Customer Reviews

Queens in the Kingdom: The Ultimate Gay and Lesbian Guide to the Disney Theme Parks (Kings in the Kingdom)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not only have I bought this book for my own use but for gifts for all the people I know who are going with and without children to Disney. The book gives insight into the various attractions, helping one to know what is age appropriate and what you should definitely see (especially for first time goers). The hotel and restaurant critiques are great! What I loved the most was that while reading a well written Guide, you smiled and laughed all along the way.
The book is great for all ages !

Why shouldn't the Happiest Place on Earth not also be the Gayest?! This audacious little guidebook puts the Disney parks in a whole new light. Reverent with a touch of irreverence, Jeffrey and Eddie take their hapless readers on a hilarious romp around each theme park, citing the best and the worst of every ride, show, and restaurant. Each review however is tinged with a love of all things Disney, an underlying respect for the sheer childlike glee most people feel when running down Main Street. Quippish sarcasm marks a good chunk of this tome, leading to numerous laughs while weighing the differences of the California Space Mountain and it's Florida counterpart. And let's not forget the Fairy Facts! Trivial tidbits that are proof positive that these queens reign in their research efforts. Whether you've been to the parks before or are treading through the castles as a new-comer, whether you're gay, straight, or bi, this is one guide that's worth the price of admission.

Jeffrey Epstein and Eddie Shapiro have a very entertaining writing style giving snappy remarks and one liners every now and again. It spices up a book that any reader of previous guides will need to keep them interested. Although all the rides, hotels and areas of the parks are covered there's just not that much specifically 'gay' to write about. For gays who are going to one of the parks for the first time, this book might be helpful in choosing a hotel to stay at, but only in conjuction with another guide as the reviews are very brief.

My favorite part of the book is the Compare & Contract appendix which describes the similarties and/or differencees between rides that are at more than one park. But like most features in this book, I wish it went in to more depth.

Also fun are the 'Fairy Facts' that are sprinkled thoughout the book. Did you know that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Disneyland was originally supposed to be where Pirates of the Caribbean is located now? Long time Disney enthusiats and triva buffs will get off on 'Fairy Facts'.

It's obvious that Epstein & Shapiro throughly enjoy the Disney parks, yet they're not timid in saying what they think of an attraction. Example: they quite accurately re-name Superstar Limo (from California Adventure) Supersucky Lame-o.

All in all the book has something to offer most Disney visitors (gay or not), but not enough to cater to any specific segment. Newbies will be frustrated at the lack of depth, but appreciate the authors honest opinions. Long time guests will have to make due with triva and a snappy sense of humor. The book is best enjoyed in conjunction with another more comprehensive guide.

Frankly I'm not a Disney geek...never really was that impressed by the theme parks because they don't have any good coasters, and never got why anyone over the age of 12 would go. Then a friend of mine bought this book and made me go with him to Disneyland, book in hand to try it out. I'm not kidding, I laughed my butt off the whole day. The trivia, the behind the scenes stuff, the whole skewed way these guys look at the makes you see it in a whole new way. Some of the guys on the Davey Crockett canoe rides are actually pretty hot, and I never would have done that ride, I had never been to the Tiki room until I read this book (you have to go) and I have a totally new appreciate of the Alice in Wonderland ride (but you have to read the book to find out why...) So...do yourself a favor, check this one out whether you are a Disney fan or not...and it makes a great gift for any homo in your life!

Aside from being a fun read, this book is right on target because gay men and lesbians look for different things in recreation places than heteros often do. Most importantly, we want gay-friendly places where we know we can be ourselves and have a good time. This book is full of fun, frank descriptions of the attractions (yes to Disneyland's Fantasmic!; no to California Adventure's Golden Zephyr), and the Fairy Facts are great-alone they could make a book. The authors provide an hilarious revisionist read on the Disney characters like the fairies, but Alice in Wonderland makes a great fag hag circuit queen if you look carefully. The book also highlights the ways in which the Disney parks are gay-friendly, tricks and tips for getting good seats for attractions and minimizing your wait in lines, reviews of the eating establishments (a culinary lifesaver!), and the top spots to share a gay moment (like the Hall of Presidents in Walt Disney World), all to help you get the most out of each of the theme parks.

I read about this book in Out Magazine and bought it for a recent trip to Orlando. It was just great. It's also really funny. And I dont think you would have to be gay or lesbian to really appreciate and use the book to get the most out of your Disney vacation. Highly recommended.

I was fortunate enough to be able to meet Jeffrey and his family when he was in Disney World. We were in line with him to see Finding Nemo: The Musical, and he was very kind, and very helpful, and his writing styles are definitely much like his attitude. He's very witty and knows what he's talking about.

So, I went out and got this book when his mother told me about it, and I love it. I think it's very helpful, and I've been to the parks many times before and the book has a lot of details I wouldn't have thought of putting in, and those details make it helpful to the reader.

This book gives you a whole new perspective on the Magic Kingdom and all the nooks and crannies of Walt's vacation empire. I even surprised some of my friends who live in Orlando with some of the great details in this book. Definitely made my most recent visit with my partner a whole different phenomenon. If you're gay and a fan of Disney vacations, this is a perfect resource for you.

This book was actually a lot of fun to read and made my experience at Disneyland much more enjoyable. They should provide one at the entrance! Lots of fun facts about the attractions and humorous anecdotes from the authors. Now I want to go to Disneyworld in Florida so I can refer to the book there. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a fun (and informative) read while enjoying the parks. The best book on the Disney parks I've found so far.

The first book of its kind. While other books may have hinted. This new book, "Queens In The Kingdom" goes all out. The best rides for you, best hotels, best restaurants, best spots to catch a gay moment, it's all here. This book by Jeffrey Epstein and Eddie Shapiro have done an excellent and exhaustive job in covering detail about the Disneyland, California Adventure & Downtown Disney (Anaheim, California), and the Magic Kingdom area (Walt Disney World, Orlnando-Florida). All the information is here for you to help you enjoy a pleasant time. Every ride, attraction and event, is described here so you can make a wise choice if it's the thing for you to do or an experience you should have. After a description of an attraction, an interesting trivia note, a "fairy fact" is shared with you in this book. Disney resorts just isn't for the young. Middle-aged and active seniors can enjoy the fun too. When you are planning to go to California or Florida to any Disney Resort with your partner or just want to go single and shop around, this book is for you! Note: Also in this book, you will discover secret information and a secret website where you can find out when the secret days are for gays to enjoy Disneyland. (These Gay Day trips are not arranged or advertised by Disney, but you can plan your own reservations according to the gayday website in the book. All the gang will be there and for a group photo too.)
Update: This is a Disney Parks Guide book for all gay people. If you are "in the closet", then we will say "for happy people. Disneyland is the Happiest Place On Earth and for the 50th Anniversary, they celebrate 50 years of "The Happiest Faces On Earth". The Disney staff doesn't mind if gay people enjoy the theme parks just as long as we do not get out of hand. Security is everywhere to make our day the safest for everyone.
They got Michael Jackson out didn't they?
Oops! I mean they replaced "Captain EO" with a funnier 3D mini-movie "Honey I Shrunk The Kids".
Also as you read the book, you just might find out where you can sneak a kiss from your partner.
What sucks in this book is the resort maps look like they were drawn by "Sneezy". They are not to scale. They are sideways or upside-down. However, I did find the "future expansion" lot to be interesting.
This book does not discuss EuroDisney (near Paris, France), Tokyo Disney nor the soon to be opened in 2006, Hong Kong Disneyland which is very "feng shui".