Scratching my head over Touring Plans

[ToyStory3]

I love touring plans but I only use the personalized plans. I put it in the order I want and only use "evaluate". And I hit evaluate after all changes that I make. I also like the wait times and menus.

 

[jcammans]

I have had a great experience using TP. I love the menus and used them to help me determine whether or not the dining plan was right for my family. Also, I like the attraction information for ride lengths and wait times.

TP is well put together and easy to use but I agree with some of the other posters regarding actually creating a touring plan. It took me many many tries to get just Day 1 of our trip correct. I didn't bother putting in the other 9 days. I will try again after reading some of the tips/tricks listed here. Hopefully the rest will go smoothly without using the Optimize feature and stick to evaluate only.

 

[JulieMcD]

I subscribed to TP, but didn't use it for the touring plans. I definitely prefer EasyWDW.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Glad to "see" you on this thread @lentesta!
I really like TP, but find I cannot re order my plans from my Android phone.
I actually have to be on a desktop to rearrange the order. Is that true for everyone?
I also have found that even when I put in my fp the "computer" tells me it's not using it for various reasons, but still shows that attraction as a 40 minute wait with no fp.
What am I doing wrong?

 

[ChloesDaddy]

Glad to "see" you on this thread @lentesta!
I really like TP, but find I cannot re order my plans from my Android phone.
I actually have to be on a desktop to rearrange the order. Is that true for everyone?
I also have found that even when I put in my fp the "computer" tells me it's not using it for various reasons, but still shows that attraction as a 40 minute wait with no fp.
What am I doing wrong?

It's easier to change order on the desktop version since you can drag and drop, but I've done it on the iPhone app. Each step has an option to move it up or down the list ("Move step up" and "Move step down"). Does the android app not have those?

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Glad to "see" you on this thread @lentesta!
I really like TP, but find I cannot re order my plans from my Android phone.
I actually have to be on a desktop to rearrange the order. Is that true for everyone?
I also have found that even when I put in my fp the "computer" tells me it's not using it for various reasons, but still shows that attraction as a 40 minute wait with no fp.
What am I doing wrong?

I can't reorder from my phone's browser but I can from the Lines app. Have you tried that?

For the FP issue are you using Optimize or Evaluate? I have run across the situation where if I don't enter in enough attractions for the times before an FP and hit Evaluate, it interpretes that free time as wait time so if there is an hour of free time and then an FP it indicates to wait 40 mins for the ride instead of using FP.

 

[lentesta]

Glad to "see" you on this thread @lentesta!
I really like TP, but find I cannot re order my plans from my Android phone.
I actually have to be on a desktop to rearrange the order. Is that true for everyone?
I also have found that even when I put in my fp the "computer" tells me it's not using it for various reasons, but still shows that attraction as a 40 minute wait with no fp.
What am I doing wrong?

I'll be happy to take a look at one of your plans, @ConnecticutNonna. If you don't mind posting a link to it here, other folks might enjoy watching the process.

As far as not being able to rearrange the plan on your phone, is that through the Lines app for Android? Or just a normal web browser using the regular site? It may not be possible (yet) to drag steps around on the regular site with a normal web browser on a phone.

 

[lentesta]

It's easier to change order on the desktop version since you can drag and drop, but I've done it on the iPhone app. Each step has an option to move it up or down the list ("Move step up" and "Move step down"). Does the android app not have those?

Thanks for the help, @ChloesDaddy. It may be outside the app, using a normal web browser on the regular website.

If that's it, we may be able to auto-detect that a phone and web browser are being used, and add up/down options.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Thanks, I'm going to go play with it now!
Snow day, so no school, Yippee Skippee!

 

[SnipsNSnails]

@lentesta - love TP and have been used it for many years for our trips whether one day or a long stay, for WDW and DL. I use the crowd calendar to plan my park days. The customized TP to plan our days. I used the resort fax feature this last time and had our requests met. And there are many other great features that I have used over the years as well.

ConnecticutNonna has the most asked question I see on these boards regarding making a TP and I believe the most frustrating aspect of the program. The solution (not a computer programmer so not sure if it's possible) is that if we enter our FP times, it would be great if the Optimize would use them in the plan automatically, placing them within the FP return window. Maybe there needs to be a check box that says use my FP in the plan to differentiate between those people who want to see how they work out and those who are set in stone, but in most cases, once FP are made they are difficult to change or someone took what they could get and need to make the best of it and it's highly frustrating to enter the times, push Optimize, and have it tell you that it isn't using one or more of your scheduled FP. While I changed one or two of my FP for our 9 day trip based on the TP results, most of them I was not willing to or could not change them.

The current solution to the problem is that you must manually reorder your plan so that the FP falls within the window and then the plan will use it if the attraction falls within the FP window. You in effect have to force it. Then you absolutely can't ever push Optimize again, only Evaluate, or it messes it all up. It can be very time consuming to do so. This also does not appear to be at all intuitive for most users as we see this question almost weekly on these boards and we all know that if that many are having problems here, then it's happening to countless people who aren't looking for help and might just be giving up never to subscribe again.

Those who want to use the plans to pick their FP times just wouldn't enter times and use as always or could easily enter times available to see how they work into a plan. At the moment, it is so time consuming to fit FP in to the plan that it's not at all useful when picking FP times if there are not the times available that the plan suggests. I would love to be able to have my TP open when picking FP times and be able to test out a few times available by entering and simply pushing optimize to see what is the best fit for the plan. At the moment that is not even close to a possibility. I think if you made the Optimize feature have the ability to use entered FP times it would make it much more user friendly and really move TP ahead as the single most easy and useful planning tool available.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

^^^^^ THIS! Thank you for clarifying!

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Also, I just went on TP to "play", but forgot my phone will only allow me to scroll up or down, never across, so I can't ever use my droid to work with my plans. I have to do everything on a desktop, then use my phone in the parks.

 

[TeresaNJ]

I love TP! I like that I'm able to read about each attraction & show, how long each show is, the times of day they are scheduled, etc. Then I make my plan according to all that info, dragging & dropping in the order I want to do each attraction/show. I love the fact that I can then print it out. Also love the room finder/fax request feature. Definitely worth the money!

 

[ChloesDaddy]

Also, I just went on TP to "play", but forgot my phone will only allow me to scroll up or down, never across, so I can't ever use my droid to work with my plans. I have to do everything on a desktop, then use my phone in the parks.

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

 

[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...

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.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I would like that function "Use FP+ times as entered, even if it results in slightly longer waits" also.
If I'm up at Midnight 60 days out after entering all my resort and ticket information I'm using them dang it!

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.

 

[Shellyb84]

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.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

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?

 

[ArielSRL]

Glad to "see" you on this thread @lentesta!
I really like TP, but find I cannot re order my plans from my Android phone.
I actually have to be on a desktop to rearrange the order. Is that true for everyone?
I also have found that even when I put in my fp the "computer" tells me it's not using it for various reasons, but still shows that attraction as a 40 minute wait with no fp.
What am I doing wrong?

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

 

[SnipsNSnails]

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.

That is perfect Len! Thanks for listening and all the work you put in! I can't wait to try it out for my next trip. It seems that it will make planning easier and faster. Also love the idea of using optimize while in the parks and it leaving my FP where they need to be!