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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and
Tips
March 16, 2006 * Issue 6.9
PassPorter.com -
http://www.passporter.com
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Welcome to PassPorter News, an online
newsletter
about PassPorter travel guidebooks,
the
Walt Disney World Resort, and Disney
Cruise Line.
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In This
Newsletter:
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From the Authors: Greetings From Florida
Travel Feature: Soft Adventure Travels for Families
Disney Feature: A Journey Into The Past of Future World
Updates: What's New and
Changed
Tips: Great Photos, Great Food, Great Advice
Captain's Corner: A Classic Carousel
Q&A: Can our grandchildren spend the night with us at our resort?
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FROM THE AUTHORS: New Disney Cruise
Guide
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A happy hello
from beautiful, sunny Florida! We're
almost to the middle of our week-long stay here in
Florida and we're having a wonderfully relaxing stay.
Would you believe we haven't been to a theme park
yet? Just relaxing, swimming, napping, hot tubbing,
and reading (well, mostly). We do plan to visit
Disney's Animal Kingdom today so we can
experience Expedition Everest for ourselves. Watch
for a mini-report of our trip upon our return!
In this edition of the newsletter, Julia Elzie offers a
delightful article about "soft" adventure travel for
families. We're also pleased to note that Jill Clinevell
Shelton has contributed a fun article on the past
attractions at Future World, including Jennifer's
favorite, Horizons. Finally, Captain Jack Skatt
returns with a new treasure hunting game. Enjoy!
Jennifer and
Dave
PassPorter
Authors
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DID YOU KNOW?
PassPorter 2006 – Our Best Yet!
The new
2006
edition of our PassPorter Walt Disney World
guidebook now features a full-color interior
along with the most up-to-date text, new TeenTips and ToddlerTips, and new
photos and magical memories. This edition is proving so popular that we've had
to go back for a reprint of more books already! We're not out of stock quite
yet, and our new shipment of books arrives
soon.
Learn more and order today at:
Shop at
http://www.passporterstore.com/store
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TRAVEL FEATURE: Soft Adventure Travel for Families
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by Julia Elzie, Guest
Contributor
Soft
adventure travel is capturing the imagination of families, thanks to reality
television shows like "The Amazing Race." Escaping from the busy days of regular
life is becoming more alluring to everyone. Soft adventure travel is a fun and
active way for families to visit another part of the world, slow down the pace
of modern life and get closer to nature, yet not risk sacrificing comfort, good
food or nice accommodations. There are options for every family’s interests.
Biking, river rafting, walking/hiking, spa vacations, dude ranchesor
expedition/small-ship cruising are a few of the most popular choices.
Unlike hard adventure travel, which requires physical fitness, mental strength
and technical expertise, soft adventure travel can be experienced by almost
anyone of any fitness level. If you are a "scaredy-cat," do not worry! These
trips are about fun and adventure,
visit far-flung destinations or explore closer to home around North America. The
days are filled with discovery and only as much physical activity as desired.
And you don’t have to sacrifice a gourmet (kid-friendly, if necessary) dinner, a
good drink and a charming inn, luxurious hotel or luxury camping for a long
night’s sleep. Many of the suppliers have special family trips or special tour
guides, whose sole function to entertain and educate the children on the trip.
It allows families to see new cultures and landmarks, spend quality time with
each other and enjoy the outdoors. The only requirement is a sense of adventure
and an open mind!
Biking is a great way to see the countryside! It is one of the best ways to
really see the world, especially Europe, where even the biggest cities have bike
lanes and drivers are accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists. The biking
tour suppliers bring the bikes, the mechanics, support staff, and a support and
gear wagon to help riders along the way. It is entirely acceptable to ride less
than the full day's itinerary, or you can complete the entire day’s route. If
the bike gets a flat tire, the guest sits under a tree and watches the scenery -
someone else fixes the flat! There is always time to have a picnic lunch, visit
a historical or cultural sight along the way or meet with the locals. At the end
of the day, the bike disappears with the support staff and guests are free to
rest, relax and enjoy their evening. Riding a bike is NEVER this easy at home!
On foot is also a wonderful way to see experience a destination and
walking/hiking vacations can be enjoyed by families with members of several
generations, personal interests and fitness levels. Again, the relaxed speed of
walking allows for stops along the way to enjoy cultural or historical sights,
shopping in a small hamlet, or browsing a village’s farmer’s market. You might
get caught in an Irish traffic jam as a farmer moves his sheep between pastures!
Walkers and hikers are also likely to meet locals along the way and those
meetings provide a great opportunity to start conversations and to learn the
everyday lives of the average citizen. Hiking requires more physical fitness,
but it is wonderful way to experience nature and climb to some of the world’s
most remarkable natural views. At the end of the day, guests retreat to a
gourmet meal and a comfortable sleep. Walking and hiking are among the best
forms of exercise and are a leisurely way to see the world - just bring your
feet and good shoes!
