the Official Blog of the Unofficial Guides

You may know that October 20th is International Sloth Day, but did you know that Discovery Cove, home to hundreds of species of water-dwelling animals, is also home to a pair of two-toed sloths named Lucky and Luey? Part of their job is to remind visitors that all life on Earth is tied to water, and humans should take an active interest in

Tastes differ, so the most important thing to remember is that Disney goes all out decorating its parks and resorts for the Christmas season. No matter what hotel you book, you will discover unique, themed décor. Here are my five favorite hotels during this most wonderful time of the year. 1. For an all-American Christmas, my all-time favorite is Wilderness

With a prime Strip-front placement, the 47-story Mandarin Oriental is the first hotel on the left when entering CityCenter via CityCenter Place. Exuding a refined Asian flavor reminiscent of its corporate origins, the 392-room nongaming boutique hotel provides Eastern hospitality in a Western setting. Half hotel and half condominium, the lower floors are transient accommodations, and the upper half are

Liliane Opsomer, coauthor of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids, shares with us the best family-friendly rides and shows at Walt Disney World. There are many rides that are family-friendly, but for this post she focuses on rides that the entire family can do together. At the Magic Kingdom, there are plenty of family-friendly rides and shows.

In today’s post, Guy Selga Jr., coauthor of The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, shares with us an extensive Disneyland trip planning timeline. This comprehensive timeline represents major research, decisions, and tasks that come into play when preparing for a typical Disneyland vacation. Most Disney trips involve about a dozen important dates to remember. If you’ve started planning more than 11 months