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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and
Tips
September
29, 2005 * Issue 5.18
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: PassPorter
in More Places
Travel Feature: Henry
Ford MuseumÕs Disneyland Exhibit
Disney World
Feature: Tips and Tricks for MickeyÕs Not So Scary Halloween Party
Updates: What's New
and Changed
Tips: Photopass
Pro, Hand Helper, ÒShipÓ Shape
NEW! Captain's
Corner: The Largest Dirigible
Q&A: Is soy
milk available?
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FROM THE AUTHORS: PassPorter
in More Places
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Hi,
{{user("firstname")}}!
Autumn is here at
PassPorter headquarters and the trees outside our windows are beginning to
change. Things are changing for PassPorter, too, and we're excited to announce
a new partnership.
Effective October 1,
2005, all PassPorter guidebooks will be distributed to the trade by Publishers
Group West (PGW), the largest independent distributor of books in the U.S. as
well as one of the oldest. What does this mean for you? You'll be able to find
PassPorter guidebooks in more places -- more bookstores, more cities, and more
parts of the world. PGW is very selective about bringing on additional
publishers, and we're honored to have been courted. PGW distributes many
quality books, including travel guides such as the Rick Steves' series (i.e.,
Europe Through the Back Door), Hidden Maui, Time Out Los Angeles, and the Best
Places to Kiss in the Northwest. In fact, PGW's Canadian affiliate was the sole
distributor for Harry Potter in Canada. Up to this point we have handled our
own distribution, and we feel this is a big step up for PassPorter!
We will continue to
handle our direct sales through our online store and over the phone personally,
however -- no one can do that better than us! So when you're ready to pre-order
your 2006 Edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World (which will be released in
time for Christmas), you still go through the PassPorter Store at http://www.passporterstore.com/store
or call us at toll-free 877-929-3273.
In this edition of the
newsletter, Dave gives a detailed report of his pre-opening experience of "Behind
the Magic: 50 Years of Disneyland" exhibit at Henry Ford Museum in
Dearborn, Michigan. PassPorter message board Guide (moderator) Ann Smith
delivers tips and tricks to make "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween
Party" a fun adventure. And Captain Skatt is back again with a new
treasure hunt game to solve. Good luck!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Travel
Press
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DID YOU KNOW?
All PassPorters Ship
Next Day!
The 2005 editions of
all our PassPorter guidebooks are now in stock and shipping: PassPorter Walt Disney
World 2005, PassPorter's Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line 3rd Edition, and
PassPorter's Walt Disney World For Your Special Needs are now shipping next
business day when ordered by 8:00 pm ET the night before. (We should note,
however, that we're down to the last two hundred copies of our PassPorter WDW
2005 edition, but weÕre re-stocked on our Disney Cruise Line edition because
the first printing sold out in just two months!) If you've been waiting to
order your copy, now is the perfect time!
You can also pre-order
the 2006 edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World at
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/2006.aspx
Everyone gets a 15%
discount and if you've already got a copy of PassPorter, you can register it to
get a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of any PassPorter
guidebook.
Order your copy today
at:
http://www.passporterstore.com/store
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Get Published in a
PassPorter Guidebook
Each annual edition of
our guidebooks features a new collection of magical memories from fellow
readers. We know most of you have had magical experiences ... and we'd love the
opportunity to include your story in an upcoming guidebook! To learn more and
submit a story for consideration, visit these pages:
Disney World Stories:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/tipsandstories.htm
Disneyland and S. Cal
Stories: http://www.passporter.com/dl/tips.htm
Disney Cruise Line
Stories: http://www.passporter.com/dcl/tips.htm
Special Needs at
Disney Stories: http://www.passporter.com/wdw/specialneeds/tips.htm
We look forward to
receiving your magical stories!
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TRAVEL FEATURE: Henry
Ford MuseumÕs Disneyland Exhibit
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By Dave Marx,
PassPorter Author
A bit of Disneyland
has come to Dearborn, Michigan, right in PassPorter's own backyard. The Henry
Ford (better known as Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, "America's
Greatest History Attraction") has created its own contribution to
Disneyland's 50th Anniversary celebration. A new exhibit, "Behind the
Magic - 50 years of Disneyland" will be opening tomorrow, Friday,
September 30, 2005. Created with the full collaboration of Walt Disney
Imagineering, Disney's master theme park builders, the exhibit will run until
January 1 at the Henry Ford. After that it sets out on what may be a four year
tour of museums around the U.S., with the first stop at the Oakland Museum of
California, in March 2006. (We'll keep you posted as additional stops are
announced.)
