From the Authors: Fireworks!

Travel Feature: Florida Keys: Marathon & Big Pine

Disney Feature: Virtual Magic Kingdom

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Disney Music Magic, Sticky Note Shuffle, Trek to TTC

Captain's Corner: Clock Tower Clues

Q&A: How efficient is Disney's Magical Express Service?
 

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Updates:
What's New and Changed

Here are a few of the new developments at Disney:

Walt Disney World will be celebrating the Fourth of July in style with fireworks at THREE parks and Downtown Disney! On Tuesday, July 4 2006, a special Fourth of July fireworks show at the Disney-MGM Studios will commence at 9:00 pm, followed by Fantasmic! at 10:00 pm. Epcot will add a special holiday finale to the nightly IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth show at 10:00 pm. The Magic Kingdom will present a special version of the Fantasy In The Sky fireworks show at 9:00 pm. Later that night, Downtown Disney will host a new Fourth of July fireworks show that begins at midnight. If you are staying at a resort near Downtown Disney, you may want to bring ear plugs! The fireworks can be heard from nearby resorts. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest had it's World Premiere at Disneyland on June 24, 2006. Guests also got a sneak peek at the re-furbished Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, which re-opened to the public at Disneyland on June 26 and will re-open at Walt Disney World on July 7 (the same day the movie opens). A webcast of the premiere with footage from the attraction (including a clip of Johnny Depp meeting Captain Jack Sparrow) and interviews with the Imagineers involved in the "enhancement" of the attraction can be found on MSN.

The Disney Cruise Line hosted a group of school children from the Cayman Islands who were winners of the 2006 Jiminy Cricket's Environmentality Challenge (JCEC). The third-year class from George Town Primary School, the sixth-year class from St. Ignatius Catholic School and the eleventh-year class from John Gray High School attended an award ceremony aboard the Disney Magic where they posed for pictures with Jiminy Cricket and enjoyed a special tour of the ship. The JCEC is a program that encourages students in Florida, California, Hong Kong, and Grand Cayman (areas where Disney has a corporate presence) to learn more about how they can help create a healthier environment. 
 

Our thanks to 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

Our readers deliver a wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:

DISNEY MUSIC MAGIC
"If planning, reading, watching and shopping Disney is just not enough to keep you pacified as you wait for an upcoming Disney trip, then try tuning in! About 3 months ago I discovered Walt Disney World Park Music being played on Live 365 Internet radio and haven't looked back since. I play it all day at work and even sometimes at home on the weekends. Not only has it pacified my desperate waiting for my upcoming trip, but dare I say, it's also changed my daily outlook. I know that sounds corny but it's true. Listening to happiness all day has effected the way I react to people and things. I find myself whistling Disney tunes and taking that extra step to help others because, it's the Disney Way!" -- contributed by Cindy T. (Idlewylde@...)

STICKY NOTE SHUFFLE
"I have found a wonderful way to do the 'rough draft' part of planning my Walt Disney World itinerary for the week. First I draw out a calendar for the week I plan on going on a large piece of graph paper. (I turn the paper sideways, so that I can fit all my days without crowding them together.) Next, I write down EVERYTHING I want to do on the smallest size available of sticky note paper. Each item gets its own sticky note. And when I say I write down everything, I mean everything! I do one for each time I want to visit a theme park or water park, Extra Magic Hours, Downtown Disney, special meals, fireworks, parades, resorts I want to visit, places I want to shop, recreation, etc. It's also easier if you use a different color paper for different things - yellow for the parks, green for meals, purple for fireworks, parades, blue for recreation, etc. Then it's easy for me to just put the note on the day and time that I want to do a certain thing! And since plans ALWAYS change in the beginning stages of planning a Walt Disney World vacation, I can easily move the note around to work out the best itinerary for us! This is much easier that writing it down and then erasing things a million times. And, unlike doing an itinerary using a computer, you can easily carry it around with you and make changes and move things around as you get new ideas!" -- contributed by Amanda H. (mandabeads@...)

TREK TO TTC
"If your party is leaving the Magic Kingdom at park closing time and your car is parked at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) and both monorail lines appear way too intimidating you can also try the boat to the Polynesian resort. Once you disembark at the Poly, walk towards the Great Ceremonial House (the large reception hall in the middle of the resort - it's the tallest building) and then bear left.  Follow signs to the Tokelau and Rapa Nui buildings, and you will see signs for a walkway to the TTC. Follow that walkway, and you will be able to catch the tram to the parking lot." -- contributed by Leah R. (bwbelle@...)

