Disney Books

There is something interesting about a fairy with attitude. Vidia is not one of the nicest fairies but she is still interesting. In fact she seems to make an appearance in every book. Also, Vidia's conflict with the Queen sort of humorous. This was a good mini quest.

My nine year old daughter loves fairy books about Tinkerbell and her friends. She absolutely devours them as soon as I get them. What a boost for her imagination!

We own all of this series! Started reading them when my daughter was 4 (she just turned 5 now), and they are age appropriate. Not too scary and always a happy ending. One book only takes us about 4-5 nights worth of reading together. The longer ones are good too "Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg" and "Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand", but they are a little bit scarrier than the short books (more appropriate for ages 5-7 I would think).

The is a great book for in-between readers--my five year old daughter is not quite ready for regular chapter books, but feels too old for picture books. She has been a frustrated and apathetic listener recently, but absolutely loved this book and asked me every hour to read more. My seven year old son overheard me reading it to her and joined in--and he loved it! Both kids have begged to get more books from this series. They are a great mix of wonderful color pictures, interesting story, and writing that appeals to a broad range of pre and elementary school kids.

Hi well to start I read this and a lot of the other disney fairy books and this one is my favorite. I guess I like it the best cause it's kinda a mystery and I love mysterys and it's about Vidia my favorite fairy. The only problem I can see is it's a short novel and I like long ones. But overall I like this book gotta go hope this was helpful Brooke.

This is the ultimate book on Disneyland. It's more than a postcard book, it traces the history of the park & combines descriptive text with some of the best pictures you'll ever see of the park as well as the attractions, past & present. I have most every coffee table photograph book on Disneyland that has been released over the years, & this one is definitely the E-Ticket of the bunch. If you have the excellent 'Disneyland: Then, Now & Forever' (also Bruce Gordon), you have a taste of what you will find here.
The 2nd Edition is also the better of the 2 editions, with added material (1st Edition was 1995, 2nd Edition updates to 2000). I would take the 2nd Edition over the 1st Edition if they were both offered at the same price for this reason. This book is out of print... permanently since the unfortunate passing of Bruce Gordon in November 2007, there will not be any future updated editions.
Speaking of price, this book retailed for $75.00 when it was released. With some patience, this book CAN be found for around $150.00-$200.00 despite what you see here. These copies have been sitting for at least a few years at an inflated value. The book itself is spectacular, the fact that anyone would try to sell the book at $300 & up is shameful.

What memories this brings back! Not only are the postcards wonderful, but the narrative is very entertaining - much more than I had hoped for - and the postcards are supplemented with some wonderful photos to fill in some of the gaps. A great way for us (we?) older Disney fans to share our memories of Disneyland with our children (and later grandchildren), too. I know I will get many hours of enjoyment from this book over the years to come. I am so glad I decided it might be worth the price - it's worth many times over! 2007 update - Wow, the price I was referring to was $52.50, not the $189 I see it going for now.

Let me start this review with the following statement: This is the most prized book in my collection. I'll try not to be too biased. It is also the most expensive and one of the hardest to come by. In the Afterwords section of Walt's Time, Bruce explains how The Nickel Tour came to be:

"We talked to every publisher we could find, and heard the same story, word for word. No Commercial Potential. No audience. No Market. No Deal."

They put the book together themselves: Scanned all of the cards, did the layout of every page and had it printed in Italy. They lugged the books to every convention and sold them through mail-order.

"And guess what: we sold every book we printed". --p. 241, Bruce Gordon, Walt's Time - From Before to Beyond

Disneyland, the Nickel Tour is a look at the first 45 years of Disneyland's history seen through the postcards of the park. In addition to Randy Bright's wonderful Disneyland the Inside Story, The Nickel Tour stands as one of the two most comprehensive books about Disneyland's history. Where it edges out Mr. Bright' work is that The Nickel Tour does cover the past 20 years. Unfortunately, Mr. Bright passed away in 1990 and a second edition is not forthcoming. Bruce Gordon, the primary writer of The Nickel Tour, was an Imagineer and started with the Company in 1980. Mr. Gordon co-authored many books about Disney and there are several that will be published posthumously later this year. Mr. Gordon passed away in November 2007. As it stands, the second edition of The Nickel Tour will probably be the last.

