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I passed my CWNA back in November and have since got off track with my studies.  I originally had gotten a lot of feedback from people here saying that the way they'd do it all over again was CWAP --> CWSP --> CWDP.

However, I'm now seeing that the material for the CWAP may be in question, and that an exam update is probably coming soon as well.  So I'm wondering if there is a better way of going about these tests?

I would agree with that order.

What have you been heard is lacking with the CWAP  materials? 

The only problem I had with it was that the book was printed in black and white, when it should have been in color.   I also would have liked two or three times the number of examples.

If you ever read the book "802.11 WLAN Hands-On Analysis", by Byron Putnam you read a great many ways to use the CWAP material.  Unfortunately, that project was abandoned, the support files disappeared, and it was never resurrected.   The basic idea behind it was great!

PS:  Copies of this book can still be found, but without the files, it costs way too much - borrow a copy if you are interested.   It also does not cover /n or /ac topics. 

I've heard about some issues between the old Sybex book and the current book and the content the two of them present, and some threads here about issues with the practice tests.

Practice test have often gotten a bad rep.   Some of which are deserved, others not. 

Years ago there were several CWNP practice tests for the same exam, so taking more of them helped insure you were more prepared.

I passed my CWDP yesterday. I took the tests in the order you suggested in your first post. I passed the AP and SP utilizing the e-learning and the practice tests and the official study guides. I found that studying for the CWDP the official study guide was pretty slim as far as in depth topics and I read the Sybex book for the old CWDP exam to augment. The e-learning and practice tests were helpful as well. 

Must have been your comments that I saw re: the CWDP book.

Apparently the CWAP is being updated but it won't be live until the fall, so it's not a situation like I've been in with another wireless vendor's tests where it's so imminent it doesn't make sense to go for it until after the update.

Be careful though.   It is often the case that enough material changes between versions that relying on the old study materials and practice tests is not enough to pass a new exam.

Right, but if the test isn't changing until supposedly september and I plan on taking it in the next 3 months or so, I think I'm pretty safe from that.

Sounds Good.

One of Tom Carpenter's videos suggested CWSP -> CWDP -> CWAP. His reasoning is that CWAP is the hardest for most people. I think the video was the CWSP preparation video. It is also the order that Tom completed them. For me I am taking the CWSP next week and then I plan to watch for the new announcements on CWAP to decide if I take that one next (I have done a lot of frame capture and analysis so this exam should not be too difficult for me). I am taking the CWSP first because I do a lot of work in the networking security area and I have other security certifications.