Which guidebook for WDW with kids?

[lecach]

Which book would you recommend for WDW with kids? We've never taken our DS before and want to make sure we do everything that we should. He'll be almost 3 1/2 when we go in May.

I've looked at Birnbaums. In the past I always got the unofficial WDW guide but I heard the kids one isnt very good. Any advice?

 

[noahdove]

I personally think Birnbaum's book for kids is awesome!!!I bought it when I knew that I would be able to take my sister's grandson..and that was just a part of the way I told him He thought it was great and I hope soon we will be able to sit down and discuss what he wants to see.. I have so many surprises for him, I can't tell you and I can't wait to see his face at all of them. I am also taking my step-granddaughter too...both of them have already started to pack and we don't go until August Good luck and have a magical time....take lots of pictures

 

[Tammysue5]

I agree w/the previous poster...I bought the kids Birnbaums guide and they loved it! DD8 Read it over the months preceeding our vacation and knew all sorts of things when we actually arrived...she was able to point out things to us that she proudly announced she had read about in her book. She also used this to pick out 'her choices' for meals. (each child got to make choices)
I just recommended it to ANOTHER friend that is now planning a WDW vacation. OT: Since I have gone..I have had about 10 different families order the DVD and have either gone, have ressies or are planning a WDW trip!

But as far a the book...worth the money!

 

[Mrs.Charming]

I bought Birnbaums but I also have to recommend the Disney PassPorter book. It is awesome for planning!!!

http://www.passporter.com/wdw/

 

[hoosiergirl7]

My favorite guide book is the Passporter because it's written by a married duo who's daughter also has her opinions about everything WDW. It has lots of charts and recommends which resorts are best for kids, what people think about restaurants, information for the kids about rides (recommended ages and height requirements). I buy a new one every time I take another trip which only happens about every 18 months.

I know you can buy this book online and in Borders & Barnes and Noble.

 

[Safari Queen]

Another vote for Birnbaum's.

 

[MNdisneymom]

Two different books:

...the Birnbaum's Kids book for him. My DS who is now 5 loved looking at the pictures, and the ride and show descriptions are nice and short...we read a lot of those before the trip, so he would know what to expect. Another nice thing about this guide is that each ride has little Mickey symbols by them, to say if the rides are "scary" or "bumpy" or "dark". Those are good for pre-readers, because you can tell what the symbol is by the expression on the Mickey.

For you, I highly recommend the Complete Guide to WDW by Julie Neal. (It's not on the shelves at any of my local bookstores--I ordered it from Amazon.) There are oodles of pictures, and lots of details on everything...including a lot of neat historical stuff, if you like that sort of thing. The best one was the complete back story on Everest--I had no idea how much detail there was to it.

Good luck, have a fun trip.

 

[mommylibrarian]

I actually think the Unofficial Guide is great for YOU when you are planning... it helped me a lot. However, I don't bother with the Kids book because most everything in there is in the big one. The only difference I can easily see is the touring plans in the back are more geared toward kids (which is good, but you can subscribe to the website for less than the book costs and get more touring plan choices if that's what you want.

For your son, I agree that Birnbaum's can be great. Any of the books that have lots of pictures will be fabulous. My DD (almost four now) enjoys leafing through hers and pointing out the things she likes.

 

[mommy-on-the-move]

I'm using the passporter which i've found pretty informative about the rides, which we really do need with 4 so different kids. Other than the rides it has alot about the resorts, places to eat- it's been a good book for us but I'll definately be looking at birnbaums as i've heard so many good things about it.

 

[Aliceacc]

To be honest, I've gotten my best info here!

 

[HonnyDipp]

I purchased the Passporter along with the Unoffical Guidbook for my planning. I too have been looking for the perfect book for the kids. I'm guessing Birnbaums is the book to order for the kids! Thanks for the advice!

 

[collcass]

I've looked at Birnbaums. In the past I always got the unofficial WDW guide but I heard the kids one isnt very good. Any advice?

The UoF w/Kids is very outdate. I wish I'd not wasted the money on it. I completely understand that things change before they goto print, but quite a few things were also inaccurate in the book.

I picked up the Passporter last week and really like it. My oldest son loves to read atlas type books along with trivia books so I just ordered "Guide to the Magic for Kids"

I did look at Birnbaums in Borders and wish I'd chosen that over UoG

 

[EnchantedPrincess]

My 4 yo dd can't read yet, but she loves to look at the pictures in the Birmbaums guide. There is also this one..I just got the link from the Allears.net newsletter yesterday..so I have not seen it in person...
http://www.guidetothemagic.com/shoppingaenspecialoffer.htm but it looks like it might be more for older kids.

