The Unofficial Guide^® Walt Disney World^® 2010

by Bob Sehlinger

• ISBN13: 9780470460269
• ISBN10: 0470460261
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-08-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2010The Series with More than 4 Million Copies Sold!Hotels & attractions, ranked and ratedHow to cut your waits in line by 4 hours a dayBob Sehlinger with Len Testa"Best Travel Series of the Year" -Booklist"A Tourist's Best Friend!" -Chicago Sun-Times"Indispensable" -The New York TimesFive Great Features and Benefitsoffered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide r:1 Exclusively patented, field-tested touring plans that save as much as four hours of standing in line in a single day2 New color section with practical information for your trip3 More than 200 hotels rated and ranked for quality and value, including the top non-Disney hotels for families4 A complete Dining Guide with ratings and reviews of all Walt Disney World restaurants, plus extensive alternatives for dining deals outside the World5 Attractions rated and ranked for each age group; extensive, objective, head-to-head comparisons of the Disney and Universal theme parksSample RatingExpedition Everest (FASTPASS) ....1/2Appeal by Age Preschool ..1/2 Grade School ....1/2 Teens ..... Young Adults ..... Over 30 ..... Seniors ...1/2What it is High-speed, outdoor roller coaster through Nepalese mountain village. Scope and scale Super-headliner. When to go Before 9:30 a.m. or after 4 p.m., or use FASTPASS. Special comments Contains some of the park's most stunning visual elements. Authors' rating ....1/2. Average wait in line per 100 people ahead of you Just under 4 minutes (assumes two trains operating). Loading speed Moderate-fast.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	p. xiv
Introduction	p. 1
Why ""Unofficial""?	p. 1
Declaration of Independence	p. 1
Dance to the Music	p. 1
The Importance of Being Goofy	p. 2
Honey, I Blew Up the Book!	p. 3
For Those Who Desire Additional Information	p. 4
The Death of Spontaneity	p. 5
A Word to Our Readers about Annual Revisions	p. 5
Corrections, Updates, and Breaking News	p. 7
We've Got Attitude	p. 7
The Sum of All Fears	p. 8
Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen?	p. 8
The Unofficial Team	p. 11
The How and the Why of It	p. 11
The Unofficial Guide Publishing Year	p. 12
Letters and Comments from Readers	p. 12
Walt Disney World: An Overview	p. 13
What Walt Disney World Encompasses	p. 13
Disney-speak Pocket Translator	p. 14
The Major Theme Parks	p. 14
The Water Parks	p. 17
Other Walt Disney World Venues	p. 17
Planning before You Leave Home	p. 24
Gathering Information	p. 24
PassPorter Guides	p. 25
Walt Disney World on the Web	p. 25
Wdw Phone Numbers	p. 29-31
When to Go to Walt Disney World	p. 33
Selecting the Time of Year for Your Visit	p. 33
Extra Magic Hours	p. 38
Early Entry (aka Morning Extra Magic Hours)	p. 40
Summer and Holidays	p. 43
The Disney Calendar	p. 45
Making the Most of Your Time and Money	p. 48
Allocating Money	p. 48
Disney and the Recession	p. 48
Walt Disney World Admission Options	p. 48
Help Is on the Way!	p. 49
Magic Your Way	p. 49
Base-ticket Add-on Options	p. 51
Diz Spin	p. 53
A Cloud Is Just a Cloud	p. 54
Big Brother Is Watching	p. 55
How to Get the Most from Magic Your Way	p. 55
Where to Purchase Magic Your Way Tickets	p. 56
For Additional Information on Passes	p. 57
Where the Real Deals Are	p. 57
Free Tickets and the Time-share Game	p. 57
The British Are Coming!	p. 61
More Discounts on Admissions	p. 61
Partially Used Passes Purchased before January 2005	p. 62
