Planning a Walt Disney World vacation can be an overwhelming process. While the vast number of different resorts, restaurants, attractions, and other experiences are part of what makes Walt Disney World such a great place to visit, it also means there’s a lot of information to learn and take in, especially for a first-time visitor. There are many different guidebooks and websites out there to help visitors plan their vacations and navigate the World, and one such guidebook is Steven Barrett’s “The Hassle-Free Walt Disney World Vacation: 2011.” This guidebook is perfect for novice Walt Disney World travelers who don’t want to plan too much, but still want to be well-informed; however, even seasoned visitors to the World might be able to learn a thing or two from its helpful advice.
A great thing about this guide is how nicely organized and easy to understand it is, which is perfect for those in the parks or who simply just want to find the essential information they need as quickly as possible. Descriptions and ratings are provided for every attraction, and information is provided on all the different resorts and restaurants as well. An aspect of the restaurant listings that I particularly liked was that all of the character meals are listed by character, which is perfect for those with kids who have their heart set on meeting a specific character! Those who are looking to find more thorough information about each individual resort or restaurant might find a different guide, such as the very detailed “Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World,” to be more helpful, as this guide mostly just gives a brief overview or rating of each. For those who would like a more brief and easy to digest overview of Walt Disney World’s various offerings, however, the information that Barrett provides is top notch.
Another major part of the guide is the touring plans, which allow readers to tour the park and ride all their favorite attractions without long waits in line. There are a variety of touring plans available for each park, with different ones available for different ages, number of days spent in the park, and whether there are Extra Magic Hours that day. While I haven’t tried any of the touring plans yet personally, they all look detailed and helpful, easy to follow, and seem to all be pretty efficient ways of touring the park. There’s also information provided in the guide about when/how to best get to each park, and even the best ways to get to certain popular attractions, such as Space Mountain, which is incredibly helpful information to know.
My favorite part of this guide, though, was the great advice and helpful tips that were provided. The author, Steve Barrett, provides a ton of quick tips and personal recommendations that can make even a first-time visitor feel more “in the know” about the best things to do in Walt Disney World. Out of these many tips, I especially liked that recommendations in categories such as “Least Crowded Restrooms” and “Resting Places” were provided for each park. In addition, the book features a list of over a hundred different experiences that go beyond the traditional attractions and restaurants that is sure to give everyone, no matter how many times they’ve been to the World, a few ideas of new things to try. Of course, since Steven Barrett is also known as the author of the popular “Hidden Mickey” guides, there are also many hints and tips for finding some of those as well. Even as someone who’s already quite familiar with Walt Disney World, I know that I’ll be using some of this advice on my next trip!
“The Hassle-Free Walt Disney World Vacation” is definitely a book that lives up to its title. While it might not be the most comprehensive guidebook out there, it makes planning out a Walt Disney World vacation seem very easy and, to quote the title, “hassle-free.” By following the advice and information it provides, I’m sure that even the most novice Walt Disney World visitor will be able to have a successful, stress-free trip to the World.
If you’re interested in purchasing this guidebook, you can find it available for purchase on Amazon.
