Just copy your passports and laminate if you want.

It is law in Florida to carry photo id at all times anyway.

Only if you are driving, not otherwise.

We only had to show ID once out of all the parks (possibly there scanners were down?) the rest were by finger print scan it is taken at security at the air port, we also carried a photo copy of our passports, the only other times we needed ID was in some of the shops when paying by card but that was only 3 times out of about 20 and any ID with your photo on will do I used my UK bus pass for one , our passports stayed in our room safe until we came home.
Perhaps other people have had a different experience not all the places are the same bag checks were no problem but some I had to take my cameras out of there cases and switch them on but all were done in a friendly manner.
Hope this helps

Alan

We took our passports with us to Universal because it said this on the paperwork. However the man on the turnstile just waved them away when I produced them. So you probably won't need them to get in. However I'm not sure it is worth the risk of not being allowed in, so to be honest I would advise you to take your passports with you to Universal! (Not Disney though) I just kept them in my bum bag.

Al38 - I don't think the fingerprint scan at the airport is connected to the theme park fingerprint scan. They are separate matters. The airport immigration people won't share your fingerprints with others.

You could be right, I think it was Sea world the first park we went to but I'm sure we didn't use the scan there, and cant remember showing ID and and a scan as well at any of the other parks, so the only thing I could think of was the air port, could be wrong every thing is a bit of a blear after a while, but I would not take my passport with me a photo copy is fine.

Alan

Well if you do use a photocopy of your passports, please bear in mind that it is illegal to make colour photocopies of passports in this country.

Please go onto passport site if you search you will find a box that you can ask your questions, I did last night
this is the reply

Dear Shinn Shinn,

Thank you for your enquiry

There is no law stopping you from making a photocopy of your passport.

Thank you.
Customer service e-mail team

There is a bit on one of the pages that states that you may not copy a passport etc etc I would suspect that it means copy as in forge, and the reply from the support team seems to suggest that that is the case as the is no mention of a photo copy being against the law.

Hope this puts all your minds at rest if not do what I did contact them then save the Email reply.

Alan

You are allowed to make a black and white photocopy, but not a colour one. This is because colour photocopies are so good and realistic these days. My husband is a lawyer and he is quite emphatic about this! Remember it is your identity that is at risk if the photocopy falls into the wrong hands!

It is illegal to make a colour photocopy of a UK passport SEE HERE

Guilty as charged.
luci

Many thanks to you all for the replies, they have been very helpfull. I will make a black and white copy (thanks mehmeh1 ) of the passports to carry with us. Funnily enough i have also been told this week that making a photo copy of your passport to take away with you is very usefull incase your proper passports get stolen. No you can't use the photo copies but when you go to the relevant authorities about reporting the stolen passports and to get replacements, the photo copies help in getting the matter dealt with much quicker and easier. Many thanks again to you all.

I have just looked at an email I received from the customer service team at the Passport Office stating that photocopies of passports can be made in either black and white or colour. Seems that they aren't even aware of their own regulations.

I have used a photocopy of my passport as photo ID in Vegas for the past 4 years and it has been accepted everywhere apart from a couple of hotels. I didn't realise then that it was illegal according to HMSO. However Judith has been advised that it isn't illegal.

luci

Luci

That's why I emailed IPS as I have been using a coloured copy for a few years now, and I made a new one early this year when I got a new passport. I saw on another site that it was illegal and I emailed IPS for clarification. I then saw the link to their regulation that you posted.
Left hand doesn't know.....I'll carry on using the one I have.
You are supposed to carry ID at all times here in Germany and as I don't want to carry my passport I use the copy.

Judith

Remember what I said about identity theft. If you lose that colour photocopy, someone could use it to make a replica of your passport.

(And it definitely is illegal! But the identity theft thing is the bigger concern, as well as the reason for the rule.)

Dear Mr Shinn,

Thank you for your enquiry

In the interest of safeguarding your identity IPS recommend that customers take a photocopy of the bio details page of their passport to ensure the details are retained should their passport become lost or stolen. Photocopies can be made in either black and white or colour.

Thank you.
Customer service e-mail team

----- Original Message -----
From: "IPS Passport Website" <REMOVED FOR MEMBER'S PROTECTION>
Date: 21 July 2008
Subject: General Enquiry from IPS website

------------------------------------------------------
Contact Details

Now I am really confused Who do I believe The passport Service team or other experts??, But I stand by my first statement that I will put my passport in the safe and and use a photo copy be it color or black and white it is to much hassle to have your passport lost or stolen.
Myself I will probably take both but I will not break the law and if there is absolute proof that a color copy is illegal then I will only take a black and white

Al 38

The same email as I received.
I am not going to worry about it. I have a coloured photocopy which I will continue to use.
So the regulation states it's illegal but the IPS have told me it's OK to use a coloured copy, I'm going to take their word for it. If I hadn't already got a coloured copy I might have made a new one in black and white but as I have more important things to worry about I'll keep what I have.

Old man remenising.

Alan

As I said Judith
Save the return mail, to me it makes sense, color tends to give more detail and who uses black and in the 21st century.

Alan