Member Reviews
This was a great read for anyone planning a Disney trip! We go to Disney quite often and I still picked up a few tricks. I especially liked the info on Genie+. I haven’t had much experience with it and it is a little confusing. So this helped a lot!
Thanks to NetGalley and Adams Media for a copy of the book.
Fun to read and a very good preparation for a Walt Disney World trip.
Will definitely remember this book when planning a future trip!
I loved this book!
I am a big Disney fan and have been to Disney World many times and love going back each time!
I still learned some tips and tricks throughout this book. Some parts I found especially helpful was Genie+ and the virtual queues. I still struggle a big with understanding Genie+ at times but this book really helped me. I can’t wait to go back and use these tricks!
This book is perfect for anyone that loves Disney. From someone that goes to Disney parks or the time or has never been!
Thank you to NetGalley and Adams Media for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was a great read filled with many useful tips and tricks about Walt Disney World! Jam packed full of. information that can be so useful to anyone trying to navigate the land of the mouse for the first time, or the fifth time.
As someone who frequents Disney multiple times of year with an annual pass and out of state resident, there were some great tips but also some very important things were incorrect. For example, numerous times it says dining reservations are booked 180 days out and it hasn’t been that way since pre-covid. It’s 60 days. So much with Disney changes so quickly that I do not recommend books like this because if they get something like that which is so important incorrect, then it just shows you can’t trust the info.
Read from March 28th, 2024 to April ??, 2024. Written on April 2nd, 2024.
NEW BOOK RELEASE ALERT!!!
(NOTE: I HAVE NOT FINISHED THIS BOOK YET BUT I AM CONFIDENT IN WHAT I HAVE READ TO GIVE A TRUTHFUL REVIEW)
For fans of Disney, its theme parks and, specifically, Walt Disney World, this book is the best thing to read when preparing for a trip to that magical faraway land.
Filled with tips, tricks and fun facts about Walt Disney World (that, depending on the park, could be used in other Disney theme park locations) that will get the whole family and friends ready to explore, enjoy and have the best time, saving money, time and avoid bad days!
Read it and learn all you need to have the happiest trip to the happiest place on Earth!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this and review it!
Signing off,
B.
(Free ARC from NetGalley and Adams Media that I chose to review after reading)
While this book has a great premise and a few good (if not common sense tips). However, it was extremely repetetive which distracted from its usefulness.
I will preface my review by saying that if you’ve never been to Disney World (or haven’t been in 10+ years), there are some good things mentioned in this book.
As someone who goes to Disney World a lot, I understand that it can be overwhelming. I would call myself a “Disney adult” and “Disney expert,” so I was very interested in this book when I received my ARC. However, it was not what I expected. While this is marketed as being hacks for Disney World, there were some points that it was just general travel tips or overall advice in general. There were also some inaccuracies (dining reservations can only be made 60 days in advance, not 180; Disney World is “the most magical place on earth” and Disneyland is “the happiest place on earth”).
I also think that books like this are a bit outdated. There are SO MANY Disney vloggers/influencers nowadays that are providing daily updates on what is going on at Disney World.
When someone asks me for Disney advice, I provide some personal tips and point them to my favorite vloggers/influencers.
Overall, I see what the authors were trying to do, but I don’t think it was executed in this best way.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I am a frequent Walt Disney World Resort Adult guest, and I looked forward to seeing the tips in this book.
I'll address the nails on a chalkboard first. Please do not recommend doing Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party in part for 'free' by being in the back of the park for starting time. This is not fair to cast members who have to flush non-paying members out of the park and to those who paid top dollar to be in that park during the party hours.
Some of the book was up to date with Tiana's Bayou Adventure (instead of Splash Mountain), but other parts were painfully out of date. The ADR (advanced dining reservation) has been at 60 days instead of 180 days for quite a while. Be Our Guest no longer offers ala carte options for lunch.
That said....there are many good and solid tips about park touring that would enhance many vacations. For general tips (Genie +, free ice waters in the parks, how to travel with a large group, etc....) are covered and valid advice about how to best maximize your experience in the Disney Parks.
I have been to Disney world 3 times in the last five years and the advice given in this book is up to date and useful for anyone who hasn't visited Disney World recently. There are fun Pro Tips as well as advice for beginners, like where the ride cameras are located.
Unlike traditional guide books this one reads like the best advice from friends, family, and message boards.
The only thing missing was some photos or graphics.
