Unofficial guide to disney touring plan vs. personalized plan

[lisaross]

Ok so I know you can do the personalized plans - this way it includes exactly what u want to visit - but I'm confused when I hit optimize it adjusts it for the current crowds. So if I'm not planning to use the app before hitting each park every day, is it better to use the plans in the book or still personalize.

For example we will be hitting AK two mornings - hitting EE and Dinosaur both days, but sometimes it will have them as first in the morning which I assume is correct and then I go I. And optimize and it switches it all around so obviously that is for current crowds - how do I personalize without basing it on current crowds but rather usually best strategy?

 

[Alesia]

Never, ever use the optimize button. Make your own touring plan by starting with the cheat sheets at easywdw.com and taking out the things that don't appeal to you. Then put that into the touring plans generator and push evaluate. That's all you need to create a great plan.

I'm not sure why you think it's basing anything on current crowds - it's not.

 

[lisaross]

Because when I hit optimize it changes everything around

 

[Alesia]

Because when I hit optimize it changes everything around

That's because it's giving you what the computer thinks is a better plan than the one you've got. It has nothing to do with current crowds.

 

[lisaross]

So then I should hit optimize to get the best arrangement to hit rides - but how many times does it change the order? Why does it not give the best order right away? Think I'm missing something

 

[lisaross]

Never, ever use the optimize button. Make your own touring plan by starting with the cheat sheets at easywdw.com and taking out the things that don't appeal to you. Then put that into the touring plans generator and push evaluate. That's all you need to create a great plan.

I'm not sure why you think it's basing anything on current crowds - it's not.

Why not use the optimize button?

 

[Alesia]

Why not use the optimize button?

Because it screws everything up.

Make a good touring plan, put it in the tp generator and hit "evaluate" to get a good idea of the time frame.

If you hit "optimize" it will give you a completely different (and inferior) touring plan.

 

[Happy_2_B]

What touring plan program are you using? If it is the UG plan, go to their boards at touringplans.com- there are lots of posts on how to work through this. And you should be using optimize first (if it is their program) several times until it stabilizes- THEN hit evaluate. Cannot speak to the other ones.

 

[lisaross]

Because it screws everything up.

Make a good touring plan, put it in the tp generator and hit "evaluate" to get a good idea of the time frame.

If you hit "optimize" it will give you a completely different (and inferior) touring plan.

Ok thanks - I will redo them

 

[lisaross]

Oh so the personalized plan will not put it in the best order to do the rides, I figure that part out - it will pretty much tell me the wait times? So I have to know which ride to hit 1st, 2nd etc?

 

[lisaross]

What touring plan program are you using? If it is the UG plan, go to their boards at touringplans.com- there are lots of posts on how to work through this. And you should be using optimize first (if it is their program) several times until it stabilizes- THEN hit evaluate. Cannot speak to the other ones.

Yes UG

 

[Happy_2_B]

Yes UG

We personalize ours- and there was a bit of a learning curve- but once you figure out how they work it is easy. When you make your personalized plans, it is for what attractions you want to see that day. The program will optimize the order of those attractions based on predicted crowds and wait times- in other words, you are using their statistical 'strategy' to hit the attractions in the optimal order to minimize standing in line. You do not control the order- the program does. Otherwise, it is pointless to use the software.

 

[serene56]

I use optimize a few times-- then change the stuff around to suite my needs. I put the walking to slower then evaluate ALWAYS EVALUATE> will evaluate the day before we go-- then print it out

 

[ChloesDaddy]

Make a good touring plan, put it in the tp generator and hit "evaluate" to get a good idea of the time frame.

This is how I use it too. I decide how much of the park and which areas we want to do on a given day. Then I set which priority attractions will use FP+ or be done at rope drop and spread those out across the time we plan to spend there so we can hit stuff in each area and move on without backtracking. If you optimize, the plan will likely have you taking crazy criss-cross routes back and forth across the park to minimize wait times. The app lets you minimize walking as well, but I still prefer to come up with my own plan and evaluate.