Customer Reviews

Walt Disney World with Kids, 2002

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book was terrific!! Loaded with useful information about rides, resturants, and park info. It helped significantly in making a great vacation even better and more ejoyable. I also bought Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids 2002 and it was practically worthless, a total waste of money. If you are going to Walt Disney World with kids I highly recommend "Walt Disney World with Kids 2002" by Kim Wright Wiley.

I've used this book for years when planning Disney travel and always find the author to be right on the money. You can tell she's a parent herself - she never has those unrealistic game plans like "see everything at Epcot in two hours" that you find in other books. Since my kids range in age from 3 to 15, I especially find her ride ratings to be helpful, especially her ratings of which ride are too scary for younger children. The dining information has also led us to some wonderful meals.

But where I think she really shines is in the hotel ratings. We always stay in a Disney hotel but now that they have so many even that can be confusing. Most books just list the hotels and their prices but she goes as far as to rate them and give advantages and disadvantages of each hotel. Last time we stayed at one of her recommended midpriced hotels and were very satisfied.

I've bought 3 Editions of this book (1995, 2001, 2002). It was worth buying a new edition from the 1995 to 2001 gap; it really wasn't from 2001 to 2002... Hardly anything changed, so I learned a very disappointing lesson there.

I like this series since it concentrates on Kids (from infants to teenagers); it offers great advice... If you're like us, you'll probably ignore most of it, and then look back and say "Hey, she's pretty smart!"

As a general guide, however, it leaves me underwhelmed. The Restaurant Reviews in particular are done at a very high level just to establish the "kid" factor. For a general guide, I much prefer Bob Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide. In addition, Sehlinger covers kids in great detail with very similar advice. If I only had one book to buy, I would pick Sehlinger's book over Wiley's in a heartbeat.

Some people are put off by Sehlinger's "tell-it-like-it-is" style and consider him anti-Disney. Wiley is the opposite and rarely says a negative word.

This is the best book for planning a trip to WDW. Unlike "Unofficial" which has strict touring plans, WDW with Kids shows you how to do the things you want to do while ENJOYING the experience. If there's one thing you need to do at WDW it's enjoy the place...that's the magic.

When I was planning our first trip to WDW, I felt it was so important to get my priorities for the trip straight as the number of choices, from hotels to which rides to go on was scary. I didn't want to make a mistake and waste time once we got to Walt Disney World. This book was fantastic as a trip planner. It is written in such a readable style, just as though someone were talking to you and giving you advice. I found everything to be just as she described when I got the resort. I really feel this book had a great big hand in making our vacation as sucessful as it was. I'm sending a copy of the latest one to my sister and her family in England before they go. Buy it and you won't regret it.

This book is excellent! I have read 4 Disney guide books in the last 2 weeks and this is by far the best. Wiley writes in a manner that is far more enjoyable than the others. She has excellent tips for touring Disney and tips on how to make it as easy as possible with the greatest amount of enjoyment. There are clever tips through out the book that only a well seasoned Disney lover would know. I let a friend borrow this book and she too agreed that it was the best Disney guide she has ever read and she goes to Disney without kids! Well worth the money!!

I found this book extremely helpful in helping me plan my last Disney vacation. Wiley provides a complete and clear guide to all the hotels on Disney property and unlike other guides (which if they're official say they're all wonderful and if they're unofficial say they're all overpriced) she gives information on the pluses and minuses of each resort.

I also liked her information on which rides are good for which age kid and the fact that she's aware of what she calls the "scare factor." You can tell she's a mother herself who has been there and done that and has advice for others.

i think this book *may* have value for some but it hasnt for me...i found that the info was a re-hash of other info available in other books (that most people already have by the time they buy this book) while some of the info is good i think this info PLUS other info can all be found in other books without buying separate versions...for instance i feel everything about what is appropreate for kids is available in the *unnoficial* disney books plus those books give a weath of info on more subjects.. i just feel that the disney trip is expensive enough..without thinking you *need* this book... some might get some info out of this book, but i would say *need* is a strong word...i think this is an adjunct at best

I was completely unimpressed with this book. Beyond simple suggestions, that anyone with children would already know, this book offered NOTHING in new ideas or information. If you have been to WDW you will pick up errors in the book immediately. One example is the authors review/information on the Disney Village hotels. If you really want a guide that offers clear, relevant information go straight for Birnbaum's. "WDW with Kids" was my fifth Disney guide and Birnbaum's still has all others beat by a mile!!! If your choice of guides is this or nothing....go with nothing!! You can get the same information on the internet and save your money for the vacation.