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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips
June 22, 2006 * Issue 6.23
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.
PassPorter News is available by free subscription
to all readers and friends of our labor of love --
PassPorter Travel Guidebooks.
Learn all about them:
http://www.passporter.com/aboutpassporter.htm
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In This Newsletter:
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From the Authors: Summertime!
Travel Feature: Bermuda
Disney Feature: Grad Nites at Disney
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Bright Backpack, "Resort"
to the Resort Monorail, Creative Crocs
Captain's Corner: Museum in Morocco
Q&A: Can I upgrade a park pass purchased
through a loyalty program?
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FROM THE AUTHORS: Summertime!
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Summertime, but who says the livin' is easy?
School's out just about everywhere by now, gardens need tending, the sun has already
lingered during the evenings for as long as it's going to linger, July 4th is
just around the bend, camping gear is getting its annual workout... who's got
time to hang out at the computer, besides you and us?
Around here, we're busy preparing PassPorter Walt
Disney World 2007. Already? If it's going to be in the stores by November,
now's the time. It does take several months to check every fact, to fit in
every new feature, and run everything past our panel of peer reviewers. In
another couple of months everything will be in the hands of our printer! (Don't
worry, any change at Disney between now and when the presses start rolling will
be included.)
We've also gone to work on PassPorter's Field Guide
to the Disney Cruise Line 5th Edition (five, already?). With the Disney Magic
headed for Europe next summer, we've got a lot of work cut out for us - 11 new
ports of call, requiring about 84 pages of new information! In fact, early this
fall we'll be cruising the Mediterranean (on another cruise line), just so we
can visit most of the ports and destinations on next year's Disney itineraries
to ensure we have the best advice possible for our new guidebook. Oh, the
sacrifices we make!
OK, back to matters closer to home. This edition of
the newsletter features veteran contributors Joy Gray and Dorie Haggerty. Joy
takes us on a family jaunt to Bermuda, and Dorie
reports on one of those mysterious events that few of us ever experience, Disney's Grad Nights. As always,
Captain Jack Skatt returns with a new treasure hunting game. Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors
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DID YOU KNOW?
PassPorter Disneyland is Here!
The brand-new PassPorter Disneyland Resort and
Southern California Attractions guidebook has arrived
both at our warehouse and in bookstores around the country. Our first edition
contains all the great features that have made our Walt Disney World guidebook
so popular -- flap maps, full-color pages, resort maps, fold-out park maps,
photos, ratings, tips, memories, stickers, labels, tabs, and, of course, 14
organizer PassPockets.
The guidebook covers the Disneyland Resort in super
detailed depth, and also add in detailed information on Universal Studios
Hollywood, Universal CityWalk, Knott's Berry Farm, Knott's Soak City Water
Park, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, and LEGOLAND. For
readers on the grand tour, we also include San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, and
Balboa Park, as well as more attractions in the Anaheim area, Hollywood, along
the Pacific Coast Highway, on California beaches, and in nearby San Diego.
We've heard back from folks who've received their
new books -- here are a few of our favorite comments:
"I love the the way it helps me organize my
vacation plans." -- Holly B.
Very comprehensive!" -- Alan T.
"Very informative about the Disneyland
area." -- Sonia K.
"It is so helpful, I can hardly wait to go
to Disneyland." -- Debbie C.
"I love the information and organization.
The PassPorter has been a great help with planning my previous WDW trips. I am excited
to use my new Passporter to plan for our Disneyland and Southern California
vacation. Thanks!" -- Paula H.
Learn more and order today at:
http://www.passporter.com/dl/guidebook.htm
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TRAVEL FEATURE: Bermuda: Think Pink!
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by Joy Gray, Guest Contributor
Think pink! The pink sand beaches of Bermuda, that
is. ThereÕs a lot to love about Bermuda, especially if you are traveling from
the east coast of the United States and/or traveling with kids. For starters,
it is one of the safest and cleanest islands you can visit, with a notable lack
of the pushy street vendors that populate the Caribbean ports of call. It is
nearby, a mere two-hour flight from several major Eastern US cities. You can
easily get there by cruise ship departing from Boston, New York, Philadelphia or
Charleston. Even if you are a veteran cruiser, a Bermuda cruise is a totally
different experience. You get the benefits of a cruise ship, coupled with
access to land for up to four straight days. Cruising to Bermuda can be a
bargain when compared to the cost of airfare, lodging and meals for a land
vacation.