How Much Does It Cost per Day?	p. 62
Allocating Time	p. 62
Which Park to See First?	p. 63
Operating Hours	p. 64
Official Opening versus Real Opening	p. 64
The Vacation That Fights Back	p. 64
The Practicality of Returning to Your Hotel for Rest	p. 66
Arrival- and Departure-day Blues: What to Do When You Have Only Half a Day	p. 67
Optimum Touring Situation	p. 69
The Cardinal Rules for Successful Touring	p. 69
What's a Queue?	p. 72
Of Utmost Importance: Read This!	p. 73
Touring Plans: What They Are and How They Work	p. 75
Overview of the Touring Plans	p. 79
Extra Magic Hours and the Touring Plans	p. 87
Fastpass	p. 88
Understanding Walt Disney World Attractions	p. 93
Cutting Your Time in Line by Understanding the Rides	p. 95
Cutting Your Time in Line by Understanding the Shows	p. 97
A Word about Disney Thrill Rides	p. 99
The Wonderful, the Wild, and the Wussy: Central Florida Roller Coasters	p. 100
""Unheralded Treasures"" Touring	p. 105
The Magic Kingdom	p. 106
Epcot	p. 106
Disney's Animal Kingdom	p. 107
Disney's Hollywood Studios	p. 107
Accommodations	p. 108
The Basic Considerations	p. 108
The Tax Man Cometh	p. 108
About Hotel Renovations	p. 109
Benefits of Staying in the World	p. 109
Staying in or out of the World: Weighing the Pros and Cons	p. 110
The Disney Resorts	p. 112
Disney Resorts 101	p. 112
How to Get Discounts on Lodging	p. 115
Choosing a Walt Disney World Hotel	p. 119
Researching Walt Disney World Hotels	p. 133
Unofficial Guide Readers Speak Out	p. 139
Readers' 2009 Disney Resort Report Card	p. 140
Walt Disney World Hotel Profiles	p. 142
The Magic Kingdom Resorts	p. 143
The Epcot Resorts	p. 159
The Bonnet Creek Resorts	p. 174
The Animal Kingdom Resorts	p. 186
Independent Hotels of the Downtown Disney Resort Area	p. 203
Camping at Walt Disney World	p. 207
How to Evaluate a Walt Disney World Travel Package	p. 214
Disney Lodging for Less	p. 214
Walt Disney Travel Company Magic Your Way Packages	p. 216
Number Crunching	p. 226
Throw Me a Line!	p. 226
Packages from a Different Perspective	p. 227
Hotels outside Walt Disney World	p. 228
Selecting and Booking a Hotel outside Walt Disney World	p. 228
Driving Time to the Parks for Visitors Lodging outside Walt Disney World	p. 234
Getting a Good Deal on a Room outside Walt Disney World	p. 234
Condominiums and Vacation Homes	p. 238
The Best Hotels for Families outside Walt Disney World	p. 247
Hotels and Motels: Rated and Ranked	p. 257
What's in a Room?	p. 257
Room Ratings	p. 257
A Word about Toll-free Telephone Numbers	p. 259
The 30 Best Hotel Values	p. 259
The Top 30 Best Deals	p. 261
How The Hotels Compare	p. 262
Hotel Information Chart	p. 268
Serenity Now! A Look at Disney-area Spas	p. 286
Spa Profiles	p. 287
The Disney Cruise Line	p. 292
The Mouse at Sea	p. 292
The Future Is Now	p. 294
The Ships	p. 296
Cabins	p. 297
Services and Amenities	p. 297
Dining	p. 298
Facilities and Entertainment	p. 299
Children's Programs	p. 300
Sports, Fitness, and Beauty	p. 301
Castaway Cay	p. 302
Disney Cruise Line and the Recession	p. 302
Cruise-WDW Packages	p. 303
Advance Reservations for Shore Excursions, Spa, Palo, and Children's Programs	p. 303
A Few Tips	p. 304
Walt Disney World with Kids	p. 305
The Ecstasy and the Agony	p. 305
Reality Testing: Whose Dream Is It?	p. 306
Recommendations for Making the Dream Come True	p. 306
About the Unofficial Guide Touring Plans	p. 317
Stuff to Think About	p. 318
Strollers	p. 320
Lost Children	p. 325
How Kids Get Lost	p. 326
Disney, Kids, and Scary Stuff	p. 328
The Fright Factor	p. 329
Small-Child Fright-Potential Chart	p. 330
