From the Authors: Waiting for Spring

Travel Feature: Home Sweet Home: Jennifer and Dave's Vacation Home Holiday

Disney Feature: Disney's Wilderness Lodge 

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Let It Happen, Straight To Toontown, Attitude Counts

Captain's Corner: Hobie Hunt

Q&A: Is Pin Trading the same at Disneyland as at Walt Disney World?
 

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Updates:
What's New and Changed

Here are a few of the new developments at Disney·

Disneyland will host Disney's California Food and Wine Weekends 2006 every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between April 28 and May 21, 2006, as part of the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. Events will include Celebrity Chef dinners, wine seminars and culinary demonstrations. 

Visitors to Walt Disney World will be able to enter from the west for the first time beginning April 4, 2006 when Western Way, the new entrance to Walt Disney World from the Western Beltway expressway, opens. This will allow tourists driving in on Interstate 75 to the Florida Turnpike direct access to Walt Disney World without encountering the traffic lights on US 27 and SR 192, or having to take I-4 through Orlando traffic. The Western Beltway runs north/south just to the west of Disney property. At the north, it connects with the Florida Turnpike. Its southern end connects with SR 192, and will soon continue on to connect with I-4. Western Way runs roughly east-west, ending at Buena Vista Drive near Blizzard Beach and Coronado Springs Resort. A trip on this toll road will cost around $2.00

Disney Cruise Line now offers guests a chance to complete their check-in paperwork online. My Online Check In is available at http://www.disneycruise.com by clicking the My Disney Cruise tab. Guests can fill out and print all the required travel forms online. When guests arrive at the Disney Cruise terminal they turn in the forms and are cleared for embarkation. This should help expedite the already smooth boarding process. 

Our thanks to AllEarsNet.com for some of these 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:

LET IT HAPPEN
"My husband and I visit often, so to keep the 'magic' alive, one day out of our trip we just let things happen by taking the first bus that stops. We have discovered many new things because we didn't have a game plan to follow."
-- contributed by Pamela V. 

STRAIGHT TO TOONTOWN
"It seems that everyone with small children believes that they have to hit Dumbo first. The line there seems to be huge a few minutes after the park opens. We took a different route and made a beeline to Toontown and rode Goofy's Barnstormer four times without any wait at all. One time after our ride was over, there was no one else in line waiting so the attendant let us ride again without even having to get off!"
-- contributed by Paula J.

ATTITUDE COUNTS
"Keep a happy face and a positive attitude! Take a look at the kids on the trip and see their excited faces; or at your parents and see how happy they are to be there with the family. If you keep an open mind and a positive attitude, you can get the most magic out of Disney World!"
-- contributed by Sheryl E. (emmonssr@...)

>Notes: Send us your tips ! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter!

Want more Disney tips? We've collected 500 of the tips submitted by readers over the past six years -- most have never been published before. All have been edited for accuracy and categorized. The "Disney 500" are available in e-book form for immediate download. For details, visit the PassPorter Store.

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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 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:

"I am flabbergasted by how many people found the answer to last week's question by taking my little treasure hunt. Clearly I was not offering enough of a challenge. So today I rambled about the backlot looking for a suitably difficult treasure hunt question to stump these clever hunters. I've unearthed an odd bit of treasure that should be hard to find! It's a flyer detailing a Special Purchase Program for Walt Disney Productions employees on the purchase of Hobie Cat sailboats (of all things). The flyer is located in the Backlot Express eatery, near the Stuntsmans Area. Ha! I love the name of the company offering this deal ... (rest of text obscured by a bit of cheeseburger)."

What is the name of the company offering the Hobie Cat deal? (Hint: Explore the Treasure Hunt guidebook information site in deep detail.) 

Congratulations to Lisa Manthey who was the winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Lisa correctly identified the Captain's archrival as Professor Knott. To view the original clues, see the last newsletter.
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!

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 will release the book -- "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" -- in April 2006. You can pre-order the new book today at http://www.passporterstore.com.

