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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips
November 24, 2006 * Issue 6.45
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: Thank You!
Disney Extras Feature: DisneyQuest
Disney Feature: The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Prepping the First-timer, Countdown Chain, Disney
Distractions
Captain's Corner: Music and Voice Lessons
Q&A: Are
there town car services for Disneyland?
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FROM THE AUTHORS: Thank
You!
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Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Thanksgiving may have been yesterday, but we'd
still like to take this opportunity to give thanks to YOU ... our wonderful, amazing, and supportive
community of readers. Your
overwhelmingly positive feedback surprises us continually and give us the
motivation to strive a little harder each year. Thank you for being the best
readers two authors ever had!!
Inspired by the spirit of the holiday and all the
great deals going on today, we want to give you a great little
post-Thanksgiving deal, too! So here's 'tis...
Post-Thanksgiving PassPorter Deal
Purchase a Deluxe Starter Kit from
the PassPorter Online Store and receive a FREE PassHolder Pouch (valued at
$7.95). This deal makes a great gift combo -- use the PassHolder Pouch as a
stocking stuffer and wrap the Deluxe Starter Kit as a gift (it comes in a nice
box, too!). This offer is good only for purchases on our current deluxe
editions: Walt Disney World 2007 and Disneyland Resort (first edition). You may
combine this offer with one discount coupon codes (such as the 30% discount
coupon code for registering a previous edition or the 20% newsletter subscriber
discount code at the bottom of this e-mail) and/or a gift certificate you may
have . This deal is valid only until Sunday, November 26 at midnight Eastern
Time. To order, visit the PassPorter Store's Deluxe Deal page at
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/deluxedeal.aspx
We're also pleased to announce our new
"PassPorter Pal" program. What is it?
Simple--if we spot you in the parks with a PassPorter book, pin, badge, or
pouch, or you attend a PassPorter meet, we'll give you a free "PassPorter
Pal" cloisonne pin! The pin -- which you can only get if we give to you in
person -- has the PassPorter "family head" logo being held by two
hands -- "Small World, Great People" appears above the logo and
"PassPorter Pal" appears below. We see so many PassPorter readers in
the parks and we wanted a way to recognize your loyalty. Credit for this idea
goes to Chad Larner, our fellow PassPorter team member! This program officially
begins at MouseFest in a little
over a week!
PassPorter Public Appearance Calendar
Here's an update on where you can see/hear/meet
PassPorter's authors in the upcoming months:
Coming soon:
12/3 - 12/11/2006
MouseFest 2006
See the MouseFest web site for the full schedule
Appearing: Jennifer, Dave and Alexander Marx, Deb
Wills
Be sure to bring your books for autographing
Books will also be available for sale at the
MegaMouseMeet, Saturday 12/9, at 1:00 pm.
In this issue of the newsletter, Michelle Clark
takes us on a virtual tour of DisneyQuest, and frequent contributor Cheryl
Pendry gives us the low-down on The (new) Seas with Nemo and Friends. Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors and Publishers
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DISNEY ÒEXTRASÓ FEATURE: DisneyQuest
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by Michelle Clark, Guest Contributor and PassPorter
Message Board Guide
As a returning visitor to the Walt Disney World
Resort, have you ever felt that you've experienced all the theme park
attractions Disney has to offer? Perhaps there is another park that you have overlooked
-- DisneyQuest. DisneyQuest is located at Downtown Disney's West Side and is an
interactive, indoor theme park. You can find a large variety of attractions
here -- there is something for everyone, regardless of age and preferences.
This indoor theme park is comprised of five levels,
accessible by stairs or elevators. The attractions at DisneyQuest are divided
into four different "zones": Explore Zone, Score Zone, Create Zone,
and Replay Zone. It is quite easy to get lost in DisneyQuest, so it's a
good idea to keep young children close by.
We made our first visit to DisneyQuest on a rainy
morning -- against the advice of our PassPorter guidebook! However, if you
arrive when DisneyQuest opens, you should have time to complete several of the
more popular attractions before the majority of crowds arrive. On the advice of
a Cast Member, we headed first to "Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for
Buccaneer Gold." This is one of the best attractions at DisneyQuest and
probably the most popular. Guests wear virtual reality goggles as they step
into their own vessel to shoot cannons at approaching pirate ships. It takes
the work of your entire party to defeat the pirates! This attraction has a 35
inch height restriction.
