Meet the authors

Bob Sehlinger, Founder and Author – a Lowell Thomas Award-winning journalist, is best known as the creator and producer of The Unofficial Guide series. He is credited with being the first to apply research techniques from the fields of operations research and statistics to travel guides. Among other projects, he was able to develop mathematical models that could save theme park patrons more than three hours of standing in queue in a single day.
 
A lifelong Disney theme park fan, Len Testa co-authors The Unofficial Guides to Walt Disney World, The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, The Unofficial Guide to Disney Cruise Line, and The Unofficial Guide Color Companion to Walt Disney World. Len leads the team at TouringPlans.com, a research arm of The Unofficial Guides. Len lives shares his time between his homes in Orlando and the Big Apple.
Seth Kubersky has worked for more than 25 years as a theatrical artist, culture critic, and travel journalist. Seth is the co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando, The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, and The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas, as well as a collaborator on The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. Seth is nationally recognized as an authority on theme parks and attractions, and contributes to Orlando Weekly, Attractions Magazine, and the Unofficial Universal Orlando Podcast. Seth lives in Orlando with his wife Genevieve and their cats Sol, Kipper, and Pumpkin. 
Liliane Opsomer is the co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids, a guidebook that provides detailed planning and tips for a family vacation. Liliane also contributes to The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, AAA Northeast magazine, Touring Bird (a mobile-first site by Google), TheMouseForLess, JohnnyJet.com, Small World Vacations, the Norwegian American.

Sam Gennawey is the author of Universal vs. Disney: The Unofficial Guide to American Theme Parks’ Greatest Rivalry and The Disneyland Story: The Unofficial Guide to the Evolution of Walt Disney’s Dream. Gennaway is also the author of Walt and the Promise of Progress City, a contributor to Planning Los Angeles, and a columnist for the popular MiceChat website..
Renee Sklarew is a native Washingtonian who adores her hometown and has spent a lifetime exploring the city’s many attractions, both on her own, and with her children. Her writing and photography has been featured in The Boston Globe, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Washington Post, Northern Virginia Magazine, and The Washingtonian. She is the restaurant editor of VivaTysons Magazine and enjoys sampling the wide variety of international cuisines found in the D.C. Area. She is the author of The Unofficial Guide to Washington D.C.

Erin Foster is the coauthor to The Unofficial Guide to Disney Cruise Line. As a charter member of the official Walt Disney Parks Moms Panel, Erin Foster has researched and answered over 10,000 guest questions about Disney travel. In a quest to consume absolutely everything Disney Destinations has to offer, Erin has visited Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. Her travels also include Disney Cruise Line voyages throughout the world, Adventures by Disney journeys on four continents, and visits to the Disney Vacation Club properties in Hilton Head, Vero Beach, and Hawaii. 
Becky Gandillon  
She’s an expert on data analytics, so her advice comes from testing and the numbers. She also writes blog posts for Touring Plans and explains the top strategies for using that data.  
Ritchey Halphen  
Ritchey Halphen (1967-2023) The Unofficial Guides are mourning the sudden loss of our dear friend, colleague, and editor.