Disneyland Vets, I need WDW planning help! Don't know where to begin

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Mods, please don't move me. I'm thinking about taking a WDW summer trip, and OMG, I don't know where to begin! On the DL board we have 1 main board for trip planning at DL, then there are the smaller So Cal planning boards. OMG, there are at least 15 WDW planning boards! Where do I begin to look for help? I don't even know where to post these questions! We're thinking of booking late summer with dining. BUT, we're used to planning everything and booking ourselves like at DL. Is that how they do it on the other side or do most people book packages? If packages, directly through WDWTC or through Dreams Unlimited -- which is better? We are hoping to qualify for free dining if they offer it, but if they don't is it better to just book the discounted room rates that they are offering now and add dining later or ???
I need help. The last time we went to WDW, we planned everything ourselves, stayed at BWLBV in DTD, and had fun, did it on the cheap but felt like we may have missed out on some of the magic. (Did we? I dunno. We never did it before or since, so who knows? I do know that I liked having our own car and not having to rely on their transportation.)
Also, if we get the Premium AP for both the land and the world, it's my understanding that we can't then do free dining, is that correct? What to do...Help, please!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Hey I did it ~ I spent most of my time on the Budget Board for WDW tips actually! I lurked a bit on the Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies board and the Disney for Families board. I recommend www.touringplans.com and their book ~ The Unofficial Guide to WDW. I don't recommend a late summer visit however ~ we were there in early Oct. last year and it was miserably hot and humid *record breaking* so I can only imagine what late summer would be like. We plan to go back late winter 2011.
Even with Free Dining *which was wonderful* I don't think I'd ever visit in the summer/early fall again.

 

[Sherry E]

Well, you know you are going to get inundated with suggestions and advice, so there are no worries about not getting enough information here!!

I know I would be absolutely overwhelmed if I were about to take on a trip to WDW - simply because I overthink things and end up driving myself nuts with my own plans.

I would suggest...even though you HAVE been to WDW before...

If you have not already done this, jump in on Molly/Bumbershoot's Pre-TR for her upcoming first-ever WDW adventure later this year and see if you can pick up any good ideas from what she has put together so far.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2332534

Next, Mariezp is another one of our wonderful DLR DIS-ers and she and her family made their first ever WDW trip last December. Marie had no idea where to start planning and was overwhelmed. The idea to even make a WDW trip kind of came out of the blue for them. But she put it all together (they rented a cute house, which was cheaper than staying onsite at a WDW hotel) and made it happen. She is happy to offer suggestions and help. Here is her WDW trip report link:


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2362766


Good luck! I know you will take some amazing photos at WDW!

 

[ktlm]

I'm actually a WDW vet on the DL boards because we are going to take a trip out there. First- don't panic!!! Next, the first thing you need to do is figure out the exact dates you want to go. Then you need to pick where you want to stay. I always book online at the WDW website through WDWTC because that way I can play around with the special offers and see which places still have rooms and what the best deal is. Also when you book it yourself, you are in control of your reservation and can call and make changes any time you want. The resort board is a good place for hotel information and opinions. They may also be able to answer your questions about free dining and the dining plan. If you don't get the responses you need there on dining, try the restaurant board. I can't help you much with the dining plan. We don't usually use it because it is just too much food for us. Generally, you get either the discounted room rates or free dining. Most times you can't combine discounts. The special offer rooms can book up fast too, so if there is an offer you want to take advantage of, you should jump on it.

People book WDW different ways, just like they do DL. The only difference is that because WDW has so many more on property options and they are broken down into Value, Moderate, and Deluxe, you will find that more of the Disers probably stay on property, as you can find places in all price ranges. There are still a good number of people that stay off property, especially people with larger families as sometimes it is not easy to accomodate that at WDW without a big price tag. The benefits of on property are extra hours- some in the morning and some at night. Another big benefit for us, is if you buy something anywhere in the park, you can just tell them to send it to your hotel and you don't have to carry it around. I actually love WDW transportation. We sign up for the free Magical express. That means we check into our airport at home, and don't have to worry about our bags again. They show up at the resort a couple hours after we do. We get on the bus to WDW and use their transporation everywhere. It is nice not to have to mess with a car at all. We check in our bags at the resort and don't see them again until we get home. More benefits of staying on property.