Great advice, specifically for first time visitors to Walt Disney World The ideas for families with children were very clever. I like the suggestion for little treats for the cast members I agree with submitting reviews for excellent service.
Thank you to NetGalley and Adams Media for the opportunity to review this ARC.
This book is full of suggestions to plan your visit to Disney World. Some advice is general, and could be used for any vacation (take extra socks in case your socks get wet..) Other information is very specific to the parks in Orlando. The authors advise that planning begin 180 days in advance of your visit.
The Genie + program seems to have so many variables depending on the time, date, and season, it makes the description rather confusing. Much of the advice given is geared toward families with small children and can be valuable for parents who haven't visited previously. For those guests who haven't been to Disney before and are planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip, the book will be a valuable planning tool. Return visitors might find the book less useful.
A recommended purchase for first time visitors with small children
This book is GREAT for a first time Disney World visitor. There is a lot of good information in here and it's laid out well! There is a lot of little tips that i'm not sure other people will think to mention to a first time visitor (example: making thank you cards ahead of time) and it would be helpful.
If you are a frequent Disney World visitor, this book may not be extremely useful for you.. but, if you are missing WDW and just love to read about it while planning a trip, I think this book is still enjoyable. Personally, I have read some of the tidbits that are directly interesting to my kids, out loud to them. They enjoy it and sometimes gives them ideas for our next trip.
I agree with some of the other early reviewers that I knew a lot of these tips already. But think that comes from being a frequent visitor over the years. It is definitely a great resource for new Disney travelers and those not too new.
Would recommend for anyone going. You want to make the most of your trip and money.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.
I think I may have been to Disney a few too many times--I was surprised to find out I knew just about all of these tips. That being said, it would be an excellent resource for those new to Disney World and I would recommend it as such. It's incredibly comprehensive, covering every topic you can think of--traveling with kids, meals, traveling with disabilities, Genie+, Magic Bands, photo opportunities, first aid, etc.
I did wish there were some photos/illustrations sprinkled in, and I could see that the format might be a little overwhelming for first timers. It's presented basically as a numbered list (though it is organized by topic), so it's a lot to take in.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an early copy of this book to review through NetGalley.
I haven’t been to Disney World in years but reading this book made me want to go tomorrow. I wish I would’ve known about many of these tips and tricks all of the times that I did go. Rest assured my next trip will be a lot different when it comes to planning and the money I will save.
This book is a great resource for first timers at Disney World, with tips for each small detail that can easily be overloooked. I can also see this being very useful for those who don’t get to visit Disney World often. It even includes fun ideas and tips for parents wanting to surprise their kids and make their Disney trip as fun and memorable as possible. I’d say there are even a good number of ideas that parents can use at home, whether planning a Disney vacation or not, of fun surprises and activities with their kids.
I’m from Orlando so I’m fairly familiar with Disney World and its attractions and services/how to plan for a visit, but I did end up learning quite a bit from this book. I definitely recommend this as a starting point and reference guide for anyone planning a Walt Disney World vacation!
I'll be going to disney world for the first time next month and I thought this book had awesome tips and advice. The format was laid out well and easy to read.
This was an okay guide to Disney World. I think that it is really geared towards a new visitor more than someone who has been multiple times, even though it was pitched in a way that implied it had hacks for new and old visitors alike. There just wasn't a lot that was new to me and that I was surprised by. That's not to say that there weren't a few tidbits and things I had forgotten, but not enough to make me rush out and buy this to take along on a trip.
That being said, for someone who has never been to Disney World or any of the Parks, this would be a useful book to read through for sure. And if you have young children, even more so. There are a lot of tips and tricks to help make your visit more economical and overall just easier. From places to eat, to Genie+ tips, to how to be comfortable when there is inclement weather, the book definitely delivers. If I had something like this to read before we traveled there the first time, I would have definitely benefitted.
If you are new to the Disney experience, this is a great guide to get you started and to help you get the most out of your visit no matter your budget, and especially if you are going with younger kids and have to think about things like strollers, snacks, and change stations.
If you have been to Disney before or are a regular, you may want to pick this up to see if there are any tips you missed. I didn't think about buying an annual pass, for example, if I was going for more than 10 days. And I have been to Disney a few times in a single year so ....
The only thing I felt was missing were a few photos here and there for some of the items, but maybe that will come with publication.
This book is great if you have never been to Disney World or are not a frequent traveler there. I got this book to see if there were any hacks I didn't know as a passholder and I have to say that this is pretty comprehensive. There are some good money saving tricks here if you need it!