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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: One Buck PassPorter is Back!
Travel Feature: Florence
Disney Feature: Beating The Post-Trip Blues
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Taxi Troubles, Read & Remember, Automatic Autographs
Captain's Corner: The Award Plaque
Q&A: Can we rent a car and drive ourselves around St. Martin?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
Beginning in January 2008, Disney-MGM Studios will be officially known as Disney's Hollywood Studios. The name change will be a gradual process but all signage and merchandise will reflect the new name as of January. Speaking
of name changes, Walt Disney World has announced that they're changing
the "Disney Vacation Club Resorts" lodging category in brochures,
marketing materials, etc. to Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts.
Disney is not changing anything about Disney Vacation Club (DVC), or
the status of those resorts (Old Key West, BoardWalk Villas, Wilderness
Lodge Villas, Beach Club Villas, Saratoga Springs Resort, and Animal
Kingdom Lodge Villas). Rather, Disney wants to communicate that anybody
can reserve a villa, not just DVC members. This has always been true,
but judging by the questions and comments we receive, the change
a few years ago from "Home-Away-From-Home Resorts" to "Disney Vacation
Club Resorts" did create some confusion.
Playhouse Disney - Live on Stage
will close in January 2008 and re-open in February 2008 featuring a new
cast that reflects the current line up on Playhouse Disney. Mickey
Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and the Little Einsteins are all rumored
to be added to the show. Handy Manny will begin making character appearances in the Animation Courtyard in November 2007.
Many of the special events for this year's Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
have already sold out. (The Wine Pairing Dinners offered at Le Cellier
have completely sold out. For other events, individual dates have sold
out. ) To make your special event reservations, call Disney at (407)
WDW-FEST. Starting in September, Actor Martin Short and Canadian Idol winner Ava Avila will be featured in an updated "O Canada!" film shown at Epcot's Canada pavilion. Also at Epcot, the France pavilion is now home to one of only four Guerlain fragrance boutiques in the U.S. 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:
TAXI TROUBLES
"If you take a taxi from a Disney resort, get a card from the bellman
of a good cab company to bring you back. We didn't even think about it,
just assumed that all licensed Cab companies would be of an equal
standard. From one of the shopping malls we had a horrible experience
getting back to the hotel."
-- contributed by Barbara P.
READ & REMEMBER
"I scrapbook and often order two prints of each picture that I plan to
use - just in case I crop one too much! I have tons of leftover
pictures that I keep in a box. I also like to read and am often
searching for a bookmark. I once grabbed one of the "extra" Disney
photos and used it as a bookmark. Every time I opened my book I would
look at the picture and it would take me back to that particular Disney
moment. I now switch out "bookmarks" when I begin a new book."
-- contributed by Sarah R.
AUTOMATIC AUTOGRAPHS
"On our last trip to Disney World we bought our daughter the small
autograph book. After the first day of turning the pages to find the
next page, I thought of a little trick. I started folding the pages
bottom corner to opposite top corner up on one page then down on the
other. This made it very easy to flip to the next page and we received
a lot of compliments for folding the pages.Cast Members loved the idea
they said it made the lines go faster because you could turn right to
the next page."
-- contributed by Amber D.
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:
"Last night I watched Wishes from a special spot. While waiting, I discovered an overlooked sign beside a path. It was a bronze award plaque, awarded to Walt Disney World in July 1985. It was presented by an "All-America" non-profit organization for 'contibuting to the public interest ....
through it's efforts in maintaining an outstanding ... (rest of text obscured by a dirt smudge)"
What was this plaque awarded for and where is it located?
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 Don Weeks who was the
winner
of last week's trivia contest! Don was the first person to
identify the place the Captain was keeping cool as the Hall of
Presidents and the identification on the TV camera as WED-TV. 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
rjh asks: "We were thinking about passing on all the excursions on St. Martin, renting a
car and driving to some of the areas like Marigot, Phillipsburg, and Orient Bay
on our own. Is this feasible? I'm having a hard time finding out which
rental car companies are at the port where the ship docks (or near by). The book
said to "do research" and book in advance, and that 5 companies are there, but
doesn't say which companies they are..."
