|
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2009 | 
 enlarge | Author: Birnbaum Travel Guides
Publisher: Disney Editions
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $10.16
You Save: $6.79 (40%)
New (32) Used (7) from $10.16
Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 613
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: All Ages
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 10 x 6.9 x 0.5
ISBN: 1423110463
Dewey Decimal Number: 791
EAN: 9781423110460
ASIN: 1423110463
Publication Date: September 30, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World, the most respected and well-known name in travel guides, takes readers to the world's most popular tourist attraction. Since ours is the only guidebook that's official, this book includes the most accurate information on prices, changes, and new attractions for 2008. Highlights include the scoop on "Magical Beginnings," Walt Disney World's specially tailored, money-saving vacation plan for families with pre-schoolers, and updates on Pleasure Island's new venues, eateries, and shopping opportunities.
This new edition includes the scoop on the surprises in store as Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly known at the Disney-MGM Studios) marks its 20th anniversary. We'll also take an insider's look at the thrilling new interactive attraction, Toy Story Mania. Other updates include new tips and Birnbaum's Bests; all the insider info about stage shows, parades, and nighttime spectaculars; prices and ticket options; customized travel tips for teenagers, international travelers, guests with disabilities; and a comprehensive character meal chart to help guests pick their favorite dining spots.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2009 January 6, 2009
We vacationed at Disney World for five days in December, 2008. My grandsons are 5 and 2. We used the Birnbaum's book as our guide in each of the theme parks. It was very helpful. Our 5 year old loved the characters and used the autograph section for the numerous characters we saw. I highly recommend the book.
 Covers the basics, outstanding photos January 2, 2009
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Birnbaum's markets itself as the official guide to Walt Disney World and prospective buyers should realize exactly what this means. Rather than a third party guide, this is literally written and published by the owners of Disney World. Having said this, it doesn't mean that the information is inaccurate or that the book has no merit. But it does explain the lack of any critical descriptions of any kind and I do think that readers should be aware of the source.
The first thing that one notices about this guide is that it the production values are top notch. There are extensive color photographs of the Disney World parks and hotels and the photos are uniformly excellent. This offers a window into the look and feel of the parks that is unrivaled by virtually any other guide. There are also maps and graphics that are well done. This certainly brightens up the book and for those who have never been to Disney World, it will help you gain a better sense of what the area looks like. The writing is very light in tone, it's easy to read and comprehend. When it comes to production values, this book is a beauty from cover to cover.
The downside of all the photos is that they leave less room for information such as in-depth coverage of hotels, restaurants, and entertainment outside of the parks. This is doubly true because Birnbaum's starts off with the fewest pages of any major guide to the Orlando area. The largest guidebook to the area has more than three times as many pages, and even the average size guides are nearly double the size. And those books are not filled with photos, they are packed with hard information and useful advice. In effect, Birnbaum's has sacrificed the detailed coverage to give you the beautiful photos and graphics.
In certain respects, this book is less well suited as a tool for in depth planning as it is a means to get excited about your trip. It is useful to the extent that coverage is provided for all the attractions and hotels. But it is of limited use since each entry is carefully phrased to emphasize the positive while doing almost nothing to offer honest comparisons, tell you where the best values are and which places are a bit overpriced, or tell you where you would really be best off spending your time. The authors certainly don't need to resort to negativity, but a basic acknowledgement that some restaurants, hotels, and attractions are less worthy than others would add greatly to their credibility when praising the rest.
The Birnbaum's guide certainly has many fans, but before you buy, you should carefully consider what it is you're looking for. If your primary objective is to get a sneak peak of what Walt Disney World looks like and get a basic description of the area then this is an easy purchase. It will be a quick read and you'll have a decent idea of what to expect when you visit. If you have children, this would also be an excellent book for them to explore.
If you're more of a planner and want a lot of information, if you're curious about anything outside of the Disney Resort area, or if you want more general advice on how to approach a trip to Orlando then this book will not help you nearly as well as almost any other guidebook on the market. The acknowledged king of the detailed guides is The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2009 (Unofficial Guides). You'll find that Fodor's Walt Disney World 2009: plus Universal Orlando and SeaWorld (Fodor's Gold Guides) and Frommer's Walt Disney World & Orlando 2009 (Frommer's Complete) are also solid efforts even if they are not as detailed as the Unoffical Guide. Depending on what you're looking for, it may well make sense to buy more than one guide.
A trip to the Orlando area is usually very expensive and, especially if you have children, problems and disappointments can be somewhat traumatic. Don't stint on the advance planning as it can greatly enhance the experience once you arrive. Good luck and have a great time visiting Walt Disney World!
Great guidebook December 30, 2008
This guidebook has some good information. It seems a little more simplified than some of the others. I bought two different ones at the same time and this is the one I keep returning to.
 Birnbaum review by B Barnett December 16, 2008
I am very well versed when it comes to WDW and this book showed me a few new tricks. Some new items for 2009 are not shown in the book but all in all it is well worth the cost.
Aside from your kids, this is the best thing to bring to Disney December 12, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Actually, you should buy it six months to a year before. Great planning steps, tips, etc. Ours was a last-minute trip and our trusty Birnbaum guide still helped us squeeze a great trip out of every minute. This is THE guide to get.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
