to navigate the site and see if anything I find substantiates my $22.00.

I DO NOT believe in getting something for nothing, so if I feel Anything I find is worth the price I paid, I will keep subscription.

HOWEVER, I find the site VERY hard to navigate. I am not an IT administrator, but I consider myself "well versed" on web navigation, and this site is very confusing. I feel like I am going in circles!!! Everytime I thinkl.."Aw, this is what I'm looking for" I end up going back 2 steps.

So far, the itineraries look very helpful, but honestly, I could have done that on my own in Word or Excel. I am going to "do my duty" and navigate until I find what I think is worth the $$ or until I get frustrated and give up.

Final thoughts....I think for 1st time visitors, TGM would be MAJORLY helpful, for those who have "done their homework" and have been to WDW many times, this is a repeat of what they have learned.

I honestly think this info. is not useful to me, but will keep searching. I was hoping that you would enter your vacation info. and it would be put into the itinerary. I spent over an hour trying to get all the info. I have and see if it works with his itinerary.

Kind of neutral on this debate I guess, but will update in a few days..

 

[Atotty]

All evidence to the contrary.

Now, where did I put my All-Star Sports mug from '95? My family of five is going to stay in a single Pop Century room, and we need all the free soda we can get to keep our strength up while we pool hop to Stormalong Bay. Oh, and which Epcot-area resort should we park at for our Illuminations evening? We want to make an easy escape.

I sure hope my four-year old (our youngest!) doesn't grow any taller, or the CMs might ask me how old he is when I try to get him in without a ticket. My 10-year-old might be asked about the child ticket too, but we've been practicing her response. Does anyone think I shouldn't take her out of school for two weeks to go to WDW?

(There. Anything else I forogt?)

Don't forget to get the birthday button at each park and wear it at all times even though your birthday was 5 months ago. And mention that it's your bday on all your ADRs.

 

[Pedler]

Hi thelionqueen.

Be sure to check out the trip reports forum to get a feel for a TGM style vacation. Be sure to post a hello on the forums. If you can't find something the people there are very helpfull.

Good luck with your evaluation.

 

[Pedler]

Don't forget to get the birthday button at each park and wear it at all times even though your birthday was 5 months ago. And mention that it's your bday on all your ADRs.

I thought the rule for birthday buttons was plus or minus 6 months from your actual birthday. Is that not correct?

 

[jerbroni]

You asked for information before you edited/deleted your post. Specifically you asked for a publicly accessible web page in which Mike favors EMH

http://www.michaelsvips.com/faq.htm#7

Every guide book and internet board favors using EMH. Saying Mike favors using EMH is not a trade secret but is certainly an opinion that can be discussed.

Not sure if you edited your post because you wanted to take the high road or because you realized you were wrong.

Lewis, I think you're missing the point, because I do not see any mention of the terms 'EMH' or 'Extra Magic Hour' anywhere on that page you linked. I won't even get into the fact that you linked to michaelsvips.com, a separate and quite different facet of TGM's endeavors. Now, in that FAQ, he advocates going early, but then wouldn't that apply to non-EMH days as well? What about the evening EMH? Reading comprehension for the win! Now, how again was I wrong, or do you want to take another shot at the Pepsi challenge?

 

[mill4023]

You asked for information before you edited/deleted your post. Specifically you asked for a publicly accessible web page in which Mike favors EMH

http://www.michaelsvips.com/faq.htm#7

Every guide book and internet board favors using EMH. Saying Mike favors using EMH is not a trade secret but is certainly an opinion that can be discussed.

Not sure if you edited your post because you wanted to take the high road or because you realized you were wrong.

Maybe I'm just stupid, but I don't see anything on that page that makes any mention of EMH.

And as far as the UG, here is a quote from their best days page:
"As an example, the Unofficial Guide generally recommends [bold]avoiding[/b] any park on its Extra Magic Hour days."

 

[Wishing on a star]

GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!

This whole thing is ridiculous...
This thread has been repeated, and repeated, and repeated, many times already in the past!!!

IMHO, anyone who says, "Hey, here is a tip... you can cut through the stores..." is doing NOTHING wrong.

