The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2015 (Unofficial Guides)

"Indispensable"— The New York Times "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 "I've been recommending Unofficial Guides to Walt Disney World for years."— Disney Babies Blog "I would never plan a trip to WDW without an updated (current year) copy of the Unofficial Guide. It's pages are dripping with golden strands of priceless information: presented from all sides, giving the big picture, and allowing me to make informed decisions about my vacation minutes and money. But the #1 reason I always choose the UG over other guides is for the guaranteed entertainment and giggles! The wit and tongue-in-cheek humor is so refreshing that it makes me feel like my vacation begins the moment I crack open the cover on a fresh copy." — A Knoxville, TN reader From the Inside Flap What’s New and Updated in the 2015 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World? Planning Before You Leave Home Updates to Disney’s calendar of special events, including how crowds will be affected Time and Money Tips on when Disney typically raises ticket prices, and by how much, so you can buy tickets beforehand.Cost of MagicBands for off-site guests and those buying tickets from third-party vendorsUpdates to Disney’s park opening procedures. Disney has instituted new park opening steps to slow the rush of guests to the popular Frozen Anna and Elsa meet-and-greet in the Magic Kingdom, and slow the crowds at other parks.A step-by-step guide to making Fastpass+ reservation, including how much time to set aside, what you’ll need before you start, for your family and anyone traveling with you.Updated FastPass+ tips, including understanding how FastPass+ attractions are segmented at Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, how to get more FastPass+ reservations once you’re in the parks, and why making advance FastPass+ reservations for evening parades and fireworks is frequently a bad idea. Accommodations Updated benefits to staying in a Walt Disney World hotel, including earlier access to FastPass+ reservations.Details on Disney’s updated package cancellation policy. When you call to make a hotel reservation, Disney will encourage you to book something else along with the room, turning it into a “package.” But cancellation policies for packages are very restrictive, so you need to know what to watch out for.Tips on how to use our website’s new Hotel Room Views feature, which shows you the view you’ll get from every hotel room in Walt Disney World.A new analysis of the Disney Dining Plan, including how much each component of the plan costs for your stay. With this information, you’ll be able to see whether the dining plan makes sense for your family.A review of the fabulous new Cabana Bay Resort at Universal OrlandoPreview of the new Four Seasons Resort Orlando, and where to sell your vital organs to pay for your stay. The Disney Cruise Line Coverage of DCL’s new 2015 itineraries, including Northern Europe and Hawaii.Updated recommendations on the best cruise itinerary for your first cruise.All the details on the Disney Magic’s late 2013 refurbishment, including children’s areas, water play areas and AquaDunk water slide, restaurants, and nightclubs.A review of the Magic’s new Carioca’s restaurant, with an impassioned plea to order the Slow-Roasted Pork Belly. You’ll thank us later. Dining Review of the new Antojito’s Mexican restaurant at Universal Orlando. Besides tasty tapas, they give out custom-painted luchador masks Wednesday through Sunday!Details on Universal Orlando’s new Bread Box, Cowfish, Red Oven Pizza Bakery, Vivo Italian Kitchen, and Hot Dog Hall of Fame restaurants.A new review of Epcot’s Spice Road Table restaurant in Morocco.Details on Epcot’s new Fountain View restaurant, essentially a Starbucks outpost in the park.Completely updated reader ratings for all Walt Disney World counter-service restaurants.Completely updated reader rankings for more than 100 Disney sit-down restaurants. The Magic Kingdom How to best use FastPass+ at the Magic Kingdom, including the 5 rides which need FastPass+ most often, the rides which never need FastPass+, and why. Where to find the in-park FastPass+ kiosks to make reservations.A review of the new Tinkerbelle meet-and-greet on Main Street, along with the best times to go.Updated reviews of the Princess Fairytale Hall meet-and-greets, including the new Frozen-themed opportunity with Anna and Elsa.Touring tips for seeing the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland.A review of the new Festival of Fantasy afternoon parade, including where to stand to get the best views.All new Jim Hill stories about the Magic Kingdom Epcot How to best use FastPass+ at Epcot, including the 5 rides which need FastPass+ most often, the rides which never need FastPass+, and why.A list of all Epcot attractions with FastPass+, including Epcot’s “tiered” FastPass rules and how to work those rules to your advantage.Where to find the in-park FastPass+ kiosks to make reservations.New review of the Epcot Character Spot, including the characters typically available and the best time to go.All new Jim Hill stories about Epcot. Animal Kingdom Updates on construction at the Animal Kingdom for the 2017 opening of an Avatar-themed land.Updated information on the Animal Kingdom’s park opening procedures, including which attractions may open early. Get a jump on the crowds by knowing which rides open first.A full review of the great new Wilderness Explorers scavenger hunt game at the Animal Kingdom.Details on the new Harambe Nights seasonal after-hours event.How to best use FastPass+ at the Animal Kingdom, including the 4 rides which need FastPass+ most often, the rides which never need FastPass+, and why.A list of all Animal Kingdom attractions with FastPass+, including Epcot’s “tiered” FastPass rules and how to work those rules to your advantage.Where to find the in-park FastPass+ kiosks to make reservations.A review of the new Winged Encounters macaw show on Discovery