The next thing you need to do as soon as you get your dates down is start thinking about where you want to eat. WDW has gone back to 180 day ADRs (which I hate, I liked 90 days). That means they are already booking through September. Character meals can book up fast if that is your thing. Allears.net has menus for all the WDW restaurants. Of course, booking ADRs this early means you kind of have to come up with an idea of what parks you want to go to what days. I would go ahead and book your ADRs as best you can now. You can always go in and try to change them if there is availability later and you want to move your park days around, but this way you have something at the places you really want to go. For WDW, you can now make all your ADRs online at the WDW website. You can play around on it, it is pretty easy to use.

There is a website called Tour Guide Mike that has really good recommendations of which parks to go to on which days. We've used them on our last two trips and thought their recommendations were right on. You have to pay to use the website though. There is also a website called touringplans.com that has a crowd predictor. It is cheaper, but when we used them, we found they had a nasty little habit of changing things on you quite a bit as your trip got close, and they were kind of off on the 2 trips we used them.

Hopefully, this will help get you started!!!!!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Hi DisneySuiteFreak,

I know you asked that this thread not be moved, but I need to get it off the Disneyland Planning board, and at least move it to the DL Community Board.

I think that besides asking our friends here on the DL side of the DIS, you really should go to the WDW side. In addition, wdwinfo.com has a wealth of information about WDW, and the site is really diligent about keeping this info up-to-date. I think the best information for WDW can be found on the boards (not the discussion boards, but the information boards).

I've been to WDW a few times. The first time was for a full-out family vacation, and I was able to get info off of this site and ask questions that really helped me. Since then, I've been there a few times.

I believe Hydroguy has a WDW for DLR vets up in the sticky thread. You might try there first, then go to the WDW theme park board, dining board, & resort board, and read their stickies. They probably have tips there that will help you develop the beginnings of a plan that you can fine-tune as you understand more of the different things you can do.

Have fun planning!

 

[ktlm]

I should have added that I never book my flights through WDW. I always book them separate through the airlines. I have found that they are not any cheaper booking through WDW, and also WDW doesn't necessarily give you all the good times when it pulls up flights.

Whatever you do, try not to stress out. As long as you have a room somewhere and tickets to the park, you will manage. You won't starve, even if you wait too long and don't get the places you want or the exact times you want. If you can't get the ADRs you want the first time you try, book something and then keep trying on line every day. Cancellations happen. You'll find something to eat, even if you get stuck with counter service. (I'm not saying don't get ADRs well in advance, because I would really recommend that). Sure it is better to have it all planned out and to get to eat in the places you want, but you will be at WDW, so you will have fun anyway!!!

 

[KCmike]

We are going back to the World this summer too DisneySuiteFreak. We're planning on heading down there June 16th - June 24th. We are splitting our stay between Riverside and Poly. We got the free dining pin code which was the key for us to going back to the world. They've added Main Street Electrical Parade this year as well as their Halloween style fireworks for the summer which they stole DL's "Summer Nightastic" theme. I really wanted to see World of Color at DL and we got a special code for 50% off of rooms at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego but we got a really cheap flight with Southwest to Florida so everything just pointed to Disneyworld.

With four parks and water parks and so many more options for recreation you really do have to plan things out. We've done summer a couple of times and it is REALLY HOT AND HUMID. You've got to take breaks and go back to the resort hotel or you will be miserable.

I've personally never para-sailed and I plan on doing it this year on Seven Seas Lagoon over looking the monorail resorts and the magic kingdom. I've never rented the searaycers before and we plan on doing that as well. We are also thinking about going up in the tethered hot air balloon in downtown disney. I am getting more excited each day. I really want to rent the Canon 10-22 ultra wide angle lens for the vacation. I was told about borrowlenses.com and they are offering the lens for 10 days for only $53. Sounds like a good deal to me. I just love the wide angle shots but I can't afford to spend $700+ on a lens.

Where are you thinking about staying this time? Have you called to see if you have a pin code yet? We got another pin code for the quick service dining today after we already booked the vacation a month ago. Strange?

I'll be keeping my eye on this thread as we can help each other plan!

 

[Judy from Boise]

My favorite time at WDW is mid May during the flower and garden festival........Mid December is nice too. I would never make it in Summer. We did memorial day weekend once and that was enough for us ! Free dining sounds nice....but in the heat I am not even hungry !

