Got Passporter Deluxe...what book compliments this?

[unixadm]

Ok....I ordered my Passporter Deluxe from Amazon for $25 with free 2nd day Shipping (prime member). Definitely worth the $25, but I wasn't as impressed as I expected to be. The maps are great, are made up of heavy duty paper, but aren't lamenated....I will be bringing them over to a Kinkos to get laminated before our trip. What I have read so far is informative as far as the resorts, parks, etc (although I have found some out of date info), but I haven't read anything that will help make our trip smoother such as what rides to hit at what time of the day, etc.

The cost was worth it IMO just for the organizer....throw in the maps, the itinerary/pocket pages and a few other things, it was a great deal.....but I want more info to help navigate the parks, rides and lines.

What book(s) would compliment the passporter to give me more information? We have a 2 & 4 YO, so I can't plan our day down to the minute, but I do want to have a good idea of how to get around.

I've been to Disney many times, but usually just go commando.....no plan on which rides to hit until we get there.

 

[CarolA]

Unofficial Guide to WDW.

Has TONS of info included suggested touring plans etc.

 

[unixadm]

That is what I was thinking, but I didn't know if that was better than Birnbaums or vice versa, or if there was something better.

I was also thinking of joining Tourguide Mike's but don't know if that is worth the money either...especially when traveling with a 2 & 4 year old.

Can't see buying the 2 additional books and TGM. Just want to get the most info I can before our trip.

I am also thinking that a lot of the info may be invalid in September because of the Free dining plan. TGB, the UG and BB may all have great info on creating ride schedules, what to see in what order, etc, but if the info is based off of previous Sept info, then the reality will be totally skewed because of more people and different logistics from the free dining plan (Many more people will plan their days around their meals than usual).

 

[Bobbysdog]

DW and I have heavily perused every book out there on WDW. (At this point, whenever we enter the local Barnes & Noble, the staff immediately clears a direct path for us to the travel section! ) The definitive source for someone looking for more info but already possessing basic knowledge is the Unofficial Guide. We've found all the other books (including Birnbaum's Official Guide) to be superficial by comparison, including the Passporter. The Passporter has better maps, and is better suited to be taken into the park itself, but can't match the depth of the Unofficial Guide.

The 2006 edition will be out right around Labor day, but the 2005 edition is still quite accurate (with the exception of the new Park ticket pricing structure). Updates online to the 2005 edition can be found at

www.touringplans.com

Have a great time on your trip! Hope this helps, and we'll see you as well in September!

(Disclaimer: The author of this post is in no way affiliated with the Unofficial Guide, and does not receive compensation for his glowing endorsement. But he should! )

 

[dizplanner]

I think either Tour Guide Mike or the Unofficial Guide for what you are looking for. Tour Guide Mike has the advantage that, as a web site, he can add and update information at any time rather than yearly (and even the books that update annually are still mostly the same from year to year - after all most of the information doesn't change). Since he is in the parks daily with his VIP tours, he sees that changes as they happen. TGM can be difficult to navigate and you can't curl up on the couch with it (unless you print a lot of pages to read later). Both have pros and cons and their fans.

 

[Danauk]

I personally use Tour Guide Mike along with my passporter. I find the tips on his site very useful. I print off the tips I want for each park and the ideas for touring each park and then put the info in the passporter wallet for the day I will be needing them. My passporter is so full right now with printed sheets from TGM I have had to take out the passporter pages I will not need for my trip as it would no longer close!!

 

[BrerMama]

Neither Birnbaum's or Passporter will give you in depth touring plans. That isn't their purpose. They are to serve as more general guidebooks oro organizers. Unofficial and Tour Guide Mike both offer touring plans and having used both, I prefer Tour Guide Mike. I found it more customizable and it provided much more information that I could utilize in a pinch (i.e. we've got 30 minutes until a show starts... what can we do?). Either are good, however.