A Bit of Preparation	p. 334
Attractions That Eat Adults	p. 335
A World about Height Requirements	p. 335
Attraction and Ride Restrictions	p. 336
Waiting-line Strategies for Adults with Young Children	p. 336
The Disney Characters	p. 342
Meeting Characters for Free	p. 345
Character Dining	p. 347
Character Dining: What to Expect	p. 348
Character-Meal Hit Parade	p. 348
When to Go	p. 350
How to Choose a Character Meal	p. 351
Getting an Advance Reservation at Cinderella's Royal Table	p. 354
Other Character Events	p. 358
Babysitting	p. 358
Special Programs for Children	p. 360
Birthdays and Special Occasions	p. 362
Special Tips for Special People	p. 363
Walt Disney World for Singles	p. 363
Walt Disney World for Couples	p. 363
Weddings	p. 363
Tips for Going Solo	p. 364
Honeymoons and Vows Renewals	p. 366
Romantic Getaways	p. 366
Walt Disney World ""At Large""	p. 366
Walt Disney World for Expectant Mothers	p. 367
More Tips for Moms	p. 369
Walt Disney World for Seniors	p. 370
Getting Around	p. 370
Timing Your Visit	p. 371
Lodging	p. 371
Transportation	p. 372
Senior Dining	p. 372
Behind-the-scenes Tours	p. 372
Walt Disney World for Guests with Disabilities	p. 372
Visitors with Special Needs	p. 374
Friends of Bill W.	p. 378
Guests Who Don't Speak English	p. 378
Arriving and Getting Around	p. 379
Getting There	p. 379
Directions	p. 379
The I-4 Blues	p. 382
Sanford International Airport	p. 382
Security at Orlando International Airport	p. 382
Getting to Walt Disney World from the Airport	p. 383
Disney's Magical Express	p. 384
Renting a Car	p. 388
Rent at the Airport or Off-Site?	p. 388
Getting Oriented	p. 392
A Good Map	p. 392
Finding Your Way Around	p. 393
How to Travel around the World (or The Real Mr. Toad's Wild Ride)	p. 393
Transportation Trade-offs for Guests: Lodging outside Walt Disney World	p. 393
All You Need to Know about Driving to the Theme Parks	p. 396
Good Fuzz, Bad Fuzz	p. 397
Sneak Routes	p. 397
Taking a Shuttle Bus from Your Out-of-the-World Hotel	p. 403
The Disney Transportation System	p. 403
Door-To-Door Commuting Times to and from the Disney Resorts and Parks	p. 406
Bare Necessities	p. 412
Credit Cards and Money	p. 412
Credit Cards	p. 412
Banking Services	p. 412
A License to Print Money	p. 412
Visiting More Than One Park in a Single Day	p. 413
Problems and Unusual Situations	p. 413
Attractions Closed for Repairs	p. 413
Car Trouble	p. 413
Gasoline	p. 413
Lost and Found	p. 414
Medical Matters	p. 414
Sergeant Blisterblaster's Guide to Happy Feet	p. 415
Rain	p. 416
How to Lodge a Complaint with Disney	p. 416
Services	p. 418
Messages	p. 418
Pet Care	p. 418
PhotoPass	p. 418
Excuse Me, but Where Can I Find...	p. 419
Dining in and around Walt Disney World	p. 422
Dining outside Walt Disney World	p. 422
Take Out Express	p. 423
Dining at Universal CityWalk	p. 423
Where to Eat outside Walt Disney World	p. 424
Buffet and Meal Deals outside Walt Disney World	p. 427
Dining in Walt Disney World	p. 430
Getting It Right	p. 430
Disney Dining 101	p. 431
It's the Economy, Pluto	p. 431
Advance Reservations: What's in a Name	p. 431
Behind the Scenes at Advance Reservations	p. 431
Getting Your Act Together	p. 432
Dress	p. 434
Smoking	p. 435
Food Allergies and Special Requests	p. 436
A Few Caveats	p. 437
Walt Disney World Restaurant Categories	p. 437
Walt Disney World Buffets and Family-Style Restaurants	p. 439
Hard Choices	p. 440
Full-service Dining for Families with Young Children	p. 440
Quiet, Romantic Places to Eat	p. 441
Fast Food in the Theme Parks	p. 442
Disney Dining Suggestions	p. 447
The Magic Kingdom	p. 447
