Best Disney World Planning Books?

[wolf359]

Complete Guide To WDW - My favorite. Has great photos of all the resorts, rooms, attractions, and just enough information about everything. You can tell this book is written by fans of WDW, while the rest seem to be written by travel "experts".

I agree, it really is a great book, but I especially think the "written by fans" aspect is important in a good guide book, and comes through SO clearly when reading the Complete Guide. Their enthusiasm for the parks is infectious and makes for a great read as well as being helpful and detailed.

Frommers - How this book gets published is a mystery to me. It's horrible, opinionated and lacks any useful information.

Again, I completely agree. The Frommer's book is as much of the complete opposite from the Complete Guide as could be possible.

The point of view and observations made by the writer are antagonistic almost to the point of being hostile towards Disney. On almost every page the writer goes out of his way to tell you all of the reasons you're not going to enjoy visiting Walt Disney World, to the point of recommending hotels and restaurants back in Orlando you'd be better off going to instead of going to Disney.

I like Frommer's books in general and some of them are quite good and helpful. Just not the Walt Disney World edition. I really question their choice in writers for this one. Why would you not use a writer that actually liked the place they're writing about?

 

[lisak09]

I don't think you can go wrong with The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, it's packed full of info. I have the 2010 one and we're going back this year. I probably don't need the 2011 one, probably won't buy it.......

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I was really disappointed with the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney world with Kids. The regular Unoffical Guide is pretty good, but this one did not have any sit-down restaurant description section, which would have been nice, especially if it told you which places were better for kids of different ages. Also it had several confusing entries (for instance it lists both Kusafri and a place call Busifari), that should have been edited out by now.

 

[captainkidd]

I assume you've never met or listened to Len Testa's podcast. If you had, you'd realize he was most definitely a fan of WDW.

Eh, don't care for him. Don't get me wrong - I personally enjoy the Unofficial Guide, as I know a lot about WDW. For someone who doesn't know a lot about it, the Unofficial Guide is NOT the best choice. It's chock full of information, but it's very opinionated as well. He calls the Contemporary rooms the "best rooms on property". I don't think that's the case, and neither do many others. He is definitely more pro-Disney than Pauline Frommer, but his book falls in line with being overly critical. If you want to know the exact amount of time it will take to get from every motel on I-Drive to the Magic Kingdom, that's the book for you. If you're staying on property and want to know all about which is the perfect resort and best places to eat, there are better options.

If you want a good Walt Disney World planning guide that gives more than just an opinion, Passporter and the Complete Guide are the best bets.

 

[captainkidd]

When will the 2011 be out?? Should I wait for it or just get the 2010. We dont go till August so I have time....Honest opinon please!!!!

You could wait, it's only a few weeks. What's nice about The Complete Guide is that it changes somewhat year to year. Still has the same info, but they write it a bit differently, use different pictures. It's a freshly written book, while all the others are just rehashes of the previous years, edited to include new content.

 

[captainkidd]

I've mentioned this before as well:

http://www.amazon.com/Walt-Disney-W...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295286714&sr=1-1

This book is about 7 or 8 years old, but you can buy it dirt cheap from Amazon. It doesn't have any pictures, but is far and away, the BEST book I've read when it comes to details about each resort. They spend about 8 pages talking about each one. Obviously, Bay Lake Tower and Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas won't be in there, but for a penny, well worth the read.

 

[wolf359]

I've mentioned this before as well:

http://www.amazon.com/Walt-Disney-W...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295286714&sr=1-1

This book is about 7 or 8 years old, but you can buy it dirt cheap from Amazon. It doesn't have any pictures, but is far and away, the BEST book I've read when it comes to details about each resort. They spend about 8 pages talking about each one. Obviously, Bay Lake Tower and Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas won't be in there, but for a penny, well worth the read.

Here I am agreeing with you some more! :lol:

Walt Disney World for Couples is really good. Back in the mid '90s when I first started collecting Disney travel books this was my first non-Birnbaum book, and it quickly became my favorite. It was (and still is) the only Disney guide book that makes a convincing case that Disney World can be completely enjoyable for adults without children.

Because of that adult-centered focus the depth of the information on the resorts and the restaurants outmatched anything else at the time, and is still quite a bit more detailed than any of the best books now.