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

If you have not already done this, jump in on Molly/Bumbershoot's Pre-TR for her upcoming first-ever WDW adventure later this year and see if you can pick up any good ideas from what she has put together so far.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2332534
Next, Mariezp is another one of our wonderful DLR DIS-ers and she and her family made their first ever WDW trip last December. Marie had no idea where to start planning and was overwhelmed. The idea to even make a WDW trip kind of came out of the blue for them. But she put it all together (they rented a cute house, which was cheaper than staying onsite at a WDW hotel) and made it happen. She is happy to offer suggestions and help. Here is her WDW trip report link:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2362766
Good luck! I know you will take some amazing photos at WDW!

Thanks Sherry! Good advice. I'll go check them out.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I should have added that I never book my flights through WDW. I always book them separate through the airlines. I have found that they are not any cheaper booking through WDW, and also WDW doesn't necessarily give you all the good times when it pulls up flights.

Whatever you do, try not to stress out. As long as you have a room somewhere and tickets to the park, you will manage. You won't starve, even if you wait too long and don't get the places you want or the exact times you want. If you can't get the ADRs you want the first time you try, book something and then keep trying on line every day. Cancellations happen. You'll find something to eat, even if you get stuck with counter service. (I'm not saying don't get ADRs well in advance, because I would really recommend that). Sure it is better to have it all planned out and to get to eat in the places you want, but you will be at WDW, so you will have fun anyway!!!

Thanks ktlm! Lots of good info there; appreciate it! I have a quick question: if you book your own airfare, how does WDW know what flight you'll be on and that you will be on Magical Express? Do you somehow link it to your reservation?

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Hey I did it ~ I spent most of my time on the Budget Board for WDW trips actually! I lurked a bit on the Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies board and the Disney for Families board. I recommend www.touringplans.com and their book ~ The Unofficial Guide to WDW. I don't recommend a late summer visit however ~ we were there in early Oct. last year and it was miserably hot and humid *record breaking* so I can only imagine what late summer would be like. We plan to go back late winter 2011.
Even with Free Dining *which was wonderful* I don't think I'd ever visit in the summer/early fall again.

Thanks Disneymomma81! I'll definitely check out those boards for more info. We actually went in July 2001, so I know what you mean about how miserably hot it is. We were there over 4th of July and the crowds were insane also so that didn't help either. I remember it rained every afternoon like clockwork due to convective heating/humidity. The problem is my son is in school so the only other times to go would be peak times when the rates are higher. I do have a lot to think about though. Maybe enough years have passed that I am able to forget some about how hot it actually was! Hmmm...I ma have to rethink this!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Hi DisneySuiteFreak,

I know you asked that this thread not be moved, but I need to get it off the Disneyland Planning board, and at least move it to the DL Community Board.

I think that besides asking our friends here on the DL side of the DIS, you really should go to the WDW side. In addition, wdwinfo.com has a wealth of information about WDW, and the site is really diligent about keeping this info up-to-date. I think the best information for WDW can be found on the boards (not the discussion boards, but the information boards).

I've been to WDW a few times. The first time was for a full-out family vacation, and I was able to get info off of this site and ask questions that really helped me. Since then, I've been there a few times.

I believe Hydroguy has a WDW for DLR vets up in the sticky thread. You might try there first, then go to the WDW theme park board, dining board, & resort board, and read their stickies. They probably have tips there that will help you develop the beginnings of a plan that you can fine-tune as you understand more of the different things you can do.

Have fun planning!

Thanks Mary Jo! Sorry to be a pain about posting on the wrong board. I guess my main confusion was that I didn't know which WDW board to post questions to. I basically know nothing about anything going on at WDW. I've read from previous posters that sometmes the people on the WDW side are not as nice to total newbs unlike the DL area. Not sure if that's true or not, but I recalled some posts in the past where people said they didn't get a response or got a rude response.
I'll definitely look up Hydroguy's planning link. I didn't know he had one for DL planners going to WDW! That'll help, I'm sure!

 

[ktlm]

Thanks ktlm! Lots of good info there; appreciate it! I have a quick question: if you book your own airfare, how does WDW know what flight you'll be on and that you will be on Magical Express? Do you somehow link it to your reservation?

Glad to help! You DL vets are being a big help to me too! When you make your reservation, you just mark that you want Magical Express, but that you don't know your flights yet. After you book your flights, you just call WDWTC and tell them your information. They will get you set up for Magical Express and they send you luggage tags (usually yellow) before your trip that tell the handlers your bags are Magical Express and shows what resort they are going to. As long as you have signed up for Magical Express, you will actually get the luggage tags even if you haven't called them to let them know the exact flights. I know because our last trip I forgot to call and give them our flight information until a couple of days before we left.