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Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

DebbieG asks: "Is pin trading at Disneyland similar to pin trading at Walt Disney World? My 3 year old niece will be there next week, and I'm thinking of sending some trading pins with her so that she can trade. Do some Cast Members wear green lanyards and trade only with kids? I know that she is little to do it on her own, but I am sure that she would enjoy collecting a few princess pins! Thanks for your help!"

Jennifer and Dave answer: "At Disneyland Park, may we recommend The Little Green Men Store Command shop (at the exit to Buzz). It's effectively Pin Central for that park, and there are pin trading tables right outside, special pin events, etc. You can usually find several "professional" pin traders in the area, and the Cast Members know their pins inside and out.

At Disney's California Adventure, pop into the Greetings from California shop, near the main entrance. Again, it has a very large pin inventory. It doesn't attract pin traders the way the shop at Disneyland does, though.

The World of Disney shop in Downtown Disney has a very large pin department and is also the focal point for pin events.

Note that Disneyland hosts regular pin trading events (I think they're monthly), typically in a ballroom at the Grand Californian. You can learn about these at the shops I've mentioned."

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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Future Newsletters:
Want To See Your Name in Print?

Big News! PassPorter News is now published weekly. 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 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" and receive a $25 gift certificate for use at www.passporter.com. 

For details and our article submission guidelines, please e-mail news@passporter.com. Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed!

Home Sweet Home: Jennifer and Dave's Vacation Home Holiday
by Jennifer and Dave Marx, Authors of the PassPorter Walt Disney World Resort guidebook
 

Ah, there's nothing like home! That's not a phrase we use much while traveling, but on our most recent trip, it flitted through our minds several times. Unlike our usual whirlwind, intense research trips to Walt Disney World, we spent a glorious week at a vacation home just five minutes from Disney property and ... gasp! ... we actually relaxed! Here's a mini trip report of our week of rest and relaxation in a vacation home:

Friday, 7:30 am: The alarm goes off and reminds us its time to get up, pack the car, and get on the road. Yes, we're driving to Florida from Michigan. Sure, it's almost 1200 miles and 18 hours of driving, but as former members of the long-distance relationship club, we enjoy long car trips. This is to be Alexander's first car trip, and at 19 months old, perhaps a bit of a challenge. But we have a DVD player in the car, books on CD, toys, and snacks, and we're as prepared as we can be. 

Saturday, 7:00 pm: We arrive in Kissimmee, Florida after a stopover Friday night at Dave's brother's house in Marietta, Georgia. Alexander came through our driving adventure with high marks! We stop at the All-Star Vacation Home office conveniently located down the road from our vacation home rental and pick up our keys and a map. Within minutes we're driving through the security gates (key code conveniently provided, of course) and into "our" driveway at 8009 Acadia Estates. We stepped inside (the lights had been left on for us) and found our home away from home was everything we hoped for, and more. The house matched the floor plan, photos, and 360-degree tours offered at the All Star Vacation Homes web site. We excitedly walked through the entire house to gawk at the game room (complete with air hockey, foosball, pool table, and skeeball), the movie theater (seriously!), the pool and hot tub, and the five bedrooms. Alexander toddled around the house with glee, ecstatic to be out of his car seat after a long day on the road. After our tour, we went down the road for dinner at Pizzeria Uno, and then back to our home to put Alexander to bed. Dave went upstairs to get online and check e-mail with the provided Dell computer and wireless Internet, while Jennifer made a beeline for the hot tub. Ahhhhh. 

