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[Merx]

We have a room request we'd really like to have honored,does the fax thing really increase our chances? It's for a Board Walk DVC unit if that matter.

Bill From PA

That's a good question, I guess the quick answer is that no one knows for sure, and it doesn't hurt to try.

There's this thread about this topic a couple of weeks ago that might help you decide

http://www.disboards.com/threads/touring-plans-room-request-fax.3498494/

 

[Nebraska_Disney]

You have been able to fax room requests to Disney for many years, Touringplans wants you to pay for something you can do on your own and they are following the models that cast members have suggested years ago. As with many things, Touringplans makes you feel like you "need" them to have a good trip or to do certain things. In all truthfulness, you can plan and have a great trip and never once look at what they offer or pay for anything. I have never used them in my many trips to WDW and I have been faxing in my own room requests for years. On my last 4 trips, I have faxed in the exact room number I wanted with 2 alternates and got my first choice each time. Could be luck, but then again, the paid service offers no guarantees either. If you want to mail me $12, I'll send a fax for you too

 

[Iowamomof4]

You have been able to fax room requests to Disney for many years, Touringplans wants you to pay for something you can do on your own and they are following the models that cast members have suggested years ago. As with many things, Touringplans makes you feel like you "need" them to have a good trip or to do certain things. In all truthfulness, you can plan and have a great trip and never once look at what they offer or pay for anything. I have never used them in my many trips to WDW and I have been faxing in my own room requests for years. On my last 4 trips, I have faxed in the exact room number I wanted with 2 alternates and got my first choice each time. Could be luck, but then again, the paid service offers no guarantees either. If you want to mail me $12, I'll send a fax for you too

If that was all touringplans did, I would agree it's not worth $12. I've never used their room request option and I still find plenty of value in the services I do use.

 

[cel_disney]

You have been able to fax room requests to Disney for many years, Touringplans wants you to pay for something you can do on your own and they are following the models that cast members have suggested years ago. As with many things, Touringplans makes you feel like you "need" them to have a good trip or to do certain things. In all truthfulness, you can plan and have a great trip and never once look at what they offer or pay for anything. I have never used them in my many trips to WDW and I have been faxing in my own room requests for years. On my last 4 trips, I have faxed in the exact room number I wanted with 2 alternates and got my first choice each time. Could be luck, but then again, the paid service offers no guarantees either. If you want to mail me $12, I'll send a fax for you too

Clearly most of us just find the room fax as just one component of what we get with our 10-12$ a year. For me - sending a fax is not free - so it's actually quite helpful that they do it for me and that I can set it up at my own convenient time (1am? Sure - no problem - the internet works great then!).

I also wonder how 'all those years' you were getting park wait times before MDE existed? I know it was several years where only the Lines app was providing me wait times (I don't have Verizon or ATT as a cell provider so didn't get access to whichever one had an app before Disney did)...I even used lines in my blackberry many years ago!

It's fine for you to not use it - and since you don't use it - there should be no reason for you to be posting in a thread about how best to use it.

Never mind that there is no need for you to come and tell those of us discussing HOW we use it, that we should NOT do so...in the scheme of things - the 10$ I spent on touring plans this year with my 3 trips that included onsite stays totally 22 nights and 6 different resort check-ins and 20 park days - was a drop in the bucket...

 

[rer1972]

Been a subscriber for a few years, and I didn't even know about the ADR finder!! Please tell me where to look?

Never mind, I found it. Duh.

 

[quagmire0]

The web subscription is well worth it. I was actually only disappointed that I bought the newest book first. Should have just stuck with the web. Essentially, if you've read any of the Unofficial Guides in the last few years, you get the gist and can pretty much just lean on the website. I didn't feel like the 2016 book offered me much more than the 2013 book did.

 

[quagmire0]

Been a subscriber for a few years, and I didn't even know about the ADR finder!! Please tell me where to look?

Never mind, I found it. Duh.

