guidebooks

[luvsTink]

Which book would you recommend? Passporter or "unoffical guide" and why.

Thanks!
Anne

 

[Melann]

I originally bought Birnbaum's for my trip...found that to be helpful, had lots of information, color pictures. Then, I bought the Passporter. This was a great planning tool...throughout the book there are pages to make notes, and there is a lot of information. My favorite thing abot the Passporter is the pockets at the end of the book...you can put park maps in the holder, and record your daily events as well as special memories for each day. I highly recommend it!

What you can do is go to your local library...many of them carry the unoffical, birnbaums, frommers, etc. guides. Go through them and decide which one you like the most and then go buy that! Happy planning!

 

[jcemom]

While I do really like the pockets in the Passporter -- great for keeping everything organized and in one place -- I prefer the Unofficial Guide for information. If I were only buying one and wanted a lot of information, I'd go with the Unofficial Guide. If you've been to Disney before and don't need a lot of info on the parks, attractions, etc, then I'd go with the Passporter to keep everything together.

(You do know you won't get a straight answer around here, right? LOL)

 

[lentesta]

Hi Anne,

I'm probably biased, but I think the Unofficial Guide offers the most information of any guidebook. The touring plans for each park can save up to five hours of standing in line per day, are the best available anywhere.

If you have any questions about the Unofficial Guide, I'll be happy to help answer them.

Thanks for the recommendation (again) jcemom!

Len

 

[rykdad]

The Unoffical Guide also recommends getting the Passporter as a companion.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Welcome to the DIS, Anne.

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Now that I have met in person many of the writers and contributers of these great guides at MouseFest earlier this month, it makes it hard to pick one over the other, LOL.

I must say, however, I truly enjoy using Passporter, keeps me on track and organized. At this point of my visiting WDW, I am not all that interested in buzzing the parks, but rather taking my time and 'smelling the roses'. I have several of the 'Unofficials', of which Len is a contributer (hi Len ) and have found them to be quite helpful when I was 'learning' WDW. I alos get a Birnbaum now and then, just to get in the mood, so many nice pictures and sort of Disneyesque.

 

[nativetxn]

Welcome to the DIS, Anne. I'm so glad you found us and I sure hope you can visit often. We have lots of fun planning trips here.

I buy <b>all</b> of the guidebooks. Every year. I can't help myself. My favorites are Birnbaum's (because it is so upbeat and good for daydreaming about a trip) and the Unofficial guide because it snaps me out of that daydream and makes me pay a little more attention

I have a passporter but I prefer the other two I just mentioned.

Katholyn

 

[pjlla]

I currently have about six WDW guidebooks on my "planning" shelf. I have thoroughly read and re-read them all (I love to read!). Hands down, I prefer the "Unofficial Guide", with Birnbaum's second. I have spent lots of time looking at the different WDW guidebooks, sat down in Barnes and Nobles for about 2 hours one day with a stack of them, and found that for what I am looking for, the Passporter just didn't cut it. The pockets and all are cute, but I don't need them. This is the second time I have purchased the "Unofficial". Last time was 2001 for our 01/02 trip. Of course there was a repeat of lots of information (not EVERYTHING changes at WDW in two years), but of course there was lots of up-to-date stuff also. So, if you want to buy just one, I recommend the "Unofficial". If you buy two, also buy the Birnbaum's (which I consider also excellent). If you are buying more than two, then you must be Disney obsessed, like me!!! GET A LIFE! (JUST KIDDING... who is the one sitting around in her pajamas on the last Saturday before Christmas reading the Dis Boards.... ME! ).........Have a great trip and have fun planning!!...................P

 

[jcemom]

Originally posted by pjlla
... who is the one sitting around in her pajamas on the last Saturday before Christmas reading the Dis Boards.... ME!

Me too!

 

[lentesta]

I was out of my jammies pretty early this morning. My DD5 had breakfast with Santa at 9 a.m. Afterwards we went to grab a coffee at the local Barnes & Noble. We breezed through the Travel section, and my DD - I may get her DNA tested - asked to get a copy of the new Birnbaum guide. I have to admit, it looks pretty spiffy with all that color. And they've got some Passporter-like features on the back inside cover now, don't they? That's interesting. I'll have to sit down and read one over the holidays.

