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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: Back from Walt Disney World!
Travel Feature: A Wrap-up of DCL's Inaugural Mediterranean Cruise
Disney Feature:
Chaperoning A Trip to Walt Disney World
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Familiar Family Fashions, Go With the Flow, Don't Overlook Epcot
Captain's Corner: Customs Office
Q&A: What's the best way to get a photo of the light up sidewalks outside of Innoventions at Epcot?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
Reservations for special dining events at this years Food & Wine Festival such as the Party for the Senses will be available beginning at 7:00 am on August 6, 2007. Reservations can be made by calling Disney Dining at 407-WDW-DINE.
Do you own a Nintendo DS and a copy of the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End video game? Disney has installed a hidden "hot spot" near the Pirate's of the Caribbean attractions at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. If you find the "X marks the Spot" location, you can download bonus content such as cheat codes, additional costumes, weapons, etc. The spot will remain active through Labor Day weekend.
Speaking of video games, Disney has announced it's first ever video console game designed specifically for young girls. Made for use on PS2, PC and Wii, Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey allows players to create their own character who restores order to the various kingdoms of the Disney Princesses Ariel, Cinderella, Jasmine, and Snow White. The game will be available Fall 2007.
The Sosa family, proprietors of Sosa Cigars, has opened a second location in Downtown Disney - Fuego by Sosa Cigars, where patrons can indulge their love of smoking cigars. This lounge will be open daily from 11:00 am until 2:00 am and will serve wine, beer, and spirits along with specialty coffees. The new shop is in Pleasure Island, near Mannequins Dance Palace and Raglan
Road restaurant. (We spotted it last weekend! - Jennifer & Dave)
Our thanks to AllEars.net and MousePlanet.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
Our readers deliver a wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:
FAMILIAR FAMILY FASHIONS
"I would definitely recommend dressing your family alike, especially in the busier parks. Last week in the Magic Kingdom my three boys (8, 6, and 4) and I stopped to watch the Pirate Tutorial while Dad went to find the stroller. We had to move closer to get a better view of Captain Jack Sparrow and Dad lost sight of us. A cast member watching the crowd directed him to us right away because he recognized our matching shirts."
-- contributed by Ame A.
GO WITH THE FLOW
"Have a plan, but know that it is just a guide. Plans can change during the day. Try to go with it and not stress out. Enjoy the magic!"
-- contributed by Jamie B.
DON'T OVERLOOK EPCOT
"I would tell people traveling with toddlers not to discount Epcot when thinking of the little ones. In fact, when we traveled to Disney World in October 2006, my son was 17 months old, and it was his favorite park. As we strolled through the World Showcase, he was entranced by all of the musicians, particularly in Mexico. The guitarist playing in the mariachi band actually handed my son a marraca and Riley shook it with pride as he stood up there like part of the group and the man sung right to him. We have great pictures of this and will never forget that unexpected, treasured experience."
-- contributed by Nikki 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:
"A glance at the calendar this morning shows that August is fast approaching, and soon it will be time for my yearly stint at the Customs Office. I fear I may have left my 'Out to Lunch' sign up at the Customs Office while I've been gone. I do hope no one has been waiting for me to return. Ah, well, I'm sure the nearby trading post would have distracted them ... as would the delicious coffee brewing across the way. I hear Lilo may be in the neighborhood this summer -- perhaps she'd like a part-time job helping me out in the office."
Where is the Customs Office Jack writes about?
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 Barbara Baker who was the
winner of last week's trivia contest! Barbara was the first person to
identify the location of the golden trophy as a window on New York
Street at the Disney-MGM Studios. To view the
original clue, see last
week's 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 Jack Skatt. Get more details on "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" book at http://www.passporterstore.com.
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Q
& A:
With
Jennifer and Dave
Tink1769 asks: "What's the best way to get a photo of the light up sidewalks outside of Innoventions at Epcot [while including my girls in the shot]?
Dave and Jennifer answer: "There are several possible approaches to the challenge. The ones I'd suggest both require a tripod.
In one case, I'd use flash in conjunction with a long (night mode) exposure. The flash would freeze the girls, while the long exposure would capture the much dimmer lights. If the exposure time is long enough, the girls could dance out of the shot while leaving only a bare trace of a ghost behind. A tripod would be required, and the aperture would have to be stopped all the way down to force the longer shutter speed (use an Aperture Priority setting, in other words).
This may not even be possible to do, depending on the camera, so an alternative is to composite (overlay) two separate shots using photo editing software. Take one shot of the girls with flash, and one shot of the lights (from the very same position) without flash - use a tripod so both images will match-up exactly. It may not be "honest," but the results will probably be quite cool."
Have a question? 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:
Want 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" 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!
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Our Sponsors:
We Recommend...
