March 8, 2007 * Issue 7.10 |
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In
This Newsletter
From the Authors:
A New Disney Building Boom
Travel Feature:
Sanford Airport
Disney Feature: A
Walt Disney World Veteran's First Trip to Disneyland
Updates: What's
New and Changed
Tips:
Savings Strategy Part I & II, A Fairy Tale Beginning AND Ending
Captain's Corner: Super Soda
Q&A: Which
travel insurance is best?
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Updates:
What's
New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
CORRECTED: Alfredo's di Roma Ristorante in the Italy
pavilion of Epcot's World Showcase will be closing permanently on August 31, 2007. Another table service restaurant is planned for that space but no
details have been released. Disney Dining will be contacting guests with
Advanced Dining Reservations after the closing date.
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts announced
the construction of a new luxury resort and 18-hole championship golf course at
Walt Disney World. The current Eagle Pines golf course will be upgraded as part
of the renovation. The new property is scheduled to open in 2010.
Disney also announced the construction of a
450-acre retail, dining and lodging complex on the western edge of the
Disney property.
The Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club will officially open in the
Magic Kingdom on April 2, 2007.
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day 'the Irish
way' at Raglan Road, March 16 - 18, 2007. The three day celebration
features a U2 tribute band, a troupe of Irish Dancers, special Celtic Cocktails
and other fun and games. A cover charge will apply on March 17, $10 before 3
p.m., $15 after 3 p.m. No advanced dining reservations are being taken for that
day either. It's first come, first serve!
Work has begun on the next edition of
PassPorter's Walt
Disney World for your Special Needs and we need your help! Do you have a tip
or story to share with us? You can submit it
here and maybe
see your name in the upcoming edition!
Our thanks to AllEars.net
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
Our readers deliver a wealth of information! Here
are the winners in this month's tip contest:
SAVINGS STRATEGY PART I
"We are planning our trip for November 2007, a long 9 months away! But on
the good side I have plenty of time to shop for those bargains. I made a list of
things I knew I would need and keep it in my pocketbook so I knew what I was
looking for (and what I had already bought...no doubles) from toiletries to a
new bathing suit and souvenirs and other stuff like batteries, disposable
cameras and coloring books for the kids. I watched the sales like bathing suits,
sandals and beach towels when they are 60%-70% off in August. Crayons/Coloring
Books in Back-to-school Sales and buy one get one free cameras coupons. Also
every visit to the drug store I picked up a toiletry item that I needed
(shampoo, toothpaste, sun block) and using coupons when I can. Souvenirs bought
on eBay and
DisneyShopping.com like t-shirts
and even luggage at up to 80% off! "
-- contributed by Cindy R.
SAVINGS STRATEGY PART II
"Many people are on a budget when planning their Disney vacation. What my
father taught me 20 years ago was whatever money you had planned for meals and
spending he would divide that up by however many days we were there and take
white envelopes and put the date and day on them, then stick the money in each
envelope. For that day you would take your envelope and use that money, if you
didn't use all of your money that day, then at night you would stick any extra
in the following day's envelope, and then so on and so on. By the last day you
would be surprised how much money you may have left over. For me I go on a big
shopping spree at Downtown Disney and then take the rest home. My 5 year old has
his savings to take and that is how we are going to teach him in April!"
-- contributed by Michelle G.
A FAIRY TALE BEGINNING AND
ENDING
"I always start and end my Walt Disney World vacation with the Magic
Kingdom. It's my favorite of the Disney parks, and I always make sure that my
first and last rides are two of my favorites. This begins the trip on a very
happy note, and also lets you end with something you know you will definitely
enjoy! This can be done with any park, ride, show or restaurant."
-- contributed by Katherine M.
Notes: Send
us your tips ! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of
PassPorter!
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 or the PassPorter store. 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.
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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:
"It's heating up here in sunny Florida... I overhead the weatherperson predict that we would get up to 82 degrees this weekend. All that heat and sun makes me mighty thirsty. I've been eyeing a particularly large soda over at Disney-MGM Studios. (You can't miss it -- it seem to have a slow leak and intermittently sprays passerbys.) The soda bottle is just huge. I learned that this soda bottle can hold .... (rest of text obscured by a caramel colored stain)."
How many ounces of soda can the giant soda bottle hold?