If you are more inclined to the soft part of soft adventure travel, why not
consider a spa vacation for your family? Spas are more pampering and
family-friendly than ever. Spas are no longer entirely geared to weight loss and
minimal, healthy meals and excessive exercise. Spas are located all over the
world from Asia to the Caribbean to Europe and throughout the United States.
More spas are becoming family-friendly, offering activities and treatments for
teenage daughters and mothers, men’s vacation spa programs, senior-friendly
treatments, Mommy & Baby activities, pampering for the mother-to-be and new
mothers or teen spa vacation programs. Spas have been known for being expensive,
but spas in more destinations are creating affordable packages for families with
modest budgets. A spa might be the perfect place to escape from the harried
daily life of today’s families.
Could you use a splash of cold water on your face? River rafting might be the
perfect solution. It is an adventurous way to get a different perspective on
some of the world’s greatest rivers, especially the Snake River, the Rogue River
and other waterways of the Western United States. Camping fans will enjoy luxury
camping and healthy, delicious meals with fewer bugs and dirt than the average
family camping and river vacation. Plus you leave the task of shopping and
packing the car to the experts! No experience is required and trips include
special guides to challenge and entertain the children while parents relax by
the campfire. River rafting is a wonderful alternative to the family vacation in
the car and might be the refresher needed by adventuresome parents and kids.
Ever feel like running away and becoming a cowboy? Why not do it for a week or
two? Dude ranches have an easy-going and relaxed atmosphere, but without the
chores and hard work of becoming a full-time cowboy. A week on a ranch offers
close-to-nature activities for all ages and interests. Dude ranches are an
excellent option for families, multi-generational travel and family reunions.
Ranchers are generally down-to-earth, cheerful and friendly and their very
nature is to guide their guests to see the best parts of ranching life - from
swimming to fly fishing to river rafting day trips, horseback riding, cookouts,
dances under the stars, mountain biking, sitting by a stream and reading by the
campfire. By the way, the ranch staff does all of the cooking, cleaning and
ranch chores - guests enjoy the easy part of life on a dude ranch!
As many cruise ships become larger and larger, small-ship cruising has become
increasingly popular. These cruises visit every continent and corner of the
world, including Antarctica, and include the rivers of Europe, China and Russia.
These voyages have hundreds instead of the thousands of passengers onboard,
unlike the larger ships. The smaller ships are able to maneuver into smaller
ports and allow passengers to enjoy closer, more intimate experiences during
their cruise. Small-ship cruises are more casual in atmosphere and dining
styles. The focus of these cruises is the destination, not the ship. Instead of
nightly shows, casinos and formal nights, these cruise lines have special
programs with naturalists, biologists, local artists, historians, geologists and
other experts. The ships provide specialized recreation equipment, such as
Zodiacs (inflatable speedboats), kayaks, snorkeling or scuba gear, to allow
passengers to fully experience their destination. On many cruise lines, shore
excursions are included in the price of the cruise and often, special family
departures are offered with family pricing and special family and children’s
activities. Small ship cruises are a way to see an exotic
location, combined with education, fun and adventure.
As life gets busier and adventures become more a part of our "reality," soft
adventure travel offers fun, escape and discovery to all corners of the world
for people of all ages without having to leave behind the creature comforts of
good food and a soft, comfortable bed.
Julia Elzie is a travel consultant with Andavo Travel and specializes in family travel. For more information, please visit her website at http://www.juliaelzie.com, contact her by phone at (208) 362-6789 or by e-mail at jelzie@andavotravel.com.
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Did you enjoy this article? Have
questions? E-mail us at news@passporter.com or visit
http://www.passporterboards.com to discuss your Disney travel
plans.
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DISNEY FEATURE: A Journey Into The Past of Future World
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by Jill Clinevell Shelton, Guest
Contributor
Future World
at Epcot is an adventure in technology and experimentation. We can experience
the thrill of blasting off into outer space in a space shuttle, play the role of
crash test dummies as we participate in vehicle testing or find out just how
powerful our imagination can be.
Although Epcot opened twelve years after its Magic Kingdom sibling, Epcot
originated as an idea of Walt Disney’s many years earlier. Walt believed EPCOT
Center, as it was originally dubbed, to be the most important part of his
Florida project. He envisioned a working city where the brightest ideas of
science and technology came together. However, since Walt Disney died years
before Epcot was to be built, Imagineers were forced to reconsider his vision
and go forward with a revised plan. Epcot was to be divided into two "lands:"
Future World, where the latest technology was displayed and where we were
allowed glimpses into the future, and the World Showcase.