Dave and Jennifer answer: "It's perilous for us to name the agencies, as those things are something of a
revolving door in a place like St. Martin. Even the big-name agencies are
privately owned franchises, and ownership of the smaller agencies is something
of a revolving door or shell game (although the families that own Hertz and some
of the other large franchises are among the oldest, wealthiest, and most stable
on the island - they also own the auto dealerships, insurance companies, gas
stations, hold major public offices...). The key information is whether the
agency runs a satellite office at the cruise terminal - they tend to come and
go. Other agencies might be willing to meet you at the pier. If you have a brand
preference or get a good online quote, call the agency and ask if this is
possible. The basic thing is, renting the same day on the pier almost guarantees
an over-priced rental.
There are a few web sites that specialize in
Caribbean car rentals. Mostly, they are U.S.-based businesses that represent the
smaller, independent agencies on the islands. We've used this method with some
success.
Can you rent a car and do that driving tour? You bet. That's
what I do, although I do have the advantage of knowing the island very well. My
cumulative time on St. Martin is well over 12 weeks over the years, with the
longest stay 3 weeks - my parents have there for at least a month every year for the past 30 years, and
since we stay in a private home, we drive everywhere. However, the roads are
tricky enough that you should leave yourself plenty of time for getting lost or
stuck in traffic. There's little point to driving around Phillipsburg, though.
Plan to walk around town before or after your driving tour."
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 Cruise Special Offer -- Free Gift Card with booking plus a raffle entry for our VIP event
MouseEarVacations.com -- MouseFest Cruise Special Offer - Special onboard Scrapbooking Event, all supplies provided
Quicksilver Tours & Transportation -- Save $5 off airport round-trip transportation in a town car
Thank you, sponsors!
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From the Authors: One Buck PassPorter is Back!
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
It's time for our annual earlier edition offer! Get a copy of PassPorter Walt Disney World 2006 (spiral edition,
complete with 14 organizer pockets) for just one buck ($1), plus shipping/handling. Our $1 PassPorter is a GREAT
introduction to the PassPorter concept, particularly for a friend or family member. The information is a bit out-of-date
at this point, but there's still a lot of good stuff in there and it'll give you a feel for our style and coverage.
Plus, the fold-out color park maps, pockets, worksheets, and resort maps are always useful. Very limited quantities are available --
limit one book per order, please. For more information and to get your $1 PassPorter, visit the $1 PassPorter page.
In other news,
we sent the finished manuscript of PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2008
to our printer in Hong Kong last night, as scheduled! Hooray! Remember
how proudly we described our, "Nimble and responsive... little book
production company," last week, as we scrambled to incorporate
last-minute changes at Walt Disney World into our books? As it
turns out, we didn't know just how nimble we'd have to be!
As you've probably read,
Disney has just renamed Disney-MGM Studios (effective January 1,
2008), prompting many more changes to the text, maps, and charts
in the new book. Then, a little past Noon yesterday
(Wednesday), as we were performing our final proofreading of the
completed manuscript, a new press release popped into our in-boxes from
Disney. Walt Disney World's "Disney Vacation Club Resort" hotel
category has been re-named (see What's New and Changed)! Once more, we pored over the book to make sure we'd found every reference that needed replacing.
Enough
is enough! The book is now at the printers, and we hope that the next
big changes to be announced won't come for a very long time. (What are
our chances?)
Amidst this all, we had the pleasure of dining last night here in Ann Arbor with Scott Thomas of PSCalculator.net
fame (the great Walt Disney World dining reservations
planning site). Scott and his delightful family were passing
through town, so we all got together at a local brew-pub that just
happens to serve... ale and cheddar soup, very similar to the legendary
soup served at Epcot's Le Cellier restaurant; a taste of Disney here in
Michigan (although with the real Canada just 45 miles away, I suspect
the chefs weren't thinking about Epcot when they put that soup on the
menu). We had a great time catching up on all things Disney
over our crocks of soup, fine steaks, and local brew. Ironically, when
we tried to get dinner reservations none were available. But we tried a
walk-up, and were seated immediately. We're lucky it was a summer
Wednesday in this college town. Once fall semester starts we probably
would have had to go elsewhere. At least we don't have the Disney
Dining Plan here in Ann Arbor!
MouseFest Park Schedule: For those of you joining us for MouseFest 2007, you can now consult the MouseFest event schedule at http://www.mousefest.org--
new meets are being added to the schedule on a regular basis - there
are 17 events on the MouseFest Cruise, and more than 50 events at Walt
Disney World so far ... including several PassPorter-hosted events!
Stay tuned for more MouseFest announcements in the weeks and months to
come.
On the Air: Radio
listeners in the western part of Michigan's Upper Penninsula and nearby
northeast Wisconsin can hear Dave Friday morning, September 14 sometime
between 6:00 am and 10:0 0am Central Time on "Sam in the Morning" on WJMS
590AM.