I cruised to Bermuda recently with my 70 year-old
mother and seven year-old daughter. We toured the island extensively on our
own, and never felt at all uncomfortable or unsafe. We sailed in April on the Celebrity Zenith - an older,
smaller ship that departs from Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonne, NJ.
Despite her small size, we found plenty to amuse all three of us while onboard.
I was particularly impressed by the wide variety of family-friendly activities
offered. We enjoyed trivia contests, family bingo, some great Broadway-style
shows, and the hot tubs that are beautifully located at the rear of the ship.
There were more than 200 children onboard the ship the week we sailed, and
Celebrity ran a full youth program on both land and sea days. Some of the
activities for the Cadets (ages 7-9) included arts and crafts activities,
science journeys, pirate day, stargazing, and a dinosaur night. They had a
delightful Junior Cruisers talent show at the end of the week that included
group performances choreographed by program counselors, so everyone who wanted
to could participate. My daughter, a frequent cruiser herself on lines
including the Disney Cruise Line, gave the Celebrity youth program a thumbs-up
rating.
With the unpredictable April weather the pools
didnÕt get a lot of use, but they would be a welcome relief from the heat for
summer travel. If you are considering a Bermuda cruise, keep in mind that the
North Atlantic waters are not quite as smooth as the Caribbean Ð you may be in
for a bit of a rough ride, particularly during early and late season sailings
(generally April and October). The first leg of our trip from New Jersey to
Bermuda had some rough seas but our return was extremely smooth sailing.
Once in Bermuda, most ships dock for three or four
days. The Zenith docks first in Hamilton, which is
ideal Ð centrally located with lots of shopping nearby. We purchased three-day
transportation passes that allowed us unlimited travel on BermudaÕs excellent bus and ferry services. While the passes
probably didnÕt save us any money, they certainly were convenient, as we didnÕt
have to worry about having correct change. Bermuda has its own form of
currency, the Bermuda dollar. It is that same rate and system as the American
dollar, i.e. one U.S. dollar is equal to one Bermuda dollar, and there are 100
cents in a dollar. Both American and Bermuda dollars are accepted on the
island.
Family-friendly activities are easy to find in
Bermuda. With miles and miles of beaches to choose from, you canÕt go wrong
with spending a day at the beach. Be sure to bring along water shoes and sand
toys for the kids, and lots of sunscreen! Also be sure to identify which
beaches are safe for swimming and which are not. Some of the most scenic and
popular beaches, like Horseshoe Bay Beach, can have strong undercurrents. We
preferred Tobacco Beach and Shelly Bay for wading and swimming, even though
they are not as scenic as Horseshoe Bay.
We also thoroughly enjoyed the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo. It is easy
to spend an entire day here enjoying the living coral reef in the
140,000-gallon aquarium, visiting with animals ranging from kangaroos to
Galapagos Tortoises, and exploring the well designed childrenÕs playground. Add
to that a touch pool and a childrenÕs discovery area where kids can dress up as
a bee or a butterfly, and your family may not want to leave at closing.
Another popular attraction is the Bermuda Maritime Museum at the Royal
Naval dockyards. You can enjoy incredible views and displays that are both
historic and yet appealing enough to keep the kids engaged. This is also the
home of Dolphin Quest Bermuda, where you
can enjoy Dolphin encounters for ages three and up. My daughter, who is a
strong swimmer, was a bit intimidated by being in the water with the dolphins Ð
you may prefer the shorter dockside Ôfins and flipperÕ encounter as it allows
kids to interact with these fascinating animals without being in the water with
them. ItÕs also easier on the wallet!
If you and your kids still have some energy to burn
after visiting these attractions, then head on over to Crystal Caves. This is a
great Ôstarter caveÕ for younger explorers as it is smaller and does not
require climbing quite as many steps as some of the larger caves here in the
U.S. You will still be rewarded with fabulous crystal stalactites and
stalagmites and an underground river, but youÕll only have to climb about 100
steps!