 

[Doogan]

I like Walt Disney World with Kids by Kim Wright Wiley. It's updated every year and also includes some information for Sea World and Universal. I like that she gives advice about which restaurants are more kid friendly (I've found her recommendations pretty accurate) and her scare factor for rides are also really good. I've gotten a lot of good general tips from her books, too.

 

[DannysMom]

I like Walt Disney World with Kids by Kim Wright Wiley. It's updated every year and also includes some information for Sea World and Universal. I like that she gives advice about which restaurants are more kid friendly (I've found her recommendations pretty accurate) and her scare factor for rides are also really good. I've gotten a lot of good general tips from her books, too.

I second this book recc! I used my first one (2006 ed) so much that the binding came apart so I went out and bought the 2007 ed before our trip last year. This one is holding up so, I'm not re-buying again this year.

We're going back to the Poly again at the end of April!!! WhooHooo!

 

[blana]

I like Walt Disney World with Kids by Kim Wright Wiley. It's updated every year and also includes some information for Sea World and Universal. I like that she gives advice about which restaurants are more kid friendly (I've found her recommendations pretty accurate) and her scare factor for rides are also really good. I've gotten a lot of good general tips from her books, too.

Loved this book, too. Unfortunately, we lent it out to a friend who was going prior to us & never got it back before our trip. There were several things I remembered from it that contradicted the Birnbaum book that was carried along that turned out much more right than B's. That said, if you're looking for a book for the child, the children's Birnbaum is great. DS loves looking at the pictures.

 

[kidcdv]

Thanks for all the info. I had gotten the Unofficial Guide and got a little overwhelmed very quickly with it. I've heard of the Birnbaum one before. I have to pick that one up. We're only going for 4 nights so I want to make sure I make the most of it while staying realistic!

 

[Minniemouse07]

The best WDW book FOR KIDS...hands down is the Guide to the Magic for Kids. It is about 2-3 times the size of the Birnbaum's book and covers EVERYTHING in the parks. There are stickers for each ride/attraction, games/things to do and journal pages at the back.

Dd is 6.5yo and really loved this book. I originally purchased the Birnbaum's By Kids for Kids for her and she barely even looked at it after the first time.

We POURED over the Guide to the Magic book before our trip, colored in all the flags in the Epcot section...and then filled it in every night of our trip!

As for guidebooks for you to plan... In order... Passporter, Unofficial Guide and the Complete Walt Disney World.

I have had a great time reading the Imagineering books for MK, Epcot and AK... but they aren't for planning. If I only had to buy one book for me, it would be Passporter, no question.

Have fun...planning is all part of the joy of a WDW trip!

 

[lrpickett]

The best WDW book FOR KIDS...hands down is the Guide to the Magic for Kids. It is about 2-3 times the size of the Birnbaum's book and covers EVERYTHING in the parks. There are stickers for each ride/attraction, games/things to do and journal pages at the back.

Dd is 6.5yo and really loved this book. I originally purchased the Birnbaum's By Kids for Kids for her and she barely even looked at it after the first time.

We POURED over the Guide to the Magic book before our trip, colored in all the flags in the Epcot section...and then filled it in every night of our trip!



Have fun...planning is all part of the joy of a WDW trip!

I'm taking my 11 year old niece to the World in September, and am planning to buy her a guidebook in the next month or so. I'd seen this book through my AllEars newsletter, and thought it looked like a good bet, but is it too young for an 11-year old? Would the Official Guide for Kids be better? I don't have a bookstore near me, so I won't be able to see it before I order. Thanks!

 

[Minniemouse07]

I'm taking my 11 year old niece to the World in September, and am planning to buy her a guidebook in the next month or so. I'd seen this book through my AllEars newsletter, and thought it looked like a good bet, but is it too young for an 11-year old? Would the Official Guide for Kids be better? I don't have a bookstore near me, so I won't be able to see it before I order. Thanks!

I think an 11yo would do fine. There is a description of every ride (not sure if they have Toy Story Mania, etc) w/ a spot to write your own mini review ...along w/ the sticker area and choosing thumbs up/thumbs down/okay. For the Epcot countries there is a place to draw the country's flag, get a CM signature and the country stamp.

At the back of the book there is a journal page (double page spread) for up to 14 days. It is directed...and pictoral for some of it (ie circling the correct weather) but cute and there is lots of room to record answers to their prompts (rides, souveniers, food, etc.).