When I went to Disney last time, I wanted to use all the TP plans and tools. Mostly (apart from line wait times) I was just confused. (Stop laughing at me! Stop it!)
Is there a simplified, dumbed down Touring Plan instruction manual for those of us who are failing at planning?
There are blog posts and videos and lots of experienced liners.
What exactly is confusing you? Is it actually setting up a touring plan, or something else? There aren’t really any absolute right ways to do it - more what is right for you! But there is a lot of good advice here.
Not laughing. It’s complicated. You know what you what to do, but the challenge is making the system agree with you.
Just start by choosing your rides and add in breaks/meals. I like to start with Optimizing and then moving stuff around. Remember to save to a new name if you’re making changes you’re not sure you will want to keep. There is no undo function.
I get it. It does take some practice and “playing” with it to get it down. I’d recommend going to the TP YouTube channel. Brain does a couple great videos that walk you through the process.
Also, it took me a while to understand in order to not get a “Warning! You may not make it to your attractions on time…” that the TP wants you to arrive about 10 minutes early to most shows or lunches.
Um. What do you mean? The only right way is MY way! 
I heard that. But I also heard that you could tell me how you do it… but then you’d have to kill me.
Finally we agree on something!
MY way is the only right way.
Thank you for acknowledging this. It means a lot.
Yes. Which is why I keep the “only right way” to myself. I don’t want blood on my hands.
The best advice I ever got was from my first Unofficial Guide years and years ago. Zig when others zag.
Look where everyone is not - and go there.
I’m going to start checking out the videos. I have 271 days to do it right this time.
Can I just say, thank heaven for youtube? I don’t learn well from text unless it’s got a story line and interesting characters.
Funny, because I’m the opposite. Well, I mean, YouTube has it’s uses, but when there is a YouTube video or a transcript to read, I’ll always choose the transcript over the video. I like the fact that I can read and process at my pace, where as on YouTube you are locked in to the timeframe they pre-determined. Not to mention you have to have headphones or something!
there’s definitely a learning curve, especially when the program seemingly ignores what you tell it to do. Any specific questions to start out?
There are interesting studies about how people learn things. Particularly interesting to me because on school I really struggled with math. I had math fear. I had to take remedial algebra in college, and I dropped the class!
In my twenties, I was in the Coast Guard. I was on a training vessel that would travel with the first year Academy cadets for the summer. While at sea I finished all my logic puzzle books and the cadets would write up algebra word problems for me. Turns out I could learn math after all.
Anyway, that was a long tangent with no connection to WDW.
It was back in January and I remember being frustrated, but I don’t remember exactly why.
Just doing my job.
See what I mean?
Here’s my advice.
Pick a park. MK is probably easiest.
Create a personalised plan for any day at all. Doesn’t have to be your park days, just any day. This is purely a test plan.
Don’t worry about what you want to do in your actual park day. Just pick some attractions, add a meal, add a break for a Mickey bar (that’s compulsory by the way).
Then either Optimise or Evaluate. Liners are divided by this! If you like control (aka you are a total control freak like me), choose Evaluate. If you want to let TP do the hard work for you, choose Optimise.
Actually better still, copy the plan and do one of each. Just remember which is which, maybe name one “my test plan - E” and the other “my test plan - O”.
In other words, just create a plan and see what it looks like. And then ask questions. We’re a nice bunch, mainly! When people ask for advice we’re kind, honest. The snark only comes with deep philosophical subjects, like Why do people rave about Dole Whips.
Dole Whip. Yeah, that’s not a conversation for polite company.
Also, thank you!
I’m also in the process of doing a sorta Park-hopper-planning walk-thru. It’s basically a long windy version of what @Nicky_S just wrote. Not sure if it’ll apply to anything you’re doing, but you might be able to get some ideas as we go along (it’s ongoing until my trip in December)?
How would I follow along?