Also, unless things have changed, Southwest is about the only airline where you can't check your bags in at your resort for the return home. You can still get them to your resort through ME without having to pick them up at baggage claim, but on the way home, you have to carry them back to the airport and check them in there. I heard Southwest was expected to start allowing resort check-in, but I don't know if that has happened yet.

I promise most of us on the WDW boards are pretty nice!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

We are going back to the World this summer too DisneySuiteFreak. We're planning on heading down there June 16th - June 24th. We are splitting our stay between Riverside and Poly. We got the free dining pin code which was the key for us to going back to the world. They've added Main Street Electrical Parade this year as well as their Halloween style fireworks for the summer which they stole DL's "Summer Nightastic" theme. I really wanted to see World of Color at DL and we got a special code for 50% off of rooms at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego but we got a really cheap flight with Southwest to Florida so everything just pointed to Disneyworld.

Hi Mike! Wow, you're going to stay for quite a few days! I'm jealous! OMG, you got a free dining pin code for early summer? I don't have one. How did you get one? So if they moved DEP to WDW, what are they doing with Spectromagic? I really liked Spectro way more than DEP when we were there because I really like the music for the show much better. (I know I'm a DL traitor, but something about the DEP music grates on my nerves after the first 10 minutes!) Don't shoot me! Are the fireworks going to be like the Halloween version of DL's fireworks or is it going to be like Magical? The Halloween version was unreal! I really wanted to go to DL to see that in October, but I'd need to get an AP and I wasn't really planning on renewing this year due to all the construction. However, if they have a Halloween version of the fireworks at WDW for Summer then maybe I won't need to go to DL in October!

With four parks and water parks and so many more options for recreation you really do have to plan things out. We've done summer a couple of times and it is REALLY HOT AND HUMID. You've got to take breaks and go back to the resort hotel or you will be miserable.

Yeah, we'd love to go to the waterparks. We didn't get to do that on our last trip! Bummer! We suck at planning things out too far in advance. My DH is very much a fly by the seat of your pants kind of guy and even if I plan things out, he will want to change things. Makes me crazy. Maybe an advantage to staying on site is the free transportation so that if he wants to do his own thing he could while DS and I could go to the parks, etc., w/out worrying about transportation. The problem is, we've never ever used WDW transportation, so I'm concerned about getting lost, missing the buses, etc. Is there a board where I can go to learn about what goes where and what times? Do they have transportation schedules printed out for dummies?

I've personally never para-sailed and I plan on doing it this year on Seven Seas Lagoon over looking the monorail resorts and the magic kingdom. I've never rented the sea raycers before and we plan on doing that as well. We are also thinking about going up in the tethered hot air balloon in downtown Disney. I am getting more excited each day. I really want to rent the Canon 10-22 ultra wide angle lens for the vacation. I was told about borrowlenses.com and they are offering the lens for 10 days for only $53. Sounds like a good deal to me. I just love the wide angle shots but I can't afford to spend $700+ on a lens.

Oooh, parasailing and sea raycers sound fun! I like that hot air balloon idea too! That sounds way cool! How did you find out all this info about the extra things to do? How much does each thing cost per person? Are there any discounts available? You're getting your park tickets as part of your package, right? So you're going to take breaks every day and then go squeeze in some of these extra activities while on your break?
Renting a lens for that price sounds like a great idea! I really want to buy that Tokina 11-16 2.8, but it is hard to justify since I already have the Sigma. I would definitely sell the Sigma, but they have since come out with an even newer version, so I'm not sure how much money I would make back. And unfortunately, because of the newer version lens, my lens obviously will be worth less and to top it off, the 3rd party lenses don't hold their value compared to the brand lenses. I still, for the life of me, haven't figured out how to fix the distortion problem on my UWA photos using Photoshop CS3. I have so many nice photos that look mediocre or weird because I can't fix the problem. I don't know the basics of using PSCS3, so that's my problem. When I find online instructions, they all assume that I already know how to create a duplicate layer or mask, etc. If you find any good, easy to follow info, I'd appreciate it if you let me know.

Where are you thinking about staying this time? Have you called to see if you have a pin code yet? We got another pin code for the quick service dining today after we already booked the vacation a month ago. Strange?
I'll be keeping my eye on this thread as we can help each other plan!