Right next to Pirates of the Caribbean is the
Virtual Jungle Cruise. Riders sit on an inflatable raft in front of a big
screen that simulates different water excursions. Each rider has a paddle they
must use to steer him or her through the whitewater adventures. This is another
popular attraction that should be done early in the day to avoid long waits.
Our next stop was one floor up at CyberSpace
Mountain. Here we designed our own coaster at a computer station and then we
got to ride our creation in a motion simulator! Two riders may enter the
simulator at a time. Riders must be at least 51 inches tall to experience this
attraction.
Besides creating roller coasters, you can also
learn to create Disney art at Animation Academy. We attended a session where we
learned how to draw Mickey Mouse. You can purchase your drawing for $5, which
is a really cute and reasonable souvenir. If the creative juices are still
flowing, check out the Radio Disney SongMaker where you can enter a sound booth
and create your own CD. The Living Easels allow even young artists to color
scenes of various Disney characters, which can also be printed and purchased.
At Sid's Create-a-toy, kids can make their own bizarre toy creations via a
computer screen. Another popular attraction on this level is Aladdin's Magic
Carpet Ride. Here guests wear a virtual reality helmet while sitting on a seat
with handlebars which maneuvers your carpet through Agrabah. Four guests sit
and work together at three stations. Since only twelve people can experience
this attraction at a time, lines tend to move slowly.
On the next level is Buzz Lightyear's
Astroblasters, which are bumper cars with shooting cannons. Two persons can
ride in each bumper car. Riders must be at least 51" tall to ride Buzz
Lightyear's Astroblasters. The Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam is another simulated
attraction where you are the ball in a giant pinball game. Again, this
attraction has a height restriction of 48 inches.
Levels 4 and 5 both have a large variety of video
game machines and arcade games. But don't panic, these games are free with
admission. So play Asteroids or Ms. Pac Man to your heart's content!
By now you may be ready for some down time.
DisneyQuest offers two choices for dining. Food Quest on Level 5 has the
typical Disney food court offerings along with some tasty Panini sandwiches.
Those guests on the Disney Dining Plan will be happy to know that Food Quest
does accept counter service credits. Wonderland CafŽ on Level 4 will give you a
great variety of desserts and coffees. The atmosphere at the Wonderland CafŽ is
a little more peaceful with comfy chairs and dimmed lighting. Both eateries
have the decadent cheesecakes from The Cheesecake Factory. Free internet access
is available at the Wonderland CafŽ.
Level 4 is the home of another 3D virtual reality
experience, Ride the Comix. Guests wear 3D goggles to do battle with comic
strip super villains with laser swords. Invasion! An ExtraTERRORestrial Alien
Encounter is on the top level of DisneyQuest. This is another simulator that
allows four guests to battle aliens and rescue fellow earthlings inside a space
vehicle. The theming for this attraction was based on the former Alien
Encounter at the Magic Kingdom (which is now known as Stitch's Great Escape).
You will probably need to plan on approximately
one-half of a day to experience DisneyQuest. If you have any arcade junkies in
your party, you might plan for some extra time there. It has been rumored on a
few Internet websites that DisneyQuest may be closed in the future, although
this has never been confirmed by Disney. So if you have been thinking about
visiting DisneyQuest, now is the time!
About the Author: Michelle Clark is a confessed theme park junkie and the
mother of three teens who share in her thrill ride obsession. She is also a
Co-Guide for the Library forum on the PassPorter Message Boards.
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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: The Seas with Nemo and Friends
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by Cheryl Pendry, Guest Contributor and PassPorter
Message Board Guide
Perhaps one of the things I love most about
visiting Walt Disney World is that every time you go, there's something new to
experience. Just like the real world, this one is also constantly evolving and
changing and adding new attractions to enjoy -- and our most recent visit a
couple of weeks ago was no exception!
It was back in 1987 that I first visited Epcot and
the attraction I fell in love with immediately was what was then called the
Living Seas. I just found it to be enchanting and very relaxing and enjoyed
visiting it every time we headed to Walt Disney World. That was, until the dark
days of 2002.
