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What's your favorite WDW planning book?
We always buy Birnbaums before a trip. What's your favorite (if you buy one) and why?
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Honestly, I don't use a guide book anymore as much of the information is outdated by the time it goes to print. IMO, the best place to get information is right here on INTERCOT (and I'm not just saying that because I'm on staff!)
Beth
INTERCOT Staff--
Theme Parks and Accommodations
Take a look at what INTERCOT's wonderful sponsors have to offer!
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We have been so many times that we don't
even need a map anymore. We just pick up a
times guide as we enter the parks. I have had
friends buy the books then come to me for
advice. They have told me that I help more than
the books. I love helping.
FIRST TRIP 1972
LAST TRIP MARCH 2009
NEXT TRIP NOVEMBER 2009
SPRING IN THE PLANNING STAGES 2010
AND MANY TRIPS IN BETWEEN
º0º
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I have to say, there was so much that I found out here on Intercot before our last trip, that was nowhere to be found in the books!
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I love The Complete Walt Disney World by Julie Neal. But honestly I don't use it as a guide book. It's more of a tool to get a small Disney fix between trips. It has gorgeous pics and lots of trivia about the attractions. Don't get me wrong, it has lots of great tips and info, but after you've been 20+ times you've pretty much got it figured out. Plus I have Intercot!
Jenn
1974 * 1985 * 1993 * 1997 * 1997 * 2000 * 2002 * 2004 * 2005
Oct 06 CBR/AKL
Dec 06 ASM
Oct 07 POP
June 08 POFQ
Sept 08 SSR
Jan 09 SSR
May/June 09 BCV/AKV
Aug 09 AKV
Oct 09 AKV
Christmas 09 BLT
May/June 2011 CBR
May/June 2012 AKV
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Originally Posted by TennesseeTink
I love The Complete Walt Disney World by Julie Neal. But honestly I don't use it as a guide book. It's more of a tool to get a small Disney fix between trips. It has gorgeous pics and lots of trivia about the attractions. Don't get me wrong, it has lots of great tips and info, but after you've been 20+ times you've pretty much got it figured out. Plus I have Intercot!
I second this, but I use it to quickly look up things without getting online. The 2009 edition is about as up to date as a book can get.
The book I do not like is the Unofficial Guide. I bought the Disneyland book in an airport. It has some good information, but the writing style makes it sound like everyone is foolish for going. Not the tone I want when I'm planning a vacation.
Geaux Tigers!
Last Trip: Honeymoon at DL and So. Cal. CityPass 5/27 - 6/2/2007
Next trip: WDW 9/6-12/2009 @ Pop for DD's 4th birthday!
Follow the trip on Twitter: scottinwdw.
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I haven't used a guide book in years. I used to buy Birnbaums but as more of a keepsake than a planning tool. With all the information available here on Intercot and the ability to ask sepcific questions that suit your needs I am surprised there is still a market for guide books at all.
Jeff (aka JPL)
Former VMK alias figgiefig
Intercot Staff
Disney Tech - Software, Games & Web
The Locker Room
Disney Vacation Club
[email protected]
"Remember it all started with a Mouse"
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Originally Posted by JPL
I haven't used a guide book in years. I used to buy Birnbaums but as more of a keepsake than a planning tool. With all the information available here on Intercot and the ability to ask sepcific questions that suit your needs I am surprised there is still a market for guide books at all.
Chris, aka Strmchsr
INTERCOT Staff: Vacation Planning, Guests with Special Needs, and Weather Guru
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Passporter
We bought the Passporter's Walt Disney World journal for our most recent trip and loved it! It is very interactive- there are places to write all of you reservation info, budget planning, and our favorite: trip memories! Before we left for WDW, we wrote in our daily plans, and each night, we went to the flip page of each day, and wrote in the best and worst part of each day, what we did, how the weather was, etc. Now it is so much fun to look back on and remember little things that happened! It also has lots of info on all of the different lodges, food, parks, etc. I highly recommend it!
