Whose best days do you follow-TourGuide Mike or Unofficial Guides?

[traces7]

I just signed up with Tour Guide Mike and his best days are very different than the Unofficial Guide's best days (which I was going by originally). Which have you used and why? Which do you recommend? Thanks!

 

[slbeaute]

We actually followed Tour Guide Mike's advice two weeks ago. We didn't follow it exactly, but we did go to one of his top two picks each day and avoided the parks he said to avoid. We actually liked it and found that there wasn't much traffic on those days. We also used a lot of his tips as far as where to stand for parades, when to head to which rides for fastpasses, and where to sit for shows. Those were dead on for us! Great views for these things and not much time wasted on rides. Probably the only advice we really didn't follow was returning for some EMH at night. We really used this time to ride or explore things that probably aren't as popular at night
(like Fantasyland, etc.). There is so much information from him! We really did use a lot of it and were pleased.

I like the info in the Unofficial Guide, but with DD3 and a husband who really doesn't like being "driven" on a park tour, the plans just don't work for us. They are a little too hard for us to follow.

Have fun! We wish we were back already!

 

[88Keys]

I like the info in the Unofficial Guide, but with DD3 and a husband who really doesn't like being "driven" on a park tour, the plans just don't work for us. They are a little too hard for us to follow.

UOG is so much more than park tours -- their "when to go" charts are much more scientific and reliable, I feel, than TGM

 

[firkat]

As an obsessed planner (I think I enjoy the planning as much as the doing!), I am subscribed to both TourGuideMike and TouringPlans.com (the UG site). I am also curious as to what folks think works better. So bump!

 

[debbi801]

We've never tried UG, only TGM. When we were there in June, TGM's best days were right on the money. I've already resubscribed for our next trip.

 

[3boyzmom]

I used TGM's plans ... like the other poster, we can't follow the pace of UG (although I like the book for general information). I used TGM stategies for dining and times to arrive at the parks, etc. and felt that it really enhanced my experience at DW.

 

[vatmark]

TGM all the way!

Annie

 

[firkat]

Well, it sounds like folks like the touring plans with TourGuideMike better than UG. But what about the suggested days of the week. They differ.

As an example, on a particular Tuesday during our trip, TGM suggests AK or D-MGM. He says to avoid MK. However, when I look at the UG's touringplans.com website, it recommends MK that day and says to avoid all three of the other parks.

So which is it? Which service is the most accurate at choosing particular parks for particular days?

 

[mill4023]

I know TGM's best days chart worked great for us.
But there's really no way to say for sure that the crowds would have been worse if we had used UG's chart instead.

Yes, UG attempts to be more scientific and use more data in making their determinations. Things like surveys on which days people go to which parks, hotel occupancy patterns, etc.
But Mike and his employees spend a lot more time in the parks, so they have a lot more direct observation of crowd levels on different days.

Scientific analysis is great, but only if you account for everything and don't miss any important pieces of info.

 

[mill4023]

So which is it? Which service is the most accurate at choosing particular parks for particular days?

The problem is that without being in 2 places at once, it's hard to say which is better. Say you go to the TGM recommended park 1 day and the UG recommended park another day. Even if one of them is more crowded, you still don't know if the other park would have been better or if that day was just more crowded in general and the park you went to still may have been the best choice.

 

[dizplanner]

Mike (TMG) gives his logic for why he selects the parks he does. If it sounds good to you, I would use his selections. If you are going "Yeah, but...", maybe you will want to follow UG. Personally I think I would go with TMG as he is in the parks more. As someone else said, formulas are great IF you have included all the variables. And UG has stated that sometimes they list a park as go if they haven't listed in the last N days, even if it isn't the best park, just because they assume people will want to go to every park and they have to put it in somewhere.

 

[bctripp]

I've read the UG from cover to cover, and i've been looking at those plans for touring the parks. Some of them seem crazy to me, I might use them and alter them a little to meet my needs. I've been considering TGM, but we leave in 22 days so it may not make sense to start that now, we've already planned all our meals in the parks and everything. I don't know what to do.

 

[Sonno]

I can see UG's best days without having to pay for it, so that's what I use.

 

[liznboys]

I can see UG's best days without having to pay for it, so that's what I use.

Ditto!

 

[peacelovemickey]

TGM was right on the money for us in June!

 

[traces7]

I was going to use the Unofficial Guide's best days. Now I signed up with Tour Guide Mike and his best days are pretty different, but I think that I am going to change to his. Sounds like everyone's pretty happy with either one though! So we'll see! Thanks everyone!

 

[edk35]

I am sticking with him. He just makes sense with his plan and HE KNOWS DISNEY. My faith lies in his plan. Plus his web site is FUN AND HE MAKES ME LAUGH

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

Another obsessive planner here who subscribes to both. I've used TGM for 3 trips, and am going on a 4th using his advice in Sept. I use TGM for best days, and print out the "cheat sheets" from the touringplans.com site. They work great together for us!

 

[firkat]

Oh, yeah, UG has lots of great information! I love the book, it is my go-to guide handy reference book. I think the touring plans are presented very concisely and I plan to print them and take with to the parks.

My problem is the complete disparity between TGM and UG website that lists best days to go to a park or to avoid a park. I am forced to choose who I believe to be more accurate more of the time.

Sounds like TGM gets a lot of votes here. His site also gives detailed explanations about how he came to his conclusions, so it is easier to understand the basis of his recommendations. Though UG claims much scientific research . . .

I guess I will go with TGM when picking my days. Thanks for everyone's input!

 

[Lisa0503]

I would go with TGM. He has the most up-to-date info and changes his recommendations accordingly....