5 comments about PassPorter's Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line: Easy Access Vacations for Travelers with Extra Challenges (PassPorter).

1. We discovered valuable information in this book each time we looked up a ride, show, eating area of the WDW complex during our recent trip to WDW. We used this guide every day of our trip. Our group included multiple members with a variety of special needs and we found that each recommendation in the book was "right on". The book offered great recommendations for essentially everything one might come across in WDW. This is a fantastic book for anyone who might have a special concern about dealing with any aspect of your WDW vacation.
   The best elements of this book are:
   
   1) Its organization: The book is organized so that one can look up information and suggestions either by the attraction or the "special need".
   
   2) The broad range of "needs" covered: Whether you are concerned about easy fatigability, size, child related (and adult related problems) such as ADD/ADHD, Torrette's, autism-spectrum disorders, pregnancy (and fertility issues!), physical or emotional limitations, sun-sensitivity, chronic health problems or basically any area of concern that might affect you or your traveling group- you will find information here.
   
   3) A large number of contributing authors with personal experience with each of the conditions.
   
   4) Included information on the roughness or "scary factor" of the rides or shows- which will be helpful to anyone, not just people who identify themselves as having special needs.
   
   5) Information of where to rent equipment: scooters, wheelchairs, vehicles capable of transporting scooters or wheelchairs, etc...and not just listing the places inside the park. We found that we were not the only people who rented from outside the park...no wonder- this saved the major hassle of tracking down equipment each day.
   
   6) PRE-trip recommendations: Buy this book before you make reservations at WDW. Great suggestions on the accessibility of the various "resorts" and even hotels outside of the park are invaluable. For example, if a "zero entry" (wheelchair accessible) pool is important to you...the few resorts that have these are clearly noted. The places to stay that are on the Monorail line or closest to the area of WDW (eg. Magic Kingdom vs Epcot vs...) are clearly noted. Staying in lodging that best visits the needs of the members of your family or group is a "make it or break it" deal for your vacation!
   
   7) The usual awesome "PassPorter" style of the book...with all the typical features found in this series.
   
   Given the vast diversity of the population who visits Walt Disney World, and the number of people we saw using wheelchairs, scooter, special strollers, etc.- it is very likely that most visiting groups will find useful information in this book. Plus- the link to the PassPorter website gives even more helpful information.
   
   Be sure to buy this book when planning your vacation! But even if your reservations are "locked in" you will find the book extremely helpful!



2. This book provide great information on everything in Disney World. They provide it on Resorts, Dining, and Theme Parks. They did not update it fully for this year. For example it goes up to 2007 for the yearly celebration or Hollywood Studios' new parade but it included Toy Story Mania. The book hardly contained anything on Disney Cruise Line. It should contain more information on entertainment and food and activites onboard and Castaway Cay and prices but it did not. It should be called "Open Mouse for Walt Disney World" without having Disney Cruise Line added to the title.



3. I think this book has valuable information. It is a good book. I am a person with health considerations and a big Disney Fan. I found this book and the Walt Disney World with Disabilities both very helpful. Since they are both good references for my needs with their own style and quality I used them both.



4. Although we have visited Walt Disney World many times, the information available in this book was genuinely helpful. We're also looking into the cruise/park vacation packages, and there seemed to be a lot of information there, too.



5. I got this book and was so impressed with it my sister got it to. its one of the best books you can have for WDW. I give it 10 stars.

5 comments about Florida (Eyewitness Travel Guide).

1. You will love the photography, simplicity, and the creative work put behind this travel book on Florida.



2. I love this kind of guide for all the images they show of the places you are going to see. The only problem I have is that there is no much information about accomodations. For that I had to look into another guide or online.



3. I really like those DK series book. I still didn`t go to Florida but the book is very nice.



4. This is one of the best, most complete guides to Florida travel. I have several Florida guide and travel resources and find that I always go back to this book.



5. I bought it for my girlfriend before our trip to Florida, and it helped her visualize thing better than researching on the internet. I grew up in Jupiter, FL and now live out west, but I learned at least 100 new places and things that I didn't know, especially around Miami and The Keys where we were going.

No comments about Zagat Walt Disney World Insider's Guide 2008/09 (Zagat Walt Disney World Insider's Guide).

5 comments about Weird Florida (Weird).

1. This is a rather odd collection of novelty sites in Florida. Some involve ghost stories, and others are natural phenomena. The book won't serve as a guide of places to visit, as details on location are sketchy. It is colorfully illustrated with photos.
   Is there lost pirate's treasure in South Florida? Is there a skunk ape near Bardin? Check out the smallest post office in the U.S. (at Ochopee). See Florida's weirdest mailbox (a skeleton on a motorcycle).
   The writing has a "gee whiz" style and is corroborated by semi-anonymous endorsements of the legends.
   Interesting enough for a quick flip through, but lacking in real substance or solid research.