Island.Updated touring tips for Festival of the Lion King, now that it has moved to Africa.All new Jim Hill stories about the Animal Kingdom. Disney’s Hollywood Studios How to best use FastPass+ at Hollywood Studios, including the 3 rides that need FastPass+ most often, and the rides and shows which never need FastPass+.Why using FastPass+ for Fantasmic! may not be a good idea, and what else to do to ensure you see the show without long waits in line.A list of all Hollywood Studios attractions with FastPass+, including the Studios’ “tiered” FastPass rules and how to work those rules to your advantage.Where to find the in-park FastPass+ kiosks to make reservations.A review of the American Film Institute Showcase, part of the Backlot Tour post-show.News on the January 2015 closing of The American Idol Experience.All new Jim Hill stories about Hollywood Studios. Universal Orlando Resort Comparison of Universal versus Disney admission prices.How Universal Express Pass will work with the new Harry Potter-themed Diagon Alley at Universal Studios. Islands of Adventure Review of the new Hogwarts Express at Hogsmeade Station, including when to go for the shortest waits.An updated one-day touring plan.Jim Hill stories about IOA attractions. Universal Studios Florida 11 pages of new material on Diagon Alley, including a full review of the new Escape from Gringott’s roller coaster – we were one of the first to ride it.A full review of the new Hogwarts Express train with touring tips on how to ride both sides with minimal waits.New review of Ollivanders wand shop, plus details on the new interactive wands and windows throughout the Wizarding Worlds.What you’ll find in the shopping sections of Diagon Alley, from Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, to Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment, Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, Magical Menagerie, Shutterbutton’s, Quality Quidditch Supplies, to Scribbilus, Borgin and Burkes, and more.Dining coverage of the Leaky Cauldron, Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor, The Hopping Pot, and Fountain of Fair Fortune.Updated review of the revised Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Mash-Up show.Update coverage of in-park dining, including Springfield USA’s Fast Food Boulevard, the Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck, and Lard Lad Donuts.Coverage of the Universal Dining Plan, including how it works and where it can (and cannot) be used.An updated one-day touring plan with specific recommendations for how to see Diagon Alley.Jim Hill stories about Diagon Alley. Water Parks Updates to height requirements at Typhoon Lagoon and ticket prices at Aquatica, including where to find discounts on Aquatica tickets. Beyond the Parks More information on the ongoing conversion of Downtown Disney to the Disney Springs dining and retail destination.How to see the Orlando City Soccer Club, Orlando’s MLS soccer team, who play at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex.An entirely updated section on DisneyQuest, including where to find discounted tickets, what to see, and what to avoid.New information on the modernized Palm gold course in Walt Disney World.A review of the Universal Hollywood Drive-In mini-golf course.Details on the new Food Truck Park at Downtown Disney, with trucks serving everything from Indian cuisine, to meatball sandwiches, to corn dogs, lobster rolls, and pierogies. Six Great Features and Benefitsoffered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide:Complete coverage of Walt Disney World’s new FastPass+ ride-reservation system, plus an in-depth discussion of the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter–Diagon Alley at Universal Studios FloridaExclusively patented, field-tested touring plans that save as much as 4 hours of standing in line in a single dayMore than 200 hotels rated and ranked for quality and value, including the top non-Disney hotels for familiesA complete dining guide with ratings and reviews of all Walt Disney World restaurants, plus extensive alternatives for dining deals outside the WorldAttractions rated and ranked for each age group; extensive, objective, head-to-head comparisons of the Disney and Universal theme parksCompletely independent critical appraisals. If a restaurant serves lackluster food or an attraction isn’t worth the wait, we’ll tell you. Bob Sehlinger , a Lowell Thomas Award-winning journalist, is best known as the creator and producer of The Unofficial Guide series.He is credited with being the first to apply research techniques from the fields of operations research and statistics to travel guides. Among other projects, he was able to develop mathematical models that could save theme park patrons more than three hours of standing in line in a single day.He is the founder and co-owner of Keen Communications, a book publishing company that includes Menasha Ridge Press, Clerisy Press, and Wilderness Press. The author of 27 books, Sehlinger is a past president of the Publishers Association of the South, and he has served at the invitation of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Information Service on educational missions for publishers in Hungary, Romania, and Russia. He lives in Birmingham, AL.A lifelong Disney theme park fan, Len Testa co-authors The Unofficial Guides to Walt Disney World, Disneyland , and Britainx92s Best Days Out . In grad school, Lenx92s masterx92s thesis described new computer techniques for generating efficient theme park touring plans, for which Len was awarded a U.S. patent.These days, Len leads the team at TouringPlans.com, the website and research arm of The Unofficial Guides. Len has stayed at every Disney hotel, experienced every Disney ride, and eaten at every Disney restaurant and food cart in the U.S. When hex92s not at a Disney theme park, Len lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, in a mid-century modern house whose kitchen was custom-built after one of Space Mountainx92s post-show scenes. Read more