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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and
Tips
September
13, 2007 * Issue 7.37
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: Free Media Mail Shipping!
Travel
Feature: Stonehenge
Disney
Feature: Walt Disney World with Teens
Updates:
What's New and Changed
Tips: Avoid
Outlet Outrage, Lug A Laundry Basket, Pin Plan
Captain's
Corner: Keep Out
Q&A: When
will DCL release the 2009 rates?
Our Sponsors:
We Recommend...
====================================================
FROM THE
AUTHORS: Free Media Mail Shipping
====================================================
Hi,
{{user("firstname")}}!
It's time
again for one of our most popular promotions at the PassPorter Store -- free
Media Mail shipping! From now through 11:59 pm Eastern time on Monday,
September 17, you can select Media Mail for your book order and pay nothing for
postage! This is a great time to take advantage of this offer -- PassPorter's
Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line just came off the
press, and you can even pre-order the 2008 edition of PassPorter's Walt Disney
World for delivery in November. Details at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/freeshipping.aspx
For those of
you interested in our upcoming 2008 edition of PassPorter's Walt Disney World,
you can get a downloadable file with 34 pages from the 2008 edition ... FREE!
The file includes a page from each of our chapters, including several maps and
worksheets, plus a closer look at a PassPocket. There's also a discount coupon
code included! To download your Sneak Peek file, visit
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/guidebook.asp -- and don't forget to place your
pre-order to ensure you're among the first to get a copy! Visit http://www.passporter.com/wdw/guidebook.asp
Anxious to get
out of the PassPorter office before the deluge of free Media Mail orders
arrives, we (Jennifer, Dave, and three-year-old Alexander) are headed to Walt
Disney World on Friday to experience "Little Ones Travel Time" from
Alexander's perspective (don't worry, Nikki and Chad will be on hand to be sure
the orders go out smoothly). If you happen to run into us around Walt Disney
World, be sure to say hello -- we just may have a little gift for you.
PASSPORTER'S
CLUB UPDATE
* More than
900 vacationers are now enjoying access to all our e-books and e-worksheets --
thank you for your continued support!
* Our newest
e-book, "PassPorter's Disney Character Yearbook," is available for
Club Passholders free of extra charges! Get more info at http://www.passporter.com/disney-character-yearbook.asp
* A new screen
layout -- Autumn (complete with falling leaves) -- is now available for Club
Passholders. Visit: http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-club-gallery/new-post-138106-new-layout-autumn.html
* More details
at http://www.passporter.com/club
MouseFest
News: Registration is now open for MouseFest at http://www.mousefest.org/register !
We've got an all-new registration program this year that offers a host of new
benefits and gives folks a chance to support this great event. Read all about
it! Special MouseFest room rates available! MouseFest has arranged for a
special discounted rate at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort for
MouseFest! Stay near the heart of MouseFest action within walking distance of
Epcot(r), Disney-MGM Studios, Disney's BoardWalk entertainment district,
Disney's Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf courses, and Saturday's MouseFest's
Mega Mouse Meet at the Walt Disney World Dolphin. To learn more, visit http://www.mousefest.org . And check out
the MouseFest event schedule, also at the MouseFest.org web site. New meets are
being added to the schedule on a regular basis, and the list of people
attending just keeps growing! At least ten of our PassPorter Guides
(moderators) are attending, as are more than 110 PassPorter community members
and readers! Stay tuned for more MouseFest announcements in the weeks and
months to come. Visit http://www.mousefest.org
On the Air:
Radio listeners in the western part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and nearby
northeast Wisconsin can hear Dave Friday morning, September 14 sometime between
6:00 am and 10:00 am Central Time on "Sam in the Morning" on WJMS
590AM.
In this issue,
Featured Columnist and native Briton Cheryl Pendry takes us for a visit to one
of Britain's the world's great mysteries, Stonehenge, and guest columnist and
PassPorter message board Guide Ann Smith has reassuring advice for parents
visiting Walt Disney World with Teens. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a
brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt. Enjoy!
Jennifer and
Dave
PassPorter
Publishers and Authors
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TRAVEL
FEATURE: Stonehenge
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by Cheryl
Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
It's amazing
how some places become such huge draws for visitors. It's easy to understand
why millions of people are drawn to cities like New York, London, and Paris
every year, but it's bizarre to think that a huge circle of stones is also one
of England's most popular tourist attractions.
Essentially
that's what Stonehenge in the southwest of England is. Located around an hour
and a half's drive from London, there's been a stone circle on this site for
around 5,000 years, although the stone circle you see today probably dates back
more like 3,500 years. It's safe to say that there aren't many sites in the
world that have survived for such a long period of time and because of that,
it's generally regarded as the most important prehistoric site in the United
Kingdom.