You know, we haven't really decided where to stay. I tried to talk my DH into DVC and he just can't see it. (He's not into Disney as much as I am.) He kieeps reminding me how Timeshares are one of the worst investments, especially one in which your ownership expires after a certain period of time.
My Dh is one of those guys who likes things very cheap, as long as it's safe and clean. To him a hotel room is just a place to sleep. He's willing to pay more for clean and especially safety. For example at Disneyland he loves Hojos and Fairfield Inn, and would gladly pay more to stay at Hojos due to the convenience of plentiful, free parking, safe walking distance, and interior corridors. Seriously, we've paid $140+ tax nightly to stay at Hojos for the above criteria. That's how much he dislikes all the rest of the motels and parking situations on Harbor. Are there any WDW hotels that could come in less than that per night? I assume they are all safe, clean and have plentiful parking, right?
So for WDW, I was thinking about POR but not sure which side is better. Alternatively, I was also thinking of maybe just staying at POP or ASMo or ASMu since it's usually so much cheaper than the moderates. Of course these might already be sold out at the discounted rates. I really have no idea where any of these properties are located in relation to the parks. I used to have a map of the area, but lost it long ago. If we can get the discounted rates, I would probably look into the moderate or even Deluxe places and maybe do a split stay as well. We'd definitely like to go to US and IOA as well because DH and DS really enjoyed that the last time. As a family, our favorite park was Epcot. I looked into Boardwalk, but I didn't like the pool area. For the price they charge I would have expected more. I like the Yacht or Beach Club but when I last looked into it was pretty pricey. Not sure if I want to spend that much for a place to sleep.
Do you know who I call to find out if we have a Pin code? I really have no idea. I know last year we got some mailers w/ pin codes but we never used them. So far this year, nothing...

 

[fhtpdw20]

Planning is key and the realization that you cannot see everything will help you have a better trip. Here are my hints:

Resorts: Pop Century is the best themed and value for my dollar. Keep in mind that the ALL STARS share busing meaning you will make 3 stops to get to and from parks. Pop has it's own bus. We have done a trip thru Expedia and stayed at Swan which is a lovely resort and has water transportation to Epcot and Studios. If you can afford it Animal Kingdom is another great resort and don't miss Boma for a new taste experience and you can view the animals from your room. We had the ankola cattle sleeping under our window.

First and Last Day options with not ticket: Resort hop to see the theme at Deluxe. Also Downtown Disney looks quite different from DL's. They have the LaNouba Circ De Solie (sorry can't spell this am), DisneyQuest which is a 3 level arcade, the hot air balloon ride, the Lego creations in the lake and around the Lego store, various stores and eating establishments. Most resorts offer character dining. Highly recommend the Grand Floridian Tea as a way to unwind.

Must see shows: Nemo and Lion King in Animal Kingdom, Illuminations at Epcot, and Fantasmic. WDW Fantasmic has ampitheater style seating. Line up at least an hour before the show and be prepared to stay put. It is huge. Also do not sit in the very front of the stage unless you want the chance to be wet. If the wind is blowing you can get wet from the mist of the water screens. Also check wind direction when choosing your spot for Illuminations. The smoke from the fireworks can waft toward you obstructing your view.

Magic Kingdom: All of the stores open into one another so you can get thru the crowds during parade time or just cool off. The only time you have to leave a building is when you cross the street.

 

[fhtpdw20]

I can't get into previous post but wanted to add you show build time into transportation to parks. There are various modes; the Disney bus system operates between parks and parks and resorts. Downtown Disney is the exception. You must take a bus from a resort to DTD. People were free parking at DTD and then using bus to get to parks so now its resort only. There are two monorails one for resorts/Magic Kingdom and one to Epcot. The monorail stops at all three Deluxe resort (Grand Floridian, Poly, and Contemporary). The express monorail from the Ticket/Transporation to Magic Kingdom. You have ferry service to MK from the Deluxe. Swan/Dolphin for sure and I think Port Orleans? has water transportation to DTD and Epcot. These generally run an hour before park open and after park close.

I would recommend you get a Passporter for your planning. It lays every thing out with approximate travel times and shows floor plans of all resorts. Give ride and dining options too.

 

[HydroGuy]

I believe Hydroguy has a WDW for DLR vets up in the sticky thread. You might try there first, then go to the WDW theme park board, dining board, & resort board, and read their stickies.

