"Unofficial Guide to WDW" book makes me not want to go! Help!

[The Hunt]

I like the Unofficial Guide, because I hate waiting in line. It has good advice for avoiding the worst crowds and making the most of your time. Read Birnbaum's guide to build your excitement and the Unofficial Guide for practical advice on how to manage your time.

 

[padams]

his favorite rides are Buzz and BTMRR. I agree with the posters above that you should start on the Fantasyland rides, and Goofy's Barnstormer and work your way to the "bigger kid" stuff. DS hasn't done Star Wars yet because he is prone to motion sickness, and our touring philosophy has been not to push anything because we'll be back some day to experience the attractions that we "missed". I loved reading all of the guidebooks until I found this web site, and now I don't need to read the books...much better advice here (even when we don't all agree). Have a great trip! Pamela

 

[rpbear]

My DD was 5 the last time we went to WDW. Her 2 favorite rides were Big Thunder and ToT. I do not consider her to be a dare devil. We did ride the Goofy rollercoaster first to prepare her for Big Thunder. We let her watch the ride and make the roller coaster decision her self. She absolutely loved Big Thunder. In fact in DL this past November (at age 6) we rode the ride 6 times in a row. She also rode Star Tours at age 5. It was not her favorite ride, but we are going to WDW in 9 days and she is ready to try Star Tours again. Children seem to be a good judge of what they are ready for especially on rides they can watch before they ride. I also have bought the Unofficial Guide and I find most of the stories in there to be fun to read but have experienced very little of the negative things they talk about. I went to a Texas Rangers game a few weeks ago and the food and drinks were more there then at WDW. For instance a 20 oz. bottle drink for $3.50, the last time I was at WDW they were $2.50. Go, relax and have a good time. Take your time enjoy the parks and ride the rides your DS is ready for. Then you can always plan another trip when he is older.

 

[Amy]

I think the Unofficial Guide is good because it presents the "other" side of Disney. Birnbaum's, because it's the Official Guide, tends to look at WDW thru rose-colored glasses. If you read both books, you'll get the whole picture. Yes, lines are long, sometimes transportation takes forever, food is expensive. But WDW is a magical place and if you prepare for the bad stuff, your experience will be that much better. Like others have said, listen to your kids---if they're scared of a ride, don't do it, or let an adult go on first and see what it's like. When they're tired, go back to your hotel to rest, or do a calm, indoor attraction (like Hall of Presidents or something). Plan for the expensive meals---we take Pop Tarts for breakfast, use the refillable mugs to get coffee. Grab lunch at carts in the parks and have a decent dinner. Don't expect to be able to do it all in one trip---we stayed onsite for 9 days last time we went and didn't see everything. Have each person pick 3 or 4 rides/attractions in each park that they MUST do, and make sure you do those. Anything more than that will just be icing on the cake. You'll be fine!

 

[BevS97]

we have just come back from a 2 week vacation that wa fantastic in every way. My dd (3.5) was very timid at the start, and we had to be very careful about what she rode, but she had a super time. After some negative experiences at IOA, we started with small world, and Pooh, and then saw Belle tell a story and watched the parade, I think that was all we did our first day. (Oh, and Crystal Palace), after that she was much calmer.

Another useful tip- buy one of those lights they sell at Specromagic - we got one with a pooh head and shiny fiber-optics. We took it onto every dark ride, and she was fine (except she didn;t like the Norway ride). She took Spaceship Earth in her stride with Pooh to keep her safe, and it was very very dark.

Have a good trip

Bev

 

[mainey-mouse]

I checked out that book but settled on "Disney for Dummies". It has the same message - but its funny.
Most of the advice we read turned out to be pertinent. For example we took a 7 and a 4 1/2 year old. The 7 year definitely got more out of the vacation. She just "got it" more. Her little brother had a good time, but he really didn't have the same appreciation for where he was and what he was doing. He did all the same rides, but whereas she loved Space Mountain and Dinosaur, he found them scary. Actually, she found Dino scary too - so she did it again. At 7, she is into "being scared for fun". The 4 year old wasn't quite there yet.

