best book to buy for tips/secrets, etc.

[moaddi]

I saw one by an ex disney employee but I wasn't sure if anyone had any to recommend? Thank you!

 

[foxfire]

This isn't a book but has LOTS of really great info shared by Disney lovers. Maybe it will help you until you decide on which book you want to buy.....or maybe it will even save you the cost of buying a book! Hope this helps you.

http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disscav.htm

 

[madlib26]

The Birnbaum books are awesome when it comes to help about WDW. My wife and I used their Disneyland one for our honeymoon, and studied it like we were in college again, and it was accurate, and very useful.

 

[Tinka_Belle]

I bought the Brit's Guide to Disney World and Orlando full of useful information. Even though I'm not British. It has info about all of the parks in the Orlando area and all of the major restraunts in the kissimmee and orlando areas. I found my copy on Amazon.com.

 

[karajeboo]

"The UnOfficial Guide to Walt Disney World" made us experts 10 years ago. We loaned it to someone and never saw it again, but it offered great tips (such as, ask to sit up front with the driver in the monorail) that really made our trip special! Not sure of the author or publisher but I HIGHLY recommend it!

 

[rt2dz]

Birnbaum books are official and very pro-Disney and not at all objective.

The passporter has nice info and is good at organizing you.

The Unofficial Guide, imo, is the best. It's info is accurate and it gives you all sides of an issue--the good, the bad and the ugly. It is full of info on everything!! I update mine every third year. This is what I recommend.

I also recommend these discussion boards, mousesavers.com, allearsnet.com, themouseforless.com

 

[vacation dreamer]

I saw one by an ex disney employee but I wasn't sure if anyone had any to recommend? Thank you!

I have never read a book on WDW....everything I have learned is on this board or other boards like it. Thank you everyone!!!

 

[Meesh277]

I absolutely love the Unofficial Guide! I get an updated one every two years or so. I have found it to be more thorough than anything else and I actually do read it cover to cover! I love to skim through even when I'm not planning a trip. The Birnbaum guide is pretty (lots of nice pictures) and has lots of "official" information. Many people here swear by the Passporter because you can use it as a travel planner as well as a guidebook.

Foxfire - Thanks for sharing! I have attempted a few times to get everything collected in one place, but I always run out of steam partway through. This looks great!

 

[Dawn68PA]

Hands down THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE! This book is honestly written and humorous to boot. I use 3 things when planning. This board, TGM & that book! All 3 work beautifully together.

I have a passporter. I don't like it. Just not my thing. I'm already overly organized on my own naturally.

If you buy the UG, read the section on Pal Mickey. I dare you not to laugh out loud.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I have 7 or 8 WDW guides. Travel guides are my weakness. Most of the books I have give very similar info but the difference is the way it is presented. These are my favs....

I really like the Passporter for the simplicity and it has a spiral binding and semi-hard cover. Very durable. Plus, a bonus are the pockets in the back for organizing things and keeping track of memories.

I also, like the Unofficial Guide by Bob Sehlinger. The info is thorough and to the point plus there are a ton of tips.

There is another book that I bought years ago (which has been updated since) called The Unofficial Cheapskates Guide by Micheal Lewis. It also has excellent info geared more towards saving money or getting the most for your money. This book started my addiction to travel guides.

 

[mommiepoppins]

for the budget person ...disney on a dime

 

[jagafen]

The book by the former employee doesn't have any info in it that Passporter or Unofficial Guide won't...her "secret money saving tips" are widely known to those who read the boards. Invest that $ in a better guide as recommended

 

[Disney1976]

Another vote for the Unofficial Guide. Birnbaum's are Disney authorized and a little biased, as a pp mentioned. The UG has honest tips, reviews, suggestions, touring plans, etc. It is awesome! Worth every penny.

 

[sanapp]

I just went to Tour Guide Mike's website and purchased that instead. It was about the same as the cost of a guide book, but it has a lot more personalized information for the actual dates you are going to go on your trip. There is also another forum there that you can get even more information from. I am now hooked on both the TGM one and this one. Even with all of that said I still purchased Birnbaum's book. I wanted my daughter to be able to see the pictures and the maps.

 

[ZoZo]

Hands down THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE! This book is honestly written and humorous to boot. I use 3 things when planning. This board, TGM & that book! All 3 work beautifully together.

I have a passporter. I don't like it. Just not my thing. I'm already overly organized on my own naturally.

If you buy the UG, read the section on Pal Mickey. I dare you not to laugh out loud.

I totally agree - for me, it's the UG all the way. Lots of reviews, opinions, feedback from UG readers, etc.

The Passporter didn't do much for me - it's great if you want to organize your stuff, but as this poster said, I'm already organized already! Birnbaum's Official Guides are okay, but don't give you any opinions/reviews on anything. "Disney on a Dime" wasn't that helpful for me - it might be for a beginner, but if you've gone to WDW several times, it repeats the info you probably already know.

My recommendation is to check out some guides from your local library - you can read all of the info (even if it's a little outdated) and decide for yourself which guidebook you like best.

 

[mickeysbutler]

I just purchased it this past weekend and really like it too!

 

[adkkev]

TGM?? What's that?

 

[gvanlare]

we received the unofficial guide for traveling with kids or something like that as a gift for xmas. we learned so much and my wife has read it cover to cover, I have read 3/4 of it. It has touring plans and rates all of the attractions for different age groups. Between the book and DIS we feel much better about taking DS3 and DD8mo this coming week.

 

[Marty Moose]

TGM?? What's that?

www.tourguidemike.com

I'm a guidebook junkie and I have to say that for information alone I would go with UG! Although I just rec'd the a deluxe Passporter for Xmas (and love it) the UG is hilarious and covers EVERYTHING!! (p.s. if you like the humor in UG, check out the WDW Today podcast! One of authors, Len Testa, is a host and cracks me up every episode! I'm sure a lot of the wit found in UG is courtesy of him!)

I also have the condensed version "Mini Mickey" which is great to carry to the parks!

 

[DizneeMommy]

Love the Unofficial Guide--and their website is terrific, too!