Disney World Introduces New Paper Guide Maps (Photos)

Herb Leibacher·March 18, 2013

Disney released new Guide Maps recently, with some significant design changes.

Map Orientation

This is one of the biggest changes. Instead of the entrance to the park always being located at the bottom of the page, the maps are now oriented with north being up. So the Magic Kingdom map looks the way it always did, since you enter the Magic Kingdom at the south side of the park and head north toward Cinderella Castle. But the Epcot map shows the main entrance at the top of the page, and World Showcase at the bottom. Disney’s Hollywood Studios shows the entrance in the top right.

Disney probably made this adjustment so that the maps more closely mirror online maps – especially those in the My Disney Experience mobile app. While cartographers everywhere might be rejoicing, this new layout will be confusing for fans that are used to seeing the maps with the old “enter at the bottom” orientation.

Overall Layout

The layout of the guides features the map on the left and the legend on the right. The previous edition of the map had the map in the center with legends on both sides. This will probably make it easier to see the map without having to unfold the entire guide to its full width.

Front Cover

The cover of the guide has a photo of a key attraction from the park. The upper left corner very clearly calls out the language of the guide in words, with a flag, and with a color background. There is also a QR code to download the My Disney Experience app. The type used for the title of each park also varies and matches the park itself.

Win A Set For Yourself

Would you like a chance to win a set of the newly styled guide maps for the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the Disney Water parks, Disney Springs, Disney Quest, and the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Guide? I have five sets of these maps go give away. Enter our Guide Map contest.

Let’s Take A Look

Let’s look at the new features of the Guide Maps:

There is a consistent layout on the front across parks, and each has it's own color and type setting. — There is a consistent layout on the front across parks, and each has it’s own color and type setting.

The old Magic Kingdom map (left) compared to the new one (right).

The old inside (left) with FastPass information, now missing from the new map (right).

FastPass information (left) and PhotoPass information (right) from old Guide Map.

Now the inside flap of the new Guide Map contains information about Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.

With the old guide, the map was in the center. Magic Kingdom is shown here.

With the new guide, the map is on the left. Magic Kingdom is shown here.

In this old map of the Magic Kingdom, north is up and the entrance is at the bottom.

The new Guide Map for The Magic Kingdom looks similar - north is still up. — The new Guide Map for The Magic Kingdom looks similar – north is still up.

But the new Epcot map looks very different - with the main park entrance at the top. — But the new Epcot map looks very different – with the main park entrance at the top.

The new Hollywood Studios map looks crazy - with the park entrance at the top right. — The new Hollywood Studios map looks crazy – with the park entrance at the top right.

Different language versions are very clearly noted in the top front in words, color, and with a flag.

What do you think about the new Guide Maps?