But, anyone who says "TourGuide Mike says....." is breaking their user-agreement!!!

It does not matter if it is some HUGE TGM secret, or if it is something as basic as "come in out of the rain". The point is, TGM has compiled his expert information and advice, and is in business to offer it to paying subscribers.... the huge percentage of which are happy. He did not do this as a free internet service. Anybody who directly quotes TGM, saying "TGM says ........." is definately in the wrong.

Also, if somebody has a huge problem with TGM offering this service... Then, SO WHAT!!!!! I only wish that I was so darned care-free that I would consider TGM a problem!!!!! People.... GET A LIFE!!!!

I wish the DIS would make a policy of banning all of these repetitious, ridiculous, TGM threads.... apparantly somebody here says that they have banned TGM????

 

[Atotty]

I thought the rule for birthday buttons was plus or minus 6 months from your actual birthday. Is that not correct?

I stand corrected.

 

[BethR]

... somebody here says that they have banned TGM????

Yes, I have read that a couple of times on this thread, but even being a Moderator here, I do not know if that is true...or not.

 

[madgomez]

The problem I'm having is that users of the UG are able to tell me a great deal about what they've paid for there because they don't have to agree not to tell. I can't really get any information on what exactly TGM offers because no one is allowed to talk. That makes it extremely difficult to make an informed decision. I'm not one to buy something just because people say, "It's great! I can't tell you why, but it is really great." It's like those mystery boxes on Ebay. I won't buy one because I don't know what is in it.


Shel

I've never seen a mystery box on Ebay. I don't suppose it comes with a money back guarantee, does it?

I do, however, agree, lime green it is.

 

[luuuceee]

Hi all, after reading this thread for over an hour (over 2 days) I see the strong sides of this conflict. I have always been one to "see for myself" and subscribed to TGM yesterday.

I spent over an hour navigating the site, which, in his defense, he tells you is jam packed with info. and to take your time and learn how to navigate it 1st; which I think I did.

Here is my opinion....So far, everything I've read, I already know. BUT that is because I have spent COUNTLESS hours of researching, chatting and looking into over several years. I am STILL going to navigate the site and see if anything I find substantiates my $22.00.

I DO NOT believe in getting something for nothing, so if I feel Anything I find is worth the price I paid, I will keep subscription.

HOWEVER, I find the site VERY hard to navigate. I am not an IT administrator, but I consider myself "well versed" on web navigation, and this site is very confusing. I feel like I am going in circles!!! Everytime I thinkl.."Aw, this is what I'm looking for" I end up going back 2 steps.

So far, the itineraries look very helpful, but honestly, I could have done that on my own in Word or Excel. I am going to "do my duty" and navigate until I find what I think is worth the $$ or until I get frustrated and give up.

Final thoughts....I think for 1st time visitors, TGM would be MAJORLY helpful, for those who have "done their homework" and have been to WDW many times, this is a repeat of what they have learned.

I honestly think this info. is not useful to me, but will keep searching. I was hoping that you would enter your vacation info. and it would be put into the itinerary. I spent over an hour trying to get all the info. I have and see if it works with his itinerary.

Kind of neutral on this debate I guess, but will update in a few days..

I'm a loyal TGMer myself, but I've chosen to stay out of this (until now). I do want to tell you, thelionqueen, that you are not the only one who finds the site difficult to navigate. For me, everything "clicked" and it made perfect sense. But I see people on the TGM message boards who sometimes have difficulty finding what they're looking for.

What you CAN do, if you can't find something, is give a shout out on the TGM boards, and someone can point you in the right direction. I see several posts like that each day.

I also see your point about those who have "done their homework" and been to WDW many times not needing some of the advice. I can navigate parks now using TGM's style without needing to read his park touring plans.

BUT...when a new ride is added, how will that affect the rest of the park touring plan? What happens when showtimes change out from under you? What happens when a ride is supposed to reopen on a day you're going to be there and they extend the rehab period?

THOSE are the types of things that keep me renewing my AVP. I just got back from Florida a month ago. I spent 2 days at WDW - one at MGM and one at Epcot. I had my entire MGM plan figured out, and then last minute, they changed the LMA show times. One of Mike's assistants posted this information, and I was able to change my tour plan 2 days before I left. It would have been frustrating to get to the park and see that times changed - and drastically too. I like the frequent updates, and while sometimes they're not instantaneous, because Mike's just busy, they usually get added pretty quickly.