2. It was interesting and fun to see these wacky sites plus to read the folklore, and it does kind of aid the tourist who wants to see weird parts of
   the state. But I found more enjoyable was Elliots Kleinberg's Book
   of the same name.



3. Funny, wacky, well-written and super illustrations. This is a terrific book on our beloved state. Do not be confused by another book with the same name. It's Charley Carlson who has our state perfectly in his sights. Love this book and strongly recommend it.



4. Had purchased a copy of this book while on vacation in south Florida. Enjoyed it so much that I decided to purchase copies for family as Christmas gifts. My husband and his family have been here since 1969 and always told me stories and I thought they were pulling my leg. Not So!! Fun reading for other states as well.



5. Written by a Florida native, Weird Florida contains a lot of funny and strange stories. Although not strictly a travel book, a little more effort could have been given to directions and locations. Frequently it seems the author assumes a pretty detailed knowledge of Florida geography. Some towns used as location indicators are tiny and obscure, even they are nearby a major metro area, which is usually unmentioned. Otherwise it seems to be a good collection of anecdotes, stories, sightings and legends. Will see many of the places on an upcoming trip to Florida.

5 comments about Drive I-95: Exit by Exit Info, Maps, History and Trivia.

1. This book is great! Not only does it give the standard I95 exit information (restaurants, hotels, etc.) but it also gives many points of interest for families...rest areas where you can play ball or places not far from exits where you can have fun.
   I can't believe how extensive this book is and how accurate since it's a few years old now and things they are a changin' along I95 North to South.
   We really enjoyed this book along our trip - reading ahead of time is recommended so that you can be aware of places to stop before you get there.



2. Drive I-95 by Stan Posner and Sandra Phillips-Posner has been released in updated 4th Edition. It is a very comprehensive guidebook for any drive along the North-South route of the United States most Eastward coastal highway. This edition now includes Florida. With maps, radar traps, radio stations, 24 hour gas info, good eats and sleeps, where pets are welcomed, unususal shopping opportunities, fun places to visit, and fascinating historical facts along the route, you cannot leave home for that highway without this book! You'll miss so much! The excellent book, with exit by exit itemized information, has won the Book of the Year Seal, Best Books Award, and Benjamin Franklin Award. It is compact and sturdy enough to tuck into your car door pocket. EXCELLENT!!!



3. As someone who travels I-95 often, I was delighted to discover "Drive I-95." What a valuable tool for the vacationer or the everyday traveler!
   
   This slick, spiral book is an ideal guide to everything you need to help make your trip more pleasant. Exits for every segment of I-95 from Massachusetts to the tip of Florida, where I-95 ends, are documented with important landmarks, motels, restaurants/fast food places, service stations, and drug and grocery stores. A book flap gives the dial location and program types for the strongest radio stations along the way. Following the map section, the traveler will find more than 100 pages of interesting tidbits concerning history and places found near I-95. These include segments, with exit numbers, about the Torpedo Factory Art Center, located in Alexandria, VA; Gadsby's Tavern (an historic restaurant at the same exit); St. John's Church in Richmond, VA where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech about liberty or death; the Best Western Space Shuttle Inn; Outlets at Vero Beach, FL; Worth Ave. in Palm Beach, FL and much more. The back inside cover has a list of motel chain 800 numbers.
   
   Drive I-95 is a treasure you will want to keep in your car as you travel from Boston to Miami and lots of places in between. What a great idea!
   
   --Mary Montague Sikes, author of Hotels to Remember



4. Now in a fully updated fourth edition, "Drive I-95" continues to be the premier guidebook for the more than 42,500,000 people who drive to Florida every year down Interstate 95. It accurately charts all 552 exits on I-95 from Boston to Miami. It is also a wealth of information about food options, motels, radar traps, radio stations, 24-hour mechanics (a unique feature not found in other travel guides) ATM machines, shopping recommendations, and even some of the best golf courses to be found along the route. With anecdotal stories such as the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, North Carolina having been started with a kiss, to a listing of motel chain 800 numbers, to so much more, "Drive I-95" continues to be the premier and confidently recommended travel guide for anyone driving up or down I-95!



5. Haven't had time to actually use this book so far but my sisters. one of whom has used an older version of this book in the past, used theirs recently while traveling north. They found it very helpful in locating places to eat and stay overnight. We did notice however that one or two of the eating places in our own area of Santee are no longer in business.
   
   I hope to get my chance to use it shortly.

5 comments about 101 Things You Never Knew About Walt Disney World: An Unauthorized Look at Tributes, Little Touches, And Inside Jokes.

1. This was an unsatisfactory book. Beyond the lack of content, it was poorly edited with entire paragraphs being duplicated in various instances of the 101 'things'. There was little of value that I gained from the book. I bought this because our family will travel to disney for the first time next year and I can't say I have taken much away from it. This book seemed like the type of content that would be handed out on a promotional flyer which had a map of disney on it.



