Disney guide books..

[xXMyTwoPrincessesXx]

the unofficial guide to Disney or the Birnbaum's book? If you are only getting one, which one? Keep in my mind that my trip is 3 weeks away!!

What about the online guides, are they the same?

What about the ones that say "kids".. are all the information in the kids guide already included in the complete guide? I have a 5 year old.

Does it make sense that I get this now? I did order the Complete Disney World 2011 book, and I should get it today. We are staying for 7 days, I do have reservations that I don't want to cancel on 3 of these days, so I know exactly what parks we will go to during this time, but don't know what else we will do! :S

Seriously, who would've thought that going to Disney is so much work!!!

I guess all the planning means that when we actually get there.. we get to relax and not stress over finding information or things to do!

 

[Minniemouse07]

the unofficial guide to Disney or the Birnbaum's book? If you are only getting one, which one? Keep in my mind that my trip is 3 weeks away!!

What about the online guides, are they the same?

What about the ones that say "kids".. are all the information in the kids guide already included in the complete guide? I have a 5 year old.

Does it make sense that I get this now? I did order the Complete Disney World 2011 book, and I should get it today. We are staying for 7 days, I do have reservations that I don't want to cancel on 3 of these days, so I know exactly what parks we will go to during this time, but don't know what else we will do! :S

Seriously, who would've thought that going to Disney is so much work!!!

I guess all the planning means that when we actually get there.. we get to relax and not stress over finding information or things to do!

Not a huge fan of the Complete Guide... I find it, um, not very complete! It is fine for what it is but not a great planning book.

My recommendations for books are almost always...

If you buy only ONE book, it should be the PassPorter Guide. It is an outstanding planning guide, easy to use, well organized, has great "PassPockets" in the back to keep YOU organized...and the maps... might be worth the price of the book all by themselves.

If you sign up on their website for their email newsletter, you get 20% off in their store, and I'm pretty sure they have free shipping right now!

If you buy TWO books... the second should be the Unofficial Guide. Hands down the most comprehensive book out there. Great info and back info on why you should do X over Y. If you have the book you can also get a discount for a Touring Plans subscription which includes the crowd calendar and the Lines App...both priceless in both planning your trip as well as while at the parks.

For kids... I would stick w/ the Guide to the Magic for Kids. It is not an adult book about bringing kids, but a book FOR kids. It includes photos, information and a space for reviews for each attraction on property, games and other cool things (including stickers for each attraction!). At the end of the book there are journal pages (2 double pages for each day for up to 14 days) with writing prompts for even the most writing phobic child (or prereader!) to get excited about.

Can you tell we love this book? Dd has used it when 6.5yo, 7yo, & 9yo (and will again at 10yo). Ds will have his first book this summer at 5.5yo.

I wouldn't bother w/ Birnbaums guides. The general one tends to have less information than you can find on WDW's own site and the kids book is nothing more than a pamphlet next to the Guide to the Magic.

 

[pat fan]

For you, the Unofficial Guide. That book (plus the Dis) has made all of our trips a HUGE success! The first edition we got was SUCH a help, I can't begin to tell you. Subsequent editions have been ok (we already knew a lot of it, it just had additions for new stuff there), but for the first trip nothing could have been better.

For kids, I would get the Official Kids book, Birnbaums, isn't it? It has a fun countdown for them (stuff to do each day) and kid-friendly descriptions of the rides etc....My kids always liked reading those and doing the countdown activities.

 

[MsPeggySue911]

I have bought almost every guide book they have in print. I wanted to make sure I got all the info I could.

That being said. I DIDN'T like Passporter's book. It had too much of the extras like the pockets and places for notes and a lot of stuff I would not have used. I don't plan on carrying the guide book through the parks with me, I just need it for information prior to going to the park.

I have Birnbaum's Guide and Birnbaum's Dining guide. Those were both ok.

The best book I have read out of all of them has been the Unofficial Guide to Disney with kids 2011. I specificaslly got the one WITH KIDS because I am going with 3 kids.

My second choice is the one I am reading now and that would be Fodor's Walt Disney World with kids 2011.

Also if you are unsure about a lot of things about Disney dining the Disney Food Blog has an e-book that is a complete guide to dining. You can Google it "Disney Food Blog e-book Disney guide to dining" It has very comprehensive information about every restaurant and info regarding the dining plan and dining with kids. It was invaluable to me.

These guides have increased my confidence that our Disney trip 10/28-11/6 is going to go smoothly and we are going to do and see everything we can squeeze into 9 nights without dropping from exhaustion. =)

 

[momtoejanda]

For you, the Unofficial Guide. That book (plus the Dis) has made all of our trips a HUGE success! The first edition we got was SUCH a help, I can't begin to tell you. Subsequent editions have been ok (we already knew a lot of it, it just had additions for new stuff there), but for the first trip nothing could have been better.

For kids, I would get the Official Kids book, Birnbaums, isn't it? It has a fun countdown for them (stuff to do each day) and kid-friendly descriptions of the rides etc....My kids always liked reading those and doing the countdown activities.

I agree with both of these. The unofficial guide is the most complete. However remember no book can be that up to date. the 2011 version doesnt have the Tangled meet and greet etc...

If your girls (assuming because of your name) can read get them the Birnbaums Official book FOR kids (not with kids) My kids read that book nightly and know more facts than my DH.

 

[W.E.D.]

I would suggest the Imagineer's Guides to the various parks. These were excellent, with lots of little known information.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I would go with the Unoffical Guide, it provides a more realistic and unbiased opinion of the parks, resorts, and restraunts. It also provides simple tips up to complete touring plans to help reduce wait times.

