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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: Open Mouse Pre-Order!
Travel Feature: Menorca
Disney Feature:
Dave's Rumor Round-up
Updates:What's New and Changed
Tips: Post Vacation Family Fun, Foreign Language Fun, Security Strategy
Captain's Corner: Tomorrowland Power and Light Authority
Q&A: How much change do I need for the tolls in Florida?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
Reservations for the 2007 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival special events are being accepted beginning at 7:00 am on Monday August 6, 2007 by calling 407-WDW-FEST. You can make reservations for events such as the popular Party for the Senses, Wine Schools, and special dinners.
O Canada!, the film attraction at the World Showcase's Canadian pavilion, will be closed for refurbishment (and receiving a rumored brand new movie) from August 6-31, 2007. This is an extension from the original dates of August 20-24.
Traveling to Disney this holiday season? The Disney World Florist will be offering a Disney World Holiday Dream Tree that can be delivered directly to your resort room. The 4-foot tree is fully decorated with keepsake ornaments and lights. The price for resort delivery is $365 or to have it delivered to your home it is $410. Call the WDW Florist at 407-827-3505 for more information.
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:
POST VACATION FAMILY FUN
"We had a family reunion in May at Disney World. About two weeks after we got home I made up a trivia contest. I sent one to everyone that went on the trip. (Our family is spread out from the United States to Canada). The questions consisted of different things that happened on our trip. For example, 'What was the name of the director in the street performance at MGM?', 'What was the first ride that we went on when we entered Magic Kingdom?', 'Where did we all eat when we were at Animal Kingdom?', etc. Not only did my family enjoy trying to figure out the answers but they were also able to relive our vacation. Whoever got the most correct won a small prize. I don't think we will ever forget the fantastic time we had together but doing the questionnaire a couple of weeks later brought a smile to our faces and allowed us to relive our time together and keep the magic alive!"
-- contributed by Heather W.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FUN
"For a fun, free souvenir, go to any Guest Services in any of the parks and get a free guide map in a different language. We have fun trying to figure out the different attraction's names. We also have friends who are Japanese and they really appreciated when we brought them back the maps in Japanese." (Editor's Note: This is also a great idea for kids who are studying a certain country or language in school to bring back to share with their class.)
-- contributed by Lisa J.
SECURITY STRATEGY
"We have a system in which I carry the bag for the day, and my husband wears an ID holder (Ed. Note: such as a PassHolder Pouch!) to hold all our tickets. When we get to the park entry gates and security checks he can take the kids on ahead while I stand in the bag check line. Since you need everyone's ticket to get a FastPass for each person in your party to ride, he can go grab them because he has all the tickets in his ID holder while we enjoy a short rest or snack."
-- contributed by Michelle S.
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:
"My goodness, it has been hot this week! I've taken to going to Hall of Presidents or Universe of Energy several times in a row just to cool off. Air conditioning is my friend. I do wonder, however, if enough power can be generated to run all these air conditioners. I took a jaunt over to the Tomorrowland Power and Light Company for a bit of investigation. What I found disturbed me -- it would appear power is being generated by tourists pushing buttons and moving sticks. What happens when they get tired? Oh dear, oh dear."
Where is the Tomorrowland Power and Light Company? (For a bonus, name the slogan of the Tomorrowland Power and Light Company.)
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 Erin Blackwell who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Erin was the first person to identify Tinker Bell's prison as being in the waiting area of the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show 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
ilovedisney0_0 asks: "I am planning a trip from the Orlando airport to Kennedy Space Center, then back to Walt Disney World. I want to make sure I have enough change for tolls. We don't have those in Arizona, so I am a little out of the loop! How much change should I bring? What is the average toll fee? Do you have to have exact change? Do they take debit/credit cards if you don't have enough cash?"
Dave and Jennifer answer: "For Florida tolls, think mostly in terms of dollar bills rather than change. Most major toll booths in the Orlando area collect $1.00 or more. However, the toll booths at minor exits (such as the exit for John Young Pkwy off of 417), are unstaffed and usually run around $0.50. For those you'll definitely need coins.