I only wish there was a TGM for Disneyland, since we'll be there in March and I haven't been there in 15 years and don't know where to begin. But I do have Ridemax - I'm sure it will come through for me.

 

[magicaldisney]

It seems to me that no matter whether you subscribe or don't subscribe, agree with it or don't agree with it, everyone is entitled to their opinion and NO ONE should be referred to as dumb or stupid.

It's about fun, don't loose site of that.

 

[d4est]

THE OP--there is the OP who has actually responded since the request for info about whether he/she ever tried posting the question over on the TGm boards and yet never said if he/she did try posting on those TGM boards...in fact some TGM subscriber has said there is no post from d4est on the tgm BOARDS or even one that might be similar under another screen name---why?
First I would point out that the answer to the question EMH? which day which park? is EXPLICITY advised by TGM and the REASONS are given and specified for different times of year and updated at times based on changing circumstances...but even if the site is too complicated for someone--(SECRET--he uses green lights for go to a park and red for advising against with yellow inbetween--that may be something a bit too complex for some people) even if that is too much a simple post on the TGM boards would easily have gotten many informed answers about how to interpret the info and sometimes even Mike himself weighs in..or his staff does..so either the poster is not a TGM subscriber or is not willing to actually find out the info or does not understand the info---even if he/she wanted to ask here as well--an intelligent approach would INCLUDE getting info directly from fellow subscribers

OP here. 1st of all, my user name is not d4est over there....secondly, I didn't post a similar question over there. Now...my original question here has been edited because I was apparently posting insider info. Basically I asked if people followed TGM's tips or not...do they follow touringplans.com? I am not so "stupid" that I couldn't follow what TGM suggested. I didn't need to post over there to have someone explain it to me or to help me "interpert the info." I do not appreciate being called stupid or having someone say I didn't use the "intelligent" approach. In fact, in my original post I was asking for opinions/advice/experiences...because there is such conflicting info out there. Having never been to disney, I was looking for words of wisdom from other "normal" vacationers on how they approach touring...be it by the advice of TGM or some other method...not for someone to explain why TGM suggests what he does! So, thank you very much, but I am far from stupid. I do NOT consider it stupid to gather opinions from others to then make my informed decision!

It would seem that you are the uninformed one, as you obviously have no idea what my OP intailed!

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

It seems to me that no matter whether you subscribe or don't subscribe, agree with it or don't agree with it, everyone is entitled to their opinion and NO ONE should be referred to as dumb or stupid.

It's about fun, don't loose site of that.

Or ignorant.

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

I've never seen a mystery box on Ebay. I don't suppose it comes with a money back guarantee, does it?

I do, however, agree, lime green it is.

Yes, there are mystery boxes on Ebay. No money back guarantee.

For the record, I haven't given enough credit to the MBG, which appears to be fully honored in the experience of several posters. However, in my book, time is money, and while my money can be refunded, my time cannot, which is why I'd rather make a very informed decision before purchasing, spending hours navigating, etc.

But yes, LIME GREEN IT IS!

Shel

 

[madgomez]

The answer to your question is no Spiderman is in Universal. My initial impression is that you're making a smart a-- remark and not asking a question.

My initial post said: and I assumed most guests know Spiderman is in Universal.

Glad I could help educate you.

I missed this yesterday - gee, and the TGM folks were accused of being grumpy.......................

 

[PKS44]

OP here. 1st of all, my user name is not d4est over there....secondly, I didn't post a similar question over there. .....-snip- Basically I asked if people followed TGM's tips or not...do they follow touringplans.com? I am not so "stupid" that I couldn't follow what TGM suggested. --snip--- In fact, in my original post I was asking for opinions/advice/experiences...because there is such conflicting info out there. Having never been to disney, I was looking for words of wisdom from other "normal" vacationers on how they approach touring...be it by the advice of TGM or some other method..--snip--

It would seem that you are the uninformed one, as you obviously have no idea what my OP intailed!