Thanks very much to Dan and pjlla for your kind words on the Guide. We've been working on the '05 edition for about a month now. Reader comments have been, I think it's safe to say, the #1 factor in the changes coming for the next edition. If there's anything you folks would like to see in the next edition of the Guide, let me know.

Happy Holidays!

Len

 

[jcemom]

Maybe Santa will leave that new Birnbaum's guide in my stocking so I can check it out too?!

 

[luvsTink]

At this point, I think I should admit my own obsession (admiting you have a problem is the first step right? )

I have bought our youngest DD's Birnbaums WDW for Kids, I have the Unoffical Guide to WDW with Kids, I belong to two bulletin boards now, AND I subscribed to Tour Guide Mike.

Do you think I need an intervention?

Anne

 

[lentesta]

I think on these boards, Anne, you're meeting the Minimum Daily Allowance.

I didn't notice before that this is your first trip to WDW. Woo hoo! Where are you staying? How long are you going? Who's coming along?

Len

 

[jeankeri]

Len- I've been back from WDW for about 2 weeks. I started filling out the survey in the back of the Unofficial Guide, but then put it down when I got caught up in the holidays ! What is your deadline for responses for the next edition?

 

[Mainebound]

Just wanted to add another vote for the UG. It really covers everything, in a very logical and unbiased way. I think it offers so much more than other guides to WDW: it has interesting reflections on its own methodology, the history of WDW, how restuarant food is evaluated, etc. These are interesting reading in their own right (but then, I'm a philosophy professor, so you can imagine what my definition of interesting reading is). I looked at the Passporter, and, to me, it serves a totally different function. Not nearly as much info, but has storage pockets. Well, I have pockets in my backpack, so I don't really see the point of buying a book with pockets. As for my itinerary, I print out a copy in a small font for each day, fold it up, put it in my front shorts pocket, and go! For me, personally, the UG vs. Passporter is a substance over style issue. I also own the Birnbaum's, mainly because it has color park maps that are identical to the WDW park maps. I find these maps easier to use than the UG black and white maps, although the latter has improved maps in the 2004 edition, IMHO. Good luck!

 

[lentesta]

Hey Jeankeri,

Thanks for filling out that survey. The deadline is probably May or June of 2005, so you've got plenty of time.

Thanks Mainebound.

Len

 

[bobcat]

For solid down to earth info its the Unofficial Guide hands down. I have given this book to friends planning their first trip and I think it is the best written and witty of all the books. There is also a smaller more condensed version for families that I pull out when I am planning. Somehow I lent that one out and it never came back.

However I love my Passporter as well. I am an obsesive planner, as many on this board are , and I pull this out often to continue planning because there is always a trip in the works. I love my deluxe planner and I keep everything in it from my APs to confirmation #'s to left over disney dollars (ok not many of those survive a trip but there is one in there right now waiting to go back home LOL).

I only look at the Birnbaums guide in the bookstore or the library. Haven't bought one of these in years. The kids books are great and I have bought these for my kids in the past.

Len any hint on what is changing in the new guide?

 

[Dopey Sharon]

I just received my 2004 Unofficial Guide (the best guide book, BTW!) in yesterday's mail. Unfortunately, I didn't realize I already had it, so, if anyone is interested in it, I will mail it to you. Let me know!

 

[disneymomtofour]

Wow, what a nice offer! I just PMed you!

 

[Atotty]

Disney changes so much that by the time you get a printed guidebook...even the 2003 editions...some of the info is obsolete. Since we went in May, PS time frames have changed from 60 to 90 days for most things. When the park starts the first FP of the day has also changed. On another board, a woman was reading a 2003 edition of a guide and thought that CRT ressies were still 60 days out and was very upset when she found out she had missed her window 30 days before.

I would get the Passporter and check their site for the latest updated info. They update the info and format it in pages that you can download and place in your book. (If you order direct you get a discount, too)

I also highly recc Tourguide Mike for the same reason. it's totally up to date. We used the itenararies in May and it was great. We didn't wait in line more then 15 mins for anything. For more info, check out the Disneydollarless.com page, click on the tourguide mike icon, and you'll see my testimonial about how it made our trip.

Before our last trip, I literally read at least 15 guidebooks thanks to our interlibrary loan dept (BTW..Dummies and Idiots guides are the same word for word in many places so you def don't need both...they just changed the name of the child they say is with them :>). I found out I really only needed Passporter, TourguideMike, and Allears.net. This disboards site and disneydollarless were also great for the questions I had. JMHO