The Lowdown on Disneyland Guides

I'm a guide-reading type of girl. I like to know what I'm getting myself into. And I like to know everyone's opinion on everything. That's not to say I don't take it with a grain of salt - I do, for sure, but I just think more information is better. So there are my Disneyland guidebook picks.

The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland. This, unsurprisingly, is the "unofficial" look at Disneyland (it's not just a clever title...). It offers lots of advice, "touring plans" (which are really only necessary if you're there in the busy season) and ratings by age for each and every ride. It tends, a little bit, to look on the negative side. Perhaps on the "realistic" side. In fact, it sort of freaked me out before we went the first time, with its descriptions of the crowds and lines and the mania. But it has lots of good information and I highly recommend it if you're a first time D-land visitor.

Birnbaum's Disneyland is the "official" word on Disneyland - they sell these guidebooks in the giftshops. I think it's a great guide. It describes each ride, picks favorites, describes the dining options and shopping. It's very thorough and super-helpful. And being the official guide of Disneyland it does, of course, accentuate the positive. Which. Nothing wrong with that.

So those are my favorites. If you're as anal retentive as I am with your vacation planning, you might want to pick them up. Plus, they make great light reading when you're reliving your trip weeks and months after you get home. Or maybe that's just me.