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!
We got some answers that were close this week but none that were specific
enough. Maybe we can convince Captain Jack to give us more information... To view the original clue,
see last week's
newsletter.
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Q
& A:
With Jennifer and Dave
crusin asks: "Now that we have booked our 2008 cruise,
I need to get trip insurance. I checked out some travel insurance web sites but
it is a lot to understand. Is there one you would recommend?"
Dave & Jennifer answer: "The choices are not easy, and
there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. It's likely that no matter what policy
you choose, it'll have features that you won't need. What's most important is
finding one that has the right coverage of what you do need. The difference in
cost between the various policies isn't all that great, so you may just be
tempted to buy the most expensive, but you have to read carefully, because even
the most expensive policy still may not cover you the way you need.
Are you flying into Orlando? Then make sure it covers any kind of travel delay
you can imagine, including snow that prevents you from getting to the airport to
catch your flight, and any kind of flight delay - mechanical, weather, whatever.
Driving? Be sure that's covered, too.
Supplemental medical coverage can be very important, since medical evacuation
from a ship, or the difficulties and costs of caring for a loved one in an
overseas hospital can be substantial. This is true whether you've got a 16
year-old daredevil or an 80 year-old grandparent with you, or if life just takes
an unexpected twist. In particular, helicopter evacuation or medical
transportation back to the US can be hugely expensive.
Be sure to look at the rules for pre-existing conditions. You don't want to
miss-out on this coverage, because even if everyone's healthy when you first
book the cruise, something can happen between then and when you cruise
(pregnancy, for example). Typically, pre-existing conditions will be covered if
you buy the policy within a certain period after you book the cruise, so look
into insurance ASAP.
Anytime I get to a part where they list what they won't cover, I look extra
carefully. It's often a good primer on the kind of coverage you ought to be
considering."
Have a question? Check out our "Ask PassPorter" Q & A blog at
http://ask.passporter.com. We're still working on getting the blog ready
for prime time, but we welcome your comments and questions! You can also 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!
.
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Future
Newsletters:
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To See Your Name in Print?
PassPorter News is published
weekly, and this means we're always in need of articles! We're on the lookout
for guest columnists who want to contribute articles to this newsletter.
No professional writing experience is 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"
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For details and our article submission guidelines,
please e-mail news@passporter.com.
Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed!
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From
the Authors: A New
Disney Building Boom
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
For several years, the news coming out of Disney Parks and Resorts has seemed
fairly low-key and business-as-usual. Every year, a new "celebration," every
year a couple of new attractions come out of the pipeline, a bit more expansion
at Disney Vacation Club (DVC), but very little in the way of what we'd call big
projects. Well, the past months seem to have put a new slant on things. Two new
ships for the Disney Cruise Line (DCL), a new DVC resort at Disney's Animal
Kingdom Lodge, and now, two new non-Disney hotel/retail
developments on Disney property. While it's always dangerous to speculate on
the mindset of the Mouse, here's our take.
The new DCL ships are a big financial
commitment for Disney Parks and Resorts ($1.5 - 2 billion). Meantime, while
attendance at Walt Disney World keeps growing, there's been little growth in
lodging capacity except for DVC. How does Disney expand on-property lodging
capacity at low cost? Take a page out of Walt's original playbook for Disneyland
by bringing in outside hotel operators. Walt Disney World has done this before,
with the development of Hotel Plaza Boulevard near Downtown Disney, the Swan and
Dolphin near Epcot and Disney-MGM Studios, the Crossroads shopping/dining area
by Downtown Disney, and Downtown Disney itself (Crossroads was sold by Disney
not very many years ago). While not quite as profitable as operating its own
resorts, restaurants and shops, it brings additional guests on property, who
will undoubtedly spend their time and money at Disney parks. Disney makes money
as landlord, and it allows Disney to profit from operations that don't fit into
Disney's normal niches (the super-deluxe resort at Eagle Pines, and the
budget-priced hotel and timeshare operators by the Western Beltway). When
someone else offers these services it doesn't undermine guests price/value
perceptions of Disney-branded properties like the "most deluxe" Grand Floridian,
value-priced All-Stars and Pop Century, or Disney Vacation Club, because "It's
not Disney." Further, if you believe, as we do, that Disney is playing a
game of chess with Orlando's off-property businesses, this moves more business
on property, potentially hurting business on Kissimmee's Rt. 192 and at some of
the off-property deluxes like the Marriott World Center.
