Brit Guide update time!

[SimonV]

OK, it's about time for Susan and I to start work on updating our Brit Guide to Disneyland Paris, starting with a 5-day trip later this month to get to grips with recent changes and additions.

As ever, we're always keen to hear back from people about what they would like to see added to the book, or changed (or even left out altogether!), so please feel free to post here and let us know how we ensure it stays as the No 1 guide to DLP. All ideas welcome (although we can't guarantee to include everything!)

 

[gemmybear83]

Hi Simon - I love your Disneyland Paris and Orlando planning guides. I think it would be useful to discuss the half board meal plans in your book - at the moment they are very good value for money with the exchange rate

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

I agree with Gemma, be great to see a section on Half Board.

 

[joolz1910]

Perhaps in the 'Planning' section there could be an overview of the different offers and when they have been released - thinking particularly of the recent '40% off', 'early booking' and the 'under 12's' or 'under 7's'. If this could reflect the offers over the last couple of years, it might help people decide when to book.

 

[RCDisneyFan]

I'm an American who bought your book for a trip to DLP later this month... I would like to see restaurants pulled out, maybe in a grid, showing name, location, price, etc... As someone who's never been to DLP, I found it difficult to find dining information quickly because I had to remember where the restaurant was located generally, and then I had to find it in the right land / sub-section of the book.

I'm a big fan of the organizational style of the Passporter books for WDW - I find their organization to be basically dummy proof, which I need!

 

[Fiona35]

I know this is not likely to happen but I would have liked your book in a format where its 2 smaller books together within a plastic wallet - the travelling/planning section seperate to the dining and park sections, so you could choose to leave part of ithe book behind *** once you are at Disney you don't really need how you are going to get there or what hotel/self catering/camp site etc to stay at, you've already made your choice, yet you would like to be able to take Dining information and obviously all about the Park with you.

I found the book a bit heavy to be carrying around the park last year and quite often wished it was a bit lighter!! Whilst at Disney I was only really interested in the Parks and Dining information.

 

[chipndalefan]

Id like to see any discount coupons (such as planet hollywood) on the back page rather than the cover. That way you can cut them out to save carrying the book.

Id also like more restaurant info, sample menus etc and maybe floor plans of hotel rooms?

Oh, and lots more photos!

 

[chipndalefan]

..I would have liked your book in a format where its 2 smaller books together within a plastic wallet - the travelling/planning section seperate to the dining and park sections, so you could choose to leave part of ithe book behind *** once you are at Disney you don't really need how you are going to get there or what hotel/self catering/camp site etc to stay at, you've already made your choice, yet you would like to be able to take Dining information and obviously all about the Park with you.

Im loving this idea

 

[SimonV]

There are some good ideas here, folks, and definitely some things we can work on (although I'm not so sure the publisher will go for the '2 books' idea - we've tried to look at this with Orlando in the past but it was prohibitively expensive production-wise).

I'm looking in particular at suggestions for increasing the focus on restaurants, and thinking we can certainly devote more space to this. However, we would probably need to cut back in a few other areas and are open to ideas about what we might cut out. What do people find that is not especially useful - for example, is the chapter on Paris itself of use to people or do most not really care about the general Paris tourist info (or look for it elsewhere)? Should we, perhaps, cut out this section and use the space for 'new' stuff purely on DLP?

All feedback welcome!

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

If you wanted to include something about Paris you could include a few useful links instead of a whole chapter dedicated to Paris.

 

[busnae]

hi i am making my first trip this month. I found the book because of this post and love it! its been really useful. Although i have to say i agree iwth the post about putting eating places in a grid - i have done this myself to show locatoion, type of service, half board etc and type of food.

I also would lose the section on paris as we don't have time or intention to go there and more on half board would have been useful

thanks

 

[Squizzlet]

I'm not sure I feel confident enough to say which bits to take out, but can say one little highlighted box saved the day for our holiday- the easy route from Gare du Nord to Marne-la-Vallee-Chessy- when we missed our direct Eurostar.

Thank you!

I'd probably agree about downsizing the Paris section, but perhaps not taking it out completely. I think thelittlemermaid83's idea of putting some links in the Paris section would be a good idea, but keep in the A to B travel stuff that may not be easily (or obviously) accessible otherwise.
I can't wait for the new version to be released including the new attractions for Mickey's Magical Party!

 

[chipndalefan]

I wouldn't miss the Paris section, as there are so many Paris guidebooks available. Purely Disney I also think you could cut back on the travel agent & tour guide section.

 

[gemmybear83]

There are some good ideas here, folks, and definitely some things we can work on (although I'm not so sure the publisher will go for the '2 books' idea - we've tried to look at this with Orlando in the past but it was prohibitively expensive production-wise).

I'm looking in particular at suggestions for increasing the focus on restaurants, and thinking we can certainly devote more space to this. However, we would probably need to cut back in a few other areas and are open to ideas about what we might cut out. What do people find that is not especially useful - for example, is the chapter on Paris itself of use to people or do most not really care about the general Paris tourist info (or look for it elsewhere)? Should we, perhaps, cut out this section and use the space for 'new' stuff purely on DLP?

All feedback welcome!

I agree about cutting down the Paris section, I also think you could cut down by just listing the various travel companies you book with rather then sections on each one. It would also be useful to highlight that it seems to be cheaper for most people to book a disney package - hotel/tickets/half board (if desired!) and then eurostar/flights seperate, as I think a lot of beginners purchase an entire package through disney and pay over the odds.

P.s. Can we have a cut of your profits?

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

P.s. Can we have a cut of your profits?

Gemma your so cheeky

 

[davewasbaloo]

How about a fair link to other Disney fan sites that are more open when people ask advice or share views.

 

[RCDisneyFan]

I'd probably agree about downsizing the Paris section, but perhaps not taking it out completely. I think thelittlemermaid83's idea of putting some links in the Paris section would be a good idea, but keep in the A to B travel stuff that may not be easily (or obviously) accessible otherwise.

I agree with this - bought a whole separate book about Paris for our daytrips. Other than covering how to get to and from Paris - and maybe a paragraph about the typical excursions run from Hotel NY, I'd skip covering Paris.

 

[Belle's World]

I would like to see a detailed section on Pin trading as i am still trying to get my head around it. I have the 08/09 Brit guide but there is only one paragraph on pin trading.

Ro

 

[SimonV]

P.s. Can we have a cut of your profits?

Profits? We get profits.....???? Our publisher always told us we got paid in books......

 

[Belle's World]

I'd also like to see something about hidden Mickeys and disney secrets.

Ro