Any recommendations for a good guide book?

[ClaireW]

I'm looking for something to get for my parents who are coming with us to WDW for the first time next year.

We've already been to WDW more than once and before our trip I read the Birnbaum guides book (cover to cover more than once!). Is there anything you would recommend? Or are Birnbaum guides as good as any others?

 

[disneyholic family]

I'm looking for something to get for my parents who are coming with us to WDW for the first time next year.

We've already been to WDW more than once and before our trip I read the Birnbaum guides book (cover to cover more than once!). Is there anything you would recommend? Or are Birnbaum guides as good as any others?

The Brit's Guide to Orlando by Simon Veness is outstanding!!

 

[2Tiggies]

I am a great fan of the Unofficial Guide (touringplans.com). Both the books and the website subscription.

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Passporter are really good for Disney, and they have an offer on their website at the minute - lat years book (the new one is out this month) for $1 instead of $24! Will be great for planning even if the odd thing is out of date. I think this link should go to it:-

http://www.passporterstore.com/store/onebuckpassporter.aspx



Edited to add - just had a look and postage is $22! Might be cheaper to buy the whole thing off amazon if this is a book you fancy!

 

[dixonsontour]

If a first timer to orlando I really recommend the Brit's guide.

For disney I like unofficial guide - new 2011 one is due out about now.

 

[Cyrano]

Another fan of The Unofficial Guide

However for the richness of the colour and what WDW offers The Complete Guide to WDW would make a lovely gift

 

[2Tiggies]

I also have the new Passporter which is lovely quality and has plenty of glossy pages and planning sheets, with pockets in the back to store ticket stubs, notes, itineraries, etc. I don't find is as exhaustive as the other books but it is great if you want something not too complicated.

I just feel UG is great bang for your buck as you get a LOT of info in there. I got my current edition for about £6.50 from Amazon about 6 months ago and it is just as good as the previous ones. They also do a more compact colour guide for a little less, also with plenty of glossy photos.

 

[ClaireW]

Thanks everyone. Will be on amazon later today!

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks everyone. Will be on amazon later today!

Also check the Book Depository. My Passporter was cheaper there this year but UG cheaper on Amazon. You can use PayPal on the Book Depository. It's worth a quick comparison. Let us know what you get.

 

[ClaireW]

Also check the Book Depository. My Passporter was cheaper there this year but UG cheaper on Amazon. You can use PayPal on the Book Depository. It's worth a quick comparison. Let us know what you get.

Thanks for the tip re: The Book Depository.

The 2011 UG looks like it will be the best for us so I'll be hanging on until it's published and then I'll compare prices and pick it up wherever it's cheapest!

Even though we leave soon for this years trip, I'm already a bit excited about 2011 because it'll be so different taking my mom and dad for the first time

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks for the tip re: The Book Depository.

The 2011 UG looks like it will be the best for us so I'll be hanging on until it's published and then I'll compare prices and pick it up wherever it's cheapest!

Even though we leave soon for this years trip, I'm already a bit excited about 2011 because it'll be so different taking my mom and dad for the first time

The 2011 book came out this weekend. Not sure if it is available from UK suppliers just yet. A little pointer if it is any help: the bookes are fairly similar from one year to the next so the 2010 edition should be fine and if you want to sign up to the website they are honouring ownership of the 2010 edition to receive a subscription discount until the end of the year, even although the 2011 is now out.

 

[fuse04]

If just need a guide for WDW and universal i would suggest that the Unofficial Guide is best imho but The complete Walt Disney World is also great

 

[Dollyrar]

Unofficial guide is awesome for the touring plans. We followed them during our last 3 week trip and didn't queue for anything for more than 10 minutes the whole time

The Brits Guide is also fantastic though, so my recommendation would be a combination of them both

 

[UKDEB]

The Unofficial Guide is great for complete geeks (like us here on the DIS), but focuses primarily on Disney. For a gift, I agree that The Complete Guide to WDW is hard to beat in terms of visual impact. For first-timers, though, the Brit Guide is the best all-rounder. It has all-sorts of information peculiar to those of us travelling from the UK (you simply don't get that stuff in the US guides) and it covers everything on offer in Orlando, not just Disney.

Compared with Birnbaum's (which is the official guide - more of a promotional tome and weak on substance), you won't go far wrong with any of them.