The Nickel Tour is an amazing work on so many different levels: the postcard images, the photographs of attractions that weren't released in postcard form, the historical information and the writing. They begin by sharing pre-opening cards and work their way through the history of Disneyland. One of Gordon and Mumford's strengths is that they write well and can take something as simple as post cards and turn it into an epic look at a theme park. The writing never gets technical and is always filled with reverence, love and a little remorse. Occasionally, they slip in some humor. It is always fitting and they obvious love word-play. The following paragraph could have been presented as just a litany of facts, but they went a different way with it.

"On the left hand side of Main Street, we encounter the Sunkist Citrus House. Long before this view was taken, the Citrus House had actually been two separate stores, one housing "Sunny View Jams and Jellies" and the other housing the "Puffin Bake Shop." By October of 1958, Disneyland had canned the jam and jelly shop and opened a candy store in its place. It was a sweet deal until June of 1960, when the Puffin Bake Shop went stale. (It seems they just weren't making enough dough to stay in business.) And even worse, it wasn't long before everyone was beginning to sour on the candy shop next door. So the two shops were joined together, and in a dedication ceremony held with Walt on July 31, they finally became the home of the Sunkist Citrus Shop. Things were calm until 1990, when the time was ripe to spin around in a circle once more - only to find the Sunkist moving out and the Bakery moving back in! Well, that story certainly had a peel. Orange you glad we wasted all this time? Meanwhile, here's the scoop on the Carnation Ice Cream parlor: in 1997 they split from their original parlor and (having lost their Carnation along the way) floated into the home of the bakery. Then, with perfect Disneyland logic, the bakery moved into - the ice cream parlor! If that doesn't get a rise out of you, nothing will!" p. 121

The sense of history that you get from The Nickel Tour, through the postcards and photographs, has not been presented in any other form. Besides being a reference work for postcards, it is almost a wish book--one you can flip open to any page and see a favorite or long-gone attraction and dream about visiting or re-experiencing. The images are stellar and your appreciation of postcards as art and history will grow.

Bottom Line: This work was obviously a labor of love for Gordon and Mumford. It is hard to stress how important this work is in the Disney Literature. Beside being one of two major historical works about Disneyland, you get a feel for how Disneyland evolved, how Walt plussed the park and how the Disney Company moved forward after Walt. It is the most cherished book in my entire collection. If you are lucky enough to find a copy, get it. I know that many people will dismiss this book because it is about Disneyland, but without Disneyland, there would be no Walt Disney World. The history of Disneyland offers a lot of insight into the growth of Walt Disney World as well.

This book is simply amazing!

www.imaginerding.com

I cannot say enough about this handsome, evocative, skilfullywritten book. Just as Disneyland is more than an amusement park, thisis more than a trip through Disneyland's places and times...

I wouldhasten to add that this book does more than to simply transport you tothe park as it is today; it is the best simulation of a time machine,transporting you back to previous incarnations of the park, the waythat they were experienced and enjoyed in the vanished culturallandscape of the 1950s and the 1960s. A lot of those joys are gone --the Rainbow Caverns of the Mine Train, the subatomic journey of InnerSpace -- and this is the best way to see them again.

What Iparticularly enjoy about this book is that the authors clearly sharemy childhood fascination with wondering "how it all worked."You get aerial shots of the park under construction, pictures ofaborted attraction developments, and the stories behind detailsranging from the marching band kiosk to the eucalyptus trees inAdventureland.

Walt would have approved of this magnificentlyconceived and executed journey through Disneyland's past and present.