As technology has evolved and the future that had been envisioned was not coming
to pass, some of the older, original attractions were viewed to be quaint but
passé. So, several were revised or completely razed to make room for newer, more
thrilling attractions. As with most Walt Disney World and Disneyland
attractions, these original rides held a special place in the hearts of many
fans that were sad to see them changed or replaced. But in true Disney fashion,
the Imagineers have some nostalgic surprises "hidden" in plain sight for those
of us who look closely.
Mission: SPACE is a thrilling simulated space flight that allows guests to
experience technology never before offered to the general public. It not only
displays state-of-the-art technical capabilities but also gives guests arguably
one of the biggest thrills in the World. But before Mission: SPACE even dreamed
of thrilling thousands of guests a day, Horizons was a headliner attraction at
Future World.
Horizons opened on October 1, 1983: one year to the day after EPCOT Center’s
opening. Guests boarded omni-mover vehicles with side-mounted cabins. (Visitors
faced side-ways instead of straight ahead.) Horizons, sponsored by G.E.,
explored the notion of life in the 21st century and the possibilities of living
under the sea, in a space colony and on a desert farm. The ride culminated in
the guests choosing the method by which to return to the 20th century: land, sea
or space. Horizons closed on January 9, 1999 to the dismay of many loyal fans.
Today, however, fans who are searching for a fossil of this bygone attraction
can find the old Horizons logo prominently displayed on the gift shop counter in
the Mission: SPACE shop and also on the center of the gravity wheel in the
queue. Interestingly, the gravity wheel itself is a set piece from the old film,
Mission to Mars, also an extinct ride as well as predecessor to Mission: SPACE,
at the Magic Kingdom. The mission control room at the end of the queue in
Mission: SPACE is a tribute to a comparable set in Mission to Mars as well.
Another relatively new, but wildly popular attraction in Future World is Test
Track. Guests enjoy riding along through vehicle testing grounds and racing
around the partially exposed track. But before Test Track, guests explored the
idea of traveling in vehicles inside the World of Motion. Also sponsored by
General Motors, World of Motion was a fun jaunt through history with scenes
depicting travel from walking, through the invention of the wheel and on to cars
and motorcycles. There were two speed rooms in which the visitor felt as if he
or she was speeding underwater, in the air and through the world of computers.
The final sequence was a pass by a mirror in which the guest was reflected
riding in a futuristic car, a tip of the hat to the Haunted Mansion ghost
hitchhiker scene.
Inside the new Test Track queue you can find a car that was originally displayed
in World of Motion, up on blocks and stripped down to its frame. A pig from
World of Motion relocated to California in 1996 and took up residence in
Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean!
Journey Into Imagination With Figment has a long-standing history in Future
World. It opened in October 1983 with Dreamfinder, a happy, imaginative
character who invents Figment, a little purple dragon-like creature with tiny
wings and yellow eyes who helps us explore our imagination. There was a revision
in 1999 in which Dreamfinder was removed completely and Figment only made two
cameo appearances. This disappointed many Epcot guests who had fond memories of
this classic attraction. So in 2002 there was a second revision and Figment was
again center stage, but Dreamfinder was still absent.
In tribute to the beloved Dreamfinder, Imagineers have labeled a door in the
attraction, immediately following the Smell Lab, "Dean Finder." The Dream
Vehicle in which Dreamfinder and Figment ride in the original attraction can be
found now on a shelf near the ceiling in the MouseGear shop in Future World. And
a large representation of the sheet music to the original theme song, "One
Little Spark," is seen in the climactic scene of the ride.
As old favorites are revised or replaced with time, we can’t help but feel
nostalgic about the ones that are no more. But most of the time, if we look
closely, we might just find a surprise "hidden" in plain
Jill is a
former schoolteacher and a stay-at-home mom of two little Disney princesses. She
and her family love learning about
Disney secrets and history and are currently planning their next trip to the
World, a Grand Gathering, for later this year.
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Did you enjoy this article? Have
questions? E-mail us at news@passporter.com or visit
http://www.passporterboards.com to discuss your holiday
plans.
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UPDATES: What's New and
Changed
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Here's a few of the new developments
at Disney:
Disney's
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will be testing Poolside Cabanas at their themed
beachside pool. Each cabana will offer 2 padded loungers, 2 padded straight-back
chairs, a 22-inch LCD TV with cable and headphones, Sirius Satellite Radio, a
phone for calls within
the resort, a mini-fridge stocked with soft drinks and a complimentary fruit
basket. The cabanas are available in two four-hour time blocks (10 am - 2 pm and
3 pm - 7 pm) for $60. The cabanas are solely for the use of guests of the Grand
Floridian.