Disney dreaming in progress....
April 2016- Polynesian!
May 2014- Animal Kingdom Lodge!
August 2010- Polynesian!
May 2009- Animal Kingdom Lodge!
July 2008- Animal Kingdom Lodge!
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I think I bought a book last time only because it gave me that feeling that the trip is really going to happen. Just for kicks, I got some of the other guidebooks through the library to see what they were like. I remember one had an awful layout and was basically unreadable. But, one of them had Intercot listed and that's how I ended up here!
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Originally Posted by Chelsita
We bought the Passporter's Walt Disney World journal for our most recent trip and loved it! It is very interactive- there are places to write all of you reservation info, budget planning, and our favorite: trip memories! Before we left for WDW, we wrote in our daily plans, and each night, we went to the flip page of each day, and wrote in the best and worst part of each day, what we did, how the weather was, etc. Now it is so much fun to look back on and remember little things that happened! It also has lots of info on all of the different lodges, food, parks, etc. I highly recommend it!
I agree totally...while I really don't "need" a guide book, I love the Passporter for all the little things that help me organize my trip...especially the pockets. It was so handy to have one central place to put my receipts each day, and there are spots to write notes about your experiences. It's a great keepsake for remembering your trip and I plan to take one every time I go.
~Michelle~
1980, 1983-1986, 1988, 1992, 1993
1995 -Disneyland
July 2001 -POFQ
May 2006, May 2008, May 2010 -Wilderness Lodge
Dec. 2011-Port Orleans Riverside
Sept. 2012 - Port Orleans Riverside Royal Room
May 11-25, 2013 - Polynesian Resort
Next trip: Dec. 14-20, 2014 - Wilderness Lodge
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My wife and I don't need a guide book anymore but it is nice to get to build anticipation for the trip.
We usually get the Passporter as a keepsake for the trip. We write in the book what we did a keep some information in there.
The Unofficial Guide I have from 2004 is crazy. I think it is PACKED with information. However, they print letters from people who act like some of the things at Disney have never been seen before. I have read notes about Kali River Rapids and how you get just too wet on that and they had better advise their readers about this. Or, "'It's Tough To Be a Bug' is not for children. I took my children there and they got so scared they didn't want to tour the parks for the rest of the day. How could Disney create something that would scare children." It almost reads like a comedy book and it would be even funnier if it wasn't so sad that it is real people writing those notes.
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Originally Posted by RBrooksC
The Unofficial Guide I have from 2004 is crazy. I think it is PACKED with information. However, they print letters from people who act like some of the things at Disney have never been seen before. I have read notes about Kali River Rapids and how you get just too wet on that and they had better advise their readers about this. Or, "'It's Tough To Be a Bug' is not for children. I took my children there and they got so scared they didn't want to tour the parks for the rest of the day. How could Disney create something that would scare children." It almost reads like a comedy book and it would be even funnier if it wasn't so sad that it is real people writing those notes.
The crazy letters are the very reason we enjoy the unofficial guide...for whatever reason I get a good deal of amusement "listening" to the people who freak out and ask questions like "why does disney have to try so hard to terrify children" when talking about the snow white ride.
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow
CR 74, 7, 11 Offsite 79,80,98,00,8 (2) Sports 94 DD 02 AKL 05, 08 AKLV 8 WL 6, 10 POP 07, 13 Movies 08 CBR 08 Swan 08 POFQ 08,11 CSR 08,13 FWC 09,13 Music 09 SSR-Tree 09 POR 10 12 Poly 10 (2) YC 10, BC 10, GF 10, AoA 13, OKW 13, Dream 11, next fwc 1/2014
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Originally Posted by Tygger7
I agree totally...while I really don't "need" a guide book, I love the Passporter for all the little things that help me organize my trip...especially the pockets. It was so handy to have one central place to put my receipts each day, and there are spots to write notes about your experiences. It's a great keepsake for remembering your trip and I plan to take one every time I go.
