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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and
Tips
October
13, 2005 * Issue 5.19
PassPorter.com -
http://www.passporter.com
==========================================
Welcome to
PassPorter News, an online newsletter
about
PassPorter travel guidebooks, the
Walt Disney
World Resort, and Disney Cruise Line.
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and friends of our labor of love --
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In This
Newsletter:
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From the
Authors: PassPorter Community Rulz!
Travel
Feature: A Trip Back in Time: Knoebels Amusement Park (Part 2)
Disney World
Feature: California Grill Review
Updates:
What's New and Changed
Tips: Rental
Rate Redux, Pass On PassPorter, Nab a Napkin
CaptainÕs
Corner; Ready-Made Shower
Q&A: Hurricanes
in October?
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FROM THE
AUTHORS: PassPorter Community Rulz!
====================================================
Hi, friends!
Many people
know PassPorter only as a guidebook, but it goes much deeper than that.
PassPorter is really a community, and the guidebooks are a reflection of our
community's interests, wants, needs, and dreams. We're fortunate to be
surrounded by like-minded individuals who share their love of Disney with
others unselfishly. Our message boards are a warm, welcoming place where folks
can ask burning questions, talk about their upcoming vacations... or just talk
about their day. We dedicate this newsletter to the 11,000+ members of our
amazing message boards!
Speaking of
sharing Disney and community, we're announcing a special
"share-the-love" bundle for the Disney Gods and Goddesses out there.
Disney Gods and Goddesses are those folks who love Disney and love to talk
about it with others -- they often loan out their copy of PassPorter and may
regret it later when they need it back. If this sounds like you, we're offering
a set of five earlier edition guidebooks (PassPorter Walt Disney World 2004)
for just $3. Now you can give copies of PassPorter away to all those friends
and family members thinking about or planning a Disney trip. We're also
including a bunch of 30% discount coupons so they can get a new or future
PassPorter at a good price, too! For more information, visit http://www.passporterstore.com/store/disneygod.aspx
In other news,
we're happy to announce the one-millionth post on the PassPorter Message
Boards! Member debsta922 -- a "PassPorter Jetsetter" with almost 2500
posts to her credit -- was the millionth poster! We invite everyone to our friendly
message boards to make friends, get answers to burning questions, and work our
way towards two million posts. You can reach our message boards at http://www.passporterboards.com .
We're also
pleased to announce that Deb Wills and Debra Martin Koma, authors of "PassPorter's
Walt Disney World For Your Special Needs" are doing a live chat on Oct. 19
at 9:00-10:00 pm EST TheMouseForLess.com. This is a great opportunity to chat
with them and ask your special needs questions!
In this
edition of the newsletter, PassPorter message board Guide Christina Radvon is
back with the conclusion of hertwo-part article on Knoebels Amusement Park in
Pennsylvania. And another PassPorter message board Guide and frequent
newsletter columnist, Cheryl Pendry, offers a delicious review of California
Grill. Captain Skatt is also back again with a new treasure hunt game to solve.
Good luck!
Enjoy!
Jennifer and
Dave
PassPorter
Travel Press
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TRAVEL
FEATURE: A Trip Back in Time:
Knoebels
Amusement Park (Part 2)
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By Christina
Radvon, PassPorter Message Board Guide
This week
Christina Radvon concludes her series on the glory of a true old-time amusement
park. To read the first part of Christina's article, check out http://www.passporter.com/news/news092205.htm
Knoebels
offers culinary delights the likes of which most amusement parks can't begin to
imagine, much less reproduce. Stony Gables Fudge and Nut Shoppe is one of the
many rental cottages that were converted to concession stands. This gothic
fairy tale cottage with arched doorways, bordered by a profusion of
flowers and indigenous shrubbery is nearly impossible to pass by when you see
and smell it for yourself. (When you walk inside, lean in towards the old stove
at the bottom of the stairs and look up and to the far right to see one of the
original pointed-arch doorways.) The far right side of the cottage is a fudge
kitchen offering nearly every flavor you can think of. The far left side of the
cottage houses the peanut roasting equipment in a sort of outdoor, screened
concession stand. Between the two is usually a line of starry-eyed children and
expectant adults drooling over the glass cases full of fudge and other candied
delights. We loved the fudge-dipped marshmallows on a stick!
Knoebels is
well known for its outstanding amusement park food. It holds the Golden Ticket
Amusement Park Food Award for the last 5 years! But if there's one indisputable
fact, it's that Knoebels has incredible food and tons of options for even the
pickiest eaters.
When asked,
neither my husband nor my son could choose just one favorite food or meal from
our stay. Local treats like chicken and waffles with gravy, mac and cheese
bites (deep fried, breaded spoonfuls of mac and cheese) and corn nuggets made
everyone's list. Walt claimed gyros, eggplant fries, and top-your-own baked
potatoes among his favorites. DJ loved the chicken finger kids meal, frozen
yogurt, and pierogies.