2. Great book for those who have never been to WDW and for those who have been before. There really were things I never knew.



3. I should have known from the cover of this book that there was trouble in River City. Trouble with a capital T that rhymes with B that stands for "bored now." There was literally not a single thing in this book that I hadn't heard/read/learned somewhere else. I suppose if you had absolutely positively never in your life been to Disney or read anything at all about the park, you might be interested... then again, probably not. It's positively insulting to Disney fans that the author tries to pass off what amounts to information readily available in a thousand other places as his own work.



4. This is a great book for any one who is interested in the details of Disney World. There is a lot of information is this book that is revealed to you on the "backstage" tours at the parks, but with the book, it's easier to remember all the stuff you learned!



5. Excellent book. It had lots of interesting facts. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Walt Disney World.

1 comments about Frommer's South Florida: With the best of Miami & the Keys (Frommer's Complete).

1. This book has been a great help in deciding what to do on our trip to Fl this summer. We are traveling from Miami to Key West and it is filled with info about different things to do and even has a map. Wounderful buy.

5 comments about Florida Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. I use this book occasionally, but it is lacks the detailed for use by itself. Where I do use it is with mapquest, that tends to not show the smaller lakes, but the Gazetteer does a much better job.



2. Easy to read and use, invaluable when traveling in city or hiking in rural areas. Very detailed, provides names of area sites that are interesting to stop by, which are not included on road maps.



3. A bit difficult to handle (size). Good enough to use in your car.



4. This book has it all! My hubby just entered the boating world, and this book is a great guide to rivers, campsites, boat ramps, and more. A must have if you are the adventure type!



5. I have purchased every updated version of this book for quite a number of years. In Florida, roads and public lands change constantly, so each new edition is like re-discovering my home state.
   
   I also buy the books for North Carolina and Virginia.

3 comments about Birnbaum's Walt Disney World Dining Guide 2008 (Birnbaum's Walt Disney World Dining Guide).

1. If you are simply looking for locations, themes and price points this is your guide. But if you are looking for details on the best items on the menu, atmosphere, little known facts, etc this couldn't be a worse book for you.
   
   I realize that everyone has different taste, but you can in fact generalize; something the authors of this book seem to want to avoid at all costs. This books is straight fact, no opinion.
   
   I guess I'll have to follow my Dad's method for finding a good place to eat. "When in a new place, always look for the restaurant in town with a full parking lot; it may not be fancy but the food should be good."



2. If you have the regular birnbaums guide it should do fine. dont waste your money on this. it doesnt give any reviews or helpful hints at all. its just a basic rundown of each restaurant which is already in the birnbaums regular book.



3. There were two things I hoped to get from this dining guide - menus to help me make dining choices, and reviews of the various restaurants and food stands so I could avoid expensive but lousy food. This was important to me, as you have to make reservations WAY in advance of a trip to WDW to avoid waiting hours in line for food. What I got was Disney propaganda instead of critical reviews, and very little in the way of menu information. I suggest instead the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World by Bob Sehlinger, which has critical, more detailed reviews of each WDW dining option. The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2008 (Unofficial Guides)

3 comments about Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to Universal SeaWorld & the Best of Central Florida (Unofficial Guides).

1. Complete and informative guide to the attractions in Central Florida arrived in new condition and on schedule, as it was ordered before it was available. It's up-to-date information makes it very useful for the tourist and resident alike. It's amazing to see what all is available in our area.



2. This book helped us navigate the Orlando experience minus Disney. the tips in the book let us breakfast at Sea World before it "officially" opened. We saw more of the shows and the animals because of the great directions in this book. I tore the pages for Sea World right out of my copy of the book, so I could have the information with me at the park without the problem of carrying the big book.
   
   Kudos to the author and his research!



3. Beyond Disney is meant to be used as a second guide when planning a trip to Orlando. They assume that you have purchased The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2008 (Unofficial Guides) or something similar and are using this one for the other theme parks in the area. This is a good idea but there are some problems with it. First, the Universal Parks are already covered in the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and that material is largely dropped in here with no significant changes. So if you have the Unofficial WDW book, then you don't need to see that again here.
   
   The main value in this book lies in the coverage of Sea World and Busch Gardens. Both are major theme parks and get full coverage here. I found the Busch Gardens information especially helpful. Busch has so many attractions that you can't possibly enjoy every one in a single day and this guide will help you focus on what you might enjoy the most. This is the only book in the Unofficial Guide series where you'll find material on Busch and Sea World, and many of the other publishers ignore those parks completely. If you are interested in attending either park, then I highly recommend Beyond Disney. If you plan to stick to WDW and/or the Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure area then you can safely skip this.