Customer Reviews

The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World

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3 star:		(3)
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"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)

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!

When it comes to guides for Walt Disney World travelers, most people have turned to Bob Sehlinger's "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". It's a great book - no question. I had it safely packed when I visited Orlando for the first time. It tells you everything you need to know, and includes day planning chapters. The problem is, that book has been growing larger and larger every year (now 1 1/2" thick and 818 pages). The thing is a tome. And the only picture of Walt Disney World is the one found on the cover; the book is filled with cartoons, but no pictures. In fact, the book is so filled with information, it's getting more and more difficult to find the important parts.

"The Complete Walt Disney World" has everything that the Unnofficial Guide lacks - amazing full color photos that are better than what you will find on Disney's own site, interesting facts about your favorite rides, a very extensive discussion of the water parks, tons of historical information about the parks, and "fun finds" to look for on your next visit. At 320 pages it's much leaner, but don't let that fool you - it's packed with useful information and the "geeky" bits (historical info and trivia) are printed in smaller text. The day planning section is anemic - one half page for each park, and doesn't include a plan to get on every ride. But most park veterans will tell you that the most important thing is to simply know when a particular ride is least busy. This book has that reasonably covered (for instance, the Pirates of the Caribbean description says the average wait time is 10 minutes early morning, and 60 minutes in the afternoon). Knowing the bottom line for the rides lets you figure out what is realistic. For me, the best part of the book was the pictures and interesting tidbits that I have already decided to look for on my next visit. Truly, the pictures are absolutely amazing, and are worth the price of the book alone.

Together, both of these guides make an unbeatable combination. So what if you're on a budget? Simple: buy "The Complete Guide" new, and buy a 2006 or 2005 "Unofficial Guide" used. There are currently five used 2006 editions and over a dozen 2005 editions for UNDER $1. You won't be missing out on anything by getting the older Unofficial Guide. All of their Day Plans are just as relevant (except that for Animal Kingdom, you need to get a FastPass for Expedition Everest first thing upon entering the park). There - I just brought you up to date with the 2007 edition.

I enjoyed this book. It had lots of great background info as well as extensive descriptions of the rides and attractions.

It doesn't work as a "planning" book at all. It is lacking information on the resorts and dining, and really doesn't give any insight about how to get around.

If you already have a planning book (Passporter is my favorite), this is a great background book...but shouldn't be considered if you can only get ONE book for your WDW trip.

Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt, going back for trip number way-to-many-to-count. I've bought numerous WDW books and seen all the shows on the History and Travel channels about the place. And having been called a "walking book of worthless knowledge", I certainly thought I knew all there was to know about WDW.....until now.

First off, this book is so well put together. It flows, is super easy to read, and super easy to follow even if it's your 1st time to WDW. The pictures and descriptions are almost like I'm there following along. And rather than just mention the same old humdrum stuff you read in every other WDW book, the information is colorfully descriptive and then "plussed" as Walt himself would have said! The non-stop extra information and expert tips about restaurants, hotels, rides, accommodations, and shops couldn't be any better planned out, in order, or expertly dissected.

The provided example time tables of how to plan out your day are just one example of how good the book is at maximizing your time in the parks. And these time tables are certainly real life expectations, not somebody making them up from the comfort of their home just to fill some pages in a book. This kind of 1st person planning and point of view is very prevelant through the book. It certainly gives a more personal feel rather than feeling like I'm reading a sales brochure or Disney propaganda.

For any first timer to WDW, this book is a must buy. For any repeat true Disney Dork (like myself), the purchase of this book is a no brainer. Even after dozens of times to WDW, I can't believe how much is still left to see and enjoy and I learned it courtesy of this book. I can't tell you how many times I uttered "I didn't know that!" or "We have to go check this out the next time we go!" to my wife while reading this book. Most of the time, I couldn't find the book because my wife kept picking it up to read it as soon as I put it down.

And what might be my favorite thing about this book is that it fits right in my back pocket. I have trip in Sept. 07 and I can't wait to use the book to enhance my trip and maximize my time.

Get this book and you will be completely happy with it!

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).

Having read most of the Disney World Guide Books currently available, and also being a frequent UK visitor to the Orlando parks, I regard this new book as being the definitive guide available. I thought that I knew most things about the Disney parks, but this book was crammed full of so many fascinating new facts that it was like I was discovering the parks for the first time. The photography was also exceptional, with so much clarity in every picture and, unlike so many other guides using the same old 'official' 'Disney' pics, the refreshingly new sharp photography provided an excellent insight into every attraction. Congratulations to Mike Neal for this.