The toll between Kennedy Space Center and Walt Disney World also varies, depending on whether you stay on 528 the whole distance (to the junction with I-4), or you take 528 to 417 in order to avoid I-4. You'll pay about $0.50 more if you use 417.
You can check more toll rates at Florida's Turnpike web site."
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):
Mouse Fan Travel -- MouseFest 2007 Cruise Offer! Book by 7/31/07 & Get a Free Disney Gift Card
MouseEarVacations.com -- Disney Cruise Line special offers - Great savings on a 7 night cruise in February 2008
Quicksilver Tours & Transportation -- Save $5 off airport round-trip transportation in a town car
Thank you, sponsors!
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From the Authors: Open Mouse Pre-Order!
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
August is here, and Alexander's third birthday is just around the corner ... seems like just yesterday that we were waiting expectantly for his arrival! Now Alexander is contributing ToddlerTips to PassPorter -- he can even identify the PassPorter logo and book covers!
The next PassPorter publication, PassPorter's Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line by Deb Wills and Debra Martin Koma (of AllEars.Net fame) is in production and is on track of a mid-September release (perhaps even a bit earlier). Open Mouse is actually the second edition of the award-winning book formerly known as PassPorter Walt Disney World for Your Special Needs. While a rose by any other name should smell as sweet (this one sure does), we thought the new name better encompassed the scope and spirit of this amazing book, which helps readers plan easy-access vacations for travelers with extra challenges. The 448-page guidebook should be ready to ship by mid-September. What better time to put the book into the PassPorter Store for pre-order? In fact, anyone who pre-orders a copy through the PassPorter Store receives an "easy-access" PDF file to download immediately after payment is made -- use it to view the print larger, have the text read out loud to you, or just get started planning before the books arrive! Get details and 40 free sample pages at the Open Mouse Information Center.
Did you know we have other free guidebook pages for download? In addition to free pages from PassPorter's Open Mouse guidebook, we offer free pages from PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line guidebook and PassPorter's Walt Disney World. Check 'em out!
We're seeking writers to contribute features articles to this newsletter! If you something to share about Disney and/or travel and love to write, please contact our Newsletter Editor Sara Varney for the details at news@passporter.com
On the Air: Dave will be appearing Tuesday, August 7 at 2:00 pm Eastern time on the JB & Morgan Show on WIRN - World Internet Radio Network. Starting a few hours after that the interview will also be available as a podcast at http://www.wirn.podomatic.com and a couple of days after that it's even available at Apple iTunes.
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, guest contributor Laura Clarkson gives us a glimpse into the beautiful island of Menorca in the Mediterranean, and PassPorter author Dave Marx gives us a glimpse into Disney's future with Rumor Roundup. 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:
More of the Mediterranean: Menorca
by Laura Clarkson, PassPorter Guest Contributor
The beautiful island of Menorca is part of the Balearic Islands, located in the Mediterranean Sea, off the south east coast of Spain. It is known for its leather and gin industries, as well as many sites of historical significance, and, of course, it's reputation for excellent seafood.
We are lucky enough to have friends in Menorca, and visit every year. So far, we have managed to uncover more hidden gems every time we visit.
The capital of Mahon boasts the world's second largest natural harbor (after Pearl Harbor) and is a nice place to spend a few hours wandering and checking out the shops -- and taking in the pungent smell of its famous cheese! If you are in the Mahon area take a trip to La Mola, the fortress built in 1850 at the southernmost tip of Spain to prevent the islands from attack by the French and British. The most interesting features are a huge gun, which has never been fired in anger but is fired ceremonially every year, and the underground galleries, a very long corridor of tiny identical rooms featuring an embrasure (arrow slit) in each. They are a little scary as from the mid-point; you can't see where you've come from or where the corridor ends!
The old capital of Menorca is Cuitadella, a pretty town full of tiny confusing streets and beautiful architecture. Each year near the end of June the town celebrates its Festes de Sant Joan, where trained horsemen ride through the crowds demonstrating jousting and other riding feats. If you pat one of the horses it is thought to be good luck (as is one of the horses riding through your house!), so prepare for much jostling! The festival comes with a fun fair in the main square with fairground rides and stalls selling candy. A must if you are at the festival (or in Menorca at all!) is the drink pomada -- a potent but delicious mix of gin and lemon.
