Before we getting into adding more color to our plan............................ Let's talk about tools for planning your WDW vacation.
I'll start off with the guide books. I usually get them all, but there are 2 books that I have become very fond of because of the details they provide. They are "The Unofficial Guide - Walt Disney World 2014" by Bob Sehlinger & Len Test, the second is "PassPorter's Walt Disney World - 2014" by Jennifer Marx, Dave Marx, and Alexander Marx.
"The Unofficial Guide - Walt Disney World 2014"
This guide book is the definitive encyclopedia of all things WDW for the given year. It covers detailed information on resorts, dining, parks, and attractions for WDW and on a smaller scale for other Orlando area theme parks. The big thing in this book is the analytical slant these folks take with regards to "touring" each park. It's Disney number crunching............. Makes sense given it's brought to you by the folks who run the "Touring Plans.com". (More on that site later)
Be aware this guide does come out in the September timeframe of the current year (for the next vacation year) so there can sometimes be information at the moment that isn't in the book. With saying that, the detailed information and vacationer comments make this a great book to use in your planning.
"PassPorter's Walt Disney World - 2014"
The PassPorter's guide is another great source of information. Like "The Unofficial Guide....." it covers all the primary points. This guide gives, what I feel, is a much more in depth look at the resorts than any other. Like other guide books it also rates the attractions, but what I really like is it includes attraction ratings from a child's perspective. One of the guides authors is a young man of 9 years who gives his point of view on each attraction. A great perspective for families.
This guide too is backed up by a website "Passporter.com", where you can get more information and what I believe is a great feature................updates to the guide. Yes they post updates to their guide for use by folks who've purchased. Great feature!
Now you have your reading material what about "online" resources...................
The Internet
Another vital resource to your vacation planning are the literally hundreds (probably thousands) of sites on the Internet that are specific to WDW. They come in all shapes and sizes and types. There are sites for particular resorts http://www.wildernesslodgesite.com/. You'll find WDW food sites, our favorite is http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/, message boards http://www.disboards.com/index.php/. Another favorite site is http://www.mousesavers.com/ which has tons of details on Disney and they are the goto site for Disney discounts.
As far as the internet goes...........Just Google it.............and you'll have more information than you can deal with.
Facebook
Most of us are on Facebook and there's quite a large community of Disney fanatics there too. Several that I'm a member of are: WDW September 2014 Planners! (My 1st Disney FB group!!!!); Disney World Junkies; Walt Disney World Insiders - Get the INSIDE story! These are great groups to connect with people who are planning their vacations and to ask questions.
YouTube
My final planning tool is YouTube. YouTube is a fantastic resource for viewable information regarding WDW. Do a search for the particular thing you're interested in ......perhaps "Walt Disney World" and you're overwhelmed with video's about WDW. This is a great place for current information but what is real fun is all the historical video that's available. Search "Opening of Disney World" and you can watch the 1971 broadcast of the opening of WDW.
Another great YouTube subscription is The "DIS Unplugged". It's a great video podcast that broadcasts once a week. Their primary show is a WDW centric show but the DISteam also discusses other theme parks in the Orlando area and the Disney Cruise line, AND they also do a Disneyland cast too.... I really like this group they give out great information that is current and timely. You can also go back and review older podcasts for previously given resort and dining reviews.
Ok, sorry for that delay.............next article we'll get into planning ARRIVAL DAY!!!!! I promise.
I'll start off with the guide books. I usually get them all, but there are 2 books that I have become very fond of because of the details they provide. They are "The Unofficial Guide - Walt Disney World 2014" by Bob Sehlinger & Len Test, the second is "PassPorter's Walt Disney World - 2014" by Jennifer Marx, Dave Marx, and Alexander Marx.
"The Unofficial Guide - Walt Disney World 2014"
This guide book is the definitive encyclopedia of all things WDW for the given year. It covers detailed information on resorts, dining, parks, and attractions for WDW and on a smaller scale for other Orlando area theme parks. The big thing in this book is the analytical slant these folks take with regards to "touring" each park. It's Disney number crunching............. Makes sense given it's brought to you by the folks who run the "Touring Plans.com". (More on that site later)
Be aware this guide does come out in the September timeframe of the current year (for the next vacation year) so there can sometimes be information at the moment that isn't in the book. With saying that, the detailed information and vacationer comments make this a great book to use in your planning.
"PassPorter's Walt Disney World - 2014"
The PassPorter's guide is another great source of information. Like "The Unofficial Guide....." it covers all the primary points. This guide gives, what I feel, is a much more in depth look at the resorts than any other. Like other guide books it also rates the attractions, but what I really like is it includes attraction ratings from a child's perspective. One of the guides authors is a young man of 9 years who gives his point of view on each attraction. A great perspective for families.
This guide too is backed up by a website "Passporter.com", where you can get more information and what I believe is a great feature................updates to the guide. Yes they post updates to their guide for use by folks who've purchased. Great feature!
Now you have your reading material what about "online" resources...................
The Internet
Another vital resource to your vacation planning are the literally hundreds (probably thousands) of sites on the Internet that are specific to WDW. They come in all shapes and sizes and types. There are sites for particular resorts http://www.wildernesslodgesite.com/. You'll find WDW food sites, our favorite is http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/, message boards http://www.disboards.com/index.php/. Another favorite site is http://www.mousesavers.com/ which has tons of details on Disney and they are the goto site for Disney discounts.
As far as the internet goes...........Just Google it.............and you'll have more information than you can deal with.
Most of us are on Facebook and there's quite a large community of Disney fanatics there too. Several that I'm a member of are: WDW September 2014 Planners! (My 1st Disney FB group!!!!); Disney World Junkies; Walt Disney World Insiders - Get the INSIDE story! These are great groups to connect with people who are planning their vacations and to ask questions.
YouTube
My final planning tool is YouTube. YouTube is a fantastic resource for viewable information regarding WDW. Do a search for the particular thing you're interested in ......perhaps "Walt Disney World" and you're overwhelmed with video's about WDW. This is a great place for current information but what is real fun is all the historical video that's available. Search "Opening of Disney World" and you can watch the 1971 broadcast of the opening of WDW.
Another great YouTube subscription is The "DIS Unplugged". It's a great video podcast that broadcasts once a week. Their primary show is a WDW centric show but the DISteam also discusses other theme parks in the Orlando area and the Disney Cruise line, AND they also do a Disneyland cast too.... I really like this group they give out great information that is current and timely. You can also go back and review older podcasts for previously given resort and dining reviews.
Ok, sorry for that delay.............next article we'll get into planning ARRIVAL DAY!!!!! I promise.