Passporter organizer... worth it?

[trish1970]

I just read in my WDW Unofficial Guide that the Passporter WDW Resort Planner and Organizer is something to consider purchasing. It is about $18 for the spiral bound version and $31 for the deluxe. It seems that all I am doing lately is planning, planning, planning and in my WDW frenzy, it seems like something I cannont do without

Has anyone used this? Is it worth it? Is it something that is convenient to carry with me to the parks? As always, I never make any decisions without checking with you all

I am truly going to suffer post disney vacation blues when this trip is over


Thanks!!

 

[shellybaxter]

I loved my passporter on my first trip to the world last November. It had good information that was well organized and fun to read. It was how we decided on resturants when we changed or made same day PS. My favorite part was the envelop pages in the back where you could write what you did on a given day and then keep all the receipts together from that day. VERY HANDY!! I think they are worth the $$$.

Shelly

 

[MamaTink]

I love mine! You can usually get it cheaper at overstock.com.
My 11-year old DD has appropriated my old one for her use

 

[dizchick73]

Since it's usually cumbersome to carry a big book like that to the parks, I receommend the Unofficial Guide, which I believe is a mucg better, complete, and often honest opinion of the parks, hotels, restaurants, etc. The Passporter is just atrtactive loking due to the colors, etc., but I didn;'t find it all too helpful. It's also VERY tough to read due to the colors and small, comic-like fonts.

 

[inky dinky doo]

I've used the Passporter for the past four years, and I love it. I started with the spiral bound version in year one, but quickly switched to the deluxe. Since then, I've been buying just the updates every year.

The information in the book is good, but the pockets are what keep me coming back. They make a wonderful keepsake, from year to year, and they're just fun to "play with" when you're planning. Plus, with the deluxe version, you don't have to carry the entire book with you every day. You can just pull out the pages/pocket you need for that particular day . . . and away you go!

If you're really into planning, I think you'll love the Passporter.

Pat

201 days and counting . . . again!

 

[jaysue]

The passporter organizer is good for people who like a structured format that allows them to add in, takeway pages etc. like a daytimer does. It is an excellent solution if that is what you like.

Having said, that IMO the Unofficial Guide has more valuable information.

Vive la difference!

thanks
jaysue

 

[sarahsmom73]

Have them both... Love them both.... Both are coming with us in a few days!

 

[callaghan]

Having two DDs, I LOVED The Unofficial Guide. It relly gave me a feel to how the girls would be. It is the book I tell friends to buy..
callie

 

[Lori-n-NY]

I also have both but the Passportor will be making the trip with me. I read both and what I need while I'm there are my plans which are written on the passpockets. I just take the one for that day out of the deluxe binder and put it in a ziplock bag and use it all day for the PS numbers I have and to write things down while we sit a take a minute break. And I of course shove all the receipts from that day in there so I can see where all my money went.I have to order more pockets soon I have another trip in Sept. It really helps to keep things organized and all in one place.


You need to choose which one is right for you. You could go to a bookstore at look at the Passportor and see if yuor interested enough to purchase one and then come home and buy one online.

Good luck,
Lori

 

[shatzjsl]

I bought the Passporter for my 1st WDW trip and love it. The daily pockets in the back are great for keeping track of PS and Mousekeeping envelopes and the days schedule. There are also pockets for hotel and flight information. I have the sprial bound version.

The information contained in it is good, too. It has detailed maps of all the parks and locations of the restaraunts. Plus, it has a handy dandy elastic band to keep it closed!

Edited to add that I believe I paid about $13 for it on Amazon.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

The organizer portion is my favorite part of the Passporter!

 

[Kaybee]

I am in the planning mode for our trip in May. I bought the Passporter and the Unofficial guide. I found the Unofficial guide to be much better. I find myself referring to that all the time. It gives you much more detail than the passporter does!! I would recommend just going with the Unofficial guide.

 

[Stiff]

I only bought the passporter

I love that thing...everything you plan, all your paperwork, PS times, reservations numbers....all of it in one place.....and it comes with tips about the parts, resorts, etc.

love it

 

[BrerMama]

I have both and feel that they're both essential for different reasons. The passporter is much more useful to me on my actual vacation. I love the size of it, I love the ride and restaurant descriptions and my biggest love is the organizer pockets and planning worksheets. I bought the deluxe edition so that I can take the pockets out and put them in my bag and have them with me at the parks. The Unofficial is better for planning pre-trip, but if you've got these boards, you've got most of the same information.

 

[ValerieK]

I also have both.

I like the Unofficiall Guide for the more detailed information, but I think the passport is easier to read and more consise. Check out the Passporter at the bookstore and see if you like it. But always buy the Unofficial Guide.

 

[JoshMom5]

As someone who has really gotten to be an obsessive planner, I bought both the Unofficial Guide and the Passporter. I am very sorry I didn't get the Deluxe Passporter though because I am adding information sheets from Unofficial Guide into to my Passporter and have loose pages stuck all over the place.

A friend gave me her Birnbaum's from last year and I have to admit I loved the format and pictures that were in that one too.

 

[Atotty]

Everyone's given you some good info here. I agree with all of it. Passporter is good... I'm a daytimer fan so it fits my personality. I bought the spiral bound before I knew there was a deluxe and immediatly had buyer's remorse. I now have the deluxe for this trip and love it. There are extra pages you can print out on the passporter site and insert in your binder...plus the updates can go straight in, too. You can take jsut the pages you need with you so you don't carrya huge book around.

If you want to buy a Passporter, the cheapest I've found is at walmart.com. It's even cheaper than buying direct from passporter with the 30% coupon if you're renewing.

 

[LIFERBABE]

On my third PP and I don't think I will do WDW without it. I keep everything in it. Receipts, vouchers, PS's etc.

Im on the boards everyday, subscribe to Tourguidemike and watch everything WDW on the Travel Channel, but when you are in the thick of your vacation, Passporter is at it's best. The whole world is in your hands! LOL

I also keep our unused PHP's and vouchers in the pockets after we return and can always find them for our next trip. Alot of people wont buy PHP's because they are afraid of losing them between trips, I've been able to keep up with mine using PP.

 

[Kaycee]

I'm on my fourth Passporter - I buy a new one for each trip.

I use it while I'm planning my trip to keep track of what I've planned, I use it while I'm at WDW to remember what it was I planned, and I use it after the trip to look back at what we did each trip. I have all my Passporters on my computer desk, so if you asked me a question about what we did on our trip in 2001, I'd pull down that Passporter and there would be the answer!

I don't really use the guidebooks for the latest WDW info anymore - the best place to find that out is right here on the DIS boards!! I use my Passporter for the actual planning process. The maps and checklists are great, and I keep just about everything in the pockets in the back.

 

[HappyGramma]

I bought my first PassPorter this year and I love it. It is great to organize your schedule, ps's, reservations, etc. I don't plan on carrying around with me when we go to the park but will have it with me on our trip to go over the night before what our plans for the next day are. I will definitely buy another.