Of course, DVC carries its own
financial benefits for Disney financial managers, since the sale of DVC
ownerships quickly recoups the costs of development. (DVC, by the way, will be
opening a sales office in the Chicago area later this year.)
Two interesting side notes about Eagle
Pines: The new resort at Eagle Pines goes into a location originally intended
for DVC. Soon after announcing Eagle Pines, the DVC project was shelved in favor
of the now-complete (and larger) Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. The
newly-announced Eagle Pines project is also supposed to include vacation homes
for sale. Some folks immediately got excited by the prospect of finally being
able to own a home on Disney property. However, we suspect that these homes are
intended (and priced) for investment, and will be offered as high-end weekly
vacation home rentals.
Message Board Flying High: Our
upgraded PassPorter message boards are a big hit! Visitorship is up, new
membership is up, and everyone's having a great time talking about their
favorite topics. The latest addition to the board is a group of
PassPorter Tutorials to help folks get the most out of their message board
experience. You also might want to peek into the discussion about the
PassPorter's Club, a new feature we're planning to unveil on March 15. If you're not yet a member, you can
join our "little" family now for free ... we'd love to meet you!
Our latest page-by-page book updates are now online for both PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007 and PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line (5th Edition). You'll find our book updates in our Customs Office, along with updates for all our previous editions. Many thanks to our office managers Chad and Nikki for their efforts to keep these lists up-to-date!
In this issue of the newsletter, Margaret Harris flies into Orlando's
Sanford Airport, and Walt Disney World veteran Richard
Mercer shares his first-timer's impressions of Disneyland. Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors |
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World Resort® - 4 Nights
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2007 – From only $202 pp
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E-Book Editor Update
Last week we announced that we were seeking applicants for the position of PassPorter E-Book Editor.
We received over 20 qualified applications -- WOW! Thank you for the overwhelming response. We are now reviewing the applications and giving
the candidates a chance to show off their skills. At this point, we are not accepting
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Travel
Feature:
Using Orlando's "Other" Airport: Sanford Airport
by Margaret Harris, Guest
Contributor
Many
people do not realize that Orlando is home to two airports - the big busy International Airport and then there is what I call Orlando's best kept secret, the Orlando Sanford Airport. This is a smaller airport located approximately 43 miles from
Walt Disney World. There is no Magical Express Service to Walt Disney World from
this airport and alas there is little information in most guide books about Sanford.
I would not have known about arranging a town car if a prior vacationer had not
filled me in. So, why bother with this airport? I'm hoping that my recent
experience will encourage others to give this alternative a chance.
Orlando Sanford offers Allegiant Air as one of its carriers and flying from Des Moines as we do, it is a wonderful option. I am not a flyer so it helps me to
think of it as only one take off, one landing, and three hours in the air and I
am there. Another comforting thought for me ... no connecting flights, so less
chance that my luggage is lost or delayed. To top it off, the price is amazing!
We bought our tickets in November 2006 and paid $203.00 round trip per person.
We flew into Orlando Sanford on February 3rd, 2007 and our Iowa
weather was good but coming home on February 13th blizzard conditions
left many flights that were going through Minneapolis, Chicago, and Kansas City
stranded for up to 8 hours. Not so with Allegiant -- our flight was perhaps 30
minutes late and had a delay unloading us at the airport but we were home in
less than 4 hours from Orlando to Des Moines.
So here I
am at the Orlando Sanford airport. Claiming my luggage is easy since this is a
small airport and we are the only flight at the baggage check. It is delightful
to see my town car driver holding a poster with my name on it. It truly makes me
feel like a star! How did I find this wonderful service? There are many
reputable town car services available and the Internet makes it so easy to make
arrangements. I used the resources on the Orlando Sanford airport
web site and e-mailed
Sam's Transportation. I had called prior to my trip to confirm my date and
the price. He was professional and prompt. I told him that I would need to stop
at Albertson's for groceries and he was very accommodating. (For our 2005 trip I
used
Tiffany Town Car and they were wonderful and also accommodating. Their price
in 2005 was $165.00.) Both companies required the full balance upon arrival at
the airport, and any time this type of service is utilized a tip is in order. The
driver that picks you up may not be the driver that takes you back so a tip is
in order both ways. I did see many cab companies waiting at the airport but my
driver warned me that the fares are very high.