>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 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 week's treasure from Captain Skatt's Journal:

"In honor of the first PassPorter reader to earn an official treasure hunter badge (Mirjam Rohleder), I travelled to her home country of Germany. In all honesty, I only went to the German pavilion, but I was able to experience German culture! I enjoyed German musicians while relaxing on the fountain in the village square with a Lowenbrau beer in one hand and a bratwurst in the other. As I was enjoying this delightful repast, the clock tower struck 2:00 pm. And what a surprise I received! When the clock struck the hour, ... (rest of text obscured by mustard)"

What does the clock tower in Germany do at the top of the hour?

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 Regina Tipton  who was the winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Regina correctly identified grass as the covering of the seating area besides the Kringla Bakeri og Kafe. To view the original clues, 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 Skatt. The new "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" book is now available! You can order the book today at http://www.passporterstore.com.

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Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

Martinvols asks: "How efficient is Disney's Magical Express service? How long will it take to get from the airport to our hotel?"

Jennifer and Dave answer: "Travel from the airport to Walt Disney World is very efficient - there's a huge staff on hand to make everything run like clockwork.

Travel from Walt Disney World to the airport is as slow as it ever was when Mears was fully in charge. The only "crew" is the bus driver, who has to wrangle the loading of all baggage and passengers. Once you arrive at the airport you'll be dropped at a single bus stop on Level 1, and must make your own way (with baggage, if you couldn't check it at the resort in advance) to flight check-in on Level 3. As a result, the scheduled pickup is typically 3 - 3.5 hours prior to flight time.

In short, Disney has substantially improved the airport to resort link, but has done little to change the resort to airport link."

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!

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Can you believe it? The Fourth of July is less than a week away! We hope you have your plans all set, whether it's watching the hometown parade and fireworks display, or heading out of town to the mountains, beach, lakes, city, forest or theme parks. Wherever you go, you can be sure there will be a spectacle in the skies (check our Updates column for the Walt Disney World fireworks low-down). While we admit we'd rather not brave the heat and crowds at Walt Disney World, the fireworks at Magic Kingdom will be especially dramatic, with the entire park being surrounded by exploding shells at certain times during the show.

This past weekend we drove north, for three nights of camping on the shores of Lake Huron, within sight of the majestic Mackinac Bridge, Mackinac Island, and Mackinaw City (yes, the spellings are different). We took a side jaunt to Sault Ste. Marie on Michigan's Upper Peninsula  to watch freighters pass through the famous Soo Locks that connect Lakes Superior and Huron, and to revisit memories of our Panama Canal passage last year. And of course, we ferried over to Mackinac Island for the day, to enjoy that island's car-less streets, fried Great Lakes whitefish, and famous fudge. (OK, so there's nothing unusual about Mackinac Island fudge - it's the same recipe as you find everywhere else - but tradition is tradition!) For the first time, we even took a horse-drawn carriage tour about the island. One of these days, when we've sold enough books, we'll book a stay at the Grand Hotel. Altogether, it was a delightful break from the office.

In other news, Captain Jack Skatt informs us that PassPorter reader Mirjam Rohleder has earned her treasure hunt badge! Mirjam is the first to complete and submit the Earn-Your-Badge Treasure Hunt (see pages 153-155 of PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World book). She received 168 points! She sent in photos of herself posing with the Treasure Hunt book around the world, a postcard to Captain Jack Skatt, autographs from Snow White, Donald Duck, Captain Hook, and Laguna Gator. She did a great job and really earned her "gold" badge, which she'll receive in the mail shortly. Congratulations, Mirjam! Who will be next to earn their treasure hunter badge? Could it be you?

In this edition of the newsletter Maureen Austin returns with the second part of her tour through the Florida Keys, and PassPorter Guide Robin Krenning-Capra confesses her addiction to Disney's free Virtual Magic Kingdom online game. As always, Captain Jack Skatt returns with a new treasure hunting game. Enjoy! 

Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors and Publishers

Unlocking The Magic of The Florida Keys: Marathon and Big Pine (Part 2 of 3)
by Maureen Austin, PassPorter Message Board Guide Guest Contributor 

(Note: The first installment of this series appeared in the  May 3, 2006 edition of this newsletter.)

Let’s get back on the road as we continue to make our way and discover more of the natural beauty found in the Florida Keys!

Head about 50 miles south of Key Largo and you’ll find yourself in Marathon. The name has rich Florida history in its three syllables. Henry Flagler, an industrialist whose influence is found all over the state, built a railroad with a passageway through the Keys. The task was daunting and he often called it a marathon - thus the name for this area was born.

