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Birnbaum's Disneyland Resort guidebook for 2005 is wonderful resource. Actually, all of the Birnbaum books are great, but this one is even more special because of the additional information on Disneyland's 50th Anniversary.
The Birnbaum Guide is very flashy with many color photos including a full color front cover with a picture of the Fab Five. (Mickey & Minnie, Donal, Goofy and Pluto) This guidebook, unlike all the other Disney books, is the official guide to Disneyland. This means that they have current information, which they obtain from Disneyland. On the other hand it also means that they will rarely say anything negative in their book about Disneyland.
Before each trip to Disneyland this is one of the books I purchase to help plan the trip. It is short and concise and will answer many of the questions you may have when planning your dream vacation to Disneyland.
More often than naught this information is correct. Sometimes though, things change very quickly at Disneyland, and if the book is already in print during the change then there will be some mistakes. The 2005 edition has a few of these mistakes. One of them is the Fastpass information in the Birnbaum Guide. Because of recent changes at Disneyland not all of Birnbaum's information on Fastpasses is correct. Please check this link to read about the current Fastpass attractions. What the Birnbaum Guide does do however is provide you with information on what Fastpass is and how to use it.
The other information in this Birnbaum Guide that is incorrect is the information on dining with characters. Once again, this is a recent change made at the Disneyland Resort and the folks at Birnbaum had no way to know that this change was going to be made before the book went into print. Please check this link for current information about character meals at the Disneyland Resort.
Even with these few mistakes you should purchase this book though is because it is very helpful in planning a Disneyland vacation. It helps to create excitement with the beautiful color photographs. Every area you can eat in the Disney Resort is mentioned in the book along with information on the cost of food at each eatery.
Birnbaum's Guide to the Disneyland Resort, 2005 has a wealth of information on the best time of year to go even down to the best day of the week. In addition the average temperature for each month is listed in this guidebook.
The information in the Birnbaum Guide about Fantasmic! is great, with more information than you will find anywhere else. There is a minor mistake is in this section though since Disneyland has raised the price of Balcony seating to $53.00 per person.
A selection of nearby hotels is also in the Birnbaum Disneyland Resort guide. Of course the three Disney owned properties are mentioned here with information on amenities and more for each Hotel. In addition there is information on many of the Good Neighbor Hotel;, and Birnbaum has broken them down into type of hotel. For example: Superior Hotels, Suites and Economy hotels are three of the categories. In addition to the hotels near the Disneyland Resort there is also information on many hotels in coastal areas, such as Laguna Beach.
Expert advice from the inside source is what Birnbaum's Guide claims. That is proven on every page of this book. In the section discussing all of the Disneyland Resort Attractions, there are many beautiful pictures of the attractions and several from inside the attraction itself.
This year, Birnbaum's Disneyland Resort Guide has information on the new parade, the new fireworks, and the new attraction in Tomorrowland; which will all be unveiled on May 5, 2005.
This book is one I purchase every year when planning a Disneyland Resort vacation. For minimal cost I am able to read this very enjoyable guidebook and completely whet my appetite for a vacation that may still be months away. I consider this book a must for any avid Disney fan and a must buy for anyone preparing a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.
In the back of the current 2005 edition there are 6 coupons including a 10% discount when you spend $50 or more in selected Disneyland Stores. This coupon alone can save you the price of the book. The other 5 coupons offer discounts at restaurants in Downtown Disney.
Getting Ready To Go - This chapter covers how to get to the Disneyland Resort, what to expect when you get there, a vacation-planning budget, and much more information. Parents of children, adults traveling alone, senior citizens, the Birnbaum guide covers it all.
Accommodations - In this chapter you will find many hotels including the three Disney owned hotels, good neighbor hotels, those near the sea, and even a selection of bed-and-breakfast accommodations. Here you will find information on the hotels, and a range of cost at each one.
Disneyland Park - This section covers all the attractions at Disneyland Park. Here you will find out if your young child will be able to ride a certain attraction, or if he can ride it, will he enjoy it?
Disney's California Adventure - All of the attractions at California Adventure can be found in this chapter.
Good Meals, Great Times - This is a very well done list of all of the eatery's in the Disneyland Resort. You will find the type of food each eatery serves, and the range of cost for each meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Here you will also be able to see if you can have breakfast at a specific restaurant, or if they are only open for lunch and dinner. This chapter will also inform you of other things to do in Anaheim and other inland communities.
Sports - There are many sports to participate in, or simply watch in the Anaheim area. This chapter will tell you about them.
Orange County & Beyond - This chapter will give you information on other family oriented attractions to enjoy in Southern California before or after your trip to the Disneyland Resort.