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List of Maps.
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
How Come “Unofficial”?
Declaration of Independence.
The Importance of Being Goofy.
Honey, I Blew Up the Book!
A Word to Our Readers about Annual Revisions.
We Got Attitude.
The Sum of All Fears.
Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen?
The How and the Why of It.
The Unofficial Guide Publishing Year.
Letters and Comments from Readers.
Walt Disney World: An Overview.
What Walt Disney World Encompasses.
The Major Theme Parks.
The Water Theme Parks.
Other Walt Disney World Venues.
The Ruffled Mouse.
Part One: Planning Before You Leave Home.
Gathering Information.
Request Information Early.
Disney Magazine.
The Organizer.
Walt Disney World on the Web.
Important Walt Disney World Telephone Numbers.
When to Go to Walt Disney World.
Selecting the Time of Year for Your Visit.
Selecting the Day of the Week for Your Visit.
Early Entry: Now You See It, Now You Don’t, Now You See It . . . .
And Now . . . Ta-Da! Our Recommendations.
Summer and Holidays.
The Disney Calendar.
Part Two: Making the Most of Your Time and Money.
Allocating Money.
Walt Disney World Admission Options.
Which Admission Should You Buy?
Another Tip for Saving Money on Admissions.
Discounts on Admissions.
Partially Used Passes.
Where to Buy Your Admission at Walt Disney World.
Where to Buy Your Admission in Advance.
Where Not to Buy Your Admission in Advance.
How Much Does It Cost per Day at Walt Disney World?
Allocating Time.
Which Park to See First?
Operating Hours.
Official Opening vs. Real Opening.
The Vacation that Fights Back.
Arrival-Day Blues: What to Do When You Only Have a Half Day.
Optimum Touring Situation.
The Cardinal Rules for Successful Touring.
What’s a Queue?
Touring Plans: What They Are and How They Work.
General Overview of the Touring Plans.
A Word about Early Entry and the Touring Plans.
FASTPASS.
Understanding Walt Disney World Attractions.
Cutting Your Time in Line by Understanding the Rides.
Cutting Your Time in Line by Understanding the Shows.
A Word about Disney Thrill Rides.
Part Three: Selecting Your Hotel.
The Basic Considerations.
About Hotel Renovations.
Benefits of Staying in the World.
Staying in or out of the World: Weighing the Pros and Cons.
The Disney Resorts.
Disney Resorts 101.
How to Get Discounts on Lodging at Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney World Lodging Areas.
Choosing a Walt Disney World Hotel.
Disney Resort Amenities and Recreation.
Readers’ 2003 Disney Resort Report Card.
Walt Disney World Hotel Profiles.
The Magic Kingdom Resorts.
The Epcot Resorts.
The Bonnet Creek Resorts.
The Animal Kingdom Resorts.
Independent Hotels of the Disney Village Hotel Plaza.
Camping at Walt Disney World.
How to Evaluate a Walt Disney World Travel Package.
Some Tips from Mary Waring.
Hotels outside Walt Disney World.
Selecting and Booking a Hotel outside Walt Disney World.
Driving to the Theme Parks for Visitors Lodging outside Walt Disney World.
Getting a Good Deal on a Room outside Walt Disney World.
Renting a Vacation Home.
The Best Hotels for Families outside Walt Disney World.
Hotels and Motels: Rated and Ranked.
What’s in a Room?
Room Ratings.
How the Hotels Compare.
The Top 30 Best Deals.
Part Four: The Disney Cruise Line.
The Mouse at Sea.
The Ships.
Cabins.
Services and Amenities.
Dining.
Facilities and Entertainment.
Children’s Programs.
Sports, Fitness, and Beauty.
Castaway Cay.
Rates.
A Few Tips.
Part Five: Walt Disney World with Kids.
The Ecstasy and the Agony.
Reality Testing: Whose Dream Is It?
Recommendations for Making the Dream Come True.
Lost Children.
How Kids Get Lost.
Disney, Kids, and Scary Stuff.
Small-Child Fright-Potential Chart.
The Fright Factor.
A Bit of Preparation.
Attractions that Eat Adults.
A Word about Height Requirements.
Waiting-Line Strategies for Adults with Young Children.
The Disney Characters.
Meeting Characters for Free.
Character Dining.
Character Dining: What to Expect.
Character Meal Hit Parade.
When to Go.
How to Choose a Character Meal.
Getting Priority Seating at Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Other Character Events.