At first you couldn't tell anything was wrong. You
still wound your way in through the twists and turns of the waiting area and
then waited for the hydrolators to take you down to Sea Base Alpha, but the
base itself was lacking something -- the wonderful ride through the aquarium.
We were told that the ride was down for a "rehab" as Disney calls
them, but usually Disney rehabs don't last this long and by the time we got to
our next visit in spring 2004, I was smelling a rat. Was this ride ever going
to re-open?
Just as I was giving up all hope, some new -- and
familiar -- faces from the Disney Pixar movie Finding Nemo began to appear in
this pavilion. The Nemo and friends area, showcasing the real life versions of
the cartoon creations, was the first sign of change. Suddenly a range of
different generations were yelling "Nemo" when they saw clownfish and
suddenly seeing stingrays and starfish in a whole new light.
From there, the changes accelerated with the
arrival of Bruce's Sub House, with its centerpiece attraction of an open
shark's mouth that makes for a fun photo opportunity and plenty of other things
for kids to enjoy. And kids of all ages could enjoy the other new attraction
that arrived here -- Turtle Talk with Crush. While those of a younger age
marveled at being able to talk to Crush, the laid back turtle dude, and ask him
questions, everyone else just marveled at this attraction, all no doubt
thinking the same thing -- "how do they do that?"
And in October, the transformation of this pavilion
was complete, as its ride finally emerged from "rehab" and it was
re-christened The Seas with Nemo and Friends.
The first thing you notice about this new pavilion
is how much more colorful and fun the outside is now. Yes, the waves still
crash about as they always did, but now three seagulls watch what it does,
their heads moving from side to side and with the occasional cry of "mine,
mine, mine". They don't do it all the time, but it's worth waiting to see
it -- it's guaranteed to raise a smile!
As you walk into the pavilion, you'll see all of
the stars from Finding Nemo in colorful silhouette form along the pavilion
wall. We heard plenty of kids pointing out Nemo, Bruce and Crush to their
parents as they walked in!
That twisting, turning line is still there --
fortunately with no wait at all when we were there -- but now you feel as if
you're walking through a beach area, complete with long grass and a lifeguard
station. Turn a corner and suddenly you're underwater. Look up and around you
at all the superb theming.
Now you're in Nemo's world and it's time to board
your "clam-mobile" for your trip through this underwater delight. The
storyline is simple and what you'd expect. That adventuresome Nemo can't stay
still for long and has gone wandering off again from Mr. Ray's class and you'll
follow his journey, through jellyfish and then past Bruce, peeking out from
behind shipwrecks. This part of the ride is particularly dark and does have the
potential to scare youngsters, although Bruce is his usual friendly self when
it comes to fish!
Perhaps the most unusual part is the journey with
Crush and Squirt down the East Australian Current and then it's time for Nemo
and his friends to meet their real-life counterparts, as you enter the main
aquarium area. At first, I was sceptical about this part. Surely it would look
stupid? But it doesn't, it's been beautifully done and on our first ride
through, I was so enchanted by the characters that I didn't even notice the
fish. Be sure to try and take in all your surroundings at the end, otherwise --
like me -- you'll have to head back for a second go to see everything!
I've read mixed reviews of this latest addition to
the Disney line-up of attractions in Epcot, but for my money, I loved it. As
you might expect, its effects are much more sophisticated than rides such as
Snow White and Peter Pan and there's lots here for both adults and children to
enjoy. A word of warning though -- this ride is dark in places and does have
the potential to frighten young children who don't like the dark.
As someone who first discovered this pavilion as a
teenager, it's fascinating to see how it's come full circle over the last 20
years. Once again, it's a place where everyone can explore the wonder of the
world under the sea. Now I wonder how it will look in another 20 years' time?
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England
and love to travel, particularly to America. They've recently returned from a
two week visit to Walt Disney World and Hilton Head Island.
