If you search around there's often discount codes for the membership (I think I found one on MouseSavers.) I paid $10 for my membership and in light of the thousands we spent on the trip, it seemed like nothing. I am very type A and I loved all the planning info available on Touring Plans.
Touring Plans uses models to predict both crowds and ride wait times. There's an interesting podcast on the Dis Unplugged where they interview Len Testa about the methodology behind it all (it was on 3/6/18.) With a subscription and if you believe in their ability to predict crowds, you can plan your whole trip using their recommendations. You can make up your own "custom touring plan" where you select the park, pick out all of the rides, shows, attractions, meals, breaks that you want, and it will come up with an "optimized" order to follow. It makes recommendations on which fast passes to get and then once you get them you can reoptimize your plan and it will incorporate them. You can download their app where it gives you their predicted wait times vs. Disney's posted wait times and keeps track of your plan for you.
There's lots of debate over whether or not the methodology is accurate, if it's worth it, etc. When we were there in December I found that the actual wait time usually fell somewhere between Disney's posted wait time and Touring Plans' prediction. It was entirely my fault, but I got way too into trying to beat the crowds and spent a ton of time while in the park on the app trying to reoptimize after every ride, or getting stressed out when we fell behind our planned time schedule. I couldn't relax and enjoy quality family time because I felt like I was missing out on the 'smartest' way to do things if I didn't keep checking on our plan. Again, my fault and definitely my own Type A personality working against me.
If you're staying onsite, Touring Plans has pictures of the views from nearly every type of room at all of the hotels. You can check them out in advance and then fill out a room request form with TP that they will fax to the hotel for you. We did that for our Dec trip but there were pros and cons to it. For one, our room wasn't ready at check-in and they said it was because we had made a special room request. And also, we didn't get the room that I had requested. We stayed at the Contemporary in the garden wing and I asked for a first floor room with a view of the pool. We did get first floor but no view of the pool... so our request was somewhat met, and overall we ended up being really grateful we were on the first floor.
Touring Plans also has an ADR reservation finder that is awesome. I actually think it's the most valuable feature on their site, and ironically, it's free (no subscription needed to use it.) They will text you when the ADR you want opens up and if you're quick enough you can catch it. I got shut out of 3 restaurants we wanted at 6am at 180+ days out but with the rez finder I ended up getting everything we wanted at the exact times we wanted.
Hope that's helpful information, if there's anything else you're specifically curious about, let me know! I think for only $10 it's worth it. I know I spend $10 without blinking at the parks!