But why was it
constructed? Well, the simple answer is no one really knows, although there are
lots of different theories. Perhaps it was built to carry out human sacrifices?
A nicer thought is that maybe it had something to do with astronomy, but the
truth is we'll never have a definite answer. It's not even certain why this
site was chosen to have a stone circle, although there is certainly a feeling
about this place, one that you can't quite put your finger on, when you visit.
Work at
Stonehenge was undertaken in three main stages, with the first stage being a
circle of timbers surrounded by a ditch and a bank. As you can imagine, there's
little sign of those left today, but work from the other two phases can be
seen.
The site was
left as it was for some time - estimated to be something like 600 to 700 years,
before it was rebuilt, using bluestones from the mountains of South Wales. Now
considering that Stonehenge is not that close to Wales, we're talking more than
200 miles away, you can imagine how much work it must have been to drag that
stone down to the sea and then float it along the river to this site. These are
the smaller stones on the site.
In the final
phase of work, the bluestones were dug up and re-arranged and a new set of
bigger sandstones, known as Sarsen stones, were added. As you stand and look at
these today, you really can't begin to comprehend how on earth they dragged
them here from the nearby Marlborough Downs. Even though that's comparatively
nearby, it's still a 20 mile trek! Then of course, there's the issue of how on
earth they managed to get the things upright. Like many things about the
history of Stonehenge, it's another case of nobody really knows, but it must
have involved an awful lot of muscle and the strength of literally hundreds of
men.
As you walk
around Stonehenge today, the first thing that strikes you is the enormity of
these stones. Then, there's the eerie feeling to the place. Of course, the
great British weather often helps with that -- if you go there on a slightly
misty day, as we once did, it really adds to the whole mystery of the place.
Unfortunately,
today you can't actually get up close to the stones, as sadly this place has
become a victim of its own success and the stones were getting damaged by
visitors. Even though you can't touch the stones and have to admire them from a
distance, it's still a stunning place to visit. If you do want to get into the
stone circle itself - and it's something that will live with you forever if you
do it - then the best thing to do is to arrange for a Stone Circle Access visit
through English Heritage, which looks after the site. There's more information
on their web site at http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1913
When you visit
the site, you will have to pay, as Stonehenge was passed to English Heritage
with the provision that a charge should be made to pay for the site's upkeep.
However, you will receive an audio guide that will take you on a self-guided
tour around the site and you'll learn all about the history of the site and
what you're seeing.
It's a
fascinating place to visit, but be warned, it's rarely quiet, as it's such a
popular place to visit. It's an odd feeling to be walking around somewhere that
ideally you'd like to be viewing on your own so that you can take in the
atmosphere, only to be surrounded by thousands of people, but don't let that
put you off - it's one of the most unique places you'll ever visit in the
world.
Stonehenge is
open all year round, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and with
limited opening hours on December 26 and New Year's Day. Opening times vary
throughout the year, although it's usually open from 9am or 9.30am until
between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm, with shorter opening hours in the winter months.
Admission costs 6.30 pounds for adults, 3.20 pounds for children and 4.70
pounds for concessions. A family ticket is 15.80 pounds and it's free of charge
for English Heritage and National Trust members.
It's worth
keeping in mind that Stonehenge is still used at the summer solstice for
worship, so if you're planning your visit on the longest day of the year -
usually around the third week in June, you may want to double check on opening
hours.
About the
Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel,
particularly to America. They were on the first 11-night sailing of the Disney
Magic around the Mediterranean and are now looking forward to returning to Walt
Disney World in December.
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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. Also check out our Article Collection at http://www.passporter.com/articles
for more great information!
- - - - - - -
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Rates are available at MouseEarVacations.com!
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DISNEY
FEATURE: Walt Disney World With Teens? Absolutely!
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by Ann Smith,
PassPorter Guest Contributor
There are a
lot of people who think Walt Disney World is just for young children. Many of
the parents of my teenage sons' friends think that their child is too old to
enjoy Disney World. "They'll be bored and complaining." Oh, how I
love to prove them wrong.
My oldest son
is 14-years-old and has been going to Walt Disney World annually (sometimes two
to three times a year) since he was four-years-old. Not once have I ever heard
him use the phrase "I'm bored!" at Walt Disney World.
There are so
many things for a teen and pre-teen to do and, no, it's not riding Rock 'n'
Roller Coaster over and over again. (Even though my teenager did do that once!)
Let's begin at
the beginning -- the resorts. If you are staying at a Walt Disney World resort
there are so many things to keep a teen amused. Every resort has a swimming
pool. My sons like to bring along a couple of those soaker balls. They can toss
that to each other for hours in the pool. Many times other kids (and adults)
get into the game.