PassPorter only accepts advertising from services of the highest quality -- we recommend these companies because we use them ourselves. Please support our sponsors and, in turn, support this newsletter! This week's sponsors are (in order of appearance):
MouseEarVacations.com -- Disney Cruise Line special offers
Mouse Fan Travel -- MouseFest, Super Soap Weekend, and Marathon Friends/Family offers
Quicksilver Tours & Transportation -- Save $5 off airport round-trip transportation in a town car
Thank you, sponsors!
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From the Authors: Back from Walt Disney World!
Hi,
{{user("firstname")}}!
All
great trips must come to an end, and so it was with our most recent
research trip to Walt Disney World where we collected more than 5000 photos! It was wonderful to gauge
Alexander's personal growth -- his growing skill at communicating his likes and
dislikes, his changing tastes, and his ability to comprehend Disney
storytelling (on his last visit the only "story" he cared about was
"teacups spin," now he actually understood some of the narratives).
This was all a constant source of wonder for Mom, Dad, and big
sister Allie. Alas, this visit also marked the end of an era. By the
next time Alexander visits Walt Disney World he'll have celebrated his
third birthday. No more free admission for Alexander! Oh, and one
more thing. Alexander now runs. Fast! What happened to the good old
days, when he never strayed from his stroller?
PassPorter Store News: We've added a cool new book, "Today in History: Disney" by Eve Zibart, to our store offerings. This is a great trivia/history book, organized with an entry for every day of the year -- makes a great trip countdown, too! For our review, details, and 15% off, visit http://www.passporterstore.com/store/
1578602769.aspx
Additionally, we have a new list of PassPorter book close-outs at discounts up to 95% (or as low as $1.00). Close-out books range from spirals and paperbacks to deluxe starter kits and refill kits. Close-outs are available for both our Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line books. Please note that all quantities are limited and when they are gone, they're gone. For details and prices, visit http://www.passporterstore.com/store/closeouts.aspx
PassPorter's
Club Update
Nearly
700 vacationers
are now enjoying access to all our e-books and e-worksheets -- thank
you for your continued support! (If this number seems lower than last
week's ... we have to apologize for a bit of a math error. We definitely
have it right this time!)
The next new e-book, "PassPorter's Disney Character Yearbook," will become available for Club Passholders free of extra charges next week. Stay tuned for details!
More details at http://www.passporter.com/club
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Meet us in person: Will you be at July's sold-out MagicMeets event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania? We sure will! We'll be on hand to meet, greet, and maybe put on a presentation or two.
MouseFest Park Schedule: For those of you joining us for MouseFest 2007, you can now consult the MouseFest Park of the Day schedule at http://www.mousefest.org -- stay tuned for more MouseFest announcements in the weeks and months to come.
In
this issue, Feature Columnist Cheryl Pendry completes her tale of the Disney Magic's Inaugural Mediterranean Cruise, and first-time Guest Contributor Teresa Weddelman shares her tips for Chaperoning a Walt Disney World Trip. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt.
Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Publishers and Authors
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Travel
Feature:
A Wrap-Up from Disney's Inaugural Mediterranean Cruise
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
We have safely returned from our Magic-al time cruising around the Mediterranean with Disney and life is back to normal. The washing is (finally!) done, the house and garden are back in some semblance of order and I'm being reminded that I really should finish telling you all about the rest of our 11 nights on the Disney Magic in the heart of Europe.
When we left off a couple of weeks ago, we had a string of ports ahead of us. This is when I became very glad that we'd opted for the 11-night cruise, as opposed to the 10-night version. The extra night is, not surprisingly, spent at sea and it broke up the feeling we were starting to get of an endless series of ports. On the 10-night version, you'll be calling at all seven ports in seven days without a break. A lot of those ports are long days as well, as they're often a good hour or more drive away from the big cities that most people want to see.
I won't say much about the ports we visited, as they all warrant an article in their own right and some will get that honor in the next few weeks. What I will tell you is that all the ports we called at were excellent and the general consensus amongst passengers seemed to be that we wouldn't change anything, although a few people felt that perhaps the stop at Palermo could be removed in favor of two days at Civitavecchia (for Rome).
The shore excursions did vary considerably in their quality. Some I couldn't fault, while others had failings with the transport the jetfoil between Naples and Sorrento is not an experience I ever want to repeat. It was more challenging than any thrill ride at a Disney park, or any other park for that matter! Although all our guides knew their subject thoroughly and were full of interesting information about all the places we visited, some did a better job than others of keeping the group together and at pacing the tour. On more than one occasion, we were rushed when we would have preferred to have taken things more slowly. Having said that, I didn't regret taking any of the shore excursions and all of them were a great way to see a lot of each place in a short space of time.
