Disneyland (CA)Unofficial Guide News

What’s New In The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2013?

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On behalf of my co-authors Bob Sehlinger and Len Testa, I’m proud to announce that The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2013 is now available via Amazon and Barnes & Noble, a few days before the book’s 9/19 official release date. It can be pre-ordered from iBooks in advance of its digital release later this month.

This has been a year of remarkable change at the Disneyland Resort, and our latest update to the Unofficial Guide reflects all the radical reimagineering the Anaheim attractions have undergone.

Here’s a rundown on all the fresh material you will find in our 2013 Guide:

Introduction

  • An all-new humorous “The Importance of Being Goofy” essay.
  • Revised overview of the resort, highlighting expansions at Disney California Adventure.
  • Updated comparison chart of Disneyland Attractions vs. their equivalents at Magic Kingdom in Florida.

Planning Before You Leave Home

  • Updated admission options and ticket prices.
  • New automated options like buying tickets your mobile device and the Ask Otto phone line.
  • Using the Lines mobile app to enhance your Disneyland visit.
  • New statistics on Disneyland theme park attendance.
  • New parking information, including valet and overflow options.
  • Hints on safely walking into the Disneyland Resort from surrounding lodging in various directions.
  • Refreshed hotel reviews and room ratings, featuring the completed renovations at Disneyland Hotel.
  • Debating the merits of the “Good Neighbor” hotel program.
  • New policies for FASTPASS, rope drop, and Early Entry.
  • Additional VIP tour and Adventures By Disney information.

Essentials

  • Benefits for the Disney Visa cardholders.
  • Nearby grocery and pharmacy options.
  • Charging your cell phone inside the parks.
  • PhotoPass and PhotoPass+ information.

Disneyland With Kids

  • New “minimum height requirement” chart.
  • Updated “small child fright potential” chart.
  • New reader comments on child swap and taking infants on rides.

Dining and Shopping in and Around Disneyland

  • Refreshed reviews of every full-service and counter-service restaurant at the resort.
  • Details on dining at Carthay Circle, Flo’s V8 Cafe, and all the new signature eateries in DCA’s Buena Vista Street and Cars Land.
  • The arrival of Starbucks inside the Disney parks.
  • Fresh reviews of the new menus at Jolly Holiday Bakery, Carnation Cafe, and House of Blues.
  • Updated advice on your best snacking options around the resort.
  • Changes at Ariel’s Grotto and the Cove Bar.
  • World of Color dining options at Wine Country Trattoria and Carthay Circle.
  • New dining options at Anaheim Gardenwalk in the surrounding city.

Disneyland Park

  • Expanded information on the Disney Gallery and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (seasonally starring the Voices of Liberty).
  • Information on construction of the new Princess Fantasy Faire.
  • A review of the controversial refurbishment of Matterhorn Bobsleds.
  • Changes to Innoventions, and where you can get a free souvenir in Tomorrowland.
  • New details on live entertainment around the park, including Billy Hill’s relocation to Big Thunder Ranch.
  • Fresh insights and behind-the-scenes dish from Jim Hill.

Disney California Adventure

  • Ratings and reviews of all the new attractions and entertainments inside Buena Vista Street and Cars Land, including the blockbuster Radiator Springs Racers ride.
  • How to navigate the new early entry procedures at DCA, plus new single rider and FASTPASS advice.
  • Updated advice on viewing World of Color, including the new “Glow With The Show” mouse ears.
  • New entertainment around the park, from Minnie’s Fly Girls to the Mad T Party.

Universal Studios Hollywood

  • In-depth review of Universal’s smash new Transformers 3-D attraction.
  • The announcement of a West Coast Harry Potter attraction, with hints on the future of the Waterworld and Terminator shows.
  • Information on VIP upgraded admission.
Of course our world-famous Touring Plans — completely overhauled for the new attractions, and optimized with the aid for our custom computer database — are all included in a handy clip-out format.

And for those those visitors who aren’t the “theme park commando” type, we’ve added for the first time a “No Rides/No Queues/No Stress Anti-Touring Plan” guaranteed to help the most anti-attraction grouch have a great time.

Remember, readers who purchase the new Guide can get a generous discount off their Disneyland Lines subscription. You’ll also notice that the park and attraction descriptions on TouringPlans.com have been updated to reflect the new content found in print. We hope you enjoy the 2013 edition of the Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, and invite you to leave us your comments below.

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Seth Kubersky

Author of The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando. Co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland and Beyond Disney. Contributor to Unofficial Guides to WDW and Las Vegas. Live Active Cultures columnist for the Orlando Weekly. Travel and arts journalist. Theatrical director and producer.

9 thoughts on “What’s New In The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2013?

  • I can’t find the UG on iTunes. The WDW version is there, but not DL and I am getting lose to my trip. Please help!

    Reply
  • One of the things that I liked in the WDW UOG was the good & not so good rooms, including the DVC rooms. Is there any way you can include those tips here? Very excited about our trip in July 2013 that we have rented DVC points for the GCV 😀

    Reply
  • Is there a Kindle edition?

    Reply
  • “”New “minimum height requirement” chart.””

    Is that a fold out sheet that I could cut out and tape to my kids wall and say “See this, once you grow to this line you can ride splash mountain?”

    Reply
    • That would be wonderful, I’ll ask about it for the next edition but don’t hold your breath 😉

      Reply
  • Hi,
    Not really to do with the Guide but relevant to the website in general…on a recent Disboards podcast, the main presenter, Pete, implied that this app with official wait times will basically be the “death knell” of Lines (he didn’t name it but it sounded like that what he was referring to) – how would you respond to this sentiment?

    Reply
    • In my opinion, the new official app is wonderful if all you want to know is what the posted wait times are at this very second. If you want to know what the actual wait times are, or will be on any date and time in the future, and have a custom touring plan that can be dynamically updated with the latest wait-time data, you still need Lines. The new official app may kill off other wait time apps that are out there, but Lines has enough added value to stick around.

      Reply
    • I find it easier and faster to get park hours and showtimes using Lines than I do with My Disney Experience (though it’s a little better than Mobile Magic) and the custom touring plans are a huge feature that I doubt Disney can or wants to duplicate. If you just want posted wait times, then the Disney app is fine.

      Reply
  • Oh I am SUPER excited this is being released before we go in October! I really enjoyed the 2012 guide. Thank you for all your hard work helping a super planner like me not feel so anxious. I really appreciate it! 🙂

    Reply

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