I've read "The Art of Walt Disney", "Walt Disney Imagineering", "Disneyland:The Inside Story", and several other books about the Magic Kingdom, and this book is by far the most detailed and enjoyable of them all. Every store that's ever had an address on Main Street...every sponsor that's ever had an exhibit in Tommorowland...IT'S ALL HERE. My only complaint is that I wish some of the illustrations were larger so you could take in more detail...but considering that every postcard ever issued by Disneyland is included, in addition to behind-the-scenes photos and concept art, this is an understandable compromise. Absolutely the best book ever printed on Disneyland.

This book is as beautiful as the background watercolors of the original movie The book takes a personal look at the stories behind the movie. Not necessarily linear in presentation, the chapters are broken into narrations by different creators of the film and either how they came to be involved or how they added to the film. The art that is scattered throughout each chapter is often beautiful.

I personally have two favorite images from the film, one a watercolor of a drainage in Hawaii, overgrown with native plants and the second is drawings of how the alien creature, experiment 626, would work showing his skeleton and structure.

This book is listed as for ages 4-8, total mistake. this is not a kids book but would be appropriate for early teens through adult. It is an excellent book for those interested in animation, or as myself, a fan of Lilo and Stitch.

I could not put this book down...I read it all in one sitting. If you're a fan of the movie this is the book for you...strong recommended!

this is a must have for any fan of the "art of" series books. it is as beautiful as the movie itself. it is splashed with all the beautiful rough drawings and amazing watercolor paintings that take your breath away. i wouldnt have asked for any more!!!!!!!!

A charming, lovely book, a great compliment to the movie, and the perfect gift for any fan of Lilo & Stitch. If you count this gem among your favorite films (as I do), this book is a must-have for you, as it's filled with gorgeous sketches and watercolors, showcasing the development of the characters and setting. (I'm gushing, yes, but I can't help it.) And it's filled with little stories from all the key members who worked behind the scenes, reminding you of how very human animated films are. Personally, I think this is the best of the Disney "Art of..." books, but I'm biased, as Lilo & Stitch is my favorite Disney film. It's not hardcover, but it hardly matters. The book is unique, just like the film.

"Lilo and Stitch" was the perfect summer family film. Lighthearted and heart warming, it contained all the elements of the best Disney has to offer. The great thing about this film is that it did this without all the fanfare and majesty that, as of recently, has been dragging down the Disney films. This pseudo-making-of book offers the same unpretentious vision. As most fans of Disney animation know, this type of book is released for every feature. While quite a few have been really nicely done, most have been bogged down in the technical aspects of animation. While it is an awe-inspiring and often misunderstood process, hearing and re-hearing about the animation process gets a bit stale. These publications began to feel like the same book with different pictures. Thank goodness the creators of this book have taken a refreshingly different approach to telling the story behind the story of Lilo and Stitch. Personal accounts and artistic insights prove to be just as entertaining and engaging as the sketches and watercolors that fill this slim addition to the Disney Making Of Library. Like the film, the book doesn't feel the need to show off the technical merrits of the production. Too often authors of animation books come across defensive about the medium, forcing comparrisons with other more respected mediums (film, fine art, literature) as if there is a need to defend animation. In a way they are preaching to the choir. Most people who purchase these books already respect the process, the amazing artists, and the mountains of work that goes into each production. Lilo and Stitch the book finally offers some insight into the creative minds and, more importantly, hearts of the creative forces behind the magic. Let's just hope that Disney, particularly their Florida unit, continues to produce animated features with this simple charm and storytelling. With more films and books like Lilo and Stitch it would make it easier to overlook the occasional "Atlantis" or "Treasure Planet".

This is a very good book on Walt Disney World. It is far superior to the 20th Anniversary Book "Walt Disney World 20 Magical Years". Although, many of the pictures are the same, there are alot more in Since the World Began.

In addition, this book provides much more information on the creation of the park. Still the best book on the creation of the Disney theme parks is "Disneyland: Inside Story" by Randy Bright. Since this is out of print, Walt Disney World 20 Magical Years is a good choice.

Walt Disney lives.

No, I'm not talking about the urban legend about him being cryogenically sealed and stashed below the Pirates of the Caribbean exhibition. Nor is this some soft New Ageism about spirits inhabiting the celestial plane.

