Which Books??

[HPHILBIN]

I've read that the Passporter is pretty good both from Deb's web site and a few posts here... is it that great? I've signed up for Tour Guide Mike and have used it some. Is the Passporter a good addition to it, or overkill?

Any other books that are must haves?

 

[webprinter]

I personally favor, The Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld. We have used it at both Disneyland and WDW and feel the information in it is wonderful!! I wouldn't leave home without it. Debby

 

[jiggerj]

Passporter is all I have ever needed well besides of course...the dis !

 

[mommystieg]

Another vote for The Unofficial Guide--I use that and Birnbaum's to kinda get both ends of the spectrum. The UG is written from a "tell it like it is" perspective.

 

[crisi]

I think it depends on you.

Is this your first time? Are you a compulsive planner? Are you planning on commando travelling? Do you LOVE planning (in which case, buy as many as you can and check the rest out from a library).

I usually recommend Birnbaums for first timers. Its easy to read, shorter than most, has a lot of pictures, in color. Its biggest con is that everything is wonderful in the book - there is no judging - at least not negative judging.

I don't like the Unofficial Guide. I think he makes it too complicated and is far too negative. Just because the author doesn't like something, doesn't mean it won't be your favorite thing. But a lot of people love this book.

Passporter is great for organizers. It doesn't have a lot of pictures, but has a ton of information - or links to the information. They rate everything three times - each of the authors rates it and then they have a readers rating. Its also a good investment in a place to put your information - it has pocket to tuck your reservations into. So you get some feedback.

We have an older Disney World with Kids (the Wiley one?). Its pretty good if you are traveling with kids - and does a better job than some of the kid based guides in that it recognizes that a two year old, a six year old and a twelve year old are VERY different creatures.

 

[DemoBri1]

I am a Passporter and UG person. I like the Passporter a bit better now because it is not so "in your face" like I believe the UG is. There's just so much information in the UG that it gets to be somewhat consuming in trying to take it all in.

The passporter is a succint compilation of the experiences of 3 Disney experts. Not only does it give the adult point of view, but also a kid's point of view on rides from a kid, not an adult trying to interpret how a kid might react.

I don't think you'll go wrong with either book.

Brian

 

[cfewell]

Personally I buy one of everything I can get my hands on LOL.

We love all the books, and read them all over and over, however the Passporter is my fav. cause of the organization that I love to do.

The unofficial guide is great for its information only, I tend to skip over all the negativity, I find a little negativity tends to go a long way and I do not want to go into my vacation on a sour note.

I hear a lot of the libraries have the books so that would save on buying them if you dont want to purchase them all, however, if you do buy them, after your vacation sell them on Ebay, or buy them on Ebay from someone else who has already gone and wants to get rid of thier copy.

Have fun...read all you can and memorize the park maps in the books, the more you know before you go, the more fun you will have, I dont know how many families I have seen standing in the middle of Main Street with maps stretched between parents trying to decide what to do next while their teenager and toddler are pulling at their clothes because they just want to do something, anything, but stand in the middle of Main Street staring at a map LOL

 

[Tank]

I agree with crewell, check out your local library. You can look at a lot of them before you buy. My choice is the unofficial guide, i thought it had the most information. My kids loved birnbaum's because it had the most pictures(they're still to young to read) They even had a copy of The cheapskates guide to WDW, appropriate for someone who uses the library as much as I do.

 

[Antiguan]

I use Passporter and UG. UG has all the information you need and Passporter is excellent for organising the information and listing what you want to do. I have also used Tour Guide Mike but I find it so complicated. Too many places to go to get the information. I have info listed in my Passporter and I will take out the touring plans from the UG and put them in my Passporter before I go. They worked great for me last time.

 

[doombuggy]

I don't like the Unofficial Guide. I think he makes it too complicated and is far too negative. Just because the author doesn't like something, doesn't mean it won't be your favorite thing.

I agree 100%

Didn't like the unofficial guide, but loved the Passporter. I got it earlier this year and I have been to the parks many times.

You might want to check out the guide section in your local barnes & noble (or something like that) as there are other guide books out there. Have a great trip!

 

[HPHILBIN]

Thanks for all of the info. I went and picked up the Passporter today. I'm such an organizing freak - this book is perfect for me.

 

[lentesta]

Hi folks,

Thanks for the feedback on the Unofficial Guide. I'd like to point out that we get equal criticism from readers for being too easy in our reporting on Disney.

As we've written, the Guide is strongly consumer-oriented in our coverage of WDW. WDW houses more than 60 restaurants, 30,000 hotel rooms and over one hundred themed attractions. It would be really, really surprising if every single one of these things was "above average" by any objective measure. But when it's not, the Unofficial Guide will say so. This makes some folks uncomfortable, and we understand why. In that case, another guidebook may be the appropriate choice. We'll still be happy to answer questions posted here, though.

That "other guidebook" stuff doesn't go for you, Doombuggy. I'll convert you yet. That offer for a free 2004 edtion still stands.

