The Unofficial Guide: Walt Disney World 2013 by Bob Sehlinger

The Unofficial Guide: Walt Disney World 2013 Reviews

• 
  Maria

  I am so glad that I read this book before taking my kids to Disney World. There were times that it scared me, and it sounded like too much work and planning was required to have a fun vacation. I actually didn't do all the work and planning that were recommended, but still felt so grateful to be armed with good information and strategies for visiting the parks.
  
  Most important recommendation: be there when the parks open, take a break in the middle of the day, and go back later. Days that we didn't do this, I felt stressed, lost, and exhausted.
  
  I also felt that the $12 app promoted in the book was worth the investment. We didn't use the touring plans exactly because we had a large group and had to be more spontaneous at times. But being able to check the expected waiting times for rides and shows helped us to be more efficiently spontaneous.
  
  I had planned to carry the book with me, but it was too big and our water bottles won out for the space in my bag. I was glad to have it in the hotel, so I could consult it every night when making a few notes for must-do attractions the next day.
• 
  Online Eccentric Librarian

  I've purchased a Sehlinger Disneyland or Disney World before every trip since volume 1 was published. Each update just gets better and better - you won't find a more comprehensive, easy to use, well analyzed, versatile guide to Disney anywhere.
  
  Originally, Sehlinger published the book in response to the over-glorified hype of the Disney sanctioned Birnbaum guide. But as other books started to be published, the Unofficial Guides have continued to present the best balance of information to make the most of any Disney theme park trip.
  
  There aren't any pictures (copyrighted to the parks) but a lot of maps, recommendation timetables, money and time savers, etc. You'll avoid the rides with long wait times and be able to get on the most rides by planning them at the right times.
  
  For me, it has always been about being able to enjoy the park and get the most out of it - by not finding myself standing in line after line.
  
  Some of the more recent volume additions have been more preplanning info. Definitely worth checking out BEFORE you plan the trip!
• 
  Kevin Magpoc

  I'm not surprised this is the WDW book with the most Goodreads reviews.
  If you want a brief overview type of Walt Disney World guide with glossy pictures to get you excited about your upcoming trip, go for the DK Eyewitness Travel one. Fodor's is even better.
  But if you want to get into the nitty-gritty and know anything you could possibly need to know, including things you didn't realize you would need to know, read the latest Unofficial Guide. What sets it apart from most books are the reader comments, which show that, yes, some attractions aren't that great...which lends credibility when another attraction is highly praised.
  I'm not saying you have to read it cover-to-cover or strictly follow the given itineraries, but if you're planning a trip to WDW or Universal Studios Florida, it's worth the time to read up on what you plan to do, and maybe even let it give you ideas on other things to try out as well.
• 
  Al

  Amazing in it's tone and attention to detail. It is a pile of actual, actionable information about everything you'll need for a Disney trip. It seems like it's kept pretty current as all the information I read was definitely all pertinent to my trip in July 2013. Plus it's not just the views of the two authors. On just about every page, there are contributions from past readers telling you whether or not they agree and why. It's not a bunch of fluff like the official guide by Birnbaum. When an attraction isn't worth the wait, The Unofficial Guide isn't shy about letting you know. When one restaurant is better than another, it tells you. Following the touring plans and paying attention to the restaurant ratings, I think we saw just about everything all the parks had to offer in our five days and didn't eat at a single restaurant that was anything less than excellent. If you're going to Disney World, or even just considering it, get this book!
• 
  Jennifer

  This is my favorite Disney guide. I usually read straight through the new one every year, enjoying the information about all of the World's changes and the author's sense of humor and honesty.
  
  Yes. I am weird.
  
  So - best Disney guidebook for my money. =)
  
  Disturbed by the new info about Fastpass Plus being based on the amount of money you spend at the World. Bleh. Hope that doesn't come to pass, but it probably will.
  
  Can hardly wait to check out New Fantasyland!!! Sounds awesome! Squeeee!
  
  Still can't decide whether to stick with Pop Century (love the dedicated buses) or upgrade to Port Orleans - French Quarter - would like a queen bed, but wouldn't love sharing a bus . . . rent a car the next time? We'll see . . .
  
  Love reading about Disney.
• 
  Munro Ross

  I love the Unofficial Guide to WDW, have used it for years, but the translation to Kobo is lousy! Was really hoping that it could be useful in the park on my mobile device, but with horrendous use of the indexing and linking functions available for a e-Book it failed miserably. And the maps and tables are poor quality, and do not expand like other graphics in other books. No ability to zoom in to see the detail, making some of the most useful features of the book useless. UG is an amazing tool, but stick to the paper edition until someone at Wiley discovers how to translate a book properly into e-Book format. Wiley is usually a technically advanced company with some of the best computer titles. They should be ashamed of this effort, and read some of their own books!
• 
  Rebecca Bacino

