Customer Reviews

Mini-Mickey '98: The Pocket-Size Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I compared Mini Mickey to the full sized Unofficial guide 2000, and here are the differences. There are star ratings on hotels and restaurants, but Sehlinger eliminated the paragraph descriptions on each hotel and restaurant. That's the main way he took the bulk out of the book for a pocket sized edition. If a traveler does his homework before traveling to Florida, he will already know what hotel he wants to stay in, and have a general idea what pricy restaurants he wants to try. Go to your local library and review the full-sized edition for lodging and dining details. Buy this Mini Mickey to take with you to the park, and you will have relieved yourself of some valuable weight and bulk.

Mini Mickey still has all the detailed descriptions of each attraction. The only real weakness I see is that Sehlinger rates some of the simulation rides and roller coasters as 3 stars for preschoolers, when they won't even make the height requirement. These rides aren't appropriate for preschoolers anyway. I think Sehlinger has a tendency to overlook the special needs of our youngest children. Any parent can read the description and realize that the ride is too intense for their little guys and disregard the star ratings.

Missing from the 2000 edition is a description of Disney's new Fast Pass. Guests can use their tickets to get a 'reservation' time to go to the front of certain popular rides. That way they can enjoy other areas of the park while they wait. The only catch is that they can only reserve one ride at a time.

Also missing is the fact that Bear in the Big Blue House has a live stage show at MGM Studios. That's a big plus for parents of toddlers like myself. My grilfriend went to MGM Studios last February (2000) and was surprised to find Bear! Disney is always changing their parks to keep them fresh, and it seems that this development missed the press time.

I call this the "travel version" of Sehlinger's "Unofficial Guide to WDW". The difference is one is a planning guide, while "Mini Mickey" holds just enough insightful information to use while you are already at WDW. The same "battle" plans for a variety of touring desires are included. These plans have saved my family hours of time a day from having to stand in line, and this is beyond the time that Disney's Fast Pass now saves.

The information is blunt and its pull no punches style is intended to make your vacation run well with the true "insider" information, not the PR information that Disney feeds another series of guide books.

This book fits well into my fanny pack, and I can quickly access the information and plans to keep well ahead of the crowds. I include this book in all of my WDW travel plans, and also give it to friends and family as a present to help them keep their WDW vacations sane and stress free.

We used this guide to visit MGM, Magic Kingdom and even Universal and rarely waited more than 30 minutes in line. He tells you exactly when to go where. It made doing one park each day very easy. Most of all, it saved us a 3 hour wait at Space Mountain. We waited 10 minutes!

The author seems to have a love/hate relationship with Disney World which can get in the way of this guidebook -- for example, for a ride that's not even open yet (book states "not open at press time"), the review states that "you'd think the collective imagination ... of Disney ... (would) come up with something a little more creative" and "children...won't appreciate the long wait for this slow-loading ride." But it's not even open yet!! If you're traveling with children, you'll find Walt Disney World With Kids, 2003 by Kim Wright Wiley much more helpful. And don't kid yourself into thinking you'll tote this "pocket-sized" book around the parks with you -- it's too big, too heavy, and you'll use the maps and guides that they give out at the parks (for free).

I purchased this book on a whim the day before a last minute trip to Disney World. What an excellent resource! This little book is jam-packed with info. I found the touring plans to be particularly helpful. Everything was so straightforward. I didn't have to spend a lot of time each night getting a plan ready for the next day - just a quick skim through the book and we were ready to go. I highly recommend this book.

Bob Sehlinger's MINI MICKEY is the Cliffs Notes version of Sehlinger's comprehensive UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO WALT DISNEY WORLD. Though its format is slightly larger than true "pocket-sized," you will most likely find this an *indispensable* take-along guidebook. And unless you decide to peruse the larger volume as a part of the vacation planning process, you'll want to read through at least this abbreviated guide a few months before you depart, particularly if you wish to schedule "character" meals or, for that matter, any meals in the sit-down theme restaurants. As for taking in the attractions, one can develop a strategy based on Sehlinger's excellent descriptions of the rides and shows as well as his various touring plans, or just use the information to come up with last-minute tactical solutions.

Sehlinger is not a Disney detractor. He might have a little fun with Disney's tightly controlled and almost spontaneity-free world of play, but in general he demonstrates great and genuine enthusiasm for the Disney parks. He has a profound understanding of how the parks operate, and furthermore has keen insight into how park guests (in particular, parents) behave. You might choose to follow a less organized approach to touring the Walt Disney World (WDW) parks, but nonetheless you have in this book expert authority on how to make the most efficient or most practical use of your time there, advice that's well worth keeping in mind.

We chose to ignore Sehlinger's advice on taking midday breaks at the hotel, wanting to get in as many attractions as possible. But doing that was trying on family relations at times; Sehlinger is right to recommend a break. One must also know well one's own children in interpreting the ratings of the attractions for pre-schoolers and grade school children; Sehlinger does an admirable job at conveying a sense of the "scariness" factor, but tolerance for scariness varies from child to child; Sehlinger's ratings are at best a loose guide.

Sehlinger provides excellent descriptions of the Disney resorts and area hotels and splendid reviews of the attractions at the various parks. The section on dining in the parks could use some expanding; there's not much information about the food in the sit-down eateries and even less about the various "fast-food" (in theory) restaurants. Neither will you find a lot of information about Downtown Disney and the water parks; just a few essentials. MINI MICKEY includes nothing on Disney cruises.

I also read Sehlinger's UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO WALT DISNEY WORLD WITH KIDS. That book goes into much more detail about how to approach WDW as parents and families. Some of Sehlinger's advice is basic common sense, but a lot of best advice is. Reviewing it might help avoid some meltdowns that would mar family memories. Bottom line is that, for most people, MINI MICKEY will be all they need to plan an enjoyable trip to WDW. Be sure that you buy the most recent edition as park attractions change, close, and new ones open all the time.

Have used two previous versions of the full-sized "Unofficial Guide" to Walt Disney World. Found them very helpful, but very large. The Mini Mickey lives up to the quality, but reduces the quantity. Very useful, and a lot easier to carry.

This book is perfect. It is a smaller size and has only the information that you will best benefit from. All the in and outs of Disney in a size that you can carry as a guidebook while you're there.

I am a great fan of unnoficial guide to disneyworld and always have to rip the pages to go with me to the parks. Now my problem is finished. This mini guide is all the time in my bag. GREAT!!!

If you are planning your first trip to Disney World, or you haven't been there for a while, this is a must have. It gives you insight to all 4 parks with ratings on rides, food, shows, etc... Want to know if a ride is going to be too scary for your child or if you can fastpass it? Looking for the best place to grab a bite to eat in a certain park,or where the character dinners are? Want to know where to stay and what amenities the hotels provide? This book will tell you. It is small enough to take with and even carry around the parks. I have loaned it out 4 times so far with comments on how helpful it was on their trip. I beleive it is a must have for you next Disney World visit.