The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World (Paperback)

by Julie Neal (Author), Mike Neal (Author) "There's no place else like it..." (more)
Key Phrases: handheld captioning, reflective captioning, surrey rentals, Main Street, Magic Kingdom, Downtown Disney (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
A must read for any Disney World fan. Worth owning even if you think you know it all about Disney World. Many interesting tips and bits of information. Covers everything you can imagine and is literally covered in pictures. The best of the best hands down for anyone planning a Walt Disney World vacation. --explorethemagic.com

May be the most colorful, visually stunning and deeply researched guidebook on the market. A warm, loving portrait of Disney World, for people who want to love Disney World. --Orlando Sentinel

There are dozens of guides to Disney World, but I like this updated one by a husband-and-wife team who visited Disney World more than 700 times over a five-year period. They're not affiliated with Disney, but received much inside access by the company to provide very detailed descriptions of each ride, show and attraction. Among the gems nestled between nearly 450 colors on 320 pages are fun facts, suggested itineraries and little things to look for. --Florida Times Union

Product Description
"Should leave fans of Mickey smiling from ear to ear." -- Chicago Tribune

"A thorough overview, with inside tips, facts and quizzes. With more than 400 color photos, it also makes a nice souvenir." -- Boston Globe

"May be the most colorful, visually stunning and deeply researched guidebook on the market. A warm, loving portrait of Disney World, for people who want to love Disney World." -- Orlando Sentinel

"Endless tips and trivia." -- Knoxville News-Sentinel

"There are dozens of guides to Disney World, but I like this updated one by a husband-and-wife team who visited Disney World more than 700 times. They're not affiliated with Disney, but received much inside access by the company to provide very detailed descriptions of each ride, show and attraction. Among the gems are fun facts, suggested itineraries and little things to look for." -- Florida Times Union

"Offers an in-depth history of the attractions and the parks themselves… and the most in-depth run-down of the two Disney water parks." -- Budget Travel

"A must read for any Disney World fan. The best of the best hands down." -- explorethemagic.com

"A great book. Extraordinary details. Beautiful photos." -- mouseextra.com

Book Description
Headed to Walt Disney World? If so, you'll be delighted with this new full-color guidebook. Filled with hundreds of photographs, well organized and absolutely packed with fun information, it makes a strong case to be, as its cover proclaims, "The Definitive Disney Handbook."

So numerous they seem to spill off the pages, the gorgeous photos alone put this book at the top of the Disney pack. From fireworks and parades to stock cars and surfers, if it's at Disney you see it here. But what really sets this book apart is its coverage of Disney's theme parks, water parks and other entertainment options. Packed with more pure information than probably any other Disney guide ever published, "The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World" offers a thorough description, story line, back story, specifications, tips, Fun Finds and Fun Facts for every Disney attraction. The authors obviously had great access: many Disney designers and engineers are quoted and some photos were taken backstage.

Extra touches are everywhere. Sprinkled throughout the book are features on Disney architecture, ride technology, monorails, swimming pools and much more. There's an animal guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom and a separate section just on Christmas.

The book is designed so it's easy to track down just what you're looking for. The main chapters are color-coded and divided into clearly marked sections. For the theme parks, each attraction is on its own page -- or often, pages. Shopping sections are organized first by category -- apparel, art, books -- and then by store. There's a full index and, on the back page, a phone directory.

From the Back Cover
Walt Disney World gives you a choice of 168 rides and attractions, 81 live performances, 104 recreational activities, 179 places to eat, 197 shops and 29 resorts -- all spread out over 47 square miles. Overwhelming? Not any more. Filled with the most detailed information ever published about Disney World, this full-color guide combines a thorough description of everything Disney has to offer with a cornucopia of advice, insight and tips to help you enjoy it. In other words, it's a handbook on how to have fun. Also included: over 1,000 fun finds and facts, dozens of secrets, quizzes, Hidden Mickeys and over 400 color photos.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Coconut Press; 1st edition (April 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970959648
• ISBN-13: 978-0970959645
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #252,303 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Disney Handbook: Impressive, Practical and Fascinating!, June 15, 2007

By	Janet Boyer "JanetBoyer.com" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"The world's largest collection of theme parks, water parks and resorts, this family-friendly vacation kingdom is so, well, *inspiring*. A trip here is not just a way to spend time with your kids, not just an escape from day-to-day doldrums. It's a reawakening of that free-spirited, good-natured soul who lives deep inside you..." -- From the book

If you've never been to Disney World, the prospect can be overwhelming when you start to research and plan your trip (we made our first visit in August 2006). Which resort should I stay at? What are the best restaurants? What are the "must see" attractions? What should I pack? How many days do I need to thoroughly see--and enjoy--all the parks?

