From the Authors: PassPorter In More Places

Travel Feature: Henry Ford Museum's Disneyland Exhibit 

Disney World Feature:  Tips & Tricks (and Lots of Treats): Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Photopass Pro, Hand Helper, "Ship" Shape

Captain's Corner: The Largest Dirigible

Q&A: Is Soy Milk Available?
 

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Updates:
What's New and Changed

Here's a few of the new developments at Disney·

Gary Sinise has canceled his appearance at the Candlelight Processional this year. The updated list of performers is: Rita Moreno - November 25-27, Phil Donahue - November 28-30, Haley Joel Osment - December 1-3,
Cicely Tyson - December 4-6, Jaci Velasquez - December 7-9, 
Eartha Kitt - December 10-12, Lou Diamond Phillips - December 13-15, Harry Hamlin - December 16-18, 
Marlee Matlin - December 19-21, Jim Caviezel - December 22-24, John Stamos - December 25-27, 
Steven Curtis Chapman - December 28-30. 

The former 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Lagoon became a storybook woodland on September 1 when Pooh's Playful Spot opened. This new play area is designed for children ages 2 - 5. 

The Liberty Square Riverboat will not be "dry-docked" for rehab until mid-2006. 

You can view our page-by-page list of updates and corrections for the new PassPorter Walt Disney World 2005 Edition at http://www.passporter.com/
customs/bookupdates.htm.

>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:

PHOTOPASS PRO
"After getting a Disney Photopass card, write down your photopass number in a safe place. (Like that day's  PassPocket!) That way if you lose your Photopass Card you will still have the number to look up your pictures on the Internet when you get home."
-- contributed by Kalli Mulchi 

HAND HELPER
"Bring along several small tubes of hand cream. The  different water can make your hands dry."
-- contributed by Pat Booker

"SHIP" SHAPE
"Whenever I'm down in WDW, I always plan to ship items home.  Let's face it, we always buy more than we intend! I already have my own UPS and FedEx accounts, which are free and available on their websites.  Then I bring blank labels and fill them in when I am ready to ship. I ship either ground or 3-day to save costs."
-- contributed by Lisa N. (blondejrsygrl@...)

>Notes: Send us your tips ! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter!

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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 upcoming 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 news@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:  

The other day I had a rousing good flight with Lt. Col. Be-Bop, an assuredly excellent pilot. After swooping and soaring over one beautiful vista after another, I unstrapped myself and headed out of the skyway hangar. Beyond the ticketing area I immediately spotted a spectacle high above the land. Five colorful dirigibles flew together in a tight formation. And -- most unusual of all -- the large one in the center seemed to be trailing something under it. Upon closer inspection, I discovered the largest craft had ... (rest of text obscured by what appears to be mud, or perhaps a smeared chocolate chip)

So... what is under the largest craft and where in Walt Disney World will you find the five balloons?

Send your full answer to news@passporter.com -- the winner will be notified by e-mail and announced in the next newsletter, along with the correct answer!

Congratulations to Hilary Caws-Elwitt who was the winner of our very first treasure hunt game last week! Hilary correctly guessed that the "astounding racoon" was Sammy the racoon "hat" atop Henry's head in the Country Bear Jamboree. To see the original clues, see the last 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. We expect to release the book -- "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" -- in December 2005. Watch this space or http://www.passporter.com for more information!

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Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

cluver asks: "My son is allergic to all dairy products, as well as eggs and peanuts. I know I am set for the table service restaurants because I can call ahead and talk to the chefs, but does anyone know if I can get some soy milk at the food court at Pop Century? Or any other counter service restaurant for that matter?"

Jennifer and Dave answer: "I'd call Pop Century directly at 407-938-4000. They'll be able to put you in touch with the food court.

The big problem with listing what is and is not carried in the shops and restaurants is that it's always subject to change. If you need something in particular it's always best to phone a few days in advance of your visit, to be sure they do (or don't) have what you need."

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?

We're on the lookout for guest columnists to contribute articles to this newsletter. No professional writing experience 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 details and our article submission guidelines, please e-mail news@passporter.com. Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed!

