Tour Guide Mike or other "pay for" plans?

thejens · #1 04-28-2007, 08:43 PM

I've used the Unofficial Guide and Intercot more than any other sources in planning my trips. My first and only trip last year was great thanks to these wonderful resources. Ever the planner, though, I can't help be tempted by other sources. I have the Passporters and Birnbaums and have looked at other sites. Has anyone used Tour Guide Mike's site? It looks good, but I hate to pay for it if it doesn't offer anything new. I like the idea of updated park schedules etc. before I get to the park. I imagine a lot of it will not be new to me. I down loaded an insider's money saving guide and did not really find it very useful since I am already well informed. Just wondered what you Intercot experts think about Tour Guide Mike!

Piglet822 · #2 04-28-2007, 10:07 PM

I've never been to his site so I really don't know what he offers but what others have posted that have paid for it is that it really isn't worth it. You can get the same information here on Intercot for free.
We post information regarding park hours, rehabs, etc as soon as we get them and many times we have the information posted before some of the other sites.

disneynarula · #3 04-28-2007, 10:15 PM

I wouldn't pay the money.All the info you need is here on Intercot.

You can even go to the WDW site and print out free maps and intineraries (sp?).

Harriet · #4 04-29-2007, 06:09 AM

I used TGM last year just like you I always seach for more info and I am sorry to say it is a complete waste of money. He was consistantly late reporting updates. His info was not accurate all the times. I got more from Intercot and two other sites which I cannot mention here against policy. I do love the Passporter Guide book the most. I always update my book every year even if I am not going that year. Save your mony.

PracticallyPerfectMollie · #5 04-30-2007, 12:26 PM

I love passporter and unofficial guide. Sometimes it is just nice to hold a book. What i have started doing is compiling my own guide book with info specific to our family, tips that work for us, menus for the places we may go, it is very organized and just a way to feed my own obsessive need to plan, but it saves money on the guide books.

vamaggie · #6 04-30-2007, 01:10 PM

Never tried TGM's but I cannot imagine any site/anyone more knowledgeable and up to date as Intercot and the "pros" who frequent here!!!

What I have started doing is also putting together my own "guide book" for our upcoming trip. Everytime I read a new "trick" or idea here I write it down in that "section" of my notebook (resort info, dining, rides, etc) I also have read a few Disney guides and gleened info from them too but honestly, found most helpful stuff here on Intercot. I wouldn't pay the money.

mttafire · #7 04-30-2007, 02:26 PM

I have never used Tour Guide Mike so i cant comment on that. But!!! After i looked at and tried almost all the other "disney forums" i realized that Intercot was by far the best.

Intercot is one of 3 "main" discussion boards on the web and it is head and shoulders betther than the other two. I see NO reason why someone cant get ALL the info they need right here! I DO enjoy some of the Disney books out there i.e. "Unofficial guide, Birnbaums. As far as the web goes there are 2 places i frequent...Intercot and Disney's web site. Imho, thats all you need. The info on here is simply great and best of all ACCURATE.

lphillip459 · #8 05-01-2007, 11:40 AM

Nothing against Mike, but you can get all the information you want with the books you have and the internet. I am not an "expert" - just someone who has a subscription with Tourguide Mike. Other than the books you have (and a few others) my suggestions for websites other thant Intercot (which is good) are:

Touring Plans - they have a great "Free" itenerary printout

All Ears - great website for general planning and the best information if you have special needs guests - diabetics, adhd, autism, etc. Lots of links to other helpful sites.

I hope this answers your question - Mike's good, but he doesn't have any "magic bullet"

January-2007 · #9 05-01-2007, 12:32 PM

I like Tour Guide Mike. I use it more as a supplement though. Intercot is by far the best, but sometimes it's nice to have something different. Especially recently when this site has been down a lot, then I have another resource readily available. There are a lot of great pictures, menus, reviews, and most importantly for me, which park is least crowded which day/night. It takes some of the guesswork out of itenerary planning and just makes me feel more confident when we arrive in Walt Disney World that maybe we won't be the ones going to the busiest park and being thrown for a loop. The site is very well laid out and attractive. There are mistakes and it's not as fast with updates as Intercot so I can understand why some people may not feel it is worth the money. I, however, do feel it is worth the money and have enjoyed having access to it. I think it's not that much money when you think about how much you're spending on your vacation, and how many hours of planning are involved in making that vacation memorable.

Ok, off the

now.