If you happen to be at this stage of the game, look no further. Julie and Mike Neal's brand new book The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World can provide you with everything you need for a magical vacation! (Mike was the photographer while Julie did the research and writing. Even their 13-old homeschooled daughter, Micaela, contributed to the book.)

But before I go on about what this book has to offer for those who haven't yet visited Walt Disney World, let me just say that this is an equally awesome book for those who have already visited! Every time I read this book or gaze at the HUNDREDS of color photographs, I feel like I'm reliving the experience--and long to go back to WDW! (I didn't realize just how much we actually missed until I began reading this book...)

Did I mention the hundreds of color photos? Unlike other Disney World guides, this 320-page guide has over 400 photos! The authors--a husband-and-wife team--spent five years working on this book...visiting Disney World (get this) OVER 700 times! Their untiring work is evident by the maps, Fun Finds, Fun Facts, historical information, charts, and so much more.

In a minute, I'll get to how this guide differs from the Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2007 and The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 (I have them both). But for now, let me share with you some of the fascinating features in The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World:

* A comprehensive overview of Walt and the park--including the resort's "secret" history

*Dozens of bonus articles on topics like fairy tale histories, Disney's Audio Animatronic robots, movie backgrounds (including cast, actors, musical scores, etc.), behind-the-scenes and more. A 3-page article is dedicated to Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba (you HAVE to catch this show!) and there is a FOUR page article just about Main Street U.S.A.!

* Attraction plot lines - Yes, there are actually plots created by Disney Imagineers! If you want to know the "backstory" to, say, Expedition Everest, this is your book!

* Over a thousand Fun Finds - The minutia that they include is EXTRAORDINARY. These Fun Finds highlight everything from animatronic character dialogue to oft-overlooked decor. For example--and I remembered seeing this at WDW!--the two lobby posters inside It's Tough to Be a Bug show "past" theater shows like Beauty and the Bees and Little Shop of Hoppers. Heck, there are 37 Fun Finds JUST for Jim Henson's MuppetVision 3-D!

* Fun Facts - Did you know that WDW is the world's largest consumer of fireworks? Or that the music supervisor for IllumiNations was none other than Hans Zimmer? Or that Tex Ritter provided the voice for Big Al at The Country Bear Jamboree?

* Comprehensive view of the Water Parks

* Information on all the latest additions to WDW, including Finding Nemo: The Musical (Animal Kingdom) and The Laugh Floor Comedy Club featuring Mike Wazowski and friends from Monsters, Inc. (Magic Kingdom).

* "A Magical Day" sidebars that are simple, direct shortcuts for seeing the best of each park in a 12-hour period. For Animal Kingdom, TWO plans are given!

* A Shopping Guide for each park organized by theme (art, apparel, toys, etc.)

* A Restaurant Guide for every single place in every park (including table restaurants and snack stands!).

* Holidays at WDW, including Halloween and Christmas (I actually believed that the annual Christmas parade starring Reege and Kelly was live...until I read this book. D'oh!)

* Park Resources - An invaluable guide to locations of ATMs, First Aid Centers, Guest Relations, Cameras/Accessories, Package Pick-ups and more--for every park!

* Park Puzzler multiple choice quizzes for testing your knowledge of WDW

* An educational 10-page guide to 65 exotic creatures at Animal Kingdom

* Easy-to-read Park Maps

* Phone Directory

* Six pages of Hidden Mickeys (334 examples!)

* A chapter on "Diversions", including golf, miniature golf, stock car driving, surfing lessons and 15 other recreational activities

* A "Where to Stay" Chapter that includes "A Kid's Guide to Disney Pools" (includes hotels not on Disney property, as well as Downtown Disney hotels which are ON Disney property...but not OWNED by them--like The Grosvenor, where we stayed on *our* visit).

