Travel books

[starrmomof2]

Hello all,
I am thinking of buying updated travel guides. Two years ago I bought Birnbaums, the Unofficial Guide, a Dummies guide, and the Passporter (love it!!). I know, kind of overkill, but I love the planning stage of travelling and it had been 20 years since our last visit. Since it's only been 2 years this go around, are there any recommendations on books? I'm sure I'll buy another Passporter for the sheer organization it enables. I also have a couple of the Imagineer field guides. I've been scoping out The Complete Guide to Disney World by Julie & Mike Neal. Anyone else familiar with this? Any other 'non-traditional' guides to recommend? Do the others change enough to warrant buying another copy? I feel like I get so much info from Intercot that even the current year books are almost outdated.
Thanks!

[Hair_Razor]

I found it was only necessary to get the PassPorter this time they update and they are all highlighted so you know what is new. Anything else that has changed I find out through here.

[cruellalvr]

I'm in agreement that the Passporter and this discussion board are all I need and I am currently planning a magical gathering for my family. If you ask them, I am a huge obsessive planning freak when it comes to Disney!! What can I say, it lets me enjoy the magic LONG before the trip!!!:thumbsup::mickey:

[DakotaDisney]

I have purchased Birnbaum's guides to Disneyland and Disneyworld (2007) in the past and have really enjoyed them. I have found them very helpful.
A couple days ago I picked up Birnbaum's 2008 Guide to Disney Cruise Lines. I have found it helpful as well.

On this site people have talked about the Imanigeers guide to the Walt Disney World Parks. I have never seen them until the other day when I got the cruise line guide.
I want to get them before my next trip. They look really interesting! I don't think they would help much with planning, but they are full of interesting behind the scenes info.

[DreamFinder2]

I have all 3 of the Imagineering guides (I don't think they have one for DHS yet) and I can read them over and over...however, they don't really help you PLAN your trip. As the previous poster mentioned, they just provide interesting tidbits about what went into designing each park.

As for planning...gotta vote for the Passporter, too. I love the little sticker "tabs" you get for each section :D.

[Tink#64]

I received "The Complete Walt Disney World" for Christmas & I love it! It has great pix & more info than "Birnbaums", but not as in depth as my personal fav "The Unoffical Guide". I love to read anything & everything Disney! I have both of the Trivia books & love to look for things I didn't know where there. I have found more of this kind of info in the complete guide! It's an interesting book, but I think the UG would be better for planning. I know alot of people love "PassPorter's" so I think I might pick up one of those too! I know most of the material doesn't change in these books from year to year, but I love to look through them & there is always some new attraction or dining adventure that been added. Intercot is my main source of info now, but I love to read & you can take a book anywhere! :read:

[JPL]

I haven't purchased a Travel Guide since finding Intercot. I look at it this way Intercot is updated daily while most guide are updated once a year. By the time most guide books are released alot of the information has changed. The last one I bought which was more of an impulse purchase at a Flea Market was the 2003Birnbaum's Guide for $0.50 and looked through it and found it to be less than helpful since it has way too much Disney Spin in it.