Diving, snorkeling, fishing, and other water sports are a big claim to fame for this little island. Popular beaches include Sombrero Beach as well as Coco Plum Beach, which is frequented by visitors and locals alike. 

Animal enthusiasts and eco tourists will find special pleasure in a visit to Crane Point Hammock. Here you can check out the Marathon Wild Bird Center, where injured or ill birds of the Keys find time and treatment so they may be returned to the wild. Don’t depart Crane Point before visiting the Museum of Natural History. In addition, an adjacent children’s museum provides wonderful exhibits to teach your little ones (and you too!) about the many animals that call the Keys and Florida home.

Marathon certainly welcomes golfers, with a host of private courses. Some of the private clubs boast reciprocity agreements with other clubs across the country - so if you’ve got the links on your mind and your agenda, phone ahead to inquire. 

Smaller is better in Marathon and this holds true for accommodations in the area. Live Florida-style by checking out some of the traditional conch-style cottages available for rent. You can also choose among smaller, family run inns for unbeatable Florida hospitality.

Time to island hop on over to Big Pine Key. Travelers who enjoy a leisurely pace to touring and taking it all in will especially feel at home here.

One of this area’s best attributes is an obvious  stop, but stunning just the same. Bahia Honda State Park has beaches of pristine sand and gorgeous waters that are so incredible, it’s frequently named one of our country’s best beaches. You’ll find all sorts of delightful shore and water activities to please every member of your family.

Amidst the natural beauty of the beaches and pines for which the island is named for, you’ll find an enchanting species of deer for which the area has also become famous. Key deer abound here and there are opportunities to view them in their natural habitats.

Kayakers will find an absolute haven here, with many tour operators and rentals available for kayaking and other water sports, too.

Looe Key is known for its amazing panorama under the water with some of the best snorkeling and diving south of Miami. In addition, get your groove on while under the water every July - dive down and attend the Underwater Music Festival! Elvis has left the building folks, and is playing among the fish! 

Accommodations range from conch-style cottages to fish and dive camps to inns and motels. You’ll note the absence of large high rise hotels and resorts in the area, and as many locals will tell you, that’s all part of the charm. 

Ready to plan your adventure?  More information and resources for good travel planning are a click away. 

http://www.thefloridakeys.com/bigpine/index.html
http://www.thefloridakeys.com/marathon/index.html
http://www.visitflorida.com/destinations/area.php/ca=54
http://www.bahiahondapark.com

About the Author: Maureen Austin is co-owner of Grand Getaways Travel and a proud Florida native. Born in South Florida and having lived all over the state, she enjoys writing about the Sunshine State's many attractions and natural beauty. .

Virtual Magic Kingdom
by Robin Krening-Capra, PassPorter Message Board Guide and Guest Contributor

Looking for a way to fill the void we all feel between Disney trips? Want to make new friends who love Disney as much as you do? Do you miss walking around the parks and visiting the lands? 

Come on, we all know you are dreaming of that next Disney vacation. It’s okay to admit that you are a true Disney addict and crave the sights, sounds, and smells of the parks. You can even admit to ordering the next planning DVD just so you can glimpse the parks. 

Knowing we all suffer "park withdrawal," Disney has designed an online multiplayer game called Virtual Magic Kingdom, or VMK, to help fill the void. The game opened on May 23, 2005 and allows players of all ages to live the Disney magic from home. To play VMK, you create an account by submitting an e-mail address and picking a character name. Next, you choose your character’s gender, hair style and color, facial features, and even its skin tone. Picking your first outfit is fun, with many wardrobe choices. My character can even wear glasses so she can see where she is going! Finally, you choose one of six rooms so you can design your own guest room.

Once your character is properly clothed, you enter the Virtual Magic Kingdom where you will be known as “Guest” until your character’s name is approved. Upon entering VMK, you notice it’s designed around the lands of the Disney parks, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Main Street, Adventureland, and Frontierland. It also has guest rooms. Players explore VMK by traveling via paths or the monorail, a journey that reminds you of the real parks. 