Sunday, 9:00 am: Alexander wakes in his crib in the second downstairs bedroom and is ready to start the day. We'd brought along the appropriate baby accoutrements for this trip, such as a booster seat for dining, child safety gate, Pack 'N' Play, and outlet covers, so Jennifer set out baby-proofing while Alexander watched the Disney Channel on the 54" projection TV in the living room. Baby-proofing was not overly difficult, and All Star Vacation Homes have child safety fencing around the pool. The only challenge we faced was the lever-style door handles, as Alexander learned to open them easily. This cloud proved to have a silver lining, however, as Alexander also learned to knock on doors and ask "Who's there?" (albeit a bit mumbled) while he opened and closed these doors. (Note that you can rent items like booster seats, safety gates, and cribs through All Star Vacation Homes by calling in advance. We got a crib through them -- it was already set up in the room of our choice upon our arrival and it was much higher quality than the sort you find in most hotel rooms.) After a good sleep, Dave went to this weekend's NFCC (National Fantasy Fan Club) Disneyana Show and Sale with our good friends Bruce and Marta Metcalf, where he hooked-up with many friends from the Disney community. Jennifer stayed behind to go shopping at a nearby Publix, and stocked the house with foodstuffs. After the show, we all watched a DVD in our private theater with 65" DPL HD Screen with Surround Sound and tiered stadium seating. Yes, we're now officially being spoiled! Dinner tonight was at Boma, a short drive away at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The ease with which we got there and back trumped staying on Disney property and using Disney bus transportation. 

Monday: A truly lazy day was ours today. We took naps, watched TV, played games, and went swimming. Everything about the house made it perfect for relaxation. Jennifer particularly enjoyed her nap in the master bedroom, which has a sliding glass door onto the patio. She opened the door a crack and let the sound of the pool's waterfall lull her into a blissful nap. This evening's dinner was at Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney. On our walk through Downtown Disney, two PassPorter message board members spotted us and we stopped to chat for a bit. Dinner was great and quite economical - we also enjoyed our first real Disney visit of the trip. 

Tuesday: Another lazy day in the vacation house. Dave made another trip to Publix to shop for tonight's barbecue. The house has a full kitchen (refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, toaster, coffeepot, plates, flatware, utensils, pots, pans, glasses, and MUCH more), as well as a large gas barbecue grill in the yard. While the chicken was marinating in garlic, lime juice, mint and olive oil, Jennifer took Alexander to Downtown Disney for some fun on the carousel and some play time at the LEGO store. This evening our friends Steve and Vicki Barrett came over to share our barbecue dinner. (Steve is the author of the popular "Hidden Mickeys" book.) The barbecue grill worked like a charm and we had a semi-relaxing dinner (Alexander was more into throwing his food tonight than in eating it). Afterwards, Dave and Steve messed about in the game room. 

Wednesday: Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom was calling our name, and we went to check it out. Thanks to our relaxed timetable, we didn't get to the park until noon and by then the FASTPASSes had all been distributed for the day. So we decided to ride around parade time when the standby lines would (hopefully) be shorter. In the meantime, Jennifer took Alexander to see Pocahontas in Camp Minnie-Mickey while Dave strolled around with friends Bruce and Marta. After a filling meal at Tusker House, Alexander conveniently fell asleep in his stroller and Marta watched him while Jennifer, Dave, and Bruce rode Expedition: Everest. The queue was simply amazing, with the same kind of detail and theming found at other Animal Kingdom attractions like Kali River Rapids. At one point the queue passes through a museum dedicated to the Yeti. We could have easily spent an hour browsing the exhibits here, but the queue moved far faster than that. We snapped many photos while in the queue for later examination - we might come up with some "treasure" to share with Captain Jack Skatt. We also enjoyed the ride quite a bit. Neither of us are extreme coaster fans, so it was reassuring to see that the ride vehicles did not require shoulder restraints (lap restraints were secure and robust, though, and there were cushioned headrests). We settled into our seats, and before we knew it, we were off on our journey towards Everest. After a short trip up the first lift hill and through the foothills, our train started climbing the main lift hill to the mountain top, passing through a hilltop monastery along the way. Reaching the mountain's peak, our train rolled forward through a series of short bends and hills. We coasted up one short hill and our train came to a stop on the slope. Something had torn up the tracks ahead! A buzzard soared ominously nearby. The train rolled backwards into the mountain's dark interior, swooping through unpredictable twists and turns, until we came to a stop in a dimly-lit cavern. Silhouetted in the cave's mouth we saw a huge, hairy beast, pouncing on a railway trestle and roaring as he tore the track to bits. Our train started forward again, dashing at high speed to escape the danger. In, out and around the mountain we went, in a series of moderate drops and tightly-banked curves until, reentering the mountain, we came "this" close to the towering, hairy Yeti "in the flesh" (or fur, as the case may be). The huge, Audio-Animatronic creature leapt right at us, and we were lucky to escape to tell the tale!  Whew! This is definitely Disney's greatest "mountain" yet. Imagineers have borrowed elements from the many classics that proceeded it, including the rugged scenery and "broken" track of Big Thunder Mountain, the close encounter with a huge, Animatronic beast from Dinosaur, the (far smaller) Yeti/Abominable Snowman from Disneyland's Matterhorn, and the speed and turns of Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. Everest, however, "plusses" every one of those elements to the max - no half-way measures here! Still, while the dramatic story pulled no punches, neither of us felt the coaster was quite as extreme as expected (although Dave was a bit woozy at ride's end). Even Jennifer, who is not a roller coaster fan, will ride it again. However, one ride was enough for us for one day, and we soon parted company with our friends and headed back to our "home," just minutes away. Dinner this evening was at Wilderness Lodge's Artist Point and was as delicious as always. 