Some of the others are colorful and pretty but alot of fluff thru rose colored glasses that everything at Disney is a must do, must eat, must see type of thing and while most things are great not everything is E-ticket.

 

[sunny_forecast]

I prefer the Unofficial Guide; it's very thorough. I have both the Unofficial Guide and the Unofficial Guide with Kids. The "Kids" one is more like a pared down version of the regular Unofficial Guide with some extra info about parenting techniques/managing your family in the World.

I prefer the regular Unofficial Guide to the Unofficial Guide with Kids as the former has a lot more info, and you won't need both.

 

[hauntedcity]

I second the call for 1. PassPorter, and 2. Unofficial Guide.

PassPorter is more than a guidebook, it's a complete vacation planner, and includes several worksheets. Plus the pockets in the back are great for keeping park maps, printed souvenirs, and receipts. They also have areas on the PassPockets to recap your day, so it's like an trip recap template. I've used them for 7 trips, and they all still sit on my shelf to this day. (Okay, seriously, I need to get PAID for that endorsement!)

Unofficial Guide is great, too. It's got a ridiculous amount of detail. It tries to give an "unbiased" opinion, although I sometimes find myself disagreeing with some of their harsher reviews.

Doug

 

[catra121]

I'd say Unofficial Guide all the way. If you are looking for information very specific to travelling with kids then maybe the kids version would be best...but there is a lot of good kids information in the regular guide. The kids version just adds even more to what is in the big book...but I think if you get the kids book then you will miss out on a lot of the information in the big book. It's BIG though. Took me about 3 days to read cover to cover and I loved every second of it. It's pretty funny too.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

Not a huge fan of the Complete Guide... I find it, um, not very complete! It is fine for what it is but not a great planning book.

My recommendations for books are almost always...

If you buy only ONE book, it should be the PassPorter Guide. It is an outstanding planning guide, easy to use, well organized, has great "PassPockets" in the back to keep YOU organized...and the maps... might be worth the price of the book all by themselves.

If you sign up on their website for their email newsletter, you get 20% off in their store, and I'm pretty sure they have free shipping right now!

If you buy TWO books... the second should be the Unofficial Guide. Hands down the most comprehensive book out there. Great info and back info on why you should do X over Y. If you have the book you can also get a discount for a Touring Plans subscription which includes the crowd calendar and the Lines App...both priceless in both planning your trip as well as while at the parks.

For kids... I would stick w/ the Guide to the Magic for Kids. It is not an adult book about bringing kids, but a book FOR kids. It includes photos, information and a space for reviews for each attraction on property, games and other cool things (including stickers for each attraction!). At the end of the book there are journal pages (2 double pages for each day for up to 14 days) with writing prompts for even the most writing phobic child (or prereader!) to get excited about.

Can you tell we love this book? Dd has used it when 6.5yo, 7yo, & 9yo (and will again at 10yo). Ds will have his first book this summer at 5.5yo.

I wouldn't bother w/ Birnbaums guides. The general one tends to have less information than you can find on WDW's own site and the kids book is nothing more than a pamphlet next to the Guide to the Magic.

LOVE the Passporter. The pockets alone are worth it!

 

[xXMyTwoPrincessesXx]

Thank you all, I'm going to order the unofficial. I might also buy the guide to Magic for kids, for DD's sake, she would love it, she's 5 (it's sold out on Amazon, though!). My other daughter will be 8 months on our trip.

The passporter sounds neat, but I know I won't carry it with me to the parks.. I'm not really that organized LOL.. I just want something to give me an idea of what's there to do in the parks, and what's the best way to do it.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Thank you all, I'm going to order the unofficial. I might also buy the guide to Magic for kids, for DD's sake, she would love it, she's 5 (it's sold out on Amazon, though!). My other daughter will be 8 months on our trip.

You can order the GTTMFK directly from the authors at their site.

I swear I'm not on their staff and they don't pay me (although I've met the author and he's very nice). It is just a really great product and the former teacher in me thinks it is an ideal way to help kids w/ their trips.

 

[mcd2745]

Don't know if this will be your first visit or not. However, I usually tell people whao are going to WDW for the first time to first get the Birnbaum's book (I still like it but I can see where most WDW veterans have no use for it). It's nice and colorful and a real quick and easy read with lots of pics. It gives you all the basics, albeit with a 100% pro-Disney spin. Then, move on to the Unofficial Guide. This will give you a lot more detail from an unbiased perspective.

 

[Mickey2013]

I highly recommend www.tourguidemike.com The link as at the top of the page - will give you MUCH info to make your trip easier. Totally worth the $20. I didn't find Birnbaums all that helpful.

 

[Plan Man]

I look at it like this: You are spending a ton of money going to Disney and you know you will have a great time. Go to the book store look thorugh several books - buy any books that you think will help - spend time on the net to determine how you are going to plan your trip. Some, like me, like to plan the park - the ride order- the fast pass etc. I spend hours planning each trip and then use the paln and enjoy every minute of it. Others like to go with the flow but have enough info to make good choices. The Unofficial guide is for me - main objective is to maximize ride time.

 

[Mexidoc]

Thank you all, I'm going to order the unofficial. I might also buy the guide to Magic for kids, for DD's sake, she would love it, she's 5 (it's sold out on Amazon, though!). My other daughter will be 8 months on our trip.

The passporter sounds neat, but I know I won't carry it with me to the parks.. I'm not really that organized LOL.. I just want something to give me an idea of what's there to do in the parks, and what's the best way to do it.

Another vote for UG. You can also get a discount for Lines, their online guide that has real time ride wait times that you can access from the park if you have a smart phone, iphone, etc.

 

[wrighter]

Another vote for the Passporter. Poured over it before our first trip many years ago and loved it.