I was also very impressed that the authors included so much information on the new attractions and shows. I can quite believe that they had visited the park over 700 times to do their research - that is not only dedication but a dream job!

The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World is an absolute must for anyone vacationing in the Disney parks, especially for the first time.

The Neals are your typical family: Mom, Dad, and pre-teen daughter.

What makes them different from the rest of us is that they've been to the mind-boggling vacation paradise of Walt Disney World OVER 700 TIMES.

Obsessed? You bet! Who else would you want guiding you? Some 30-visit newbies? Uncle Marvin, who only goes to see the Tiki Birds and is in and out in 3 hours? Corporate shills? No way. Meet the experts. A family that actually spends time together in the park(s), just the way Unca Walt woulda wanted it.

It would have been very easy for someone so totally engrossed in the Mouse to write a humongous book that covered every trashcan, every carefully-trimmed plant, every lightbulb; thankfully, these are smart folks: Mom realizes that a guidebook is for people who have never been or haven't been enough times to Walt Disney World Resort (I can't find the little "trademark" symbol on my keyboard, here...if you work for Disney, please don't send me threatening letters; I tried!).

This family guidebook is just like the resort itself: easy to follow, well-thought-out, and packed with interesting things everywhere you look. It actually makes for repeated readings! Dig the factoids in the margins...nice touch. What I'd do is read it over (give yourself a couple of weeks), then let the family read it in the car or on the plane/train trip to Florida.

A trip to the theme parks and surrounding areas/hotels that make up WDW can intimidate the novice; figuring out how the FastPass (where's that "TM" thing?) system works or even what time the 3 O'clock Parade is (don't laugh - that's nowhere near as easy as it sounds) can drive even a PhD to distraction. There are other guidebooks out there; some are quite good, but I've yet to see anything like this one. Cram-packed but not confusing, and not overwhelming. You could hand this book to your 3rd grader (something you should try next time, by the way!) and she could not only get you around the parks herself, but find things YOU would have missed. (If she can get through a Harry Potter book, this should be no problem. Especially because it's about what will become her favorite place on Earth.)

Make no mistake: I was raised in Florida, just down the road. I have been to the Magic Kingdom over 30 times, myself. I have a huge shelf full of books about the Parks and their creators. I can recognize Imagineer Joe Rhode or Archivist Dave if they walk by me on the street. I know to "Boo" if someone invokes the name "Eisner". I even know what's behind the Haunted Mansion. I figured I could catch the Neals passing some little-known things by. You know, "Ha ha! They'll never have noticed that thing we found last time...!" You can't do it. They've been there ahead of you, and they DID notice. And they wrote it into their book.

Is the book too pricey? Not at all. Disney's very own tv ads will tell you in no uncertain terms you'll be laying out almost $2,000 for a week down there. You want to get the most out of that investment? Take $75. Spend the money for this book, and use the rest on a new memory card for your digital camera.

This is an unofficial guide, which is better, in my opinion, because you're more likely to get some straight advice. There ARE a couple guidebooks out there that look "unofficial", but seem to be blatant ads for Mickey T-Shirts and Goofy fudge bars.

Do I write nothing but glowing praise? Am I going to Paula Abdul my way through this review? I am not. The ONLY thing I can find fault in is a few of the photos.

Dad is an excellent photographer. However (and this is not his fault, I do believe), some of the photos taken on the attractions themselves are a little too revealing for their own good...for instance, in one, an Animatronic (trademark? Here, Boy..!) performer looks a little like a guest body on CSI.

All of the rides/attractions make use of lighting designed by Hollywood-level talent, which carefully suggests or conceals or directs your attention. A flash picture can reveal things you're not supposed to see under "show" conditions (a little like being in a club at closing time when they turn on the overhead lights and suddenly the atmosphere goes PFFFFT!)

So don't look at a VERY few of these pictures and get the impression that you're going to skip an attraction because it looks too "fake". When you're really there in person, you won't believe any of it was man-made, so well does the illusion work. Like I said, not your fault, Dad!

Summing up: A trip to Walt Disney World Resort (TM) is unlike anything else you'll ever do, but it IS like any other vacation trip in one sense: If you don't pay attention or go with a little foreknowledge, you could get disappointed or wind up paying more than you'd bargained for. Buy this book as cheap insurance.

Well done, Neals! Keep playing together. Hope to meet you at Cinderella's slipper sometime!

When you introduce your book by boasting that you've been to Disney World more times than most anyone and that all any WDW first timer needs is your book and the internet, is it possible that you're setting the bar so high that you can't clear it yourself?