Epcot	p. 449
Animal Kingdom	p. 453
Disney's Hollywood Studios	p. 454
More Reader Comments about Walt Disney World Dining	p. 456
Counter-service Restaurant Mini-profiles	p. 459
Walt Disney World Restaurants: Rated and Ranked	p. 468
Readers' Restaurant-survey Responses	p. 469
Walt Disney World Restaurants by Cuisine	p. 470
Full-service Restaurant Profiles	p. 474
The Magic Kingdom	p. 513
Arriving	p. 513
Getting Oriented	p. 514
Starting the Tour	p. 514
Fastpass at the Magic Kingdom	p. 515
Main Street, U.S.A.	p. 515
Adventureland	p. 519
Frontierland	p. 522
Liberty Square	p. 528
Fantasyland	p. 530
Mickey's Toontown Fair	p. 537
Tomorrowland	p. 541
Live Entertainment in the Magic Kingdom	p. 547
Parades	p. 550
Afternoon Parade	p. 550
Evening Parade(s)	p. 550
Parade Route and Vantage Points	p. 550
Vantage Points for Fireworks	p. 552
Leaving the Park after Evening Parades and Fireworks	p. 553
Traffic Patterns in the Magic Kingdom	p. 554
Magic Kingdom Touring Plans	p. 556
Choosing the Appropriate Touring Plan	p. 556
Magic Kingdom Touring-plan Companion	p. 558
The Single-day Touring Conundrum	p. 558
Preliminary Instructions for All Magic Kingdom Touring Plans	p. 559
What to Do If You Get Off-track	p. 559
Park-opening Procedures	p. 559
Before You Go	p. 560
Magic Kingdom One-day Touring Plan for Adults	p. 560
Authors' Selective Magic Kingdom One-day Touring Plan for Adults	p. 560
Magic Kingdom One-day Touring Plan for Parents with Young Children	p. 560
Magic Kingdom Dumbo-or-Die-in-a-Day Touring Plan for Parents with Young Children	p. 561
Magic Kingdom Two-day Touring Plan	p. 561
Epcot	p. 562
Overview	p. 562
Operating Hours	p. 562
Arriving	p. 563
Getting Oriented	p. 563
The Epcot Acronym	p. 565
Future World	p. 565
Guest Relations	p. 566
The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion	p. 568
The Land Pavilion	p. 570
Imagination! Pavilion	p. 572
Test Track Pavilion	p. 574
World Showcase	p. 579
Mexico Pavilion	p. 581
Norway Pavilion	p. 582
China Pavilion	p. 583
Germany Pavilion	p. 583
Italy Pavilion	p. 584
United States Pavilion	p. 584
Japan Pavilion	p. 586
Morocco Pavilion	p. 586
France Pavilion	p. 586
United Kingdom Pavilion	p. 587
Canada Pavilion	p. 587
Live Entertainment in Epcot	p. 588
IllumiNations	p. 590
IllumiNations Cruise	p. 594
Traffic Patterns in Epcot	p. 594
Epcot Touring Plans	p. 595
Preliminary Instructions for All Epcot Touring Plans	p. 596
Epcot One-day Touring Plan	p. 596
Authors' Selective Epcot One-day Touring Plan	p. 596
Epcot Two-day Sunrise-Starlight Touring Plan	p. 597
Epcot Two-day Early-riser Touring Plan	p. 597
Animal Kingdom	p. 598
Arriving	p. 602
Operating Hours	p. 603
Getting Oriented	p. 604
The Oasis	p. 605
A Word about Animal Kingdom Live Shows	p. 606
Discovery Island	p. 606
Camp Minnie-Mickey	p. 608
Africa	p. 610
Rafiki's Planet Watch	p. 612
Asia	p. 614
DinoLand U.S.A.	p. 620
Live Entertainment in Animal Kingdom	p. 624
Traffic Patterns in Animal Kingdom	p. 625
Animal Kingdom Touring Plans	p. 626
Before You Go	p. 626
Animal Kingdom ""Not a Touring Plan"" Touring Plans	p. 626
Animal Kingdom One-day Touring Plan	p. 626
Behind the Scenes at Walt Disney World	p. 628
Behind the Scenes at the Magic Kingdom	p. 628
Behind the Scenes at Epcot	p. 629
Epcot DiveQuest	p. 630
Dolphins in Depth	p. 631
Seas Aqua Tour	p. 632
Behind the Scenes at Animal Kingdom	p. 632
Disney's Hollywood Studios, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld	p. 633
Disney's Hollywood Studios versus Universal Studios Florida	p. 633
Disney's Hollywood Studios	p. 636
The End of the MGM Connection	p. 636
