the Official Blog of the Unofficial Guides

Historically, the best time to visit Walt Disney World is from after Labor Day through the beginning of October. The next slowest is mid-January, after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, through Presidents’ Day in February (except when the Walt Disney World Marathon is held after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day). The weeks after Thanksgiving and before Christmas

Renee Sklarew, author of The Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C., invites you to enjoy spring in our nation’s capital and beyond.  The National Arboretum is a living, breathing museum perched along the Anacostia River in the northeastern section of Washington, D.C. A staff of scientists and educators, along with 150 volunteers, are devoted to maintaining the Arboretum’s 440 acres of

With the most rides-per-acre of any Disney theme park, the original Disneyland features more than enough attractions included in regular admission to keep infrequent guests entertained for many days. But for those visitors who think they’ve already seen and done it all, Disneyland offers extra-cost tours that pull back the curtain with some exclusive experiences that are otherwise off-limits to

In a move certain to thrill some guests and dismay others, Disney has just announced new updates to its policies that will ban smoking, stroller wagons, and loose ice inside their theme parks at the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts as of May 1, 2019. Disney Smoking Ban For starters, beginning May 1st, the designated smoking sections will be

If you want to experience the stylish feel of Nantucket, Disney’s Yacht Club, with its New England-inspired lakeside setting, is perfect for you. Liliane Opsomer, coauthor of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids, recently stayed at the Yacht Club and loved it. The resort faces the 25-acre Crescent Lake, complete with lighthouse and marina. The gray paint is