Happy planning, whatever you decide!

septembergirl · #10 05-02-2007, 02:35 AM

I like Passporter, Unofficial Guide, Allears and, of course, Intercot. I find my self on Intercot the most and have used many items from it to create my own book. I have been hiding this fact from my friends and loved ones because I was ashamed of my geekiness but seeing kindred spirits on here, I will boldly proclaim:

I have a homemade Walt Disney World travel planner!!!

thejens · #11 05-03-2007, 07:20 AM

Thanks for all the input, pro and con! Unfortunately, you have given yet another obsessive planning idea. Now I am just dying to make my own planning book!!!

MouseManiac · #12 05-19-2007, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lphillip459

Nothing against Mike, but you can get all the information you want with the books you have and the internet. I am not an "expert" - just someone who has a subscription with Tourguide Mike. Other than the books you have (and a few others) my suggestions for websites other than Intercot (which is good) are:

Touring Plans - they have a great "Free" itenerary printout

All Ears - great website for general planning and the best information if you have special needs guests - diabetics, adhd, autism, etc. Lots of links to other helpful sites.

I hope this answers your question - Mike's good, but he doesn't have any "magic bullet"

I agree whole heartedly!

(Wish I had found this thread BEFORE I signed up for Tour Guide Mike!)

Last year I used All Ears, and Touring Plans and LOVED them... had a great, stress and crowd free trip. This year in my obsessive need for planning, I signed up for TGM... I can't pan it, I mean it's colorful, and witty, but I'm kinda a "just the facts,sir." kinda gal, so quite frankly didn't have the patience for all the yammering.

Stick to Intercot, and the resources listed above, you'll have all you need! I did sign up for the Touring plans online organizer, and loved it, but it's nothing you couldn't do with an Excel spreadsheet.

Kairi_7378 · #13 05-20-2007, 10:09 AM

My DH was skeptical about using the Unofficial Guide plans. He was afraid that I would get too upset if we were deterred along our touring plan. However, he was a convert after the first day in the Magic Kingdom where we managed to do everything in one day on a very crowded day. I was going to subscribe to Tour Guide Mike but I was afraid to add another variable to my plans.

Dicecatt262 · #14 05-21-2007, 09:35 AM

I respectfully disagree with all saying it isn't worth the money for TGM...especially if you haven't even tried it and you are saying that. Almost every time I've heard someone say it isn't worth it they either haven't ever subscribed, or hasn't given it a chance once they join...too many people have unrealistic expectations and think it is an automatic tour plan. I am a die hard TGM fan. And it is cheap...no more expensive than a book. The forums there alone are worth the subscription. When you think of how much money a Disney vacation costs, $20 is a drop in the bucket. He has a money back guarantee...if you feel like trying it, join, hang out for a week, check out the info and the forums...and if you don't like it, request a refund. But the Best Days charts are right on, it is the best advice out there in my humble opinion (even though I love Intercot). His Best Days Charts are RIGHT ON the money every time.

I have used TGM for 3 trips and I will use him for each and every future trip.

LoriMistress · #15 05-21-2007, 06:46 PM

I use TGM and I would highly recommend him. He updates his sites daily!!! He will continue to give up-to-date info. on everything with WDW. I've been to WDW before and I thought I knew my way around the park. This time, we're using him and it's been great. The only other recommendation that I would refer other than TGM would be The Unofficial Guide. Nothing but rave reviews. You can use their site and buy the book.

LoriMistress · #16 05-21-2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dicecatt262

I respectfully disagree with all saying it isn't worth the money for TGM...especially if you haven't even tried it and you are saying that. Almost every time I've heard someone say it isn't worth it they either haven't ever subscribed, or hasn't given it a chance once they join...too many people have unrealistic expectations and think it is an automatic tour plan. I am a die hard TGM fan. And it is cheap...no more expensive than a book. The forums there alone are worth the subscription. When you think of how much money a Disney vacation costs, $20 is a drop in the bucket. He has a money back guarantee...if you feel like trying it, join, hang out for a week, check out the info and the forums...and if you don't like it, request a refund. But the Best Days charts are right on, it is the best advice out there in my humble opinion (even though I love Intercot). His Best Days Charts are RIGHT ON the money every time.

I have used TGM for 3 trips and I will use him for each and every future trip.

I completely agree with you.

TammiMcMan · #17 05-21-2007, 11:49 PM

I am a past Tour Guide Mike user. There is definitely a target group and people who don't have the time to go through message boards or the internet on their own would probably find his information very useful. Personally, I wouldn't spend the money on it again. I did find that for some of the specific information items that I was looking at, his advice proved to be less than accurate. I also found the navigation of his site left something to be desired.

Just another opinion from someone who has used the site though.