From the Authors: PassPorter Community Rulz!

Travel Feature: A Trip Back In Time: Knoebels Amusement Park (Part 2) 

Disney World Feature:  California Grill Review

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Rental Rate Redux, Pass On PassPorter, Nab a Napkin

Captain's Corner: Ready-Made Shower

Q&A: Hurricanes in October?
 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Updates:
What's New and Changed

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

Disney's Wilderness Lodge took first place in the Travel + Leisure Family magazine "Family Friendly Resort" poll. Five of the top 10 resorts were Disney resorts. Third on the list was the Grand Californian Hotel in Disneyland, fourth was Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa at WDW, fifth was Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge at WDW, and in the tenth spot was Disney's Vero Beach Resort in Vero Beach, Florida. 

The Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant in Downtown Disney will officially open for business on October 21, 2005. The restaurant is decorated with custom furnishings and lighting -- all designed and built by Irish craftspeople. The Pub will feature nightly live entertainment by Irish musicians so pull up a chair and prepare to sing along!

Oops! What we meant to say last issue was that the Liberty Square Riverboat will be "dry-docked" for rehab until mid-2006. Sorry for any confusion!

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Disney Tips:
From Fellow Readers

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

RENTAL RATE REDUX
"If you are planning on booking a rental car, book the first good rate you see. Unlike the airlines, you can cancel a rental at any time without penalty. Then keep shopping for the best deals! If you come across a better deal, book it and then remember to cancel your original reservation."
-- contributed by Jana (j.mcclinton@...)

PASS ON PASSPORTER
"Let your children have your older spiral editions of PassPorter. My 5 year-old always takes 'her' PassPorter on the trips. She adds 'additional illustrations' on the airplane and I read to her about where we are staying. She LOVES to have the flight attendants 'autograph' her book as well as the interesting people she meets on the airplane. And I 'hide' stickers in the pockets that she can discover and give out to other passengers."
-- contributed by Alicia C. (akcalsyn@...)

(Editor's Note: The $1 PassPorter is the perfect way to get older editions of PassPorter!

NAB A NAPKIN 
"By accident two years ago, we discovered a free souvenir that helps to us relive the magic back home until that next Walt Disney World trip. While unpacking, we discovered a stash of napkins in a gift bag, originally stored there for wiping off sweaty brows or runny noses. We saved them and pulled a couple out to use at dinner each time we felt a bit 'home sick' for our favorite place. Now during each trip we stash a couple extra napkins in our pockets and get to experience the magic of Disney at home on those nights our mouths water for turkey legs and Mickey waffles!"
-- contributed by Kassi

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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 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:

Another long, hot day of treasure hunting and I am in need of a good hose-down. I had no luck over at the Turkish Baths on Main Street and I felt foolish hopping about in my skivvies at Epcot's pop-jet fountains. So I wandered over to Disney-MGM Studios. Miss Piggy wouldn't let me in her fountain -- she rightly declared that I "smelled foul." I also turned down a lovely mermaid out of embarrassment. Eventually I stumbled across a ready-made shower, complete with a handle and an auto-on sensor. I was so happy to get clean I was singing!

So... where is this "ready-made shower" at Disney-MGM Studios?

 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 Rebecca Roberts who was the winner of last week's treasure hunt game last week! There was actually room for two winners -- a "before rehab" winner and an "after rehab" winner. Rebecca correctly stated that it was lightning and rain under the largest balloon suspended from the ceiling of The Land at Epcot... before the rehab. After the recent renovations, that large, center balloon was changed to a sphere of the Planet Earth. Alas, no one pointed this out and thus we have only one winner. 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!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

luvgoofy asks: "Are hurricanes typical at the end of October? I am worried about hurricanes though. Are they usually over by then? How is the weather? "

Jennifer and Dave answer: "Yes, hurricanes are usually finished by then, but over 25 years there's still an average of one storm per week in late October/early November. Considering the current weather patterns, though, it looks like the odds are going to be greater that a storm will be brewing somewhere. Most of the time the storms are no more than a minor inconvenience if you're OK with a change of itinerary (Eastern becomes Western, or one island gets changed). There have been a couple of occasions where the ships couldn't depart/return to Port Canaveral, but that's been very rare overall."

