Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to Universal, SeaWorld, and the Best of Central Florida

by Bob Sehlinger

From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide(r) to Walt Disney World(r)

"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
-Chicago Sun-Times

"Indispensable"
-The New York Times

Seven Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide(r):
* Practical tips on when to go and how to beat the crowds at 11 of Central Florida's best theme parks
* Firsthand information on what's worthwhile and what's not at major attractions
* The inside scoop on where to go for the best roller coaster action
* Complete coverage of Universal Florida, including Islands of Adventure(r), CityWalk(r), and detailed restaurant reviews
* Comprehensive chapters on SeaWorld and Discovery Cove(r), Busch Gardens(r), Kennedy Space Center, Gatorlande(r), and the Holy Land Experience(r)
* Comparisons of all area water parks
* The straight story on Orlando-area dinner theaters and nightlife

Sample Rating

Revenge of the Mummy

Appeal by Age Preschool Grade school Teens Young adults Over 30 . Seniors

What it is Combination dark ride and roller coaster. Scope and scale Super headliner. When to go The first hour the park is open or after 6 p.m. Special comments 48" minimum-height requirement. Author's rating Killer! ....H. Duration of ride 3 minutes. Probable waiting time per 100 people ahead of you 7 minutes. Loading speed Moderate.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference

221 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Bob Sehlinger is the creator of the Unofficial Guide travel series and author or co-author of over 25 travel guides. He makes his home in Birmingham, Alabama, where the catfish are jumping and the cotton is high.

Reviews

[Abigail Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a lot of the info in this was helpful, I found a lot to be outdated and incorrect. A lot, if not most of the rides (I really can't remember even reading one) is recommended to ride as soon as you get there, and certainly before 11 a.m. Which makes me wonder...A. How are you supposed to ride everything before 11, and B. what are you supposed to do after? They act like it's possible to ride everything and then just leave. It's not. A lot of their wait times I found incorrect as well from past experiences.

There was helpful information in it, however. Info on restaurants, the history of the different parks, hotel info, transportation info was extremely helpful.

Lastly, I found the section on the Holy Land Experience to be just awful. It was clear from the beginning that the writer was biased. They did not give any helpful info at all, most of it was just snide, passive-aggressive comments. No matter what you believe, there is no reason to be unprofessional, which I thought their writing on this completely was. I found it distasteful and a waste of time to read. I don't care about the writer's religious beliefs, I want to know about wait times, prices, arrival times, where to eat, the shops, etc. So I found that irritating. Unfortunately, since that part was near the beginning of the guide, I feel it did shadow the rest of the book for me. I felt as though I didn't really trust the writer, I couldn't count on them to not let their personal feelings/opinions get in the way of the other parks and attractions.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book a while back from good reads. It was a good book about Florida and the hotels near Orlando and central Florida. It had a lot of good info in it. I would like to someday visit that part of Florida for the attractions in that area.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting reviews of the big and little parks in the Orlando area. I read this book in 2022 and it was published in 2016, pre Covid-19 so I'm sure there have been many changes in the area. I will look for an updated version to refresh.

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those areas beyond Disney World you probably will want a guide like this. It includes seashore sites and the Kennedy Space Center as well as the Universal attractions. It has nearly 400 pages but is light enough to be portable.

[Josette Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm actually reading the 6th edition...

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read the Universal Studios chapter because we were planning on going there. It had some good tips, a lot of comparisons to WDW's similar theme park, which I haven't been to yet.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has a lot of good insight into the different aspects of Orlando. Also gives you good hints and suggestions to make the most out of your trip.