CONTEST: Tell Me What You Want in Your Disneyland Guidebook About This Page:

[Jennifer Marx]

Hi!

I'm working hard on PassPorter's Disneyland guidebook revision. It's more than half done (yay!) but ... wow, what a big project with all the upcoming changes. Now add to that the fact that I'm adding a whole lot of new pages to the guidebook. I feel like I'm standing in Disneyland, looking up at the Matterhorn looming large overhead, and wondering how best to conquer it.

So, I need your help! I love feedback, and I need yours. So I'm holding a little contest -- it's open to everyone.

Contest Details: Tell me what you want to see in your copy of PassPorter's Disneyland Resort guidebook. If you like what was in there last time and just want to see updates, that's fine -- but be specific about it. If you want new features, tell me that, too -- but give me details. If you don't have a copy of the older Disneyland guidebook, look at your Walt Disney World or Disney Cruise Line version and tell me what you'd like from that in the Disneyland version. If you don't have any PassPorter at all yet, just tell me what you want and need from a guidebook. The more detail the better. But please, be realistic ... I can't tuck free park hopper passes into the pages of the next guidebook. Creativity and enthusiasm are welcome and encouraged.

Contest Deadline: One week from today, so Monday, September 21, 2009

Contest Submission: Post here in this thread!

Contest Prize: The winner gets their name in the Acknowledgments section as my Inspiration, plus a free copy of the guidebook -- I'll even send it to you a PDF of it early before the printed guidebooks arrive.

Please post, even if it's not your intention to win -- your feedback fuels me.

[MickeyWatch]

I would love to see enhanced resturant listings. I have not been to DL in over 30 years so I am not familiar with their resturants at all. I would like to see ratings from your son and daughter for the resturants, similiar to the number ratings that they give for some of the rides. It is sometimes difficult to know whether the menu and atmosphere at a particular resturant would appeal to a child. Even though Disney dining is pretty kid friendly, some resturants are more appealing than others for children.

[eff051102]

I agree with enhanced resturant listings and I would also like to see more on
Good Neighbor Hotels. Having a list is nice, but food options around those hotels,
detailed location to the parks and major roads, and other fun things about the
hotels would be great. When we went to DL, I think the hardest part was finding
information on which hotel to use and non-chain food choices outside the park.

Oh and I can't find my old DL Passporter, but I do remember thinking having
the sections in the parks seperated more like in the WDW Passporter would be
nice. I think I really like the look of the WDW Passporter the best. I know there
is much more information for the WDW one, but something close to it would be
great for DL.

[olendl01]

As I sit here looking at my pp for DL I have added to my book a page that allows me to list the date, event, the phone number and the date I want to go so I can remember to call and set up my reservations, buy the extra tickets etc. For example, I can make dinner reservations 60 days in advance but I can't buy my tickets to the Walk in Walts Footsteps tour until 30 days before we are going. Also it is not the same as WDW, when I call for ADRs at WDW, I can book for my full trip. You have to be exactly the number of days out per event for DL so it's harder to keep track of your dates without the extra worksheet. Also often it's a different number to call based on what you want to set up so that is handy to have the numbers ready on this worksheet. I know it's probably doable as an e-worksheet but it is something that I think could be a part of the book that everyone would use. IMHO

[DopeyGirl]

Lots of full color pictures! More specifically a small photo insert. I know in the last WDW book it was a special deal but I really loved how it added to the book.

Maybe another page or 2 each of LA hotels and San Diego hotels . . . ???


But whatever you do . . . do NOT remove that pic of you on the description of Tower of Terror. It is one of my favorites in the entire book.

[mechurchlady]

I still have not gotten around to reading the book. I like in books details that make the trip special. Disabilities info should be included. I can send you my GF article. How to access rides. What parts might scare your kids. Best times to go on the ride.

As a disabled person I would like to know what is available. I met a man who did not know about the great chefs at DLR who will make special meals. He had had gastric surgery so I told him how the chef could make a tiny meal for him or omit things that might not be good for him like spices and fat. I am going next week to DLH and cannot find much like maps of the hotel. I want to know where everything is before I go. I have been on boards a long time so I knew to ask for disabled services.

Restaurants is my pain and love at DLR. I would like to see in a travel book GF and other allergen information. What do you do if you are vegan, religious, medical, pharmaceutical, and/or allergan diets? Can a person on a special diet enjoy the food? Steakhouse 55 has great food and has booths for getting a little cozy for example. PCH Grill has great food for a good price and is family friendly.

I recently read a guidebook for a specific group of people. The review stated that a friend said the steaks were great. Excuse me but did you try the vegetarian and fish dishes? hrmph.

I wish I had the book to give you better advice.
hugs
Laurie

[HeatherD]

Originally Posted by eff051102

I agree with enhanced resturant listings and I would also like to see more on
Good Neighbor Hotels. Having a list is nice, but food options around those hotels,
detailed location to the parks and major roads, and other fun things about the
hotels would be great. When we went to DL, I think the hardest part was finding
information on which hotel to use and non-chain food choices outside the park.

I like this one - unlike WDW, where there's more than enough space to stay and eat on property, with DLR, people are more likely to stay at a good neighbor and will most likely eat at restaurants outside of it at some point. So, a section that not only mentions things (and a map), but gives reviews (like avoid Capt Kidd's at ALL costs). Also, Garden Walk would be a nice mention, with a map of it and/or at least where it's located in relation to the parks.