In the late 90s/early 2000s updated editions started getting fewer and farther apart and by the time that last version showed up (now published by Fodor's) I had already moved on to buying the Passporter.

I wish WDW for Couples would return, because it was so well done and covered a nitch no one else does even now.

 

[Saintsfan75]

well my brother.. I wouldn't steer you wrong.. I wouldn't give Bernboms to my worst enemy..

the Unofficial guide is all you need.. and yes we are DISNEY COMMANDO's..

my wife is the Sarge... and when the Sarge says MARCH .. YOU MARCH.. NOW... and there isn't any arguing.. if you want to argue , just stay home.. we will do fine without you..

trust me we will..


so .. this is all the book you will ever need.. I wish you well.. WHEN ARE YOU GOING AGAIN?

we are going to Las Vegas/ Grand Canyon this spring.. and I have been told that there is no room for a day trip to Disney Land..

We're going back in March. Can't wait. I've read the Unofficial guide so many times, that I think I might try the Complete Guide to WDW. Have fun on your trip! Oh, and put your foot down and make that detour to Disneyland!

 

[Saintsfan75]

What about "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World"? Has anyone read this? Any good? Being that we have been there so many times, I don't think I'm an Disney idiot, but maybe the book is informative.

 

[captainkidd]

What about "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World"? Has anyone read this? Any good? Being that we have been there so many times, I don't think I'm an Disney idiot, but maybe the book is informative.

It's OK. Not one of the better ones. Very little detail about the resort and attractions, though easy to read.

 

[captainkidd]

Here I am agreeing with you some more! :lol:

Walt Disney World for Couples is really good. Back in the mid '90s when I first started collecting Disney travel books this was my first non-Birnbaum book, and it quickly became my favorite. It was (and still is) the only Disney guide book that makes a convincing case that Disney World can be completely enjoyable for adults without children.

Because of that adult-centered focus the depth of the information on the resorts and the restaurants outmatched anything else at the time, and is still quite a bit more detailed than any of the best books now.

In the late 90s/early 2000s updated editions started getting fewer and farther apart and by the time that last version showed up (now published by Fodor's) I had already moved on to buying the Passporter.

I wish WDW for Couples would return, because it was so well done and covered a nitch no one else does even now.

My wife (girlfriend of just 6 months at the time) bought it for me back in 2004. It's the only older book that I still read. Though it's obviously outdated, the information on the resorts really is excellent.

 

[Avenger117]

This was a helpful thread. After reading it I went and ordered a few of the books mentioned on Amazon. I just wanted to check them out and see if I should order them for trip planning in the future. The 2009 edition of Passporter was a penny and the 2009 edition of the complete guide was 11 cents.

 

[WDW_Princess]

I like the Walt Disney World Without Kids book. I have 2005 & 2006 editions. My daughter has Disney for Kids by Kids book. She enjoys that one a lot.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I like the Complete Guide very much, but I actually think that the Unofficial Guide is the best. It gives clear, concise information on a variety of topics and really makes sure that it gives honest information rather than some of the Birnbaum spin.

I'd call the Complete Guide a very close second, in my opinion.

 

[Goofnut1980]

You need the Complete Walt Disney World.. By far the best book.. Having read all of those books... They have the fun info that keeps you turning the pages. I wish they would put the 2011 book out for purchase already!!!!!!

 

[Avenger117]

I ordered a few of them ones listed off of Amazon. I got the 2009 editions, so some things were out of date, but my favorite out of the bunch is The Complete Walt Disney World guide. A close second is the Passporter's Walt Disney World.

 

[julieneal]

Hi everybody. Amazon now has our book, "The Complete Walt Disney World 2011"! Here's the link to Amazon's page if you're interested: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Walt-...0970959621/ref

Anyone ordering today will get their book on Tuesday.

Barnes & Noble says April 12th for some reason as a delivery date, but it should be closer to April 1st. Here's that link: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...70959621&#TABS

It's quicker through Amazon; less expensive through Barnes & Noble (at least for now).

Thanks again for all your patience. Disney fans are the best 

 

[julieneal]

By the way, I just checked and the book is on sale now on both the Amazon and Barnes & Noble sites for $14.58, 42% off, the biggest discount I've ever seen