He's alive down on a plot of land outside of Orlando, Florida, a boom city that was a dumpy little crossroad when Walt began buying what became a 30,000-acre spread there is the late 1960s.

Walt's gone, but his vision and energy lives on, and once you start dipping into "Since the World Began," you'll see that the scope of his vision is nothing short of awesome.

There are many faces of Disney, the producer of family-friendly and highly profitable movies, the creator of family-friendly theme parks, but also a visionary who thought that, as one associate put it, "bad information was responsible for all the evil in the world." Who tried to change people's attitudes within the confines of an amusement park, the man whose idealism spawned the Epcot center, and under Michael Eisner, the Disney Institute, where education and learning are on a par with entertainment.

What the book won't tell you -- this is published by Hyperion, Disney's publishing arm, and written by Jeff Kurtti, a longtime Disney employee -- is just what hell Walt went through to realize his vision. You won't hear of Disney's fundamentalist upbringing, his retreat into fantasy to escape a brutal father and life in poverty, his endless hard work to make animated movies, his multiple nervous breakdowns. His brother Roy is idealized as the business brain behind Walt's success, but you won't hear that Roy constantly opposed Disney's ideas as a waste of money. When Kurtti writes that Disney founded the design firm Walt Disney Imagineering in 1952 "because he realized that he wouldn't be able to create Disneyland within the boundaries of the studio system," he doesn't mention that it was also because Roy and the Disney board refused to advance Walt the money to design Disneyland, fearing that it would be a failure.

There was plenty of reason for Roy to be worried, too. Disney's ideas constantly threw the company perilously close to bankruptcy, generally on the order of every 18 months, until Disney's deal with ABC in 1955 made him very wealthy and put the company on a firm financial footing. Walt Disney was an idealist and a visionary, and if it wasn't for his tenacity, the company would not be the worldwide giant it is today.

Even while ignoring those shadings, there is still plenty of story left to make "Since the World Began" an awe-inspiring overview of Walt Disney World. It's probably the single largest and most complex construction project this side of the space shuttle. Its statistics are jaw-dropping: 55 miles of canals and levees were built to control the water levels, nine acres of underground corridors thread through the park, housing sewer lines, pipes and cables, and a pneumatic system for hauling trash, 60,000 plants and 800 varieties of trees acquired, moved and transplanted to build the park, 100,000 pounds of linen had to be washed every day.

As befitting its creator, the theme park was ahead of its time in its use of innovative technology. WDW was also the first area to implement 911 service in Florida, the first commercial venture to use fiber optic cables, the first telephone system using underground cable instead of overhead wires.

But the park was also a reflection of Walt Disney's vision of a global coming together of different peoples and cultures, learning about each other and attempting to find and enjoy peace as a result. It's globalization with a human face, to borrow someone else's phrase, and even if it seems outdated or even impossible in this post-9/11 world, Walt's beliefs is a hopeful and sustaining vision, and as American as the culture from which it sprang.

The author dives into the nuts and bolts of Disney history, including the formation of the Reedy Creek Improvement District and Disney's unique infrastructure. Yet the book isn't bogged down with technical, intricate details. Any Disney fan should enjoy reading about the Imagineering behind all four Florida parks' concepts, the hidden meanings of the names on Main Street's second floor windows, the transformation of Tomorrowland, ad infinitum. I received the book as a gift in 1996 and I've enjoyed reading through it several times.

Wow, wow, wow what a great book depicting the history of the number one vacation spot on the planet. I actually bought this book when it came out about 5 years ago. After reading it, I decided I'm going back to Dinsey World to celebrate its 25th birthday. Needless, to say it was a great trip. This is the book for all you wanting to know about Dinsey World History. For Dinseyland I would reccommend Disneyland: Inside Story, but getting on of those under... is a hard task.... What are you waiting for, buy this book! Get ready to experience the magic!