In this issue, our globe-trotting featured columnist Cheryl Pendry returns to Italy for her promised exploration of Florence, and guest contributor Thomas Cackler has advice for Beating the Post-Trip Blues. 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:
Molto Italia: Florence
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
There are some places in the world that you never seem to hear a bad word about. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, you know you're in for a treat. Florence, Italy is one of those places.
On our visit to Rome, we met a lot of other tourists, nearly all of whom had come straight from Florence with tales of how beautiful the city was and how amazing the art and the museums in the city were. That was one of the reasons that I wanted to be on board the Disney Magic when it set sail around the Mediterranean, so that we could see this wonderful treasure for ourselves.
So did it live up to our expectations? Absolutely. Florence is a photographer's paradise, with stunning architecture everywhere you turn, but what is really amazing is that it's all still standing. The city's historic bridges were all destroyed during the Second World War, except for the Ponte Vecchio, literally translated into English as the old bridge. And, looking at the bridge today, you can imagine how beautiful the waterside must have looked in the 1940's before war broke out.
Ponte Vecchio dates from 1345 and has always been home to traders. When the bridge was first built, the traders were butchers, tanners and blacksmiths, but today you'll find jewelers and goldsmiths along this narrow bridge. As well as offering some superb views along the River Arno, it's also a photo opportunity in its own right, with special viewpoints along the banks of the river.
The river itself has presented its own threats to Florence over the years, most recently in 1966, when the Arno rose to a staggering 19 feet above street level. Although much has been done to restore both the buildings and the art treasures damaged in the floods, to this day, more than 40 years later, restoration work is still carrying on behind the scenes, with some items unlikely to ever return to public display again. Since then, unsurprisingly, measures have been put in place to ensure that the city doesn't suffer such devastating floods again - and with good reason, as many of the main tourist sights lie close to the River Arno.
The Uffizi is one example of this. It's the oldest art gallery in the world, originally created in 1581 to display the Medici family treasures, and offers visitors the chance to see some of the greatest work of the Renaissance period. Even as you walk through the courtyard, the importance of this gallery is brought home through the statues lining this area, representing names familiar to most of us, such as Michaelangelo, Donatello and Dante.
Carry on walking and you'll come to Piazza della Signoria, the real center of Florence. On one side of this square is Palazzo Vecchio, the Old Palace, which has been the town hall since 1322. Standing in front of it is a replica of one of the most famous pieces of art in the world, Michaelangelo's David. The original stands in the Academia museum, dedicated to fine art, but on our tour, this was the closest we would get to seeing that.
Everywhere you look in the square, you find more sculptures, with the Rape of the Sabine Woman, carved from a single block of flawed marble by Giambologna, and Perseus, a bronze statue by Cellini. It was intended as a warning to enemies of Cosimo I, one of the Medici family, and depicts a man holding a head up high, standing over the body of his victim. A far more pleasant vision is just opposite in the form of the Neptune Fountain, which shows the Roman sea god surrounded by water nymphs, although this commemorates Tuscan naval victories.
The Piazza della Signoria really is a place to just stand and take it all in, with fine art everywhere you look. It has to be one of the world's most breathtaking squares and it's no surprise that we spent more time here than anywhere else in Florence on our tour.
Somewhere I would have liked to have spent more time was to the north of the Piazza at the Duomo (or Cathedral, in English). As someone who's seen a lot of amazing churches all over Europe and indeed in America, it takes a lot to astound me, but this building was simply breathtaking. Had we not been on a tour, I could have stood there quite happily admiring all the intricate detail for hours on end. Even today, no building stands taller in Florence than the Duomo, with its revolutionary dome designed by Brunelleschi. At the time it was constructed, it was the largest dome in the world built without scaffolding, with an inner shell instead providing a platform for the timbers that support the outer shell. The Duomo also boasts a campanile (bell tower), 276 feet tall, which is clad in white, green and pink Tuscan marble. As we drove into Florence earlier in the day, we had seen the enormous gorges in the nearby countryside, evidence of marble production and in the city; you could see the beautiful uses it had been put to over the centuries.
Just opposite the Duomo is the Bapistry, a place you can hardly miss with crowds gathered around to admire its glittering golden East Doors. Also referred to as the Gates of Paradise, they depict stories from the Old Testament and the detail on them is extraordinary. Although what you see today are copies because the originals were becoming so dirty from pollution, they're still eye catching and well worth a look.