The 2005 editions of all our PassPorter guidebooks are now in stock and shipping: PassPorter Walt Disney World 2005, PassPorter's Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line 3rd Edition, and PassPorter's Walt Disney World For Your Special Needs are now shipping next business day when ordered by 8:00 pm ET the night before. (We should note, however, that we're down to the last two hundred copies of our PassPorter WDW 2005 edition, but we're re-stocked on our Disney Cruise Line edition because the first printing sold out in just two months!) If you've been waiting to order your copy, now is the perfect time!

Everyone gets a 15% discount and if you've already got a copy of PassPorter, you can register it to get a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of any PassPorter guidebook.

Order your copy today at:
http://www.passporterstore.com/store

Henry Ford Museum's Disneyland Exhibit
By Dave Marx, PassPorter Author
 

A bit of Disneyland has come to Dearborn, Michigan, right in PassPorter's own backyard. The Henry Ford (better known as Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, "America's Greatest History Attraction") has created its own contribution to Disneyland's 50th Anniversary celebration. A new exhibit, "Behind the Magic - 50 years of Disneyland" will be opening tomorrow, Friday, September 30, 2005. Created with the full collaboration of Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney's master theme park builders, the exhibit will run until January 1 at the Henry Ford. After that it sets out on what may be a four year tour of museums around the U.S., with the first stop at the Oakland Museum of California, in March 2006. (We'll keep you posted as additional stops are announced.)

Jennifer and I have been members of The Henry Ford for years. Many is the time we've driven from Ann Arbor to Dearborn for a quick escape to a place that, to us, delivers many of the joys of Walt Disney World and Disneyland in a smaller, easier-to-reach package. I've been long aware of The Henry Ford's "Disney connection" - Walt Disney's visits in 1940 and 1948 helped inspire his concept for Disneyland (as the exhibit so clearly demonstrates), and a visit here will show you why. So, when we learned about this exhibit, it immediately moved onto our "must do" list.

The folks at the Henry Ford were kind enough to arrange a preview for me - Wednesday, just two days before opening. Maybe it was something in the air, but as I was driving to Dearborn the car in front of mine sported a Mickey Ears antenna topper. Then, as I arrived in the museum's IMAX theater parking lot, workmen had just finished placing a giant, classic black Mickey Ears cap over the entrance. Measuring a whopping 32 feet in diameter with 10 foot diameter ears (that's size 384, big even for my swollen head), it's even bigger than Disney-MGM Studios' Earfful Tower (hat size 342 3/4). These ears may make it into the Guinness Book of World Records (seriously). Dan Stollings, a crane and rigging specialist who has moved many big objects for the Henry Ford over the years (including this hat), proved just how much he enjoys working on this exhibit by wearing a homemade, golden Mickey Ears construction hard hat for the occasion.

The exhibit is tucked inside the cavernous Henry Ford Museum building. If the museum looks familiar from the outside, it should - it's modeled on Philadelphia's Independence Hall, which also inspired Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents and American Adventure pavilion. (Out on the west coast, Disneyland's neighbor, Knott's Berry Farm, has its own copy of Independence Hall). In the lobby outside the exhibit's entrance is the first clue that something cool awaits... an actual Toontown Trolley from Disneyland's Mickey's Toontown.

With the able guidance of Scott Mallwitz, the Henry Ford's Director of Experience Design (an Imagineer by any other name...), I headed through the doors and into the exhibit (no cameras allowed). From the start it's just so obvious that Scott and his colleagues are deep-down Disney fans... given the time, we could have schmoozed Disney and ogled artifacts for hours. Alas, the exhibit was still under construction (it opens Friday September 30) so we had little time to pause and browse. We had to keep moving as we made way for workers and they made way for us. Hands-on exhibits were mostly shut down, there were ladders and loose electrical wiring hanging about, and some precious objects were stored out of harm's way while workers put finishing touches on adjoining parts of the exhibit. Perhaps this is what Disneyland was like two days before it opened. But then, who wouldn't have wanted to visit Disneyland on July 15, 1955?