At the top of
my long list of favorite foods is the Deluxe Traveling Taco -- a single-serving
size bag of Fritos, opened and topped with seasoned beef, cheddar cheese,
shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream, served with a
fork for eating while you walk.
Knoebels
offers more than just good food. Great eateries like The Oasis (an open-air
cafeteria that offers all-you-can-eat meals on certain days), The Alamo (an
enclosed diner-style restaurant), and Phoenix Junction Steakhouse (a covered
food-court with top-notch daily specials like NY strip steak and jumbo fried
shrimp dinners) add even more unique offerings to Knoebels' line-up of
incredible, award-winning food. You'll never go hungry as long as you don't run
out of funds.
Thrifty vacationers
have another unique option. Knoebels also offers a number of free, reserved picnic
facilities. Just call in advance and they'll reserve as many tables as you need
in one of the many picnic pavilions near the Crystal Pool. Bring just the
basics like hot dogs and hamburgers and they'll even provide you with small,
coin-operated griddles for the day. Large groups can bring their own or have
the park cater their picnic with all the good foods found in the park.
Friends and
family were surprised to hear we'd planned to spend a week at Knoebels. Many
assumed that meant we'd be camping! (I am not a happy camper.) Knoebels, to
many people, still means camping and though we didn't get a look at the
campgrounds on this or any of our previous trips, we've heard countless people
rave about their camping experiences at Knoebels campground. We may try this
one day when our son is older, but we found the cottage to be more than
adequate for our needs and those of our young son.
Our trip was a
new experience for us. It was our first week-long family vacation. Knoebels was
just the right place to let us experiment with traveling with a toddler. While
the cost of renting a cottage was a little steep ($900/week, Saturday to
Saturday), the cost of ride tickets more than made up the difference. We spent
$85 on $100 worth of tickets in advance (purchased at a discount through AAA).
We had $20 in tickets left over from our weekend trip last year (cost last
year: $17.00 through AAA). My in-laws came to visit for a day and bought $20
worth of tickets ($18.00 mid-week discount price). We bought another $10 worth
of tickets ($9.00 midweek discount price) on our last night so we'd have enough
for a few rides the following day. Added up: $150 worth of tickets for one week
cost $129 (and $18.00 of that at my in-laws expense). We spent $111 on ride
tickets for 3 people for 8 days at 1 park. But what we saved on ride tickets,
we may have spent on games!
Knoebels
offers typical amusement park games at atypical amusement park prices. We were
pleased to also find some not-so-typical games. Many of the games are the kind
you may remember from weekend visits to the Jersey Shore as a kid. We tried
Flying Frogs, Ball Toss, Tip-a-Troll, and Roller Bowling, but as usual, we each
have a favorite! Walt loved the Derby Races, DJ became an old pro at Kosmo's
Tic Tac Toe and I triumphed over small children and teenagers at Killer Beez!
Woohoo!!!
Knoebels is
also home to one of the last few "Fascination Parlors" in the
country. I gazed longingly at all of the fun prizes and the people seated on
their stools, laughing and rolling the balls in an odd twist of tic tac toe,
but never got around to playing the entire week! We stopped by the parlor one
night early in our stay to find out how to play and the game caller gave me a
handful of free tickets to use later in the week so I could learn.
My husband and
I continue to be amazed by the people at Knoebels. The employees surprise and
delight us every trip. This trip it was the Fascination game caller. Last year,
it was the ride operators in Kiddieland. We were happily snapping shot after
shot of DJ on the Kiddie Whip late one night when I heard a very tired mother
telling her son she wasn't going to pay for him to ride the kiddie bumper cars
by himself when there was no point -- there was no one else riding to bump. The
Bumper car ride operator called over 4 or 5 other ride operators who had no
line at their rides. Adult park employees gamely got into kiddie bumper cars --
one with a cast on her foot and some with their knees folded up to their chests
-- so the little boy would have someone to ride with and bump.
Magic can be
found in the most unexpected places at this nostalgic park from the past.
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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.
========================================================
WALT DISNEY
WORLD FEATURE: California Grill Review
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by Cheryl
Pendry, PassPorter Message Board Guide
With more than
300 places to eat on Disney property, let's face it -- you're never going to go
hungry. There's something for everyone and that includes the finest of dining
opportunities. But prices at the best Disney restaurants aren't exactly cheap,
so where should you go for an evening out that will provide good food, a
wonderful atmosphere and top service?
For us,
there's one choice that fulfills all those criteria without completely breaking
the bank and that's the California Grill on the 14th floor of the Contemporary.