Thursday: Now that we'd gotten a taste of a Disney park, we decided to visit Magic Kingdom for a few hours for Alexander's benefit. He met Mickey Mouse in person in Mickey's Toontown Fair (amazingly short queue!), played in Toon Park and Pooh's Playful Spot, bounced along in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, whirled about on Cinderella's Golden Carousel, and flew high on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. He loved each one and, if he could communicate better, we're sure he'd recommend each to his fellow toddlers. During our Magic Kingdom outing, we also had the pleasure of meeting radio talk show host Rusty Humphries and his wife - they'd read our newsletter that morning and learned we were in town. We enjoyed milkshakes together at The Plaza Restaurant and Rusty invited us to appear on his radio show when our new books come out! After our play date in the Magic Kingdom, we returned to our vacation home for a refreshing dip in the pool. We swam in the pool and/or relaxed in the hot tub daily -- it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Jennifer also adored the huge "garden" tub in the master bathroom (Alexander liked it, too). 

Friday: Today began with some high-tech TV watching in the movie theater, followed by a game of skeeball in the game room. Then we were off to Disney-MGM Studios for some playtime at Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure. Dave just had to play a round of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. He got up onto the top ten board several times, but no Hot Seat. Then it was back to the vacation home for another dip in the delightful pool and a nap for Alexander. Our last dinner of the week was at Narcoosee's at the Grand Floridian, which delivered another delightful meal and a lovely view of the Wishes fireworks. 

Saturday: All good things must come to an end. We had a truly relaxing time in our vacation home and can't wait to do it again. This was our second vacation home stay with All-Star Vacation Homes and we cannot recommend them highly enough. Their homes are beautiful, clean, and FUN... plus their customer service rivals Disney's. We hope to go back again next year! If you'd like to read more about All Star Vacation Homes, check out our article from last year's visit and visit their web site at http://www.allstarvacationhomes.com. 

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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A Total Disney Experience: Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
by Jill Clinevell Shelton, Guest Contributor
 

If you enjoy Disney theming at its best, love relatively quick and scenic transportation to the Magic Kingdom, and long for laid-back pampering at a deluxe resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is the resort for you!

From the moment you turn onto Timberline Drive and wind your way through the tall conifers and Redwoods that line the road, you’ll know you’ve entered a magical place. The tall main gate made from bundles of huge logs welcomes you to the Lodge and gives you a hint of what’s to come.
 
As you top the incline, you’ll catch your first glimpse of the majestic lodge. Its beautiful log exterior with the many-leveled green roof looks just as you might imagine a grand lodge might appear. Cast members dressed as park rangers wait to greet you as you pull up to the massive front doors.

The sights, smells, and sounds that greet you when you step over that threshold onto the rough-hewn granite floors momentarily take your breath away. The seven-story high lobby is breathtaking to behold. You feel tiny and childlike as you glance backward at the huge doors through which you just stepped and then see the enormous bundled log pillars and totem poles. The beautiful teepee light fixtures hang several stories above you and beg to be more closely examined from the floors above. You immediately notice the comforting smell of a wood fire burning in the nine-story fireplace on the opposite wall, and the background music evokes the frontier spirit. 