Here's what you'll find: Once inside you'll be immersed in a curving timeline that leads you through Disneyland's pre-history, including Walt's childhood influences and Greenfield Village's considerable role in inspiring Walt to build something similar in California. From across the room I spied the first-ever exhibit of the famous Herb Ryman Disneyland conceptual drawing. You've all seen the copies, but this is the Real Ryman! Tucked away on one display panel is a tiny souvenir tintype photo taken of Walt Disney and legendary animator, Ward Kimball. The Henry Ford dug this out of its own archives, and it's proof that not only did Walt resist the urge to buy the photo, but that the folks at the Henry Ford weren't about to give it to Walt as a gift (sounds like some things at theme parks never change!) From there the exhibit moves into the reality of the park's design, construction and history. There's just so much stuff here, I don't know where to begin, so I'm just going to call out a few of the items that grabbed my interest.

The exhibit is strong on flat artwork and a little light on three-dimensional objects, which is not surprising for a touring exhibit. I love drawings and sketches (you can't pry me out of Disneyland's Disney Gallery once I step inside), so I felt like a kid in the ultimate Imagineering candy shop. What's more, the 3-D objects present are the cream of the crop. Starting at the pinnacle is the original "Mr. Lincoln" Animatronic from the NY World's Fair, the first human Audio-Animatronics Disney created. Actually, this is a naked Mr. Lincoln - all the better to see the "ropes and pulleys." Nearby is a bust of Lincoln created by Disney sculptor Blaine Gibson (of Partners Statue fame), and there are also original maquettes (models) of "it's a small world" dolls and pirates from the Caribbean. Elsewhere you'll find scale models of Peter Pan's Flight and The Jungle Cruise (familiar from the Walt Disney: One Man's Dream exhibit at Walt Disney World), ride vehicles from Peter Pan's Flight (have a seat!) and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and even concrete "walk of fame" footprints of various famous Imagineers, an artifact from Imagineering headquarters that the public has never seen. In one nook we found the "stretch room" paintings from the Haunted Mansion, and one museum staff member gasped when she turned to find a giant cobra head from the Indiana Jones Adventure (it's on hand to display how Imagineering uses lighting effects to breathe terrifying life into simple statuary).

The exhibit explores each of Disneyland's original lands through conceptual drawings and plans and interactive video screens. Wherever you look you'll see fascinating and unfamiliar drawings of Disneyland and its best-loved attractions. The exhibit's curators selected the final 200+ drawings from tens of thousands of items made available to them from the Imagineering archives. Many of the interactive elements were not working during my preview, but I was very impressed with the video screen for Adventureland. Using a trackball to navigate, you can "pan" way past the borders of the screen to learn about every current attraction, including the Jungle Cruise, The Enchanted Tiki Room and the Indiana Jones Adventure - not only the attractions themselves, but how the art of Disney storytelling connects these attractions with movies and other entertainment that either inspired the attraction, or vice-versa. As you move the cursor around the screen, be on the lookout for audio "hotspots" and even a few "Easter eggs."

Alas that I had just 20 minutes inside the exhibit itself. I'll be dragging Jennifer and Alexander back here just as soon as I can. I can easily imagine spending two hours or more poring over every detail, and even the slightly-less-Disney-obsessed should allow at least an hour. If you can possibly get here on a weekday, do it. Weekends at The Henry Ford resemble weekends at a Disney park. Exhibit admission is $10 for adult museum members and $6 for member youths from 5-12. Non-members pay $24 and $16, which includes admission to the museum (but not Greenfield Village). Children under 5 ride free. Exhibit tickets should be purchased in advance, just in case they're sold-out when you arrive. Choose the date and time (20 minute intervals, starting at 9:40am and ending at 4:00pm) online at http://www.thehenryford.org/visit/default.asp , or call 313-982-6001 or 800-835-5237.

There are some other neat Disney events happening in conjunction with this exhibit. Disneyana at The Henry Ford takes place on October 8, with exhibits, appraisers and a Disneyana lecture. Tickets are available at the door, $10 (call the Henry Ford to double-check, there's nothing about this on the web site - 313-982-6001).

Then on November 11 the Benson Ford Research Center and the University of Michigan Museum Studies Program present an all-day conference, "Behind the Magic: The Influence and Impact of Walt Disney and Disneyland," featuring legendary Disney Imagineers Marty Sklar and Tom Fitzgerald, noted scholars and authors Karal Ann Marling and Linda Groat, and Donna Braden from The Henry Ford.

I don't intend to miss any of this!

The Henry Ford Museum is open daily from 9:30 am - 5:00 pm except Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Greenfield Village is open daily from April 15 - October 31 from 9:30 am - 5:00 pm. It's open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 1 Through January 1, and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and from January 2 - April 14 (that Michigan winter!).

Anyone want to have a PassPorter Meet here?

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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.

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Tips & Tricks (And Lots of Treats): Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
by Ann Smith, PassPorter Message Board Guide and Guest Columnist

If you are going to be visiting Walt Disney World in October, I highly recommend trying to attend a special party -- Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party -- held at the Magic Kingdom from 7:00 pm to midnight on select nights. (This event requires separate admission. Advance purchase prices are age 10 & up $37.23, Age 3-9 $29.77. Prices the day of event and October 31 are age 10 & up $42.55, age 3-9 $35.10. Children under 3 are admitted free.)

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP for short) is great for kids and adults alike. Most rides in the Magic Kingdom are open and there are special activities to keep you busy throughout the night. Not to mention a special Halloween parade featuring the Headless Horseman.

Many people come to the party in Halloween costume, kids AND adults.  I have seen everything from the simple (l wore overalls and a cowboy hat last year) to elaborate (Adults dressed as queen of hearts and Prince Phillip) or no costume at all. The choice is yours! When choosing a costume remember to consider the Florida heat and whether the costume will make getting in and out of the rides awkward. 
The fun begins when you step up to the main gate. You will notice immediately that the Magic Kingdom has been transformed into a not-so-scary Haunted House. First you will receive a special trick or treat bag for trick or treating throughout the Magic Kingdom. And make sure you get a MNSSHP map so that you will know what rides are operating and where to find the shows.

The decorations and special effects for MNSSHP are extensive. There are hologram witches, bats and ghosts flying around the shops on Main Street while each "land" is decorated with its own unique Halloween style. (Check out Cinderella's coach in Fantasyland -- it is life size and a great photo opportunity!)

There are several locations for you to get complimentary Halloween photos taken. It is a fairly quick process and a nice souvenir.  The locations are designated on the guide map and change every year. The photos will be mailed to you within three weeks after the party. 

Trick or treat stations can also be found throughout the Magic Kingdom, check your guide map for locations. I must tell you that trick or treating in the Magic Kingdom is like nowhere else on Earth. The very first time we went to MNSSHP we were surprised at how much candy we brought back to our room (and took home with us). I counted at least 15 trick or treat stations on the guide map from 2003.  Many of them have the same candy so if you don't get to trick or treat at them all, don't worry.  Plus, if there is a long line, skip it and come back later. 

A fun thing for kids is the Halloween story telling. (Again, check your map!) When you see a story telling area, there will be a "scary" or "not so scary" icon so judge according to your child's level of tolerance for fear factor. 

Another fun thing for children is Mickey's Mouse-ka-rade costume party. Kids can go and listen to a DJ spin their favorite tunes while they dance, have hula hoop contests and have a mini parade with the help of many Disney Characters. It's a great place for parents to go and watch and re-charge their batteries for more Halloween fun.

Looking for characters? There are tons of character meet and greets situated throughout the park and there is a minimal line for most of them as they are in such abundance. Many of the characters are in their own Halloween costumes making for a great photo opportunity with your little trick or treater!

Two not to be missed things during MNSSHP are the special edition fireworks and parade. Be sure to watch the castle during the fireworks for a special surprise flier!!  My personal favorite part of MNSSHP is the "Boo to You" Halloween parade. It is presented at 8pm and again at 10pm. The Headless Horseman announces the start of the parade and it is wonderful to see so many characters dressed up as, well, characters! Last year, Winnie the Pooh was dressed up as a bat -- too cute! The second parade is less crowded but if you're like me, you'll want to see both!! 

As I mentioned before, most rides are operational during MNSSHP with the main exceptions being those that close early due to darkness: Swiss Family Treehouse, Tom Sawyer Island, etc. Check your guide map for which rides are operational this year. 

Most shops are also open and many contain special MNSSHP merchandise such as T-shirts and pins. These items can only be purchased during MNSSHP so if you see something you like, get it as it is not available to the general public. Most counter service restaurants are open during MNSSHP for you to get a bite to eat. Liberty Tree Tavern also accepts priority seating for dining before the party. 

You will thoroughly enjoy Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and I highly recommend it for young and old. 

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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 planning your Disney vacation.