From an aesthetic perspective, the book is loaded with color photographs, many very beautiful and captivating, some unprecedented in any form. Unfortunately sometimes the photos compete with the text in a layout that makes the book hard to follow. In addition, the different sections of the books are color coded, making for a convenient visual index when looking at the pages from the sides. Set up in a rainbow color pattern, the Disney-MGM pages which should be yellow somehow ended up a slightly lighter shade of orange than its Epcot predecessor, making it rather difficult to distinguish them just by sight. Also, the section on accomodations is at the end of the book, which seems to not lend itself properly to a vacation planning guide. The maps are decent, but still pale in comparison to those of PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! (Passporter Walt Disney World).

The ambitious guide also attempts to cover bases most guidebooks never would consider. A small but significant history of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse, the company and how it got to where it is today is just one such example. In addition to covering the attractions, the book offers brief synopses on most attractions which includes backstories and the plots for the films that inspired the attractions. 'Fun Finds' and 'Fun Facts' about many attractions also fight for space on the book's pages. And just for that added wow factor, you'll get to learn which attraction is the favorite of Lance Bass and what a few other celebrities have had to say.

But When you get down to it, the inherent problem with guidebooks, especially for Disney World, however, is that things change. Regularly. Even the more popular, time-tested guidebooks who update editions year after year tend to gradually let outdated information slip by and stay for the ride. To me, this is where a guidebook really proves itself. Just how current is that 2007 edition? The answer here: Sort-of. Granted, due to the editing, proofing, printing and distribution processes, it's hard to be 100% current by the time someone buys your book. For example, the book covers El Rio Del Tiempo, even though it had undergone changes and re-opened as the Gran Fiesta Tour featuring the 3 Caballeros by the time the book had been published.

However, there are some things that shouldn't have made it past the first stage. For example, while the book mentions things as recent as the Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor attraction (and manages to do it some justice) and cites February 2007 prices on tickets, it mentions things that have ended or drastically changed some time ago, such as: the Let's Have A Ball show (ended 02/07); Cinderella being in the dining room at Cinderella's Royal Table, which she no longer is - she's only downstairs for photos (changed 02/06) and implies a credit card is only charged in the case of no-shows, not at time of booking; and very confusing, contradicting and often wrong advice on where one can get a Downtown Disney bus. All that, some more, and about a half dozen other things that will be changing by the end of this year that will render more of the book outdated.

For individual attractions, there's often a brief explanation of what the attraction involves. In some cases, it's a literal play by play, either via the description itself or the respective Fun Finds - that can be a bit much. Someone who has never experienced an attraction can end up feeling like they've ridden it already - little is left to surprise. Still, it can be a positive such as in the description of Splash Mountain or the multi-page backstory to Expedition Everest. For the disneyphile, some real gems are offered, like detailing old Donald Duck cartoons from which his voice was lifted for Philharmagic or the make, model and year of the cars in the Disney-MGM Stars & Motorcars parade. Personally, I found the Fun Finds for SpectroMagic to be quite stimulating.

The section on Epcot is probably the most disappointing. Other than not making mention of the choice in how to experience Mission:Space, Future World is handled okay, but the World Showcase totally gets the shaft. The entire half of the park gets all of 8 pages (Expedition Everest alone gets 4) and really doesn't give the park what it deserves. Images and text mentions of both Kristos and the Character Masquerade in Italy made the cut, but neither have been performed in years. And the ever popular Kidcot stations (which exist both in the World Showcase and Future World) are totally neglected, save for one photo of a mask. The Nestle Jr. Chef program where small children can 'bake' chocolate-chip cookies for free is also absent.

And then there are things that are glaringly missing or left for wanting. Tickets and the Disney Dining Plan aren't really discussed as much as they possibly should be (Annual Passes and the Disney Dining Experience don't even exist in this book), the paragraph on Photopass mentions buying individual prints and the PhotoMovie DVD but ignores the much more popular CD option (there's also Photobook). Childcare services and options aren't really touched upon. Single Rider line options at Test Track, Expedition Everest and Rock'n'Roller Coaster are also neglected as is the concept of child swap.

The book is definitely not without its huge pluses though. In addition to some of the nice little additions mentioned earlier, the book offers a substantial informative guide to animals for Disney's Animal Kingdom and a kids' guide to resort pools as told to by the authors' daughter.

Overall, it's a very good book and out of the WDW guidebooks on the market, I'd probably recommend this one. But it's not what I'd consider complete or the ultimate reference to the parks. Ultimately, it just seemed to me that the authors really focused more on what interested them personally and included blurbs on the rest as filler.