This is a very good book on Walt Disney World. It is far superior to the 20th Anniversary Book "Walt Disney World 20 Magical Years". Although, many of the pictures are the same, there are alot more in Since the World Began.

In addition, this book provides much more information on the creation of the park. Still the best book on the creation of the Disney theme parks is "Disneyland: Inside Story" by Randy Bright. Since this is out of print, Walt Disney World 20 Magical Years is a good choice.

The book arrived in great condition and is full of great pictures and information about the making of the movie. Great for Tim Burton fans.

I got this book at Disneyland yesterday. It was SO great! I'm glad I bought this instead of a stuffed Sally doll. It was very interesting, and I'm very pleased to see storyboards and the very informative contents of the book, especially the poem of The Nightmare Before Christmas. However, I wish I could've read more of the poem Tim Burton wrote. Then I could compare it to the original poem of The Night Before Christmas. Tim Burton is an exceedingly creative man, and I'm glad he makes stop-motion animation, because I'm SO sick of all the stupid computer animated movies that studios make nowadays. Tim Burton follows his own ideas, and this movie inspired me to be a stop-motion animator when I grow up, alongside with a career as an author.
-Jo W.

If you're interested in knowing more about Tim Burton's movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, this book is a great buy. It has all the details about the making of the movie and the characters plus loads of great pictures. A must have for every Nightmare Before Christmas enthusiast.

This book is definitely very illustrative about the process of creation of a film of the caliber of `The nightmare before Christmas'. With a foreword by Tim Burton, the book includes everything related with the making of this stop-motion animation classic. This book is more a documentary about the making of the film; it is divided in three sections (described below) and takes you through the whole process of creation of the movie. It is an interesting document indeed for people wanting to know about the creative process of making a movie of this kind. A perfect companion for the film!

The Film

The first part of the book focuses on the story ans the lyrics of the movie songs, beautifully illustrated with pictures from the movie, designs and Burton's sketches. Some movie facts are also given in this part of the book.

The Art

The original poem by Burton in which the movie is based on is presented in the firt part of the section. Most of Burton's sketches and character designs are here. The design of the sets, the characters and storyboards are well explained and presented in this section of the book with beautiful pictures, colored sketches and original drawings by Tim.

The Vision

In this section we get to meet all the people involved in making this film possible, and a little background on her profiles and how they were selected to partake on this project. Tim Burton, Henry Selick, Danny Elfman, Caroline Thompson, Kathleen Gavin and Denise Di Novi participate with comments and thought about the project.

If you've ever seen Tim Burton's truly excellent stop-motion animation film The Nightmare Before Christmas, then you've probably wondered, "How was all this done?" This book can answer that. Inside you'll find the stories behind the screenplay, the music, the process of stop-motion animation itself, and see some of Burton's original sketches that gave inspiration to one of the most imaginative and outright magnificent movies in the last fifteen years. If you love The Nightmare Before Christmas, then you'll go nuts over this book.

This book really is the definitive source of all things Disney by the keeper of its archives. It is fascinating and complete, containing information about theme parks, characters, movies, television shows, music, and more. It is the must-have reference for Disney fans like myself.

This is a must have for Disney fans. Everything from ABC's LOST to the Alice Comedies and from Steamboat Willy to Meet the Robinsons is covered here. Some articles are more detailed than others but everything is covered. Makes an interesting read just on its own. Film historians and students will find a wealth of connective material here to jump start them on research and fill in the dots on hard to find questions. A beautiful display of pictures is included with this volume. If you can't actually visit the archives (and I certainly would like to) then this is the next best thing.

"Disney A to Z" is an awesome book that a true Disney fan cannot live without. It is a great book that will help you find out about old Disney movies, that you might have not seen. "Disney A to Z" encyclopedia is also an essential source for those that love to play the "Disney Seen it" board game. It gives a short description of ALL Disney movies including the short ones that came out after the World War II. I LOVE IT!!!

This is a great gift for any Disney fan. Many listing bring back great memories and coll trivia.

