The Complete Walt Disney World 2010 [Paperback]

Julie Neal (Author), Mike Neal (Author)

Book Description

Series: Complete Walt Disney World | Publication Date: December 31, 2009

The Definitive Disney Handbook

On the heels of capturing eight national book awards, the best-selling Complete Walt Disney World series returns with The Complete Walt Disney World 2010. Now with more than 500 full-color photographs, this show-and-tell extravaganza rates and reviews nearly 700 attractions, restaurants, shops and hotels and offers hundreds of helpful tips.

New attraction coverage includes the refurbished Space Mountain, the revamped Hall of Presidents and the all-new American Idol Experience. As for planning your trip, illustrated articles make it easy to choose the right theme-park tickets, understand the Disney Dining Plan and save a lot of time and money. Young families in particular will find the book helpful, as the abundance of photos give children a way to read it with their parents. Eye-catching images show attractions, hotels, restaurants and more.

Award-Winning Advice

The only independent Disney guide ever honored by the Walt Disney Company, The Complete Walt Disney World is the winner of Disney's iParenting Media Award for Outstanding Family Product. Other honors include Travel Guide of the Year and Nonfiction Book of the Year.

Ten Features Found Only in The Complete Walt Disney World 2010:

1. What's New Learn everything that's new or different at Disney with a handy summary right at the front of the book.
2. Plan Perfect Theme Park Days New Planning Your Day sections let you learn the best days of the week to visit each park, the best rides for your unique children, and how long the lines will probably be at each attraction for every hour of the day.
3. Character Locators Love Tinker Bell? Cinderella? The Mad Hatter? These lists show exactly where to meet dozens of Disney stars at every theme park.
4. Become the Ultimate Disney World Gamer Insider tips help you rack up incredible scores at Disney's ride-through shooting arcades, including the new 3-D Toy Story Mania.
5. Lions, Tigers, Giraffes... Oh My! All-new Animal Kingdom wildlife guides feature fab photos and fascinating facts. Habitat maps make it easy to spot your favorite exotic creatures.
6. Dude Looks Like a Lady Interesting backstories, histories, science secrets, Fun Finds, Fun Facts (Tinker Bell is sometimes a man?) and Hidden Mickeys help make every attraction interesting for everyone in your group.
7. New Photo-Filled Shopping Guides See unique souvenirs sold at each theme park, know what they cost and where to find them. Learn which stores offer the best items for you.
8. Totally Awesome Water Park Tips Learn how to catch major air on Disney's water slides and win its downhill races. Helpful details about every pool, river and slide let you decide which ones are too wild--or mild--for your family.
9. See Your Room Before You Book It Don't just read about the Disney resort hotels, see what they look like! Over a hundred new hotel photos include landscapes, swimming pools and best of all, rooms. Expanded reviews include pool features such as slides and waterfalls and children's activities such as pirate-themed scavenger hunts. Comprehensive specs include when each hotel was last renovated and how far it is from each theme park. Learn about the three new Disney Vacation Club timeshares as well as non-Disney hotels such as the huge new Hilton next door and the rebuilt Holiday Inn at Downtown Disney.
10. Who Ya Gonna Call? Conveniently located on the book's last page, an expanded Walt Disney World telephone directory lists over 90 rarely published numbers, including those for medical and dental emergencies, Lost and Found, even Special Occasion Cakes.

Authors Julie and Mike Neal have been to Walt Disney World more than 1,400 times, and visit weekly. They live on Sanibel Island, Fla.

Editorial Reviews

Review

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

A thorough overview, with inside tips. Also makes a nice souvenir. --Boston Globe

The most visually stunning and deeply researched Disney guidebook on the market. --Orlando Sentinel

About the Author

Authors Julie and Mike Neal have visited Walt Disney World more than 1,400 times. With an apartment in the adjacent Disney-developed town of Celebration, Fla., the husband-and-wife team go to Disney World at least once a week to gather information and/or take photographs. The Neals live on Sanibel Island, Fla., with their daughter Micaela and chocolate lab Bear.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Coconut Press; 4th edition (December 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970959672
• ISBN-13: 978-0970959676
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #446,830 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A former Walt Disney World concierge supervisor, Julie Neal has spent over 1,500 days at Disney... not counting her time working there. She lives next door in the Disney-designed town of Celebration, and her office overlooks the Disney entrance.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If You Only Get One WDW Book, Get This One!, March 15, 2010

By 

Janet Boyer "Author, Blogger, Radio Host" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Complete Walt Disney World 2010 (Paperback)

"Twice the size of Manhattan, the 47-square-mile Walt Disney World is the No. 1 vacation destination on the planet. It includes four theme parks, two water parks, a sports complex, a shopping and entertainment district and 19 resort hotels. A visit here is 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--the one your spouse married, the one you want your children to emulate. No other man-made vacation land so embraces creativity, optimism or a sense of wonder about the world." - From The Complete Walt Disney World 2010

Our first and only visit to Walt Disney World was in 2006, and oh, how I wish I had Julie and Mike Neal's annual guide for that trip! The good news, however, is that since 2007, the Neal's have published their fantastic annual guide not only for those who've never been to WDW and need to know what to expect, but also for those who want to revisit the wonders of the WDW.