Jennifer and I have
been members of The Henry Ford for years. Many is the time we've driven from
Ann Arbor to Dearborn for a quick escape to a place that, to us, delivers many
of the joys of Walt Disney World and Disneyland in a smaller, easier-to-reach
package. I've been long aware of The Henry Ford's "Disney connection"
- Walt Disney's visits in 1940 and 1948 helped inspire his concept for
Disneyland (as the exhibit so clearly demonstrates), and a visit here will show
you why. So, when we learned about this exhibit, it immediately moved onto our
"must do" list.
The folks at the Henry
Ford were kind enough to arrange a preview for me - Wednesday, just two days
before opening. Maybe it was something in the air, but as I was driving to
Dearborn the car in front of mine sported a Mickey Ears antenna topper. Then,
as I arrived in the museum's IMAX theater parking lot, workmen had just
finished placing a giant, classic black Mickey Ears cap over the entrance.
Measuring a whopping 32 feet in diameter with 10 foot diameter ears (that's
size 384, big even for my swollen head), it's even bigger than Disney-MGM
Studios' Earfful Tower (hat size 342 3/4). These ears may make it into the Guinness
Book of World Records (seriously). Dan Stollings, a crane and rigging
specialist who has moved many big objects for the Henry Ford over the years
(including this hat), proved just how much he enjoys working on this exhibit by
wearing a homemade, golden Mickey Ears construction hard hat for the occasion.
The exhibit is tucked
inside the cavernous Henry Ford Museum building. If the museum looks familiar
from the outside, it should - it's modeled on Philadelphia's Independence Hall,
which also inspired Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents and American
Adventure pavilion. (Out on the west coast, Disneyland's neighbor, Knott's
Berry Farm, has its own copy of Independence Hall). In the lobby outside the
exhibit's entrance is the first clue that something cool awaits... an actual
Toontown Trolley from Disneyland's Mickey's Toontown.
With the able guidance
of Scott Mallwitz, the Henry Ford's Director of Experience Design (an Imagineer
by any other name...), I headed through the doors and into the exhibit (no
cameras allowed). From the start it's just so obvious that Scott and his
colleagues are deep-down Disney fans... given the time, we could have schmoozed
Disney and ogled artifacts for hours. Alas, the exhibit was still under
construction (it opens Friday September 30) so we had little time to pause and
browse. We had to keep moving as we made way for workers and they made way for
us. Hands-on exhibits were mostly shut down, there were ladders and loose
electrical wiring hanging about, and some precious objects were stored out of
harm's way while workers put finishing touches on adjoining parts of the
exhibit. Perhaps this is what Disneyland was like two days before it opened.
But then, who wouldn't have wanted to visit Disneyland on July 15, 1955?
Here's what you'll
find: Once inside you'll be immersed in a curving timeline that leads you
through Disneyland's pre-history, including Walt's childhood influences and
Greenfield Village's considerable role in inspiring Walt to build something
similar in California. From across the room I spied the first-ever exhibit of
the famous Herb Ryman Disneyland conceptual drawing. You've all seen the
copies, but this is the Real Ryman! Tucked away on one display panel is a tiny
souvenir tintype photo taken of Walt Disney and legendary animator, Ward
Kimball. The Henry Ford dug this out of its own archives, and it's proof that
not only did Walt resist the urge to buy the photo, but that the folks at the
Henry Ford weren't about to give it to Walt as a gift (sounds like some things
at theme parks never change!) From there the exhibit moves into the reality of
the park's design, construction and history. There's just so much stuff here, I
don't know where to begin, so I'm just going to call out a few of the items
that grabbed my interest.
The exhibit is strong
on flat artwork and a little light on three-dimensional objects, which is not
surprising for a touring exhibit. I love drawings and sketches (you can't pry
me out of Disneyland's Disney Gallery once I step inside), so I felt like a kid
in the ultimate Imagineering candy shop. What's more, the 3-D objects present
are the cream of the crop. Starting at the pinnacle is the original "Mr.
