Best WDW Guidebook?

[Heidi K]

My favorites are Unofficial Guide and Passporter. There have been so many changes recently, though (MagicBands and FP+) that even the most recent versions of those currently seem out of date . . .

 

[MIChessGuy]

As referenced by 'purple figment' The Complete Walt Disney World by the Neals has great pics. However, I don't believe they have published an edition for 2013 or 2014? I too would suggest your library, I never cease to be amazed at the selection of travel books at our library. Birnbaum is my second choice. OT- the Birnbaum for Kids makes a great gift for kids going to WDW, a tried and true winner in my experience.

I note that the 2015 edition of the Complete Guide is now listed for preorder at Amazon, with a September release date. It seems that the authors were not able to prepare editions for 2013 or 2014, for whatever reason. I would definitely have picked up the 2014 for my trip later this month, if it had been published, as I enjoyed the authors' bad attitude towards the lamer attractions.

 

[JandD75]

Unofficial Guide to WDW will give you SO much more information, reviews of restaurants, descriptions of rides submitted by park guests, warnings about sunburn and footcare, instructions on how to pick a room and a resort...it is THE comprehensive book. The authors do not sugar coat anything, but they are very good writers and sometimes hilariously funny, so the book is lots of fun to read, even if you aren't going to the parks. Your library will probably have a fairly recent copy.

My hometown is Stockton, just a few miles south of you.

 

[uccats97]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1941500064?pc_redir=1405950763&robot_redir=1
This is an awesome guide book!

http://mousequestpodcast.com
And this is a great podcast!

 

[bandksmommy]

I actually purchased the Unofficial Guide and read it during our 2 day drive to WDW. I didn't learn anything I hadn't already learned online and in fact knew more than the book since it was published mid 2013. FP+ is fairly new so their info is all wrong. Wasn't worth it for me.

 

[massvacationer]

The 2015 Unofficial Guide is now available. I just received mine today from Amazon.

 

[Hootch]

guides. I get new ones to see w other opinions and sometimes I learn something new.

The Complete Guide had a lot of interesting things to see and gave detailed accounts of rides ike Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion. It also had great pictures that made a companion book, Unofficial Guide's picture book, unnecessary. As someone noted it has not been published the last couple of years.

I used the Unofficial Guide on our first trip many years ago. They go into details that other guide books do not. I used it to help me pick the rental car company we used and I still refer to their travel time guide when we are planning out our days moving around WDW.

Passporter has good information and provides an easy system for planning and documenting your trip.

A newer book is "The easy guide to your first Walt Disney World visit 2014" The authors have blogs; **************.com and easywdw.com. I follow easywdw and bought the book. (I got the Kindle version free as part of a promotion. The Kindle version will be updated as warranted.) Josh lays out his reasoning in a straight forward manner. I like that he will periodically go to the parks and follow his touring plan. He documents for you how closely he can follow it. He also has a dry sense of humor which I enjoy. His crowd calendar goes to eleven. (For all you Nigel Tufnel fans.) And Where to Sit on Stitch's Great Escape - on a different ride.