The number one "must visit" place for fans of history and spectacular views is Monte Toro. This is the highest point of the island and a convent sits on top. The church here is from the 17th century and a huge statue of Christ adorns the outside.
The island has many sites of archaeological interest, and these are often centered around the mysterious taulas. Taulas are unique to Menorca and are T-shaped stone pillars. Much like Stonehenge in England little is known about how these taulas were erected during the Talaiotic period (between 1000 BC and 300 BC). As they are so huge, legend says they were tables made for giants. It is not known for a fact what these mystical monuments were used for but there are many theories on the subject. The two most popular being firstly that they were used as part of religion for ritual sacrifice, or secondly, that they were worshiped as stylistic images of bulls - the explanation for this being that many objects in the shape of bulls have been found at some of these historical sites. Regardless of the true purpose, it is interesting to stand beneath a taula and theorize for yourself.
Also of interest and again unique to the island are the navetas - burial chambers in the shape of upturned boats. Probably the best example on the island is the bronze age Naveta des Tudons which you can climb inside and appreciate the vastness within. A word of warning though, this is not for the claustrophobic or those with mobility problems, it can be quite tricky to get out again!
There are many caves on the island, some of which are still accessible, and signs of habitation can be observed. The most unusual as a tourist attraction, however, is Cova den Xoroi in Cala'n Porter. Legend has it that the pirate Xoroi kidnapped a local girl and kept her in his cave for ten years during which time she produced four children. They went undiscovered until Xoroi was tracked back to his cave by his footprints during a heavy snow storm. On realizing his hideout had been revealed, he is said to have thrown himself off the cliff. The tunneling caves have been turned into a nightclub which is open for tourists during the day and can be visited for a small fee, which includes a soda or small beer in the bar.
On our most recent trip, we discovered my favorite historical site so far - a 6th century basilica, Torello, which was only discovered in 1956 by a farmer plowing his field. Part of the altar and baptismal font remains, but the truly incredible part is the mosaic floor which has survived almost intact, and pictures of peacocks and lions can be clearly seen. Visiting Torello also has the advantage of being just next door to Mahon airport so you have the added thrill of watching airplanes taking off over your head!
Menorca really does have something for everyone. History aside, the island boasts magnificent beaches and it is worth taking the time to find one of the quieter coves frequented only by locals and therefore usually quiet. There are also two Aquarock water parks and water sports are offered at some of the beaches.
The tourist season runs from May-October, and the temperatures range from 70-80 degrees F throughout this time. The currency used is the Euro. English is widely spoken in Menorca, with most of the inhabitants speaking English, Catalan and Spanish.
About the Author: Laura Clarkson is a keen visitor to Menorca with her husband, Andy, and considers it second only to Walt Disney World in places she most likes to be! She loves to spend her Menorcan days scrabbling up cliff sides and into tiny caves and her evenings relaxing with a well deserved pomada.
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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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Disney Feature:
Rumor Round-Up
by Dave Marx, PassPorter Publisher and Co-Author
Rumors! What would we do without them? We'd have that much less to talk about in our discussion communities, less "news" to report in our newsletters, much less to worry about as we plan our Disney vacations, and for guidebook authors like Jennifer and me, we'd have far less warning about what we have to research and what we might have to change in our upcoming books.
Rumors, however, are always a perilous thing. They might be 100% true, 100% false or somewhere in between. There's often no telling what part is fantasy, and what parts contain a precious nugget of truth. In an organization the size of Disney there are many secrets, and relatively few people are entrusted with those secrets. With over 60,000 cast members at Walt Disney World and many tens of thousands more at Disneyland, the Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club (DVC), and the Disney resorts in Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong, we're still talking about a whole lot of secret-keepers. But when those secret-keepers whisper something in the strictest confidence to a trusted co-worker, and that co-worker tells another, and that co-worker tells yet another, we've got a game of "telephone" that can quickly morph the original leak beyond recognition. And that's just the start. Eventually, some cast member tells a guest (or a columnist, blogger, reporter, webmaster, etc.), and the story goes out all over the Internet in a matter of hours, with further layers of speculation and distortion added for good measure. That's why we take such pains here at PassPorter to identify rumors as rumors.
