Passporter or Unofficial Guide

[anditoo72]

I have always been an Unofficial Guide user passed on from my father, but I have been hearing so much about this passporter. Now I will most likely buy the updated 2005 version of the UG and the 2006 Passporter (we are not going until 2006), but if you had to choose which one would YOU get and why?

 

[cmrules]

Passporter!

 

[fam4jc]

I buy both of them.

 

[TxDisneyFan]

Hi,

I bought both books last year when planning our family vacation to WDW. I liked the UG in depth information as that was our first trip to WDW, but found it too bulky to cart around. The Passporter has fold out maps of all of the parks plus reviews for everything, hotels, attractions, dining. Good tips and even a kid's view of the attractions. It also has pockets for you to store items and you can also use it to journal in for when you get back home for those trip reports!
I took both to WDW but ended up using the Passporter more. I will be ordering another one when I know for sure we're going in December.

Oh, another thing, the folks at Passporter have a website, www.passporter.com you can order directly from them. No, I am not an employee just a fan...and they also have updates so you can download the latest info to put in your passporter before you leave for WDW.

Hope this helps.

 

[anditoo72]

Thanks for the website address I didn't realize that. I noticed that there was a poll on the exact same question, we must have been thinking alike!!

 

[NJDisneymom]

I love my Passporter!!! But I've never used the UG. Bought Birnbaums and it was a waste of money for me.

 

[Bev J]

Passporter is my choice of the 2. Lots of usable information, plus the updated park maps, the pockets to hold all your stuff and record the information you want to keep. It does make a wonderful keepsake of your trip also. And when your going again I dig out the past one and read the notes I wrote about attractions or dining options.
I don't carry any of the books into the parks, I just transfer the PS info to an index card for each day and take that to the parks. I can add any notes such as parade times or something I want to make sure and get at a park on that card.
I have not purchased the UG for many years, but do remember when I did I enjoyed reading it, but it is still the passporter that goes in my carry on for each trip.
Just ordered the 2005 addition of Passporter.
Bev

 

[Bellefan66]

Passporter,Passporter,Passporter!! Love it.

 

[Amirah95]

I buy both the UOG (touringplans.com/UG) and the Passporter plus Birnbaum's WDW. I also compliment those with this forum, allearsnet.com, mousesavers.com and TGM.

 

[andrea9873]

I love my Passporter!!! But I've never used the UG. Bought Birnbaums and it was a waste of money for me.

We love PassPorter as well! Just ordered it early Feb through amazon it's scheduled to arrive in Mid-March! That's okay since our trip is in July. We also purchased Birnbaum's Official 2005...except for a handful of changes I wasted $15 on the same verbatim information in my 2003 version.

Go PassPorter!

 

[goofy4tink]

I won't choose between the two and you can't make me!!! I love them both...but for different reasons. We love to keep the UG on the coffee table. That way, we can just pick it up and pass the time, and pick up some tips at the same time. I find it to be pretty right on the mark as far as it's comments go. Do I use the touring plans? No, but at this point I know pretty much what I want to see/do and how the crowds will be. I did carry UG to WDW with me one time, but it doesn't make the trip now.

As for the PassPorter...we get the deluxe binder type each trip. We can keep track of all our daily comings and goings. We really treat it as a trip diary. I love writing it at the end of each day and then going back and rereading it months/years later. The info is good. I have found that I agree with editor/writer Jennifer about the attractions and restuarants. So, if she likes something, I probably will too.

So, for different reasons, I will always get both. And since they both have wonderful websites that I can get updates on, what can be better? Well, the Disboards but I can't carry you all on the plane!

 

[WDWDaisy]

I WON'T buy the UG ever again. This book tells parents to put liffs in a kids shoe to make them taller to get on rides that they are to short for. This is wrong for them to give this kind of advice. Some day a little kid is going to get hurt and Disney will get a nice law suit and it is all this books fault.

 

[anditoo72]

Thanks for all of your insight everyone, looks like I am going with both!!!
AMIEAH95 what is TGM??

 

[Amirah95]

TGM is Tour Guide Mike (I'm so sorry--I'm used to using abbreviations on this board). It's an automated trip planning service...some love it and some hate it...the website is www.tourguidemike.com.

***And I am so happy you're going with both guides. Happy planning!

 

[NJDisneymom]

I
As for the PassPorter...we get the deluxe binder type each trip. We can keep track of all our daily comings and goings. We really treat it as a trip diary. I love writing it at the end of each day and then going back and rereading it months/years later. The info is good. I have found that I agree with editor/writer Jennifer about the attractions and restuarants. So, if she likes something, I probably will too.

Totally agree. My 2003 book has been getting a ton of use since I started planning this trip!!! Its amazing what you forget, and with my old Passporter I am reminded of how much I spent, what we did which day, etc.

 

[chipmunkfan]

Good thread...I just went online to passporter and placed my order! Now, I am totally excited! I will order the UOG too. You can never have enough information....

 

[tomerin]

Thanks for all of your insight everyone, looks like I am going with both!!!
AMIEAH95 what is TGM??

cant go wrong with that choice.

i have bought UG 2 years in a row i actually enjoy reading it as much as i use it for any info but it really is too big to bring into the parks. this year i decided that since we are definitly going to WDW at least once a year i am buying the passporter deluxe. this way i can carry something into the parks and you could update it every year.(this is true correct?)