The thing is, there is an art to "doing Disney".

Disney is alot of work. Crowds feel crowded, heat feels hot, expensive looks expensive and scary looks scary there - just like anywhere. It has to be planned to a certain extent, and that is work too. Depending on when you go and who you take, you actually have to pre-plan how you will handle the weather, the crowds, the money and the attractions - all according to the tastes and preferneces of your party. Its not a wall to wall kids paradise, or adults paradise either. Not a place to "just show up" to.

These boards will help you out alot. People know alot about Disney. But you also have to be careful here. Alot of people are real Disney experts with strong opinions on many things Disney. Some people take multiple Disney vacations a year (I didn't know such people existed until I found these boards!) Remember to keep your own budget, personalities and preferences in mind when planning your vacation or you'll find yourself needlessly stressing.

To quote my 7 year old "The Disney commercials in Canada aren't really true - they just show it all full of colours and stuff". Her first lesson in reality, I guess. She had a good time, and already asked if we can take her to see Disneyland in California next (not unless she comes into alot of money!). But its not a Fantasyland.

Good luck!

 

[dkfogt]

We went last March for 11 days with our daughters, 8 yrs and 21 mo. at the time. My 21 month old had such a blast. We rode Buzz and Pooh 20 times, I swear - same with most of the fantasyland attractions. She was a little timid towards the characters, but warmed up more and more during our stay. It was so much fun, we went back 6 weeks after she turned 2 and she was so into the characters!! She hugged them all and talked to them incessantly. Very amusing video footage....

Ever since we have been home, she watches her Disneyland Fun Sing-a-long and says she wants to go back there and see her friends (the characters). I don't feel that she was too young to get anything out of it. Our photo albums are within her reach, so our girls sit on the couch at least once a month and giggle at themselves in the Disney pictures. Even my 8 year old went on Big Thunder at 4 and she was a very timid child. I believe it only goes 25 mph (though it does feel faster than that). She was so proud of herself. Our little one is now about to turn 3. She is 38-1/2 inches tall without shoes on and I CAN'T take her until she is 40 inches in shoes because she is dead-set on riding Splash Mountain and Big Thunder next time!!!

You will have a blast. Good luck getting him off of Buzz......

 

[DisneyKidds]

The Unofficial Guide does a good job of portraying both the positive and negative of WDW. We found it more useful than Birnbaums just for this reason. Knowing some of the potential negatives helps you prepare ahead of time.

That being said... take it with a grain of salt. Everyone's experience is going to be different.

We found the Unofficial guide long before the DIS. I believe the Unofficial Guide is invaluable for planning touring strategies. Believe what it says about lines, traffic patterns, bottlenecks, etc. - and heed the advice given. We always arrive at parks early, hit popular rides first, and have a plan on how to tour the parks. Your approach doesn't have to be commando - but it does have to be organized - and the Unoffiacial guide will help you with this.

As for some of your concerns - the buses can be convenient but may take some time, kids can be frightened by some things - but there is a ton they will love, food can be expensive but is on par with theme park or resort prices anywhere.

Now that we have discovered the DIS I can honestly saw - pay attention to what the books have to say - and then see what people on the DIS have to say about concerns or questions you may have.

You should not worry at all about bringing your child. Our DD has been 4 times since the age of 7 mos and loves WDW. Set your expectations appropriately, take your time, take frequent breaks, go back to your hotel for swims or naps if your child takes them. Plan ahead, with the help of things like the Unofficial Guide, be smart, and you will have a great time.

 

[angelina]

We're about to go on our second trip with our children, ages 9,7,and 2. The two oldest were 6 and 4 1/4 when we first went, and the youngest was afraid of "characters." She didn't think twice about being afraid when we were at WDW. I also highly recommend WDW with kids by Kim Wright Wiley--I wouldn't go without first reading her book. You will have a wonderful time.