One thing to remember about any Disney rumor is that the company has countless feasibility studies underway at any time. The people working on those studies know there's just a fractional chance of them ever being approved and rolled-out in their current form. Often, the same idea is taken out several times over the course of many years, dusted-off, polished-up, modified, and placed back onto the shelf as something still not quite ready for primetime (and it may never be). But there will still be the occasional, enthusiastic Imagineer who just knows the project he/she is working on will get the green light - it's just so cool, so wonderful, that the bosses just can't help but approve it when they finally see it. So they tell someone that it's going to happen, and all the details are correct... but it just doesn't happen to get approved, and it becomes one of those persistent rumors that never seem to go away.
Then, there are the rumors that begin when actual construction begins -- the construction fences go up; the signs say they're building the future of Epcot, Disneyland, or whatever; and tongues start wagging. Disney hasn't made a public announcement about what's being built, but we can all see that something's coming. Officially, it's still a rumor and probably, none of the reports we get from helpful cast members are completely accurate. But there it is, and we have to believe our own eyes. Right?
Finally, there's one more category of rumor out there, the "trial balloon." There's no hard proof that the Disney company does this, but it seems pretty likely. We suspect some of the rumors and leaks that reverberate around the web are actually planted by someone from the Disney organization in order to sample public opinion. This seems most likely to us when a rumored change comes to life soon afterwards, but with a few "tweaks" that address the concerns of the folks who commented on the rumor at message boards and other online forums.
We consider all reports to be unfounded rumors until we have an official announcement from Disney. That doesn't stop us, however, from trying to judge the quality and accuracy of the rumor, or speculating on whether the rumored item will become reality.
There's no shortage of places to read about Disney rumors. Tops on my list is Screamscape.com, which manages to report on most rumors, major and minor. Unfortunately, Screamscape doesn't include a discussion forum. However, folks have a way of discussing the latest word from Screamscape at nearly every community on the web. That includes, of course, our own PassPorter message boards, where we have an entire forum dedicated to Walt Disney World rumors (rumors about Disneyland and the Disney Cruise Line don't have a dedicated home, but they find their way into the appropriate Disneyland and cruise line forums).
So, with all that said, here's a rundown of some of the more prominent rumors floating around at the moment.
Disney Dining Plan Re-design for 2008. It seems new information/rumors on this topic emerge every few days, and we expect the 2008 offering to be announced officially by Disney in the next couple of weeks. The very popular Disney Dining Plan at Walt Disney World seems too good to be true, so whenever rumors emerge, they almost always report doom -- higher prices, fewer restaurants, and less-attractive features. So far, the doom scenarios have not come to pass. It does seem highly likely that the 2008 plan will no longer include 18% gratuities in the price -- that's a change that was made to the new trade union contract, so there's little reason to believe it won't happen. After that ... evidence was found at Disney's UK site that the plan would eliminate the gratuity and table-service appetizer, and that the price per person/per day would be reduced by about $11 as a result. Seems like a fair deal. Subsequently, the UK site was re-programmed so information about the 2008 plan would no longer be divulged. Then, AllEarsNet reported a rumor with nearly the same information, with the key difference that the price would only be reduced by about a dollar. AllEarsNet also reported the possible availability of an additional, deluxe dining plan. AllEarsNet often gets good information, but this one smells like a "trial balloon" to me. Personally, I think Disney's aim will be to maintain current levels of popularity, or even increase it. I'm not sure a big price hike (by charging the same for less) will accomplish that. Rumor Status: Here's a pager. Your table will be ready in two to three weeks.
