Not only is this book the ftsss (see above) but it actually has a lot of useful information. I learned a lot about climbing (aid techniques, history, choice of beverage) from reading it. The cartoons are the best part, but many readers will also appreciate the author's well-aimed (but funny) criticism of the elitist, pompous hypocrites who are way too common in the rock climbing world.

I got this book after reading Roper's 'Camp 4.' Warren 'Batso' Harding seemed like such a interesting character and he is. Originally written as a sort of introduction to climbing techniques guide, this book is now a interesting autobiography/history. If you were interested in the Robbins/Harding dichotomy of 'Camp 4,' you'll be interested in Harding's side of the story and its just so damn funny.

I had "The Unofficial Guide to Florida with Kids" and found it to be extremely useful. Since we were planning a trip to SC, I decided to buy this book. Unfortunately, the area we were planning on visiting (Hilton Head) was not included in this book.
Of course, they can't cover every area when the book is for the entire Southeast, I should have looked at it at the bookstore first. If you are undecided on where you are travelling in the SE, this book is for you, it's very informative on many of the major areas, with great ratings on different restaurants and tourist spots.

I like traveling with my children, but I admit there are times when it's more work than pleasure. I read several guides when planning a trip to Louisiana, but this one had the most kid-friendly information of them all. And it wasn't just of interest to kids -- I found lots of neat events and places that weren't mentioned in other guides my husband and I enjoyed as well.

Perhaps I was expecting too much from the title of this book. There is nothing "unofficial" about the information it contains. The hotel descriptions are very standard guidebook material - lots of facts, but not enough of a description to give you a feel of the properties. I have stayed at several of the properties listed in this book and they could have easily included some information that IMHO would have been crucial to your enjoyment. Also, very little information is provided on things to do on each island outside of the usual tourist attractions. Maybe I am being too harsh. After all, Frommers and Fodors aren't any better, but since this book is touting itself as the "unofficial guide", I feel that it's a bit of false advertising.

Although the book touts itself as giving readers "the inside story" on Hawaii--everything from shopping to volcanoes, from our experience there's no truly remarkable reporting. The descriptions are fairly accurate, albeit not over-critical, but I have to agree completely with the reviewer from LA who states that this is very much standard fare. Okay, so "Dr. Beach" says that such-and-such is one of the best 10 beaches in America, how is that "unofficial", and how does that reflect what the author thinks? Tominaga relies far too much on the offical line--publicity available in every hotel lobby about the attractions--and not enough on his own experience. Perhaps his comments on islands other than Oahu are more meaningful, but if you can get to Hawaii, a good concierge will do as much or more for you. There is so much more that Hawaii has to offer that isn't included here--probably a book isn't the best way to get this information anyway. On the positive side, the "Unofficial Guide" formula for rating things according to age group is very helpful.

Great organization to a potentially complex topic. Most comprehensive evaluations of hotels, restaurants, nightlife, beaches, and attractions of any of the usual guidebooks. Attraction evaluations and descriptions provide accurate age appeal breakouts to aid in evaluating attraction's overall family appeal. I love this series and rely on its accuracy. It rightfully leaves the other general Hawaii guidebooks in the dust. If you are going to buy one guidebook make it this one!

Pluses - Lack of advertisements and ratings, where you don't have to check the front of the guide to see what they mean, make this a much more user friendly format than the Trailer Life book on RV campgrounds.

Also the map section, showing the campgrounds make it much easier to find the location.

Minuses - After using the book, or trying to use it, for a brief camping trip, I discovered that they left out the largest Oregon State Park, Silver Falls, which is a fantastic campground.

Also directions such as "From Hwy 101, turn right at the Texaco ...", for the Newhalem Bay State Park in Oregon, doesn't take into account which direcion you are coming from. Turning right doesn't work if you are coming from the south.

This campground directory has some great points and some negative points. The commentaries and the descriptions are great. These are not checkmark ratings like you find in other directories, but specific positives and negatives about each rated site. Having stayed at several of these campgrounds, I occur fully with the reviews.

The negatives? The maps stink. Presumably, cities on the map marked with a black bullet are listed in one of two sections in the directory. There are numerous cities with a black bullet that simply are not listed anywhere in the directory. Second, a number of the campgrounds are listed under cities that are different from the street addresses given and different from other directories, causing you to search other maps to find the location. The most interesting mistake, however, is on the map on page 60. They have Montana shown where I always thought Utah was, but maybe its revisionist geography.

This is a companion book to the "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World," for those who decide to venture beyond Disney's realm in central Florida. The authors do a fine job rating attractions (rides, films, displays, etc.). They use star-ratings coupled with their assessments and readers' comments, along with a healthy dose of humor--all of which will be familiar to readers of the "Walt Disney World" book. It's all-too familiar in the case of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. In fact, it's simply a verbatim extract of the "Walt Disney World" text. Worse yet, it omits one of the best features of the Disney book: the touring plans.

If you're planning a trip to Universal Studios, and/or Islands of Adventure, stick with Sehlinger's Disney book: it contains more and better coverage. Sea World receives better coverage here. And this is the only "Unofficial Guide" coverage of the other parks.

