In the process of researching vacations to Walt Disney World®, we have had the opportunity to check out countless guide books and planning services.  Our hands down favorite has been TourGuideMIKE's Automated Vacation Planner (AVP).  Unlike a traditional travel guide which, due to the limitations of publishing, is out of date before the first edition rolls off the presses, TourGuideMiKE is an interactive web site that is kept constantly up to date (and this is no small feat as Disney is constantly changing it's schedules!).    If you were only to invest your time and money into one planning resource, this should be it! 

 

TourGuideMIKE's AVP was written and developed by Michael Hewell.  Michael is a former Disney Cast Member who worked not only in guest relations answering questions on any topic you can imagine, but also spending more than five years as a VIP Host for Disney's Special Activities office.  Michael now runs his own VIP tour guide company, Michael's VIPs, in Central Florida.  Michael's VIPs plays host to many celebrities, athletes and corporate VIPS and their families during vacations to Walt Disney World®.  Michael's background as a VIP tour guide has given him unique insight into how to best approach a Disney vacation to avoid the crowds and long lines that have become synonymous with a visit to Disney World.  He spends his days touring the Disney theme parks and has had the opportunity to observe crowd patterns and to find ways to avoid them.  Through the TourGuideMiKE AVP, he shares this knowledge with you!   Guests of Michael's VIPs pay $95/hour for the assistance of his tour guides.  The AVP gives you access to the same information he uses when planning iteneraries and touring plans for these VIP clients.

 

The average TourGuideMiKE AVP user will not wait for more than 15 minutes for ANY attraction at Walt Disney World® no matter what time of year they visit.  That's right, no line longer than 15 minutes even on the busiest day of the year!  We've put these plans to the test during the busiest time of the year and are pleased to report that they work even better than we expected!  For the last two years, I have visited Walt Disney World ®between Christmas and New Years.  While I saw posted wait times that exceed 2 hours (or more!) for many popular attractions, my family did not stand in one single line for more than 7 or 8 minutes.  As a matter of fact, the longest line we encountered during both years combined, was a line to buy lunch at a counter service restaurant on New Years Eve!  During a vacation over spring break my family bumped into friends of ours who we had not seen in months.  We have kids the same ages so they were interested in the same thing.  It was like we were on two different vacations. Their kids were tired and fussy because they had only been on 2 rides all morning long.  Our children were happy and rearing to go after having done at least 8 -10 rides already and we were headed back to our resort to swim and take a break.

 

Inside your AVP you will find countless pages of more information than you can possibly need.  Among other things you'll learn:

  How to determine which park will be the least crowded on any given day of the year.  You will find easy to understand recommendations for the least crowded parks for each morning and evening.  Once you have this information, your AVP will help you develop a customized itinerary for your trip!

  Sample touring plans for each of the four parks to best reduce the amount of time you spend waiting in line.  In addition to the touring plans, TourGuideMiKE will give you a list of the best times to visit each attraction in the park with minimal wait time.  You will find that using these touring plans will NOT have you cris-crossing the park and marching your family commando style from one attraction to the next.  Quite the contrary.  Using these touring plans, you will have more time to appreciate and enjoy the attention to detail Disney is so well known for.

  Unlike other touring plans that only give you a list of attractions and the order to experience them, your AVP goes a step further and explains why this is recommended.  You will also find a list of each and every attraction in the parks and the best times to visit each of them with minimal wait times.  This will allow you to customize touring plans for your family quickly and easily.  Arriving mid-day?  Most touring plans assume you will arrive at park opening.  With the information in your AVP you can build a plan for half day touring if that is what your schedule requires.

  Your AVP contains the most comprehensive collection of photo tours of the resorts, restaurants and parks that we have found.

  "Best of the best" attractions for various age groups. You will find detailed information, and often fun Disney trivia, about each and every attraction in the park including tips for the best viewing experience.  "Scare warnings" are also included where appropriate for the little ones.

  Recommendations for the best parade and fireworks viewing spots.  Find the least crowded areas with fantastic views; and best of all you won't have to sit on the curb for three hours holding your spot before the show starts!

  Recommended dining options for various situations including families with young children, large groups, romantic dining and dining on a budget.  You will also find out the best times to make your Advanced Dining Arrangements in order to minimize your wait time for a table.

  Are you visiting during a busy time of the year such as Spring Break, Summer, Thanksgiving or Christmas?  TourGuideMiKE will publish a "Survival Guide" with specific information and advice on these particularly crowded weeks.

  A "members only" message board where you can get advice and recommendations not just from other AVP users, but often times from Michael himself!

  All this and much, much more!

 

The TourGuideMiKE AVP is normally priced at $21.95.  We were so pleased with the information found in the AVP that we wanted to be sure our guests had the opportunity to benefit from it as well.  Ask your agent for a code to get a $4 discount off of the regular subscription price.