 

[Olaf]

The thing to remember about the simulator rides is that you're really not moving all that much. If you're feeling quesy, just shut your eyes. I have resorted to this tactic on many occasions and it makes a huge difference.

I agree with the other posters, the "Unofficial" guide is pretty much a waste of time. My all-time fav is Passporters. My son is 6 and we were at WDW in Mar for his fourth visit. During each visit, different rides and areas appealed to him. It's fun to experience it through his eyes. He's always been a bit of a thrill seaker so the rides haven't been a problem. We had to drag him off Goofy's barnstorm after the sixth time at 2 3/4.

Go and enjoy. You know what your kids can handle.

 

[Planogirl]

The Unofficial Guide is VERY useful in warning you of worst case scenarios IMO. It CAN take a long time to get somewhere for example. It can also take only a short time but I feel better if I prepare for a worst case scenario, that way I'm never late. I think that if you look at the author's rating of rides that he does like WDW, he just isn't thrilled with many of the restaurants (while some he praises TOO highly IMO).

I believe the the Unofficial Guide has saved us tons of time particularly when we first started going to WDW. But that is just my opinion.

As for rides for your child, it helps to prepare them ahead of time as to what to expect. My DS was caught unprepared for Honey I Shrunk the Audience and I regret that. However, we discussed in great detail the dark parts of Spaceship Earth and he watched for them and then just loved the ride!

Star Tours has never bothered any of us but I had some trouble with Body Wars. I stared at a spot on the wall and that helped me. I think that I found that hint in the Unofficial Guide in fact.

Have fun and don't worry!

 

[susy]

ptrbryant,

We are also taking our son for the first time this nov. He will be almost four. We are going Nov 11-14 and doing two days at MK (mon EE and Tues). We decided to do this because we didn't want to feel rushed. Kids can get cranky and tired and the Unofficial book paints a very realistic picture of what to expect. Just go and enjoy yourselves. We will be doing Fantasyland attractions on our first morning EE and taking it easy from there. the next morning we will do toonetown first. Our son has plenty of years ahead of him to enjoy the other parks. Just have fun!!!! We heard that the first week is Jersey week-the teachers have a convention and since the kids have half-day and two days off, a lot of parents pull them out of school. It's supposed to be more crowded. Second week should be fine.Have fun!!! Where are you all staying???We are staying at WL.

 

[DKNMP]

Don't forget to visit the water parks and do some of the other activities outside the theme parks. My kids loved River Country and Typhoon Lagoon and one of the highlights of our trip was renting bikes at WL and riding to Fort Wilderness. At Fort Wilderness the kids loved the pony ride and the petting zoo.

Also we rented a boat at the Marketplace and went fishing at Dixie Landings.

It was these "minor" activities that have produced the most lasting memories and were most enjpyed by our young kids (6 and 3).

 

[ptrbryant]

Hi, Susy,
Hmmm, don't know if I'm thrilled about the Jersey week news. We'll be there 11/06/01 - 11/11/01, so pretty much in the thick of it. We're staying at the Courtyard Marriott in DD...let everyone know how WL is!
Thanks,
Karla B.

 

[susy]

Hi Karla,
I'm actually from NJ. We moved to Florida when I was ten. We were supposed to go from 11/4-11/7 and we changed it to 11/11-11/14. The hotels at DD are very nice. I stayed at the Best Western there last year and it was great. It was me, my mom, my son, and my mom's husband. When we walked into the room and saw a king size bed, we freaked. It actually worked out great, though. The pull out couch was large and quite comfortable. My son and I slept there. In the day, there was so much room for him to play. Anyway, since we are just driving up from south Florida, it's no big deal for us to change our plans. Good luck!

 

[Disnydad]

I did not read the "Unofficial Guide" until after my third trip to WDW. Good thing. If I had read it first, I would not have gone to WDW.