Has Touring plans lost its collective mind?

[TravelGrl]

I use Touring Plans app, but I don't get updates like the ones the PP is describing, just the once a year that my subscription is about to expire. How do you get the email updates?

 

[lamb616]

you can sign up for the Crowd Tracker updates for certain dates and it emails you when it changes.

 

[rwdavis2]

I use Touring Plans app, but I don't get updates like the ones the PP is describing, just the once a year that my subscription is about to expire. How do you get the email updates?

Using the Crowd Calendar navigate to the first day you want to track. There is a link "Track This Day" that you click to track that day. You will get email updates when anything changes.

Near the bottom of the page there is another link "Crowds for mm/dd/yyyy" to go to the next day and you click the tracking link again. Repeat until you are tracking all your days.

You can also view all the days on one page by navigating to any day using the Crowd Calendar and there will be link near the upper right: "View your Crowd Tracker"

 

[Wendy31]

I'm a subscribing member to Touring Plans, & I've done the crowd tracker for our trip.

When I go to look at our crowd tracker, there's a box that says "20 notifications have been emailed" (or something like that). However, I haven't received any emails from Touring Plans. I've even checked our spam/junk folder.

So I emailed to ask why I wouldn't be receiving the email notifications, & I haven't received a reply. But, since I'm not receiving the notifications, maybe that's why I haven't received a reply to my questions either - there's something wrong w/ how any emails from Touring Plans are being sent to me.

I'm not computer tech-y enough to know what could be wrong!

 

[mmforme2009]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one wondering what was going on. Last year was the first year we used TP and there were days we got to the parks and thought what on earth, turned around and headed to another park....thank goodness for park hopper. This year for our October trip I've already received 12 emails for overall crowd updates and park recommendations. Pretty sure we'll be taking advantage of the park hopper again this year.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

From my experience with them (a few years ago now), they always made adjustments to the dates we were planning.

Sounds like things are the same.

That may be true. I just may not have noticed it before because I didn't have crowd tracker.

 

[pigletto]

It is called a forecast. As more information is added, it refigures the information. No forecast is going to be 100% as you are essentially attempting to predict the future by using information from the past. There are too many variables that could change things.

I actually am glad to see all the updates because it most likely would mean they are adding information and running the possible scenarios. That said, I would not worry to much as things can change the week of.

If you understand what Touring Plans, EasyWDW, and Tour Guide Mike are... then you know that they will never be the be all, end all of what could happen.

Ok sure.. it's a forecast. We get that. But what possible scenarios do you need to run to know that Epcot isn't going to be a 2 on a weekend during food and wine?
Or 20 updates.. yes 20.. since I started tracking my dates. That's excessive.
I've had touring plans for years. This year I am noticing way more changes than ever. When you give me 10 or so changes that are tweaking crowds levels and details.. I get that. When you are changing my numbers from 2's and 3's to 8's and 9's and back to 3's and back to 8's then it's messing with my plans far more than it's helping.

 

[pigletto]

From my experience with them (a few years ago now), they always made adjustments to the dates we were planning.

Sounds like things are the same.

And yes.. they've always made changes. Anywhere from 5 to 10 updates depending on far out I started tracking. Trust me, this year has been more.

 

[alicia080979]

Ok sure.. it's a forecast. We get that. But what possible scenarios do you need to run to know that Epcot isn't going to be a 2 on a weekend during food and wine?
Or 20 updates.. yes 20.. since I started tracking my dates. That's excessive.
I've had touring plans for years. This year I am noticing way more changes than ever. When you give me 10 or so changes that are tweaking crowds levels and details.. I get that. When you are changing my numbers from 2's and 3's to 8's and 9's and back to 3's and back to 8's then it's messing with my plans far more than it's helping.

Agreed.

TP has been driving me crazy as well. I have been a subscriber since 2009 and I am pretty sure that I won't be renewing in May. We made our 6 month ADRs based on their recommendations and they have gone from 2s to 8s and so forth almost daily. Now, I understand that they are just forecasts but you shouldn't be charging people to subscribe to something that is supposed to help them plan when you can't be consistent in your numbers. That isn't fair to the customer.

I also understand that the numbers change because we have used them since 2009 but they have never jumped around like they have in the past few weeks. Usually they will go from a 3 to a 4, best park to a neutral park, etc. This year they are going from best to worst park, 8/9 levels to 3/4 levels and vice versa. I am pretty much over following their numbers and am in the process of switching to Easy WDW to see how that works.

 

[Wiloughby1]

I've been annoyed with changes too, but I noticed one particular change, and it clarified a bit to me why this year had been more "turbulent"...

I have 2 trips planned- WDW in the fall that I started tracking 12mos+ in advance and DLR 6/27-28 that I only added 5mos out.

Just after they set the opening date for Cars Land, DCA went from a 5.4 on my dates to a 9.2.

