Do you remember when...

[ihearttink]

You stayed on property they sent you the Birnbaum (sp) book when you made your reservations.

 

[Tiffany]

You stayed on property they sent you the Birnbaum (sp) book when you made your reservations.

I do not and we have been staying onsite since 1991.

 

[BCV23]

I do remember that but it was only because we booked Gold Key packages....later known by other names. It may have been included with other packages too.

 

[TLinden16]

I can't remember which trip it was, but one year, they sent me a goodie box with all kinds of stuff in it, including a Birnbaum guide. It was a round box (I call it my hat box), and it had stuff like luggage tags in it.

Karen

 

[DisneyMomx7]

In l988 we went on the GOld Key package and I remember they did send the Official guide.

 

[opal]

I think we got it in 1990 when we booked through AAA.

 

[katallo]

We were sent a copy every year in the late 80's

 

[disneyloveralways]

When we went in 1995 we paid 1800 for 6 people in a Wilderness Home 5day 4 night package. We got a Picture package with Mickey (taken in Downtown disney), We got a character breakfast, a birmbams guide, and non motorized recreation. Every year it seem like the prices go up and we get less for out money. We loved the flex features.

 

[Nolcrest]

Wow, how cool is that to receive all those goodies.

I guess now we're just happy to receive a confirmation

 

[Janet2k]

When we booked our Grand Plan vacation packages, we received the guidebooks in the mail. It was a lovely touch and I do miss it.

 

[dejavu]

We booked gold key many years ago and received the Birnbaum book too and on one trip received a nice photo album and another time a huge mickey plush (that was fun to bring home on a plane!) also have received pictures taken at a studio in DTD ... Those were the days!! We also use to stay at FWC when our kids were young and if you were on the gold plan you were able to have golf cart for your entire stay.. I love Disney and I do still feel it's a reasonable vacation value but I do resent the ever increasing prices and the "little" things that seem to leave everytime you visit. JMO.

 

[senecabeach]

Yea....and the Poly was $42. per night in the 70's!!!!!!!

 

[sotoalf]

I do. It was also when I began to doubt Birnbaum's objectivity. I started reading the Unofficial Guide instead.

 

[BCV23]

I do. It was also when I began to doubt Birnbaum's objectivity. I started reading the Unofficial Guide instead.

You know, we still have our Birnbaum's from the first year it was published and it was sent to us as part of a Gold Key package. I don't think he was ever objective but it did help a lot in planning and had lots of fun details.

I actually thought it was better in an objective assessment of restaurants. Jus straight forward about what is offered. The Unofficial Guide is so often way off base about restaurants IMHO. It also continues to publish that the Polynesian rooms are small compared to other deluxe resorts! Well, duh! But it is full of good info on managing the parks.

 

[Minnie824]

we used to go when I was young and get tickets to Luau, Hoop Dee Doo, Top of the World, Sea world or Circus world? luggage tags, sometime a travel bag, we'd stay at the Fairway villas, they'd stock the refrigerator for us. Unbelievable, how much stuff back then!

 

[sotoalf]

You know, we still have our Birnbaum's from the first year it was published and it was sent to us as part of a Gold Key package. I don't think he was ever objective but it did help a lot in planning and had lots of fun details.

I actually thought it was better in an objective assessment of restaurants. Jus straight forward about what is offered. The Unofficial Guide is so often way off base about restaurants IMHO. It also continues to publish that the Polynesian rooms are small compared to other deluxe resorts! Well, duh! But it is full of good info on managing the parks.

You're right – I should have been more specific. When I first read the Birnbaum guide in '86 or '87 it had more of Steve Birnbaum's voice (his analysis of what makes the Contemporary and Polynesian such different resort experiences is spot-on and still incredibly relevant). It was only later (mid '90s?), sometime after he died, that it became a Disney PR engine.

I guess I prefer the UG because it's so irreverent, even when you disagree with the reviews. Once in a while it's good to clear the air of pixie dust.

 

[GrumpyLuver]

I do. I still have one from the late 80's, it's fun to flip through it every now and then just to see how much has changed over the years.

 

[BCV23]

When I first read the Birnbaum guide in '86 or '87 it had more of Steve Birnbaum's voice (his analysis of what makes the Contemporary and Polynesian such different resort experiences is spot-on and still incredibly relevant). It was only later (mid '90s?), sometime after he died, that it became a Disney PR engine.

I guess I prefer the UG because it's so irreverent, even when you disagree with the reviews. Once in a while it's good to clear the air of pixie dust.

I agree with your points, sotoalf.

The Birnbaum guide did change after he died. I always loved his description of his wife's reaction to going to WDW.

 

[sotoalf]

I agree with your points, sotoalf.

The Birnbaum guide did change after he died. I always loved his description of his wife's reaction to going to WDW.

Yes! He had a memorable line describing how guests at the Contemporary acted: a "defeated before they even begin" air or something like that, which nails it to a T.

 

[BCV23]

LOL, I had to read those old descriptions...it had been a while. You're right, the descriptions are still apt.

Now, I have never been able to find that 5 legged goat in the mural and I look for it on most monorail trip. Any hints?