[leannabeth]

I just took another run through my (well-read) Disneyland Passporter and jotted down a few things:

- On the Budget Worksheet, I would like it if there were subtotal lines after each section (ie: Transportation subtotal, Food subtotal)
- I really like the Money Saving Programs section and all the money saving tips throughout the book! Definitely want those to stay in!
- I also really enjoy the Magical Memories and tips from readers.
- Some information on Photopass would be helpful. Perhaps mentioning how to save by pre-ordering the CD?
- Information on the Dining Plan, how it is different from WDW, and do you think there is a benefit to using it?
- In the WDW book on page 215 there is a table titled "Our Favorite Snacks at Epcot." I would REALLY like to see this for Disneyland and California Adventure.

[Bee]

not sure if this is already in there... going to re read my passporter this weekend for nov trip!
1. listing of what rides are the same at disneyland / world
2. Picture section like in the wdw passporter (my fav part of the book)
3. more tips - love these.
4. maybe a section on 1st time stuff or maybe a example of a touring plan?
5. more hotels listings in the area.
6. places to go around disneyland - food, shopping, etc maybe some reviews from fellow passporters

I hope that helps! THANK YOU! I LOVE My passporter!

[egospotter]

I don't have the guidebook yet as this will be my first trip to Disneyland in 15 years, but I would like to see lots of tips included for money-saving and time-saving and also maybe a list of cool things that are sometimes overlooked.

[dizprincesslauren]

I would like to see a large section devoted to hotels, and not just 'Good Neighbor' ones. The price hikes have pretty much put the three DL hotels out of many budgets, even off season. We need time lines on how long it takes to get to the park, be it walking (a separate section for those hotels that are within walking distance) driving or taking a shuttle. I know you guys won't be able to visit all of the hotels, so maybe you could use these boards for people to report (a poll perhaps) on how long it takes to actually get into the park.
If you could do this, it would be fantastic. This was the hardest part of researching our latest trip (coming up in October) because we will be flying and not renting a car. Pretty much we had to resort to using the map program on 'google earth' to see how far it was to walk from a hotel, to the end of the block and then across the street. Other guidebooks aren't very helpful, as they just have a basic rating and only walking times for a few hotels, or only the GN ones.

[Bee]

I just thought of another!
how about a loose passpocket or ones we can take out of the book .. I ripped one out of my book i wasn't using instead of taking the whole book and wrote my tips on it did this every day it helped keep everything in one place..

[raftislander]

I haven't read you Disneyland book, so forgive me if you are already doing some of the following. I did use your WDW book to plan our March 2009 trip to the world and found it very helpful. Here are the aspects that I thought were excellent about the WDW Book:

1) your descriptions- including diagrams -of the various resorts and rooms. Having never set foot on a WDW resort, I got a very good feel for the ambiance of the various resorts and very specific information about how to get to various places in the world from a resort. Your book led me to understand that visiting the resorts could be as much fun as visiting a park. That is not as translatable to DLR. In the DLR book you would have to include off property resorts as many people cannot afford the three Disney Hotels. Still some of the nearby hotels try to generate a little Disney Magic and others make no effort. When I look for an off property room at DLR I want to know about proximity, cleanliness, noise, amenities such as pool, free breakfast, and any shuttle service to parks. Your descriptions should include detailed information about walking distance to entrance plaza as many hotel/motel websites do not give accurate information about the walking distance and not very specific info about how often hotel shuttles operate. Many people rely on ART shuttle system so a section on that would be good. If you dont use your rating comparison system on hotels (your rating/Dave's/reader's), you should. I liked being able to compare the various viewpoints. I would suggest identifying a few areas such as room comfort, cleanliness, proximity, amenities for rating system.

2) Descriptions of restaurant options-and ratings for food, value, overall experience. Again you would have to include nearby off-property options for DLR

3) Your park maps. Unquestionably the best WDW park maps I saw from looking at a variety on the web, in guidebooks, or distributed by Disney. Your book als included a overview map of the world that was hard to find elsewhere. For DLR I would suggest one of each park, one of DTD area including DLH and PPH and one that provides a overview of the surrounding area and showing pathways in and out of the entrance plaza and DTD areas.


Other wish list items: a small section on the history of the park; public transit information on how to get to beach, Universal studios, and other Disney points of interest such as Griffith Park (including info on the Carolwood train museum), Forest Lawn and Disney Soda Fountain. Info on various airports and how to get from each to park area/hotels by driving or by other transportation.

[AGentlRose]

I would love to see a part dedicated to something similar to the information found in Open Mouse. Since the Disneyland Resort is much smaller than WDW, a separate book wouldn't be practical, but a snippet of information for people with disabilities would be greatly appreciated.

[Nicole626Stitch]

I see that the deadline has already passed, I never got to posting these tips...maybe you can still use them.
I have never seen the DL PP so I don't know exactly what it entails, so the only thing I can give is tips. (And again, forgive me if these have already been reported, used, etc.) Things I love in my WDW PP is my PP pockets and insert pages to log all the details of our trip. And of course what was a huge help in planning our first trip to WDW was the Resort Hotel pages, they were a big help in helping us pick a place to stay, so something like that for DL since it is so different than WDW would be really helpful for those who have never been here.

One useful tip is to save POTC, HM, SM & TMAOWTP for during a showing of Fantasmic! This is usually the best time to experience these attractions as the waits are next to nothing. We always save these attractions for this time, we were at the parks on Labor Day and did this very thing. We walked right on to not only POTC, but HM as well.

Another tip, for those who want to for-go the HUGE line at the Dole Whip station. Go inside the TR Queue and order at the counter inside. Not only is there next to
no wait, but you can take your yummy Dole Whip in with you and enjoy the show!

A must do for those who love Mint Julep's, there is a little Mint Julep bar connected to the back of the French Market in NOS. A little hidden gem and one of our favorite treats! Not to mention those fritters!!
A good place to cool off is inside the Animation building in DCA, there are little couches you can sit on and dream away with the beautiful sights and sounds of Disney movie magic. Truly a must see for any Disney fan.
I could go on and on... hope these help!