Upgrade to a Premium subscription to remove this ad.
|
(Click Image To Enlarge)
Birnbaum's 2006 Disneyland Resort, the Official Guide is very informative with many beautiful color pictures.
Before this book was compiled; each attraction and every meal were tested by the authors provide the reader with more complete information about the Disneyland Resort. The writers of this book also get up to the minute information from Disneyland Staff.
Birnbaum's guide begins appropriately with a chapter to help you get ready to visit the Disneyland Resort. In this section you will find a full page dedicated to When to Go and When Not to Go to the Happiest Place on Earth. Here, you will read about the busiest day of the week (Saturday) and slower times that will have a full entertainment schedule; as well as off season and on season periods.
Next you will find information on average temperatures year round as well as information on Holidays and special events; and their affects on crowds while at the Resort.
The planning ahead section of this chapter is a great source for phone numbers you may need, including the phone number and address for Disneyland Resort Guest Communications; as well as the address and phone number for the Convention and Visitors Bureau for nearby southern California cities.
In the next section you will see information on travel packages, focusing on the Walt Disney Travel Company. Also in this section is information on packing, traveling on a budget and of course, followed by many money saving tips.
Do you have children? If so, there are 1-½ pages that will provide you with information on strollers, baby care, and favorite attractions for the youngsters. There is also a wonderful section for those going to the Disneyland Resort with disabilities.
After reading all of this, the Birnbaum guide still has more in the planning section of the book. You will find information on getting to the resort by car, plane, bus, or train; and even gives information on shuttles from the airports to the Disney Resort hotels, including taxi information.
Be sure to glance at the timeline, which will tell you how far in advance to do things before going to the Disneyland Resort. Then glance at the schedules for what to do when you get there for some hidden tips.
Finishing off this chapter is a handy reference with information on renting lockers, lost and found, medical needs, money matters and much more.
New for this year's book, you will find a section on Disneyland's Golden Anniversary and some of the entertainment that is taking place at the Disneyland Resort during this celebration. Included here is information on the all-new Space Mountain.
As with any good guidebook, you will have a section on accommodations. Where the Birnbaum guide excels is in this chapter. The information on the three Disney owned hotels has been highly researched, and is very in depth, making the reader really want to stay at one of these resorts. In addition to the Grand Californian Hotel, the Disneyland Hotel, and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel, the book also covers information on many of Walt Disney Travel Company's Good Neighbor Hotels. You won't find hotel reviews here, but you will find information about the hotels that can be trusted. For those not broken down and talked about, you will find them listed, including an address and a phone number to call for more information or to make reservations. This list is broken down into type of hotel, from Superior to Economy. Since many people combine a coastal trip with a trip to the Disneyland Resort, this chapter will also give information on several coastal hotels and Bed and Breakfast locations.
Another area where this book excels is the section on Disneyland and California Adventure. In this area, you will find each attraction listed, its location, and what it does. Each attraction is listed alphabetically by the land you where you can find the attraction, including the transportation vehicles on Main Street. This section is great both for those who have been to Disneyland many times, and for someone who has never been. The same thing applies for the section on dining, which includes information on Downtown Disney eateries and even special places outside of the Disneyland Resort in California. If you love to shop, the stores are listed the same way, including information on what time of merchandise can be found at each store.
Entertainment is plentiful at the Disneyland Resort, and therefore has its own section in the Birnbaum guide, once again listed by the land in which the entertainment is performed. Here you can even pick up view tips for Fantasmic!
If you are a sports fanatic, this book even has information for you. Interested in taking in an Anaheim Angels baseball game, well, you can find out how in this section. This section covers sports, the local beaches, places to golf and fish in the southern California area. This is a perfect lead into the final chapter, titled Orange County and Beyond. This is where you will find more information on things to do in addition to your Disneyland Resort Visit.
Finally, once you have finished the Birnbaum guide, be sure to turn to the very last page. As with all other Birnbaum guides from years past, this is where you will find some coupons to use at the Disneyland Resort. Included this year is a coupon for Wetzel's Pretzels (by 2 and get 1 free) and Compass Books (10% off), Illuminations (20% off), Disneyland Resort (10% off purchase of 50.00 or more at select locations), as well as a coupon for a free dessert at the ESPN Zone.
Birnbaum's guide to Disneyland is the official guide to the resort. This means it was written with Disney's permission and with their help. This book has great pictures and a wealth of information… but you will never read anything bad about Disney in this book. Birnbaum tends to glorify Disneyland. You will not see lies or mistruths in this book but you will read all happy things. This is great because Disneyland IS the Happiest Place on Earth.
Birnbaum's guide is one I purchase before each trip to the Disneyland Resort. While it may not have a wealth of change between versions, it does have new information in each guide and new pictures. This book is for the lover of Disneyland. It is both for the person who has never been before and for the person who has been 100 times. The Birnbaum guide is a great book for Disney fans of all ages. Of all of the Disney planning books that can be found this one is definitely my favorite. With the in-depth information on the attractions, the hotels, and the wealth of other information, it is a book I don't plan my trip without. Then, I put it away and save it, because this book is also a great collector's item!
If you are planning a vacation to the Disneyland Resort in 2006, I highly recommend this wonderful reference.