After two full days in Hamilton, the Zenith moves
to St. George. St. George
is full of historic buildings and narrow streets, and has to be accessed
through a very narrow channel. It is far more scenic than Hamilton, but not as
convenient for exploring the island. Not far at all from the town of St. George
is Fort St. Catherine, with another museum and a great view of Tobacco Beach.
Note that none of the bus routes travel out to the Fort, so your best bet may
be to take a taxi to the Fort and walk from there to the beach.
If you travel in the warmer summer months, you may wish
to explore underwater Bermuda. Even though Bermuda is not particularly
well-known as a dive location, it is a great place to learn to dive. Thanks to
numerous shipwrecks and a couple of nice coral reefs, there is plenty to see
underwater. For those who are not eager to try diving but would like an
underwater experience, there is HartleyÕs Undersea Walk. I can hardly
wait to return to Bermuda so I can try this out - and IÕve about got my
daughter convinced to do it!
The one thing you wonÕt find on Bermuda is a
casino, and while cruise ships are in port they are required to keep their
casinos closed, so this is not the place for serious gamblers. BermudaÕs
nightlife also tends to be a bit subdued. Cruise ships are allowed to have live
performances onboard while in port, so we never found ourselves lacking for
evening entertainment. All in all, Bermuda is a delightful, friendly island Ð
IÕm ready to go again!
About the Author: Joy Gray is a travel agent
affiliated with CruisingCo.com and MouseEarVacations.com. She
resides in NH with her husband Kevin Brey and their daughter Sydney. She is
busy planning a tenth anniversary cruise to Alaska, where she and her husband
were married atop a mountain in 1997.
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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: Grad Nites @ Disney: The Ultimate
Graduation Party
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by Dorie Haggerty, Guest Contributor
Do you have a high school senior who will be
graduating next year? Do you want to send them off in Disney style? Then Grad
Nite is for you! We had the opportunity to attend Walt Disney WorldÕs Grad Nite
2006. The Magic Kingdom was turned into a party zone from 10:00 pm until 4:00
am and the party rocked!
Grad Nite is an event held every spring on select
nights when the Magic Kingdom is reserved for the use of graduating seniors,
attending as part of an organized group. But wait! ItÕs not just for school
groups. Grad Nite is for any youth group: Boy Scouts, church youth groups, and
more! If your school is not participating, it is easy for any Group Leader to
register a group and join in on the fun. Go to http://www.disneyyouthgroups.com to find out
how to register and join one of the greatest events at Walt Disney World. As
Group Leader, you arrange all transportation, tickets and chaperones.
We didnÕt know what to expect when we arrived at
the Magic Kingdom around 9:45 pm. But in true Disney style, everything was
planned to perfection. Upon arrival at the party, there are hundreds of cast
members to direct you. Right outside the parking lot entrance gate (to the
right), cast members will lead you down the road to your destination. Depending
on your mode of transportation, you are guided to parking. We had a van and
were sent to the handicapped parking at the Ticket and Transportation Center.
Disney buses were waiting to take us to the Magic Kingdom.
At the entrance to the Magic Kingdom, security
lines were set up. Be prepared - there is a dress code and thorough
security checks including a bag and body check. They not only check your bag,
they empty out your bag. Hand wands were used, shirts pulled out of pants,
shoes checked. Despite the thorough checks, it only took about five minutes to
gain entrance to the park.
The Group Leader has to register at the Chaperone
Headquarters located at TonyÕs Town Square Restaurant. Cast members will take
your cell phone number for emergencies. If you do not have a cell phone, they
will give you a pager. If any member of your group is in trouble or needs you,
a Disney cast member will call you.
Now the party begins! Most chaperones let the teens
go explore on their own. We set a time and location to meet up for some of the
special events. By this time, we (the chaperones that is) were thirsty and
Disney was kind enough to provide a complimentary chaperone lounge inside
TonyÕs Town Square Restaurant. They had drinks (cans of soft drinks, coffee,
tea, water) and snacks (popcorn, fresh fruit and cookies). A complimentary
breakfast is also served for chaperones at the Crystal Palace. Beware, the
breakfast closes early and fills up quickly. A good time to attend is around
1:30 am.
So what is there to do? Oh, not much. Just
attractions, eating, dancing, fun zones, and fireworks! Most of the attractions
are open and had a five to ten minute wait. Of course the longest line was
Space Mountain! The arcade games were free, making the Tomorrowland Arcade a
very popular place. A few restaurants are open; our group ate at Cosmic RayÕs
Starlight CafŽ. And from the moment you enter Main Street to every nook
and cranny of the park, there was music and dancing! A song would begin and
about 90% of the teens would dance their way down the street.
