TouringPlans Optimize suggestions inquiry

[Stefien Quix]

Have many people used this in their Disney trips? Have you found it to be good suggestions? I'm trying to use it for my planning for my trip and I'm often confused by some of the decisions the system makes when I let it Optimize my trip. It seems to have us bouncing all over the park.

Has anyone else let TouringPlans Optimize'd plan completely drive their trip and discovered the site knew something you didn't?

 

[AngiTN]

Don't use Optimize. I do not think it ever works. It will suggest things that are impossible to do. Use the other option it works great. Sorry, I forget the name now but it should be obvious when you see the choices you can click.

 

[Soarin4us]

Optimize saves you waiting in line time, not steps. We take short trips and walking is no problem, so we find it helpful.

 

[SA mom]

Optimize saves you waiting in line time, not steps. We take short trips and walking is no problem, so we find it helpful.

Yes, this. We usually opt for walking and we see/ride a lot of stuff. If you quick walkers, this is the way to go. However, one summer I was coming off knee surgery and opted for less walking. It was okay, but I felt very frustrated just waiting in line. I'm sure my family did, too. If you have kids that are too big for stroller but still little, opt for less walking.

 

[Stefien Quix]

@AngiTN "Evaluate" is the other option.

I'm bringing a (just turned) 5 year old and planning on having a stroller with us for the inevitable "I'M TIRED OF WALKING!!" complaint. You have the option of tweaking your walking time from "Average" to "Relaxed" or "Very Relaxed". Do you think I should switch to one of those?

 

[TinkSassy]

Changing it to optimize walking does help - but I use evaluate and pick my own path. I find that easier seeing as I know the parks so well.

 

[chris benton]

Optimize weighs line wait times vs walking, and chooses the best way to manage your time. You can select the option for less walking in your touring plan if you'd care to. You can also choose a different cadence of attractions if you'd care to, and then let the application show you expected wait times. I'd guess most ppl do it this way. The application doesn't take kids/strollers/tired grandparents into consideration. The application is versatile. I think it's fantastic.

 

[AngiTN]

@AngiTN "Evaluate" is the other option.

I'm bringing a (just turned) 5 year old and planning on having a stroller with us for the inevitable "I'M TIRED OF WALKING!!" complaint. You have the option of tweaking your walking time from "Average" to "Relaxed" or "Very Relaxed". Do you think I should switch to one of those?

Personally, yes. That's the one I use. I put in my FP and attractions and let it order things for me. I find it works great. I've never had the success PP have mentioned with Optimize.

 

[GillianP1301]

I usually start with Optimize and then shuffle stuff around to what I think makes more sense and go with the evaluate option.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

I put in my own list, have it "evaluate" and then I move my list around based on that evaluation (perhaps my plan has us waiting an hour for a show to start or some such, and then I switch the order to fix that problem).

"Optimize" seems to really focus on minimizing wait times, even if you tell it to minimize the walking. It may minimize the walking AFTER it minimizes the waiting.

It makes certain assumptions as well, like that I want to watch the fireworks from the middle of Main Street and get there 5 minutes before they start. It's not a huge issue but I make sure I pay attention to that.

 

[coasternut22]

The thing with touring plans is that you have to play around with it a lot to get a plan you like. I incorporate several strategies when I create my plans. I also have 2 little kids where crisscrossing the park is not an option.

First I use optimize. It gives me a couple of things. It lets me know what attractions I should do first, what attractions I should fastpass, and it provides me with an idea of what attractions I can do mid-day with minimal wait. It also gives me options for starting times for shows.

I then start moving things around to where it makes walking sense. I generally move things around by land “Fantasyland, Adventureland, etc.” I’ll do rides in Fantasyland first, with a fastpass or two, then move on to Tomorrowland, etc. I then exclusively use Evaluate after that to keep my attraction order. What I generally find, is that if I move things around manually to an optimal walking order, it only adds 5-20 minutes throughout the day, which is fine with me.

There is also things I know from experience. I know that I can ropedrop Junge, Pirates, Splash, & Thunder in about an hour, and can then go back and do other minimal wait attractions, so I take these things into consideration.

Again, the thing with touring plans is to play around with it… a lot. Try a lot of scenarios by using Optimize and Evaluate, and switching fastpass times to get a plan that works for you. I also prefer to use touring plans on a computer to use the drag and drop feature, rather than on a tablet or phone in which you have to click the link to move the order. Too slow.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I put it on Very Relaxed walking speed and maximize Reduce Walking. Then I Optimize. Then I move things around if I know what it has told me is not what we will do. Then click Evaluate. Usually that gets me where I want to be. The times we have followed the plan, it has been right on. You can also get the app and it adjusts as you go, so if you get to something early or skip something, the plan is updated for you.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

I put it on Very Relaxed walking speed and maximize Reduce Walking. Then I Optimize. Then I move things around if I know what it has told me is not what we will do. Then click Evaluate. Usually that gets me where I want to be. The times we have followed the plan, it has been right on. You can also get the app and it adjusts as you go, so if you get to something early or skip something, the plan is updated for you.

This is what I do as well (very relaxed walking, and set to minimize walking) and it gives me plans that have me going from one side of the park to the other more than once in order to have a shorter wait time, so I've given up on that. It's less of an issue at HS but when I did our AK plans it had me walking to Africa, then to Pandora, then back to Africa, then over to Dinoland. I'm sure sometimes there's just no other way, because the optimizer also tries to get you to everything on the list before whatever time you're trying to finish in that park.

 

[Stefien Quix]

Any of you experts interested in looking over my plans and telling me if they make sense or if it's crazy or something should change/be dropped?

 

[gharter]

I have done it both ways. Optimize seems to be set to minimize waits, but you may walk a lot more.
Generally I use evaluate and then move things around myself.
I use the plan as a general plan and usually change it when we are in the park and decide we want to do things we hadn't planned on or not do ones in the list.

 

[chris benton]

Also, Touring Plans has a discussion board. Many people, probably plenty of them that use disboards post over there. Lots of these same questions, and folks asking members to look over their plans, and make suggestions.