Well- thank you for clarifying that--your answer proves that you are and apparently remain "uninformed" on how to intelligently approach this problem--you could have gotten opinions on this without ever mentioning TGM at all in your post just ask instead -- how do people tour regarding EMH?-those that use TGM would be unlikely to tell you how here anyway-given their user agreement- then you could compare what others do against what you "know" about TGM's advice --in other words--there might be lots of people who tour exactly as TGM suggests without ever even knowing what TGM is--(some of the posts on here suggest that his advice is nothing new anyway) ---so those people's experience and advice would not get you any new info either-- -why would you post on a non TGM board about how people tour with or without TGM advice and never post on a TGM board where you are much more likely to find TGM experienced people to tell you what their experience was?....seems to me they could have told you what they have done before and after TGM-giving you a full spectrum of experience both with and without ----instead on this thread you have lots of answers from people who never used TGM and speculate about what the advice is and misrepresent it as well---and have you tried getting opinions on the TGM boards to see how it might differ??---no you have not even tried---that means you don't know--that you are ignorant of what might be said on those boards....if you are a subscriber why not take advantage of this additional source of info? DO you prefer being ignorant of additional information and points of view?

It is true that all are entitled to their opinions...TGM is not perfect-nothing can be perfect for everyone--that is not the point --I found TGM a challenging site to navigate--others do not, I thought the advice was worthwhile others do not---to each his own---my criticisms on threads like this is strictly BASED-on the apparent inability of these posters to ask their questions on TGM boards---it makes NO SENSE to ask these sorts of questions without at the very least ALSO posting on the TGM boards--no sense--that is not opinion. TELL ME how they would be disadvantaged by asking on the TGM boards? There is a sound way and a misguided way to gather information.

That these threads so far have ALWAYS-every time -been from someone who never even tried to get info from their subscribed source suggests that these posters are looking for more than just information--I don't mean to sound like one of those TGM "groupie" weirdos--- who defend TGM against attack---I would prefer fewer people know about it so long as he stays in business and keeps me updated with current info when I need him....but there are obviously people who have a an admitted "ting" against the guy and there may be others who are just not so open about it and this is their way of "getting back" at that mean TourGUide Mike--I don't know and I don't care what their reason is...their behaviour shows that they are at best "uninformed" about how to get the info they say they seek.


As I pointed out in the "poll" thread the one for people who have never used TGM --the posing of a poll like that shows nothing...it is akin to trying to prove that it is not worth paying for a $30 steak at Morton's (Ruth's Chris, Yachtsman steakhouse) by polling ONLY people who eat at Ponderosa whether they enjoy their steak when they go there...it shows people can enjoy themselves...it shows nothing at all about the value or lack of value of an expensive steak...If you want to know whether it is worth it to eat at an expensive steak joint you need to ask people who have experienced an expensive steak AND an inexpensive steak...

 

[momof2inPA]

Why would you pay for information that you can get on the DIS or Mousesavers for free?

I guess it's compiled and presented more concisely by TGM, but if you have the time to peruse other sites for the same info, I see no point in wasting the cash. JMO.

 

[momof2inPA]

Getting back to the original question....

We have found that using the early entry into AK for the Kilimanjaro Safari works well. We were told that the animals were most active early in the morning. It is hit and miss though. One trip we took, we had animals so close to the jeep we could have touched them.

We did the Safari just before the park closed in Feb. last year, and the animals were very active. Giraffes were right next to our jeep, and even the lions were up and about.

In general to the OP, I think the evening magic hours have been the best parts of our last two trips. The parks are so pretty at night, lines were very short at both MK and Epcot in both Feb. and August, and the CM's seem to be in great moods. Feb. can be cold, so bring jackets and blankets.

We usually spend the days at other parks and go to the park with evening magic hours. We avoid the early magic hours, because we're just not morning people. I would let your daughter's internal clock decide. If she's a morning person, early hours and then a hop to the park that had emh the day before may work best. If she's a night person, the park that had emh the day before and then evening magic hours could work out. Have a good trip.

P.S. This advice is free, my opinion, and may or may not work out for others. No money back guarantee. If someone could pm me and tell me how close this is to tourguide mike's advice, I'd love to know.