Each land contains mini-games at which the player earns credits needed to purchase items from the inevitable Disney gift shop. Miss the Jungle Cruise? Visit the mini-game Jungle Cruise in Adventureland, where you will take pictures of animals with the virtual camera you bought at the virtual VMK Central. While you won’t see Johnny Depp, you can play Pirates of the Caribbean and shoot cannonballs at opposing pirates. Is your dream to be the 1000th ghost in the Haunted Mansion? Play the Haunted Mansion game in Frontierland (there's no Liberty Square/New Orleans Square here) and vacuum ghosts to earn points. (This is my favorite game because I can always tell my husband that I am vacuuming – he doesn’t need to know I am vacuuming virtual ghosts!) You can even search for and take pictures of Hidden Mickeys while you explore VMK.

VMK has Disney Characters who acknowledge you when you enter their rooms. The characters, such as the Yeti, Captain Blackheart, and the three Hitchhiking Ghosts, welcome you with their own little silly greetings. The Characters have even been known to wreak havoc by sending players on exciting treks through the Virtual Magic Kingdom.

It wouldn’t be Disney without the gift shops, so of course these, too, can be found in VMK. Yes, you can make purchases of virtual clothes, furniture, posters, and pins! Players compete in mini-games, which award credits towards the purchases. Players can also visit Disney Characters for daily credits. 

Your virtual purchases are used to clothe your character, decorate your guest rooms, and add to your pin collection. Miss purchasing clothing in a Disney shop? Have no fear; VMK sells virtual clothing items as well! There is a wide variety of everyday clothes, such as bottoms, tops, shoes, and hats. VMK will also sell special items, such as Princess dresses and crowns, space suits, diving helmets, Expedition Everest climbing gear, cowboy outfits, and Haunted Mansion suits, amongst other items. Often times the special clothing items are only sold for a short amount of time before they are pulled from the shelves, making them virtual collectors items.

There is a variety of items for furnishing your guest room, such as a thrones, rocking chairs, Madame Leota globes, posters, rugs, and water fountains. Players decorate their rooms to create a fun place to hang out with friends and play games. Awards are even given for best-decorated or themed rooms.

Pin collectors are not forgotten at VMK and pins can be purchased in shops or won in games. The pins reflect different Disney attractions and resorts. Special pins are awarded for finding Hidden Mickeys, discovering Disney Characters for the first time, or reaching a certain level in a mini-game.

My favorite pins are the Magic Pins, which allow players to briefly activate a special effect. With a double click of the mouse, a player can teleport, drive a car, or turn into a snowman, bat, or pirate. My favorite Magic Pin is the Dancing Inferno, which makes the player appear to be dancing in a ring of fire. Inferno is only given in staff games and is quite rare. When I won my Inferno, I was so excited I could barely type “thank you” to the staff member! 

One of the goals Disney had when creating VMK was to draw people into the parks. By creating in-park quests, Disney hoped to lure the addicts from the virtual park to the real parks. In June 2005, both Disneyland and Walt Disney World opened up VMK Central. Here players explore the parks to complete in-park Quests. These treasure hunts send players through the parks in search of answers to questions about park attractions. To participate in the Quests, the player must download a Quest from the VMK web site before leaving home (Quest sheets are not given out at the parks) and exchange it for a Quest card at VMK Central. Once you correctly complete the Quest you are awarded cards that contain codes for virtual items.

Disney also encourages those of us who are addicted to VMK to make purchase in certain shops in the real parks. Buy candy and receive a card with a code for a Virtual Penny Press. Purchase a hat at a certain shop and earn virtual gold Mickey ears. 

What do players do with the stuff they purchase or win? Trade! Players are able to trade items they no longer want for items they either collect or want for their virtual character. It can be exciting to finally trade for an item you have been looking for. Who needs baseball cards when you have virtual VMK items to trade?

The question many parents have when allowing their children to play VMK is whether it’s safe or not. Rest assured VMK is very safe for players of all ages. VMK is monitored by staff members who can be identified by VMK_ or HOST_ in their names. Staff members not only host fun games and events, they are immediately available when a player calls for help. The staff members monitor conversations and will ban players who are not following the VMK values. Asking for personal information is not allowed and will get players banned. Community Members also help monitor the game. Most importantly, the VMK dictionary is quite limited and prevents players from using numbers and many words. 

While designers of VMK haven’t quite figured out how to get the smells of the parks to us through VMK, they have captured the magic for those of us who cannot get to the parks. VMK may have been designed with children as the focus; however, many of the friends I have met on VMK are adults and are fellow Disney addicts. Regardless of age, VMK allows the player to relive the magic of Disney. 

My name is Robin, and I am a VMK addict! 

About the Author: Robin is a PassPorter Message Board Guide and is addicted to Disney and VMK. She and her husband teach middle school in a suburb of Denver, Colorado.

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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.