Why do we need TGM or UG?

[Pixieflip]

Can someone please explain the difference between TGM and UG? And for a family who has been to Disney 10+ times, why would we need either one? We plan to visit WDW from Dec. 26 to Jan. 8 this year...it's just crazy busy no matter where you go(we've done those weeks before, too). How can TGM or UG make a difference in our vacation?

I started my trip binder and am wondering what else I could add. Everyone raves about both, so we'd like to know why!

Thanks. I know this has been discussed, but I can't find the thread.

 

[SnowandMittens]

TGM is great because he tells you the "why". Why is this park crowded? Why do people go towards Soarin' first? Why should you do this in this order?

I love his least crowded parks days... and I'm a fan. I did two trips, one year apart, same time, and the difference the 2nd time around with TGM was ASTOUNDING.

Besides, money back gaurentee and all of that... if you hate it, get a refund!

 

[Dan Murphy]

I use TGM almost entirely for the best days/nights///best park/s information, and find it well worth it.

 

[Remosgirl]

I had been to WDW 20+ times before TGM. A friend of mine who is a HUGE
planner told me about the site and I have used it for every trip since. There is alot of info on the site so it takes some time but it's well worth it IMO.

 

[TinkerbellinLouisian]

Been 18 times...never needed a tour guide....

my vacations have been great...why use it? waste of money IMHO.....

 

[Anglefan]

I am a subscriber and TGM is just way too wordy. It's very difficult to understand exactly what he wants you to do and when in his touring plans. It could just be a list, but he goes on and on about "well maybe ride this if this or how about this? Now, how about I give you the most complicated instructions possible on which path I want you to take after that?" JUST TELL ME WHAT TO DO!

 

[Baloo]

I've been to WDW 30+ times.I don't see why ya need either one....hang out on the DIS Boards...and check out a few other places around the internet... and you'll find ALL the info you need!!

 

[Cool-Beans]

TGM is just a waste of money, IMO.

I suppose I don't *need* the UG, but I still get one every year. I like it and I trust them. Plus, it is interesting and there is always something in there I didn't know before.

 

[pepe of ohio]

I've been to WDW 30+ times.I don't see why ya need either one....hang out on the DIS Boards...and check out a few other places around the internet... and you'll find ALL the info you need!!

We have no need for some soothsayer website to predict the future. I believe these sites are created just to make money. With all the books and literature and free web sites, spending money is a waste, these money subscription sites have done their sites well by charging 20 bucks and less, guests figure, it's only a few bucks so why not. If the info was so great they could charge more but they know who would subscribe for info you can get for free. I enjoy reading posts where subscribers say, geeze, they are predicting levels of 7, 8 or 9. Who's to know, it's in the future, no one has attended yet and it's based on last years attendance, why would I pay money for that. Same you an order of attractions, we travel parks in either a cw or ccw direction doing attractions as we come to them, no one is going to make us criss cross a park to do attractions is their order, WDW is an amusement park, not a race track, we're there plenty of days to see most so why hurry. Others believe in the guides, as for us, we believe in ourselves and what we have seen in the past and what's before us in real life, your money, your time, do ot how you see fit.

 

[SnowandMittens]

You are paying for the advice of a veteran, who has been a Disney VIP tour guide, and the convience of having all of the informaiton in the same place.

Like the poster above me said, you could probally find all the info for free, but I don't have time to sift through everything to figure out what works.

IMO buy TGM, try it, hate it? Get a refund.

 

[jiminyfan]

Has anyone tried to get one and how easy was it?

I agree with other posters, it is a prediction of what it is like based on passed performance, but numbers can change for a number of reasons.

Personally, commando vacations and me do not go hand in hand. I have always had great vacations and with over 40 trips to WDW, my advice to my friends is slow down and enjoy everything in the parks. In seven days you can see all the major attractions and a lot more.

 

[nezy]

I know TGM is Tour Guide Mike, but what is UG?

 

[kmk1180]

I love his least crowded parks days...

Besides, money back gaurentee and all of that... if you hate it, get a refund!

I agree and disagree with this...

First, his least crowded. I don't see the big deal with this since a number of sites you can find what parks are the BUSIEST on which days.
Thus his LEAST is the opposite of that but the same info.
Just don't go on the BUSIEST days and your there on the LEAST busiest.

As for saying it definately worked? how could you know?
Unless you make your plans and do it...then have a friend follow tour plans for the same park same day, then compare.
But that seems like a waste of a vacation to test if it works.

But why I won't is NO ONE is "allowed" go give example of tour plans.
thus no one can say what worked for them. So to me they sound like infomericals. Everyone saying it's great but no proof.
For all I know many of the id's could be fakes to promote his own site.
(not saying they are but still)


But Snow is right, if you don't like it, ask for your money back.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I've been too many times to count and never use a tour guide.
I use common sense. On EMH days that park will be more crowded.
On Fantasmic! days Hollywood stuidos will be more crowded. Summer/Spring Break/Christmas/School holiday/etc will be more crowded.

The first two hours at any park will be the least crowded of the day.

E ticket rides - long lines. Others - short lines.

