Do you buy a travel book?

[PrincessGrandma]

When planning a trip to WDW, do you buy any travel books (Frommers, etc.)? If so, which is the best? Where is the best place to buy them (price-wise)? If not, do you just get all your info from the DISboard or are there other good WDW sites? Quite honestly, I've researched the restaurants and find plenty info on them. I guess that is because I'M more interested in food! Two years ago when I brought my DGD, she was just interested in characters, shows, etc. Would not even consider riding any of the faster rides! Now at 8-1/2 years old, there is no such thing as too fast, too wild, too spinning, etc. I have a feeling I'll be shaking up these old bones with some roller-coasters this time. So, I was thinking a book would rate rides or suggest other ideas for "exciting" rides.

 

[Chelley00]

I'm a big fan of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. It rates EVERYTHING.......restaurants, rides, shows, resorts etc etc. I recommend it to everyone who says they are going to Disney

 

[Jennifer in MI]

I love the Unofficial Guide! We get the one that includes kids. We followed their plans and had a GREAT vacation. I don't usually buy books. We usually get books from the library. BUT, this one was one that we had to have when we were at Disney!

 

[dromio42]

Take a look at PassPorter. They have several ratings including kids and teens and I think you can get a discount if you sign up on their website - passporter.com

 

[sunnyday123]

I'm a big fan of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. It rates EVERYTHING.......restaurants, rides, shows, resorts etc etc. I recommend it to everyone who says they are going to Disney

Take a look at PassPorter. They have several ratings including kids and teens and I think you can get a discount if you sign up on their website - passporter.com

I get both of these. I get really excited about the whole planning thing, so I go overboard.

 

[dellasgirl]

z

 

[RetroMom]

I am also a BIG fan of The Unofficial Guide and the website that goes with it, TouringPlans.com. For our last trip, I checked out a bunch of books from the library, but found that I was happiest planning with UG, the website, and this site.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

My always check them out of my library. Every year they get the updated version of the Passporter, the Unofficial Guide, and a few others. Much better than buying them , imho.

 

[mrsklamc]

I also recommend UG. If you can't get the current version from your library, sign up for the rewards program at borders if you have one- they send out 30% off coupons pretty regularly and sometimes it's 40%, very rarely up to 50%.

 

[gillenkl]

I sometimes can find these inexpensively on paperbackswap.com

 

[GoofyTraci]

My first trip to Disney I went to the library and checked out every disney vacation planning book. But I have to tell you I learned way more on the dis. My fav was the passporter and the Unofficial guide.

Happy reading and Vacation planning.

 

[3boymthr]

I'm obsessive compulsive about my trip planning. When I went I read about 20 different guides of those I bought 8; UG, UG with Kids, Passporter, Birnbaums w/kids, Frommers, WDW on a budget or something like that(I forget exact title), and on (They resell really well on e-bay if you go early enough in the year).

Of the guides I bought I liked the UG and Passporter best. The UG is really really really comprehensive and gives every detail about every thing you can imagine from rating the pillows and lighting and detailed touring plans (which are awesome but can also be obtained via their website) but in some ways it's too detailed as it puts information here there and everywhere and is really only for the person who wants to spend a lot of time reading (it's about 800 pages). Passporter is also really good to get brief but comprehensive information in an easy to understand format, but it doesn't have the really good touring plans and the info is limited to just WDW and a few outside areas. Non WDW hotels are barely touched on.

OTH - from the sound of things all your really looking for is a review of the rides and which ones are approriate for both you and your DGD. For that I recommend the Birnbaums for Kids. It focuses primarily on the rides and give a brief description of each ride, a map of it's location and rates the rides with easy to understand little logos of Bumpy scary, dark, etc. It's bright, colorful and best of all brief.

Price-wise I recommend Borders with a coupon. Sign up for a rewards membership, give them your e-mail and you'll start getting coupons just about every week, Lately they've all been for 33% off, sometimes two or three in a week. The best part, you can print out the coupon more than once and go thru the line twice.

ETA - We bought the Birnbaums for kids to take with us after we rented it from the library, because the kids enjoyed looking at it so it was something for them to use on the trip down, but there were very very few changes from 2008 to 2009 version so you may do just as well borrowing it from the library then writing down which rides you think are appropriate for you.

 

[PrincessGrandma]

Thanks for all the very helpful advice. My DGD would love a book of her own showing the rides and such. (I may tuck that in her Easter Basket). Then after I sign up for Borders, I'll probably buy the UG and/or Passporter. Never heard of the Passporter before, but I really like the idea of the planning pages and such.
I LOVE the planning. My family says it's overkill, but it's a lot of FUN for me.

 

[3boymthr]

Thanks for all the very helpful advice. My DGD would love a book of her own showing the rides and such. (I may tuck that in her Easter Basket). Then after I sign up for Borders, I'll probably buy the UG and/or Passporter. Never heard of the Passporter before, but I really like the idea of the planning pages and such.
I LOVE the planning. My family says it's overkill, but it's a lot of FUN for me.

My DH thought the same thing, but then when we got there and everything was as perfect as you could want (except for DH being sick) he said I was right to plan so much.

 

[DisneyDebbie]

I have to say, I truly LOVE reading and planning. I have the Passporters, Unofficial Guide, and The Complete Guide (by Julie Neal) those are my fav. I also have Birnbaums official guide and WDW for Kids by Kids. They are nice and slim for packing in a suitcase.

Happy Planning!

 

[kelly1218]

The Passporter is my favorite.

Especially if you scrapbook, you can jot notes in there, and the pockets are great!!!!

 

[luvdisney00]

Another vote for passporter!

 

[PrincessGrandma]

We went to Borders after church today. I had printed two 30% off coupons and let my DGD use one for her book (B for kids). Her mom had a Rewards membership so no problem using the coupon. I got the Passporter and I love it! I am a scrapbooker of sorts. The daily journal sections for each day will be an easy way to keep up with what we did and I agree about the pockets being really easy to keep up with "stuff". I normally write things down in a notebook, but I think this will be much easier. I think I'll probably pick up the UG also, but will do that on the next visit to Borders. I usually go to Barnes & Noble, but I must say, I may be switching to Borders. Their employees were so nice & helpful. I needed several other books and didn't even know the authors name for one. The clerk didn't just point me in the right direction, he actually walked all around the store with me helping me find what I needed, helping others along the way. WOW, that's service!
Planning... I've got a spreadsheet that includes our tentative daily schedule, planning that day by the hour that includes where we'll have our meals with ADR #'s, which parks we'll visit and a walking route we will take to make sure we don't waste too much criss-cross back and forth, rest periods. It is intended as a guide. I don't get upset if we decide on something else once we get there. I just find that if you don't plan, you get home and realize you didn't do some of the things that you REALLY wanted to do.

 

[DisneyDebbie]

I like Borders too, they're very helpful and the special orders I request come quickly

 

[sjs314]

Since my first trip in 1989 to WDW I have bought Birnbaum guides but this year I saw the Passporter when at B&N and after flipping through a copy decided it was much better than Bdirnbaums and picked it up instead