Contemporary Resort DVC Tower. There have been rumors that Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort would be the "next" DVC development for some years. Then a while back, somebody performed a web search and found an architect's rendering of a DVC high-rise building adjacent to the Contemporary Resort's famous 15-story tower. That rendering soon disappeared from the web, which we'd consider proof-positive that someone at Disney is watching the rumor mill and that the rendering had some basis in reality (otherwise, why remove it). However, just a while later, Disney Vacation Club announced their next project would be built at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Not long thereafter, demolition crews destroyed the Contemporary's North Garden Wing, and construction crews started sinking support pilings into the ground. That suggests something big is in the works. Historically, DVC only announces one new project at a time. Once the sales staff succeeds in selling a substantial number of DVC memberships at the new resort, they announce the next project. So, will the new construction at the Contemporary be the next DVC resort to be announced? It seems very likely, but we probably won't hear an official peep out of Disney until the Animal Kingdom Lodge villas are nearly sold-out. Rumor Status: High (Rise) Probability.
A new Disney park in Texas (Missouri, Oklahoma...). Will a Disney park/resort be built somewhere near the geographic center of the United States? Reports hit local newspapers on a fairly regular basis and make their way to the Disney rumor mill. They usually take the same form--somebody reports that Disney is secretly acquiring large parcels of land in the area. This echoes Disney's actual practice when it acquired land for Walt Disney World. So far, none of the rumors seem to have any truth to them. Local real estate speculators may be the source of some of those rumors and hopeful thinking may be the source for others. Our own analysis goes as follows: Why would Disney build another park/resort that might draw attendance away from either Walt Disney World or Disneyland? Entertainment industry analysts have long considered the U.S. theme park industry to be fully saturated. Something like 98% of the population is within easy driving distance of a regional amusement park/theme park. For folks that travel some distance to a major attraction like Disneyland or Walt Disney World, a park in the center of the country would have to offer a particular benefit in terms of travel time or cost. However, a park in Texas would be no closer than Walt Disney World for most people east of the Mississippi and no closer than Disneyland for folks from the Rockies west. The only substantial benefit would be for potential guests in the low-population Great Plains region and those within about a day's driving distance--not quite enough people to sustain a Disney-sized resort, especially considering so many from that region are already traveling in droves to Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Even guests from Latin America would face similar flight distances and costs when compared to the distances to California and Florida. Recently, however, Disney CEO Robert Iger suggested that the company might develop smaller-scale resorts in other locations around the country, close to existing popular attractions. These might be hotels or DVC resorts similar to the DVC resorts at Vero Beach, Florida and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Rumor Status: Won't ever happen (major resort); Moderate probability (minor resort).
New Country at Epcot. The last new country pavilion to open at Epcot was Norway in June 1988. Ever since, park fans have been hoping for more countries, and poring over aerial photos of Epcot to prove that the space exists for at least one more pavilion. The last solid rumors go back quite a while now, when Spanish government sources announced they were speaking with Disney about just such a pavilion. Since then, not a word, so it seems less likely as time goes by. Still, the space is there, and Disney probably wouldn't mind finding a country willing to spend the money a pavilion sponsorship entails. Rumor Status: No-Man's Land.
Star Tours Upgrade. Star Tours has been operating at Disney parks since the '80s. One important feature of the ride system is that it can be reprogrammed with relative ease - just change the ride's movie, re-program the flight simulator-based ride system to match the film, and off you go! Three new Star Wars films have been released since Star Tours began ferrying passengers to the Forest Moon of Endor, and fans of the ride have been hoping for a new slant on this old favorite since Anakin Skywalker climbed into a pod racer for the first time. How hard would it be to change the story line so that guests ended-up in a crazed pod race, instead of joining the attack on the Death Star? So far, no good. A New Hope. Actor Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), a frequent guest at Star Trek conventions, reportedly announced at a recent convention that he had filmed some new sequences for an upgraded ride film. Will that film see the light of day? There's always the chance that it doesn't satisfy either Disney brass or Star Wars creator George Lucas. Then again... Rumor Status: Suspended Animation
Disney's California Adventure Re-Theming. Disney's California Adventure park (DCA) has had its detractors since the day it opened, and rumors that Disney would re-work the park from front to back are nearly as old as the park itself. If you don't like the park and you can see that it doesn't attract the same dense crowds as Disneyland park right across the Esplanade, how can you not believe that the company will eventually right the situation? These rumors have only accelerated since Bob Iger replaced Michael Eisner at Disney's helm, and since Pixar Animation Studios was acquired by Disney soon thereafter. Part of this is based on the belief that Pixar's John Lasseter, who now also holds an executive consulting role at Walt Disney Imagineering, wants to re-make whole sections of DCA (and other Disney parks) in Pixar's own image. Historically, Disney "tweaks" its parks, it doesn't remake them. Even that legendary disaster Euro Disney re-emerged as Disneyland Paris with relatively few major changes--just lots of little tweaks. Rumor Status: California dreamin' ain't becoming a reality.
