Brits guide / Birnbaums guide or both?

[PoohBears#1fan]

I've always bought Birnbaums guide in the past but now that I've discovered this forum I'm dying to get Simon's Brits guide as his updates are so helpful (and you all raving about it must mean something!) Just got a couple of questions......

I've never read anyone mention Birnbaums guide on here, is there a reason for that?

Due to travelling with a 4 month old baby this time (and paying for the DVC!), we're purely doing Disney, is The Brits Guide more Orlando as a whole or would you buy it for a purely WDW holiday?

Thank you

Jo
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[Scottish_Maleficent]

Hi Jo,

Last year we bought the Birnbaum guide. I liked it - plenty of coulour pictures, and lots of in-depth info about all the rides and restaurants. BUT, it is the 'official' guide, and I feel that it hasn't any criticisms and maybe doesn't give the full picture. Also, it has nothing in it about Universal.

We always buy Simon's book - it is balanced, gives the facts as they are, and includes all sorts of other Orlando things to do, including US, IOA and SeaWorld, eating, shopping etc etc, and for British visitors, the best.

So to answer your question, Simon's book has lots of reading about the whole of Orlando, but has loads about WDW too.
Another book we like (sorry Simon..) is the Unofficial Guide to WDW, by Bob Sehlinger. It has no pictures, all text and is 794 pages packerd with info - most of which are almost exclusively about WDW. It rates every restaurant and attraction individually and their suitability for different age groupsand has chapters on travelling with very small children, seniors, couples only etc....

 

[neo's white rabbit]

Hi Jo

I've never bought Birnbaums, but can whole heartedly recommend Simon's book for the reasons mentioned already.

I have bought many a guide book in the past for various locations and The Brits Guide to Orlando really does win hands down for format and content.

 

[UKDEB]

At the last count I had about 50 Orlando guide books. Not all different I hasten to add - quite a few editions of the same thing. Now, at the risk of becoming boring (and sychophantic), <b>A Brit's Guide</b> is without doubt the best all round guide for Brits in Orlando. Having said that, I didn't own a copy until I found these boards ahead of my 4th trip in 2000 and, before that, my out and out favourite was Bob Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide. I would say that Simon's guide is more of an all-rounder and, if you're only going to do WDW, then you can't really go wrong with the Unofficial Guide - it's comprehensive and objective.

Birnbaum's is OK, but is really just a step up from a Disney publicity brochure. If you want something <i>totally</i> Disney, yet with <i>much</i> more 'insider' information than you'll ever get from Disney itself, I'd suggest the Passporter.

 

[UKDEB]

Oh, I just thought of a couple of things. Will you not stray from Disney property at all? Simon's guide is invaluable for information about the airports, driving and all the shopping locations (including maps and directions). You simply won't find any of this stuff in the other guides.

 

[PoohBears#1fan]

Thanks ever so much everyone, I'll definately be ordering a copy of the Brits guide, I had no idea it included things like airport information, and we're almost definately be eating out in Orlando, just not doing any other theme parks.

THe unofficial guide sounds good too, I'm just not convinced I'll find time to read 794 in the next 9 weeks!!

Thanks for all your help

Jo
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[KayleeUK]

I have loads of guide books - my favourite is passporter though!

Kaylee

 

[kazzie]

Jo,

I agree that the Birnbaums although very attractive is just an 'official' guide.

If you want another book as well as the Brits Guide,and most people like to have a couple of different books.I would definitely reccomned the Unofficial Guide too.It gives another prospective as it is is American and doesn't take things too seriously.Both those books make a good combination I think