# Which Disney-related forum is equivalent to TUG ?



## winger (May 21, 2012)

We all know TUG is the best forum to be for timeshare owners  . How about the best forum for Disney World (or anything Disney) ?  We are thinking of a possible visit to DWorld in Floriday for 2013 and want to do some reading.


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## MichaelColey (May 21, 2012)

There are many.  The two I frequent are:

easyWDW.com - This is a fairly new, relatively small forum (and blog), but with some very helpful and knowledgable members (and Josh, the owner).

DISboards.com - It's a VERY BIG forum, and has a reputation for not being friendly (but I've never had a problem there).

Also:

MouseOwners.com - A forum for DVC owners.  I don't frequent this one, because I only own DVC for the AP discount.  I'm really just a regular timeshare owner.  

I know there are probably dozens of others, but those are the ones I would recommend.


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## winger (May 22, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> There are many.  The two I frequent are:
> 
> easyWDW.com - This is a fairly new, relatively small forum (and blog), but with some very helpful and knowledgable members (and Josh, the owner).
> 
> ...


What? Come on, Mike. There MUST be one that stands out among the crowd???    Thanks for the links.


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## alwysonvac (May 22, 2012)

There are too many sites to count. Here's a 2009 ranking for more than 300 sites - http://www.thedisneyportal.com/tdp/AllTopDisneySites.asp

When I need info, I use Disboards forums (similiar to TUG, it is my main source for opinions, reviews, strategies, etc), Allears.net (for complete WDW Info that's not available on the official WDW site), and Mousesaver (for their tips on discounts and savings). 
http://disboards.com/ - take a look at the various forums
http://www.allears.net/index.html - take a look at their detail information on accomodations, ticket pricing, special events, etc
http://www.mousesavers.com/- take a look at their discount pages (for example rental car discounts).

Definitely take a look at the best time to visit WDW.  See links below
Historic Attendance Levels - http://allears.net/pl/attend.htm
When are the best (and worst) times of year to go to Walt Disney World? - http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwfaq.html#busy
Additional sites: http://www.easywdw.com/disneybest/disney-world-calendar-of-crowds-cost-weather-events/ & http://yourfirstvisit.net/2011/09/19/2013-weeks-to-visit-walt-disney-world-ranked-in-order/

Have a wonderful time in WDW


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## Twinkstarr (May 22, 2012)

winger said:


> What? Come on, Mike. There MUST be one that stands out among the crowd???    Thanks for the links.



easyWDW is good for crowd information and general touring info Josh is a riot in his blog. If you want to know how to maximize your park time, this is where to go. 

TourguideMike, I've used years ago, it's a pay site, but TGM started to get stale and wasn't updated.


Allears is my go to site for menus for the various on site restaurants. Easy to navigate and they are updated regularly.


DIS- I enjoy for the "train wreck" aspect of the whole thing. Since online booking has started it has confirmed for me that "no room" available means OKW/SSR have rooms. Geez could have booked 2br at SSR during Easter week 5 days out. Lots of anxiety over booking windows/waitlists etc, DVC stuff in general.



Mouseowners-they spend more time "reading the tea leaves/smoke signals" coming from DVC mgmt. As for being more friendly than DIS,  I've seen them jump all over an owner and basically question if she actually a DVC owner, since she asked a very newbie park question(they go for the resorts, don't really do the parks).


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## MichaelColey (May 22, 2012)

Dittos on allears.net and mousesavers.com as great resources, although I don't think either has a forum.

I also like stitchkingdom.com, especially for details about magic photopass locations and maximizing the use of photopasses.


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## pkyorkbeach (May 22, 2012)

Great info
Going to WWD soon


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## Paumavista (May 22, 2012)

*TourGuideMike*

I am an obsessive planner and everyone in the family counts on me to have the best and latest information. We used this site about 4 years ago and it was the best money I spent for the trip.  I thought the information was great and we really benefitted from the advice.   I figured it was the cost of a tour book only super updated and you could ask questions.  We spent a week visiting all the parks.....we were there every morning and back enjoying the resort every afternoon.  We were able to do this and see everything because we didn't wait on lines.