A colorful smorgasbord of 550 color photographs, insider information, fun facts, event overviews, show snapshots, ride debuts/retirements, restaurants, hidden Mickeys, parades and so much more, The Complete Walt Disney World 2010 is the only guidebook to the parks and surrounding area you really *need* to have in your possession (although you may *want* more).

Right of the bat, the Neals tells us everything that's new at Walt Disney World, which is especially helpful for those who've been to the parks before. For example, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from Disney's The Princess and the Frog make their debut in the Magic Kingdom, as does Barack Obama in the all-new Hall of Presidents (he even has a speaking part!).

In addition to the gorgeous photos and fascinating facts, The Complete Walt Disney World 2010 includes:

* A quick, accessible overview on how to plan your trip
* Comprehensive information on Magic Your Way ticketing and Disney Dining Plan, including prices for various time frames
* The five biggest mistakes WDW newbies make (and how to avoid them)
* 31 practical ways to save money (including free stuff at the parks, discounts and where to get coupons and saving codes)
* Navigating the parks with special circumstances (e.g. disabilities and children)
* Hour-by-Hour wait times for every ride and event
* Park Resources and prices (e.g. parking, lockers, ATM locations, etc.)
* Attractions at-a-glance including symbols for price range, fun factor, ride description, average wait time, length of ride/event, character meet-and-greets, etc., as well as mini-reviews (the Neals aren't afraid to say when something is cheesy, irritating or undesirable--but not in a mean-spirited way like in another WDW guide).
* Colorful, easy-to-read maps for each park
* Hundreds of Fun Finds, Fun Facts and Hidden Mickeys (for example, The Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios fills 95,000 square feet with more than 60 Audio-Animatronic characters. The James Cagney robot wears one of the star's actual tuxedos, donated by his family.)
* Complete list of characters and where they'll be for photo ops and autographs
* Planned days in half-hour increments for those who want an organized day planner
* Fastpass information and return times
* In-depth overviews for each park (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom), as well as Downtown Disney and other recreational areas
* Restaurant descriptions, recommended fare, pricing and advice (for example, find out which restaurants are kid-friendly, which are noisy, which are pricey, etc.)
* Accommodations, including hotel descriptions, location, and pricing
* Special and seasonal events
* WDW telephone directory

At 352-pages, The Complete Walt Disney World 2010 is the finest guidebook to the parks and surrounding areas (I've bought all the popular ones, including the ones published by Disney). I have every edition of The Complete Walt Disney World 2010 (since 2007) and this outstanding guide by the Neals just gets better and better every year. After all, they've visited WDW over 1,000 times and go there at least once a week--experts, indeed!

So if you're wanting to visit Walt Disney World for the very first time (just you wait--it's an indescribable experience) and you're not sure which book will be the most helpful, accessible and informative, look no further: you want The Complete Walt Disney World 2010. It's not only good for those who want (nay, need!) the inside scoop on the parks, but also entertaining for the whole family with its eye-popping color photos, insider information, behind the scenes peeks and intriguing facts.

Highly recommended!

-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of the Disney World guides - bar none!, February 7, 2010

By 

M. E. Rich (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Walt Disney World 2010 (Paperback)

I grew up in Orlando and was a Disney Cast Member for more than two years, so I know Disney, and I've read every guide book there is. I can tell you that this is by far the best book out there for planning a trip to WDW, whether you are a first timer, a family, or traveling with a flock of teenagers.

This book is brilliantly illustrated with photographs of nearly every attraction. The authors have thought of every key detail needed to create an easy to use guide book. Color coded borders at the top of every page make finding the section you're looking for simple. The book itself isn't too bulky and will easily stash away in any backpack. Average wait times are listed for every attraction, by the hour.

The reviews are honestly written (Country Bear Jamboree is "way past its prime"), comprehensive, and packed with trivia. I was blown away with the number of "fun facts" that I didn't even know. Hidden Mickeys are detailed throughout the book as well.

If there's any point of criticism, it's that the book occasionally reveals its authors' ages. Two full pages are devoted to the Hall of Presidents, the stereotypical Disney snooze fest. The movie in Epcot's France Pavilion gets four stars - I challenge you to find anyone under the age of 30 who would agree. But these are the most minor of infractions.

Every Disney World visitor who reads this book cover to cover will have a fantastic trip!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better Than Ever, March 31, 2011

By 

Jessie Allen - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Walt Disney World 2011 (Paperback)

I buy this travel guide every year, and this one is the best ever. It's completely redone from previous versions, with lots more about trip planning. As always though, it's not just a fluff piece for Disney. I especially liked that there was a Best and Worst section for each of the theme parks. Throughout it's a helpful mix between praise and criticism. Photos -- and there are photos of everything -- are not just gorgeous but also unusual. it brings Disney World to life.