Part III Passporter
Friday, June 6, 2003
by Mike Scopa, MousePlanet staff writer
This is the third in a series of discussions on the Disney Bibles from a first timer's perspective.
So far we have looked at Birnbaum's Official Guide and Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide. The Birnbaum serves as a basic introduction to the Walt Disney World resort and is filled with many informative and picture filled pages.
The Unofficial Guide takes the first-timer one step closer to the planning process by providing unbiased information on all aspects of the resort. The Unofficial Guide also provides the first timer with an exceptional tool for putting together a touring plan.
In this session we look at PassPorter Walt Disney World 2003: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! by Jennifer Watson, Dave Marx, and Allison C. Marx (PassPorter Travel Press: 2003. ISBN: 1-58771-010-2), discuss how this book best serves the first-time visitor to WDW.
Not your typical WDW guide
Passporter is unlike any other WDW guide you may have seen. The design
of the book is unique — instead of serving as just a reference guide,
it is also designed as a companion for your trip.
Let's look at some obvious features that lead us to this thought:
- The cover has maps of Florida, Orlando, and the Walt Disney World resort.
- The inside front cover has not one but two calendars (2003 and 2004) and a special area for notes on special milestone dates for planning your trip.
- There is an area for you to identify your Passporter as yours in case it gets lost. And in the best indicator that our authors designed the book with the thought of taking it along, it says the following: "If lost, please leave with Guest Services or Lost & found or contact us with the above information." This space allows you to write down the name of your resort.
- The inside back page has over a dozen handy key telephone numbers, plus space for another dozen or so entries.
- The other panel has an area to jot down reminders, and an area for addresses for post cards.
- The book also has an elastic band to keep everything snug. The deluxe edition has a special cover.
So just with its cover, Passporter includes areas of information that the first-timer should have handy on an initial trip to Orlando.
That's just the cover; let's look at some other unique parts to this book.
A different kind of Yellow Pages
Watson and Marx have included special yellow slash folder pages that offer you place to keep all the essentials for your trip. These are called "PassPockets."
Imagine having one place to secure everything you need for your first journey to Walt Disney World. Each of these PassPockets are labeled for a special purpose:
- Use the first PassPocket list important trip data such as flight information, reservation numbers, etc. It also has a pocket for tickets, coupons, and receipts.
- Use the back of each Passpocket, which are labeled areas for jotting down what you did that day, descriptions of the photos you took, where you ate, and how much you spent. It's a great tool to capture your vacation experience with the thought of writing a trip report upon your return.
- Use the lodging page to list all the resort information, an area to list things you may want to do, and notes. There is a pocket for key cards, receipts, and luggage tags. The back of this page offers you an area to jot down some remembrances of your hotel room.
- Use the next 10 Passpockets for individual days during the vacation. Each page includes a spot for record notes, your meal Priority Seating numbers, lists things to do, and a pocket to place receipts and ticket stubs.
- Use the "design your own" Passpocket in any way you see fit.
- Use the last PassPocket to record your special trip memories.
How PassPockets serve the first time visitor
PassPockets offer the WDW newcomer the chance to record vacation memories and other information that may otherwise not get documented. This information not only helps the visitor look back and be reminded of what took place during the vacation but may also help in the planning process for the next trip.
Because first-time visitors may not think about bringing something to jot down important information about their trip, Passpockets are probably more important to the first-time visitor than the seasoned veteran.
Resource dividends
Of course, any book as well put together as Passporter has to have a serious resource team. Watson and Marx have built a Passporter community, which contributes to the information found in the book. Besides the help of several fellow Disney-fan webmasters, the authors also have made use of the many bits and pieces of information they have received from their audience.
This information has been put back into the book. The experiences of the Passporter fans are essentially dividends for the Passporter audience, who benefit from this information — and who best benefits from this experience but the WDW newcomer?
There are many areas within Passporter that have Reader ratings. These ratings serve as a barometer for the first time guest as to what may worth seeing on an initial visit to WDW.
Thus the resources used by the Passporter are very beneficial to the WDW newcomer.
Addressing the WDW newbie
The authors point out the first thing the first-time guest needs to do is to learn about the WDW resort. They combine this essential start with a walk-through of their book, and how it best serves the first-time visitor to the resort.
