Disney guide book

[Zazu]

I have not used that book yet. We use the Birnbaum's WDW book. What is the difference between the book you guys are talking about compaired to the ones you can buy in bookstores?

<commercial plug>
From my admittedly biased view, the three bestselling WDW Guidebooks are:

1. The Official Guide (aka Birnbaum's, now published by Disney) -- this one is best for photos, but the data is deliberately incomplete (so they don't plug things that may go away), and occasionally totally bogus, as the time they described how fun Test Track was ... a year and a half before it opened!

2. The Unofficial Guide -- this one is best for their "Dumbo or Die In a Day" touring guides, and SGT-style humor. If you think that parks are only a place where the attractions are, this is your guidebook.

3. PassPorter Guide to WDW -- this one is light on photos, heavy on resorts and restaurants, figuring that's where you'll spend the most money. I think it's the most thorough and detailed of the three. It also comes spiral-bound with their "PassPocket" organizer built in. This gives the Type A's a place to put everything and the Type B's a fighting chance to discover their tickets before the plane leaves without them.

There's a big gap in sales between #3 and #4.

PassPorter also publishes "Open Mouse", a guide to WDW and the DCL for guests with special needs; everything from allergies and blindness to wheelchairs and zero-entry pools (inclusive); and the PassPorter Guide to the Disney Cruise Line and its Ports of Call -- the only comprehensive guide to the DCL in print.

All of the above are available both from better brick-N-mortar bookstores and from the Internet.
</commercial plug>

Disclaimer: I work for PassPorter, but not on a per-copy basis.

[mechurchlady]

I bought a guidebook not on your list as it said it was everything a disabled person needs to know about WDW.

One hour at Disboards, Allears and other sites could have given me more information and the book did not cover a lot of things that people need to know. Each special need has a lot of things and a whole chapter can be devote to most things like size, amputees, autism, sun and weather, allergies, fears, and sensory issues.

If I work for a guidebook you pay for babysitting mom, all costs and salary. I like the three that Zazu named. Birnbaum is Disney's version. Passporter is the truth, and Unofficial is a snide guide that gives people information so they can make choices. The unofficial is not just for commandos but shows parents with autistic kids how long the wait is, shows me that it is not safe for my disability, and lets seniors know this ride may not be for them. All three can be used by anyone and are great.

[Princess Susi]

I love the Passporters. They are so organized and keep me organized while I am having fun and don't want to think about having to create my own organization of tickets, passes, extra notes..etc...I use them every trip!
And I also love the Birnbaums guides. They are great. I also use the Guide to Disney for People without children. It really helps to give you advice on the stuff that you can skip if you do not have little ones to take to all the kiddie stuff.
I try to read everything I can on the Parks before a trip. Next year I need the Cruise Passporter. That will keep me organized on a trip that I have never experienced yet.

Keep up the great work on the Passporters, Zazu! :)
I also get the Passporter newsletter every week, as well, along with other newsletters.

Princess Susi

[BRWombat]

I love the Passporters. They are so organized and keep me organized while I am having fun and don't want to think about having to create my own organization of tickets, passes, extra notes..etc...I use them every trip!
And I also love the Birnbaums guides. They are great. I also use the Guide to Disney for People without children. It really helps to give you advice on the stuff that you can skip if you do not have little ones to take to all the kiddie stuff.
I try to read everything I can on the Parks before a trip. Next year I need the Cruise Passporter. That will keep me organized on a trip that I have never experienced yet.

Keep up the great work on the Passporters, Zazu! :)
I also get the Passporter newsletter every week, as well, along with other newsletters.

Princess Susi

I'm also a Passporter fan, and have carried them on every Disney trip this decade. My knowledge about the parks has increased to the level that I no longer need to constantly consult them to find my way around, BUT they are still awesome to have handy for changes in plans or to consult for ideas about where to eat -- and for a place to write and keep my detailed trip report notes!

They are also the only guidebook to include a photograph of our beloved Zazu in every edition!!!