You beat me to it, but for everyone else: https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/reservation-finder

 

[IrishNYC]

The Lines app. I'm not one to pay for apps, but I'd pay for the Lines app alone.

 

[GOOFY D]

Is it any different than using MDE? I used to use touringplans but actually found MDE to be more accurate and updated more timely.

 

[BattyKoda]

Generally no. People think they are getting short changed on hours so they go to another, more crowded park. I like going to MK on party days, lower crowds.

I couldn't agree more. We love MK during the day on Party nights, the crowds are normally quite a bit lower.

 

[prettypatchesmsu]

I'd also like to know more about the lines app compared to the MDE app. I've never used touring plans so I don't know anything about the lines app. Why is it better than the Disney app? Thanks!

 

[BudgieMama]

I'd also like to know more about the lines app compared to the MDE app. I've never used touring plans so I don't know anything about the lines app. Why is it better than the Disney app? Thanks!

Lines shows the Posted Wait, the Expected Wait (based on timings given by other users going through the lines), and info about whether the lines are likely to drop (and when) or stay the same, and info about if there are any FP+ available left for the rides.

 

[loril13]

We've been premium members for years. I used the room request for the first time our last trip. Might have been luck, but we were exactly where I wanted to be in BCV.
I love my dashboard with all my upcoming trips. I plug in what parks on what days and what our must dos are.
I love the crowd tracker and e-mailed updates when the projected crowd level for my dates changes.
I find the Park hours and all the entertainment nicely blocked for my trip easier to navigate than MDE.
I've never heard of the ADR helper. I'll go check it out. Luckily, we've never had an issue with getting the ADRs we want.

 

[Ursula's Apprentice]

I was not aware of the ADR finder either, but I'm definitely going to give it a shot!

 

[Merx]

One question I have about the Lines app.

I haven't been to Disney World before and I'm planning to rely on the customized touring plans on my trip. I've read that you can use the customize button to rearrange the plan on the fly while you're at the parks based on the actual wait times on the day.

Anyone used it in practice before? Did it work well?

 

[MisWal]

I've always loved the Lines app and I just found the ADR finder! What an awesome perk! Found a CRT reservation for me just 2 weeks out!

 

[cel_disney]

One question I have about the Lines app.

I haven't been to Disney World before and I'm planning to rely on the customized touring plans on my trip. I've read that you can use the customize button to rearrange the plan on the fly while you're at the parks based on the actual wait times on the day.

Anyone used it in practice before? Did it work well?

We do this often - often I evaluate first (that keeps the current order) to see what it says the wait will be. Other times I optimize incase it makes sense to be elsewhere.
You can tell it where you are in the parks and you can hit the 'done!' Button to move a ride off the list of those remaining.

We are in the parks often that I don't always follow a full fledged plan - I have created several custom plans on the fly with only 5-6 things in them just so we can keep track of what we have left!

 

[Iowamomof4]

I have found it very difficult to figure out the best way to use touring plans effectively for my family. With two adults, two teens, and two elementary-aged kids, everyone has such different desires I can't seem to put a plan together for the whole family yet I hate to split us apart. Has anyone else dealt with this?

 

[Sevey13]

I've always loved the Lines app and I just found the ADR finder! What an awesome perk! Found a CRT reservation for me just 2 weeks out!

Yeah, I just scored a BOG a week out.

Honestly, the services are great but the program does a really bad job of sharing what features it has to offer. If I were in charge, I would probably scrap the current UI and start fresh. Right now it feels like something that started small but was just sort of build onto year after year as new features launched. It's time for them to start fresh with a new UI designed with the current features in mind.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Honestly, the services are great but the program does a really bad job of sharing what features it has to offer. If I were in charge, I would probably scrap the current UI and start fresh. Right now it feels like something that started small but was just sort of build onto year after year as new features launched. It's time for them to start fresh with a new UI designed with the current features in mind.

I too have a difficult time finding things on the website. But the stuff that's there is great!!