This book is a great resource for all Disney fans. All the characters, all the movies (unfortunately, the Mephisto movie made in collaboration with Salvador Dali is not in the book) and all the attractions, parks, properties and influentials employees are mentioned. Maybe just not as exhaustive as I would like it; it is, however, a great resource.

This is one of those must have items when you're facing a trip with your grandkids (that's TWO generations away from your own days on any wild ride) and I must say this guide to the park was enormously helpful even before we got there. Thanks a lot! Our trip was a huge success and Ms. Wiley's book gets a lot of the credit.

I first read an earlier version of this book several years ago, and Kim's sound advice has stayed with me, several trips on.

If you want to learn which rides to stay away from with young children, and what the must sees are, this is the book to read. And don't ignore Kim's most important tip of all. If you're travelling to Disney World with children, make sure you take that afternoon nap.

Catherine Noble
Webmaster
www.mywdwtrip.com

This is a really useful book, tons of tips, saved me a lot $$ and time. The most valuable thing I learn is to rent a multi-family vacation house with my friends, 16 people for $199 a day. We all enjoy the stay at a luxury emerald island resort. check this out: http://www.cyberrentals.com/index.cfm/property/126687

I purchased this book as a guide to help plan a 5 day trip to WDW with my family. We just got back and let me tell you this book saved us a lot of waiting time for the rides, helped us know what to see and where and how to focus our energy. Ms. Wiley is right on the mark in her descriptions of the attractions and her tips about getting around the parks. The book was so helpful, I tore out the sections about each park and took it with us into the park. This version is missing info that wasn't available at the time of printing about some of the newer shows Disney has put in for its 50th anniversary celebration. The Cinderellabration show is wonderful especially if you have a princess lover in your family and the Wishes fireworks display over the castle in the Magic Kingdom. I would highly recommend this book even if you've been to WDW before.

This book is a must read before and during your trip. It has great money saving ideas and is easy to understand. The scare factors are extremely useful if you have children under 10.

I have bought many guide books in my life, but by far this was the best one. The information was accurate and extremely helpful. I thought it was so useful that I purchased it for my other family members who were going on the cruise with us. Everyone who got a copy found it very useful. I had numerous pages highlighted and flagged. It is a MUST if you are taking a Disney cruise.

When I get a guide book. I look for things such as fine details and points to look for. The PassPorters books dose that and even more. Their web site is a gold mine Disney. The people who wrote this book are totally absolved by everything Disney go to their forum. I have tons of other guides books, I am taking my family on the 7 day Disney Cruse next year and wanted a detail guide about the route where we are taking. This book does that and things I never could of known. I higher recommend these books from PassPorters they are totally above everything you could find for a Disney trip with fine details.

The information in this book allowed us to make informed decisions well in advance of our trip. Information regarding the various types of rooms, the dining choices, and on the the excursions available allowed us to plan out our trip. Even has lots of 'tips and tricks' on how to make the best of our hard-earned dollars. I have also purchased the passporter for WDW. These books are very helpful for those who are avid planners.

In these book are great practical guide for the new and not-so new to cruising. It tells you detailed review on most aspects of cruising at Disney- from staterooms, dining, excursions and "tricks" to making your vacation more manageable and less overwhelming. My favorite part is how to avoid being sea sick in the cruise with numerous suggestions. The other part is the sample menu in the dining areas. The list of items to bring in a cruise is an invaluable tool as I have committed the mistake of bringing the wrong outfits for my last cruise. Definitely indispensable!

I have never been on a cruise so I was starting from zero. This book helped me and my family understand all of the options available from Disney and allowed us to make informed decisions. The authors have been there and done that, literally, and share with us their experiences, insights, and photographs. Each activity at sea and on shore is explained in great detail. Each member of my family actually read through these with highlighter in hand, marking off the ones they wanted us to do. It makes planning a lot easier.

In that same vein, I found the descriptions of the cabins to be particularly useful. With almost a dozen cabin classes, how is a newbie supposed to choose? I suspected the cabins with the pianos would be a tad pricey, but after that I was lost. This book came to the rescue. It provides diagrams, measurements, and features for each cabin class, along with first-person descriptions.