It is
always wonderful to have the opportunity to grocery shop before arriving at Walt
Disney World and if you have a moderate or deluxe accommodation your room comes
with a refrigerator. Be aware it is a refrigerator only and no freezer
compartment. Our flight from Des Moines always arrives late at night (around 9:45 pm) so the only thing open is an Albertson's. We don't have
those in Iowa so when
they asked me if I had a preferred customer card I replied that I am from out of
state. The cashier was more than happy to issue me a number to give me the
preferred price. If you are
interested in a rental car the airport literature stated that Alamo-National,
Dollar-Thrifty, Avis, Enterprise, and Hertz are all available on-site and Budget and U-save have off-site
locations with shuttle service. I am overwhelmed at the prospect of driving in
the Orlando area so a town car is well worth the money for me.
So I made it to Walt Disney
World with all of my luggage and my groceries having had a pleasant trip and an
easy car ride. All that and I saved money too! Reason enough for me to fly into
Sanford from now on. How about you?
[Our PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line and Its Ports of Call guidebook offer a full page of information (plus map) for the Orlando Sanford Airport!]
About the
Author: Margaret Harris is an avid Disney
traveler. Every trip she says “This is my last trip.” and then six months later
she is back on the Internet planning another trip.
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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. Also check out our
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Disney Feature:
A Walt Disney World
Veteran's First Trip To Disneyland by
Richard Mercer, Guest Columnist
Like many baby boomers, I grew up watching Walt Disney on TV telling the country about
Disneyland. But it was a distant, impossible dream. Our family didn't have the
money for that kind of vacation. So when a colleague suggested last year that I
should come with her to a conference in California to help make a presentation, my eyes lit up and I immediately started
conspiring to visit Disneyland as part of that trip. I made arrangements to stay
at Disneyland two nights prior to the conference.
Approaching
the entrance to Disneyland is a very difference experience from Walt Disney World. After checking
into the Howard Johnson hotel right across the street, I started walking down Harbor Boulevard toward the entrance. The
only hint of Disneyland was Space Mountain peeking over the wall on the other side of the street. Across the street
was a simple sign arching over the walkway that said "Disneyland" in blue letters. I walked under the sign, past the bus drop-off area and into a concrete courtyard. Only a few minutes after leaving my room I was at
the gates of Disneyland bearing my park hopper pass.
I entered Disneyland at 1:00 pm on Wednesday. I stayed until closing (8:00 pm) that day, came back at 9:00 am on Thursday (early
entry) and again stayed until closing. In a day and a half, 18 hours of park time, I did nearly everything I wanted to do in both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure!
Not that I
necessarily recommend this. Folks, don't try this at home. Or at Disneyland! This was done under ideal conditions by an experienced commando tourist
alone from opening to closing, during one of the least crowded times of the
year, on weekdays with excellent weather conditions. At Disneyland, the difference between weekday and weekend crowds is
much greater than it is at Walt Disney World. For a family trip, plan at least
three days for the Disneyland Resort. In addition to the two parks, there is
also a small Downtown Disney district and three official Disney hotels.
Rather than
reporting my experience in excruciating detail, I will answer some questions I
think other Disney World veterans might have.
Q: Is
January a good time to go?
A: Yes! The
weather was perfect from my point of view, varying between 50° and 75° with low
humidity and no rain! (This is after all!) The parks were marvelously un-crowded. I even
started recognizing people by the end of the day. I only stood in two
significant lines, for Matterhorn Bobsleds and Autopia, each about 20-25
minutes. Everything else was a walk-on or short wait.
A
disadvantage was that unlike at Walt Disney World, there is very little evening
entertainment on weekdays during slow season. There was only the Parade of
Dreams at the Disneyland park. No fireworks, no Fantasmic!, and (sob!) no
Electrical Parade.
Q: What's
the best attraction that isn't at Walt Disney World?