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## MichaelColey (May 22, 2012)

I've never been to TGM, but I know that *many* members at easyWDW have reluctantly come over from there because the site has been neglected so badly.  They've been ecstatic to get even better information (and for free).  Josh (the owner of easyWDW) is in the parks and on the site daily.

The other thing I like about easyWDW is that it is relatively small (but full of great information and knowledgable people) and has much more of a community feel than DISboards.com, with a lot of camaraderie.

There are also several regulars from TUG there.


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## SOS8260456 (May 22, 2012)

This is my very first time posting a link, so please let me know if it doesn't work.  I was recently contacted by another TUG member through asking for more info about OKW through the TUG reviews section.  When I started looking to reverify the info I was given I found this site.

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts/old-key-west/faqs


It is for DVC, however, it gives a lot of information on each of the DVC resorts, like the number of various unit sizes, where they are located, plus a lot of other information about each DVC resort.  There is also a feature where you can put in a room number and it will tell you information about that particular room.  I used the search to see where all the grand villas were located at SSR and it listed each room number, if it had a view, if it was close to a pool or bus stop. etc.  I thought it was really cool.

They also have a forum but I haven't had a chance to register and check it out yet.

The DISboards have always been my Disney info home.  I have never had any problems there, but I have seen them tear into some posters.

Mousesavers I go to for finding the savings on various stuff especially the few times we have needed a car rental.  Make sure you sign up for their newsletter.  I haven't purchased regular tickets in a while (only annual passes), but I have heard that the best ticket prices can be found from a special link in their newsletter to Undercover Tourist.

Allearsnet I use for meal planning. especially menu checking and to very some info I will get from other sources.

Enjoy your Disney trip!


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## Weimaraner (May 22, 2012)

Not like TUG, but I found undercovertourist.com helpful for its crowd calendar. Also best tip I read in preparing for trip is to bring a ribbon if you are renting a stroller. We brought a ribbon to all the parks (Disney and SeaWorld) and we were always able to pick our stroller out from a sea of hundreds quickly and easily.


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## rickandcindy23 (May 22, 2012)

I like http://www.chipandco.com/
Chip usually knows things ahead of the other sites.  I know Chip personally and I also know some of the bloggers there.  I might be one.  

Love Touringplans.com too.  It's worth joining to get his touring plans, if you are going during primetime.  If you are going in the off-season months, I wouldn't worry much about a touring plan.  He has crowd levels specific to each park, and we always feel a bit smarter for following his advice for each and every day. No matter what time of year, Disney has its crowds, and it's wise not to just go to whatever park strikes your fancy that day, or you might go in with a crowd level 8, when another park is at crowd level 1 that day.  Every park has a low-crowd day during the week (at least once each week).  

If you stay on-site at Disney resorts, and if you can get up at the crack of dawn, take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours.  But don't go late.  If you arrive at 8:45, and the park opened for Disney guests at 8:00, you might as well go to one of the recommended parks by Touring Plans instead (which is never the EMH park for that day).  The park will be crowded by 8:45, and then the regular folks start showing up as well.


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## DeniseM (May 22, 2012)

I will probably get lit up for this,  but the thing about many of the Disney forums is that everyone there "drinks the Kool Aid."  It is the culture of the forum.

On TUG we like our timeshares, but we are also capable of critical and articulate evaluation.  Don't get me wrong - there is a lot of good info. on the Disney Forums, but I can only take the "sweet and light," in small doses.

OK - I'm ready!


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## littlestar (May 22, 2012)

The most well known and probably most frequented forum would be the Dis boards.  My favorite Disney sites as far as discussion forums are Dis Boards and Passporters.   

Now, as far as general Disney website for information, I like allearsnet and mousesavers.


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## Paumavista (May 22, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> I've never been to TGM, but I know that *many* members at easyWDW have reluctantly come over from there because the site has been neglected so badly.  They've been ecstatic to get even better information (and for free).  Josh (the owner of easyWDW) is in the parks and on the site daily.
> 
> The other thing I like about easyWDW is that it is relatively small (but full of great information and knowledgable people) and has much more of a community feel than DISboards.com, with a lot of camaraderie.
> 
> There are also several regulars from TUG there.



