Any one use a PDA instead of the Passporter?

[Chicago526]

Anyone use a PDA (Palm Pilot) in place of the Passporter for in park use? I love the look of the Passporter but hate dragging around more stuff, especially when it's big and bulky. I just need something to store flight info, PS confirmations, and all that other stuff. I also wanted to make trip notes. I wanted to buy a PDA anyway, so this makes an even better excuse to get one!

Has anyone used a PDA in the park? And what did you think?

 

[disrailfan]

I have been using a PDA when I go to the parks for a couple of years. It serves several purposes:

1. Trip Notes for reporting to these discussion boards and to my own website.
2. Airline confirmations.
3. PS Reservations.
4. Picture storage from Digital Camera.

I use an iPaq 5555 which is also wireless and I have the expansion pack with a 2gb hard drive in it for transfer of pictures from the Secure Digital (SD) memory stick. The nice thing about this is that now several of the resorts have wireless internet access as well.

Just my two cents. Hope it helps!

 

[jockey]

I have the passporter but I am thinking of buying the Hp 4150 wi fi ipaq! I have seen disney maps etc you can get for PDA's!! What resorts have wireless internet?

 

[tjkraz]

I used my Pocket PC on our last trip. All trip planning info (PS times / confirmation numbers, etc.) was stored in a single Excel workbook that I could view on my Dell Axim.

There is a site called pocketdisney.com that has park maps and other utils.

I also found another site that had iSilo content related to WDW. Included were the show times (updated via a partnership with Steve Soars' site), restaurant menus (again via a partnership with Allearsnet.com) and other trip planning info.

The menus were great. There were a couple of times DW and I started discussing where to eat, and I was able to produce current restaurant menus without trekking all over the park. Don't have the link to this site handy, but if anyone wants it, just PM me and I'll dig it up. I believe there was a one-time charge of $8, and the content is updated weekly.

Wireless access is available at a couple of resorts, but don't get too excited about it. The cost is high. The coverage area is very limited (common areas of the resort). And, if you want the in-room high-speed Internet, the two products are priced independently of one another.

The beauty of a PDA is that you can download everything you need before leaving home, thus eliminating the need for realtime access in many situations.

 

[Chicago526]

Thanks, everyone!

Wow, I just wanted something handy to take notes and have access to my PS info! I didn't even think of downloading stuff like menus!

 

[emilymad]

We downloaded games for our Palm Pilot for our last trip. It was a great way to kill waiting in line. My finance just got a new iPaq and he has already downloaded some games that are similar to Playstation.