Resources: Books

This post will list the various books I'm reading as I plan my trip. I'll add to it occasionally, as I finish another volume...

Updated September 4, 2013

Currently Reading

• How to See Walt Disney World Like a Local: Time & Money-Saving Hints, Tips & Secrets for Disney World & Other Orlando/Kissimmee Attractions, by Barbara Nefer
• Kingdom Keepers VI: Dark Passage   Kindle
 

Disney-Specific Travel Guides

• Birnbaum Guides Walt Disney World 2011
• Birnbaum Guides Walt Disney World 2013
• Birnbaum Guides 2013 Walt Disney World Dining Guide
• The Busy Family's Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2012, by Jeffrey Merola Kindle
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World 2010, Doug Ingersoll
• The Complete Walt Disney World 2012, by Julie and Mike Neal
• The Disney Diaries, volume 1 1999-2008, by Larry Wilmot & Robin Goble Wilmot Kindle
• Eyewitness Top 10 Orlando
• Fodor's Walt Disney World 2010, 2012
• Frommer's Walt Disney World & Orlando 2010, 2012, by Laura Miller
• The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World
• The Imagineering Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom, by The Imagineers
• The Imagineering Field Guide to Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, by The Imagineers
• The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World, by The Imagineers
• The Little Black Book of Walt Disney World, 2013 edition, by Rona Gindin
• Lonely Planet: Florida, 2009 edition
• Lots to Do In Line: Walt Disney World, by Meredith Lyn Pierce
• The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World & Resort, 2nd ed.
• Mousejunkies! 2nd ed., More Tips, Tales & Tricks for a Disney World Fix, by Bill Burke
• Pass Porter's Open Mouse, 2007
• Pass Porter's Walt Disney World 2011
• Pass Porter's Walt Disney World 2012
• Pass Porter's Walt Disney World 2013
• Strategies for Paying for Disney, by Natalie Henley
• The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World, by Aaron Wallace Kindle
• Traveling to Walt Disney World Via Amtrak, by Bruce Sherman Kindle
• The Unofficial Guide: The Color Companion to Walt Disney World, 2nd edition, by Bob Sehlinger and Len Testa
• The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2010, 2012, 2013
• Walt Disney World: Expert Advice for First Time Visitors, by Robin Goble Wilmot, Larry Wilmot, & Paula Hanna  Kindle
• Walt Disney World Resort Guide to the Magic for Kids, by Tim Foster, 2010
• Walt Disney World Tips & Secrets, Kindle Edition, by Clare Swindlehurst   Kindle
• Walt Disney World with Kids 2012, by Kim Wright Wiley

Other Disney-Related Non-fiction

• The Complete Guide for the Disney Obsessed Person, by K. Martin Beaudry Kindle
• The Dark Side of Disney, by Leonard Kinsey Kindle
• The Gospel According to Disney: Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust, by Mark T. Pinsky
• Little-Known Facts About Well-Known Places: Walt Disney World, by Laurie Flannery
• Mickey Mouse Is My Neighbor, by Barbara Nefer Kindle
• Mouseschawitz: My Summer Job of Concentrated Fun, by Angela Lovell Kindle
• Stories from a Theme Park Insider, by Robert Niles Kindle
• Team Rodent, by Carl Hiaasen
• Today in History: Disney, by Eve Zibart

Disney-Related Fiction

• Dream Factory, by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler
• Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, by Cory Doctorow
• The Key to the Kingdom, by Jeff Dixon Kindle
• Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark, by Ridley Pearson Kindle
• Kingdom Keepers II: Disney at Dawn, by Ridley Pearson Kindle
• Kingdom Keepers III: Disney In Shadow, by Ridley Pearson Kindle

General Travel & Other Non-Fiction

• Smart Packing for Today's Traveler, 3rd ed., by Susan Foster
• Traveling Solo, by Eleanor Berman

