I Dream of Disney: Books to Help You Plan Your Best Trip Ever

They call Walt Disney World the happiest place on Earth. And it is. It really is. When I went there on my honeymoon in 2015, it was only the second time I had been to the park (the previous occasion having been at the age of three). From the moment we left to go to the airport, I was positively buzzing with anticipation. I had dreamed about seeing this wonderful place again for so very long. When we got to Walt Disney World and saw the sign welcoming guests to the property, I felt like a child again. I felt that wide eyed sense of wonder, that sense of pure joy, that sense of hopefulness that only Disney can bring. When I entered the park for the first time all I could think was “I’m home.”

Sounds wonderful doesn’t it? You bet it does. There are tons of things for everyone at Walt Disney World. It doesn’t matter if you’re eight years old or eighty. There is something at Disney for you. You could stay an entire month at Walt Disney World and still not see everything that they have to offer. I stayed there a week and still didn’t see half of all there is to see. The list of things to do is practically endless. Rides, shows, characters, parades, fireworks, water parks, golf courses, mini-golf courses, boat rides, shopping, bars, restaurants, the list goes on and on. So there are a lot of details that come with planning a Walt Disney World trip. How long should I stay? What is the best deal I can get? Which restaurants are the best? How do I get around? Are any attractions too much for the little ones? Which resorts are the best for large groups? Which hotel has the best pool? Should I get the dining plan? What about the water parks? The list goes on. There are a million details that need to be planned but don’t fret. There are many resources available to help you plan the perfect vacation. Here are some books that I hope you find useful, and each one is available in the Illinois Heartland Library System.

#5 The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World by Susan Veness
This book is not quite as useful for planning your Walt Disney World vacation but is filled with tons of little hidden gems of information. These can be used to great effect for your children. It’s filled with behind the scenes information as well as little tidbits you can use to help keep your children entertained at the long days at the parks.

 
 #4 Fodor’s 2016 Walt Disney World by Rona Gindin
This book is useful if you are planning on doing an Orlando vacation that includes other things besides Walt Disney World. It’s coverage on Disney is somewhat lacking but it includes coverage on other areas like Seaworld, Wet n’ Wild, & Universal Orlando.
 
#3 Birnbaum’s 2018 Walt Disney World
This book is an excellent beginner’s guide but is lacking in some areas. While it does cover everything it does lack some details. It has excellent maps and photos which makes it very handy when discussing the vacation in theory but it lacks the critical commentary that is useful in determining the best choices for your vacation. 

#2 Magic Guidebooks: Walt Disney World 2017
The second best guide book you’re going to find. It does not offer as much detail as the Unofficial Guide but it still offers a ton of information. It offers a very balanced view of the parks highlighting both the good and not so good (which varies wildly depending on your age and interests). It’s small size makes it a very useful guide to have at the parks for a quick reference.

#1 The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 by Bob Sehlinger 
This last one is the absolute best. While the others are excellent resources The Unofficial Guide is by far the most comprehensive and useful. It rates and reviews every resort, every restaurant, and every attraction on property. Do not go without this book. That being said it does have some flaws, mainly being its lack of photos which are very useful when determining which resort to stay at. However, its maps and touring plans of the parks are very valuable.

 





As a special bonus here are some websites you may find useful in planning your trip:
 
https://touringplans.com/
This website contains invaluable information. It does cost to use but it keeps track of almost everything going on in Walt Disney World. There are also sections covering Disneyland and Universal Orlando as well. Its crowd calendar (designed to keep track of the crowds) is by far the most accurate of any found online.

https://www.distripplanner.com/
One of the biggest questions you will ask when planning your trip is should I get a dining plan? This website helps you calculate your costs and helps you see if the dining plan is right for you.

http://allears.net/dining/menu
If you decide not to get the dining plan this website is a valuable resource. It helps you plan out your meals so you can budget accordingly. It contains menus to help plan for picky eaters and prices for every single restaurant and kiosk on property to help prevent sticker shock.

http://www.ourlaughingplace.com/aspx/twiz.aspx#.Wupe0Zch3cs
A great tool to help you plan out your day this website will help you plan out the travel times between locations to help you arrive on time. It will also help you figure out how to get to where you need to go.