- ISBN13: 9780470460269
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
In 2008, combined Walt Disney World Resort© theme park attendance reached over 51 million, with the Magic Kingdom alone drawing over 17 million visitors. (Orlando Convention and Visitor Bureau) Despite signifcant downturns in the economy, Disney theme parks have maintained attendance rates and made gains in attendance at some parks. Walt Disney World Resort theme parks are rated best in the world. earning high marks for things outside of the traditional the… More >>
The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2010
#1 by Joe'sMom on February 3, 2010 - 11:57 pm
I’m planning our first trip to Walt Disney World this year and am a total planner. So naturally I’ve started brushing up with a bunch of Disney books, podcasts, websites, etc. This book is absolutely the most comprehensive must have book I’ve found. It will really answer any question you may have regarding the details of any trip. There is a page dedicated to each of the resort hotels (and some of the major hotels and vacation homes just outside the park), there are restaurant guides (including some outside of WDW), and information on some not Disney day trips. I mention these specifically because most other Disney books I’ve found limit their information to only Disney owned resorts and attractions. This was a great bonus! I love the customer feedback quotes/opinions they include – it gives both pros and cons for most things. I can only imagine the time and effort that goes in to preparing such a detailed planning guide!
I absolutely recommend this if you are a newbie like me and looking for some great information about the park. I also recommend The Complete Walt Disney World 2009 (Complete Walt Disney World) (Complete Guide to Walt Disney World) which give some nice tips and pictures. The Complete Guide is the book my son is most excited about because he loves looking at all the rides pictures and height requirements (he’s hoping to be tall enough for the coasters by the time we go). This is the book we read before bed every night. Finally, check out PassPorter’s Walt Disney World 2009: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! (2010 version should be coming out in a few months).
Rating: 5 / 5
#2 by Kaoru I. on February 4, 2010 - 12:46 am
This is the second edition we bought (first in 1998). It is very helpful for me (I need to know everything about a place before I go to really enjoy the trip) to read about all the little details and hints that the Official Guide skips over. (I bought the 2010 edition of the Birnbaum’s Official Guide as well for my husband, who gets into the trip better with the Disney feel and color photographs, which the Unofficial Guide lacks.)
The Unofficial Guide has information about the other Orlando area attractions, which is helpful since we usually take one day off from WDW. It also gives detailed descriptions and ratings of hotels in the area, which is nice, even though I always stay on the WDW property.
Anyone who really enjoys planning their trip would enjoy this book!
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by Jason Stewart on February 4, 2010 - 3:12 am
I don’t like to gush about things, but this is the best guide book to Walt Disney World (WDW) I have ever seen. It has enough information to make your trip to WDW the best. And even if you don’t use their park touring plans, there is enough information for the planning stages to make sure you get the best deals, the best hotels, and the best whatever else you are interested it!
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by C. Okinaka on February 4, 2010 - 4:36 am
Great guide. There is a lot of information. The best part of the book is that it is an Unofficial guide, so the book is unbiased. It also takes into consideration past visits from people like you and me. Do not be surprised by the thickness of the book. It looks huge, but it is also divided up into readable sections. Everything you need and want to know about Disneyworld is in this book. I have two kids and this book is better than The Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld with Kids. Buy it.
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by Jonathan on February 4, 2010 - 6:54 am
I bought this book in preparation for an upcoming trip in May 2010. I chose this book over the plethora of other WDW guide books primarily due to the subscription to the corresponding website [...] that the previous editions have included.
Unfortunately, the popularity of the website has caused this model to no longer be financially viable. Purchasers of the new edition are instead given a special rate of around five bucks to join. The major foul that has occurred is that the very first printing states that certain aspects of the site, in particular the online crowd calendar, would remain free for purchasers of the book. This is not the case. This was an honest mistake, and hopefully it will be corrected in future printings.
Like any other tour guide, information and reviews are given for hotels, restaurants, and attractions. Reviews are given for establishments both on and off Walt Disney World property, though more emphasis is given to those on-property. Within the parks, the authors go as far as rating each attraction for specific age groups, which I thought was a nice touch. A handful of the rates stated reflect 2009 prices rather than 2010, but that is to be expected since the new rates were released only a few weeks before the guide went on sale.
The main draw that this book has over others is the inclusion of a handful of touring plans: these are specific orderings of attractions designed to minimize the amount of time spent waiting in line. The authors have invested a lot of time and research into these plans, and they seem to be rather effective. However, these plans are pretty hard-core, so if you don’t have a type a personality or have no desire to be at the parks right when they open, these might not be as useful. Additionally, a much larger collection of these plans are available at their website, so a subscription there may be a better option if this is the only reason you would buy the book.
Plenty of maps and diagrams are included throughout the book, but only a limited number of photographs are included at the very beginning. I personally didn’t find this to be a big deal, but it may be to others.
Rating: 4 / 5