Best guidebook?

[Wendy_Darling_2001]

Hello fellow WDW fans!

I am planning a Disney wedding for next May and I am working on sending planning packages to my wedding guests. Most have never been to the World or have only been once. I would like to include a planning guidebook for each family (maybe even seperate ones for the kids?) so they can get excited and see what WDW has to offer.

I have never had to use a guidebook so I have no idea which ones to buy! Which ones do you recommend and why? I was thinking of buying the 2004 edition but should I wait for the 2005 editions?

Our guests include our parents and other couples in their fifties, grandparents, and families with children who will be 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 15.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Gorechick]

I would say go with the official guidebook by Birnbaum. It's easy to read and covers all of WDW. The Unofficial guide by Sehlinger is more detailed but can be a turnoff due to it's sometimes cynical views.

 

[Scoobmuzic]

My personal fav is the Unofficial Guide to WDW. I love the way it is set up and reading the comments submitted by the readers. This might be good for you because the Unofficial Guide also has many different incarnations such as WDW with kids, w/o kids and so on.

 

[chattwdw]

I have been planning now for about 4 months for my first trip in 15 years and www.tourguidemike.com has been great. You could buy a few subscription or buy one subscription and let everyone login to the same information. They do all have to have access to the internet, which with a tour guidebook they don't. Also with mousesavers.com you can get a $3.00 saving on each subscription. I probably won't use a tour guide book, because the reveiws I have read on the disboard, when people compare the two, it sounds like the tourguidemike style of touring is more what I think we would enjoy. Another book that has got really go reviews is www.passport.com, this website tells where to buy the book and has easy to use website for updates. Just a few more option.

hth

 

[OurDogCisco]

I think the Passporter would be best for your group. It is a smaller book and very nicely laid out. I have both books and I refer to the passporter the most. The Unoffical Guide has a lot of information but it can be very overwhelming for a newbie. JMHO.

Oh, Congrats on your wedding, how exciting....

 

[tjkraz]

Len is probably not going to like this but in this one case, I, too would not recommend the Unofficial Guide. The primary reason is that I think it may be too overwhelming for your audience. The UG is 800-900 pages of resort reviews, restaurant reviews, touring plans, etc.

Birnbaum would be a good selection. The best photos you'll find in any guidebook. Still a fair amount of tips and tricks.

Another option would be the Passporter. Many people like the Passporter because it doubles as an organizational tool. It's not nearly as detailed as the UG, nor does it have the photos of the Birnbaum guide.

If you want something with real 'wow' appeal, you could get each of your guests the Deluxe version of the Passporter which comes in a leather (or leather-like) binder. For practicality sake, I'd stick with Birnbaum.

The Unofficial Guide and Birnbaum are printed in the Fall (Sept / Oct), while the new Passporter normally comes out in January.

 

[Amirah95]

Birnbaum is the way to go... I have the 2003 and 2004 editions. Passporter is too involved, a nightmare to carry and the fonts are small. I would use the Passporter as a keepsake.

 

[DisneyMSF]

I love reading Disney guidebooks (it's almost a hobby for me), and have probably read most of the ones out there at one time or another.

For the kids, I would definately recommend the Birnbaum's for kids by kids book. Great book for kids with great pictures, and it has activities for the kids in it (word puzzles, etc) so its great for the plane.

For the adults, there are a few books I really like:
Birnbaums: Great if you want pictures, plus good descriptions of Disney (of course it's from Disney's point of view).

Walt Disney World for Couples (with or without children): I believe the authors of this book are the Perlmutters (but I'm probably not even close on the spelling): This is another great book. I find I really like the descriptions and organization of this book. Lots of useful info.

Unofficial Guide: my favorite part of this book is all the letters from Disney visitors, some of them are a riot. But I do feel some of the Restaurant reviews are a bit harsh, and this is a big book with A LOT of info in it. When I give this book to people going, I tell them to take some of the reviews with a grain of salt.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Kae]

I agree about WDW for Couples it is my favorite. I think I would get different ones for each group. And Birbaums for kids for the kids.

I would get Passporter for people who really want to plan, Birbaums Offical for families who you think just want the basics. WDW for couples for yourself & those without children. I would wait for the 2005 most come out before Christmas. B&N website has release dates.

Kae

 

[mic_key_mouse]

I would go with the Tour GuideMike subsription as well. It covers all aspects of WDW, emphasizes a relaxed vacation, is updated weekly, and has private message boards.

If you insist on sending a book and are only sending one- I would do the UG.