Baby-Sitting.
In-Room Baby-Sitting Services.
Special Programs for Children.
Birthdays and Special Occasions.
Part Six: Special Tips for Special People.
Walt Disney World for Singles.
Walt Disney World for Couples.
Weddings.
Tips for Going Solo.
Honeymoons.
Romantic Getaways.
Quiet, Romantic Places to Eat.
Walt Disney World for Expectant Mothers.
More Tips for Moms.
Walt Disney World for Seniors.
Getting Around.
Timing Your Visit.
Lodging.
Transportation.
Senior Dining.
Behind the Scenes Tours.
Walt Disney World for Disabled Guests.
Visitors with Special Needs.
Part Seven: Arriving and Getting Around.
Getting There.
Directions.
Getting to Walt Disney World from the Airport.
Renting a Car.
Getting Oriented.
A Good Map.
Finding Your Way Around.
How to Travel Around the World (or the Real Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride).
Transportation Trade-Offs for Guests Lodging outside Walt Disney World.
All You Need to Know about Driving to the Theme Parks.
The Disney Transportation System.
Door-to-Door Commuting Times to and from the Disney Resorts and Parks.
Part Eight: Bare Necessities.
Credit Cards and Money.
Credit Cards.
Financial Matters.
A License to Print Money.
Problems and Unusual Situations.
Attractions Closed for Repairs.
Car Trouble.
Lost and Found.
Medical Matters.
Sergeant Blisterblaster’s Guide to Happy Feet at Walt Disney World.
Rain.
How to Lodge a Complaint with Disney.
Visiting More than One Park in a Single Day.
Services.
Messages.
Pet Care.
Excuse Me, but Where Can I Find . . . .
Part Nine: Dining in and around Walt Disney World.
Dining outside Walt Disney World.
Take Out Express.
Dining at Universal’s CityWalk.
One Man’s Treasure.
Where to Eat Outside Walt Disney World.
Buffet and Meal Deals Outside Walt Disney World.
Dining in Walt Disney World.
Getting It Right.
Disney Dining 101.
Priority Seating.
Behind the Scenes at Priority Seating Central Reservations.
Getting Your Act Together.
Dress.
Smoking.
A Few Caveats.
Walt Disney World Restaurant Categories.
Hard Choices.
Full-Service Dining for Families with Young Children.
Fast Food in the Theme Parks.
Disney Dining Suggestions.
The Magic Kingdom.
Epcot.
Disney-MGM Studios.
Animal Kingdom.
More Readers’ Comments about Walt Disney World Dining.
Counter-Service Restaurant Mini-Profiles.
Walt Disney World Restaurants: Rated and Ranked.
Full-Service Restaurant Profiles.
Part Ten: The Magic Kingdom.
Arriving.
Getting Oriented.
Starting the Tour.
FASTPASS at the Magic Kingdom.
Main Street, U.S.A.
Adventureland.
Frontierland.
Liberty Square.
Fantasyland.
Mickey’s Toontown Fair.
Tomorrowland.
Live Entertainment in the Magic Kingdom.
Parades.
Afternoon Parade.
Evening Parade(s).
Parade Route and Vantage Points.
Vantage Points for Fireworks.
Leaving the Park after Evening Parades and Fireworks.
Behind the Scenes in the Magic Kingdom.
Traffic Patterns in the Magic Kingdom.
Magic Kingdom Touring Plans.
Choose the Appropriate Touring Plan.
About Touring Plan Clip-Out Pocket Outlines.
The Single-Day Touring Conundrum.
E-Ride Night.
Preliminary Instructions for All Magic Kingdom Touring Plans.
What to Do if You Get Off Track.
Park Opening Procedures.
Before You Go.
Magic Kingdom One-Day Touring Plan for Adults.
Author’s Selective Magic Kingdom One-Day Touring Plan for Adults.
Magic Kingdom One-Day Touring Plan for Parents with Young Children.
Magic Kingdom Dumbo-or-Die-in-a-Day Touring Plan for Parents with Young Children.
Magic Kingdom Two-Day Touring Plan.
Part Eleven: Epcot.
Overview.
Operating Hours.
Arriving.
Getting Oriented.
The Epcot Acronym.
Future World.
Guest Relations.
World Showcase.
Live Entertainment in Epcot.
The Best Ways to See IllumiNations.
Behind the Scenes in Epcot.
Dive Quest.
Dolphins in Depth.
