Overview:
P12 - Disney Cruise Line: is it true that you can still book WDW and DCL in a package? I thought they discontinued the combo packages. Maybe it would be better say a trip to WDW can be combined with a Disney Cruise.
P13 - Attraction Update table: Epcot Forever appears to have been permanently dumped and a new show will not debut on 2020 as currently noted. Also Minnie Vans don’t seem to be coming back given that the fleet was liquidated.
As a newbie (this is my first comment on the forum and first visit to Disney World since 2007), I took a few notes on the proofs I was able to read this evening. I wrote down suggestions based on information I’ve found (or found confusing) as I’ve been researching our upcoming trip.
Pg. 13 - include something about Magic bands in the Fast Pass + description (Last 10 years). I know you describe them in detail later, but a short reference to them here could be helpful.
Pg. 14 - You’re probably limited on space but these are a few additional abbreviations that tripped me up as I began doing research for our trip … I’m sure I will find more. 
BG - Boarding Group
ROTR - Rise of the Resistance
ADR - Advance Dining Reservation
MDE - My Disney Experience
Pg. 54 - Add “rope drop” explanation to “Know what to expect when you arrive”. It’s referenced in earlier comments but not really explained.
“Once admitted into the park, you can walk immediately to your first attraction” (maybe explain “rope drop” here?)
Pg. 57 -
“Unexpected Ride Closures” - maybe add a quick reference to Rise of the Resistance here. In my research for our upcoming trip I was surprised to learn how often this ride breaks down because of how complex it is.
“Weather and staffing” - has this been affected by covid at all?
Pg. 82-83
“When tickets expire”
From the Disney website:
“The amount paid for an unused, expired ticket may be applied towards the purchase of a new ticket at the current price so long as the new ticket purchase price is equal to or greater than the amount paid for the original ticket.”
*This was a bit confusing to me at first and is likely important for many families to know with the uncertainties that covid has brought to travel. “Expired” doesn’t mean all that money is lost if the tickets are completely unused.
“Annual passes”
Has Disney World stated when they will begin selling new annual passes again? Maybe add a “covid 19 note” stating that the sell of new annual passes has been halted at the time the book went to print
Pg. 399
“Running out of steam” - add a covid note here that eating is only allowed when you are stationary (not in line or walking around the park). Having talked to a few families that went to Disney World during covid, they said this was one of the most challenging parts of covid restrictions because they are used to grabbing a snack and eating it in line or while they were on their way to their next ride.
I think they’re 4 for $20? I can check on the price. Thanks!
Thanks Jeff!
P12 WDW/DCL packages appear to be offered still: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/featured/packages/land-sea/
P13 Got this. Thanks!
I’ve added almost all of these comments. Thanks very much, @loswest! Let me know if there’s anything I can help with for your trip.
Staffing has been affected - I think the existing text covers it.
I want to chime in about abbreviations: please spell everything out in a book. Made up abbreviations make reading text difficult and if I’m buying a book to learn I don’t want to have to keep/create a list of abbreviations for reference to be able to comprehend what I’m reading. Here in the forum I often skip posts that are filled with abbreviations; I’d prefer full names.
Good to know! Thanks.
FWIW, I think the only abbreviations the Guide should use are the ones officially used by Disney.
So if Disney uses ADRs and MDE on their website etc. then I think it’s fine for the Guide and I think it’s actually in keeping with the Guide’s role of familiarizing the reader with WDW.
I would just like to see them spelled out (e.g., Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs)) when first used in each chapter since many readers plunge into a chapter rather than reading from cover to cover.
But I think attraction and restaurant abbreviations will lose most people.
My 2.
I think you used to be able to book one combo package. Now it is “to add a wdw package to your cruise”.
lol what’s fwiw? Means nothing. I agree with you for the most part. I know I miss great tips when I can’t figure out what’s being discussed I.e. ride or resort.
I hadn’t originally planned on getting the Unofficial Guide because I planned on utilizing the forums and touringplans website to get information but just reading through the proofs has helped me so much that I plan on buying the Kindle version when it comes out so I can mark it up and refer back to some things. It’s been fun reading through the “proofs”!
I’m still working my way through the later chapters. Here are the additional notes I’ve taken today:
Re: Staffing has been affected - I think the existing text covers it. - I think most people are aware there has been a general reduction in staff as a result of covid. I just wondered if there have been any specific covid-related staffing issues guests should be aware of. It was late so I probably didn’t write this down very clearly.