As perhaps you'd expect, the first ever Disney cruise around the Mediterranean attracted a lot of interest at every port we visited. We had a great welcome everywhere we stopped. Some ports went to a lot more trouble than others, with a band awaiting us at Olbia, special shops on the quayside at Marseilles and best of all, a firework display just for the Disney Magic at Villefranche. That was quite something to see and an amazing sen- off, as we set sail shortly afterwards.
Of all the ports we stopped at, Villefranche (for Monte Carlo, Monaco, Nice, and Eze), and La Spezia (for Florence and Pisa), were probably my favorites. Not only were they the stops for some breathtaking cities, but the ports themselves were beautiful. Ironically, they were also the only two ports we had to tender at (be ferried ashore by small boat). This was something I'd never experienced before and I wasn't sure how well it would work, but the system was superb. It helps to be on a Disney shore excursions on the days you tender, as they really do have the process for getting you ashore and back on board sorted out well for their tour groups.
Enough about the ports of call. A lot of our time was spent on board the ship and these were some of our favorite times, despite the bad weather that we ran into. It turns out that the Mediterranean is known for changeable weather and it can be very difficult to predict what's just around the corner. That was exactly the situation we found ourselves in when we left Palermo. At first, everything seemed smooth and then suddenly things got very rough indeed! The same thing happened the following night, although we did have an announcement by Captain Tom to warn us in advance. Apparently the night before, they'd had no warning about the rough weather. The moral of this story is to make sure that if you're prone to sea sickness, be sure to bring some tablets with you. For those two nights, they were the most important things we packed!
As you'd perhaps guess, the cruise was used to showcase a lot of new attractions on the ship, including three new stage shows of varying quality. We didn't think much of "Disney's The Art of the Story," designed to show the various elements of stories through some Disney classics. We felt there was too much focus on the newer films and somehow, the show just didn't gel for us.
We had no such complaints about "When Mickey Dreams," a Cirque du Soliel-like performance based around Mickey's dreams, and using the music from the retired and much-missed Tapestry of Dreams parade at Epcot. This brought me to tear,s and ranks in the top three of my favorite experiences on board the Disney Magic. I hope it will become a permanent feature for future cruises, although that does seem in doubt, as the performers come from Marseilles. It remains to be seen if they'll head back to the Caribbean when the Magic does.
I mentioned three top experiences and one of the other entries has to be Palo. This restaurant continues to provide the best food -- and service -- on board, and is a real culinary treat. On this cruise we were able to able sample the brunch and the afternoon tea for the first time and, although we enjoyed both, the brunch really was the scene stealer. I don't think I've ever been presented with so many different foods to choose from so early in the morning! We had no need to eat until the evening, after sampling pretty much everything that was offered.
Before the cruise, the one thing I was really looking forward to was Formal Night. I mean, when else can a girl dress up in her finery? It lived up to all my expectations and I loved the way that you could have your photos taken with backdrops of the Magic and some of the wonderful places we would be visiting. It made for some unique souvenirs and we certainly made sure to purchase all of our photos from Formal Night!
All too soon, our cruise was over and we were back in Barcelona, ready to disembark. We found this part the biggest anti-climax of the whole 11 nights. We just got up, went to breakfast and then walked off the ship. No banners saying "Til We Meet Again" as we'd had on our three-night cruise, and no crew members waving us off the ship. It was a shame, as the cruise had been superb and yet it was such a drab way to end it.
We'd pre-booked the transfers through Disney to the airport and, although we had a wait for the bus of about 40 minutes, trust me, we did far better than those who did it themselves and went for taxis. The waits there were well over an hour!
The one thing I will treasure most, along with the amazing places we visited and the superb facilities, meals, and shows on board the Disney Magic, were the great people we met during the cruise. They really made the 11 nights and it was lovely to meet so many like-minded Disney fans. Having experienced our first Inaugural Disney cruise, we'll be keeping our eye open for the next one, wherever it may take the Magic, and we may well see you on board!
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America. They were on the first 11-night sailing of the Disney Magic around the Mediterranean and are now looking forward to returning to Walt Disney World in December.
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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
Article Collection for more great information!
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Did You Know?
MouseFanTravel.com has special rates
& FREE extras for MouseFest 2007 too!
~ Walt Disney
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Includes a Disney Gift Card too!
If this doesn't quite fit your needs
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Disney Feature:
Chaperoning a Trip to Walt Disney World
by Teresa Weddelman, PassPorter Guest Contributor
Your child brings home a permission slip for a field trip (band trip, baseball tournament, Grad Nite, etc.) to Walt Disney World. You fill in your child's name and basic information. Then comes the next line, "Would you be willing to help chaperone?" For just a moment, you think it could be fun, but you quickly decide, nope - the responsibility, lack of sleep, time off work, not to mention embarrassing my child... but then, you reconsider for one more second. The experience may be magical! Next thing you know, you've checked "Yes." What next?
