Scratching my head over Touring Plans

[mindeola]

Thanks for this, @SnipsNSnails. I spoke with one of our developers a few minutes ago, and it seems like this is possible. We're going to do it.

I've asked for a new checkbox to be put in the FastPass+ section. The box will read something like "Use FastPass+ times as entered, even if it results in slightly longer waits." I'm open to suggestions on the wording, too. Do you think we should put some sort of "this is an advanced feature" warning on it?

In any event, this should be doable within a couple of weeks. I'll let you know when it's ready to test. Thanks again for the suggestion.

This is GREAT news. I have used your plans before and loved them. This trip I have my daughter that has chronic pain with us. I need the plan to work in exactly the way I say- not the most time friendly, but definitely the best way for my daughter to have a good day. The plan disregarding all my FP has been totally frustrating! I will be excited to give the new option a go.

 

[ToyStory3]

Thanks for this, @SnipsNSnails. I spoke with one of our developers a few minutes ago, and it seems like this is possible. We're going to do it.

I've asked for a new checkbox to be put in the FastPass+ section. The box will read something like "Use FastPass+ times as entered, even if it results in slightly longer waits." I'm open to suggestions on the wording, too. Do you think we should put some sort of "this is an advanced feature" warning on it?

In any event, this should be doable within a couple of weeks. I'll let you know when it's ready to test. Thanks again for the suggestion.

This would be fantastic! I've thought the same things when creating my touring plans. Can't wait to use this feature!

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Just curious -- what are you trying to do that can't be done on the app?

Ok, USER ERROR!!! I just realized I've been logging into the site instead of using my downloaded app. I had trouble logging into the app a couple of times so abandoned it. When I use the website on my phone I have all sorts of issues, but if I use the Lines app, I can re order (1 up or 1 down only, but still...) and work it from there. Now, when Len fixes that pesky "did not use your fp" issue all will be copastetic! Thank you all for all the help!
It didn't occur to me that the way I accessed the site would change how I viewed and was able to move around my attraction order!
@ChloesDaddy and @lentesta and everyone else who helped!

 

[KristinU]

The Touring Plans Optimize button is also a million times more likely to use your Fastpasses if you enter the correct indicator for AM vs. PM, especially if the wrong selection would be when the parks are closed. Um, this happened to...ummmm...a friend, yeah, a friend of mine...I'd NEVER make such a dumb error

 

[lentesta]

I can't re-order on my ipad. On the phone, I use the Lines app and I can re-order there.

Ahhh..got it. Thanks. I've asked the developers to add "move up" and "move down" buttons to each step for phones and iPads. Let me get a timeline from them on that and I'll post an update here. Thanks for the extra information.

 

[lentesta]

The Touring Plans Optimize button is also a million times more likely to use your Fastpasses if you enter the correct indicator for AM vs. PM, especially if the wrong selection would be when the parks are closed. Um, this happened to...ummmm...a friend, yeah, a friend of mine...I'd NEVER make such a dumb error

We should be checking for this in the UI. That's bad design on our part. Let me see what we can do for you...r friend.

 

[MalkaR]

The Touring Plans Optimize button is also a million times more likely to use your Fastpasses if you enter the correct indicator for AM vs. PM, especially if the wrong selection would be when the parks are closed. Um, this happened to...ummmm...a friend, yeah, a friend of mine...I'd NEVER make such a dumb error

I've...er, I mean my friend has... made this error multiple times. It always take a few minutes to figure out what the problem is.

 

[lentesta]

@lentesta - ... I think if you made the Optimize feature have the ability to use entered FP times it would make it much more user friendly ...

@SnipsNSnails This feature is now available. When entering a set of Fastpasses, look for a new checkbox in that section that says "Force Optimize to use these FastPass selections." I'm open to different wording on that too.

Let me know how it works, please. I tried it on some comprehensive one-day plans and it didn't seem to add much overall time to the plans - maybe 5 to 8 minutes for each not-great FP choice. It's entirely possible people were spending more than that just figuring out ways around the Optimize button. There's an engineering lesson in there somewhere. Thanks again for the suggestion.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

Thanks Len! I will test it out. My parents have APs and have some FP set up for a couple days in April. I will try out a plan with their times.

And in doing the work around, I wasn't entirely sure I had the rest of the non-FP steps in the best order. This will be a great feature!

 

[WooPigScientist]

New to this - I don't do commando and typically like to wing it outside of a few ADRs and FP+, but I gave in and subscribed for the resort fax service. Figured I'd try playing with plans (not much beyond what park what day and ADRs right now as I can't do FP+ until June) and first thing I noticed was that on park days there is no way to put an ADR at a resort in other than putting it in as a "break". In this case I've got an early dinner at 1900 on my MK day and plan to leave for dinner and then go back into MK for MSEP and Wishes (and some rides before them), so I entered it as a break.

Is that what y'all do in cases like that?

Yes. I have a Chef Mickey's ADR so I put it in as a break.

Just in case this might be helpful to someone else too: I put ADRs outside of the parks in as a break AND quick service meals in as breaks. It's been a few months, but I'm pretty sure I remember being absurdly puzzled over how to get them in until it dawned on me. I was overthinking it I had put our ADRs in first and got myself all bumfuzzled looking for the quick service.

Any snacks, etc. I had my heart set on I put in as a note attached to an attraction (once I had my order set). For example, on Aladdins Magic Carpets I might put "grab Dole Whip before or after ride." The notes made for good reminders since I tend to get caught up in the many distractions going on while we're there. I completely forgot to grab the park Starbucks mugs because I didn't have notes for them!

The notes were also good for things we'd like to do, but only if it's a quite short wait and have time and it's not on the attraction list. Meet and greets like Woody and Jessie in HS (attached to TSMM) or photopass shots.

