Recommended Guidebooks and Books for First Time Visitors to Disney World
RECOMMENDED GENERAL WALT DISNEY WORLD GUIDEBOOKS FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS
Because you have this site, you don’t need any of the books below. But they are affordable luxuries!
Their best use, for families whose visit is largely based on this site, is for the trip home, to pass around and use as aids to memory and discussion of the trip.
If you do buy and read one before the trip, follow this tip: do not read the descriptions of the rides themselves.
Doing so both kills the suspense of a ride and lessens the wonder you otherwise would feel from experiencing a ride without knowing what’s next!
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Bob Sehlinger and Len Testa’s The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2012, though badly in need of a re-write, is still the single best source of planning information about Walt Disney World. For a review, see this.
- Jennifer, Dave and Allison Marx’s PassPorter’s Walt Disney World 2012
is another good choice, nicely balanced among topics, and is especially suited to those who like to create and organize to-do lists. Reviewed here.
- Julie Neal’s The Complete Walt Disney World 2012 has the best photography and most detail on the rides and attractions of any guidebook. Reviewed here.
RECOMMENDED SPECIALIZED DISNEY WORLD GUIDEBOOKS
For those with special needs, and those looking for accommodations beyond the typical, the following two books can help:
- For those looking for suites, concierge floors, and the like, Cara Goldsbury’s The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World Resort
overstates the case (luxury at Walt Disney World is mostly relative to other Disney choices, and not comparable to luxury in world class hotels), and gushes a bit, but is still a good information source, especially on room options
- For those with special physical, health, mobility, or other challenges, Deb Wills and Debra Martin Koma have done the world a service: PassPorter’s Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line: Easy Access Vacations for Travelers with Extra Challenges
OTHER GREAT DISNEY WORLD BOOKS
From all the other great Disney World related works, I suggest the following:
- Neal Gabler’s wonderful biography: Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination
- Lee Cockerell’s Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney
–distilling leadership strategies from leading the parks and resorts at Disney World
- Lou Mongello’s Audio Guide to Walt Disney World – Adventureland
and his Audio Guide to Walt Disney World – Main Street, USA
- Charles Ridgway’s memoirs of his time as Walt Disney’s PR guy: Spinning Disney’s World: Memories of a Magic Kingdom Press Agent
- Buzz Price’s memoir about being Disney’s strategic and operational consultant: Walt’s Revolution!: By the Numbers
- Anything by David Koenig, but especially Realityland: True-Life Adventures at Walt Disney World
- Scott Donahue’s Walt Disney World Peak Seasons: Maximizing your Disney Vacation
8 comments
Heading to disney 1st week of nov staying at allstar music, we want to do one day at Universal for Harry Potter and would appreciate suggestions as to how to get there and any tix discounts you may be aware of
Hi Joe!
To get to Harry Potter see this: http://yourfirstvisit.net/2011/01/10/getting-to-harry-potter-from-walt-disney-world/
I don’t track Universal discounts–suggest you check Mousesavers.com
Should I purchase the trip insurance?
I never have. That said, it’s personal, as it depends on your risk tolerance and your next best option. If this were my first visit, I was unlikely to be able to afford to return, and I’d been saving for years, I probably would…especially if I was going during the peak of the hurricane season! (See http://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/when-to-go/next-best-dates/weather-and-when-to-go/chance-of-cyclonic-storm-affecting-florida/ ) But if you do be sure to read the fine print…
Dave, looks as if one of days at wdw next week will be rainy, the day we had planned wild animal kingdom. Should we arrange itinerary? Is there a better park to be in during wet weather?
Thanks,
Joan
Hi Joan. The general effect of rain is to reduce crowds in all the parks compared to what they would have been. For that reaons I love rainy days! A poncho and an umbrella or hat makes all but heavy or blowing rain manageable. At AK the animals are more active in the rain. Because there’s more walking at AK (and Epcot) you do have more exposure to this weather. So it’s hard to say do this vs do that…
Hi Dave! What an amazing site you have. I’ve been to Disney World 20+ times and I am very impressed with your details. I do have one question that you can help me with. We are going down to Disney World in late August and I’m not sure if there are any tips on handling the heat. We are towing our trailer and staying in Fort Wilderness. Usually we go the week after Thanksgiving, but our daughter enters high school next year, so we decided to vacation in the summer. I don’t handle heat well and neither does she. Are we crazy?
Hi Susan and thanks!
I don’t have any great ideas on beating the heat…Does your trailer have a very reliable and very strong air-conditioning system?
And are you OK that you’re going in the peak of the hurricane season? (see this: http://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/when-to-go/next-best-dates/weather-and-when-to-go/chance-of-cyclonic-storm-affecting-florida/ )
I’ve been at Fort Wilderness in August in a tent…but I’m crazier than most…
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