Each resort also
has an arcade where teens can go and play all of the latest video games. The
only drawback is this can become quite expensive as each game costs between 50
cents and $1 to play. Teens can go in the arcades without adult supervision.
If you are
lucky to be staying at a resort that has a marina, I highly recommend taking
advantage of the Family Plan. For a little over $200 you can have unlimited use
of the recreational facilities at the resort for your length of stay --
bicycles, water racers, pontoons, paddle boats, kayaks, etc. Several of these
can be used by a child over 12 years old without an adult along for the ride.
You can also rent by the hour and by the day. Last May we stayed at Port
Orleans Riverside and we purchased the Family Plan. All three of our children
(ages 8, 11 & 13 at the time) were able to rent bicycles while my husband
and I took a boat ride on the lake. My oldest son was also able to take the Sea
Raycer out on the lake by himself.
Okay, now
you're ready to go to the parks. We don't like to tour the parks "commando
style" -- racing to see "everything" on a tight schedule. We
like to visit a park in the morning, then when we get hot or tired (or both),
return to our resort to swim, relax, or play, and then return to the park in
the evening! Of course when you are in the parks, your teen will probably want
to ride all of the thrill rides. You might think your teens won't want to go to
Magic Kingdom to ride Dumbo or the Teacups but they might surprise you! My teen
loves getting his picture taken every visit on Dumbo and has never turned down
his little sister or Mom when asked to ride Teacups. Another favorite of my
kids is the Hall of Presidents. They think it's so cool to see the things they
are learning about in school. So, don't pass up an attraction or downplay it as
a reason to take a nap -- you never know what might capture your teen's
imagination!
One of our
absolute favorite times to visit Walt Disney World is in the fall during Epcot's
International Food and Wine Festival. My teen has sampled many unique, exotic
dishes at the festival, such as escargot and frogs legs. While we would never
probably order these delicacies at a restaurant, the Food and Wine Festival is
a perfect place to widen your teens' culinary palates and allow them to sample
foods they might never otherwise have tried.
Speaking of
food, a great restaurant to take a teen is Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney's
Wilderness Lodge. My son has a birthday in October which usually coincides with
our trip. One particularly memorable meal was his 11th birthday. We told the
server it was his birthday, and we were assured they would do something
special. I expected a cake, but much to my delight (and my son's surprise and embarrassment),
our server came out with a cake and a microphone in hand and asked all of the
girls 14 and under to please come to the table to sing Happy Birthday to Jamie!
Jamie sat there very red-faced, but he still talks about that dinner to this
day.
While I know
safety is an issue everywhere in this day and age, in general we feel safe at
Walt Disney World in allowing our teens some freedom. At the resorts, I usually
allow my sons to go to the food court and arcade unsupervised. This would
depend on the maturity of the child. But if there is too much "together
time" you can always consider allowing your teens some freedom within
reason. Communication is key -- they must let you know where they are going to
be and when they will be returning. In the age of cell phones, there is very
little reason to not be able to reach your teens to check up on them!
If you are
staying at a Walt Disney World resort you can put charging privileges on your
teen's room card. We were hesitant to do this with our son for fear he would
lose it but decided to give him a chance to show a little responsibility. Well,
he did happen to lose his card but we called the front desk, which immediately
stopped the card and then issued him a new one once we arrived back at the
resort. Having the card also gave him a sense of responsibility. Not to
mention, it was pretty great being able to tell him, "Go to the food court
and get us some drinks," while we lounged at the pool.
I hope this
gives you some ideas for surviving Walt Disney World with a teen. My oldest son
will be going to Walt Disney World with his high school band this coming March.
Hopefully the lessons we've learned on past trips will come in handy!
About the
Author: Ann is a PassPorter Message Board Guide as well as a moderator at the
Donny Osmond fan site http://www.osmemories.com. She and her husband live in PA
with their three children.
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. Also check out
our Article Collection at http://www.passporter.com/articles for more great
information!
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==========================================
UPDATES:
What's New and Changed
==========================================
Here's a few
relevant news items:
Calling all
Moms! Disney is looking for 10-12 "Moms" (actually men or women ages
18 and over who meet certain criteria) to join their Walt Disney World Moms
Panel. 12 panelists will be chosen from applications filled out at
DisneyWorldMoms.com. The panelists will serve as online "Disney
experts" helping people plan their vacations. The panelists will also
receive a six-day/five-night vacation to Walt Disney World in early December
2007. Apply at http://disneyworldforum.disney.go.com/?CMP=OTC-DWMomVanityToMomsPanel
The first
Mickey's Mystery Pin Machine began operation at the MouseGear store at Epcot.