Let me just say now that we have sampled the food at Victoria and Albert's, and
that is truly out of this world, but it's not a place that we would visit with
every vacation. In fact, for most people it's a once in a lifetime experience,
hence the earlier reference to not breaking the bank.
What makes the
California Grill so special? Firstly, there's the location. You often hear that
the most important thing for houses is location, location, location and we feel
the same is true of Disney restaurants. Sure, some of the other finer
restaurants on property enjoy majestic views -- Wishes can be seen from
Narcoosee's at the Grand Floridian and you can look out into the grounds of the
Wilderness Lodge at Artist Point, but atop the Contemporary not only can you
view Wishes, but it's also possible to see Epcot's IllumiNations from the other
end of the restaurant. Many people don't realize it, but there is a second
smaller balcony at the rear of the restaurant, where you get a great view of
both displays. OK, so you don't get the Wishes music piped in, but it's still a
first class view.
And if you're
not lucky enough to secure one of those coveted window tables, never fear. The
servers will invite you out on the balcony just before the show begins and you
won't miss a second of your meal, as they are experts at timing each course
around the fireworks. We once ordered, headed outside for the show and arrived
back to see our server leaving our soups on our table for us.
That's just
one of the reasons that we enjoy the service here so much. We have always found
the staff here is anxious to provide the best service that they can and are
fully acquainted with all the options on the menu, allowing them to offer
informed advice. Not sure how hot and spicy something is? They'll happily
explain it on a scale of one to ten. Want to know whether something contains
meat? No problem -- they'll even double check with the chef just to be 100%
sure. Looking for some advice on which wine would perfectly complement your
food choices? No problem. You'll even be able to sample a couple of options
before deciding.
You're also
allowed to linger over your food. The courses don't come at you in quick
succession, they're well spaced, allowing you to digest each one properly. In
that respect, it's very reminiscent of Victoria and Albert's. It is not unusual
for a meal here to take more than two hours if you want to take your time. On
one occasion, we even went to pay and were told that we still had some wine
left and were asked if we wanted to finish it first before settling the bill.
There are very few restaurants like that, where you feel that the table is
yours for the evening and you're not being rushed to make way for another
party. All too often you feel as if you're on a conveyor belt, with the next
family being rushed in as soon as you're out of the door. Not here.
So what about
the food? Well, the theme is American, although it's difficult to predict
exactly what will be on the menu, as it changes every week to incorporate the
freshest of ingredients. Specialties here include the brick oven fired
flatbreads, which are delicious, but they're not exactly small. Unless you've
got a big appetite, you may be best sharing these. For our Christmas Day dinner
last year, we sampled the smoked salmon flatbread and it was superb.
Another of the
California Grill's specialties is sushi and boy is it one worth sampling!
Having tried sushi on our last trip at both Epcot's Teppanyaki and the
California Grill, I can tell you that the California Grill won that battle
hands down.
As for the
appetizers, the bisques are another favorite, having sampled a range, including
asparagus and oyster. When it comes to the main courses, the menu does at first
appear to be dominated by meat, but look closer and there's plenty for non meat
eaters. Usually there are at least two fish options available and there's also
a vegetarian zone. If the vegetarian items you see on the menu don't take your
fancy, then make use of the vegetarian zone and tell them exactly what you'd
like to try. I've done this before, mixing and matching from some of the dishes
on the menu and the chefs have always come up trumps for me. It seems that
nothing is too much trouble for them.
Usually by the
time we've made our way through the sushi, the flatbread, appetizer and entrˇe,
there's sadly no room left for dessert. I keep promising myself that one day I
will leave enough room for their signature dish, the Warm Valrhona Chocolate
Cake, a divine sounding mixture of chocolate and cherries. The problem is that
this always comes after the other courses and by then, I've found too much on
the menu that I feel the need to sample!
One of the
other beauties of the California Grill is their wine list, covering everything
from the best known varieties to an extensive reserve list, which we haven't
yet sampled. Whether you're looking for just a glass or a bottle to complement
your meal, your server will be able to offer help to pick just the perfect
accompaniment.
Eating at the
California Grill isn't cheap. Our bill, for the two of us, is usually between
$100 and $150, but it's a price we feel is worth every penny for a truly
indulgent and romantic evening. And it's not just a place for couples to visit.
We see plenty of families every time we go there, although it's fair to say
that usually the children are a little older than at many other Disney
restaurants.
Because it's
an expensive meal, we always get a little bit dressed up; usually a nice top
and perhaps a smart pair of pants or perhaps black jeans. On occasions, I've
even dug a nice dress out and worn that. It's not a place I'd recommend heading
to decked out in shorts and a t-shirt. We did so on our first visit on our
honeymoon and felt decidedly out of place, which could explain Disney's new
dress code for this and a few other restaurants, requesting no swimsuits, torn
clothing, tank tops or flip flops be worn.
