Will i need tourguide Mike in October??

[KatyMac]

Hi! i am traveling in Oct with 3 adults and 3 Children ages 11yrs and 1- 8 y/o, all girls. it is my sister and her daughters first trip to Disney, my dh and 1 dd's have been there 3 times, the last time being 3 yrs ago. How much will we benefit from TGM?? i am afraid with free dining Oct will be busier than usual> thanks in advance!!!

 

[KatyMac]

bump

 

[WDW4us2006]

I think EVERYONE needs TourguideMike. I am a Disney "nut" who loves to plan, and I can't tell you how much I am loving my TourguideMike info for Septmeber this year. I thought I knew "everything" but his plans have so much info that I never knew and couldn't find on any website. I would strongly suggest it for your trip, considering the different ages of people in your party. I think it is definitely worth the $18.95. Just my opinion, good luck!

 

[jeankeri]

I really love his Tour Plans. They manage to not have you running here and there yet see everything. It is a good way to make sure your vacation is hte best it can be based on who is travelling. The ride tips are great as well.

 

[spookyuki]

I was wondering about the same thing for my trip in July.

I have already made all the ADR for almost every day for the trip. Can he make a tour around that?

Thank you so much for any info.

 

[jeankeri]

Even if you know which park you want to tour, he has specific advice for the best way to tour that park, that day. There is a recommendation to tour his best park for a particular day, but he will give you great tips for when you are there with the masses. I highly recommend it!

 

[pepe of ohio]

I'm not a believer in paying for guides or information with so much free info out on the market or internet. Other peoples guides on how to do anything, to me, aren't worth it. Disney is like the weather, it changes day by day and minute by minute. We've been there, we've read the guides and have our own way and have never missed anything or needed any info.

As for your post, with the small children, most of your time will be in Fantastyland. No one can help an adult though that mess. We've been there and done that when our children were young and steer clear nowadays. The guide maps from Disney are great, we travel clockwise around, see what we want and do what we want to do. The library has Birnbaums, which I believe in, free for the looking, and it gives complete listing of everything on property and what it should cost you. Saving tips can be had from these boards. Couple these two and enjoy your trip.

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

... with the small children, most of your time will be in Fantastyland...

I don't think you will spend all of your time in Fantasyland if the kids are 11 and 8...my DS was only 1.5 last year and we were ALL over all the parks!!

 

[kj2mom]

I am going in Oct and have gotten great information from Mike that I had not read anywhere else on the internet.

 

[Kristina]

I've been twice with TGM and learned something new each time. I kind of wish he wasn't as popular because that means everyone is slowly learning all his secrets and soon...well I don't want to think about that! When I first signed up I already had been dreaming of a trip for a few years and had the internet too but I still learned a lot. Sure the information is out there but you have to find it and that's cool too. Me, I feel I know quite a bit now but I am going to sign up again for our third trip this December because it's also a fun site and the planning excites me . I think from what I've read that he is a big help to people with children especially so I'd say go for it! You can always get a refund if you aren't pleased and you bet, October is going to be busy!

Have fun!

 

[AllNamesTaken]

His least crowded parks by day are worth the low $18.95 alone!!

 

[KatyMac]

Thanks for all the great advice!! I am going to sign up today!!! Can't wait till October!!!

 

[KarenAylwood]

I'm going in September and was wondering if this would be worth it to me as well. Our thing is that we don't like to have a plan where we "go to X attraction, then X attraction, then do Y," etc. Can you get info from TGMike and just kind of keep his theories/ideas in mind without having a written out schedule of what you're going to do??

I am not familiar with his advice so I don't know if it's more for the "planner" or for the "go as you please" or for both. The only planning we'll have are TS ADRs

 

[Kenswing]

=KarenAylwood

I am not familiar with his advice so I don't know if it's more for the "planner" or for the "go as you please" or for both.

It's definately for the planner. There is just so much information. But his philosophy is based on having a total resort experience. There is plenty of flexibility in his advice.

Ken

 

[Dorisk3]

We went in September last year and it wasn't that crowded but we still benefited from TGM. The crowd patterns info and his tour plans are fantastic, well worth the money.
As far as free advice goes, I have seen things factually incorrect in Birnbaum's (this is mostly a picture book in my opinion- not to be relied upon- and good luck getting the most recent edition at your library- it will most probably be in reference)- and also as far as advice on the Disboards goes, you will get many contradictory opinions from people and how do you know who is really credible or who isn't. TGM has a business that relies on being correct. Unless money is super tight, I'd go ahead and subscribe, most probably you'd be glad you did, and if you didn't TGM has a good refund policy!

 

[jeankeri]

What I like about Mike is that he'll give you the best plan, then explain the 'why' of what he is avoiding or going to first so you can use that information to your best advantage. He also has different set plans for different ages/tastes, so you do not have to work up your own plan based on the 'whys', it's done as well. There is also specific advice for touring day by day date specific, updates as Disney changes hours, EMH days, etc. If there is a change, it is on Mike and reflected in his touring advice.

 

[ribbitribbit]

OK, I just popped onto these boards because my husband may have a business trip to Disney in October.

What's going on in October?

Please excuse me if I'm being ignorant, but I'm just starting to research it.
Haven't been to Disney in 6-7 years

 

[hccb]

When we went to WDW, we visited Fantasyland 5 times in a week. Never once was it "a mess" and nor did I once get the lasting(or unlasting for that matter) impression that I should ever feel that I should "avoid it". Each time we visited Fantasyland we enjoyed every single attraction, without a single wait and absolutely no crowds to contend with. And that's at various times.

Why?

TourguideMike.

No waits on Splash. No waits on Big Thunder. No waits on Space or Buzz. No waits at ToT or RnR, Safari, Dinosaur, Dumbo, Triceratops, Primeval, no crowds for Wishes, no waits for lunch or dinner. Ever. In 8 days.

Yup, the philosophy and tour plans are that good. And that relaxing. I enjoy having a listed order of rides, it means I don't have to think. And the orders are always very organic and intuitive. Also, I was able to make my own tour plans because I understood the mentally of the crowd pattersn, so in MK, I followed Mike's plans to the letter. In Epcot FW we made our own(now, with the additional attractions, I'd follow his), had an awesome time.

We did not go home tired. We did not go home jaded. We did not go home disappointed or underfulfilled.

Why?

TourguideMike.

I swear it....

 

[mdoc]

My personal opinion is that relative to the cost of a WDW vacation, the cost of TGM is so small, and his advice so on target, that it's worth doing regardless of time of year. We've gone to WDW several times in early to mid-November (not a busy time) without the benefit of TGM, and having just used him for a spring break trip, I can see where we would have benefited from some of his advice on our non-peak time trips as well.

 

[litlpixie]

I agree with the TGM lovers, for I am one myself.....I have used his touring plans during the busiest times of the year, and no one in my family stood in line for more than 5 minutes......I am NOT kidding!! He is right-on in his touring plans, and I have not once been dissapointed with the itinerary that he has helped me plan. Well worth the money I spent!!

Also, you were thinking about going in October? Beautiful time to go, one of my favorite times to be in WDW......Epcot's Food and Wine Festival is going on then as well as the halloween party at the MK......We'll be going again this October just for those 2 events.

Happy planning!!!