the Official Blog of the Unofficial Guides

Bob Sehlinger, coauthor of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to SeaWorld, Universal Orlando, & the Best of Central Florida, shares with us his top 16 Central Florida roller coasters. 1. MANTA, SEAWORLD There are coasters you barely survive and coasters you savor. Manta is clearly among the latter: a super smooth experience that leaves you grinning from

Beth Blair, author of The Unofficial Guide to Mall of America, shares with us an overview of the holidays at MOA throughout the year. New Year’s Eve Mall of America’s New Year’s Eve party deliberately appeals to families. While Nickelodeon Universe stays open late for festivities, there are two New Year countdowns—one family countdown at 10 p.m. and the official countdown at midnight.

On Victory Way near the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is Pop Century Resort. Originally designed to be completed in phases, the resort opened its first section in 2004. The second phase was canceled in favor of a new Value resort, Disney’s Art of Animation. Pop Century is a near-clone of the All-Star Resorts—that is, four-story, motel-style buildings arranged around a central pool, food court, and registration

The Legoland Water Park is a seasonal attraction that costs $20 for adults, $3 for those younger than age 3. In addition to the Legoland entrance ticket, this park rents both lockers and towels. It has a snack stand and gift shop. The water park is located at the far end of Legoland from its entrance. Because you can’t enjoy the water park without splashing around and

Disney acquired the independent Pan Pacific Hotel just south of the Disneyland Hotel in 1997 and changed its name to the Disneyland Pacific Hotel. Just before Disney California Adventure opened in 2001, the hotel was rechristened as the Paradise Pier Hotel in recognition of the Paradise Pier district of DCA that the hotel overlooks. The 489-room property makes a mostly successful attempt to merge the