The teens absolutely loved the special zones: Suds
Foam Zone in Fantasyland (Yes, so many suds that the teens were soaked all the
way through!); Dance Zone in Tomorrowland; and the Coca-Cola Interactive Zone
in Adventureland (They had a basketball contest that drew a huge crowd!). There
was also a Karaoke Party in Adventureland and the teens would line up to sing
on a stage at Disney! The Galaxy Palace Theater was showing music videos and
movies. At 12:30 am they showed ÒThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch
and the Wardrobe."
Our favorite part of the night was the Celebration
in the Sky Fireworks. At 12 midnight, the show began. It is a fireworks dance
to the top hits of today. It was spectacular!
To capture all the fun during Disney Grad Nite
2006, Disney had PhotoPass Photographers everywhere. They offered 50% discount
on all 5x7 pictures. Now thatÕs Disney service!
Characters in graduation dress were all around the
park. Think your teen is too cool for characters? No way! They took pictures
with all of the characters.
The biggest draw for the night was the group Simple
Plan. At 1:45 am the front of CinderellaÕs Castle was filled with teens
attending the concert. Chaperones were able to walk on just about any ride we
wanted! Other groups performing various times throughout the party were
Frankie J, Omarion, FeFe Dobson, and Teddy Geiger.
Our chaperones thought that the night would drag
on, but it was so exciting and action-filled that we didnÕt even realize it was
time to end! At 4:00 am, everything stopped. The music turned off all around
the park and everyone was escorted out of the Magic Kingdom and led to the
ferry boat. While we were inside the park having fun, all of the buses and
other vehicles were moved into the Ticket and Transportation Center parking
lot. As you exit the Ticket and Transportation Center, there are billboards
with your school/group name and the location of your vehicle. You walk out to
the parking lot to find it. Our bus was located in the Sleepy section of the
lot. At about 4:20 am, you would think we would be sleepy, but nope - we had
too much fun. Our teens were still smiling once we made it to our van.
And now itÕs all over, but the memories are
priceless. When I ask them, ÒHow was Grad Nite?Ó I get an instant smile and a
twinkling eye. Yes! Disney has worked their magic!
Want to join the ultimate graduation party in 2007?
Grad Nite 2007 dates have already been set. DonÕt miss out on the fun!
About the Author: Dorie Haggerty previously
contributed an article in September 2004 chronicling her Grand Gathering to Walt
Disney World. Oddly enough the contributor of the travel article for that issue
was Joy Gray who contributed the above article about Bermuda! .
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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:
Wyndham Worldwide has announced the construction of
the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Hotel and Spa at Bonnet Creek, a 400-room hotel
set to open in 2009. 80 of the 400 rooms will be designed to comfortably sleep
a family of six. (Good news for larger families struggling to find rooms at
Walt Disney World!) The hotel will be part of a larger time share property,
Fairfield Orlando at Bonnet Creek.
There are rumors circulating that the Who Wants To
Be A Millionaire - Play It! attraction at Walt Disney World will be closing on
August 19, 2006. While still just a rumor at this point, this does seem to be
pretty credible. Time will tell what will go in that space
The Saratoga Springs Spa and Resort is now offering
horse-drawn carriage rides every evening. Reservations can be made by calling
407-824-2832 up to 90 days in advance. The payment of $35 is made to the driver
at the time of your ride (cash or room charge only). The carriages can hold up
to four adults or two adults and two or three children.
Our thanks to AllEarsNet.com from which we get some
of our news leads.
>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:
BRIGHT BACKPACK
"The last time we went to Disney World in
2003, my kids were five and eight. I bought the brightest, hottest pink,
glittery backpack I could find. That way if the boys got distracted looking at
something (easy to do at Disney!) they could look up, see mom's
"glowing" back pack and get right back with the family. I also have a
neon-pink wind-breaker that I plan to bring with us this fall. My kids say it
glows in the dark!" -- contributed by Kate F. (katefish74@...)