The motto of the resort, “Don’t just stay … explore,” is just what you long to do as you make your way across the vast lobby, past the mission-style furniture placed in groupings on reproduction Native American rugs, and toward the little foot bridge near the back side of the lobby. Any children in your group will rush toward the bubbling spring and clamber to the top of the bridge to peer over and toss in a penny. You’ll notice that the spring leads right under the glass wall of the lodge to a pebble-bottomed stream, Silver Creek. If you follow the stream outside into the courtyard, you’ll notice that it leads to Silver Creek Falls, which empties into the free-form swimming pool known as Silver Creek Springs. As you meander over the wooden walkways, you’ll notice the hot and cold Silver Creek Spas and soon you’ll come upon Fire Rock Geyser, modeled after Old Faithful, which erupts every hour from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm. (Better than the real thing, in true Disney style, the geyser is even programmed with a wind gauge, which dictates the height of the spray so nearby balconies stay dry.) As you turn to look back upon the majestic sight of the Lodge with its two enormous wings and the beautiful “nature” that abounds, you’ll know you’ve chosen the most magical place to stay.

For families, the location of the Lodge is perfect! After a scenic five-minute stroll from the back of the lodge, over cement pathways marked with animal paw prints, and over raised wooden walkways, you arrive at the Lodge’s private dock on Bay Lake. Hop aboard a launch to the Contemporary Resort, Fort Wilderness, or the Magic Kingdom. A trip back to the Lodge for a nap or a swim is just as quick and simple. At the end of the day, as the boat is approaching the Lodge, be sure to see if you can spot the bear face built into the architecture! 
 
As with all deluxe resorts, amenities abound for you at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. There are three restaurants, a lounge and a poolside bar to choose from. For a quick meal or snack, choose Roaring Fork Snacks. The counter-service restaurant offers many quick “pick up and go” items as well as a few made to order fast food items. (The chicken salad sandwiches are delicious after a hard day of playing in the parks!) Whispering Canyon Café is a great family-oriented restaurant with Lincoln Logs to divert folks waiting to be seated, and stick horse races are organized among the diners. (Just don’t ask for the ketchup - you’ve been warned!) Artist Point is one of Disney World’s signature fine dining restaurants, featuring cuisine of the great Northwest prepared by world-class chefs. Among other amenities, the Lodge offers an arcade, health club, boat and bike rental, bike and jogging paths, a childcare "club," playground and a mercantile.
 
There are fireplaces on the floors overlooking the lobby that offer cozy nooks in which to relax, read, or have quiet conversation. Take a walk to the observation deck that overlooks the pool area and Bay Lake. It is the perfect viewing spot for the Electrical Water Pageant that entertains guests of the lake-view resorts every night. By day the deck offers a view of Discovery Island, the now closed wildlife preserve.
 
Upon check-in, ask about being the Flag Family one morning of your stay. During this popular daily ceremony, one family is picked to meet a cast member and climb to the roof of the Lodge. The family then assists in raising the flags that fly high atop the Lodge. There is time for a look around at the spectacular view of the other parks and some of the area resorts. At the conclusion, the family is given a certificate to commemorate this special and magical event.
 
Don’t let your time at the Wilderness Lodge slip away without taking a guided tour of the Lodge, offered most mornings, or searching for Hidden Mickeys. The cast members at the front desk have copies of a Hidden Mickey scavenger hunt. 
  
There are so many compelling reasons to visit the Lodge. It is majestic yet comfortable and cozy all at the same time. Once you visit, you’ll long for those comforting yet exhilarating sights, sounds, and smells that greet you when you arrive at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge! 

Jill is a former schoolteacher and a stay-at-home mom of two little Disney princesses.  She and her family love learning about Disney secrets and history and are currently planning their next trip to the World, a Grand Gathering, for later this year. 

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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.