Whew! And this isn't even ALL that's in The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World, if you can believe it! This book is super-easy to navigate, too, because the tops of the pages are color-coded (Red=Magic Kingdom, Orange=Disney-MGM, Dark Orange=Epcot, Green=Animal Kingdom, Blue=Waterparks, Dark Purple=Downtown Disney and Violet=Diversions). So if you want to find out something about a particular park, you don't even have to consult the Table of Contents--just use colors visible from the top of the book.

Now, I didn't have the benefit of this guide when my family and I visited the parks last year since the book was just published a few months ago. My only reservation about this book--and it's ONLY a theory--is that it *may* overwhelm those who have never been to the park before because of the sheer amount of information provided. But you know, this can be said of the Unofficial Guide, too.

What makes this book different from the Unofficial Guide and the Birnbaum Guide is:

* This book has hundreds of color photos on glossy pages. While the Official Birnbaum guide has color photos, they are staged--and minimal compared to this book. There are NO color photos in the Unofficial Guide.

* The hurried, sometimes jaded tone of the Unofficial Guide reads like a "geurilla warfare" manual to save time and cram as much as you can in a day. However, one thing I really like about the Unofficial Guide is that it's filled with dozens of mini-reviews from everyday folks--and also includes a star system according to age group (e.g. grade school kids vs. young adults vs. those over 30 yrs. old).

Birnbaum, because it's an official WDW guide, is super-optimistic about EVERYTHING. But the Complete Guide to WDW is a nice medium that presents the best--and most fascinating (if, at times, obscure) elements of WDW--without being super-sugary. (My husband felt the book pandered a bit to WDW because of all the positivity--and I see his point.)

* The Unofficial Guide includes park traffic charts for the hyper-vigilant, as well as temperature averages. This book doesn't include those kind of specifics...BUT it has other specifics that the others don't (for example, an actual PICTURE of a Fast Pass--explaining how they work).

Because this book is so thorough, it is *possible*, I think, that it could "spoil" some surprises for those who haven't yet been to WDW. However, you could always skip over the detailed descriptions, I suppose, if you want it ALL to be a surprise.

One other very minor drawback is that few of the pictures are unnecessary, I feel. Kids licking lollipops don't really add to our knowledge of WDW; it may as well be a kid at any *other* park. I'd rather the non-essential pictures replaced by MORE photos of entertainers, cast members, attractions, characters from the movies and so on--rather than Joe Schmoes at WDW.

However--and anyone who's ever visited WDW will tell you this--it's good to have *some* type of plan, even if it's a general plan as to what day to go to what park (Julie wisely advises to stay away from parks that have Extra Magic Hours if you're not staying at one of the WDW resorts).

And, she recommends not wearing flip-flops at the parks--oh so true! I bought Nike Women's Shox sneakers--as did my husband and son. We would have been in WORSE shape without them...

If you've already BEEN to WDW--or just love all-things-Disney--I think you'll be thrilled with this informative, engaging book. I get excited every time I read it--and learn somethine new every time, too! If you get only ONE book about WDW before your trip, get this one. If you want to get two, get the The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 as well. (You won't need Birnbaum if you have the Neals' book, in my opinion.)

It's obvious that the Neal family put a LOT of time, energy and love into this book. It's an excellent contribution to the WDW guides and a wonderful tribute to the magical world that Walt & company have built for all of us to enjoy. Kudos, Neal family!

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easily Trumps All Other Disney Guides On The Market, May 10, 2007

By	kelbel (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

Before I received my copy of "The Complete Walt Disney World," I was worried. I'd looked through many guidebooks and found that they were either short on knowledge or short on photographs. And being as WDW is a very visual experience, I find photographs to be of the utmost importance when discussing the resort.

I wasn't let down. This book would stand its ground beside any of DK Publishing's best (a publisher known for their pictorial guides to this, that and everything) and, since it is written by someone who understands and enjoys Walt Disney World, it contains all the juicy little tidbits that so many books leave out.

The book, just like the jacket suggests, is heavy on full color, quality photographs of the park, attractions and the cast members and characters who keep the show running. Along with this welcome addition, the book also provides visitors with a wealth of information that is neatly organized within the portable book's covers.

Besides a thorough listing of "Hidden Mickeys" in the back of the book, the guide also contains sample itineraries for planning your day (this is a must if you're planning on seeing everything at the resort), attraction descriptions, resort and restaurant guides and, of course, park maps.