Disney-MGM Studios Name Change. This rumor is unsquashable. It's going to be Disney Studios. It's going to be Disney-Pixar Studios (or maybe, Pixar-Disney Studios). "MGM" will be gone with the wind. Yes, Disney uses the MGM name under license and that license has to be renewed from time to time, but why would the movie company want to give up the free publicity, and why would Disney want to go to the expense of changing a name that has seemed to work pretty well? It's true that many Disney cast members (and civilians) occasionally refer to the park as Disney Studios, and that terminology has even crept (accidentally, as I see it) into Disney's vacation planning video and the programs you can view on Disney's hotel room TV channels. There are some reports (mostly from blogger Jim Hill, who has been critical of Disney's Pixar acquisition) that suggest John Lasseter's Pixar-ego has become so large that he wants to rename everything in sight for Pixar and convert every attraction to a Pixar theme. It seems to me that Disney management would be more interested in blurring the distinction between Disney and Pixar, so that the Pixar magic can be associated with all Disney-branded products. Re-naming Disney products "Pixar" is an admission that Pixar is superior, which erodes the value of the Disney brand. Rumor Status: "Hollywood, land of broken dreams."
Animal Kingdom's Beastly Kingdom. Have you ever looked at the Animal Kingdom Logo and wondered what a dragon is doing among all those real animals? That's more or less the root of the notion behind Beastly Kingdom, a new land at the park that has yet to be (and may never be) developed. Most rumors expect the land to be the home of a big E-Ticket coaster (or two or three), but with the addition of Expedition: Everest, the park may no longer need a thrill-focused addition. Yes, the space seems to be there. Yes, coaster enthusiasts keep hoping Disney will build a thrill-oriented park. Since an entire park is such a long shot, this rumored land seems their next best hope. Rumor Status: Here Be No Dragons
Walt Disney World's "Fifth Gate." Will Walt Disney World ever have a fifth major theme park? Yes, the land still exists for it. This rumor was especially hot after Universal announced plans for its thrill-oriented park, Islands of Adventure (IOA). Disney just had to compete head-to-head with IOA, didn't it? By all appearances, Disney's response has been to add thrills to existing parks, rather than build a park only a thrill-seeker could love. Yet the possibility exists that Disney will some day add another park. Adding another park is a way to extend the average Walt Disney World vacation from five days to six, or more. That's more money at Disney hotels, restaurants, and turnstiles. However, the current regime at Disney Parks and Resorts has found other ways to extend vacation stays without spending huge sums on construction. Disney (and all park and hotel operators) like things crowded. It's far more efficient/profitable than having several parks/hotels operating at less than full capacity. That's especially true these days at Disney. They're finding more and more ways to utilize existing facilities at near-full capacity year-round, and are very slow to add additional capacity. How long did it take Disney management to commit to building new ships for the hugely profitable Disney Cruise Line? When did Disney last add a new "regular" (non-DVC) resort? When are they going to complete construction at Pop Century, the most recent regular resort to be built? The company moves very, very slowly to expand capacity, and the company is probably concerned that another horror like 9/11 could leave it holding a whole lot of excess capacity. A fifth major park may indeed happen eventually, but we'll probably see more money invested in new overseas parks before that happens. Rumor Status: Someday our prince will come.
About the Author: Dave Marx is PassPorter Travel Press's co-publisher and co-author of several award-winning PassPorter guidebooks. Dave lives in Ann Arbor with wife and partner Jennifer and children Allison and Alexander.
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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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