New discounts have been announced for Disney Vacation Club members. -The
discount on Magic Kingdom Tours will be reduced to 15% on April 1, 2006. (The
discount is 20% until March 31, 2006)
-10% off designated packages at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique when it opens in
April through June 2006. (Packages to be announced.)
Off Kilter, who normally perform at the Canada Pavilion of Epcot's World
Showcase, will be found at Pleasure Island's West End Stage during St. Patrick's
Day Weekend, March 16 - 18, 2006.
>Things To Do: Hear some news?
Send it to us at
news@passporter.com
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DISNEY TIPS FROM FELLOW
READERS
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Our readers are a wealth of
information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:
GREAT PHOTOS
"We
discovered there is an art to taking pictures with characters. Take your time.
Let the "official" photographer take the photo first then the character will
turn toward you and your camera for another photo. This way you can get both the
character and your child's eyes/face turned toward you instead of looking over
somewhere else. If your children are old enough, tell them ahead of time to look
at the photographer first then at you. This just makes things go more smoothly. "
-- contributed by Danielle R. (dnraber@...)
GREAT FOOD
"Every time
my family, friends, and I go to Disneyland, we always make sure we go to Redd
Rockett's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland. They have big portions of pastas and
salads, and for a decent price, the food is YUMMY! I've never tried the pizza
there, but the Celestial Caesar Salad and Chicken Fusilli pasta are "out of this
world!"
-- contributed by Maritza L.
GREAT ADVICE
"Take time to
smell the roses - literally and figuratively!"
-- contributed by Yvonne B. (yjb1@...)
>Notes: Send us your tips! You may
see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter!
Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/customs/contest.htm
Want more Disney tips? We've
collected 500 of the tips submitted by readers over the past six years -- most
have never been published before. All have been edited for accuracy and
categorized. The "Disney 500" are available in e-book form for immediate
download. For details, visit http://www.passporter.com/wdw/disney500.htm
.
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CAPTAIN'S CORNER: Treasure Hunting
Game
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Play our fun and quirky treasure
hunting game, hosted by Captain Jack Skatt from our upcoming book, "PassPorter's
Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World."
The Captain makes a study of the
delightful details -- sometimes hidden, sometimes in plain sight but often
overlooked -- at Walt Disney World and aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Using
notes from his journals, he will lead you to this "treasure" at Disney with
clues, questions, photos, or riddles. Your challenge is to discover the answer
by searching your memory, visiting Disney, or even just looking really hard on
the Internet. If you think you've found the answer, e-mail it to
jackskatt@passporter.com -- the first person to correctly submit the FULL answer
will receive a free PassPorter enamel pin or PassPorter name badge pin.
Here is this week's treasure from
Captain Skatt's Journal:
"After my daring adventure to Mt. Everest and my too-close encounter with the Yeti, I have chosen to spend my days in quiet contemplation. Today I sat on a bench outside a delightful carousel and watched the young children revolving gleefully. In addition to the nineteen horses, a spinning "tea cup" and two "nanny seats" are available. The merry-go-round appeared hand-crafted, as well. As I gazed on this classic little carousel, it occured to me that this is the only carousel inside Disney that has a separate fee. For a ride, the cost is ... (rest of text obscured by ice cream droppings)"
How much does
the classic little carousel on Disney property cost?
Congratulations to Nadine Daniels who
was the winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Nadine correctly identified the
name of the eatery that sells tea near Expedition Everest as the Royal Anandapur
Tea Company. To view the
original clues, see the last newsletter at
http://www.passporter.com/news/news/030806.htm
Send your full answer to
jackskatt@passporter.com -- the winner will be notified by
e-mail and announced in the next newsletter, along with the correct
answer!
If you enjoy treasure hunts, we've
got an entire book with over 100 distinct treasure hunts and over 1500
questions, complete with clues and contributions from Captain Skatt. We will
release the book -- "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" -- in
April 2006. You can pre-order the new book today at
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587710269.aspx
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Q & A WITH JENNIFER &
DAVE
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katydid asks: "My
husband and I will have a room at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge while our son
and his family are at Fort Wilderness. Will we be able to invite the two
children (ages 6 and 7) to stay the night so their mom and dad can have a night
out to themselves? I know we would have fun showing them around our resort but I
don't want to break any rules. I won't even mention the possibility to them
unless it would be allowed. "
Jennifer and Dave answer: "This
shouldn't be a problem at all. It's done all the time. The main thing is that
you're not exceeding the posted capacity of the room, and since they're under
19, there's no extra charge for them. As a courtesy to the front desk, you could
let
them know what's happening (our grandkids are staying over with us tonight while
we babysit). I can't imagine there being any issues."
Have a question? Post it at
http://www.passporterboards.com --
and if you're lucky, you may find that folks have already asked and answered the
same question that's on your
mind!
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PUBLISHED?
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$25 gift certificate.
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