Lincoln" Animatronic from the NY World's Fair, the first human Audio-Animatronics
Disney created. Actually, this is a naked Mr. Lincoln - all the better to see
the "ropes and pulleys." Nearby is a bust of Lincoln created by
Disney sculptor Blaine Gibson (of Partners Statue fame), and there are also
original maquettes (models) of "it's a small world" dolls and pirates
from the Caribbean. Elsewhere you'll find scale models of Peter Pan's Flight
and The Jungle Cruise (familiar from the Walt Disney: One Man's Dream exhibit
at Walt Disney World), ride vehicles from Peter Pan's Flight (have a seat!) and
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and even concrete "walk of fame" footprints of
various famous Imagineers, an artifact from Imagineering headquarters that the
public has never seen. In one nook we found the "stretch room"
paintings from the Haunted Mansion, and one museum staff member gasped when she
turned to find a giant cobra head from the Indiana Jones Adventure (it's on
hand to display how Imagineering uses lighting effects to breathe terrifying
life into simple statuary).
The exhibit explores
each of Disneyland's original lands through conceptual drawings and plans and
interactive video screens. Wherever you look you'll see fascinating and
unfamiliar drawings of Disneyland and its best-loved attractions. The exhibit's
curators selected the final 200+ drawings from tens of thousands of items made
available to them from the Imagineering archives. Many of the interactive
elements were not working during my preview, but I was very impressed with the
video screen for Adventureland. Using a trackball to navigate, you can
"pan" way past the borders of the screen to learn about every current
attraction, including the Jungle Cruise, The Enchanted Tiki Room and the
Indiana Jones Adventure - not only the attractions themselves, but how the art
of Disney storytelling connects these attractions with movies and other
entertainment that either inspired the attraction, or vice-versa. As you move
the cursor around the screen, be on the lookout for audio "hotspots"
and even a few "Easter eggs."
Alas that I had just
20 minutes inside the exhibit itself. I'll be dragging Jennifer and Alexander
back here just as soon as I can. I can easily imagine spending two hours or
more poring over every detail, and even the slightly-less-Disney-obsessed
should allow at least an hour. If you can possibly get here on a weekday, do
it. Weekends at The Henry Ford resemble weekends at a Disney park. Exhibit
admission is $10 for museum members and $6 for youths from 5-12. Non-members
pay $24 and $16, which includes admission to the museum (but not Greenfield
Village). Children under 5 ride free. Exhibit tickets should be purchased in
advance, just in case they're sold-out when you arrive. Choose the date and
time (20 minute intervals, starting at 9:40am and ending at 4:00pm) online at
http://www.thehenryford.org/visit/default.asp , or call 313-982-6001 or
800-835-5237.
There are some other
neat Disney events happening in conjunction with this exhibit. Disneyana at The
Henry Ford takes place on October 8, with exhibits, appraisers and a Disneyana
lecture. Tickets are available at the door, $10 (call the Henry Ford to
double-check, there's nothing about this on the web site - 313-982-6001).
Then on November 11
the Benson Ford Research Center and the University of Michigan Museum Studies
Program present an all-day conference, "Behind the Magic: The Influence
and Impact of Walt Disney and Disneyland," featuring legendary Disney
Imagineers Marty Sklar and Tom Fitzgerald, noted scholars and authors Karal Ann
Marling and Linda Groat, and Donna Braden from The Henry Ford.
I don't intend to miss
any of this!
The Henry Ford Museum
is open daily from 9:30 am - 5:00 pm except Thanksgiving and Christmas days.
Greenfield Village is open daily from April 15 - October 31 from 9:30 am - 5:00
pm. It's open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 1 Through January 1,
and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and from January 2 - April 14 (that
Michigan winter!).
Anyone want to have a
PassPorter Meet here?
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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 travel plans.
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WALT DISNEY WORLD
FEATURE: Tips & Tricks (And Lots of Treats): Mickey's Not-So-Scary
Halloween Party
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by Ann Smith,
PassPorter Message Board Guide and Guest Columnist
If you are going to be
visiting Walt Disney World in October, I highly recommend trying to attend a
special party -- Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party -- held at the Magic
Kingdom from 7:00 pm to midnight on select nights. (This event requires
separate admission. Advance purchase prices are age 10 & up $37.23, Age 3-9
$29.77. Prices the day of event and October 31 are age 10 & up $42.55, age
3-9 $35.10. Children under 3 are admitted free.)
