When will Unofficial Guide respond? Len Testa?

[Tromba]

I've been checking the Unofficial Guide site (touringplans.com) daily since the announcement of all the new changes in tickets, packages and schedules. I assume they are working hard on this to provide updates for everyone who has already purchased the 2005 Guide. I am especially interested in getting new estimates of least crowded days, what with the new EMH schedule. A concise, perhaps table-based description of the new ticketing system with comparisons to the old tickets would be nice as well, for those of us who have already bought the old tickets for upcoming trips and need to decide whether to use these or upgrade to the new tickets.

Anyone know when there might be some information forthcoming from Sehlinger and company?

 

[GoldenOldie]

I believe that they may already be in Florida for the Mousefest activities this weekend. I am sure they will make the updates as soon as they can but they have never been known to be the first one on the block with the changes posted.

 

[FallDisney]

The day this new pricing structure was announced, our travel agent said that the big news caused them to stop printing the newest Unofficial Guide until it could be revised.

 

[SnackyStacky]

I've been checking the Unofficial Guide site (touringplans.com) daily since the announcement of all the new changes in tickets, packages and schedules. I assume they are working hard on this to provide updates for everyone who has already purchased the 2005 Guide. I am especially interested in getting new estimates of least crowded days, what with the new EMH schedule. A concise, perhaps table-based description of the new ticketing system with comparisons to the old tickets would be nice as well, for those of us who have already bought the old tickets for upcoming trips and need to decide whether to use these or upgrade to the new tickets.

Anyone know when there might be some information forthcoming from Sehlinger and company?

I can't answer your scheduling questions, but I can point you here. It's a spreadsheet to help you figure out the cost of a Magic Your Way Ticket for your needs. The prices of the hopper and hopper plus passes are listed so you can find out.

Generally, if you need a 4 day park hopper, you'd be best advised to buy it now. If you need 5 or more days, and will use all the days, wait to buy Magic Your Way. (If you want 5 or more days that never expire, buy Park Hopper Plus tickets now)

 

[Hippychickali]

Stacy, I can't seem to get the spreadsheet to work. It's giving me errors when I try to open it. It might just be me but I thought I would let you know anyway.

Ali

 

[SnackyStacky]

Stacy, I can't seem to get the spreadsheet to work. It's giving me errors when I try to open it. It might just be me but I thought I would let you know anyway.

Ali

Hmmm...working okay on my end...

Do you have Microsoft Excel?

 

[liznboys]

I've been checking the Unofficial Guide site (touringplans.com) daily since the announcement of all the new changes in tickets, packages and schedules. I assume they are working hard on this to provide updates for everyone who has already purchased the 2005 Guide. I am especially interested in getting new estimates of least crowded days, what with the new EMH schedule. A concise, perhaps table-based description of the new ticketing system with comparisons to the old tickets would be nice as well, for those of us who have already bought the old tickets for upcoming trips and need to decide whether to use these or upgrade to the new tickets.

Anyone know when there might be some information forthcoming from Sehlinger and company?

I am anxious for this info. as well.

 

[DisneyTripPlanner]

I was wondering the same thing, too, as I just bought the 2005 edition and was so excited about all the planning info (first time buying this guide book). I'm very curious about the park crowds and planning days. It looks like my whole itinerary will change!

 

[clkelley]

I "believe" Bob and Len are currently on the Disney Wonder. They left Sunday and will be in WDW on Thursday through Monday or Tuesday.

As one of the hosts of Mousefest, I'm sure they were quite busy on those last couple of days before the cruise.

Carol

 

[Mainebound]

Since he is away, I think it will be ok to share that I have been in email contact with Len on this, and believe me, they have made it a top priority to update recommendations for which parks to visit on which days.

However, as Len pointed out to me, there are more than 20 variables to that equation, and as one of them is actual attendance, they won't have complete information to project park attendance in 2005 until they get an accurate assessment of what impact the new EMH actually has on crowds.



Hang tight everyone!

 

[lentesta]

Hi folks,

Sorry for the delay in responding. Boy, I can't wait until the search feature returns.

As Mainebound noted, the new EMH changes won't happen until January, and it'll probably take us a month or so of data collection to make some conclusions about the effects of the new schedule. We'll be posting updated Best/Worst days to the website as we collect this information.

That being said, we know that many of you are trying to plan trips for the first part of year, and can't wait for a complete data analysis to be done. For that, we've revised the entire 2005 Best/Worst days calendar, and will be posting it (in full) to the website within a week or so. (Bob's reviewing it now, and I expect it to be approved by the end of the week.)

Mainebound noted that more than 20 rules go into making the Best/Worst days recommendations. The new total is 24, and we'll probably post these rules to the website, too, so you can see what assumptions we've made. One rule, for example, is that we should recommend each park at least once in any seven-day period, to ensure that families on a weeklong vacation get to visit each park when it's not too crowded.

Most of the rules come from our analysis of wait time statistics. Of the previous rules used, two stand out as being spot on under the old schedule: go to Epcot on Monday and Thursday, and the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday and Friday. If we assume that the new EMH schedule is supposed to address "slow" days in the parks, the new EMH schedule fits those parks and days exactly, so our analysis was really good. Okay, it might just be pure luck, too.

Hope to see everyone at Mousefest this Saturday.

Sincerely,

Len Testa

 

[davesdog]

I just ordered this book for the first time, from Amazon. Will the updates be online, of can you send for them? I'll keep my reciept handy in case I have to prove anything!

 

[Sandyincanada]

What a great spreadsheet, Snacky!! Thanks

 

[lentesta]

The updates will be online, yes. And free.

Thanks!

Len

 

[lentesta]

We got word today that the publisher, Wiley, will re-print the book in late January with the updated information. I expect to have a complete set of updates on the website sometime this weekend, too.


Also, Bob's approved our new 2005 Best/Worst days calendar, so that should be posted to the website in the next 72 hours.

Sincerely,

Len

 

[lentesta]

The entire 2005 calendar has been updated and posted to the web:

www.TouringPlans.com/BestDays.htm

This page includes all of the constraints, rules and assumptions we made in producing the calendar. And the second printing of the Unofficial Guide, scheduled for January '05, will include all of these changes as well.

Thanks,

Len Testa

 

[tiberius]

Thanks for the update!

 

[liznboys]

The entire 2005 calendar has been updated and posted to the web:

www.TouringPlans.com/BestDays.htm

This page includes all of the constraints, rules and assumptions we made in producing the calendar. And the second printing of the Unofficial Guide, scheduled for January '05, will include all of these changes as well.

Thanks,

Len Testa

Wow, thanks so much for posting that so quickly!! That information is going to change our plans around quite a bit.

 

[alicenwonder99]

Thank you!!!

Mary

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Excellent data!! + Thanks for enlightening us with the constraints and rules. I'm sure that's in the book (it's with the in-laws right now as they plan their trip to OKW in Feb.) This info has helped me to refine our own itinerary for January. It means a lot less park-hopping and not as many worries about early mornings.