In our continuing series on
top Disney Internet sites, let’s turn our attention this session to a Web site
that has set the standard for establishing an online presence that not only mirrors,
but compliments, a published book.
Used by permission of PassPorter.com.
The
site is Passporter.com,
and our hosts for this unique site are Jennifer Watson and Dave Marx. This team
has put together a Web site that makes a real connection to their Passporter
Walt Disney World Planning Guide.
Birth
of a Web site
This site first graced cyberspace in 1999 just
prior to the initial publishing of the Passporter book.
As Jennifer
Watson recalls, “It was mostly a collection of articles on planning WDW trips
at that time, and we weren’t really spreading the word about the site yet.”
It
was the incredible outreaching power of the Internet, however, that resulted in
something that Jennifer and Dave were not prepared for. “The funny thing
is that someone stumbled across it, saw that we were coming out with a book soon,
and started spreading the word for us,” said Jennifer. “In fact, because
of their enthusiasm, we ran out of books in the first month! We hadn’t quite expected
they’d be so excited.”
In a few years, both the site and the book have
grown beyond what Jennifer and Dave could have ever imagined. In that time, the
connection between the book and the site has evolved into quite a bond.
A
tour of Passporter.com
Those who are familiar with the Passporter
guide should feel quite at home at this site. The site does not limit itself to
information on Walt Disney World and Florida, but also extends towards helping
visitors plan vacations for such destinations as the Caribbean, California, and
New York. For our purposes, let’s explore the WDW areas of the site; very much
the strongpoint of the site.
The site offers its visitors help and tips
in planning, traveling, lodging, touring, dining, and doing those extra special
things on a WDW vacation. The site also offers its readers an assortment of fun
things to do such as:
- A message board that builds the Passporter community.
- A
Sunday night trivia game. - Fun contests and prizes.
- Several mailing
lists from which to choose to register for announcements, discussions, or just
to receive tips. - A guest book to sign in and register with the community.
- A
ratings area to help others plan and a feedback area. - A Passporter Club
and forums both nurturing the Passporter community.
Unlike All Ears
Net and WDWMagic, the first two Disney sites we have covered, Passporter.com takes
great steps to not only provide information but also to provide community. It’s
obvious that Jennifer and Dave have created a special magic of their own, and
are using that magic to connect with their Passporter family. This is seen with
the design of the site to offer guests a chance to share their experiences and
to discuss issues, thoughts, and ideas on WDW vacations.
Used by permission of PassPorter.com.
The
second appealing aspect of this site is how it connects with its hard-copy sibling,
the published version of Passporter. In today’s world where the printed
page sometimes becomes outdated well before the ink dries, Jennifer and Dave have
figured out a way to remove that obsolescence by offering their readers online
updates to their printed Passporter guides.
The update section is
well-designed and offers the date of the update, what page is affected, and the
actual update information. Readers can thus keep their book as accurate as possible
long after they leave the bookstore. In essence, the site has helped make the
book a living document.
A sense of pride
and accomplishment
You can sense the feeling of accomplishment
when Jennifer proudly said,“Passporter.com exists primarily as a support
for our books — it’s a companion site for the guidebooks. In-depth information
that won’t fit in the books goes to the Web site, and we offer ways for people
to register their books, send in surveys, ask questions, get updates to their
books, and so on.”
Jennifer is especially proud of one aspect of this
bond. “We were one of the first travel guidebook sites to offer a page-by-page
list of updates for the books. In 2000, we added a message board system, which
really took off, so now our readers can meet other readers and vacationers at
our site, ask their questions, share their adventures, and have a good time,”
Jennifer said. “These days, the message board is a very big draw, and many
people spend a good portion of their day there reading and posting. It’s a good
community!”
Dave and Jennifer recognize that there is a thirst for
knowledge in cyberspace, especially for those readers who are above all fans of
the Walt Disney world Resort.
Looking
ahead
What does the future hold for the site? “More in-depth
articles, more planning tools, and more message board topics,” Jennifer said.
“As our guidebook series grows, so will the Web site. Anything we can find
that will help our readers plan and enjoy their trips — that’s what we want
to add to our site!”
Always thinking of innovative ways to reach their
audience, Jennifer muses “Perhaps some automated vacation planning tools
that go hand-in-hand with the Passporter planning system, and more downloadable
pages that can either standalone or be placed in Passporter.”
So as
the site grows in popularity will the focus of the site change? Not according
to Jennifer. “No matter how big the site gets,” she states, “our
wonderful readers will always be our primary audience — they are the reason
we’re here!”
And I guess that’s what it all comes down to…knowing
and serving one’s audience. Passporter.com certainly fits that order. That, plus
all the other reasons noted, are why I salute Passporter.com as one of the top
Disney sites on the Internet.
Next time
Disney
sites devoted to saving you money.
Class dismissed.