The machine features three new pin collections - Puzzle, Pirate and
Disney-Pixar, with five new pins in each collection. For a cost of $5, users
play a short game at the end of which they receive a randomly-selected pin.
Additional machines will be installed at Disney's Pin Traders at Downtown
Disney¨ Marketplace; Tomorrowland¨ Arcade in Magic Kingdom¨ Park; Sorcerer's
Hat Shop at the Disney-MGM Studios; and Everything Pop! at Disney's Pop Century
Resort.
Disney's Contemporary
Resort, Old Key West Resort, and Saratoga Springs Resort were all named
"Green Lodges" by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
This designation is in recognition of the resorts' efforts at reducing waste
water usage and other environmental concerns. Six other Disney resorts --
Animal Kingdom Lodge, Boardwalk Inn, Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Pop
Century and Port Orleans French Quarter -- currently hold this designation.
Our thanks to
AllEars.net and MousePlanet.com from which we get some of our news leads.
>Things To
Do: Hear some news? Send it to us at
news@passporter.com
==========================================
DISNEY TIPS
FROM FELLOW READERS
==========================================
Our readers
deliver a wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip
contest:
AVOID OUTLET
OUTRAGE
"With the
advent of so many electronic devices -- cell phones, cameras, iPods, etc. and
each family member usually having at least one, bring a surge protector or
power strip with you. There are not enough outlets in a room to accommodate all
of the recharging needs for an average family. By bringing even one power strip
with you, you will usually at least double your outlet capacity. During our
recent stay we only had two outlets (one of which you really couldn't get to).
If it hadn't been for the power strip, there would have been many a fight over
who 'needs' the outlet more."
-- contributed
by Rhonda B.
LUG A LAUNDRY
BASKET
"When
staying at a Disney Vacation Club (Deluxe Villa) resort or rented condo and
driving, consider packing supplies in large laundry baskets instead of boxes
for all the extra stuff you bring. Then you can use them in the closet for
soiled clothes while there and bring any unwashed clothes home in them. Also,
don't forget to take a bunch of plastic hangers to supplement those attached
hangers that are usually in short supply."
-- contributed
by Maureen R.
PIN PLAN
"My
husband and I decided to buy Disney pins as lots for amazing prices on eBay
before our trip. We were able to trade with cast members for the pins we really
wanted. It saved us tons of money and we got what we wanted!"
-- contributed
by Kristine J.
>Notes:
Send us your tips! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of
PassPorter! Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/tipsandstories.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
==========================================
CAPTAIN'S
CORNER: Treasure Hunting Game
==========================================
Play our fun
and quirky treasure hunting game, hosted by Captain Jack Skatt from our 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 journal entry:
"I went
on one of my regular photo safaris yesterday. I walked miles and miles -- I
even got a few blisters along with my many photographs. Alas, I could not take
photos in all the places I wished. I encountered a rusty old 'Keep Out' sign in
one locale, claiming that the facility was closed until further notice. The
only other bit of information on the sign was a date -- I thought at first it
was the date that the facility would re-open, but the date was nearly 70 years
ago! I took a photo of the sign in the event I was struck with inspiration
regarding its meaning."
Photo Link: http://www.passporter.com/news/keepoutbig.jpg
Where is this
Keep Out sign located?
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 JennLuecke who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! She was the
first person to identify the location of the Prisoner Transport Center as the
Stitch's Great Escape attraction in the Magic Kingdom. To view the original
clue, see last week's newsletter at http://www.passporter.com/news/news090607.htm#captain
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
Jack Skatt. Get more details on "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt
Disney World" book at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587710269.aspx
====================================
Q & A WITH
JENNIFER & DAVE
====================================
Disneybine
asks: "Does the Disney Cruise Line always release the prices for the whole
year at once? If not, when do you think the prices for Disney cruises for
summer 2009 will be released?"
Dave and Jennifer
answer: "No, they generally release the rates in two parts, starting with
late winter and spring. It's likely you'll see those rates soon. Rates for the
second part of the year will probably be along in January or so. This gives
them more time to work on whatever special itineraries they may offer later in
the year."
Have a
question? Post questions 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!
===================================
WANT TO GET
PUBLISHED?
===================================
PassPorter
News is published weekly and we're always on the lookout for good quality
Disney and travel articles! We seek 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.
===================================
OUR SPONSORS:
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these companies because we use them ourselves. Please support our sponsors and,
in turn, support this newsletter! This week's sponsors are (in order of
appearance):
Mouse Fan
Travel -- WDW and DCL Special Offers
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Tours & Transportation -- Save $5 off airport round-trip transportation in
a town car
Thank you,
sponsors!
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Copyright (c)
2007 - MediaMarx, Inc. / PassPorter Travel Press, PO Box 3880, Ann Arbor,
MI 48106
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