See "An Introduction To WDW For DLR Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=16541636

Since you have been before you have a good idea of what you are getting into. Just like WDW vets coming to DLR, you need be willing to take on a new philosophy to get the most out of the trip. For me here were the biggies:

1. Take it slower and build in half or full days off. Use that time to go to water parks or Disney Quest or DTD or a movie or the hotel pool.

2. Make ADRs (dining res)! And go to some of the creative dining locations and shows.

3. Relax about the longer travel times between hotels and parks

 

[ktlm]

Maybe an advantage to staying on site is the free transportation so that if he wants to do his own thing he could while DS and I could go to the parks, etc., w/out worrying about transportation. The problem is, we've never ever used WDW transportation, so I'm concerned about getting lost, missing the buses, etc. Is there a board where I can go to learn about what goes where and what times? Do they have transportation schedules printed out for dummies? :


Are there any WDW hotels that could come in less than that per night? I assume they are all safe, clean and have plentiful parking, right?
:

Don't worry about getting lost, and you don't have to worry about bus times. For each park, resort, etc. all the busses come to one bus area. There are signs in that area stating where to stand for busses going to the other locations. When the buses come they have a big lighted sign on top stating where they are going. You don't have to worry about what time to catch a bus. The busses run continuously from an hour or more before park opening to an hour or more after park closing. They come about every 20 minutes, so if you just miss one, you simply wait for the next one. It is really easy. We haven't used them, but if you have early morning character breakfasts, I think they have buses for those. The buses don't run from resort to resort, so depending on where you stay if you want to go to another resort, you may have to get to a park first and then get a bus from there. There are exceptions, such as WL has a boat that goes to the contemporary and of course the monorail. Which transportation you use just depends on where you stay. POR actually has a boat to DTD. Also, something else to think about if you want to go off property to US for a day or two, but don't want to rent a car for your whole trip, is that WDW has at least 2 car rental locations on property (I think they use Alamo), they have a Car Care Center and there is one near the Swan or Dolphin, there may even be a 3rd somewhere. You could rent a car for just a day or two, and use Disney Transport to get to the on-property rental location to pick-up and drop-off the car during your trip.



Personally, I wouldn't have problem with any on property hotel. Parking should be fine and they are generally clean and safe. Occasionally, you might run into a bad mousekeeper who hasn't done a good job on your room at any of them. We've had that happen once or twice, but usually they are good. We've stayed at POR, WL, AKL and the Poly and we loved them all. I've never stayed at one of the values, but I certainly wouldn't have a problem with it. DH probably would because I think they have double beds instead of queens (he likes his space), but I'm not positive on that. I'm happy as long as I'm at WDW.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

... ALL STARS share busing meaning you will make 3 stops to get to and from parks. ...

We stayed at ASMo (Movies) in Aug. '08, and taking the buses to and from the parks went fairly well. During our stay the ASMo buses went directly to the parks (and back) and did not make 3 stops. (The parks usually opened at 9:00am, and we were usually at the ASMo's bus stop at 8:00am.)

Just my 2 cents.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Another ‘Thumbs Up’ for TourGuideMike.

TourGuideMike used to be a CM at WDW, and as a CM he was also a VIP tour guide. From his experiences, the most important thing that he tries to get across to his readers is to not try to see everything. He tries to give you advice to enjoy your vacation without over-doing it and getting worn out. WDW is a big place.

TGM has plenty of info about resort hotels and restaurants.

He has a separate page for every attraction (with many photos), and I liked his hints and tips for every attraction. He also shares his opinions about the best place to sit for the shows, rides, etc, which I haven’t seen elsewhere.

The TGM forums also has a separate forum for each month (for example, they call it the “August Vacation Club”), so you can ask questions to members who are very knowledgeable about visiting WDW during that time of year, etc.

You can save $3 by clicking on the TGM ad at the DISboards ‘Theme Park Attractions and Strategies’ forum (http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2). TGM charges ‘per trip,’ and not ‘per year,’ so the TGM subscription would be good until 60 days after the first day of your visit.

IMO the ‘Unofficial Guide to WDW’ is also very good. The info at Touringplans.com is like the “Cliff Notes” version and is easier and quicker to read than TGM. But if you’re willing to take the time to read all of the TGM articles (and have the time), then IMO TGM is more in depth.

Sorry for being so long.