What's your favorite guide book?

[kschafer]

I decided to buy a new Disney guide book for Christmas. I went to Amazon to browse and got overwhelmed!!

I loved the Unofficial Guide when planning my first "grown-up" trip but don't really feel like that's what I need anymore (now that I have the Dis!). I don't really need overviews of hotels and restaurants, that's already planned. What I really want is something that gives more of the secrets and stories behind the park without it being a history lesson.

Do you have a favorite guide for more experienced Disney travellers?

[J Le]

Not guide books but lots of trivia - The Walt Disney World Trivia Books (there are 2) by Louis A. Mongello. The subtitles are "Secrets, History and Fun Facts Behind the Magic". They are pretty easy reads - question section than answers. I like 'em.

[Flight]

During my early visits, I also found the Unofficial Guide to be beneficial. It helped me get my mind right with touring strategies.

[zulaya]

Passporter.

Seriously.

I love their book so much, I buy one every year. And after all the times I've been, I don't really need to buy a book every year. But I love their book.

[Tiresius]

I like the Complete Guide to Walt Disney World. Its relatively inexpensive, but has wonderful color pictures on every page. There is enough substance to feel like you are getting something out of reading every page, without the pages and pages of details in the UG (which is great for planning, but once you have done that planning, its less "exciting" to read about which room in a hotel you aren't staying at has the best view). Like you, I didn't need a book, per se, so the images and feeling were more important. The Complete Guide felt like it was written for people who had visited before, so that was exactly what I wanted.

[jimmaher69]

I would go with the unofficial guide if you want every little detail, but I would go with the passporter for a concise overview. It is organized really well, loaded with info.

[TillyMarigold]

Complete Walt Disney World is a lot of fun and has a lot of secrets, plus it has photos. And in the back of the AK section is a list of all the animals and where you can find them--I'd never even have known there were lemurs otherwise!

I also have the Unofficial Guide and the Passporter, and they were great, but I think if you know what's there already and more or less what you like or don't like, Complete Guide is a much better bet. As a bonus, my DH is not into planning at all, and it was short enough and had enough pictures that I could give it to him and he just flipped through the pictures and told me what looked like fun to him.

For more detail and secrets, and less planning (except in the "that's so neat, I'll have to make a point to go see it" sense), the Imagineering Field Guides are pretty awesome.

[WeatherbySwann]

I too like the Complete Guide to WDW, especially for repeat visitors. Lots of pictures and great info.

[perkinsrose]

This is a neat book--I learned a few things.

http://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Magic-W...9537982&sr=8-1

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World: Over 600 Secrets... published summer 2009

[wdwpirates]

Originally Posted by perkinsrose

This is a neat book--I learned a few things.

http://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Magic-W...9537982&sr=8-1

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World: Over 600 Secrets... published summer 2009

Totally agree! Awesome book! I also really like the Passporter! Those two are probably my all time favorites.

[kschafer]

wow! I sure love the helpfulness of Disers!!!


Thanks everyone for your recommendations

[Micca]

I loved the UG from the very first edition and have bought many of the subsequent updates. Honestly, anymore I think there is so much stuff on the web that most books are superfluous. A Dis-er has written a book called Mouse Junkies, but it's not so much about secrets, or behind-the-scenes, but it captures the essence of how many of us feel when we're immersed in the magic.

[Hallowishes]

i LOVE the unoffical guide for all of its info.
but to keep me organized i am also a huge fan of my passporter! the pockets for each day REALLY help me keep budgeted and on-track for everything i want to do on my wdw vacation

[julieneal]

Originally Posted by TillyMarigold

Complete Walt Disney World is a lot of fun and has a lot of secrets, plus it has photos. And in the back of the AK section is a list of all the animals and where you can find them--I'd never even have known there were lemurs otherwise!

I also have the Unofficial Guide and the Passporter, and they were great, but I think if you know what's there already and more or less what you like or don't like, Complete Guide is a much better bet. As a bonus, my DH is not into planning at all, and it was short enough and had enough pictures that I could give it to him and he just flipped through the pictures and told me what looked like fun to him.

For more detail and secrets, and less planning (except in the "that's so neat, I'll have to make a point to go see it" sense), the Imagineering Field Guides are pretty awesome.

Thanks for your kind words! I'm glad someone else appreciates the animals at DAK; for our just-released 2010 edition we have over 40 animal photos, plus maps that show where to find each species and fun details about each one.

[wheredreamsbegin]

Here's another vote for the Complete Walt Disney World. I cannot say enough about the well-written text and the beautiful (and plentiful!) photographs.

We are taking my parents with us to WDW in March. They have not been since 1980. I was so excited to give them the 2010 version of this book as a Christmas (belated) gift. Reading this book from cover to cover will definitely prepare them for our trip.