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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 relevant news items:
Fantasmic Dinner package prices at the
Brown Derby and Mama Melrose's will go up on April 1, 2007. This package
includes special seating for Fantasmic and appetizer, entree, dessert and
soft drink for adults and soup or salad, entree, dessert and children's drink
for kids. (Kids must order off the children's menu. Specialty and alcoholic
drinks are not included.) The new prices are as follows:
Brown Derby - $43.99/adult, $11.99.child (tax &
tip not included)
Mama Melrose - $32.99/adult, $11.99/child (tax and
tip not included)
The Hess Station at the Disney Car Care Center has re-opened
and is now open 24 hours a day. A large convenience store and counter service
restaurant have been added. The station was designed in conjunction with Disney
Imagineering and features a mid-20th century theme.
The Pop Warner Football Super Bowl and the
National Cheer & Dance Championships come to
Disney's Wide World of Sports December 2 - 9, 2006. Check out popwarnersuperbowl.com for ticket
information.
Our thanks to http://www.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:
PREPPING A FIRST-TIMER
"This will be my husband's first trip to Disney
World so to get him into the Disney spirit, I created a plan. First we watch
the Disney World programs that air on the cable food channels. (Who can resist
the giant turkey leg?!) I also send him Disney trivia and descriptions of some
of the rides and restaurants via his e-mail. Not only am I getting him excited
about our trip but this also provides me with his opinions on what he will want
to see and eat in the world. This will make planning my itinerary easier!
"
--
contributed by Diana B. (diana_nali@...)
COUNTDOWN CHAIN
"Every two years we go to Walt Disney World.
The youngest of our girls get so excited very early on. To stay in the
excitement, I made them each a themed paper chain. One was black & red
(Mickey theme) and the other one was in pastels with the princess theme. I
started the chain so there were 100 loops. Each day they take off a loop. Some
loops have little wrapped packages tied to them which consist of Disney items I
had picked up....hair items, charms, Disney Dollars, etc. They love them and
look so forward to the next 'little surprise' and they can see the days left
before our trip." -- contributed
by Priscilla O.
DISNEY DISTRACTIONS
"Before you go to Walt Disney World, try to
buy "Disney Games." There is Disney Guess Who, Trivia Pursuit,
Memory, Uno, checkers, chess, or even a deck of cards with Disney characters on
them. They will come in handy if it's really raining out and you don't want to
go out in it. Or take the deck of cards with you and play go fish or old maid
while in line for a ride, waiting for a show or waiting to be seated for
dinner. " -- contributed by Rita D.
>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 weekÕs journal entry:
"I decided not to get a 'kitty' from my
pals at the Jungle Cruise. I think there's something in the water over there
which produces abnormally sized kittens... and egos! So instead I'm consider
taking up a hobby -- perchance music and voice lessons? I saw a sign offering
lessons by appointment near ye olde Christmas Shoppe. I've heard good things
about the gent who is giving the lessons -- he's really got the Christmas
spirit!"
Who is offering music and voice lessons by
appointement near Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe at the Magic Kingdom?
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 Pam Dotson who was the winner
of last week's treasure hunt game! Pam correctly identified the
"Free Kittens" sign as being in the queue of the Jungle Cruise
attraction in Adventureland. To view the original clues, see
http://www.passporter.com/news/news111606.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 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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JoyJ asks: "Does
anyone know if there are any companies that offer a town car service (similar
to those in Orlando) for transportation to and from the airport to Disneyland
Resort hotels?"
Dave & Jennifer answer: "We've
got listings in PassPorter Disneyland (p.20). However, unless you're flying
into John Wayne, the cost is pretty steep. The cost of a trip to/from LAX is
closer to the price of a trip between MCO and Port Canaveral.
The LA area has oodles of car services, but it
doesn't have car services that specialize in trips between the airports and
specific destinations like Disneyland, the way they do in Orlando. WDW is the
dominant presence in the Orlando market, but the town car services in LA are
focused on serving the entertainment industry, the well-off, and business in
general, not tourist destinations. You won't find a situation where
transportation companies are competing on price over the Disney business or
competing head-to-head with taxi rates the way they do in Orlando."
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?
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PassPorter News is now published weekly, and 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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PassPorter News is only sent to those who have
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the time of an order,
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If this newsletter was forwarded to you by a
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Please ask your questions and help each other in
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Copyright (c) 2006 - MediaMarx, Inc. / PassPorter
Travel Press, PO Box 3880, Ann Arbor, MI
48106
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