Self-promotion Run Amok	p. 637
How Much Time to Allocate	p. 637
Disney's Hollywood Studios in the Evening	p. 637
Arriving at Disney's Hollywood Studios	p. 640
Getting Oriented at Disney's Hollywood Studios	p. 640
Disney's Hollywood Studios Attractions	p. 641
Hollywood Boulevard	p. 641
Sunset Boulevard	p. 641
Live Entertainment at Disney's Hollywood Studios	p. 661
Disney's Hollywood Studios Touring Plan	p. 662
Before You Go	p. 663
Disney's Hollywood Studios ""Not a Touring Plan"" Touring Plans	p. 663
Disney's Hollywood Studios One-day Touring Plan	p. 663
Universal Orlando	p. 663
Lodging at Universal Orlando	p. 666
Arriving at Universal Orlando	p. 666
Early Entry and Universal Express	p. 667
Singles Lines	p. 669
Lockers	p. 669
Universal, Kids, and Scary Stuff	p. 669
Quitting Time	p. 670
TNA Wrestling and Blue Man Group	p. 670
Universal Studios Florida	p. 672
Universal Studios Florida Attractions	p. 673
Live Entertainment at Universal Studios Florida	p. 689
Universal Studios Florida Touring Plan	p. 690
Buying Admission to Universal Studios Florida	p. 690
Universal Studios Florida One-day Touring Plan	p. 690
Universal's Islands of Adventure	p. 690
Beware of the Wet and Wild	p. 691
Getting Oriented at Islands of Adventure	p. 694
Islands of Adventure Attractions	p. 695
Marvel Super Hero Island	p. 695
Toon Lagoon	p. 697
Jurassic Park	p. 699
The Lost Continent	p. 700
Seuss Landing	p. 704
Islands of Adventure Touring Plan	p. 706
Islands of Adventure One-day Touring Plan	p. 706
Sea World	p. 706
Discovery Cove	p. 709
The Water Parks	p. 711
You're Soaking in It!	p. 711
Watch the Weather	p. 711
Extra Magic Hours	p. 711
Blizzard Beach	p. 712
Typhoon Lagoon	p. 714
Shark Reef	p. 716
Surf Pool	p. 717
Wet'n Wild	p. 718
Body and Mat Slides	p. 719
Raft and Tube Rides	p. 719
Other Attractions	p. 720
WakeZone	p. 721
Aquatica by SeaWorld	p. 721
Typhoon Lagoon versus Blizzard Beach	p. 723
When to Go	p. 724
Planning Your Day at Disney Water Parks	p. 725
Beyond the Parks	p. 730
Downtown Disney	p. 730
Downtown Disney Marketplace	p. 730
Whither Pleasure Island?	p. 730
Disney's West Side	p. 731
DisneyQuest	p. 731
Espn Wide World of Sports Complex	p. 734
Walt Disney World Speedway	p. 734
Walt Disney World Golf	p. 735
Golf beyond Walt Disney World	p. 738
Other Standout Courses in Orlando	p. 740
The Best of the Rest	p. 743
Miniature Golf	p. 745
Shopping in and out of Walt Disney World	p. 746
Hey, Big Spender	p. 746
Pin Mania	p. 747
Shopping in Walt Disney World	p. 750
Tips for Disney Shopping	p. 750
I Need...	p. 750
Downtown Disney	p. 751
The Magic Kingdom	p. 755
Epcot	p. 757
Animal Kingdom	p. 760
Disney's Hollywood Studios	p. 761
Disney Outlet Stores	p. 761
Shopping beyond Walt Disney World	p. 762
Celebration	p. 762
Universal CityWalk	p. 762
International Drive	p. 763
Outlets	p. 763
Traditional Shopping	p. 764
Nightlife in and out of Walt Disney World	p. 766
Walt Disney World at Night	p. 766
In the Theme Parks	p. 766
At the Hotels	p. 766
At Fort Wilderness Campground	p. 767
At Disney's BoardWalk	p. 767
At Coronado Springs Resort	p. 767
At Downtown Disney	p. 767
Walt Disney World Dinner Theaters	p. 770
Other Area Dinner Theaters	p. 773
Universal CityWalk	p. 773
Appendix, Indexes, Touring Plans, and Reader Surveys	p. 775
Readers' Questions to the Author	p. 775
Readers' Comments	p. 777
Accommodations Index	p. 781
Restaurant Index	p. 787
Subject Index	p. 790
Touring Plans	p. 811
Clip-out Touring-plan Companions	p. 837
2010 Unofficial Guide Reader Survey	p. 845
Walt Disney World Restaurant Surveys	p. 847
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