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!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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!

It's time for our annual earlier edition offer! Get a copy of PassPorter Walt Disney World 2004 (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. 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. Limited quantities are available. For more information and to get your $1 PassPorter, visit the $1 PassPorter page.

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.

The 2006 edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World is now available for pre-order, which an expected release date in late November. Our 2006 edition will feature full color throughout the book!

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

A Trip Back In Time: Knoebels Amusement Park (Part 2)
By Christina Radvon, PassPorter Message Board Guide

This week Christina Radvon concludes her series on the glory of a true old-time amusement park. To read the first part of Christina's article, check out this earlier edition of PassPorter News.

Knoebels offers culinary delights the likes of which most amusement parks can't begin to imagine, much less reproduce. Stony Gables Fudge and Nut Shoppe is one of the many rental cottages that were converted to concession stands. This gothic fairy tale cottage  with arched doorways, bordered by a profusion of flowers and indigenous shrubbery is nearly impossible to pass by when you see and smell it for yourself. (When you walk inside, lean in towards the old stove at the bottom of the stairs and look up and to the far right to see one of the original pointed-arch doorways.) The far right side of the cottage is a fudge kitchen offering nearly every flavor you can think of. The far left side of the cottage houses the peanut roasting equipment in a sort of outdoor, screened concession stand. Between the two is usually a line of starry-eyed children and expectant adults drooling over the glass cases full of fudge and other candied delights. We loved the fudge-dipped marshmallows on a stick!

Knoebels is well known for its outstanding amusement park food. It holds the Golden Ticket Amusement Park Food Award for the last 5 years! But if there's one indisputable fact, it's that Knoebels has incredible food and tons of options for even the pickiest eaters. 

When asked, neither my husband nor my son could choose just one favorite food or meal from our stay. Local treats like chicken and waffles with gravy, mac and cheese bites (deep fried, breaded spoonfuls of mac and cheese) and corn nuggets made everyone's list. Walt claimed gyros, eggplant fries, and top-your-own baked potatoes among his favorites. DJ loved the chicken finger kids meal, frozen yogurt, and pierogies.

At the top of my long list of favorite foods is the Deluxe Traveling Taco -- a single-serving size bag of Fritos, opened and topped with seasoned beef, cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream, served with a fork for eating while you walk.

Knoebels offers more than just good food. Great eateries like The Oasis (an open-air cafeteria that offers all-you-can-eat meals on certain days), The Alamo (an enclosed diner-style restaurant), and Phoenix Junction Steakhouse (a covered food-court with top-notch daily specials like NY strip steak and jumbo fried shrimp dinners) add even more unique offerings to Knoebels' line-up of incredible, award-winning food. You'll never go hungry as long as you don't run out of funds.

Thrifty vacationers have another unique option. Knoebels also offers a number of free, reserved picnic facilities. Just call in advance and they'll reserve as many tables as you need in one of the many picnic pavilions near the Crystal Pool. Bring just the basics like hot dogs and hamburgers and they'll even provide you with small, coin-operated griddles for the day. Large groups can bring their own or have the park cater their picnic with all the good foods found in the park.

Friends and family were surprised to hear we'd planned to spend a week at Knoebels. Many assumed that meant we'd be camping! (I am not a happy camper.) Knoebels, to many people, still means camping and though we didn't get a look at the campgrounds on this or any of our previous trips, we've heard countless people rave about their camping experiences at Knoebels campground. We may try this one day when our son is older, but we found the cottage to be more than adequate for our needs and those of our young son.

Our trip was a new experience for us. It was our first week-long family vacation. Knoebels was just the right place to let us experiment with traveling with a toddler. While the cost of renting a cottage was a little steep ($900/week, Saturday to Saturday), the cost of ride tickets more than made up the difference. We spent $85 on $100 worth of tickets in advance (purchased at a discount through AAA). We had $20 in tickets left over from our weekend trip last year (cost last year: $17.00 through AAA). My in-laws came to visit for a day and bought $20 worth of tickets ($18.00 mid-week discount price). We bought another $10 worth of tickets ($9.00 midweek discount price) on our last night so we'd have enough for a few rides the following day. Added up: $150 worth of tickets for one week cost $129 (and $18.00 of that at my in-laws expense). We spent $111 on ride tickets for 3 people for 8 days at 1 park. But what we saved on ride tickets, we may have spent on games!