Mickey's Not So Scary
Halloween Party (MNSSHP for short) is great for kids and adults alike. Most
rides in the Magic Kingdom are open and there are special activities to keep
you busy throughout the night. Not to mention a special Halloween parade
featuring the Headless Horseman.
Many people come to
the party in Halloween costume, kids AND adults. I have seen everything
from the simple (l wore overalls and a cowboy hat last year) to elaborate
(Adults dressed as queen of hearts and Prince Phillip) or no costume at all.
The choice is yours! When choosing a costume remember to consider the Florida
heat and whether the costume will make getting in and out of the rides awkward.
The fun begins when
you step up to the main gate. You will notice immediately that the Magic
Kingdom has been transformed into a not-so-scary Haunted House. First you will
receive a special trick or treat bag for trick or treating throughout the Magic
Kingdom. And make sure you get a MNSSHP map so that you will know what rides
are operating and where to find the shows.
The decorations and
special effects for MNSSHP are extensive. There are hologram witches, bats and
ghosts flying around the shops on Main Street while each "land" is
decorated with its own unique Halloween style. (Check out Cinderella's coach in
Fantasyland -- it is life size and a great photo opportunity!)
There are several
locations for you to get complimentary Halloween photos taken. It is a fairly
quick process and a nice souvenir. The locations are designated on the
guide map and change every year. The photos will be mailed to you within three
weeks after the party.
Trick or treat
stations can also be found throughout the Magic Kingdom, check your guide map
for locations. I must tell you that trick or treating in the Magic Kingdom is
like nowhere else on Earth. The very first time we went to MNSSHP we were
surprised at how much candy we brought back to our room (and took home with us).
I counted at least 15 trick or treat stations on the guide map from 2003.
Many of them have the same candy so if you don't get to trick or treat at them
all, don't worry. Plus, if there is a long line, skip it and come back
later.
A fun thing for kids
is the Halloween story telling. (Again, check your map!) When you see a story
telling area, there will be a "scary" or "not so scary"
icon so judge according to your child's level of tolerance for fear
factor.
Another fun thing for
children is Mickey's Mouse-ka-rade costume party. Kids can go and listen to a
DJ spin their favorite tunes while they dance, have hula hoop contests and have
a mini parade with the help of many Disney Characters. It's a great place for
parents to go and watch and re-charge their batteries for more Halloween fun.
Looking for
characters? There are tons of character meet and greets situated throughout the
park and there is a minimal line for most of them as they are in such
abundance. Many of the characters are in their own Halloween costumes making
for a great photo opportunity with your little trick or treater!
Two not to be missed
things during MNSSHP are the special edition fireworks and parade. Be sure to
watch the castle during the fireworks for a special surprise flier!! My
personal favorite part of MNSSHP is the "Boo to You" Halloween
parade. It is presented at 8pm and again at 10pm. The Headless Horseman
announces the start of the parade and it is wonderful to see so many characters
dressed up as, well, characters! Last year, Winnie the Pooh was dressed up as a
bat -- too cute! The second parade is less crowded but if you're like me,
you'll want to see both!!
As I mentioned before,
most rides are operational during MNSSHP with the main exceptions being those
that close early due to darkness: Swiss Family Treehouse, Tom Sawyer Island,
etc. Check your guide map for which rides are operational this year.
Most shops are also
open and many contain special MNSSHP merchandise such as T-shirts and pins.
These items can only be purchased during MNSSHP so if you see something you
like, get it as it is not available to the general public. Most counter service
restaurants are open during MNSSHP for you to get a bite to eat. Liberty Tree
Tavern also accepts priority seating for dining before the party.
You will thoroughly
enjoy Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and I highly recommend it for young
and old.
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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 planning your Disney vacation.
==========================================
UPDATES: What's New
and Changed
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Here's a few of the
new developments at Disney:
Gary Sinise has
canceled his appearance at the Candlelight Processional this year. The updated
list of performers is: Rita Moreno - November 25-27, Phil Donahue - November
28-30, Haley Joel Osment - December 1-3,
Cicely Tyson -
December 4-6, Jaci Velasquez - December 7-9,
Eartha Kitt - December
10-12, Lou Diamond Phillips - December 13-15, Harry Hamlin - December
16-18,
Marlee Matlin -
December 19-21, Jim Caviezel - December 22-24, John Stamos - December
25-27,
Steven Curtis Chapman
- December 28-30.