 

[cdnjason]

It's very pleasing to see someone willing to revise and/or adjust their product and/or services to benefit their customers. Kudos to you @lentesta.

I love your app and use it regularly for WDW, UO & DL. Appreciate you making the modifications. Thank you.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Loved having the touring plans. Wish the "Use FP as scheduled" button had been available but love having the list up and just moving from one thing to the other.

I wouldn't do another trip without it but this time I would make my plans more than 60 days out and let TP tell me which FP+ to use.

 

[lentesta]

@MalkaR - I think we've addressed your friend's concern about FP times. If your friend enters a FP time of, say 7 AM when the park opens at 9 AM, the app will now assume it's really 7 PM.

Pass that along, please, and let me know what your friend says. Thanks for the info on this!

 

[j2thomason]

Hey @lentesta I use TP to fax my room request and got an email saying it had been successfully sent and to let TP know if I got the room I requested. When I tried to reply to the email about my assigned room my reply bounced back. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to let TP know that I didn't get the room requested. Why put that in the email if the reply is a no return email address?

 

[soniam]

I guess I will be the voice of dissent here. I have used TP for every WDW trip, Universal twice, and Disneyland once. I definitely use optimize. I really like it and find that we get a ton done, like at least 20 attractions at MK during Spring Break. We are usually ahead of their schedule. I usually create a plan before I even have FP+. I enter my day, start/end times, attractions, meals, and breaks and hit optimize. We usually do RD, especially with AM EMH. I then look to see what it suggests as an FP+. I often times follow their suggestion. There are times that I will optimize with only some of my attractions and then enter others and evaluate. Examples of such attractions are things at MK that usually have not wait, ie Tiki Room, COP, Tom Sawyer Island. I like to do those after we have done everything that can have a wait, so in the afternoon. For repeats of rides, I will sometimes use evaluate too to put them at a certain time/order. I have had issues with FP+ for attractions that don't really need them, like most things at Epcot. Sometimes I will use evaluate then too. I have not tried the new FP+ feature that Len discussed, because we just took our trip 2 weeks ago. I also rarely re-optimize in the park. If something is down, we don't want to do it, or we got off plan and an FP+ is about to expire, I will just do the next/FP+ attraction and then get back in order. I am not anal about hitting things down to the minute though. However, having said this, everyone is welcome to use it the way they want. I just wanted to people to know that there are others (maybe just me) who use optimize successfully in the way it was intended.

EDIT: Just wanted to thank you @lentesta and your team for such a great product. We love it.

EDIT2: I do a final optimize with a few days of our trip, so that the tool has the most up-to-date info to work with. I usually am optimizing throughout my entire trip planning process though.

 

[soniam]

I was confused with "Next FP+" times on Lines app. I thought that meant what was currently still available, but when we went to the kiosks to get our 4th, that was never the case.

I thought that's what it meant too. If it's not, what does it mean?

It is for the next available FP+ time for 1 slot. If you are trying to get more than one, then they may not be available. Plus, if you have ever tried to switch an attraction while in the park on your phone/tablet using MDE app or website, you can see the volatility in FP+. I have actually switched one, but when I went to submit, it had already been snagged. The "Next FP+" is really just a guide. However, I have been able to go to a kiosk and get the time and attraction listed in "Next FP+". Just did it 2 weeks ago at MK for tea cups. It was available immediately. There were other attractions that I got at MK too.

 

[lentesta]

Hey @lentesta I use TP to fax my room request and got an email saying it had been successfully sent and to let TP know if I got the room I requested. When I tried to reply to the email about my assigned room my reply bounced back. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to let TP know that I didn't get the room requested. Why put that in the email if the reply is a no return email address?

Oh darn. Sorry about that. Would you mind forwarding the email to me at len at touringplans dot com? I'll get that fixed.

What did you ask for in a room, and what dd you end up with?

 

[MalkaR]

@MalkaR - I think we've addressed your friend's concern about FP times. If your friend enters a FP time of, say 7 AM when the park opens at 9 AM, the app will now assume it's really 7 PM.

Pass that along, please, and let me know what your friend says. Thanks for the info on this!

That sounds perfect! Thanks for taking care of that!

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Hi @lentesta!
Since you're granting magical requests, I would like to add one!
In doing my plan for MK for MVMCP, I put in that I'm going to the later parade. However, it automatically places me on Main Street. I really wish I could plot my actual spot in adventureland. I had hoped to watch the last parade and then zip to Jingle Cruise immediately. I also noticed that when I put in one of the musical singing attractions, the plot on the map puts me at the TTC, and not in Tomorrowland...
Should I just pretend the parade is meal, and put my times in at the closest CS?
The same question with the musical entertainment...
Thanks, it's so nice that you're here helping us out!

 

[jeni16]

I've been a Touring Plans subscriber for years now & for the first time am using the personalized plans for my October trip. I love this feature & can't believe I haven't used it before! A friend of mine who is going in April even subscribed after hearing me talk about it so much.

Just a few of suggestions & some things she mentioned she wished it had being a first time visitor.

1) An option for park hopping so you didn't have to have 2 separate plans. Would love for it to include estimated travel time as well.

2) An option for meals outside of the park. Again with estimated travel times. Right now, as other have mentioned, we are just entering these as breaks.

3) An option to select single rider for those rides that this is available for.

4) An option to have split plans. An example of this would be that my DH is going to ride Expedition Everest while DS , DM & I are going to The Boneyard. This is throwing us into a later Finding Nemo because it has all of us doing both. Not a big deal, I'm just making a note that this is the case.

Thanks for being so active on this thread!