I'm sorry to hear that the site has deteriorated.  As I mentioned it's been about 4 years or maybe a little more since we traveled but at the time it was top notch.  Sites come and go - always better to go where the information is most CURRENT.


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## littlestar (May 22, 2012)

Love DeniseM's post.  

(Laughter)  That's one thing I've always liked about Tug - it's well balanced. I always feel like I'll receive a well balanced evaluation when I'm asking questions.


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## presley (May 22, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> On TUG we like our timeshares, but we are also capable of critical and articulate evaluation.  Don't get me wrong - there is a lot of good info. on the Disney Forums, but I can only take the "sweet and light," in small doses.



I'm a DVCer and I often feel like I am going to barf while reading the DVC forums.  I like to gather information and have made some nice friends online, but a lot of people seem to think Mickey Mouse can walk on water.  :rofl:


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## Detailor (May 22, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> I will probably get lit up for this,  but the thing about many of the Disney forums is that everyone there "drinks the Kool Aid."  It is the culture of the forum.
> 
> On TUG we like our timeshares, but we are also capable of critical and articulate evaluation.  Don't get me wrong - there is a lot of good info. on the Disney Forums, but I can only take the "sweet and light," in small doses.
> 
> OK - I'm ready!



So, hey, if you find those Disney forums too sweet go to the Transportation Board at DisBoards - they're quite self-satisfied there that there's no "pixie dust" at Transporation.  Or go to the DisBoards' Disney Resort Board and tell them that you can't imagine staying on site after a wonderful off site experience.  Then just sit back and read the "sweetness and light" that follows.   

Dick Taylor


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## chriskre (May 23, 2012)

I like Mouseowners and hang out there often but there's alot of pixie dust in their eyes when it comes to anything RCI related.  Nice enough group though so I keep going back.  I've sent alot of friends from over there here to TUG when they want to know how to go beyond the Disney gates.  Doesn't happen often though.  :rofl:


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## spiceycat (May 25, 2012)

hey I am one of those fans - won't have brought DVC in the first place - there are definitely cheaper and better timeshares around.

disboards, mouseowners, allears, dvcnews (although he posts on the Dis) - don't forget facebook - it has a bunch of disney fansites on it.


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## amycurl (May 25, 2012)

I like www.disneyreport.com, which is a Disney news aggregator, so it's great for links to other sites and news. They also have touring information. Touringplans.com is a good site, too.

But I'm mostly about design/architecture/engineering when it comes to Disney than "sweetness and light," so bear that in mind.


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## littlestar (May 25, 2012)

Here's one I forgot about, Intercot:

http://www.intercot.com/


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## chriskre (May 25, 2012)

Oh I forgot about another smaller community that I visit occasionally.
Very nice people too.  Not DVC owners but they love their Disney just the same.  I seem to be one of the few DVC owners that visit there so I actually have something to contribute every now and then.   
http://www.wdwforgrownups.com/


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## GeorgeInNePa (May 29, 2012)

www.touringplans.com

My favorite resource for WDW. Their crowd calendar (park crowd predictions) and Lines App (real time updates from people visiting the parks) are worth the $10/year membership.


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## TeriL (May 29, 2012)

GeorgeInNePa said:


> www.touringplans.com
> 
> My favorite resource for WDW. Their crowd calendar (park crowd predictions) and Lines App (real time updates from people visiting the parks) are worth the $10/year membership.



Another thums up for www.touringplans.com. I am a fan of the Unoffical Guide. We do not own DVC but a lot on the chat do and they have lots of info on DVC and other Disney planning info


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## winger (May 30, 2012)

Thanks all for all the input so far. Keep the info coming. I have lots of reading material for our upcoming vacation at the end of June  



TeriL said:


> Another thums up for www.touringplans.com. I am a fan of the Unoffical Guide. We do not own DVC but a lot on the chat do and they have lots of info on DVC and other Disney planning info



How does this compare to RideMax.com ?  I used RM several times at Disneyland (Anaheim) last year including July 4th and Thanksgiving weeks (park was pretty busy both times) - and we literally ran nuts skipping many, many long lines.


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