Customer Reviews

The Everything Family Guide to the Walt Disney World Resort: Universal Studios, and Greater Orlando (Everything (History & Travel))

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My family and I just returned from our first trip to Disney World. (It was as blast!) Because it was our first time and we were essentially clueless to the Disney experience, we bought several guides.

The 2004 version of The Everything Family Guide was one of five guides that we bought, but after the initial perusal, I didn't even look at it. Instead, I find myself drawn to the Birnbaum guide with its colorful, glossy pages and The Unofficial Guide to Disney World 2006 which is a critical, analytical treatment of just about everything.

Don't get me wrong: author Jason Rich is pretty thorough. It's just that nothing gets any critical remarks (although there's a star system rating likely appropriateness of attractions to age groups), and it's hard to tell what's really "not to be missed" (even though he makes recommendations).

Not only that, even though it's a 2004 edition, it already needs updating. Expedition Everest, the Lights, Motors, Actions! Stunt Show, and other newer attractions are mentioned as "upcoming", but hadn't yet debuted before publication. I get the feeling that the Stitch's Great Escape (which replaced the Alien one) hadn't debuted yet, either, yet he ranked this ride "not to be missed". (Everyone I talked to--and every review of this attraction I've read on the internet--describe this as an AWFUL attraction. No one likes it!)

Also, he mentions attractions that are no longer there--like Tarzan Rocks. There is no mention of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (MGM), Mickey's PhilHarmagic (the best 3D show in all the parks), Test Track (Epcot- The Land) or Crush's Turtle Talk (Epcot-The Seas)--further showing that this book should be updated YEARLY in order to be relevant for visitors.

So if you'd like an overview of Walt Disney World in a gentle, upbeat tone--including restaurant and hotel overviews--this is not a bad guide. Yet, I only consulted it once, preferring the other guides over this one.