That really sums up Florence as a whole -- the city is definitely well worth a look. After having heard so many good reports about it before we visited it, we weren't disappointed. The only disappointment is the one that you always get with cruises - you just get a taste of a city in a very brief visit. if you want to see and learn more about the place, then a return visit is a must. That's something that's a distinct possibility for us, as there is much more to Florence that we managed to experience in a half-day tour. It easily lends itself to a weekend of exploration.
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America. They're now looking forward to their next visit to Walt Disney World in December, having just cruised around the Mediterranean on the Disney Magic.
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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:
Keeping The Magic Alive: Beating The Post Trip Blues
by Thomas Cackler, PassPorter Guest Contributor
You know how it feels. It's that time when the buzz from your last trip has worn off and the excitement of your next trip hasn't kicked in yet. You find that reading trip reports of others going to a Disney Resort don't hold the same excitement as they did before. You pick up your PassPorter only to sigh, and put it back on the shelf, as you can't quite bear the thought of just how long it will be until your next trip to Walt Disney World. You might as well face it, you're addicted to Disney. Worse, you're going through withdrawal.
Thankfully, there is a cure to the Disney Blues - easy ways to keep the magic alive until the excitement can carry you to your next visit to the most magical place on earth. Best of all, you might have many of the tools necessary to complete the job already in your house. It won't cost a fortune to enjoy a small taste of the magic right in the comfort of your own home.
On your next trip, rather than purchasing something that will sit on a shelf and collect dust, pick up a souvenir that you can use every day. A new Disney coffee mug is something that you can use every day that will remind you of your vacation with every sip. A fun shirt that you can wear to the office is another way to keep the magic alive despite that weekly conference call. Speaking of that call, why not take your notes at that next meeting with a Mickey Mouse pen? Taking a little bit of Disney to your office is a great way to make your days a little more magical.
Another great way of keeping the magic alive is to keep the magic in front of you all the time. Put pictures of your trip where you can see them. Take that favorite picture of your family with Goofy to the office and put it on your desk next to the post card you sent yourself on the last day of your trip. If you have trouble getting the entire family into a picture because someone has to snap the shot, ask the PhotoPass photographer to snap one with your camera after they have taken their shot. A great picture with the entire family is something that truly is priceless.
If you have an office where you can decorate, the Art of Disney store at Epcot has many prints for under $20 that are suitable for framing that will make you smile as you deal with the daily grind. If you have a smaller space, post cards also make a great way to keep the thrill of the parks in front of you all the time. If you don't have an office, pick a room that you can decorate and make a safe haven from the world around you. Visual reminders remain a great way to keep you in the magic.
With so many of the recipes from your favorite restaurant available online, having a Disney meal is something easy to do that will keep the magic alive. Add to the atmosphere by playing the theme park music CD you picked up, or the home videos you shot on your last trip. For the truly adventurous, the next time you go to Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, videotape Sunny Eclipse and have burgers and fries with the show on in the background back home. Finally, the next time you decide to do a big family breakfast, invite some of your favorite plush 'friends' along for a truly unique 'character meal'.
However, perhaps the best way to keep the magic alive is to do something magical for someone else. It's easy to forget that so much of the magic that happens at Walt Disney World doesn't just happen, it happens because of the talented and hard working cast members. So, the next time you have the opportunity to spread a little bit of the Disney magic to the unsuspecting world, take the time and do it. Whether it's going the extra mile for a co-worker or customer or if it means getting involved with charities or organizations that send ill children to Walt Disney World, there are countless ways to make more magic both in your life and in the lives of others.
The magic is something that is easy to keep alive as a way to beat those post trip blues. However, the important thing to remember is that the magic isn't just that thrill of falling thirteen stories on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or getting up close and personal with a Yeti. The magic comes from the memories of spending time with family and friends enjoying the idea that Walt Disney himself created. Even if your next trip to Walt Disney World isn't for several years, you don't need to find yourself without the magic. Just remember to take a few steps before you leave the "World" and get creative when you get home and magic will never be beyond your reach.
About the Author: Thomas Cackler is the PassPorter's Club "on call" editor and consultant. A veteran of five trips to Walt Disney World and one Disney Cruise since 2002, Thomas is a member of several online Disney communities including the PassPorter forums where he shares his knowledge and love of the Disney Parks with anyone who will listen. He lives in Iowa with his wife Julie and nephew Joey.
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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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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
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