Christi
2014: May--POR & US/IOA; Nov--POR (1st rD--JJ5k!)
2013: May--POR
2012: Jun--POP; Aug--POP/Hard Rock
2011: Aug/Sept--US/IOA; Nov--POFQ
2010: Dec--CSR
2009: Sept--Poly GVCL
2008: Sept--POFQ
2007: Jan/Feb--POR; Sept: POFQ
2004: Oct--CSR
1987: off-site
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Originally Posted by JPL
I haven't used a guide book in years. I used to buy Birnbaums but as more of a keepsake than a planning tool. W
I did the same ... It became more of a tradition as a trip was getting close.
Chris °O°
DISNEYLAND AP - First visit 1969
WALT DISNEY WORLD - First visit 1985
HONG KONG DISNEYLAND - First visit 2005
SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND - First visit 2016
DISNEY DREAM CRUISE - First Cruise March 2019
FUTURE + WORLD SHOWCASE = EPCOT (Favorite WDW park)
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Originally Posted by JPL
I haven't used a guide book in years. I used to buy Birnbaums but as more of a keepsake than a planning tool. With all the information available here on Intercot and the ability to ask sepcific questions that suit your needs I am surprised there is still a market for guide books at all.
DOUBLE Maybe for folks that don't know about INTERCOT?
1972- FW 1st WDW trip/Dad
73-79 WDW Cast(Water Craft)
1980 - 2005 - FW,ASM, PO,Poly
Sept 28-Oct 6, 2007 - DW 50th
Sept 6-19, 2009 ASM Calypso 25th Annv.
Sept 23-Oct 1, 2011. Calypso w/Dash, his 1st Disney Trip
Dec 9-19, 2012Christmas
Oct 2-14, 2013 ASM
Sep13-24. 30th Anniv. Sports
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Originally Posted by TennesseeTink
I love The Complete Walt Disney World by Julie Neal. But honestly I don't use it as a guide book. It's more of a tool to get a small Disney fix between trips. It has gorgeous pics and lots of trivia about the attractions. Don't get me wrong, it has lots of great tips and info, but after you've been 20+ times you've pretty much got it figured out. Plus I have Intercot!
I fell in love with this book last year, and was on my to loving the 2009 version when I got to one little line in the book that ruined it for me.
In the "Accommodations" section, she says, "Typically, the Value resorts crowd includes guests who clearly can't afford to be there".
That really turned me off. How in the world can one tell if someone can or cannot afford to be at WDW? Did they look homeless? Did they turn their empty pockets out? Did they loudly proclaim that they were broke? I mean, what the heck? It sounded so elitist. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive.
1st Trip: 1987 (Off-site)
2nd Trip: Nov 2003 (All Star Movies)
Next Trip: Sep 9-15, 2012 (Art of Animation)
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While Intercot is always my first source , I love The Unofficial Guide. It not a book I read cover to cover but it is very useful as a reference work. I am a big fan of it.
'74 Contemporary
'76 Contemporary
'90 CBR
'97 Off Site
'00 Swan
'05 GF
'08 GF RPC
'09 GF RPC-Short SURPRISE trip for kids
'11 GF RPC
'12 Contemporary
'14 GF RPC
'15 DL VGC
'16 VGF
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Tinkerfreak
oct./nov. 2002-AKL
oct./nov. 2003-WL
nov. 2004-AKL
oct./nov. 2005-AKL
Dec. 2006 BC
April 2007 AKL
oct./nov. 2007 AKL/Poly
oct./nov. 2008 POFQ/AKL
Nov. 2009 CBR
May 2010 BW
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I like the Unofficial Guide, because it includes access to their on-line crowd calendar.
May 2002 WDW
February 6- 11, 2006 WDW
September 23-27, 2006 WDW
September 1-September 9, 2007 WDW
August 29 - September 6, 2009 WDW
February 4, 2012 - February 12, 2012 WDW
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