Customer Reviews

Rita Aero's Walt Disney World, Odyssey Edition, Version 1.4: The Essential Guide to Amazing Vacations

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I own Rita's 3rd edition from 2 years back. She has surpassed the previous edition by far. Disney changes at the speed of light and all the information could never be captured and published in a book. However, Rita has organized the most up to date information in an easy to follow format that anyone could use. Her guidebook is clear..has a great rating system (E.A.R.S awards)..and is packed with exciting tips that even the most Disney conscientious explorer could overlook! What isn't depicted in the book is carried over onto the connected website. Her website is another great source for more Disney info and general camaraderie.

A must buy book for any Disney World lover...!

I thought nothing could top Rita Aero's previous guides, but her most recent edition did just that. Unlike Birnbaums and Sehlingers guides, which remain the same year after boring year, Aero's newest guide is completely new and fresh!

She threw out all the old star ratings and replaced them with clever EARS awards. Apparently she gathered the top Disney experts and formed a panel much like the Academy Awards, except they vote on the best attractions, hotels, restaurants, etc. The emotional age ratings are also completely new and expanded from the previous 4 icons to an intuitive gradient type system. Birnbaums has no ratings at all and Sehlingers ratings never seem to change.

The book's navigation is all new with easy-to-find self indexing tabs. The reviews are completely rewritten into columnar formatting. I didn't care much for the way the text used to span the entire page, so this is a very welcomed improvement. I also LOVE the new charts and maps! There are so many new cool features to write about, but I'm preparing for our next trip to WDW, so I should stop before I write virtual reams.

Oh, I almost forgot, her website has already saved me nearly $900 on my upcoming trip! The online community there is the absolute best!

Val

A fantastic book full of all the info you need to have a great vacation!! Kudos to Rita Aero..5 stars for this one!

After using the previous book for my last trip, I couldn't wait for this one to come out. It didn't fail to live up to my standards. The book's advice on park touring and itineraries really helped me to plan my trip. The on-line site that accompanies the book (along with all of the wonderful coupons) is an added boon. I think that it's much better than the "official" guide book and up there with the Unofficial guide as well. All in all, a good deal.

I found the information in this guide dated and disappointing, presented in a very bland style. A much better choice, presented in a very easy-to-use format,is: Passporter Walt Disney World Resort 2003: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake

I was expecting the usual great job from the Rita Aero crew... cutting edge information, outstanding maps, top notch reviews, etc. But this edition blew me away with its new formatting. The clever index tabs light up from gray to blue as the book is thumbed making it fast and easy to find the information I need. I also appreciate the new charts that let me compare and contrast for a clear buying decision. The section on Universal studios is great but I would have liked to see it a bit larger as I enjoy taking my family to Universal when I vacation at Walt Disney World. Still this book is the best I've purchased, and I have them all.

I bought the first Rita Aero book in 2000 and loved it I especially loved the website. IT was informative and good reading. SO I got itfor my trip in 2003. Well,they would not give you access to the website even though you purchased the book and they claim it makes the book invaluable right in the book. they make a huge point that this is why I should purchase this book over the others. When you try to log on you get a message that the website refuses you access. ...Well fine but don't advertize in your book the website. I will return this book and write the publisher...

As, a frequent WDW visitor and travel agent, I find this book indispensable. It has everything you could possibly need to know from restaurant reviews, resort descriptions, theme park maps, touring strategies, money saving tips, and more! I highly recommend this guidebook to anyone planning a WDW vacation!

Karen

once you make the decision to purchase Rita Aero's book. This book stands head and shoulders above all other guide books. The reason is that Rita and her staff take great pains to find out any new developments/changes in the World.

Rita explores WDW in depth--park by park, ride by ride, and eatery by eatery. No other guide book gives attention to detail like this publication.

If you are interested in a particular hotel on Disney property, Ms. Aero discusses all aspects of that location, listing amenities, recreation, ambience, restaurants, and available transportation.

If you are interested in a particular restaurant, the author goes into details including atmosphere, sample entrees, dining hours and location.

Ms. Aero has also included information regarding Disney tours, Disney recreation, airport information, babysitting options, info for special needs population, and offsite hotel and shopping information. Information on Universal Studios and Sea World is also listed in Ms Aero's book. This information is skimmed over, if not overlooked totally, in other guide books,most of which I own. Had I bought Rita Aero's guidebook first, I would have saved a lot of money on other less informative and sometimes biased guidebooks.

The biggest bonus, and the reason I bought this book though, is the online website available free to her readers. Her member hosts are very well-informed and keep current with breaking news and developments at WDW. Anyone logging into this website is warmly welcomed and invited to participate, whether it be by posting a question, sharing their experiences, or attending one of the nightly chat sessions on a well-rounded variety of topics. A wealth of knowledge, cutting edge information, and up-to-the-minute developments are at your disposable with just a click of the mouse. Down here in New Orleans, we call that "lagniappe", which means a little something extra without any cost.

If you are new to Disney, this guide book will steer you in the right direction. If you are a frequent traveler to Disney, this book will teach you about things that you didn't know existed. This guide book is worth its weight in gold. It will save you time, money, and frustration. It is a vacationers dream come true--all the information you need at your fingertips.

Kudos to Rita Aero and her staff for an excellent book and for providing the best website to the WDW experience!

I have been to WDW many times over the years. I was surprised by the wealth of information in this book. It helped me plan a very memorable birthday trip for my husband and I. Up to date information can also be found on her on-line community. Her book was the most up to date of all that I looked at.