Disney Guidebooks

[coasterphil]

The Unofficial Guide is the best thing you could possibly give to a first or second time visitor. My family would have been overwhelmed if it wasn't for all the tips and information that book offered. I got the 2005 version before our trip and really just used the plans and the suggestions for counter-service in the parks. I still enjoyed reading the rest.

 

[Craig & Lisa]

the unofficial guide is the book to get for a few reasons , the one major reason is because it's the only book that I know of that is not indorsed by Disney, why? because it has negativity in it. Look at the other books and see if you can find that, only positive. Where as UG has real opinions, ratings for dining, hotels, ride times etc., we've bought it every year and has come in handy everytime. I recommend it for when they add new things to the parks and as a refresher to upcoming visits, and most importantly first time visitors, can't find it in the stores go to barnes and noble website and order it they can get it to you within two days.:animwink:

 

[MissM]

I've never bought a guidebook. I've never thought about buying one. I don't even think I've ever browsed through one. Just don't feel like I need to. I've been going to Disney for twenty-one years now and I'm a close-by Florida resident. Just doesn't seem applicable to me.
-m

 

[nibblesandbits]

I haven't bought a guide book either, but I do borrow them from the library. That way I don't have to pay for them, and I still get my Disney fix! I usually read any of them, but I like the Unofficial guide and Birnbaums are the best.

 

[Woody13]

Queens in the Kingdom is an entertaining guidebook. It contains a lot of "Fairy Facts" that explain a lot of interesting information about Fantasyland.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I have a couple of Birnbaums, there nice books but a bit like a company advertisement. I get the Unnoficial Guide most years and have a copy of Beyond Disney.

I bought a Passporter Deluxe and it is excellent i use the daily cards for tracking PSs and basic plans for the day. It is definately the best tool.

 

[Edeyore]

I like to buy the guidebooks close to trip, just in case. There are times when
you can just miss something, then hear about it and get a bit bummed that
you either didn't see it, or didn't know it was there.
I also save the ones that I have bought. Birnbaum's has a foreward in reference to the parks and they mention things they have been told are coming. I love the 1992 version, because it mentions all kinds of things to
be added to Disney Studios, that never showed.

 

[wdwforus]

We have always purchased Birnbaums in the past but will ocasionally look at other books while in the book store. I bought a passporter this year and really like the orginizer in it especially. As far as the actual details in these books we have been enough times to know what we need to, but its stil nice to have them for quick reference. Overall we use this forum more than anything, it has the latest and the other users have a wealth of knowledge that you wont find in any book.

 

[PoohBear071870]

We are going to Disney for the first time since 2001 this June, and I have purchased about every guidebook that they have at Barnes and Noble. We used the Unofficial Guide in 2001 and were very impressed. It gives the best touring plans that really reduce your wait times. It has you running all over the park from attraction to attraction, but we went during the busy President's Day week and had little to no waiting time. If you're only going to purchas one book, that is the one to get. The Passporter Deluxe edition has the best maps, and you can even remove them from the three ringed binder. It also is leather bound, and comes with pockets and pouches to hold your passes and reservation notifications. It really is a great organizer! Fodor's Walt Disney World for Couples has the best discriptions of Disney Hotels and Restaurants. Brinbaum's seems like nothing more than a huge Disney advertisement, and I wouldn't waste my money buying Frommer's or Walt Disney World for Dummies. This is my first post....sorry so long!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

We always buy Birnbaums when we go. On the years I don't go I just sit at the bookstore and read them. I like the few pictures it has and I like to read the stuff about the restaurants. I have looked at the PassPorter and that seemed really nice.

*Side note, I was recently cleaning out a closet and I found a Birnbaums from 1987, boy was that fun to read. It had info about Horizons and WOrld of Motion. What a trip down memory lane!

63 days!!! :sohappy:

 

[pinkrose]

I love the Passporters Guide. I bought the Unofficial Guide once and didn't care for it. It seemed way too negative. A friend of mine almost didn't go to WDW after reading the Unofficial Guide. After I talked to her and told her about our trips and showed pics and things, they did end up going and had a great time.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I find the Unofficial Guide fills in the gaps that the official guide misses.

The official guide is great for planning and the Unofficial guide gives the tips and thr tricks for disney vacation fun.

 

[WDWScottieBoy]

Every year we buy the Birnbaum's guide and every couple of years we will get the Unofficial Guide. Very little changes from year to year and we are there every summer anyway, but I just can't help myself.
Don't feel badly, its not just you. :wave:

Mad and I are almost exactly alike. I haven't bought the Unofficial Guide since 2001 but I do by Birnbaums each and every year.

 

[BRER STITCH]

I like both the Birnbaums and Passporter books.

Usually, I'll go to Borders or Barnes and Noble to check out the books each year when they come out. If there's lots of new stuff, I'll buy them.

Generally about every 2 years is good to stay up to date!

 

[KaliSplash]

We buy Birnbaum annually and the unofficial every couple of years. No question Birnbaum is WAY pro-Disney. But then, so am I.

There is far more information in the unofficial guide, much of it useful. But I find it very negative and in many cases, artificially so. It seems that they feel bound and determined to tell us someone'e negative opinion about every single attraction. And to remind us that WDW is a very expensive place to go. I know that and I plan accordingly.

What really concerns me about the unofficial guide is sometimes they are just plain wrong. In the last version I bought, 2003, they still contended that e-ride nights were ONLY conducted in off-season times like fall. I have ONLY been to e-rides in the heart of the summer season when the park was open until 10, 11 or even 12 BEFORE e-ride started. This is the only example I can recall off the top of my head, but there are others.

And yes, i do read them cover to cover to remember and plan!

 

[DMC-12]

I buy The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World.... & Birnbaum's Walt Disney World each year... its good reading material for the train.

 

[AKQJ10]

As far as guidebooks go, I also recommend the "Hassle-Free" Guide to WDW. It was written by Steve Barrett, the author of the Hidden Mickeys book, and I believe that it has a very hands-on feel to it, as it was not written by a team of writers. It's also smaller, and is not overwhelming. For an all-encompassing book, though, I also recommend the Unofficial Guide, which has pretty much anything you can think of as far as resorts, restauarants, etc.

 

[LoriMistress]

I get most of my advice online. But I heard great things about Tour Guide Mike. I think I may use that next time when I go on vacation.