This compact format of the "Unofficial Guide" is handy to carry compared to its larger counterpart "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2000; Bob Sehlinger" but the information is basically the same. Tips to help with the Kids for are cut, as are some of the more lengthy reviews of hotels/attractions/restaurants.

This book aims and hits the mark with helpful hints for the Grown-up (are we ever grown-up?) visitor. However, to keep the book more compact there is a great deal of rich material left out that is useful for the first time visitor. The information is provided in a well-organized format that most will find useful. Common questions are answered, and the book provides resource lists, Web sites, and e-mail addresses.

Timesavers are included regarding attractions that are more along the adult taste, but who is to say that the author knows everyone's taste. One of the "Don't Bother" items for the Magic Kingdom is Mickey's ToonTown. For the more whimsical adult this can be a fun place and a hot spot to meet characters unclose and personal. After all what would a trip to WDW be without that old standard photo of you and "the Mouse" himself.

Where this book shines is pointing you towards the more "adult" attractions and events. With so much to do and experience at WDW a good guide is extremely helpful.

Using the planning tips in this and other guides hundreds of dollars can be saved. The How to Cut Costs section offers many ways to save money both in the planning stages as well as during the visit. While money may be no object to some, most people would rather with a little knowledge save some cash to happily spend it on all the souvenirs we must bring back to those not heading for the "World".

Overall as a handy guide easy to carry I would recommend this book for the "adult" traveler. Another handy to carry guide is "PassPorter Walt Disney World: The unique travel guide, planner, organizer, journal, and keepsake!" For serious planning a meatier guidebook is needed. I have found that the "Unofficial" guides offer the off the cuff, straight shooting opinions and have relied on them for years.

If this is your first trip to WDW then buy the more comprehensive guide and if you want a handy to carry reference then The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World for Grown-Ups is a great choice. If you are a repeat visitor you should be able to skip the larger version and go straight for the Grown-Ups guide. As WDW evolves so do the attractions but the goal is the same, HAVE FUN!

After reading Frommers and Maui Revealed this book had nothing new to offer. A big disapointment. I left it in the hotel room.

Amazon and the publisher should be ashamed to still be selling this book! It has a "2nd edition" and a copyright from a couple of years ago, but that is a lie. This book is obviously a decade old information. It does not even mention the Studios park or the Disney Village area. It is completely out of date and utterly useless! First book I have every returned to Amazon. This book should be pulled from the shelves immediately! Don't make plans based on this book. Don't buy this book. Look for something up to date!

Having just returned from Disneyland Paris, I can tell you that the ONLY thing this book got right was the information about how to get on Space Mountain just as the park opens to avoid the lines.

This is old, outdated information. The author apparently has bias that he doesn't like thinks European intruding on his Disney experience. In MY experience, this is the most beautiful of the three Disneyland Parks (I have been to all three) and the unique rides are terrific. The food is actually quite good at some of the restaurants in the park (the author thought they were tasteless and overpriced).

More seriously -- this information is so old, it doesn't even include Disney Studios or the Village...the Village has now been there for years and the Studios have already celebrated their first year anniversary. What a great park that needs some mention somewhere.

Finally -- and most disconcertingly -- I wrote a 20-page updated information letter to the author after my visit almost a year ago -- no thank you, no response, as if he doesn't even care to incorporate changes.

I do NOT recommend this guide -- but if you go to one of the stores that has the book, take it with you to the coffee shop area and thumb through it for a basic (OUTDATED!) overview.

Ok. So I have no immediate plans to visit Disneyland
Paris, but, as a committed Disneyphile, I decided to
check this one out, to see if, if and when I DO
someday go to Paris, it would be worth a visit.
Now, I don't know for certain how identical DLP is to
Walt Disney World, but from the guidebook, you would
think they were virtual clones. While DLP has a few
unique rides (which get their own, original descriptions),
most of the ride descriptions, and the guest comments,
are lifted directly from the other guidebooks. Isn't it
AMAZING that a mother visiting DLP with her son had
EXACTLY the same experience on Dumbo as a mother who visited
WDW a decade or more ago? Much of the other information
(advice on visiting with kids, planning your day, understanding
traffic flows, meeting characters, etc.) is also reprinted,
virtually word for word, from the other Disney guides.

Of course there is some unique information. The hotels and
restaurants are described (the latter very briefly indeed -- 3-10 lines per restaurant, with no real description of the food, and only the most general indication of cost); you can apparently buy cigarettes in the park in Paris, and the few rides unique to DLP are described. (Interestingly, he doesn't seem to care for most of them.) He also gives basic information on getting to Paris, finding in-town hotels, and so on.

But most of it is just a tired rehash. Instead of giving us
a generic "DisneyX" book, why couldn't he focus on what makes
DLP different from the other parks? I'd guess that most readers, at least most American readers, have already been to either WDW or DL, and already know the basics. They are not going to be planning a trip to France JUST to take Junior to DLP as their first visit to a Disney park.
If Sehlinger REALLY doesn't want us to
go to DLP (he doesn't like most of the unique rides; the few rides for which he mentions differences from the U.S. version [for example, the French "Haunted Mansion"], get a poorer review here, and he thinks the food is lousy and overpriced) why not just say so, and save us the cost of the book.

OTOH, if you've never been to any Disney park, and never read a
Disney Unofficial Guidebook, this might be of some use.