On Deck: The To-be-Read Pile

• A Christian's Guide to Walt Disney World Resort: Devotions for Your Family Vacation, by Jeff Chaves  Kindle
• Celebration, U.S.A.: Living in Disney's Brave New Town, by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins  Kindle
• Discover the Magic: The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Walt Disney World, by Roger Wilk  Kindle
• Disney Tips and Secrets: Unlocking the Magic of a Walt Disney World Vacation, by Roger Wilk  Kindle
• Disney U: How the Disney University Develops the World's Most Engaged, Loyal, and Customer-Centric Employees, by Doug Lipp  Kindle
• The Disney World Queue Line Scavenger Hunt, by Daniel Ireland  Kindle
• Fact of Fiction? 20 Urban Legends, Ghost Stories, Rumors & Secrets of Walt Disney World, by Barbara Nefer  Kindle
• Hidden Mickey, by Nancy Temple Rodrigue and David W. Smith  Kindle
• Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets, 5th edition, by Steven M. Barrett Kindle
• How to Be Like Walt, by Pat Williams with Jim Denney  Kindle
• How to See Walt Disney World Like a Local: Time and Money-Saving Hints, Tips and Secrets for Disney World and Other Orlando/Kissimmee Attractions, by Barbara Nefer  Kindle
• It's Kind of a Cute Story, by Rolly Crump as told to Jeff Heimbuch  Kindle
• Keys to the Kingdom: Your Complete Guide to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Theme Park, by Roger Wilk  Kindle
• More Mousetrapped: A Little More from That Year and A Bit, by Catherine Ryan Howard  Kindle
• Mousetrapped: A Year and A Bit in Orlando, Florida, 5th Kindle Edition, by Catherine Ryan Howard   Kindle
• Our Kingdom of Dust, by Leonard Kinsey  Kindle
• Unauthorized Mouse Pin Trading: The Complete Guide to the Fun and Obsessive World of Disney Pin Trading! by the Edgar and Shilensky Families
• Unlocking the Kingdom, by Jeff Dixon  Kindle
• The Vault of Walt: Unofficial, Unauthorized, Uncensored Disney Stories Never Told, by Jim Korkis, with foreword for Diane Disney Miller
• Waking Walt, by Larry Pontius, Based upon a story idea from Marty Cummins  Kindle
• Walt Disney World: The Ultimate Guide to Disney's Hollywood Studios: Enjoying Disney's Hollywood Studios from an Adult Perspective, by Marjorie Kelley and Ryan Kelley  Kindle
• When We Were in Disney World, by Noah Witkowicz  Kindle
• Who's Afraid of the Song of the South? And Other Forbidden Disney Stories, by Jim Korkis  Kindle

 

Vacation Details

Disney announced its packages for 2013 in mid-July. With the help of a wonderful travel agent, I made my reservation by the end of July.

I plan to edit this post as the details of my trip unfold. (Updated June 15, 2013)

Dates: September 10-18, 2013
Resort: Disney's Pop Century
Park Tickets: 8 days with Park-Hopper Option (This means I can visit more than one park per day.)
Package: "Magic Your Way with Deluxe Dining" (I'll have a pre-paid dining package that includes three meals and two snack for each night of my stay, plus a mug that can be refilled as many times as I want at the Pop Century food court. This is updated from my original reservation, which included one counter-service meal, one table-service meal, and one snack for each night of my stay, plus the refillable mug. Disney announced their free dining plan for September, so I was able to upgrade to Deluxe Dining for an additional $55. A bargain!) 
Ground Transportation: Disney's Magical Express (Once I land at Orlando International Airport, Disney will collect my checked luggage while I board a bus to my resort. My luggage will be delivered within a few hours of my arrival. When I'm ready to go home, I get back on the bus to the airport.)
Airfare: I was able to get a great rate with JetBlue, so I'll be flying from Reagan National to Orlando International. I've also made my reservations with Super Shuttle to get to and from Regan National.

Welcome!

Hi! I'm Willie, a 50 year-old woman who lives in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. I first visited Walt Disney World in 1973, when I was 11 years old. I've returned three times since then--twice during high school (as part of a band trip, and again as part of my senior class trip) and once a number of years after I graduated from college. I've wanted to return ever since. Well, I'm finally doing it!

I love planning a vacation almost as much as I love taking the vacation. And my upcoming WDW trip is certainly no exception. I'm collecting pages and pages of notes--in several binders--and while that works for me, the information isn't easily portable. Since I'm on the go a LOT, I need something I can access while I'm away from my binders and guidebooks.

So, welcome to my planning blog! :-) I'll be using this blog to collect information, links to websites I've visited, lists of books I've read, etc., and as a place to think out loud about my plans.

If you stumble across my ramblings, feel free to join in! Feel free to share your thoughts, a resource, your review of a particular attraction or restaurant. Thanks for visiting!