If you want people to enjoy WDW they need to know how and when to tour the parks- otherwise they wander around looking for a short line somewhere. IMHO TGM and the UG do this better than the rest.

I also use the Passporter, but as a planner/organizer for the most part. Birnbaums and the Perlmutter books are nice guidebooks as well, but to learn how to develop an itinerary the first two options are the best.

Blessings

 

[Wendy_Darling_2001]

Thanks everyone for your responses! I just did a search and found alot of great opinions too - I don't know why I didn't think to do that before posting!

OurDogCisco...thanks for the congrats, we are really excited!

Most of my group does not spend much time online (I know, how could they not?!?) so tourguidemike will not work!

I know this may be the only trip for some of my guests. I want them to have a magical, unstressful vacation!

I don't need a book with alot of info on the resorts as everyone has picked where they are going to stay and I am sending all of them info on those resorts.

Good maps, park/ride descriptions, pictures and things of that nature are important!

Maybe I should go buy a few or stop by the library and check a few out.

I know I could give them all the info they will need but I may forget to tell them the simple things since I visit WDW so frequently. And I won't be with them all day everyday.

Thanks again everybody, I really appreciate it!

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by Wendy_Darling_2001
Good maps, park/ride descriptions, pictures and things of that nature are important!

I'd say it's a slam dunk for Birnbaum's. Anything more detailed than that will probably go right over their heads.

If you feel it will hold their attention, you may even order them copies of the free WDW planning video. That will give them a great overview of the parks in about 20-30 minutes.

 

[MouseClubMom]

Another vote for Birnbaum. We love it and buy one every year!

MCMom

 

[goofy4tink]

My favorites are UG, PassPorter Deluxe, and Birnbaum's for Kids. This being said, I think that in your situation I would go with the regular Birnbaum's and add the one for kid's if there are children in that family. Good basic info, if a little sugar coated. But, it still gives good info about the attractions and the parks themselves. Have fun planning.

 

[Dancin4Disney]

Since you're doing the planning, I recommend giving the families the Official Guide. I'd usually mention the unofficial guide for families planning their own private trips, but the official guide is appropriate for the wedding participants who are visiting. I do recommend that you buy the Unofficial Guide for yourself as a planner to get the information on restaurants and hotels.

As a kid, I never read the Official Guide for kids, and even preferred the regular one because it was more informative.

And I definitely recommend waiting to get a 2005 edition. Actually, by the time a guidebook goes to press, there's already stuff in it that's been outdated, rides that have been eliminated, and rides that have been added. So definitely get a 2005 edition.

I also recommend the video. It's great for the younger children, seniors, and just plain scaredy-cats to get an idea of what the rides look like so they don't get an unpleasant surprise when they get on the ride. It helped me a lot to decide what rides were too scary for me to get on as a kid, and I hardly remember getting on a ride that was too scary for me because I could pick and choose from watching the video.

In fact, I recommend all vacationers with children to watch the video!

Actually, the DVD has improved quite a bit. It even has room diagrams of the hotel rooms for each Disney resort, complete with maps. It's worth your money ) because it's free) and more!

 

[trracers]

I have them all, yes, I think I really have them all for every year for the past several years. (My mom works in a book store and I drive her crazy making her buy me each new one when it comes out ). She does NOT "get" my Disney addiction but she does handle it well... .

Anyway, I think for your purposes, I would definitely go with Birnbaum. They are excellent for keepsakes, they tell plenty of information without overwhelming and the kids by kids one is great for the kids! I just got my DD6 and her cousins DN8 and DN5 each one and they have filled in everything that can be filled in ahead of time and are counting down (58 days ) to our Magical Gathering. I got my DN12 the for teens by teens, but I cannot remember which company that book is. She has read the whole thing, as well as the kids by kids that I gave her siblings and is as excited as the rest of us.

CONGRATULATIONS, good luck, and BOY AM I JEALOUS THAT YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED AT THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!!

 

[ErinInCT]

Books, we don't need no stinkin' books...

Who needs books when you've got DIS!!!



I've currently got:
Birnbaums
Hidden WDW Orlando & Beyond
UG WDW with kids
Top 10 Orlando

Birnbaums seems to be the best but I have read them all cover to cover & did not find anything I did not already know from this board!!

 

[trracers]

Here Here!



A toast to DISers...

 

[ryley26]

always use unofficial guide also used birnbaum's I liked unofficial guide better they were more apt to tell you what was poor .

 

[higgin704]

Another vote for the unofficial guide.