the Official Blog of the Unofficial Guides

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

Universal Hollywood’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a close copy of the original “land” at Orlando’s Islands of Adventure with some subtle upgrades, is an amalgamation of landmarks, creatures, and themes that are faithful to the films and books. You access the area through its main entrance, an imposing gate adjacent to the DreamWorks Theatre that leads to The Wizarding

Blue Man Group gives Las Vegas its first large-scale introduction to that nebulous genre called “performance art.” If the designation “performance art” confuses you, relax—it won’t hurt a bit. Blue Man Group serves up a stunning show that all kinds of folks ages 8–80 can appreciate. The three blue men are just that—blue—and bald and mute. Wearing black clothing and