[Whazzup]

I love my PassPorter books, including the DCL guide and the DL and SoCal guide, which we will use in April 2009. I pre-ordered the 2009 Guide to WDW, but the shipping was delayed and it may not arrive before we leave on Nov 7th.

One of my favorite books is The Complete Walt Disney World by Julie and Mike Neal. It's got lots of color pictures and also interesting backstories on all the attractions. It covers all of WDW, including water parks and water sports, Hidden Mickeys, golf, miniature golf, Richard Petty Driving Experience, and lots of inside tips, fun facts, etc.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

<commercial plug>
From my admittedly biased view, the three bestselling WDW Guidebooks are:

1. The Official Guide (aka Birnbaum's, now published by Disney) -- this one is best for photos, but the data is deliberately incomplete (so they don't plug things that may go away), and occasionally totally bogus, as the time they described how fun Test Track was ... a year and a half before it opened!

2. The Unofficial Guide -- this one is best for their "Dumbo or Die In a Day" touring guides, and SGT-style humor. If you think that parks are only a place where the attractions are, this is your guidebook.

3. PassPorter Guide to WDW -- this one is light on photos, heavy on resorts and restaurants, figuring that's where you'll spend the most money. I think it's the most thorough and detailed of the three. It also comes spiral-bound with their "PassPocket" organizer built in. This gives the Type A's a place to put everything and the Type B's a fighting chance to discover their tickets before the plane leaves without them.

There's a big gap in sales between #3 and #4.

PassPorter also publishes "Open Mouse", a guide to WDW and the DCL for guests with special needs; everything from allergies and blindness to wheelchairs and zero-entry pools (inclusive); and the PassPorter Guide to the Disney Cruise Line and its Ports of Call -- the only comprehensive guide to the DCL in print.

All of the above are available both from better brick-N-mortar bookstores and from the Internet.
</commercial plug>

Disclaimer: I work for PassPorter, but not on a per-copy basis.

# 4 being non-existant?

hehehehe

I remember the first Birnbaums guide we got was sent to us as part of a package, in 1993, from WDW!

Since then we get one every few years!

We got the Unoffical guide last year, and found that we knew a lot of the info. Since we like to relax and take our time when at WDW, we didn't use the "commando" style suggested.

I think we will try the pass-porter for next year!! sounds like it has more of the non-park info that we could use. As we pretty much know what attractions in the parks we want to visit, and rely on the web site for times and attractions info that are down for maintence and so forth.

[Christine43]

I like their humor too, but the informed me in a rather huffy tone that they aren't kidding about their "Dumbo or Die in a Day" touring plans. Dunno, seems pretty silly to me.

I'm willing, but you gotta know the crowds are going to be killer then. Also, my Maingate is blocked out December 24 thru 31, so you'd have to buy me a ticket. Doesn't seem like a particularly good idea to go that week.

Still, we could meet for a meal somewhere outside the Parks and I could tell some stories. Best offer I've got right now -- my tours of the other three parks aren't far enough along for me to offer yet.

Anything is great and I totally appreciate it. We're arriving on the 16th and leaving on the 27th and I'll buy dinner. My son is so curious to meet an "insider" and hear the stories, me too. I have read everything I could get my hands on because I'm slightly obsessive about things I'm interested in.

"Dumbo or Die" is parental suicide. We'd never make it, someone would collapse (ok, me).

[turkeyham]

A few years ago I went to Sam's Club with my friend. We found on guide book that was thick, but did not have very many pictures. It was Insight Guides from the Discovery Channel - Walt Disney World Resort and Orlando.

[Mayonnaise]

My family used the Unofficial Guide both time we went down when I was a kid. I don't know if it was the guide or my mom... but both times it would up going down like a military operation.

This time I've got a Passporter.

8^)

[turkeyham]

I think cast members should be able to write their own version of the guides. They should place hidden SG in the maps and a few attractions. It is like finding the hidden mickeys on the attractions. Or what is more fun, place good picture places: lean over the fence and have someone take your picture as you fall into the river. They should tell what it means to stay off the ropes, chains, etc. If they do break the rules, show a picture of a SG being haulded away by security. :D: