From the Authors: One Buck PassPorter is Back!

Travel Feature: Meet Me in St. Louis

Disney Feature: Parasailing

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: In-Flight Coloring, Disney Dining at Home, T-shirt Tip

Captain's Corner: Skatt Meets Scat

Q&A: Are the Little Einstein's character meal and Mickey's Backyard BBQ similar to traditional character meals?
 

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Updates:
What's New and Changed

Here are a few items of relevant news:

Despite Planetary Downgrade, Pluto Is Still Disney's 'Dog Star' In reaction to news today that Pluto was demoted to the status of "dwarf planet," the Seven Dwarfs issued their own short statement: "Although we think it's DOPEY that Pluto has been downgraded to a dwarf planet, which has made some people GRUMPY and others just SLEEPY, we are not BASHFUL in saying we would be HAPPY if Disney's Pluto would join us as an eighth dwarf. We think this is just what the DOC ordered and is nothing to SNEEZE at."

Mickey Mouse's faithful companion, Pluto made his debut in 1930 -- the same year that scientists discovered what they believed was a ninth planet.

Said a white-gloved, yellow-shoed source close to Disney's top dog, "I think the whole thing is goofy. Pluto has never been interested in astronomy before, other than maybe an occasional howl at the moon." (Seriously folks, that's a direct quote from this press release.)

The Disney Cruise Line has upgraded its stateroom toiletries. Each stateroom will now feature H2O Plus products such as Sea Marine Revitalizing Shampoo, Marine Collagen Conditioner and Hydrating Body Butter from the H2O Plus premium Spa line. Concierge Guests will get Sea Salt Body Wash and Solar Relief Gel among their toiletries. (Do Concierge guests get sunburned more often perhaps?)

United Kingdom and Northern Ireland residents who plan to travel to Walt Disney World between August 12 and September 29, 2007 now have the option to book a package that includes the Disney Dining Plan for free. The package includes a minimum five-night stay along with minimum five-day park admission and must be booked by November 6, 2006. For more information, check out this link.

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:

IN-FLIGHT COLORING
"Here is a great way to entertain toddlers and small children on the plane. It also makes for great memories. The night before we left I made my daughter a "Disney" coloring book by going to http://www.disney.com and printing out various coloring pages from their activities section. I used a three hole punch, some heavy card stock paper for a front and back cover, and some ribbon to tie everything together. I wrapped this up like a present (which ate up a few minutes of precious plane time while she tore open the package) along with some crayons. We spent a good deal of the plane ride coloring and talking all about the characters and our vacation to come."-- contributed by Justine L. (goodcentsnyc@...)

DISNEY DINING AT HOME
"My wife and I noticed that  the children's meals are served in sturdy plastic dishes in the shape of Mickey's head. We kept the dishes as clean as we could while our 2 and 4 year old enjoyed their lunches, and then we cleaned the dishes, and brought them home with us. Now, any time the boys want to relive some Disney Magic we get out their Mickey dishes and presto, they feel like they are back at Walt Disney World." -- contributed by Doug Gerwick (dbgerwick@...)

T-SHIRT TIP
"We purchased small backpacks, Disney t-shirts, plastic pencil boxes and an assorted pack of Sharpie markers for our children prior to our Walt Disney World trip. Each child's backpack has a t-shirt inside of a pencil box with some Sharpie markers. They each will be ready to get Character autographs on their t-shirts. The plastic pencil boxes provide something hard for the characters to sign on and keep the shirts dry if it rains or we get soaked on the water rides. They can't wait to wear their autographed t-shirts home and show them off." -- contributed by Jenifer Rettler (jeniferrettler@...)

>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:

"Today I stumbled upon the most fretfully depressing find. In a museum I visited on a recent adventure, I discovered that the term 'scat' (which so closely resembles my family name of 'Skatt') is a name for animal droppings! Be still my pounding heart! The museum even displays two samples of 'scat' -- one from a bear, and one from a tiger. How dreadful. Now I know why people giggle uncontrollably when I introduce myself. Will my ego ever survive the humiliation?"

Where is the museum that has scat on display?

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 Paula Dale who was the winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Paula correctly identified the location of Wathel Bender's tombstone in the graveyard of the Haunted Mansion. 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

coastgirl asks: "Has anyone done the Little Einstein's character meal at Hollywood & Vine or Mickey's Backyard BBQ? Will we still get the characters coming around to visit like at the more traditional character meals? My kids will want to meet the Little Einstein's and Chip and Dale in particular."

Jennifer and Dave answer: "The Backyard BBQ has a lot to do with expectations. Entertainment includes a live country band, organized line dancing, and some group games. Food is a simple bbq buffet. Seating is at large picnic tables (under a pavilion roof). So yes, it can seem chaotic for a variety of reasons - not only is everyone getting up to get food, but also to participate in the various activities, and there are no servers, so everyone is on their feet to get drinks as well as solid food. Since you're seated at big picnic tables and there are no assigned seats, things are a bit chaotic there, too. Character interaction doesn't happen at the tables - they're out on the dance floor with the guests, dancing and participating in various activities.

We've had a good time there, but we were sharing that good time with other friends. So, my general advice is to bring your own party with you, and you'll be fine. If you're not expecting dinner show, it can be a fun event, especially if you and the kids are the type to get on your feet. It's not much fun if you just sit at the table hoping to be entertained.

It costs about $11 less than the other dinner shows, which makes it even a worse deal on the dining plan - pay cash, and use your credits elsewhere."

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!

Hi, {{user("firstname")}}! 

It's time for our annual earlier edition offer! Get a copy of PassPorter Walt Disney World 2005 (spiral edition, complete with 14 organizer pockets) for just one buck, 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 (fewer than last year's offer). For more information and to get your $1 PassPorter, visit the $1 PassPorter page.

The 2007 edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World is now available for pre-order, with an expected release date in November. Get details at our 2007 Pre-Order Center.

Will you be on the Disney Wonder December 3-7? We'll be there, along with (so far) 205 other MouseFest cruisers. We've got a wide range of activities planned for the cruise, at absolutely no cost to you. This is a great chance to meet us and other members of the PassPorter community. After that, we're on to Walt Disney World from December 7-11, taking in MouseFest's land-based activities with over 1,000 other fans of the Mouse. What is MouseFest? It's an International gathering of Disney fans at Walt Disney World and on the Disney Wonder, bringing together people from over a dozen web sites and communities, nearly a dozen authors, a half-dozen podcasts... and the list keeps growing. There's no cost to join, and except for the necessary theme park admission, almost all events are free. We'll be enjoying attractions together, snacking around the World Showcase, playing trivia and scavenger-hunting games, and gathering for MegaMouseMeet, a grand meet-and-greet event at the Swan/Dolphin where authors will be autographing, podcasters will be 'casting, and old Internet friends will meet face-to-face for the first time. We encourage you to check out the MouseFest.org web site, and to register so we can keep you up to date on all the fun. Whether you join us for just an hour, or fill your vacation with MouseFest events, you'll have a great time!

Looking for updates for your PassPorter? We now have recent updates for the PassPorter Walt Disney World 2006 edition and PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line (4th Edition) online. You'll find both (as well as updates for earlier editions) at http://www.passporter.com/customs/
bookupdates.htm. Our thanks to Nikki and Chad who worked hard to get these updates together!

This edition of the newsletter takes you to from the gateway of the west to the blue skies of the world! Guest contributor Sarah Mudd takes us on a delightful tour of St. Louis. And we can fly high in the sky as Dianne Cook brings us a review on parasailing at Walt Disney World. Then our very own treasure hunter Captain Jack Skatt serves up a new treasure hunting game at Walt Disney World. Enjoy! 

Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors and Publishers
 

Along the Mississippi River on the Illinois-Missouri border, you’ll find the city of St. Louis. Known as the rallying point for Lewis and Clark’s journey to the Pacific Ocean and called the “Gateway to the West”, the city of St. Louis has something to offer everyone of every age.

The city is represented by the Gateway Arch. Opened in 1965, the Arch was built to honor President Thomas Jefferson and his vision of a continental United States, and is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. There are elevators to take you to the top of the Arch – a whopping 635 feet up! – which offers spectacular views of the area. Tickets are $10 per adult, $7 for youth and $3 for children. If you hold a National Park Passport, you can get a discounted admission of only $7 per adult. Other sites in the Memorial are the Museum of Westward Expansion, which chronicles the country at the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the historic Old Courthouse, which is where the Dred Scott trials took place (a case which helped lead the U.S. to civil war).

About four miles west of the arch is Forest Park, dedicated in 1876. At 1,293 acres, it is approximately 500 acres larger than New York’s Central Park! The Park was the location for the 1904 World’s Fair (also known as The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and the setting for the movie musical Meet Me In St. Louis). Nowadays, at Forest Park, you can find the St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, Science Center and the Muny, America’s largest outdoor musical theater. It also serves as the location for the Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and a sports center of sorts, with golf, tennis, baseball, biking, boating, fishing, ice skating, rollerblading, jogging, rugby... you name it!

Speaking of sports, if you are a sports fan, the city of St. Louis has got you covered. The St. Louis Cardinals play baseball at the beautiful and brand spanking new Busch Stadium downtown from April through October, the Super Bowl XXXIV champion St. Louis Rams pack the Edward Jones Dome from late August through December, and you can catch the Rams at their practice facility in Earth City during the late summer. The NHL’s St. Louis Blues bring hockey fans into the Savvis Center from October through April, and if you are into car racing you can find the St. Louis/Gateway International Raceway just across the Mississippi River in Illinois.

And what is watching a game without a cold beer? Anheuser-Busch offers free tours of the brewery’s World Headquarters seven days a week. The tour starts with a visit to the famous Clydesdales’ stables, heads inside to the Brew House then on to the packaging area before ending in the Hospitality Room. At the end of the tour, guests that are 21 and over can taste samples of Anheuser-Busch products and poke around in the gift shop. You can learn more about brewery tours at http://www.budweisertours.com/home.htm.

I really enjoy visiting another Anheuser-Busch-owned establishment, Grant’s Farm. Grant’s Farm is an attraction built upon the 281 acre “ancestral home” of the Busch family, a portion of which President Ulysses S. Grant founded and farmed in the 1850s. President Grant’s log cabin still stands on the property. The farm currently has 1,000 animals representing more than 100 different species from six continents, which you can view by tram and on foot. If you feel a bit peckish, or feel the need for a sample of Budweiser products (and are over 21), stop at the Bauernhof to visit the Anheuser-Busch Hospitality area. You can get samples inside, visit the gift shop or grab a bratwurst, pretzel, pizza or chicken strips to munch on!

Are thrills more your thing? Check out Six Flags St. Louis! The brand-new free-fall ride “SUPERMAN Tower of Power” and the new Bugs Bunny National Park opened in May 2006. Six Flags has a ride for all levels of thrill seekers and lots for families to do together. There is also Hurricane Harbor, a water park next door to Six Flags, to cool you off! It is open only during the late spring to late summer months, and admission is free to Six Flags guests.

If you are like me and like to do something “different,” you can check out the many riverboat casinos in the area. For other “interesting” attractions, you can visit the Museum of Transportation, The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog or the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame.


There are many kid-friendly attractions in the St. Louis area - Magic House (the St. Louis Children’s Museum), the Saint Louis Zoo, Purina Farms, City Museum, the Butterfly House and the Missouri Botanical Garden are just a few worth checking out!

If you are in the mood for shopping, there are many shopping malls in the area and just about every store you could want to find! My favorite place to shop in the St. Louis area is the St. Louis Mills Mall in Hazelwood. For scrapbookers, there is an Archiver’s store at the Mills, and just recently a Disney's Character Warehouse Outlet Store opened there as well!

I also enjoy shopping at St. Louis Union Station. Union Station was once the largest and busiest passenger rail terminal in the world. It opened in 1894, and although the train tracks nearby are still active, the Station closed as a rail terminal in 1978. In 1985, it reopened and was (and still is) considered to be the “largest adaptive re-use project in the United States.” Today, Union Station contains restaurants, a night club, a Hyatt Regency hotel and the Hard Rock Café. There are also a multitude of specialty stores featuring everything from All Tied Up which sells nothing but neckwear, to Beatles for Sale, a memorabilia shop.

You can get around the St. Louis area by car, bus, taxi or MetroLink (the local train system), but wherever you go in the metropolitan area, you are sure to find something fun and interesting. You can find more information on the St. Louis area at http://www.explorestlouis.com/.


About the Author: Sarah Mudd is the Guide for the Disneyland: Getting There (and Back!) forum on the PassPorter Message Boards. She is a stay-at-home mom, Navy wife, and displaced San Diego native who is married to a displaced St. Louis native!  Her family is currently preparing for a move to the Norfolk, Virginia area..

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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. 

