The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit 2015
By Dave Shute
SAVE YOUR TRIP WITH THE BEST DISNEY WORLD GUIDEBOOK EVER
Save dozens of hours in line, thousands of dollars, and vast regrets by using The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit 2015 from Theme Park Press to plan your next Walt Disney World visit.
From the renowned authors of the Number 1 bestselling best-reviewed Disney World guidebook in history, The easy Guide 2015 takes you by the hand through all the key Disney World decisions—some that you probably didn’t even know you had to make—in the simplest, most straightforward, and shortest way possible.
Josh and I between us have unmatched experience with the Disney World rides, parks, restaurants, and hotels, and tremendous tested judgment from our years of helping more than ten million visitors to our websites yourfirstvisit.net and easyWDW.com.
Together, we’ve written the best Disney World guidebook ever—combining sound advice with easy, simple steps. Don’t believe us? Look at the reviews of the 2014 edition…there’s more than a hundred, 95%+ five-star.
We designed The easy Guide to be short and sweet. It is, on purpose, the shortest major Disney World guidebook out there. We offer all the key guidance in less than 300 pages, with 11 point type—about half reviews, and half explanation and guidance. It’s really, really easy and fun to read and use.
In our book we offer a couple of different ways to get at the decisions you need to make.
- First, we simply give you our best judgment—go one of these weeks, stay at one of these hotels, use one of these touring plans.
- But for those who won’t, or can’t, follow these judgments, we also give you everything else you need to make these decisions for yourself, if you want to. We offer…
- The best and most up-to-date hotel reviews.
- The best and most up-to-date ride reviews.
- The best and most up-to-date dining reviews.
- The best, most frank and most straightforward discussion on when to go–and why.
- Week rankings.
- Charts and floor plans for those who prefer visuals.
- Incredible daily park plans.
DO YOU NEED A GUIDEBOOK? NO. BUT YOU DESERVE ONE.
Honestly, these days you don’t need a guidebook. Our sites will do, and have helped millions. But The easy Guide is a new and different thing, a book that represents our best joint judgment, while our individual sites present our individual thoughts. So the book is a different thing, and an affordable luxury.
Some people will be happy planning via our sites. But the web can drive you crazy… Any good book has a tighter organization than any good website, has a more natural and logical flow of topics, and has a more consistent treatment of its material.
And you know what else is great about a book? You can scribble on it, dog-ear or fold over pages to remind you to return to them, cross out what you disagree with and scribble an exclamation point next to what you like, and circle key points. Try that on your iWhatever. It travels with you wherever you go. After all, you are neither a gadget nor an interface.
But wait—what if you want to be a gadget? Well, if you buy the paperback version, we’ll give you the Kindle version for free. Since we’ll be updating the Kindle version over the course of 2015, you’ll never be more than a few weeks away from the most updated guidebook there is. Plus Kindle versions are so easy to search…
WHAT’S NEW IN THE 2015 EDITION?
The easy Guide 2015 is completely updated, has some expanded material here and there—for example, on the Disney Vacation Club resorts–and has more and better graphics than the 2014 edition.
Moreover, for 2015 we’ve added fun vignettes from Jim Korkis, the dean of Disney historians, called “Jim’s Gems.” For more on what’s new for 2015, see this, and more on Jim, this.
The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney Visit 2015. Keeps you sane, keeps you laughing, buy it now!
(Note: some defective copies shipped through 11/21. If you got one, see this for how to get it replaced!! For other changes and updates, see this.)
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123 comments
Hi Dave, I’m busy putting an itinerary together and was wondering if we should include seeing the Cirque du Soleil La Nouba Show? and if so which day is best to go? I’m also not sure about the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Dinner Show – is it worth seeing (especially for a 7 year old) as I’m worried a lot of the humour will be lost on him and the show is pretty pricey?
Kaz, for a seven year old I’d pick Hoop well before Cirque, whihc is VERY sophisticated… See this for more on Hoop-Dee-Doo https://yourfirstvisit.net/2012/04/24/review-the-hoop-dee-doo-musical-revue/
Hi Dave, many thanks for your advice & link – we’ve decided to go with Hoop-Dee-Doo (it sounds like a good laugh and a good night “out”). I’ve got another two questions – (1) do you know how long it takes to get to see the Characters if you try and see them in the Theme Parks at their various meeting points? (We’ll be at WDW from 14 Aug to 28 Aug). (2) Would you recommend the T-Rex Restaurant for dinner (our son loves dinosaurs)?
Kaz T-Rex is fun! The character waits vary quite a bit. Some are available via FastPass+, and the highest priorities among them (and wait times for some, but not all, others) are in our book! The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit 2015
Hi Dave,
We are looking at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom as 2 of the parks during our visit. March 19-27. Just wondering the best days to go with the crowds. Thanks Sue
Sue, that period WDW will be least crowded overall March 22-25. Those days, MK will be best the 24th and 25th, and AK the 23rd and 24th.
Hi Dave, we’ve decided to go ahead with booking T-Rex for dinner on one of the nights we’re at WDW. I received your book in the post yesterday so I’ve been able to research the times for seeing the Characters. Many thanks for all your help – greatly appreciated. I may still have some more questions for you in the future but in the meantime I just wanted to say thanks very much for such a brilliant website and book – I sure wouldn’t have been as prepared for our trip to WDW if I hadn’t “stumbled” upon your website. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Oh Kaz you are making me blush!
I’m trying to plan a trip well in advance so that we can go all out for this vacation. We will be bringing our 6yr old daughter to Disney World towards the end of April 2016. I’d like to do 7 days 6 nights and would like to visit Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Im looking for the best option for a resort that has nice spacious rooms and activities for my daughter with nice view. Which resort would provide the most for what im looking for?