Disneyworld in the Time of Covid
Pg. 10 Referencing 10% capacity in the present tense may make it seem like the parks are still at 10% capacity.
Maybe change this sentence:
Even when the peaks are at 10% of their prepandemic capacity, that increases some lines’ length enough that they spill out into the walk-ways.
To read:
Even when the peaks were at 10% of their prepandemic capacity, that increased some lines’ length enough that they spilled out into the walk-ways.
Part 8 - Special Tips for Special People - maybe consider adding something at the front of the chapter that clarifies its usefulness for all readers. I was surprised at the amount of useful information in this chapter! If I hadn’t been reading this to offer suggestions for improvements, I would probably have just skipped over this chapter thinking it was for people with obvious disabilities. There is a wealth of information in this chapter that would be useful for almost anyone who reads this book.
Part 8: Special Tips for Special People
Pg. 434
Box with a list of offerings for the Memories and Escape Collection options - “violinist” is missing the first letter
Part 9: Arriving and Getting Around
Pg. 438-439
Magic Express - what is the standard/expectation for tipping when using Magic Express? Is there an expectation (cultural or otherwise) of tipping at any point when receiving this “free” service? International guests especially might wonder about this. And has covid and the increase in “contactless’ payments changed how tipping occurs? Should guests have cash on hand?
Pg. 440
How Orlando rental car companies stack up
“1 - Quick, courteous, and efficient processing on pickup” should be moved to the next page with the rest of the list. I’m guessing this will be addressed when you do a final copy edit of the book.
Part 10: Bare Necessities
Pg. 472-473
Services
Photopass and Memory Maker - would be good to put a covid tip somewhere in here as well that masks will be required even for photos. We had some friends surprised by this and there are some families who would normally buy this that might not if it means that all of their photos will be of them in masks.
Regarding abbreviations and the comments above, most of the abbreviations that are confusing to me I’ve seen on websites or in chat forums not in this book. As I’ve read the proofs for this edition of the book, I feel like abbreviations are kept to a minimum or are completely spelled out with the abbreviation in ( ) following the full spelling before the abbreviations are used alone. Probably the only time I was confused by an abbreviation was in the driving directions section where I-Drive was used for International Drive. There was just so much information there that I skimmed over a lot of it and zeroed in on things that might be important for my own visit. I think I finally figured out I-Drive was International Drive from one of the maps.
I’ve added these. I’m not sure about tipping on ME, so I’ll look that up.
I can’t say what the official word on tipping is, but I can tell you that on my recent trip (just after Thanksgiving) both the arriving and departing ME drivers mentioned in their spiel that tips are accepted, but not required.
My personal take is that since they have to schlep all the bags now that delivery from the airport is not running, it’s the right thing to do.
Some of the drivers are older and those heavy bags take a toll!!
I read in this forum somewhere that if they handle your bag they should be tipped. I agree about bag weights. I think I remember $5 a suitcase, which could add up for a large family.
Touring plans blog post points out that there is a sign over the driver saying that tips are always appreciated and you should top if they handle your bag.
We had 3 bags, only one was heavy - just shy of the 50 lb limit. We tipped $6 on that bag, and $2 on the others.
0 COVID Page 11 - len-galleycomments-20201224
Should include reference to UK and Eire (Ireland) as not in Schengen area but in Presidential Proclamation
Part 14: Disney’s Hollywood Studios
pg. 604
Boarding Group distribution times are listed as 7am and 2pm. I believe they are now 7am and 1pm. This was highlighted in the proofs so maybe you’ve already marked this to be changed.
Added the Magic Kingdom chapter this morning. I already know about Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.
Part 11 - The Magic Kingdom
pg. 476-477 Re: off site guests parking at the Contempo or Grand Floridian Resort or using Lyft/Uber to get to Magic Kingdom, are off-site guests restricted from WDW resort hotels and parking lots with current covid precautions? Suggestions on the touring plans forums have been to gain access by creating a mobile food order (like at Contempo Cafe) but I came across a fairly recent post that even that is being restricted now (https://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/dining/a-word-to-the-wise-about-mobile-order-at-disney-resort-restaurants/ ).
If off-site guests can’t shortcut through the Contemporary Resort because mobile food orders are limited to registered resort hotel guests, what is the best way for them to arrive before rope drop? I’ve heard that driving makes it almost impossible to rope drop at Magic Kingdom.