Even before the bags are packed, your "job" begins. Attend any informational meetings your trip coordinator schedules. Maintain an open line of communication. Assistance can be offered via telephone, note carried by your child, or e-mail.
But what if you have never been to Walt Disney World? Should you check "no?" Of course not. You don't need to have a visit to Walt Disney World under your belt to be an "expert." There is a wealth of information available to help prepare you for the trip. Disney offers a free video, the internet has numerous sites, and there are guidebooks galore. PassPorter is the best.
Look over maps of the parks. Disney offers a set of free maps to all the parks on their website. Become familiar with the lay of the "World." Check the menus for each of the restaurants at AllEars.net so you can recommend the best burger, pasta, and salad place at each of the parks (we found those were the staples of our teenagers' diets).
The director will usually give you a list of students going on the trip. Grab your child's yearbook and study the faces that go with those names. It is always nice to be able to use the student's names when you are on the bus, passing in the hallway, etc., and when they know that you know who they are, it is a bit harder for the students to misbehave. Most of us know our children's friends, but at a large school, it is very difficult to know everyone. Just take a quick peek each night before bed and before you know it, you will be able to call everyone by name.
Tuck in a few extra snacks. (The night before we left, we made little "Mickey Mix" snack bags for the kids - Mickey pretzels, "Minnie" marshmallows, M&M's, peanuts, Cheerios, etc. We put about a cup of mix in Disney treat bags. Even though the kids on our trip were in their late teens, they still got a kick out of the treats. And what teenager do you know that doesn't like food?! When you have a bit of doubt as to what is going on behind that closed door, those treats are a great way to open doors. And after they have been dropping a couple bucks at a time into vending machines for snack-size bags, they will appreciate it even more. It won't appear that you are checking up on them, but you will know what is happening. Of course, even without treats to distribute, if you have any doubts at any time, don't hesitate to knock and ask a question. As a chaperone, it is your responsibility to be sure they are safe and following rules.
It is wise to pack a bag of little extras -- band aids, ointment, sunscreen, safety pins or a sewing kit, duct tape, sanitary items, etc. If you are a chaperone that can help the students out in a pinch, they will soon be looking for you whenever they need help. As they are getting patched up, they often will let you know if anything else is bothering them. Sometimes there is a student who is homesick or having trouble coping with a friend. It gives them the opportunity to have a bit of one-on-one time with a caring adult.
I also drop a couple of Disney DVDs in my bag for the drive. The students usually pack the movies they would like to watch on the bus, but we have had problems with the ratings on the movies. Disney films are usually G or PG and appropriate for everyone. They may groan at a "kiddie" movie, but as they watch it, they become quite attentive. And a few Disney cartoons can lighten the mood when they are getting cranky.
While you are on the trip, be prompt. It is tough enough waiting on dawdling students, but when they wait on a chaperone, it is even worse. Plan on being everywhere 15 minutes early. Have a few Disney trivia questions handy for the students who arrive early. A small piece of candy or gum make great prizes. Follow the schedule of the person in charge.
Don't hesitate to correct bad behavior. If you nip a student early on for small problems, they don't turn into big ones. They realize you will not be letting them get away with bad behavior and they usually respond in kind. It really helps if the person in charge has great control in the classroom. If you see bad behavior, give the student a reason why they can't do it - I find their response is much better. Instead of saying "Get up so that lady can sit down," say "That mother will have a hard time holding her little girl when the bus starts moving. Why don't one of you let her have your seat?" Of course, it works best if you set a good example and offer your seat first. I notice after I give up my seat, the students are pretty quick to catch on and almost always look for someone to whom they can offer their seat. Don't permit line jumping. We usually keep the students with us for a while when we arrive at a park (before letting them loose). After we have shown them how to use FastPass, they feel like they have an upper hand on the other park guests, so they're less likely to jump the lines. We explain that if they want to ride with their friends, they can let other families move ahead of them, and wait until they are back with their friends. The students appreciate photos of their entire group of friends. When you see a group, even if it isn't your assigned group, offer to take a group photo for them.
The trip will be tiring. Be sure you catch up on your zzz's and be well rested prior to the trip.
Armed with this advice, go ahead and check the "yes" box. You'll have a great time and make some great memories with your child(ren) and their friends!
About the Author: Teresa Weddelman lives in Ohio and is looking forward to chaperoning her high school choir's trip to Walt Disney World in March 2008.
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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
Article Collection for more great information!
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Did
You Know?
You Can Arrive at Walt Disney World in Style!
Airport Meet & Greet, luggage help, free car seat
Free 30-minute grocery stop with airport round-trip
Special! $5.00 off airport round-trip
Use Discount Code: PassPorter News
Call 888-GO TO WDW
or visit quicksilver-tours.com
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