Did You Know?  MouseEarVacations.com is offering special Disney Cruise Line deals! Disney Cruise Line® Special Offer January 13, 2007 - 7 night Western Caribbean Cruise Save up to $288* per cabin compared to current Disney pricing. Other dates available. Click here to get a quote for January 13, 2007 *Savings based on double occupancy. Ships' Registry: The Bahamas CST2058090-40 www.MouseEarVacations.com 800-886-8601

	Disney Feature:  A Birds' Eye View: Parasailing at Walt Disney World by Dianne Cook, PassPorter Message Board Guide and Guest Contributor   Have you ever imagined what it would be like to fly like a bird? Have you wondered what Walt Disney World looks like from above? Are you adventurous by nature? Well, if you answered yes to at least two out of those three questions, consider parasailing on your next trip to Walt Disney World! Parasailing is offered at Sammy Duvall’s Watersports Centre at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the only parasailing location in Central Florida. You just walk out the back door of the Contemporary Tower, as if you were going to catch a boat to the Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness Campground. On your way to the pier you'll pass between two buildings. Sammy Duvall’s is located in the rear of the building on the right. Just to give you some background information, I am TERRIFIED of heights! I was talked into parasailing by my sons. My oldest son was going with his friend, and our youngest doesn’t weigh enough to ride alone, so I was elected. (You may ride either alone or tandem. The requirement is that the total weight must be at least 125 pounds and no more than 330 pounds.) The first thing I did was check out the safety of the equipment. I was assured that Sammy Duvall’s uses the latest in parasailing technology and that their boat exceeds U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) safety regulations. The equipment is checked daily and the captains of the boat are USCG Certified. Any scheduled flights are cancelled if a storm is approaching or in the event of severe winds. We know this for a fact, as it happened to us. They called us about 45 minutes before our scheduled flight and cancelled. Reservations are held with a credit card (which will be charged if you do not cancel 24 hours prior to your reservation) but you will not be charged if your flight is cancelled due to weather. We were given the option of rebooking and we did, for 3:00 pm the following day. They say that you will not get wet and that you may wear regular clothes. We chose to wear bathing suits and cover-ups, just in case. You take off and land on the boat itself. We got on the boat, sat down, were given safety instructions, and we were told to remove our shoes/sandals. Then we headed out into Bay Lake. Matt and I went first. I was nervous, but the captains put me at ease. They put harness-type straps around your bottom and you sit down into it, the strap goes over the tops of your thighs and between your legs. You hang onto two straps, similar to sitting on a swing. We went onto the back deck of the boat. I was in the back and Matt was in front with the huge parachute behind us. The boat began to speed up and we were pulled backwards and upwards. I was totally amazed at how smooth it was! It was also very gradual. I was totally shocked that once we were in the air, I wasn’t nervous at all, even with my fear of heights. You go 450 feet in the air -100 feet higher that the top of the Contemporary Tower. What an incredible view! We brought waterproof cameras and were taking pictures non-stop. You can see every park from up there. You can even see downtown Orlando (and of course Downtown Disney). You really get a feel for how vast Walt Disney World really is. Probably most amazing to me was how relaxed I felt. The fear factor was totally gone, you just feel like you are floating. Our time in the air was 10 minutes, but it seemed like seconds. Before we knew it, we were being gradually reeled in toward the boat deck. One of the captains was there to grab onto the harness and the parachute. We landed right on top of the deck standing up. There are two kinds of flights - the regular flight is 450 feet in the air and lasts 8-10 minutes. The cost is $95 plus tax for a single rider and $160 plus tax per tandem (two people riding together). The deluxe flight takes you up to 600 feet for 10-12 minutes. The cost is $120 plus tax for single riders and $185 plus tax per tandem. (Discounts are available for DVC members and Annual Pass holders.) Flights are scheduled seven days a week, weather permitting. During the summer, flights depart every 30 minutes from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. During the colder seasons flights are every 30 minutes between 10:00 am and 4:30 pm. You may “walk-up” to try to make a reservation but I would recommend making them in advance. Reservations can be made 90 days in advance by contacting Sammy Duvall’s directly at 407-939-0754 (phone) or 407-939-0756 (fax). You can also submit a request by e-mailing Disney@sammyduvall.com. Children under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian present to sign a release form and those under 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. You also must be at least 5 years of age (a new requirement). I would definitely recommend this for everyone! Did this cure me of my fear of heights? Nope! But I would do it again in a heartbeat.   About The Author: Dianne Cook is a PassPorter Message Board Guide and is an RN specializing in Diabetes Education. She lives in the New England with her husband and two sons.  - - - - - - - - - - - - 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.