There are a large number of fine tour guides on the market. Some are more useful than others. What makes Julie and Mike Neal's The Complete Walt Disney World worth buying?
I judge tour guides on their utility. I find that a guide book allows me to tour the park before I leave home. I have a series of questions, items I seek in a guidebook. How easy is it to find information in the book? How is it organized? How recent is the information? Are there interesting facts and fascinating but obscure items that the guidebook will help me find? Are there web sites, contact numbers, and other sources for updating the book's information? Walt Disney World is constantly changing, and most tour guides go to the publisher six months prior to hitting the book stores. Feedback to the book's author is a nice feature, but not necessary - it can help improve future editions of the guidebook, but usually won't help me when I'm planning a Disney vacation or actually tramping around in one of the theme parks.
Most of all, can this tour guide help me maximize my time? I don't live next to a theme park, and so I need to make every minute count. Can the tour guide reduce the amount of time I spend waiting in line? Does the book suggest a way to reduce the mileage I put on my feet? Is there a better way to plan out my day?
Here's why I haven't written my own guide to Disney theme parks--I cannot decide what to leave out. I don't want to leave anything out. A guidebook has to be compact because a big fat heavy book will be left behind instead of being there in the park. There is also the cost factor--bigger books cost more to purchase and ship. The Complete Walt Disney World is about the right size for planning. It is workable for touring, too--though a 3x5 pocket edition about 150 sheets long would be nice for carrying. Problem: there is so much at Walt Disney World that any comprehensive guide will be bigger than ideal. The Complete Walt Disney World is 320 pages and is 5 ½ inches by 8 ½ inches by 5/8 inches. Pages have to be large enough to read--both print and maps, or else the book is useless. Good compromise between portability and comprehensiveness!
This book has both an index and a table of contents. The sections have color codes on them to make finding specific sections easy--the Magic Kingdom is red and Downtown Disney is purple. There is an introductory section, sections on the four major theme parks, the water parks, Downtown Disney, "diversions," special events, hotels, 6 pages of Hidden Mickeys, and a phone directory. The only way to make specific entries easier to find involves Post-It notes and tabs, which tend to snag and tear when the book is shoved in a bag--but sometimes I have to make sacrifices.
I mentioned how out of date a guidebook can get. I e-mailed the author and asked how fresh the information in The Complete Walt Disney World was. The answer: three weeks prior to the April publishing date. "All prices as of March 1, 2007." (Page 4) Walt Disney World witnessed massive construction during the last two decades, so maps have to be frequently updated. I feel good about the maps in this book because I used the official Walt Disney World website as a reference.
The theme park chapters include a sample schedule, individual park map, an overview, history, trivia, restaurants, stores (and a merchandise guide) and a guide to the rides and attractions. Some of the attractions have height and age restrictions, and may not be fully handicapped accessible--The Complete Walt Disney World lists these restrictions, average wait times, how long the "show" or ride is, when the attraction opened, and any special accommodations. There is also a brief history lesson and background story ("back story") for the attractions. The write-ups on Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast were entertaining enough that I could take this guide along on my next tour en lieu of one of the paperback novels I carry to stave off boredom in very long lines. Speaking of lines, The Complete Walt Disney World has the most comprehensive FastPass guide I've encountered. Plus, the guidebook gives valid advice on avoiding the lines and crowds. Sometimes the point is to be in the crowd, but most of the time I prefer to do something other than stand in a slow-moving line.
There are a few backstage photos included--a real treat for Disney theme park fans. Guided tours are covered briefly on page 278. These are always changing, so call Guest Relations or visit the Disney.Go website in advance of your trip if you want the excellent Keys to the Kingdom or Backstage Magic tours. Yes, they're pricey, but I learned things about Walt Disney World, show business, and life that I hadn't learned through other venues.
The Hidden Mickey list was really impressive because the authors used the kid test--they described the location of the Hidden Mickey to their daughter and if she could find it, they included it.
There are internet resources mentioned in the text, but they are buried and not referenced in the index. I'd like to see these listed on a reference page, but it is a small thing--not everybody has a laptop or PDA with wireless internet access for use while touring. I did like the bibliography--give me references so that I can learn more! There are four sets of theme park trivia questions to answer, with a key in the back of the book.
It isn't my intention to rewrite the Neal's nifty little guidebook: only to describe what's inside so that readers can decide if it meets their needs. My last Walt Disney World vacation was July 2004, when I attended the GI Joe Collector's Club convention at the Contemporary resort. I wish I had The Complete Walt Disney World with me then.
I recommend this book to my friends because it is comprehensive without being a library. It is entertaining and informative. In fact, it has high information density--broken up with lots of photos and graphics that keep The Complete Walt Disney World from looking like a phone book!