Sincerely,

Len

 

[Mortlives]

The main problem I see with UG is that it doesn't tend to be as uptodate as PassPorter, and tends to minimize pro-WDW advantages, and maximize disadvantages. For example, the 2003 still lists the early entry as an ex-perk of staying on property. It doesn't mention resort package delivery at all, that I've seen. It states that you should, basically, rent a car if you're staying anywhere but a monorail resort because eating is too inconvenient. While, YMMV, it doesn't mention, for example that DTD with all its dining options is just a short boatride away for people staying at Port Orleans. I have never had a problem using Disney transport, and actually consider the boats to DTD a special perk of staying at Port Orleans. That's I think what people mean by negative, more than a less than glowing review of Crystal Palace.

That said, the UG to WDW with Kids has some excellent advice. I would recommend ignoring the negativity and taking a lot of the advice (except for that bit about getting your kids buzzcuts -- that struck me as both excessive and sexist. I have long hair styled by gravity, which takes me less time than a lot of people with short hair spend.)


Kungaloosh!
Mort.

 

[lentesta]

Hi Mortlives,

Thanks for writing.

Free on-line updates to the 2003 edition of the Unofficial Guide, including revisiosn to the touring plans for Early Entry, have been available for quite some time. See my sig below for the URL. Please let me know if there's anything we've missed.

Also, resort package delivery is described on page 690 of the 2003 edition and page 694 of the 2004 edition, in the "Shopping in Walt Disney World" chapter.

Reasonable people might disagree as to whether the POR boat is a perk. In that respect, and I think you'll agree, it's more "attraction" than "transportation." That is, it's more charming than efficient. I'll write a note to make sure we cover the boat service in the 2005 edition. Thanks very much for the heads-up.

Regarding the use of your own car versus Disney transportation, we note (on page 321 of the 2003 edition and page 324 of the 2004 edition) that a one-way trip from POR to DD in your own car averages 8-11 minutes door-to-door, and 24-44 minutes if you rely on Disney transportation. That's three to four times longer using the bus. Put another way, you'll end up spending half an hour to more than an hour extra on the bus to get to that dinner in DD and back. In this situation, I think most people understand why recommend a car. This varies, of course, by hotel and destination, but that's where the handy transportation time chart is useful.

We didn't, I think, measure the boat times at POR, but my guess is that they're roughly the same as the bus, as the number of boats going between POR and DD has to be small relative to the number of busses assigned. I'd be very, very surprised if the boat took less than twice as long, on average, as having your own car.

Hope this helps. Have a great time at POR. If there's anything we can help with for your trip, feel free to drop me a line: testa@ncat.edu.

Sincerely,

Len

 

[Mortlives]

Originally posted by lentesta
[B
Also, resort package delivery is described on page 690 of the 2003 edition and page 694 of the 2004 edition, in the "Shopping in Walt Disney World" chapter.

Reasonable people might disagree as to whether the POR boat is a perk. In that respect, and I think you'll agree, it's more "attraction" than "transportation." That is, it's more charming than efficient. I'll write a note to make sure we cover the boat service in the 2005 edition. Thanks very much for the heads-up.
...snippage
We didn't, I think, measure the boat times at POR, but my guess is that they're roughly the same as the bus, as the number of boats going between POR and DD has to be small relative to the number of busses assigned
[/B]

Hi, Len.

On page 690, the book states: " If you are staying in a Disney hotel, you can have all of your packages delivered to the front entrance of any of the four Disney parks--Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, or the Animal Kingdom--to avoid carrying them around."
Fact is, anyone, resort guest or not can do that. Resort guests can have them delivered to their resort gift shop. Which is a benefit which reasonable people such as myself would consider appropriate to list in the section on the benefits of staying on property, as well as the shopping section.

As for my being unreasonable, part of going to WDW is the atmosphere and the experience. And it might take less time to to drive, but not considerably less, not enough to be worth the hassle of having to drive, and find a place to park. Not to mention that someone taking boat or bus (and both are available), doesn't have to worry about miscalculating the amount of wine with dinner.
Boat service runs about every 20 minutes, and only has one stop at each section of PO. So, we find it quite efficient. It's also pleasant, and relaxing.

Ciao,
Mort.

 

[cfewell]

I am with you Mort....

We stayed at POR last time and we loved having the boat available.

By the time you get in your car and drive to the park (That is if you know where you are going, "Disney World" is a big place and it is easy to get lost on the side streets) Park the car and then walk to the front entrance, I am already tired and want to go back for a nap.

Using ALL Disney Transportation is great. After a long day at the park, who in their right mind would want to go looking for thier car and fight the crowds to get back to the road that takes you to your hotel, when you can just pick up a bus/boat and get dropped off almost at your front door.

I really enjoy reading the Unofficial Guide, but again for information ONLY. I rarely ever read the negativity that they include in the books. It must be really sad to be the reader of the unoffical guide mail... how depressing.... cause if you read the book the majority of the comments are negative and unhappy, so what kind of job that must be to read those kind of letters all day, it seems that is mostly what they get, by reading the letters they include in their book.

There are tons of books out there that give both sides of the Disney that is not so drepressing.

But this is one persons opinion...