Deluxe Passporter, 2 buy or not 2 buy???

[slinky101]

hi all, I'm a planning obsessive and enjoy every minute of it!!!Simons book is my bible, along with these boards. I've read posts from people raving over their deluxe passporters, so naturally I want one! but what am i going to get from it that i cant get from simons book, can you talk me out of it, or give me an excuse to buy it!

cheers

 

[florry]

Go for it!

I got one - and to be honest - the information pack inside it is not as good as Simon's book - what it does have though is a section for keeping track of your trip - ie. daily planning pages with pockets for all your tickets/receipts etc.

We go on Friday this week - I have ditched most of the inner apart from the maps and the planning folders and I have added my own park schedule and a 14 page map of the US192 with all the restaurants etc.

I have also got my driving license, park tickets, airline tickets, travellers cheque numbers etc all slotted away and at the ready.

This book will not leave my side.......

It's also re-usable as next trip you just buy the updated interior without the rest (@$14.99)

Happy planning....

 

[slinky101]

thanks florry, carried simons book everywhere last year, sounds good to have all your info in one place, although I do have a planning folder by my PC, with all the tips i want to remember from the boards.

have a great trip, am envious about AKL, planning that for 2006, with or without the passporter!

 

[disneyholic family]

i bought the passporter, but found it not at all useful...
i prefer a combination of Simon's book, the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, and the Birnbaum guide...
together they have pretty much everything you need to know...especially if you're staying on property...

 

[KayleeUK]

<b>Buy it</b>

I love my Passporter It sits very nicely with my Brits Guide!

I really like the way there is all the information in there and I love the pockets (travelling, lodging, and one for each day etc ) Just like Florry for my trip I take at all of the bits I don't need and tend to leave the restaurant info and the pockets. Then I don't let it out of my site. All of my tickets, plane tkts, PS numbers and my all important schedule is listed in there. It even helps with my Trip reports

Have you checked out the Passporter site??

HTH

 

[allie5]

I ordered the Deluxe Passporter last year and was a little disappointed. In fact I resold it on Amazon a few weeks later. The book part wasnt of any use...very basic facts. There are MUCH better guide books around. The planning part was OK, but the whole thing was too bulky to consider actually taking to the parks. I found I was better off with my usual system of my own planning printouts (of which I could make multiple copies to tinker with) AND have all the info on one sheet rather than a big book. I also had another sheet with park "busy days" and tips gleaned from the boards. This works very well for me. I can usually cram my intinery, important numbers (flights, PSs, phone) on one side of A4 and my tips on 2 sides of another. I take 3 copies (one in my bag and one in each suitcase), plus one left at home by the phone in case anyone needs to reach us!!

The Passporter is a great IDEA, but in reality I dont think it is very practical. I find taking out the Passporter sheets confusing, as they all look the same and you spend ages faffing around trying to find the one you want! A smaller, palm sized filofax with your own info in would probably be a better buy in my opinion!

 

[florry]

Heh Heh!!

I've even got Kaylee's home address ready to send her postcard from Epcot.....See...I haven't forgotten.....

If you like planning then get one - at the end of the day you could re-sell it like the previous post says - on Ebay.

Like I said - the info is not as good as some books but the fun you can have is worth the expense.

I have my trip planned on an A4 page - cut to sze - hole punched (with reinforcing rings of course!) and I have also printed out info from these boards and done the same in order to fit it in my "little brown book".

If you don't start planning at least 9 months in advance then what are you going to fill all those days up with? ....LOL...

LOOK AT MY CLOCK............Excited? JUST A BIT!

Florry

 

[disneyholic family]

allie5 -- i agree with you 100%......and i also use a typed A4 page.....i manage to fit everything on one page....including all emergency numbers....and i too have one in my purse, one with my laptop, one with the passports (that i leave in the roomsafe), one with my husband, one with my husband's secretary and one with my mom and sister...talk about overkill...

florry...wow....wish i was going with you.....have a GREAT time...

 

[KayleeUK]

Originally posted by florry
Heh Heh!!

I've even got Kaylee's home address ready to send her postcard from Epcot.....See...I haven't forgotten.....

Yeah Thank you

Have a fab time Florry

 

[slinky101]

thanks for all your help, you all confirmed what i thought really, I love the idea of the passporter but, think my printed itinerary and file of dis tips is just the same, I can scale it down nearer the time, kayleeuk, thanks for the link to passporter site, will check it out, just wanted an excuse to buy something to make my trip seem nearer! perhaps I'll put it on my xmas list, instead of rushing to amazon site to buy one. thanks all..

florry-have a great trip

 

[disneyholic family]

since you already have simon's book, if you want to add to that, i suggest buying "the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World"...
the current edition is 2004 i think....but probably in a few months, the 2005 edition will come out (you can check on amazon.uk)...
the unofficial guide is quite good and also has information on universal.....and extensive information on accomodations on property and off (including the room numbers of 'good rooms", etc.)...highly recommended....(and with far better information than the passporter)....

 

[Scottish_Maleficent]

I love my passporter!!!
I agree that some of the info is repeated in other WDW books - but it's the organiser bit I love - all the pockets and space for PS numbers etc.

Cath

 

[Miffy2003]

I'm in the "I love Passporter" camp. I also love my Unofficial Guide...over 800 pages of WDW, what more could you want?! But I also can understand that this is just far too much info for a lot of people who want something a bit more digestible. My favourite to take though (got to consider the weight thing to ensure there is plenty of room to bring stuff back!) is Simon's book.

 

[lentesta]

slinky101, if you're looking for a Walt Disney World trip planner/organizer, the Unofficial Guide's website has a free online planner available. You can print its pages in three different formats, and I believe the "large" format fits A4 paper. A link to the site is in my SIG below. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Have a great time planning for your trip.

Sincerely,

Len Testa

P.S. Thanks also to everyone who recommended the Unofficial Guide.

 

[JohnnySharp]

I bought it once a few years ago but to be honest never used it.
Wouldn't consider buying it again.

Having been several times found I didn't need it - Simon's book is the only publication we buy.

 

[slinky101]

thanks all, had been browsing at "unofficial guide" think I'll get that when the 2005 comes out.
thanks for the link Len, I've downloaded an itinerary planner thing from the other board! but the link you gave looks better.

you can never have too much info in my view!.