  The book gave me loads of useful info. At the time, I was planning my first trip to Disney World in 20 years. There are more updated versions now and I have found that the most valuable information I received was speaking to people, via social media or speaking with friends who have recently traveled there. Having said that, it's worth the 30 bucks or so if you have time to read the ENTIRE book (which is no easy task because it can be quite dry). There are so many different ways to get info and tips about Disney now, but of everything I read, I found that during my trip, I referenced this book more than any other I read. Obviously, I would recommend picking up the most updated version.
• 
  Jamie Puleo

  Of all the Disney guides, this one is the most comprehensive. It rates every restaurant, hotel, ride, show, etc. It also breaks down your visit based on the ages of children or an adults only trip. Many might stay away from this one, because of its' size, but it's meant to be more of an "encyclopedia" not a cover to cover read. I will definitely be coming back to this one as our trip nears in order to determine can't miss restaurants and attractions for our family.
• 
  Farrell

  With my deep love (or obsession, whichever you prefer) of Disney, I thought this was going to be an easy, fun beach read for me. It was the opposite. Unneeded letters from readers, missing information on dining packages, and an overall negative feel of Disney came through the books. Disney does take planning, and time, but it is fun, not daunting. It made a Disney trip seem like a money sucking chore. Which it is not. I will not read that book again or any in the series.
• 
  Laura

  I didn't read the whole book (and it's not really intended as that sort of book.) I found the ride descriptions helpful, but we didn't always agree with them. There is a "bias" towards the blockbuster rides at the parks. They are all considered "must-dos" by the authors, but honestly, it depends on how much of a rides person you are. Those of us who aren't adrenaline junkies still go on vacation to places like Disney and need to know what we're in for.
• 
  Sarah

  Finally was able to really sit down and read this book. As we haven't went to Disney yet I'm not sure if the touring details will work or not, but it does give me a much better sense of what to expect and how to plan for the trip. It had great notes on where to eat and not eat, what to pack, where to find stuff and more. Really I think it's a great idea to look at, even if you don't plan on using the touring guide because it gives you soooo much great info!
• 
  Karen

  In a word, exhaustive. If this is your only source of information before going on a trip to Disney World, you will know more than the vast majority of people there. And if you're a major nerd this book will help you find plenty of other sources of Disney information. Even if the touring plans were the only thing in this book it'd be worth the price. It covers everything you'd need to know to plan basically every aspect of your trip and then some.
• 
  Tamra

  These Unofficial Guides are unbelievably helpful with insider tips and hints to making your trip more enjoyable. Although we didn't follow the touring plans to the letter, we were able to cut down on our line-waiting time considerably by following the book's advice. Any time we have an upcoming trip to any Disney park, I always read the Unofficial Guide first. Always something new and helpful.
• 
  Kim

  This guide is a fantastic resource for planning a Disney World vacation! I have never been and so I am clueless. I have been reading this guide over the last few months and now that I am done, I feel I have a much better handle on all things Disney, and feel much more prepared for our upcoming trip. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to plan a Disney vacation.
• 
  Angela Nightingale

  Hands down the best resource for planning a Disney World Vacation. I read this from cover to cover. An entertaining read. So much good information, helpful tips, and downright funny observations.
  
  
• 
  Amanda

  I am so thankful for this book. I don't know how people manage to go to Disney without having read this. I have learned so many tips and tricks that are not common knowledge. Our trip this fall should be as smooth as pie!
• 
  Michelle Henry

  Very overwhelming--and gave you the feeling that if you didn't do it their way ---you might not be successful in your plans. But, it is full of a huge amount of information that would take even more effort to find on the internet when trying to plan this vacation.
• 
  Andrea Heapes

  We buy and use the most recent copy of this book EVERY time we go to Disney. It saves us tremendous amounts of time in line and helps make sure we get the most out of our visit. This book is worth every penny!
• 
  Natasha Salisbury

  Fabulous! Everyone going to WDW should read this. Helpful and realistic.
• 
  Danelle

  One of the best and most comprehensive travel guides I've ever read. I still feel overwhelmed by the task of planning a Walt Disney World vacation, but I also feel more prepared to tackle this task.
• 
  Jessica

  Best Disney guide book out there.
• 
  Brian Merrill

  I just get that good feeling anytime I read this guide, which I do every time we are planning a trip to Walt Disney World. Very complete, very thorough.
• 
  Corinne

  Fantastic! Incredibly thorough, with tons of data to back it up. Fully recommend the touringplans.com membership and app, too.
• 
  Ashley

  I found this invaluable to our trip to Disneyworld. We waited less, knew more, and were totally prepared. Plus, it was just a fun read. I highly recommend it. I wouldn't do WDW without it.
• 
  Kelly

  After I compulsively checked out and read/skimmed all the library books on Disney, this one was unquestionably the most thorough and helpful.
• 
  Deyna

  Awesome! Get it for Kindle and download it to your phone for step by step plans to tour the parks. Partner to touringplans.com
• 
  Stephen

  Don't go without it
• 
  Sara

  As helpful as always! Can't wait to go on vacation!