Epcot Seas Aqua Tour.
Additional Information for All Tours.
Traffic Patterns in Epcot.
Epcot Touring Plans.
Epcot One-Day Touring Plan.
Author’s Selective Epcot One-Day Touring Plan.
Epcot Two-Day Sunrise/Starlight Touring Plan.
Epcot Two-Day Early Riser Touring Plan.
Part Twelve: Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Arriving.
Operating Hours.
When to Go.
Getting Oriented.
The Oasis.
A Word about Animal Kingdom Live Shows.
Discovery Island.
Camp Minnie-Mickey.
Africa.
Asia.
DinoLand U.S.A.
Live Entertainment in the Animal Kingdom.
Behind the Scenes at the Animal Kingdom.
Traffic Patterns in the Animal Kingdom.
Animal Kingdom Touring Plan.
Animal Kingdom One-Day Touring Plan.
Part Thirteen: Disney-MGM Studios, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld.
Disney-MGM Studios vs. Universal Studios Florida.
Disney-MGM Studios.
The MGM Connection.
Comparing Disney-MGM to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
How Much Time to Allocate.
Disney-MGM Studios in the Evening.
Arriving at Disney-MGM Studios.
Getting Oriented at Disney-MGM Studios.
What to See.
Display Waiting Times.
Disney-MGM Studios Attractions.
Hollywood Boulevard.
Sunset Boulevard.
Live Entertainment at Disney-MGM Studios.
Disney-MGM Studios Touring Plan.
Disney-MGM Studios One-Day Touring Plan.
Universal Orlando.
Arriving at Universal Orlando.
Early Entry and Universal Express.
Universal, Kids, and Scary Stuff.
Lodging at Universal Orlando.
Universal Studios Florida.
Universal Studios Florida Attractions.
Universal Studios Florida Touring Plan.
Universal Studios Florida One-Day Touring Plan.
Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
Beware of the Wet and Wild.
Getting Oriented at Islands of Adventure.
Islands of Adventure Attractions.
Marvel Super Hero Island.
Toon Lagoon.
Jurassic Park.
The Lost Continent.
Seuss Landing.
Islands of Adventure Touring Plan.
Islands of Adventure One-Day Touring Plan.
SeaWorld.
Discovery Cove.
Part Fourteen: The Water Theme Parks.
River Country.
Blizzard Beach.
Typhoon Lagoon.
Shark Reef.
Surf Pool.
Disney vs. Wet ’n Wild and Water Mania Swimming Theme Parks.
Typhoon Lagoon vs. Blizzard Beach.
When to Go.
Planning Your Day at Disney Water Parks.
Part Fifteen: Beyond the Parks.
Downtown Disney.
Downtown Disney Marketplace.
Pleasure Island.
Disney’s West Side.
DisneyQuest.
Disney’s Wide World of Sports.
The Disney Wilderness Preserve.
Walt Disney World Speedway.
Walt Disney World Recreation.
Walt Disney World Golf.
Golf Beyond Walt Disney World.
Other Standout Courses in Orlando.
The Best of the Rest.
Miniature Golf.
Part Sixteen: Shopping in and out of Walt Disney World.
Hey, Big Spender.
Pin Mania.
Shopping in Walt Disney World.
Tips for Disney Shopping.
I Need . . . .
Downtown Disney.
Epcot.
Disney-MGM Studios.
Animal Kingdom.
The Magic Kingdom.
Walt Disney World Resorts.
Disney Water Parks.
Disney Outlet Stores.
Shopping beyond Walt Disney World.
Celebration.
Universal CityWalk.
International Drive.
Outlets.
Traditional Shopping.
Part Seventeen:Nightlife in and out of Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney World at Night.
In the Theme Parks.
At the Hotels.
At Fort Wilderness Campground.
At Disney’s BoardWalk.
At Downtown Disney.
Walt Disney World Dinner Theaters.
Other Area Dinner Theaters.
Pleasure Island.
Pleasure Island Touring Plan.
Pleasure Island First-Timers’Touring Plan.
Universal’s CityWalk.
CityWalk vs. Pleasure Island.
Appendix.
Readers’ Questions to the Author.
Readers’ Comments.
Indexes.
Hotel Index.
Restaurant Index.
Subject Index.
Recommended Attraction Visitation Times and Clip-Out Pocket Outline Touring Plans.
Clip-Out Touring Plan Companions.
Reader Survey.
Restaurant Survey.