Dining at the
California Grill is a great experience and very much an evening out. Combining
fine food, good service and amazing views, if it's somewhere you've yet to
visit, then be sure to add it to your "must try" list for future
trips.
The California
Grill is located on the 14th floor of the Contemporary resort, with check in on
the second floor. Once your name is checked off, you're then escorted by a
member of staff in an elevator to the restaurant. Open for dinner every evening
from 5:30-10:00 pm, the menu can be found here: http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_cg.htm
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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 Disneyś
Disney's
Wilderness Lodge took first place in the Travel + Leisure Family magazine
"Family Friendly Resort" poll. Five of the top 10 resorts were Disney
resorts. Third on the list was the Grand Californian Hotel in Disneyland,
fourth was Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa at WDW, fifth was Disney's
Animal Kingdom Lodge at WDW, and in the tenth spot was Disney's Vero Beach
Resort in Vero Beach, Florida.
The Raglan
Road Irish Pub & Restaurant in Downtown Disney will officially open for
business on October 21, 2005. The restaurant is decorated with custom
furnishings and lighting -- all designed and built by Irish craftspeople. The
Pub will feature nightly live entertainment by Irish musicians so pull up a
chair and prepare to sing along!
Oops! What we meant
to say last issue was that the Liberty Square Riverboat will be
"dry-docked" for rehab until mid-2006. Sorry for any confusion!
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
==========================================
Our readers
are a wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:
RENTAL RATE
REDUX
"If you
are planning on booking a rental car, book the first good rate you see. Unlike
the airlines, you can cancel a rental at any time without penalty. Then keep
shopping for the best deals! If you come across a better deal, book it and then
remember to cancel your original reservation."
-- contributed
by Jana (j.mcclinton@...)
PASS ON
PASSPORTER
"Let your
children have your older spiral editions of PassPorter. My 5 year-old always
takes 'her' PassPorter on the trips. She adds 'additional illustrations' on the
airplane and I read to her about where we are staying. She LOVES to have the
flight attendants 'autograph' her book as well as the interesting people she
meets on the airplane. And I 'hide' stickers in the pockets that she can
discover and give out to other passengers."
-- contributed
by Alicia C. (akcalsyn@...)
(Editor's
Note: The $1 PassPorter is the perfect way to get older editions of PassPorter!
NAB A
NAPKIN
"By
accident two years ago, we discovered a free souvenir that helps to us relive
the magic back home until that next Walt Disney World trip. While unpacking, we
discovered a stash of napkins in a gift bag, originally stored there for wiping
off sweaty brows or runny noses. We saved them and pulled a couple out to use
at dinner each time we felt a bit 'home sick' for our favorite place. Now
during each trip we stash a couple extra napkins in our pockets and get to
experience the magic of Disney at home on those nights our mouths water for
turkey legs and Mickey waffles!"
-- contributed
by Kassi
>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
==========================================
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:
Another long,
hot day of treasure hunting and I am in need of a good hose-down. I had no luck
over at the Turkish Baths on Main Street and I felt foolish hopping about in my
skivvies at Epcot's pop-jet fountains. So I wandered over to Disney-MGM
Studios. Miss Piggy wouldn't let me in her fountain -- she rightly declared
that I "smelled foul." I also turned down a lovely mermaid out of
embarrassment. Eventually I stumbled across a ready-made shower, complete with
a handle and an auto-on sensor. I was so happy to get clean I was singing!
So... where is
this "ready-made shower" at Disney-MGM Studios?
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 Rebecca Roberts who was the winner of last week's treasure hunt game last
week! There was actually room for two winners -- a "before rehab"
winner and an "after rehab" winner. Rebecca correctly stated that it
was lightning and rain under the largest balloon suspended from the ceiling of
The Land at Epcot... before the rehab. After the recent renovations, that
large, center balloon was changed to a sphere of the Planet Earth. Alas, no one
pointed this out and thus we have only one winner. 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 information!
====================================
Q & A WITH
JENNIFER & DAVE
====================================
luvgoofy asks:
"Are hurricanes typical at the end of October? I am worried about
hurricanes though. Are they usually over by then? How is the weather? "
Jennifer and
Dave answer: "Yes, hurricanes are usually finished by then, but over 25
years there's still an average of one storm per week in late October/early
November. Considering the current weather patterns, though, it looks like the
odds are going to be greater that a storm will be brewing somewhere. Most of
the time the storms are no more than a minor inconvenience if you're OK with a
change of itinerary (Eastern becomes Western, or one island gets changed).
There have been a couple of occasions where the ships couldn't depart/return to
Port Canaveral, but that's been very rare overall."
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!
===================================
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!
====================================
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2005 - MediaMarx, Inc. / PassPorter Travel Press, PO Box 3880, Ann Arbor,
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