If you're considering taking a Disney cruise, then you really have to get this book.

BEST guide book you could ever want to have in your possession before, during and after your cruise!!!!
These guys really have done their research and we are glad they did so we could have a wonderful, relaxing and informative cruise.
Thanks!!!!!

This book was an excellent resource in planning my second Disney cruise. I like to research as much as possible before taking a vacation and this guide gave me lots of information I needed. I especially used the reveiws and ratings of the shore excursions to help select which ones were best for my family. They also offer great budget and planning information and offer a behind-the-scenes look at what fun activites there are to do on the ship. I would never have thought to participate in the treasure hunt on Castaway Cay without them. The links to other websites to find more information was also a big help. Finally, they have a great website where you can get the most recent updates to whatever your edition is missing and color downloads of the ships deck plans. Overall, it's an excellent resource!

Once again, Jennifer Watson and Dave Marx have done an outstanding job with the new edition of the Passporter Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line! This volume is comprehensive, informative and easy-to-use. The authors are genuine Disneyphiles and their affection for all things Disney is evident in every page of this book. However, they are not blind to its (few) flaws and are careful to let readers know aspects of their trips did not meet their standards. This book is very carefully researched, right down to which meals and restaurants are the best, which cabins are quietest, which cabins have "secret" portholes and which on-shore excursions are best value for the money. Readers will really appreciate their insider tips on how to get the most from their Disney cruise. And the information in the book is regularly updated on the authors' website. I have been vacationing at Disney for decades and Passporter has been my vacation guide ever since they started publishing it. You're going to be spending thousands of dollars on your Disney cruise...spend a few dollars more and you'll be investing in a book that will really help you get the most out of your vacation. Passporter is outstanding and worth every cent!

Don't bother buying both. This one is much more useful and easy to use. I agree with the comments above. Start your cruise early by buying this guide and really get the most for your money! I feel like it is stretching the experience and giving me a head start by familiarizing me with what to expect.

Do consider ditching your nice luggage for nylon totes/something easily compactable or at least nesting - we are bringing the ones we use to pack our camping gear in when we travel because they are thin, strong and hold a lot, plus they collapse completely and will take up much less space in our cabin.

As first-time cruisers, we had much to learn. This guide explains everything, answered all of my questions and provided a wonderful overview of the cruise. This book is a must if you're taking the Disney cruise!

The book tells you a lot of the backround of each car. My 19 months old son loves the book on top of the movie. Even my husband and I read the book already without him.... if you are a CARS collector you need that book.

I got this for my [...] who loves "Cars" and his cousin the same age who also is obsessed with this movie. It's a good book, a little old for the [...] range. But it'll be one to keep on the shelf and in good condition for years to come. I would consider this one a collector's item. Just not one you would read to them at bedtime. It's not that type of book. More "factual" - based on the characters of the movie.

A very colorful and informative book that's a pleasure to read over and over. I just wished it has more information about the other characters in the movie. But clearly, this book is made for kids.

Still, I enjoy the great pictures and endeared the characters closer to me.

This is a big, bright book all about your favorite characters from Disney's Cars movie.

Each page highlights an individual character with a "CAR FACTS" circle with the mechanical info for the car. Also included are pictures from the movie with a caption underneath describing the picture. For example "Dedicated Driver" shows McQueen talking to Mack with a caption telling how he gets his boss to the next race as fast as possible and how he is McQueen's one true friend.
We also get a "Tractor Tipping" page with a full page spread of a rather angry looking Frank, with a smaller caption of a terrified McQueen escaping Frank's blades!
The highlight is the centerfold 4 page foldout of the Speedway! We get a blip's view of the Speedway at night pre-race. Along the outside are captions of McQueen, the Piston Cup, Chicks and McQueen's pit crew.

Overall a beautifully presented book with all your little (or big) Cars fan could wish for!

The book is very colorful and gives loads of information on all the characters. My son loves the book!