Best Disney Guide Book?

[magicalmemories]

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Walt...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242263505&sr=8-1

There are Disney guide books that offer little or no pictures, and there are those that offer a ton of pictures allowing you to see what you're reading about. I tend to reach for the more visual style guide book. Having said that, The Complete Walt Disney World 2009 is hands down the best.

Personally I think this is the best book I've seen yet. It has everything. It's extremely thorough, and gives you the most useful information. It's so easy to use and so easy to find exactly what you're looking for. It's got maps, estimated wait times (which to my surprise seem to be fairly accurate), ride descriptions, dining descriptions, fun facts, tips, sections on special events, the water parks, the mini golf courses, and detailed descriptions of the resorts.

Yes, Birnbaums is good too, but not nearly as full as The Complete WDW 2009 book. But I do like how Birnbaums has one for dining, with kids, without kids, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland etc...

I would have to agree with this. I love all the pictures in this book and it is really packed full of interesting information. This is the one my husband tends to look at more. He says the other ones are like 'book reports' and are to technical for his likes. Don't get me wrong, they are chocked full of useful information for planning, but as a general read, this one is MUCH better.

 

[rolandocarey968]

Consider this guide "Disney World 101." If you've never been to WDW, and you need an overview of everything that's available, this guidebook is the place to start.

 

[Mystic]

The Birnbaum Guide is good but I gotta go with the Passporter Guide. It's become my "Go To" guide. Whenever I need to look something up, it's the first guide I go to.

 

[fascion216]

i prefer the unoffical guide as well ...
but theres nothing like a passporter to get you in the planning mood! Jennifer and Dave are the best!! :sohappy:

 

[Lucky]

The Official Guide (Birnbaum) is fun and has good photos, just like WDW's ad campaigns. And it contains about as much useful information.

If you want information useful for trip planning, you need more than a Disney ad. The Unofficial Guide is the best I've seen.

 

[Syntho_Magnetic]

Unsure? Check to see if coupons in back of Birnbaum's will help

I vote for Unofficial Guide too, but we got both last time simply because DisneyQuest is our 5th park and a must-do every trip now. It's been a few years, but Birnbaum's was consistently printing a DisneyQuest coupon in the back that paid for the book and even saved us a few bucks. There's a few other coupons too on the last page.

 

[juscet]

Birnbaum's is the best one for information, but because it goes to press so early it may not have all the newest information. The Passporter is very good too, just lacks all those great colored pictures.

 

[bjlc57]

imho Birnbaum's not even close...

to Bob Sehlegher's Unofficial Guide to WDW... not in my lifetime anyway.

for a couple of reasons. Birnbaum's cannot not be "honest" about DISNEY, the Unofficial guide" can.. to a fault.

two. Park viewing plans. if you buy this book for JUST THESE PLANS, the money is worth twice of Birnbaum's.. Why? because the plans WORK TO A TEE...


example. two visits ago, we were the first, and I mean the FIRST people on the five biggest rides in Epcot. it was me, my, and my two adult kids, on the land alone with the tour guide, who didn't use the microphone.

in all our visits, we all get to do our FAVORITE RIDE TWICE.. and the last time we only had three days for FOUR PARKS.

another example.. one day, years ago, I didn't "want to follow the plan"..and get up on time.. we were at Universal.. and the whole day. we were in crowds. Waiting and waiting. and for years my wife and kids have not let me hear the end of it.


Birbaums makes a fine book for reading and "extra knowledge".. but if you want to GO TO THE PARK AND SEE THE WHOLE PARK, its not the correct book.

but I wouldn't consider spending my money on it. because of limited funds, I only buy the best. and the Unofficial Guide stands above all.

 

[GatorGambit]

Yet another vote for Unofficial Guide to WDW (ding!).

Birnbaum's used to be THE book back in the early- to mid-90s. It is tame now in comparison to the information you get from the Unofficial Guide.

 

[hwdelien]

I quit buying guide books. WDWMagic has everything I need.

 

[Marijil]

I think you need unofficial and passporter and you are set. But I have a sentimental attachment to Birnbaums

 

[SirNim]

I love the hilarious illustrations in the Unofficial Guide. They are laugh-out-loud funny.

 

[toystorymaniacs]

I haven't used a guide book in a really long time but this year we are traveling with my husbands family and I think they have bought every book printed. So I looked through a few of them at the bookstore the other day. I really liked what I saw of the passporter.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

You got your guidebook answer, now I think you also asked about imagineering and other things. There is the hidden mickey guide which is fun there are also a lot of interesting engineering books. Scroll down to see a very nice list. (Scroll to Mar. 27)

http://imagineeringdisney.blogspot.com/

 

[abug'saunt]

I also vote for the Passporter (I never knew so many people on this site also use it!). I have older copies of just about every other Disney guide book out there and I will never buy another one of them again.

I bought my first passporter in 2007. Best part of the day was filling out the questions/comments on the pockets with the family. Just last night I caught my niece reading them and going thru the paperwork in the pockets. I got my book for this years trip in February when DH and I decided to go this year. Our ADR's are in it as well as any other important confirmations we have received since booking.

 

[Goofnut1980]

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Walt...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242263505&sr=8-1

There are Disney guide books that offer little or no pictures, and there are those that offer a ton of pictures allowing you to see what you're reading about. I tend to reach for the more visual style guide book. Having said that, The Complete Walt Disney World 2009 is hands down the best.

Personally I think this is the best book I've seen yet. It has everything. It's extremely thorough, and gives you the most useful information. It's so easy to use and so easy to find exactly what you're looking for. It's got maps, estimated wait times (which to my surprise seem to be fairly accurate), ride descriptions, dining descriptions, fun facts, tips, sections on special events, the water parks, the mini golf courses, and detailed descriptions of the resorts.

Yes, Birnbaums is good too, but not nearly as full as The Complete WDW 2009 book. But I do like how Birnbaums has one for dining, with kids, without kids, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland etc...

I couldn't agree more.. I got the Complete WDW last year and then bought it again this year... its just down right AMAZING!!!

 

[AGentlRose]

The Birnbaum book used to be my favorite, when Steve Birnbaum was the one writing the book, but I have since switched to The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (favorite) and The Passporter (#2).

 

[LongballMG]

I buy the new Birnbaum every year for collection purposes only.

If you need a REAL guidebook, you need the Unofficial Guide.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Gotta love the Unofficial Guide. Not a better resource out there!

 

[ThinkTink721]

Birnbaum's Unofficial Guide to WDW