You’re Going to DISNEY WORLD! When you first heard the news, you could not believe your ears. Could it be true? Were you really going on a vacation to Walt Disney World? Well, believe it or not, it’s true! Before you know it, you will be in the sunny state of Florida. It’s the home of Walt Disney World and the most famous mouse on planet Earth. (Big hint: His name starts with M.)
If you have ever been there, you already know that it is a mighty big place with lots of stuff to do. In fact, there is so much going on that it can get a little confusing. That’s where this book comes in handy. It describes everything in the World, from the Magic Kingdom theme park to yummy meals with Disney pals. And it’s filled with advice from kids like you.
There is no right or wrong way to read this book. You can start on the first page and read straight through to the end. Or you can skip around, read your favorite parts first, and come back to the rest later.
No matter what you do, one thing is for sure: When you are done, you will be a true-blue Walt Disney World expert. Soon folks may start asking YOU for advice on how to have the most awesome vacation at Walt Disney World!
Pack a Pen and Take Me Along with You Don’t leave this book behind when you head for the parks. It is full of tips and information that you will want to remember. There are pages for photos and autographs, too—don’t forget to bring a pen and your camera. Here are some ways to use this book while visiting the wonderful world of Disney:
Track Your Trip Each time you check out a Walt Disney World attraction, check it off in this book. Then you’ll know what’s left for your next visit!
We’re Warning You! Disney rides are full of surprises. That’s part of what makes them so much fun. But not everyone enjoys surprises. If things like loud noises or wild turns scare you, look at the book’s attraction reaction warnings before you go on each ride. That way, the only surprises you come across will be good ones!
• WILD
• LOUD
• DARK
• SCARY
• WET
Line Time Nearly every Disney attraction has a standby line. That’s where you wait until it’s your turn to ride. Those lines are available to everyone — and can get a bit long sometimes. That’s when it’s fun to pass the time playing games such as I Spy or the Disney alphabet game — A is for Aladdin, B is for Bambi, and so on. (Read more about “waiting games” on page 131.) Another way to enter an attraction is to use the Lightning Lane — a service that offers a shorter line for an extra cost. To learn about Lightning Lanes, ask a parent or guardian to visit disneyworld.com.
Search for Hidden Mickeys Disney Imagineers have hidden images of Mickey Mouse all over Walt Disney World. (Many look like the three connected circles that form Mickey’s head.) You might see them in shadows, lights, drawings, or even in the clouds at some attractions. Look in this book for each HIDDEN MICKEY ALERT! to find a clue. Keep track of the number of Hidden Mickeys that you discover. When your Walt Disney World trip is over, write that number on page 149 of this book’s Magical Memories section.
The last pages of this book are for autographs! Meet the Readers What do the kids who helped with this book have in common? They love Walt Disney World! How do we know? They told us so! Every kid who wrote to us last year received a survey form. The surveys came back filled with opinions about Walt Disney World. The forms also helped us find out about readers’ interests and hobbies.
What did we learn? For starters, a lot of you enjoy reading, writing, playing sports, making music, and using computers. You also like to draw, sing, and dance. Your top Disney hotels are the Polynesian Village, Beach Club, Art of Animation, and Animal Kingdom Lodge. Not all of you are crazy about dark or scary rides. But wild rides like Expedition Everest, Space Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain are at the top of your list. You think Blizzard Beach is the perfect place to splash around. And when your tummy rumbles, you reach for a frozen pineapple treat called Dole Whip, a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar, a Mickey ice cream sandwich, or a Mickey-shaped pretzel. Yum!
To everyone who filled out a survey form, THANK YOU! This book could not have been written without you. And feel free to write again.
We love to hear from our readers!
—Jill Safro, Editor
Mickey Is Number One! It’s probably not a big surprise to hear that Mickey Mouse is the most popular Disney character with readers. It makes sense that Minnie is in second place, and Pluto is in third. But who would have guessed that Stitch would be a close fourth? That rascal! Rounding out the top five faves is Donald Duck. Who is your favorite? Let us know!
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Rules! It was a close race this year but almost a third of our readers chose Disney’s Hollywood Studios as their favorite theme park. Which park is your favorite?
• 30% voted Disney’s Hollywood Studios park as their favorite.
• 29% voted the Magic Kingdom park as their favorite.
• 27% voted EPCOT as their favorite.
• 14% voted Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park as their favorite.
You Love a Wild Ride! We asked you what types of rides you like best. It turns out most of you like the twists and turns of thrill rides. What daredevils!
• Between 70–75% voted “Wild” as their favorite type of attraction.
• Between 10–15% voted “Funny” as their favorite type of attraction.
• Between 5–10% voted “Dark” as their favorite type of attraction.
• Less than 5% voted “Wet” as their favorite type of attraction.
• Less than 5% voted “Scary” as their favorite type of attraction.
#1 Reader Pleaser Look for this Reader Pleaser stamp throughout the book.
We’ve placed it by readers’ favorite Disney World shows and attractions. If you’d like to vote for next year’s Reader Pleasers, send us a letter or an email and we’ll send you a survey form. Use one of the addresses in the orange box below.
READER TIP Keep an eye out for this sign. Every time you spot one, you will find a great tip sent in by a reader. Do you have any Walt Disney World tips? We would love to hear them!
READER REVIEW Every reader who was sent a survey also got an application to be a Birnbaum Ace Reporter. Some of their Reader Reviews appear next to the attraction descriptions in this book. Use the advice from Ace Reporters to decide if an attraction is worth the wait or is one to skip!
What Do YOU Think? Do you agree or disagree with any of the kids in this book? Let us know! First, ask a parent for permission. Together, you can send us a message about your trip. You can write to our email address or send a letter with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to our office. We’ll send you a survey and read every one before we write next year’s book!
Birnbaum’s Disney Guides
Kid Expert Applications
Disney Editions
77 West 66th St.
New York, NY 10023
WDI.Birnbaum.Guides.For.Kids@disney.com
Copyright © 2024 by Disney. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