Kim, the best fit to what you are looking for is one of the monorail resorts.
Going to Disney Last week of August from 24th to 30th we really want to stay at the Polynesian Resort (were celebrating multiple occasions ) and I have 1 10 year old and 2 3 year old’s so convenience is a must . Do you think the main pool will be completed and do you think there will be a lot of construction going on around that time.
Thanks in advance
Hi Andrew! Yes, the main pool should be done well before then. The smaller East Pool will begin construction after the main pool re-opens, and there will continue to be minor project around the resort.
sadly, only window for a first visit with kids 9 and 10 are weeks of July 13 or July 20, 2015. Will you please comment on what to expect regarding crowds, prices, weather. Perhaps we should just wait till next year to plan better and have a better or cheaper experience? Would rather postpone than spend mega bucks for a less than ideal experience!
Mary, see the link for July at WDW. Prices are not bad then at the deluxes, but if you are aimed at a moderate or value, I’d reschedule into a cooler, lower-priced, lower crowd time.
Just received our Easy Guide as a perq of booking through Destination in Florida. Like a mother asked to pick her favorite child, I’ve gotta say I love the book and your site equally! I’m happy to recommend both to friends and family looking to book a trip to WDW…and strangers…and even enemies. (I might tell the enemies that the best time to go is the summer;)
Oh Adrianne I’m blushing!!
Hi Dave, We are planning our Sept 2015 trip. Wevwould really like to take advantage of free dining and would like certain hard to get dining reservations. Should we book a room at a resort that we can change if free dining is offered? Can I make another reservation online if I already have an existing reservation? Thanks so much!
Jen, book now if you are committed to going then. That way you get the resort/room type you want.
Then, when/if Free Dining comes out, call to book into it, either cancelling or modifying your original reservation. Note that your resort/room type/dates may not be covered, so have a back-up or tow in mind. Also book your dining asap as it always fills up during free dining!
For more on Free Dining (from last year, but still should be mostly true) see this.
I am trying to decide between Carribean and Sports in Decemeber of 2015. Based on transportation convince, which is better? Love this site by the way!!!
Kylie, Caribbean Beach is closer to all parks except AK, but is more of a pain to get around.
Between the two, I’d pick CB in a heartbeat because its rooms and overall presentation are much better than those at Sports.
Detailed reviews of each are linked to from here.
My husband and I are bringing our 3 kids (ages 5, 11, & 14) the week of April 25-May 2, 2015. We’ve been to the main Disney parks before, but my 5 year old doesn’t really remember them (so we want to make this trip special for him). We want to fit in the water parks; however, I’m not finding any crowd calendar for the water parks. Do you have that in your book?
Amy, no sorry we don’t.
Hi Dave, we (myself my hubby and my 17yo daughter) are coming to Disney ( I know beyond exciting )from Oz we are staying at POP century from November 28th till 3rd December. We are wondering when are the best days for which Disney Parks? From the 3rd December till the 6th we are at Cabana bay is it worth getting a three day pass for universal or do you think 2 days will be enough?
Kylie, I won’t be able to advise until Disney releases its calendar for then, which it should do in a couple of weeks for November, then a month after for December. Re Universal, it;s a question of how many thrill rides you’d like to see. You don’t get front of the line passes at Cabana Bay, so if you want a lot of thrill rides with low waits 3 days will help.
I loved reading all the good things you had to say about Coronado. I feel so much better about booking my trip here.
Kelly, make sure you come back and tell me what you thought after your visit!!
My wife wants to go in January when crowds are low. Characters and princesses are a big part of our trip. Small rides like dumbo and such. We would be able to do a 10 day trip. I personally want to Waite till ur #1 week but we would only be able to do 6 days then. And wife says its to far away. Thanks for the great site any thoughts on this?
Ryan, two question–kids, and if so what ages?
2 girls 2.5 and 5 years old. Thanks
Ryan, at those ages 6 days is plenty. So you could do either!
Can you give me some ideas on places to go to eat I have a 10 year old grandson who is kind of funny when eating
Archie, see this
Hi Dave,
Can you tell me if your book will cover trips in 2016, or will you be bringing out a new version for then? I’m (finally!) booked to go in August 2016, I know you don’t have itineraries for that far ahead yet but can you tell me when you will so I can check back here? Thank you so much! What would we do without you? 🙂
We will be bringing out a 2016 version later this year, Becky!!
Thanks for your response! Epcot is mainly for my husband and me. Our daughter loves Nemo so we figured we would do a 1/2 day at Epcot with the Princess breakfast, the Seas with Nemo and Friends, and the Chase card member Meet & Greet. Does MK show their NYE fireworks on the 30th? I had read somewhere that they did so we were planning MK on the 28th and 30th, HS the 29th and Epcot the 31st since we weren’t planning to do a whole day.
Courtney, yes on MK fireworks the 30th! Given that your plans look fine…You may have been including this already, but add Turtle Talk with Crush (in the Seas pavilion) to your Epcot plans…
Thank you! Do you recommend trying to get a dining reservation in MK on the 30th to give us a better chance of being in there if there would be a phased closure? I’ve been reading about them and they have me a little worried.
Courtney, it can’t hurt…plus you need to eat anyway…
Hi Dave,
Thanks as always for the info. An unusual question for you: can kids wear NON-Disney costumes? We’re going for Halloween and one of our daughters is dying to be a Powerpuff girl.
Charlie, absolutely. I’ve even seen folk in Harry Potter costumes!
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