Rating: 
Summary: Frommers Walt Disney World 2005
Review: An excellent source of comprehensive information for those planning a vacation to Walt Disney World. I appreciated the detail as well as the recommendations. Anyone heading for Central Florida should definitely pick up a copy. It is the perfect size to take along with you so you can refer back to it while on your trip. The fold out map was a definite bonus in addition to the numerous and detailed locator maps found throughout the book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone planning a trip to Disney.
Rating: 
Summary: Not just Critical...downright Negative!
Review: I agree wholeheartedly with another reader who stated that this book was extremely negative! While it is chuck full of helpful facts (like the weather at various times of the year) and a nice big fold out map of Orlando, it is also chuck full of sarcasm and downright negative commentary. I have been to Disney World before and had a marvelous experience at many of the locations the author refers to as "overrated" or restaurants the author(s) deem uneatable! I find it very interesting that the only restaurants in Disney World receiving their rave reviews were the gourmet Victoria and Alberts ($200 for a meal!) and other restaurants at high-end resorts. Some of us people enjoy comfort foods and meals during our vacations (at the highest in the $15 price range). Note that the gourment Victoria and Albert's are fabulous (they are!), but many of the other locations are great for the atmosphere. For example, the drive-in restaurant at MGM-Studios was a fabulous time for us...the food was great (think a step above Denny's for food...not gourmet, but not bad) and the atmosphere was SO wonderfully Walt Disney! Every attention to theme you could imagine. Isn't that WHY we spend our hard earned money to go enjoy the Disney theme parks? To be immersed in the themes and stories, and child-like joy! If you're looking for that, buy another book, because this book will make you want to avoid WDW all together!
Rating:
Summary: A Disappointment
Review: I bought this book based on the great reviews here but was disappointed. While being concise about what is fun to do, see, etc., the author unfortunately feels the need to write comments in a sarcastic manner that almost put me off the entire place!I've noticed this with other Frommer's guides - watch out for the one on the Bahamas. After reading that book I asked myself why anyone would ever want to visit the place. Although it's nice to get honest opinions about a vacation destination, who wants to read something that essentially makes you feel like not going there? I recommend "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World" instead. Although honest in their reviews, they're much more concise, complete, and positive about Disney. After all, I buy guide books because I'm already planning on visiting the place, not to make me decide not to go there!
Rating: 
Summary: One big negative disappointment
Review: I was so disappointed in this book. The author was so negative that the book was one great big downer. After the misery of making it through this book, it became clear that it was written by someone who just doesn't get the whole disney thing. I returned the book and purchased birnbaums and fodors guides which are about 100% better and written in a positive manner. My husband and I have been to disney world and disneyland many times over the years and are planning our first trip with our children. No one who feels that the majority of the theme parks are too "hokey" for them, has any business writing a guide for others.
Rating:
Summary: Use this book to help you plan your trip to WDW!!!
Review: If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World, this book is for you. There are so many things in Disney World to do and see that if you do not have a plan, and some idea of what you want to see, you will waste your trip. Frommer's helps you make heads or tails of what there is to see and do. The reviews for everything are very honest and unbiased. I used this book to help me plan my whole trip.
Rating:
Summary: Not just Critical...downright Negative!
Review: If you're planning a trip to Walt Disney World and Orlando, this is the book to guide you. Easy to use, fun to read, you'll feel like you're already there. There's a wealth of information to help you decide where to stay, where to eat and what to do. And the accuracy is astounding. So reliable in fact, that I used an earlier edition for checking facts when I worked as an editor. You won't miss a thing unless you run out of time.
Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Guide
Review: If you're planning a trip to Walt Disney World and Orlando, this is the book to guide you. Easy to use, fun to read, you'll feel like you're already there. There's a wealth of information to help you decide where to stay, where to eat and what to do. And the accuracy is astounding. So reliable in fact, that I used an earlier edition for checking facts when I worked as an editor. You won't miss a thing unless you run out of time.
Rating:
Summary: No Photos and Short - Beaten by The Competion Big Time
Review: There seems to be two books to buy, i.e.: this book or the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2004. Both are similar although technically speaking the Frommer book covers more things outside the park. But in general I find the Frommer book a bit flat since it has few photos so it is hard to get excited and get the ambiance from the guide. In any case buying a good guide in advance is a great idea to save money, time, and shoe leather and to make certain you see what you want and have no regrets later. I think the present book is falling short of the competition - the " Unofficial Guide" which I would rate 5 stars. The other book gives a better presentation including better maps and more photos and more things to do. That book is just a better all round book, better organized, more comprehensive, and conveys more information on the park. If you buy the current 2004 version all the information should be current. The book is big 800 versus this Frommer book that is just 400 pages and tries to cover more. So this is just not the book to buy. There are better books and books with better information and photographs that convey the ambiance. This is "half" a book, i.e.; short and essentially no photos. Not recommended. Jack in Toronto
Rating:
Summary: No Photos and Short - Beaten by The Competion Big Time
Review: There seems to be two books to buy, i.e.: this book or the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2004. Both are similar although technically speaking the Frommer book covers more things outside the park. But in general I find the Frommer book a bit flat since it has few photos so it is hard to get excited and get the ambiance from the guide. In any case buying a good guide in advance is a great idea to save money, time, and shoe leather and to make certain you see what you want and have no regrets later. I think the present book is falling short of the competition - the " Unofficial Guide" which I would rate 5 stars. The other book gives a better presentation including better maps and more photos and more things to do. That book is just a better all round book, better organized, more comprehensive, and conveys more information on the park. If you buy the current 2004 version all the information should be current. The book is big 800 versus this Frommer book that is just 400 pages and tries to cover more. So this is just not the book to buy. There are better books and books with better information and photographs that convey the ambiance. This is "half" a book, i.e.; short and essentially no photos. Not recommended. Jack in Toronto
Rating:
Summary: Just the information we needed!
Review: This was our fourth trip to WDW, but the first as just a couple. We found this guidebook to be very helpful, full of information for both in and out of the major parks. I had to agree with the guide re: some of the higher-end restaurants within WDW. We had tried some of them on previous visits and found the food to be *very* ordinary for what we were charged, which was considerable. On the other hand, their recommendation to try Akershus in the Norwegian pavilion at Epcot was right on the money--excellent, very fresh food; charming service and nice surroundings. I don't know as we would have dined there without the detailed description and recommendation in this book. I don't agree that this guide only gives approval to the luxury locations. Bubbalou's Bodacious BBQ was a little joint in Winter Park that was very inexpensive and delicious, and I'm sure we would never have tried it (or even known about it, for that matter) if they hadn't highlighted it as a "find." We also tried an Italian restaurant on 192 that we probably would have ignored as being one of the many "lots of so-so food + tourist hype" restaurants on that strip had Frommer's not recommended it. The food was excellent, the service very helpful and attentive, and it was a nice meal all around for a moderate (not inexpensive) cost. I appreciated the candor and detail of this guide; the lack of photos didn't concern me as I could find all the pictures I needed for almost everything on the internet.
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