The 2013 Birnbaum’s Official Guide to Disneyland claims to offer “the most accurate and current information on prices and attractions,” but I found the information guide to be lacking.
I purchased the Birnbaum guide because it is the “official” travel guide to Disneyland. The strange thing is that the information in the guide is outdated in places. In one section, it references six-day park hopper tickets which Disney stopped selling last year. The book’s map of Disneyland is from 1998 and shows the long defunct Rocket Rods attraction (complete with cars on the track), Cosmic Waves fountain in Tomorrowland, the brown version of Space Mountain, and no mention of the Submarine Voyage.
The back cover of the book talks about the new Cars Land. However, when you open the book you see a resort map that does not show Cars Land and instead depicts items that were removed from California Adventure more than a year ago (Golden Gate bridge, sun icon in the entry plaza, Bountiful Valley Farm, etc).
The information was updated accurately in other areas of the book. For instance, the section listing ticket prices accurately states the current prices and ticket types available. The book is also one of the few travel guides I have seen that devotes space to Annual Passports and the discounts you can get when you have one. For families that visit Disneyland more than five days in a year, the Annual Passports are often an overlooked way to save money over the long term.
In other areas, the guide book gave the basic info but lacked any insider tips. When most families seek out a planning guide, you’re looking for those insider tips and tricks that will help you maximize your visit. Birnbaum’s guide mentioned the dining packages for World of Color, but neglected to detail how each of the dining packages give you different viewing areas. The book also did not mention that Fastpass was an option for reserved World of Color seating.
Another point to consider is that, as the official guide, the Birnbaum guide is biased in favor of the Disneyland Resort hotels. The book devotes a significant portion of its pages to detailing the three Disney-owned hotels, but only gives mention to a handful of other Anaheim hotels. That said, Birnbaum’s guide does give very detailed descriptions of the Disney hotels, especially with the different room types at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel.
By focusing on the Disney hotels, Birnbaum overlooks one of the biggest advantages of visiting Disneyland versus Walt Disney World – there are dozens of wonderful hotels for families within walking distance. You aren’t trapped into paying a premium price for a Disney hotel when many lower cost options, with a similar quality level, are just steps away.
The book does shine in its brief descriptions of each attraction. Some guide books take a more critical eye toward each ride, which can dampen the enthusiasm of the reader. Birnbaum’s guide makes you excited to try each attraction because of the enthusiastic tone used in each of the descriptions. For example, Pirates of the Caribbean is described as “the most swashbuckling adventure you’ll find at Disneyland” instead of just calling it a “Pirate themed boat ride,” like I have seen in other guide books.
Overall, Birbaum’s guide offers a good primer of what to expect at the Disneyland Resort, but the book has a lot of room for improvement. I would like to see the facts double checked and new photos used throughout the book. A better list of all Good Neighbor hotels in the Anaheim Resort District would be a great resource for travelers. And most of all, the book needs to add some insider tips on how to maximize your vacation.
If you need a travel guide to Disneyland, our advice is to spend your money on one of the many other guide books out there. The Birnbaum guide is informative, but it won’t give you any greater insight than what you could get by simply browsing the official Disneyland web site.