A: I would
say "Disney's Aladdin -- A Musical Spectacular," a stage show at Disney's
California Adventure. A large well-appointed new theater, excellent staging and
special effects, and a talented cast result in a show as good as the shows on
Disney Cruise Line. The only stage show at Walt Disney World that even comes
close is the newly-opened Finding Nemo show at Animal Kingdom. I loved them both
and it's great to see live shows making a comeback at Disney resorts. But in a
head-to-head comparison Aladdin seems to be the clear winner.
Honorable
mention goes to California Screamin'at Disney's California Adventure, and Indiana Jones Adventure
at Disneyland park.
Q: Is there
any compelling reason for those living far away to visit Disneyland Resort
rather than Walt Disney World?
A: This is a
matter of personal preference, but I would say no, not as far as attractions are
concerned. Of the 20+ unique attractions at Disneyland, the only headliners are the three mentioned in the
previous answer, plus Matterhorn Bobsleds.
Here are
some possible reasons for those from the Eastern US to visit Disneyland Resort:
You want
to experience as many different Disney parks as you can.
You want
to make a pilgrimage to the source of the magic, "where it all began."
You're
going to Los Angeles anyway, so why not?
All three of
these applied to me!
Q: What was
better, what was worse, what was a surprise or disappointment?
Better: Park entry -- they just scan the bar code on your pass. Pirates of the Caribbean, Winnie the Pooh, and ToonTown are better at Disneyland. Autopia is better than Tomorrowland Speedway.
Park-to-park transportation is much better -- it's a 100-yard walk!
Worse: Mulholland Madness is just an inferior version of Primeval Whirl -- it doesn't
spin. Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters has fewer targets but at least you can tell
when you've hit them. "Disneyland -- The First 50 Magical Years" is worth seeing if you have the time, but
"One Man's Dream" at the Disney-MGM< Studios
is much better.
Surprises:
The Disneyland Railroad goes through a covered section with a large dinosaur display
["Primeval World," which is satirized/honored as "Primeval Whirl" at Disney's
Animal Kingdom's Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama - Ed.]! Space Mountain has side-by-side
seating and a very different track than at Walt Disney World; it has only one
small drop and a smoother ride. The film about California, Golden Dreams, is
somewhat like the movies in World Showcase, but better and longer. I watched a
session of the Jedi Academy, which was a real treat for a Star Wars fan.
Disappointments: There is no "Partners" statue with Walt and Mickey, and no Roy
and Minnie bench. The Main Street Electrical Parade was not running. There is no
Tomorrowland Transit Authority ("people mover") in Tomorrowland. Matterhorn
Bobsleds was awkward to ride; you tend to slide around in the plastic seat and
the restraint didn't feel adequate.
Q: What was
the strangest experience you had at Disneyland Resort?
A: FASTPASS®! I only got two, and both times I had to ask for help. To avoid the
problems I had, you need to know two things. Disneyland FASTPASS® machines don't
pull your pass in like the ones at Walt Disney World. And they expect you to put
in your park pass with the magnetic stripe up. (Unlike the rest of the world
where the stripe goes down.)
Q: Does Disneyland "feel" the same as Walt Disney World? Does it have the same "magic"?
A: Inside Disneyland Park itself the answer is yes.
There you are in pretty much familiar territory, and the magic is still there.
Some have suggested that Disneyland cast members are less "magical" than those in Walt Disney
World. Upon reflection that may have been true, but the difference was minor and
didn't affect my enjoyment. If there is a difference, it is balanced by the
intimacy of a smaller park, and the realization that this is Where It All Began.
On the other
hand California Adventure has an entirely different feel to it than anywhere in
Disney World. The Hollywood Pictures Backlot area does feel somewhat like a
small, through-the-looking-glass version of Disney-MGM Studios, but the rest of it is ...different. It feels like
it was assembled from random parts. Nevertheless, I had a good time, spending
nearly half of my park time there exploring this "part-Disney and
part-something-new" park. "Adventure" really is the right word for it.
Q: Are you
going back?
A: Someday ... But it's hard to
justify taking the whole family when Walt Disney World is bigger and
closer!
[Going to Disneyland? Check out our award-winning PassPorter's Disneyland Resort and Southern California Attractions guidebook!]
About the Author: Richard Mercer is a veteran
of 11 Walt Disney World trips, three Disney cruises, four MouseFests, and now one trip to
Disneyland! In "real life" he is a mathematics professor at Wright State
University in the Dayton area.
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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 vacation plans. Also check out our
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