They immediately discuss how Passporter can educate you and (shades of Miracle on 34th Street) describe how it can be a companion to other WDW books you may acquire. Another unique aspect of the Passporter book is that it is never outdated. Watson and Marx have designed and run a Web site that offers free updates (Mike's review). This is very important to the first-timer, who would otherwise find himself puzzled by arriving and finding something not found in the book.
They really go all out and discuss the resource organizations and Web sites to help the first-timer plan the best possible trip.
Money matters
The Passporter really prepares the first timer for the expense of a WDW trip. The book offers a worksheet that helps in the planning process. This worksheet covers everything from the cost of the guides and phone calls to transportation, lodging, admission, food and extras. This worksheet helps the first timer estimate what that vacation budget would
The book spends several pages helping the first timer determine some money saving tips. Many of these tips may seem obvious to the WDW veteran, but there are a few tips that not everyone may know.
Charting for success
One of the unique features of Passporter that helps first-timers in planning their trip is the use of charts and worksheets:
- A handy chart shows how the crowds, room costs, temperature, and rainfall vary over the course of the calendar year. It helps readers decide what is the best time of year to go.
- The guide contains a travel worksheet that offers areas to jot down important information, whether you are flying or driving. Again, a handy tool for first timers.
- Recently I was asked if I knew of any online WDW packing list. I'm sure there is one or two online but Watson and Marx have put together the most comprehensive packing list (well over 100 items) right inside Passporter: a great tool for someone who has never been to the land of talking mice.
- There is even a chart to compare resorts. For someone going for the first time, this chart could help in the decision making process as to where to stay on-property.
- PassPorter has an attractions at-a-glance chart for each theme park. These handy charts list all the attractions, type (show, ride, and so on), how much time to allow for each one, and a page reference for more detail.
- Probably one of the most handy charts in the book is the Disney Property Transportation Chart. Use it to find out what mode of transportation (monorail, bus, boat, etc.) is best to get from one point to another point within the WDW resort.
These are just a handful of the worksheets and charts that Passporter offers as decision-making tools to use in the vacation planning process. These tools would be well appreciated by the first time WDW vacation planner.
The deal about meals
Passporter goes to great lengths to make sure readers are properly informed regarding everything they need to know about dining at WDW.
First-timers need to know what Priority Seating is, how best to save time and money when dining in WDW, and understanding all about character meals and dinner shows.
Passporter devotes several pages to educating the first timer on all these concepts as well as providing reviews on all resort restaurants.
With the large number of restaurants within the WDW resort, a first-time guest is certainly overwhelmed when trying to make dining choices. The Passporter provides guidelines for the first time visitor with thorough descriptions of all the WDW eateries, including reader ratings.
The perfect WDW companion
Passporter is the ultimate Walt Disney World companion. Regardless of whether you are making your first or your 101st trip to Orlando, Passporter will serve you in many ways, as a reference tool, a guidebook, and most of all a trusty companion that should make the trip with you.
Next time
I'll be in Walt Disney World this Fourth of July, so of course I'm thinking about things to do on that day. I will take a look at some Fourth of July 4 itineraries, and discuss how Walt Disney World guests can spend our nation's birthday in the Happiest Place on Earth.
Class dismissed.
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Mike Scopa first visited Walt Disney World almost 30 years ago. Planning a trip was simple back in the 1970s, with only the Magic Kingdom and a few Disney-owned resorts in Orlando. Over the past 11 years, Mike has been perfecting his WDW trip-planning skills as he has hosted chats and bulletin boards about Disney for a Fortune 100 company. Mike brings his experience to MousePlanet in a series of lessons to help you with all the phases of planning a WDW trip. Mike pays special attention to all the details that ensure your family has the best possible time at the Happiest Place on Earth. You can contact Mike here. Here are trip reports that Mike has written that are part of MousePlanet's archives: Michael Scopa -- August 1999 -- Walt Disney World (CSR) Michael J. Scopa -- July 1997 -- Walt Disney World (WL/CBR) Mike Scopa -- July 1994 -- Walt Disney World (WL / CBR) Also, don't miss Lani Teshima's column, “The Trip Planner” for more travel planning information. Get the latest info about the resort at “Park Update: Walt Disney World.” 
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