BOOK REVIEW: “Walt Disney World Guide to the Magic for Kids by Tim Foster”

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Let me start this review by saying that when my 14-year-old daughter picked it up after seeing it on the counter in my kitchen, she immediately said: “Wow! This is so cool!” I thought that it was pretty cool, too.

The Guide to the Magic for Kids is more than just a Disney World guidebook aimed at kids (I’d say it would appeal most to kids between the ages of about 5 and 12), it is also a sticker book, an autograph book, and a trip journal. The Guide covers all four Disney World Theme parks and includes a very helpful couple of pages upfront explaining how to use the book, the symbols used, and ways to get the most out of it.

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Author Tim Foster has created a truly interesting guide to Walt Disney World that kids (and their grown-ups) can use to determine what an attraction is all about, what it will be like, whether it will be scary, and other pertinent information about snacking and shopping in each area of the park.

The book starts with a description of how to use the book, with a visual explanation of what the handy symbols and used throughout refer to and what information is included (my faves: Hidden Mickeys and Scavenger Hunts). He then follows with some basic tips for making any visit to Walt Disney World more enjoyable (“Take your time!” “Take a break!”) and an index of attractions.

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The book is then organized by park, by section or “Land” within each park, and by each attraction within that section of the park. Section pages list extra “stuff” to look for, a description of the shopping offered (not sure a 5-year-old would care much about this, but tweens and some grown-ups definitely would) and suggestions for where to find kid-friendly snacks or meals.

Attraction pages describe what type of ride or attraction it is, what you can expect to see or do on or in the attraction and whether or not it is scary (I didn’t always completely agree with these assessments). There is also space for kids to check off whether they did the attraction, how they rated it, and notes about things that they liked about the transaction. The pages for each country in Epcot’s World Showcase also include spaces for passport stamps and cast member autographs and spaces to draw and color each country’s flag.

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Scattered throughout the book are interesting bits of trivia (“Did You Know?”). Some examples: “Did You Know? The World Fellowship Fountain [in Epcot’s Future World] was dedicated during the opening festivities of the park by Lillian Disney.” “Did You Know? As you enter Dinoland, U.S.A. [in Disney’s Animal Kingdom] you’ll pass under the Olden Gate Bridge, which is actually a replica of a 40 foot tall Brachiosaurus skeleton.”

Here are the things that I liked about the book:

• It was well-organized and easy to navigate. I liked the up-front explanation of how to use the book. The extensive index was helpful for quickly finding a particular attraction (although I kept flipping to the back of the book to find the index, and it is strangely located near the front).

• Color-coded pages allow you to flip quickly to a particular park.

• The “Did You Know?” entries add color and an additional level of interest to the entries.

• This book may actually entice your kids to do some thinking and writing during vacation!

Parents should note that the size of the book (and it is definitely meant to be brought with you as you are touring the parks) is not especially compact. It will be very difficult to be a “Guest Without Bag” if you are toting it around all day. That being said, most parents with kids are toting around lots of stuff for their little Mouseketeers. Just be sure to leave enough room in your backpack or stroller basket for the book!

This book is definitely for:

Kids who like to know more about the attractions they are about to experience than it says on the “You must be 44″ tall to ride this ride” signs. Kids who like to keep notes about their trips, and want to keep all of their ink-based souvenirs (autographs, passport stamps, etc.) in one neat and tidy package.

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Parents who want additional information on whether particular attractions will be right for their kids, or who are looking for a guidebook that will turn into a great trip souvenir for their kids.

This book may not be for: Kids who don’t really care to know much more about an attraction other than that they are tall enough to ride.

DISCLOSURE: Guide to the Magic is a paid advertiser in the AllEars® newsletter and provided a complimentary review copy of the book. This did not influence the review in any way. Alice McNutt Miller is an independent reviewer and guest blogger for AllEars®.

Photos provided by Guide to the Magic.

Alice McNutt Miller is a lifelong Disney fan whose fondest childhood memories include “The Wonderful World of Disney” on Sunday nights and her first trip to Disneyland when she was ten years old. Alice and her family are Disney Vacation Club members, and have visited Disney parks all over the world. They live in Vienna, Virginia.

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7 Replies to “BOOK REVIEW: “Walt Disney World Guide to the Magic for Kids by Tim Foster””

  1. My daughters, 8 and 6, love this book. It is too big (for ME) to carry (2)around the parks every day, so they would work on it at night.It was alot of fun and kept them occupied the whole flight home!

  2. Hi Sarah,

    The book has 14 Daily Journal Pages. I am not sure where the book can be purchased once you arrive on Disney property, but you might want to check out the website, and try contacting the author to get that information:

    http://www.guidetothemagic.com/

    Best, Alice

  3. Thanks for the review. My then 7 yr old will LOVE this for our next trip in late 2012 and my then 5 yr old will as well. I never would have gone looking for something like this but it will be a great new Disney souvenir!

  4. Let me start with saying that Tim is a stand-up, honest guy. I don’t know him personally but I have a story to tell.

    I ordered the book about 2 years ago. When it arrived at my house, the spine was crushed during shipping, thanks USPS. I emailed Tim and he answered that evening and shipped out another copy at his expense.,How awesome is that? Thanks again Tim!!

    About the book, 5 stars +! My 8 year old loved it. Some many fun facts, journal entries, and games to keep the mind of an 8 year old in check during wait times. It also gave her parents a nice chance to converse at dinner why she read the whole thing, TWICE.

    Great book and author. I will buy anything Tim publishes.

  5. This looks so fantastic, thank you for the review.
    I have two quick questions:

    1) How many days are there in the journal?

    2) Can you buy this book once you arrive on Disney property as it doesn’t seen to be available in the UK?

    Thanks

    Sarah x

  6. I bought this book for my son on our last rip to Disney. He enjoyed filling out all the information. While we were waiting to be sat for dinner reservations or for the parades to start he had this out of the back pack and going through it. We got tons of complements on it. Even Disney cast members loved it. I will buy him another one before our next trip.

  7. We bought three of these for our 6, 8 and 10 year old for this latest trip. The kids read them ahead of time to get ready for the trip. We didn’t carry them with us in the parks, but each night while we were getting ready for bed, kids were waiting for the shower, etc., they would write in it and journal about their day. It was a great way for them to remember what all they did each day! The kids really loved having the books – now that the trip is over they look back at them often.