The former 20,000
Leagues Under the Sea Lagoon became to Pooh and his friends on September 1 when
Pooh's Playful Spot opened. This new play area is designed for children ages 2
- 5.
The Liberty Square
Riverboat will not be "dry-docked" for rehab until mid-2006.
You can view our
page-by-page list of updates and corrections for the PassPorter Walt Disney
World 2005 Edition at http://www.passporter.com/customs/bookupdates.htm.
>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:
PHOTOPASS PRO
"After getting a
Disney Photopass card, write down your photopass number in a safe place. (Like
that day's PassPocket!) That way if you lose your Photopass Card you will
still have the number to look up your pictures on the Internet when you get
home."
-- contributed by
Kalli Mulchi
HAND HELPER
"Bring along
several small tubes of hand cream. The different water can make your
hands dry."
-- contributed by Pat
Booker
"SHIP" SHAPE
"Whenever I'm
down in WDW, I always plan to ship items home. Let's face it, we always
buy more than we intend! I already have my own UPS and FedEx accounts, which
are free and available on their websites. Then I bring blank labels and
fill them in when I am ready to ship. I ship either ground or 3-day to save
costs."
-- contributed by Lisa
N. (blondejrsygrl@...)
>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
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CAPTAINÕS CORNER:
Treasure Hunting Game Ð ÒAn Astounding RaccoonÓ
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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
news@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:
The other day I had a
rousing good flight with Lt. Col. Be-Bop, an assuredly excellent pilot. After
swooping and soaring over one beautiful vista after another, I unstrapped myself
and headed out of the skyway hangar. Beyond the ticketing area I immediately
spotted a spectacle high above the land. Five colorful dirigibles flew together
in a tight formation. And -- most unusual of all -- the large one in the center
seemed to be trailing something under it. Upon closer inspection, I discovered
the largest craft had ... (rest of text obscured by what appears to be mud, or
perhaps a smeared chocolate chip)
So... what is under
the largest craft and where in Walt Disney World will you find the five
balloons?
Send your full answer
to news@passporter.com -- the winner will be notified by e-mail and announced
in the next newsletter, along with the correct answer!
Congratulations to
Hilary Caws-Elwitt who was the winner of our very first treasure hunt game last
week! Hilary correctly guessed that the "astounding racoon" was Sammy
the racoon "hat" atop Henry's head in the Country Bear Jamboree. To
see the original clues, see the last newsletter.
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 expect to release the book -- "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at
Walt Disney World" -- in December 2005. Watch this space or http://www.passporter.com
for more
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Q & A WITH
JENNIFER & DAVE
====================================
cluver asks: "My
son is allergic to all dairy products, as well as eggs and peanuts. I know I am
set for the table service restaurants because I can call ahead and talk to the
chefs, but does anyone know if I can get some soy milk at the food court at Pop
Century? Or any other counter service restaurant for that matter?"
Jennifer and Dave
answer: "I'd call Pop Century directly at 407-938-4000. They'll be able to
put you in touch with the food court.
The big problem with
listing what is and is not carried in the shops and restaurants is that it's
always subject to change. If you need something in particular it's always best
to phone a few days in advance of your visit, to be sure they do (or don't)
have what you need."
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?
===================================
We're on the lookout
for guest columnists to contribute articles to this newsletter. 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.
For details and our article guidelines, please e-mail our newsletter editor,
Sara Varney, at news@passporter.com . Articles about Disney and general travel
are welcomed!
====================================
PassPorter News is
only sent to those who have subscribed to
it through our Web
site or at the time of an order,
registration, survey,
or contest.
If this newsletter was
forwarded to you by a thoughtful
friend, please join
us! You can subscribe at:
http://www.passporter.com/news.htm
Please ask your
questions and help each other in our
Message Board
Community:
http://www.passporterboards.com
Copyright (c) 2005 -
MediaMarx, Inc. / PassPorter Travel Press, PO Box 3880, Ann Arbor, MI 48106