RESORT TO THE RESORT MONORAIL
"On our last trip to the Magic Kingdom we
decided to leave just after the SpectroMagic parade. Unfortunately, so
did hundreds of other people! The lines for the monorail and ferry were huge.
It probably would have taken over an hour just to get one of them. I happened
to notice that there was hardly anyone going to the monorails that were going
to the resorts. We hopped on one of those with no wait and were immediately on
our way to the parking area." -- contributed by Carrol S. (carrol1997@...)
CREATIVE CROCS
"Crocs are the
latest shoe craze, and the most comfortable shoes being worn in the parks (as
well as cities and hospitals). Decorate them for your visit to Disney by
putting your Disney pins in the holes on the Croc shoes! You can paint
the backs with acrylic paint, add glue and sparkles. You then have your own
personalized Crocs to wear at the parks!" -- contributed by Susan G.
(sweetbdosg@...)
>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? For Walt
Disney World fans, we've collected 500 of the best tips submitted by readers
over the past six years. All have been edited for accuracy and categorized. For
details, visit the PassPorter Disney 500 info page at
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/disney500.asp
>>For Disney Cruise Line fans, we
have an e-book with 250 cruiser tips, as well as a special cruise line comparison
section and seven customized packing lists. For information, visit the Disney
Cruise Clues info page at http://www.passporter.com/dcl/cruiseclues.asp
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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 new 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 foray into Middle Eastern
antiquities, I wandered around in search of a light refreshment. I found just
the thing at a little cafe named after some sort of European cake. I ordered
some "lefse" and a "veiled maiden," along some "Imsdal
water." With my repast in hand, I looked about for a place to eat it.
Nearby I found a quaint seating area with tables and chairs. What was unusual
about it was the roof of the seating area, which was topped with ... (rest of
text obscured by bread crumbs)" "
What is atop with seating area beside the cafe?
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!
Congratulations to Ric Flack who was the
winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Ric correctly identified
"red" as the color of the glass panes on the doors of the Batha
Museum. To view the original clues,
see the last newsletter at http://www.passporter.com/news/news061506.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. ÒPassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" is
now available! You can 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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GoofyMom asks: "I have the opportunity to cash
in some customer loyalty reward points for Disney Magic Your Way tickets. I
thought I remembered reading a while back that you can upgrade Magic Your Way
tickets to Annual Passes or Premium Annual Passes but there was some kind of a
complication about the Plus Options. Am I remembering correctly? If you have a
non-expiring, Magic Your Way Parkhopper Pass with Water Parks, etc. can you
upgrade to an Annual Pass or do you have to upgrade to a Premium Annual Pass so
you don't lose credit for the Water Parks, etc. options?"
Jennifer and Dave answer: "Your plan is to
exchange the reward points for a Magic Your Way (MYW) ticket, then immediately
exchange the MYW for an Annual Pass (AP)? If you upgrade to the AP within 14
days of the first use of the ticket, you'll be upgrading, and the entire
purchase price can be applied to the cost of a new Annual Pass/Premium Annual
Pass (PAP) that has been backdated to the first day you used the MYW ticket. In
other words, it's as if you had gotten the AP/PAP in the first place.
If you wait more than 14 days (a MYW with
no-expiration option) before upgrading, then you get dollar credit for the
remaining value of the ticket towards the new pass. At that point, Plus Options
have no cash value. I know it doesn't sound fair, but that's the way Disney is
doing it.
Here's something for you to call and ask Disney
about: Since all upgrades are a matter of exchanging the cash value of the
ticket, and reward points cannot be exchanged for cash, there may be special
rules for exchanging tickets purchased with reward points. Call them and ask.
Why am I concerned? Disney does not permit upgrades of complimentary tickets,
so if they consider tickets acquired with reward points to be complimentary,
you may be totally out of luck."
(GoofyMom replied that she had no problem upgrading older
Park Hopper tickets purchased with rewards points, but for something as
important like this, it's worth checking the current rules.)
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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WANT TO GET PUBLISHED?
===================================
Big News! PassPorter News is now published weekly.
This means we need more articles than ever! We're on the lookout for guest
columnists who want to contribute articles to this newsletter. No professional
writing experience necessary, just a desire to share your experience with
others! Not only is this a great way to give something back to the PassPorter
community, but you get to see your name in "print" and receive a $25
gift certificate.
====================================
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