Table of Contents

List of Maps and Diagrams

Introduction

PART ONE Walt Disney World: An Overview

• What Is Disney World?
• Universal Orlando

PART TWO Planning Before You Leave Home

• Gathering Information
• When to Go to Walt Disney World

PART THREE Making the Most of Your Time

• Allocating Time
• How to Avoid Long Waits in Line

PART FOUR Making the Most of Your Money

• Allocating Money
• Walt Disney World Admission Tickets
• Optional Expenses

PART FIVE Accommodations

• The Basic Considerations
• The Disney Resorts
• Readers’ Resort Report Card
• Walt Disney World Hotel Profiles
• How to Evaluate a Walt Disney World Travel Package
• Hotels Outside Walt Disney World
• Hotels and Motels: Rated and Ranked

PART SIX Dining In and Around Walt Disney World

• Reader Surveys Plus Expert Opinions: Our Approach to Dining
• Dining in Walt Disney World
• What’s New?
• Disney Dining
• Character Dining
• Disney Dining Suggestions
• Counter-Service Mini-Profiles
• Full-Service Restaurants In Depth
• Dining Outside Walt Disney World

PART SEVEN Walt Disney World with Kids

• The Ecstasy and the Agony
• Lost Children
• Disney, Kids, and Scary Stuff
• Waiting-Line Strategies for Adults with Young Children
• The Disney Characters
• Character Meals
• Childcare
• Special Children's Programs
• Birthdays and Special Occasions

PART EIGHT Special Tips for Special People

• Walt Disney World for Guests with Special Needs
• Walt Disney World “At Large”
• Walt Disney World for Seniors
• Walt Disney World for International Visitors
• Walt Disney World for Expectant Mothers
• Walt Disney World for Singles
• Walt Disney World for Couples

PART NINE Arriving and Getting Around

• Getting to Walt Disney World
• How to Travel Around the World (or, The Real Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride)

PART TEN Bare Necessities

• Money, Etc.
• In-Park Issues
• Services

PART ELEVEN The Magic Kingdom

• Overview
• Arriving
• Getting Oriented
• Main Street, U.S.A.
• Adventureland
• Frontierland
• Liberty Square
• Fantasyland
• Tomorrowland
• Magic Kingdom Entertainment
• Traffic Patterns in the Magic Kingdom
• Magic Kingdom Touring Plans

PART TWELVE Epcot

• Overview
• Arriving
• Getting Oriented
• Future World
• World Showcase
• Epcot Entertainment
• Traffic Patterns in Epcot
• Epcot Touring Plans

PART THIRTEEN Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Overview
• Arriving
• Getting Oriented
• The Oasis
• Discovery Island
• Africa
• Asia
• DinoLand U.S.A.
• Pandora—The World of Avatar
• Animal Kingdom Entertainment
• Traffic Patterns in Animal Kingdom
• Animal Kingdom Touring Plan

PART FOURTEEN Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Overview
• Arriving
• Getting Oriented
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Attractions
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Entertainment
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Touring Plan

PART FIFTEEN Universal Orlando

• Overview
• Universal’s Islands of Adventure
• Universal Studios Florida

PART SIXTEEN The Water Parks

• You’re Soaking in It!
• Planning Your Day at Disney Water Parks
• Water-Park Touring Plans
• Blizzard Beach
• Typhoon Lagoon
• Universal’s Volcano Bay

PART SEVENTEEN Behind-the-Scenes and VIP Tours at Walt Disney World

• Multipark Tours
• Behind the Scenes at the Magic Kingdom
• Behind the Scenes at Epcot
• Behind the Scenes at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Behind the Scenes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• VIP Tours

PART EIGHTEEN Disney Springs, Shopping, and Nightlife

• Disney Springs
• Shopping in the Theme Parks and Orlando
• Nightlife at Walt Disney World Resorts

PART NINETEEN Recreation, Sports, and Spas

• Walt Disney World Recreation
• Run, Disney, Run
• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
• Miniature Golf
• Serenity Now! A Look at Disney-Area Spas

APPENDIX A Readers’ Questions and Comments

• Readers’ Questions to the Authors
• Readers’ Comments

APPENDIX B Understanding Walt Disney World Attractions

• Cut Your Time in Line by Understanding the Rides
• Cut Your Time in Line by Understanding the Shows

Accommodations Index

Restaurant Index

Subject Index

Touring Plans

About the Author

Bob Sehlinger, a Lowell Thomas Award-winning journalist, is best known as the creator and producer of The Unofficial Guide series.

Len Testa, a lifelong Disney theme park fan, is also coauthor of The Color Companion to Walt Disney World, The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, and The Unofficial Guide to the Disney Cruise Line. Len leads the team at TouringPlans.com, a research arm of The Unofficial Guides.

Reviews

“In the Disney world, there is one source of information revered and trusted above all others: [The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World].”
--Paul Gauder, WDW Family Style “If you’re looking for a reliable guidebook, the leader is the Unofficial series.”
--The Mail (London) “A Tourist’s Best Friend!”
--Chicago Sun-Times “Indispensable”
--The New York Times “The Unofficial Guide is, without question, one of the best Disney travel guides available.”
--MouseChat.net