Think about the number of changes taking place at WDW-
-FP
-FLE in phases
-new running events
-Free Dining and other promotions
-One More Disney Day
-Epcot 30th vs MK 40th

I'm not saying all (or any) will individually impact forecasts like Cars Land did, esp since DLR is and AP park more than WDW is, but I can imagine they are really playing with the algorithms right now. How many variations were there on the Dumbo timeline alone?

I'm overlapping my TP, EasyWDW, and UT calendars to make my decisions. So far, UT disagrees the most.

I hope in the end TP nails it, but I too am planning ADRs for my 180 next week. I understand the dilemma.

I'm also thinking about how much touring plans themselves, outside of crowd calendars will have to change with FLE, TT down for the summer, etc. Can you even imagine? Not easy for them, and I bet many will ask for refunds. I'm sympathetic.

 

[PixieDustFanatic]

You know, I originally thought this too, but if you think about it does make sense.

TP is based around attraction wait times, not F&W kiosk wait times, therefore, if you are going to ride rides, it might make sense to go when the bulk of the crowd is noshing around WS, and not in line at Test Track.

I totally understand that F&W will increase the number of people in the park, but not necessarily increase wait times at the attractions.

All that being said, a touring plan for the F&W booths is something I could really get behind!

I can appreciate that the booths get longer lines than those for the rides, but a 1.1 on the first Saturday of F&W...and its a neutral park. Nah, I don't think that's right. I don't need any numbers to prove it either, that's just common sense. I would be willing bet that this will change to a park to avoid or at the very least, that number will go up.

I love TP and love the lines app, but that is really off.

 

[Mary T in PA]

I have used TP for several years and this is the first year that I have been getting alot of updates for our July trip. It just keeps coming in, and getting switched all around. I don't give it much thought until we get closer to our trip. I was beginning to wonder if it was just me experiencing such a high volume of tracker updates.

Not sure how much longer I'll continue my subscription, it just seems so wonky right now.

 

[dimndgal1]

I have been tracking our June dates for a few months and before the FP switch I had one update... now I get at least one a week.

I assumed it was due to the touring plans changing as they incorporate new FP habits and the fact it's three months until time... both things could easily show a flux.

Also, like Capt barbossa said they really aren't rules but more like guidelines...

 

[DisDarling]

We used to use them, and it got to the point that they were so off the beaten path that they weren't worth the money anymore. They were saying Parks were in the low numbers, we would go, and it would be INSANELY busy. After this happening several times, we gave up on them.

 

[kaligal]

Where is Len Testa when we need him?

Where is Len, btw? He used to post on here quite a little bit.

 

[RalphinSC]

Just my 2 cents... If I were you, I'd go with my current plan and then change on a whim while in the parks and based on my judgment about how the crowds felt. I WOULDN'T change on a whim ahead of time based on TP's forecasts changing... certainly not the way those forecasts have looked these days.

This may be exactly what you meant anyway, but I thought I'd put this out there, just in case...

Yeah, it's like you stated. That's what the park hopper is for I remember last year we got caught on a day at Epcot that was listed as a 2 and turned out to be like an 8. The ONLY thing that kept us in the park was our ADR. Not going to have that issue this time. Longer vacation, more off-days, and no full service dining plan.

 

[RalphinSC]

I understand that estimates can change and that it's not an exact science but I think what people are saying is there seems to be a LOT more changes recently than in the past. I've found the same thing. I don't think I got ANY changes for my trip last year; this year I'm getting several emails a week that parks are changing from Best Parks to Parks to Avoid, then back to Best Park.

Same here. At least I'm not the only one.

 

[Dorisk3]

We used to use them, and it got to the point that they were so off the beaten path that they weren't worth the money anymore. They were saying Parks were in the low numbers, we would go, and it would be INSANELY busy. After this happening several times, we gave up on them.

Same here! My favorite was a 1 in Epcot the week before Thanksgiving. We've been many times in September, so I know what a 1 means. But there was no way that park was a 1 that day no matter how you looked at it. Funny thing, I mentioned it on lines chat that the number was off, and I was called a troll!

 

[GatorLady]

I don't know what is going on over there!

They are posting contradictory information within the page for an individual day. Their written explanation paragraph at the top is different than the park by park breakdown on the same page! Here is a taste of the madness! (I didn't post date so as not to break any rules)

"We're recommending the park with the lowest per park level, Disney's Hollywood Studios."


Disney's Hollywood Studios
Crowd Level: 8.3 out of 10
This is a Park to Avoid
Park Hours: 8:00am - 10:00pm
Fantasmic! at 8:30pm
Fantasmic! at 10:00pm
Pixar Pals Countdown To Fun! at 3:00am
...view park wait times / full show schedule"

They also contradict themselves on what park has the lowest crowd level, and they say to avoid MK at the top of page, but in breakdown of each park, have it as a best park???

Just be sure that you read the entire page for your days to see if it makes sense.

 

[DisDarling]

Sorry, repeat post.