What's really unique about this guide, however, is what it contains that other guides leave out. For instance, "The Complete Walt Disney World" was the first guide I'd encountered that included an animal guide for Disney's Animal Kingdom. This guide is *packed* with information on all the species that inhabit Animal Kingdom, saving visitors the trouble of having to look for identifying plaques outside the viewing areas and making it a great study guide before embarking on Kilimanjaro Safari.

Another great detail about the book are the tidbits that run along the bottom of the pages like an informative tickertape. For instance, under the Soarin' description, one such tidbit reads, "The best Soarin' seats are top-row center. Ask the gate attendant for Row 1, Gate B." This is just one of hundreds of little tips that will help you to better enjoy your time at the parks. Along with the "tickertape" tidbits are "Fun Finds" that accompany each attraction. This is the kinda of stuff I've made written lists of in the past from perusing numerous messageboards and sites. These "fun finds" tell you everything from where the fireworks are set off within the resort to easter eggs found in the MuppetVision 3D film (a favorite of mine). For parents of smaller kids who scream at the drop of a mouse-eared hat, the guide also contains "Fear Factor" information which details parts of the attractions that are sure to set smaller ones into fits of high pitched wails (Hint: At this point, I'm almost certain that Disney will one day release an "It's Tough To Be a Bug" soundtrack that contains the sounds of toddlers screaming at the top of their lungs). And for geeks and worry-warts, the descriptions also include the year the attraction debuted, running time and attraction capacity.

The guide is also completely up-to-date, including information on the new Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial in the Magic Kingdom and the new Finding Nemo Musical at Animal Kingdom (which took the place of Tarzan Rocks). For the first time visitor, the guide contains information on the sometimes misunderstood Fastpass system (even including a pictorial diagram of said Fastpass that explains what each of the numbers means), information on what to pack and a wealth of other tidbits that really won't even begin to fit here.

What is most impressive about the book when compared with others are the photographs. Whereas other guides scrimp on the photos in order to cut costs, this one does not. When I opened the book, I was truly impressed with the photography. As someone who takes hundreds of photographs each time I go to the resort, I was truly impressed.

Above all, this guide is not a simple, thrown together, "Haunted Mansion's over here - pack a rain poncho for Splash Mountain" sorta book. The authors REALLY did their research. Even if you've been a hundred times, you'll find this guide entertaining for all the information it contains alone. I consider myself well-versed in WDW trivia (I'm a geek, what can I say?), but even I discovered new bits of information that I wasn't aware of before opening the book.

I really was impressed with this guide. It easily trumps many of the souvenir books that Disney puts out with its wealth of photos (I know - I can't stop talking about the photographs). Seriously, I know you're attached to your Birnbaum guide, but you've really gotta give this one a go. I swear you won't be disappointed (and it's easier to fit into your bag as well).

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Best, June 5, 2007

By	Bruce Aguilar (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I know, I know. Why does the world need yet another guide to the most popular vacation destination on earth? With lots of research, color photos, insightful tips and a conversational style, Julie and Mike Neal have found an answer. Simply put, no one has done it better before.

I recently took this book along with me to Walt Disney World and found it not only informative but entertaining. In fact, this is something I'd read just to pass the time. Granted I'm a Disney nut, but there are plenty of other Disney World guides that I never want to see again. Not this one though. Practically every page has a beautiful full color picture. I could easily recommend buying the book on the strength of the artful and colorful photos alone. But I don't have to since the text is informative and takes time to point out small details that you may otherwise look over. For example did you know that the James Cagney audioanimatronic in The Great Movie Ride wears one of the star's actual tuxedos? How about the half page discussion on the history of the Yetti in relation to Expedition Everest? This is a book that covers all bases and lives up the word definitive in the title.

Due to its size, this guide is best suited for planning rather than reference at the parks. We kept ours in the hotel room and planned the next days events in the evenings. Also each night we'd read through the Fun Facts and Fun Finds for attractions we had visited that day. It helped to give us further appreciation and expand our knowledge. Of course we had a lot of doing it too.

Simply put this book is a fantastic resource and great fun for the entire family. I can't imagine needing another Walt Disney World guide until the inevitable second edition comes out. I can hardly wait!