Frankly I've ridden all the rides so many times I am falling asleep on many of them. I go because I love to be there and the kids like it. If it takes longer for a particular ride so be it. If I go to EMH then I should expect crowds, if I don't want crowds I will go another park without EMH that day. No need for a tour guide.

 

[Alexander]

I know TGM is Tour Guide Mike, but what is UG?

The Unofficial Guide (book)

 

[ransom]

I've used both. For a first-timer, I would recommend using either one because it will make a huge difference to have a good plan. If you're the type of person who can stick to a plan, of course.

But personally, as a WDW veteran, I found TGM to be too much for my needs. I don't need someone to tell me that people swarm Soarin', or when I should line up for Fantasmic!

All I need is a good crowd level prediction. And the UG site provides that, inexpensively. So I keep up my subscription to that site, plan which park on which day based on their predictions, and then plan my days based on my own knowledge of WDW.

That said, if I were going during an extremely busy time like Christmas to New Years, and I wanted to visit the maximum number of attractions, you can believe I'd use a service for deciding on what to do when! I'd probably go with the UG site's touring plans, but TGM's would work as well.

 

[Azree]

We have no need for some soothsayer website to predict the future. I believe these sites are created just to make money.
...
Same you an order of attractions, we travel parks in either a cw or ccw direction doing attractions as we come to them, no one is going to make us criss cross a park to do attractions is their order, WDW is an amusement park, not a race track, we're there plenty of days to see most so why hurry.

Pepe, every time a thread like this starts you pop in with an opinion like this. I think we get it, you don't like the guides and touring plans!

The thing is, those of us who've used these things don't "run around the parks like it's a race track," and we don't "hurry" from one thing to another, we don't charge around with our heads down, and we don't "criss cross" the park skipping things left and right or miss the magic.

What we DO do is save hours of time waiting in line - for those of us with young children, this is a godsend - we save even more time in not having to pore over a map and decide what to do next, we get ahead of the mobs that swarm the parks in the afternoons, and we create wonderful, magical times for our families.



Why do you seem to have so much of a problem with that? We've spent thousands of dollars on a vacation, and we want to make sure we maximize our time and feel like we get our money's worth.

Does it somehow offend you that others like to have more of a plan of attack than you do? I wouldn't ask the question if you didn't feel the need to post in just about every thread that asks about planning...



As for me, I love the UG and the touringplans website. I find that there plans allow us to do the things we want to do in the AM, get back to the resort for lunch, a swim and rest in the early afternoons, and get back to the parks in the early evening and do what we want and repeat the things we want.

I made a mistake on our last trip and jumped in the Peter Pan line at a bad time because the line "looked" short. An hour later, the kids were mopey and cranky and we felt a bit worn out. We went back a few days later and did it when recommended and rode it twice in a row in 10 minutes. Learned a lesson, there!

 

[kmk1180]

Pepe, every time a thread like this starts you pop in with an opinion like this. I think we get it, you don't like the guides and touring plans!

The thing is, those of us who've used these things don't "run around the parks like it's a race track," and we don't "hurry" from one thing to another, we don't charge around with our heads down, and we don't "criss cross" the park skipping things left and right or miss the magic.

What we DO do is save hours of time waiting in line - for those of us with young children, this is a godsend - we save even more time in not having to pore over a map and decide what to do next, we get ahead of the mobs that swarm the parks in the afternoons, and we create wonderful, magical times for our families.


Does it somehow offend you that others like to have more of a plan of attack than you do? I wouldn't ask the question if you didn't feel the need to post in just about every thread that asks about planning...

!

let me just chime in....just because I don't use TGM or UG doens't mean I run around like you claim. I've gone to Disney more times than I can count..Sorry I don't need someone else to tell me how to enjoy MY vacation. Plus I don't want to follow a "plan", I want to do what I want that day. To me that's more important than being on schedule to make sure I complete a checklist.

As for your "godsend" for those with young children.
I couldn't disagree more. Planners don't consider you kid might want to ride Dumbo 3 time in a row. or spend an hour at Dumbo's Boats.
I would definately say no to plans for people with little kids. They are too unpredictable to have someone else tell me what they will enjoy.
And I'm certainly not going to force a plan on them.

and Pepe is just given their opinoins, that's what the OP asked for.
Why are you so offended that others DON'T use these and voice their opinion?

 

[Pixieflip]

Thanks everyone, lots of good points made here.

But my question is about my dates, Dec. 26 to Jan. 8. Most of that time will be crazy busy. My experience is there's not really a difference in the parks, all are insane. Or do TGM and UG predict something we don't know?

Here's what we usually do at Christmas:
-get to the park as early as humanly possible
-send out the FP Posse
-rest of the group heads to first attraction we want that doesn't have FP
-ride it, meet up, check FPes and make plan accordingly
-gear schedule around FPes and ADRs
-get new FPes as soon as possible
-choose to be relaxed and have fun no matter how many people

We an actually enjoy a lot more attractions than I ever thought at that time of year. So what else do we need to know? Are we missing something significant?

 

[kmk1180]

Thanks everyone, lots of good points made here.
. So what else do we need to know? Are we missing something significant?

well that's my point..no one who uses those wil tell you that.
they are not "allowed".
which is why I don't,
I say trust your knowledge, have fun and what you see you see, what you don't you don't.