The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2009 (Unofficial Guides) [Paperback]

Bob Sehlinger (Author), David Hoekstra (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 2008 | Series: Unofficial Guides (Book 211)

More than 4 million copies sold! This series is the only one that offers evaluations based on reader surveys and critiques, compiled by a team of unbiased inspectors.

• Hotels, attractions, and restaurants in all price categories

• Extensive information on shopping, nightlife, and sports

• Easy-to-use, two-color design

• Detailed, 2-color maps

From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide® to Walt Disney World®

"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
—Chicago Sun-Times

"Indispensable"
—The New York Times

Five Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide®:

1. Every attraction ranked and rated for each age group, based on interviews and surveys of more than 7,500 families
2. When and where to go: the best times of the year and the best days of the week for each park
3. All the Disneyland-area hotels ranked and rated for value and quality of rooms
4. Field tested itineraries for adults and families with children that can save more than three hours of waiting in line
5. Complete coverage of Disney's California Adventure® theme park and Universal Studios Hollywood

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...packed with useful tips." (TimesOnline.co.uk, November 12th 2008)

From the Back Cover

From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide® to Walt Disney World ®

"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
—Chicago Sun-Times

"Indispensable"
—The New York Times

Five Great Features and Benefits

offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide ®:

• Revolutionary, field-tested Touring Plans that can save four hours of standing in line in a single day

• New dining chapter with detailed reviews of over 50 restaurants including all full-service restaurants at the Disney hotels, theme parks, and Downtown Disney

• Almost 100 Disneyland Resort and Anaheim hotels rated and ranked, plus proven strategies for getting the best rate

• Tips and stories from real families about their experiences at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure

• Each attraction described in detail and rated by age group based on a survey of over 8,000 families

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; Revised edition (September 9, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470285664
• ISBN-13: 978-0470285664
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #823,102 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bob Sehlinger, a Lowell Thomas Award winning journalist, is best known as the creator and producer of the Unofficial Guide Series published by Wiley Publishing Inc. and sold worldwide.

He is credited with being the first to apply research techniques from the fields of operations research and statistics to travel guides. Among other projects, he was able to develop mathematical models that could save theme park patrons more than three hours of standing in queue in a single day.

Sehlinger and his research team (pictured) have had numerous adventures and developed some unusual methodologies. Here's a sampling from research for The Unofficial Guide To Walt Disney World:

"We've slept in every Disney resort multiple times and more than 80 Orlando-area properties. Only once did we wake up covered in bugs. (It was a non-Disney hotel.)"

"We test hotel room soundproofing using a sophisticated digital sound meter and a copy of The Who's Greatest Hits."

"The first time we did Orlando spa reviews, one of our researchers had an eyebrow burned off during a waxing that went horribly awry."

"We once logged more than 700 miles in one week on buses to test Disney's transportation system, and never left Disney property. The bus drivers got so used to us being on board that one forgot we were there and took us back to the bus garage when his shift ended."

"We test pillow fluffiness using a measurement process we invented. We intended to use a fake human head as part of the test, but worried about getting it through airport security. We settled on a gallon jug of water, which is about the same size and weight as an average adult's noggin."

"When we test counter-service restaurants, we order at least one of everything on the menu, and break up in to small teams to sample each thing. We've tried every counter-service food item in every American Disney theme park."

"Our crowd prediction models take in to account everything from the day of week and time of year, to the vacation schedules of the fifty largest school districts east of the Mississippi, to weather phenomena including temperature, rainfall and humidity."

Bob Sehlinger is founder and co-owner of Keen Communications, a book publishing company that includes Menasha Ridge Press in Birmingham, Alabama; Clerisy Press in Cincinatti, Ohio; and Wilderness Press in Berkeley, California. The author of twenty-seven books, Sehlinger is a past president of the Publishers Association of the South, and has served at the invitation of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Information Service on educational missions for publishers in Hungary, Romania, and Russia.

Before becoming involved in writing and publishing, Sehlinger was CEO of SAGE, inc., a wilderness arts teaching and expeditional company that produced courses in kayaking, rock climbing, survival, and backpacking (among others) for high schools and universities in a 7-state area. During this period Sehlinger served as president of the Eastern Professional River Outfitters Association. Sehlinger makes his home in Birmingham, Alabama where he continues to be an avid river runner and mountain biker.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Only Disneyland Guide Book You'll Need, January 3, 2009

By 

Andrea L. Polk (Southern Oregon) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2009 (Unofficial Guides) (Paperback)

Put the other books on Disneyland back on the cyber-shelf! THIS is the only guide book worth the price of admission.

The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland series is updated each year so you know you're getting the most up-to-date information available before you take your trip. From start to finish this book will be dog-eared and/or highlighted. Throw it into your bag and carry it with you at the park as you'll refer to it often if you've not already memorized it by the time you arrive.

Tips on how to travel with kids of various ages and what rides are recommended for specific age groups are included in the book. Ratings for all the rides in the various 'lands' include how scary the ride might be to young children, likelihood for motion sickness and fun scale ratings.

When planning your trek through the park you can use the helpful itinerary guides that vary depending upon the amount of time you have available for your visit. For example a 2-day itinerary with teenagers versus a 1-day with small children. By reading the book you learn where not to waste your time!

Since you'll be logging a lot of time on your feet and don't really want to spend much of that time waiting in lines, the book also gives great information on the best and worst times of the year to plan your visit. Invaluable information regarding the 'Fastpass' system is also included.

This book will give you accurate, complete insider information on Disneyland and all the issues that surround a visit there such as parking, lodging, bringing your own food versus eating in the park and security. If you read it before you go on your Disneyland adventure, you're sure to be a step ahead at understanding how to make your trip a magical event for all.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, as always, October 22, 2008

By 

Sharon E. Cathcart "Why, yes, I am an author" (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2009 (Unofficial Guides) (Paperback)

I was first introduced to the "Unofficial Guides" series back in 1994, and became an immediate convert. Each year's edition includes updates showing new rides/attractions, and includes data on weather, hotels, restaurants and even load times. The most useful feature? Clip-out "touring plans" that will allow you to make the most efficient use of your time, customized to various age levels and vacation durations. Highly recommended for long-time Disneyphiles and newbies alike.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic guide, December 28, 2008

By 

Randolph Cribbs - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2009 (Unofficial Guides) (Paperback)

This guide is really worth every penny! The value is in the recommended sequence of rides, which gives you the best chance to see everything you intend to at this busy park. Even though we visited during the off-season, with most lines less than 15 minutes long, the guide was still valuable to maximize our ride opportunities.