Unofficial Guide

[tjkraz]

I have to agree. It's pretty dissapointing to buy a "05 book that's waaaaay outdated before you can even finish reading it. What good is a tour book with no ticket or plan info ??? I did look at their website updates. Unless I'm really missing something all I saw was typo corrections but nothing that would make up for shelling out $20 for a dated guide.

The UOG goes to presses in August or September. Not much they can to do predict wholesale changes to things like Disney ticketing and EMH programs that won't even be announced for 3-4 more months.

Given the fact that these programs have only been in place for ELEVEN DAYS, I'm sure that all of the experts are still trying to get their arms around the full impact to guests.

It is worth nothing that Len's site does have updates for the "Busiest Park Days" projections taking into account the new EMH night schedule. I used it myself over the weekend, so it was clearly added shortly after (if not before) the new EMH program went into effect.

I can appreciate the fact that you don't feel comfortable buying a "2005" guidebook that is already outdated in some regards. Speak with your wallet and don't buy. But we all know that Disney World will be evolving and changing throughout the year, just as it has in the past--it just so happens that this year the changes are more pronounced than in many previous years.

 

[Sandi]

The website updates for TUG certainly provides more than just typo corrections. I printed off the new suggested parks to visit on particular days and also the new chart for Extra hours -- morning and night. They're in my handy dandy folder and ready to be pulled out when I need to refer to them. It was easier than ripping them out of the book!

I got the book for myself before Christmas for our trip next month. I don't feel bad about it being out of date -- especially because of the website. However, if I wasn't going for awhile and was contemplating purchasing TUG, I'd wait until the next printing (later this month or in February).

Len -- I love ya!

 

[BethR]

I really like the UOG, and when planning a trip, I go to bed with it every night.
IMO, that was one of the biggest drawbacks to TGM. I want something that I can read when NOT at the computer.
I did copy and print tons of materials from his site, but 1) paper and printer ink added to the price of TGM and 2) it took TONS of time for me to read, edit, copy, paste, print all that I wanted to print.

If TGM could print a guide and then keep it updated through his website, that MIGHT be the best of both worlds.

For my next trip, I will be buying the newest edition of the UOG, and then if I have an extra $20+, I will sign up for TGM again.

 

[lentesta]

Docsknotinn, we have separate multi-page updates on the new Magic Your Way Tickets, the new Extra Magic Hours schedule, the revised Best Days to Visit chart, and more. All of those links should be available free from the updates page, or individually from the TouringPlans.com home. Let me know if you can't find 'em and I'll be happy to help out.

Sincerely,

Len

 

[Docsknotinn]

Len, thanx, I greatly appreciate that. I'm not the most computer savy person so I'll go back and look again.
Instead of saying what I don't like perhaps it would be more helpfull to share what I would like in a tour book. Maybe others will share my views....maybe not.
what I would like is more detail. I would have paid double for a deluxe version with color maps and a planner or even a DVD with maps. I'm impatient and by the time I go buy a tour book I certainly don't want to wait several weeks to get stuff in the mail from Disney. The maps on the hotels are a good example. While the AKL shows savannahs it doesn't show which is which. ( I want to see the Kudu ) I like the advice about booking the second or third floor rooms faceing the interior savannah but ....What savannah is that ? More importantly what room category is that ? Some info on the sunrise safari and culinary tours would be great as well.
I would say the thing I like most about the book is the letters that people send in. Now that I find entertaining.

 

[bobcat]

I can't stand the Passporter. Jennifer and Dave are so in love with themselves - I'm sorry, but if I'm buying a book about WDW I would like to see pictures of WDW, not pictures of the authors (and someone needs to tell them that they don't exactly look like Tom and Nicole). I also don't like that their enthusiasm for WDW prevents them from presenting an objective opinion.

Again to each his own but pictures of items in WDW are usually a big no no, Len can correct this if I am wrong but I believe they have to be approved by Disney and probably even pay big $ to use them. In order to have pictures in the book Jennifer and Dave have used pictures of themselves enjoying WDW. To me it makes it feel more like I am reading their personal notes/travel diary. As someone else mentioned I prefer to use my passporter and my UG to complement each other. I love the maps and personal preferences that the passporter provides and I equally love the detail, dry wit, and hard data that the UG is known for.

While I know that the UG posts updates as they happen and I can print them out or just read them, I love the fact that the deluxe passporter has the ability to add those pages right into my book so all my info is together.

I'm having a hard time waiting to buy my new guide books!

 

[lentesta]

bobcat, I think Disney allows Disney-approved photos in all the unofficial guidebooks at little or no cost, subject to their terms of use. That's how we managed to get Main Street on the cover of the last two Guides, I believe.

Docsknotinn, does this (free) map of the Animal Kingdom Lodge help you out? It's part of our free on-line trip planner.

Sincerely,

Len

 

[Mainebound]

Just adding another vote of support for the Unofficial Guide. I think it can be great to buy a number of touring guides and whatnot, but the main one for us is the UG.

I just love it. When people say it's "outdated" I am not sure what they mean. The book is over 800 pages long. A few changes do not negate the value of the book, especially when the website handles those nicely. The UG is also a very funny and entertaining book, not just a set of touring plans.

I would not agree with the idea that a web site (specifically TourGuideMike) is necessarily more up to date than a book (specifically the UG). Looking for info on Magic Your Way ticket plan? Well, touringplans.com has more up to date and comprehensive info than TGM. Looking for info on all those great restaurants at the Swan and Dolphin? Well, UG has that -- nada at TGM. Looking for info on Cindy's breakfast extended hours? Go to touringplans.com, not TourGuideMike. And there are a lot of other lapses -- no info on Saratoga Springs at TGM, or DD hotels, for example, but UG -- the print version -- has lots. A previous poster was correct, and neither nasty nor mean, when she pointed this sort of thing out. It's just the facts. There may be lots of reasons for purchasing TGM, but it is not always perfectly up to date or complete.

And if you are interested in Universal Florida or Sea World, or staying or eating offsite, the UG is the only guide that includes all of that information (including touring plans for those parks) in detail.

Also, in a recent New York Times article on touring the WDW parks, it was Len Testa who was called on to provide expert commentary. I think that says a lot about the UG operation.

 

[Docsknotinn]

Len,That's exactly what I've been looking for. Thank you !