Customer Reviews

The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2011 (Unofficial Guides)

5 star:		(62)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

My family and I are planning to go to Walt Disney World in a couple of months, so I ordered the 2011 Version of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (WDW). I first went to WDW in the late 90's, and as I wanted to make sure I enjoyed everything there was to enjoy, I bought three or four books on WDW and the surrounding area. I found that the Unofficial Guide had pretty much everything the other books had, and more, so for my next trip in 2004, I only bought the Unofficial Guide.

After receiving the 2011 version and heavily perusing it, I find that, if anything, it's even better than the previous versions. If nothing else, its a LOT larger than the first one I bought in the 90's. It gives ratings and reviews of hotels and dining establishments in the area (both on and off Disney World), covers all of the parks and attractions on Disney in tremendous detail, and the parks and attractions off of Disney in lesser detail (primarily Universal Studios and Seaworld). Additionally, the book provides information on how Disney prices their tickets, how to save money on meals, when to visit Disney, and of course, at the end of the book, their recommended touring plans for each park in order to see as much of the parks as possible in the least amount of time.

The touring plans themselves are almost worth the price of the books. If you've never been to WDW, the parks are HUGE ... and if you just start wandering around and getting on whichever attraction catches your eye, you're going to be spending a lot more time in lines (and less time enjoying the attractions) than you should. Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with just going where you want to, when you want to, but you could spend literally hours more waiting in lines than you need to. The guide has several plans for each park ... bascially with and without children, along with a few variations for some parks. As this is my first trip to Disney with small children, I was particularly interested to get these touring plans.

There is also an affiliated Unofficial Guide to WDW website that you have to pay a suscription to get to some of the site's exclusive content for a year. If you've bought the book, you get about one-third off of the price of the subscription (when claiming discount, you have to identify the correct word from a page of the guide). While the web site does have some interesting things and the very latest information, all that you need when visiting WDW is in the book, so don't feel as if you're being cheated if you don't choose to subscribe to the web site.

Disney changes a lot every year. Given that it's been six years since I last visited, I'm glad I bought the book, to read about new things to do. I also learned some things that I wouldn't have discovered without the guide. For example, you can rent a pontoon boat and captain and watch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom and Illuminations at Epcot from the lakes, rather than being packed on the sidewalks. You will also be dropped off at a water-adjoining resort of your choice afterwards so you can beat the rush out of the park. It's not cheap, but I made a reservation and am looking forward to enjoying the fireworks without 10,000 of my closest friends close at hand. :-)

Overall, I give this book 5 stars. If you're looking to visit additional places in the Orlando area other than Disney (and perhaps Sea World and Universal Studios), you may want to buy a second book, but I'd wait to buy it until after I read this guide, as it may have all that you need.

This is the best guide book to Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL that I have found.
This is the second edition I purchased.
Has the most information in one book I can find.
Tells the good and the bad.
Can be complex. They give you schedules and plans to see the most, which may seem like a military drill, but you can read these guides and use the pieces you like.

I have a 2005 Unofficial Guide and loved it. It contained a lot more information than this newer guide. You now have to go on-line and become a member (for a discounted price of $8) to get the really important information, such as what days to visit certain parks! The old guides had charts in them and I knew how many people typically visit each park, each day. This guide is now a hotel guide with a lot of "he said, she said" for every hotel/restaurant. For every opinion, there is another opinion telling you the opposite. I actually enjoy the touring plans, but there are only a few in this book. I could have gotten all the updated information online by becoming a member and not purchasing this book. If every page did not tell you to go to touringplans.com then it was every other page! I wish I had saved the $18+ and just subscribed. I thought this would contain new and exciting information. The only new and exciting information was about Universal Studios/IOA...and it made me wish for 4 more days to explore that obviously technologically superior park. (I'll wait until my youngest can ride all the rides; it appears a 7 year old may be waiting around a lot for their older siblings to ride really exciting rides...even Harry Potter has a height requirement we couldn't meet.)

If you have never been to WDW or need lodging information, then by all means, get this book. It is perfect for that and has every bit of information about every possible hotel/campsite, etc., on and on. If you are like me and know where you're staying and have read a previous issue of this book, then just join the unnofficial website, touringplans.com. to get updated information.

I have purchased the Unofficial Guide to WDW for five years. Each edition is updated with the newest information, and has so many tips for saving time and money that it is well worth reading more than once. The touring plans included in the back of the book save so much time that we usually see everything we want, and we get an afternoon break (nap and/or pool time) as well. This book is the essential trip-planning tool. I won't go back to WDW without it!

I recently discovered the art of planning a Walt Disney World vacation two years ago, and "The Unofficial Guide" has helped every step of the way. It clearly outlines suggested touring plans and tips, and by buying this book you get a significant discount on their excellent, very well recommended website [...]. I bought the 2011 Edition (I also have the 2009 and 2010 Editions) and I absolutely love it! More of the pages are in color and there is even a section on the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter.
Now, for all of you people who aren't exactly sure whether you need this book or not: BUY IT. YOU NEED IT, EVEN IF YOU DON'T REALIZE YOU DO RIGHT NOW. Are you planning a WDW Vacation? Then you should definitely buy this book. Sure, it's $15 out of your pocket, but this book will SAVE you HUNDREDS of dollars.
Have I convinced you yet? Good. If I haven't, get ready to face the crowds and turmoil of Walt Disney World without any expert advice. Have fun!

This book is so thick that I'm still reading it. But it gives lots of good information in it that I would certainly recommend it. I was surprise to find information on Universal, Sea World and other places in Orlando. Very good book if you want to go outside the World to do other things. Lots of links to websites that are very helpful in planning your trip. Many tips and time saving information that I hope will be helpful to me.

It has been a number of years since I purchased my last edition of this book and, wow, has it grown. The 2011 version is 854 pages of detail only a Disney fan like myself could love. I am sure some people will say it is far too detailed, as almost every question or issue you could have is answered by the authors who have truly examined their subject from every angle. For example, they took the time to use decible meters in the hotel rooms to report on which rooms are the quietest. Too much detail? Not for me. Rather, a true credit to the authors.
If there was a disappointment it was in the attempt to include information about Universal Studios and Sea World, which I thought might be as thorough as the Disney information, but, as you might expect in a book devoted to Disney, is really given short shrift. I'm not sure why the authors felt a need to go beyond Disney in the first place as they already offer a separate book for non-Disney Orlando attractions.

This book has great descriptions of every ride in Disney World and Universal Studios. The touring plans for Disney World are numerous and complete, while only one touring plan is provided for each of the Universal Studios theme parks. I found it a great resource to plan my day, although we rarely stuck to the plan since we didn't visit during peak season. I don't recommend reading all the information about the thrill rides though - I got myself too freaked out to go on a few of the rollercoasters by reading about how fast they go, how far they drop, and the insane g-forces.

even though we have been to disney world several times-this book was packed with information we did not know about!

This guide is great. I have enjoyed every page and have used it extensively to help me make plans for an up and coming return trip to Walt Disney World. I have used the Unofficial Color Companion, also purchased through Amazon and found both guides invaluable in the planning process from beginning to WDW departure!

Highly recommend these guides to any first time WDW, Universal travelers, or returnees. Always something new to learn and look forward to!