Best source for complete guides for the parks?

mharrington

mharrington

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the past, they used to have ALL the shops and restaurants and whatnot on the guides and elsewhere. Now it seems like all they show is the restaurants (obviously, they always have to show the attractions), and even then it's rare. This is both on the website and on physical guides at the park. Is there any place I can go to look at complete guides for all the parks (attractions, shops and restaurants), besides the Birnbaum guides?
 
Victor Kelly

Victor Kelly

Well-Known Member
I was at the book store last night picking up some Mark Twain stuff. I went over to the travel section to find at least 7 different guide books specifically for WDW. Birnbaums is the most complete, with the Unofficial guide also running just as good or better. Some books were scarily thin both in dimension and in detail.
 
luv

luv

Well-Known Member
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is far and away the most thorough and comprehensive book out there.

Birnbaum's Official Guide is disney's book...and it is very cute! But as far as being a good planning guide...not so much.

There are many books out there, but those two will give you everything you really need and want...tons of info from the former (gets you prepared) and loads of peppy Disney (gets you all jazzed about the trip) from the latter.

I really like the new "Color Companion" to the Unofficial Guide and frequently recommend it to friends who are intimidated by the size of the regular UG, but want more info than the regular Disney book. It also has loads of color and fun pics. :) Best of both worlds there...short and cute. :)
 
DisneyWall-E

DisneyWall-E

Well-Known Member
Unofficial Guide is the most complete but also boring. Lots of words not many pictures. Birnbaum's is just the opposite. I find the Complete Guide to be the best of both.
 
Skippy's Pal

Skippy's Pal

Well-Known Member
mharrington said:
I wasn't talking about bias. And where is this unofficial guide? Is there any such guide online?
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The "Unofficial Guide" is an actual book - a series really - and available on Amazon as well as local bookstores such as Barnes & Noble. We usually get all 3 - Unofficial, Complete, and Birnbaum's because it's a tradition. The Unofficial is the most complete for at-home planning. Love the Complete Guide for its photography and approachable handy info. If we could only get one, it would be the Unofficial. But we really do love the Complete, and it's pictures become a souvenir once you're home.
 
bamillerpa

bamillerpa

Active Member
I find that the Unofficial Guide is the absolute best guide out there! It's huge! I love that they explain not only which rooms are the best to book (or avoid) but they also explain why. The book is so big that it's almost intimidating to some people but it covers everything. The color companion book to this is also great because of the hundreds of color pictures showing what they are explaining. I couldn't recommend both of these enough.
 
DizneyPryncess

DizneyPryncess

Well-Known Member
JTT said:
The Unofficial Guide is the best for someone who is new to Disney World.

Passporters is great to help you plan and layout details for you trip.
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These are my two favorites as well. I use Passporter's for each trip, to help me keep track of my budget, to keep things in the little pockets, and to write down memories. UG & touringplans.com I also think are worth the money for planning. :)
 

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