Knoebels offers typical amusement park games at atypical amusement park prices. We were pleased to also find some not-so-typical games. Many of the games are the kind you may remember from weekend visits to the Jersey Shore as a kid. We tried Flying Frogs, Ball Toss, Tip-a-Troll, and Roller Bowling, but as usual, we each have a favorite! Walt loved the Derby Races, DJ became an old pro at Kosmo's Tic Tac Toe and I triumphed over small children and teenagers at Killer Beez! Woohoo!!!

Knoebels is also home to one of the last few "Fascination Parlors" in the country. I gazed longingly at all of the fun prizes and the people seated on their stools, laughing and rolling the balls in an odd twist of tic tac toe, but never got around to playing the entire week! We stopped by the parlor one night early in our stay to find out how to play and the game caller gave me a handful of free tickets to use later in the week so I could learn. 

My husband and I continue to be amazed by the people at Knoebels. The employees surprise and delight us every trip. This trip it was the Fascination game caller. Last year, it was the ride operators in Kiddieland. We were happily snapping shot after shot of DJ on the Kiddie Whip late one night when I heard a very tired mother telling her son she wasn't going to pay for him to ride the kiddie bumper cars by himself when there was no point -- there was no one else riding to bump. The Bumper car ride operator called over 4 or 5 other ride operators who had no line at their rides. Adult park employees gamely got into kiddie bumper cars -- one with a cast on her foot and some with their knees folded up to their chests -- so the little boy would have someone to ride with and bump. 

Magic can be found in the most unexpected places at this nostalgic park from the past.
 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

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.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dining Review: California Grill
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Message Board Guide 

With more than 300 places to eat on Disney property, let's face it -- you're never going to go hungry. There's something for everyone and that includes the finest of dining opportunities. But prices at the best Disney restaurants aren't exactly cheap, so where should you go for an evening out that will provide good food, a wonderful atmosphere and top service? 

For us, there's one choice that fulfills all those criteria without completely breaking the bank and that's the California Grill on the 14th floor of the Contemporary. Let me just say now that we have sampled the food at Victoria and Albert's, and that is truly out of this world, but it's not a place that we would visit with every vacation. In fact, for most people it's a once in a lifetime experience, hence the earlier reference to not breaking the bank. 

What makes the California Grill so special? Firstly, there's the location. You often hear that the most important thing for houses is location, location, location and we feel the same is true of Disney restaurants. Sure, some of the other finer restaurants on property enjoy majestic views -- Wishes can be seen from Narcoosee's at the Grand Floridian and you can look out into the grounds of the Wilderness Lodge at Artist Point, but atop the Contemporary not only can you view Wishes, but it's also possible to see Epcot's IllumiNations from the other end of the restaurant. Many people don't realize it, but there is a second smaller balcony at the rear of the restaurant, where you get a great view of both displays. OK, so you don't get the Wishes music piped in, but it's still a first class view. 

And if you're not lucky enough to secure one of those coveted window tables, never fear. The servers will invite you out on the balcony just before the show begins and you won't miss a second of your meal, as they are experts at timing each course around the fireworks. We once ordered, headed outside for the show and arrived back to see our server leaving our soups on our table for us.

That's just one of the reasons that we enjoy the service here so much. We have always found the staff here is anxious to provide the best service that they can and are fully acquainted with all the options on the menu, allowing them to offer informed advice. Not sure how hot and spicy something is? They'll happily explain it on a scale of one to ten. Want to know whether something contains meat? No problem -- they'll even double check with the chef just to be 100% sure. Looking for some advice on which wine would perfectly complement your food choices? No problem. You'll even be able to sample a couple of options before deciding. 

You're also allowed to linger over your food. The courses don't come at you in quick succession, they're well spaced, allowing you to digest each one properly. In that respect, it's very reminiscent of Victoria and Albert's. It is not unusual for a meal here to take more than two hours if you want to take your time. On one occasion, we even went to pay and were told that we still had some wine left and were asked if we wanted to finish it first before settling the bill. There are very few restaurants like that, where you feel that the table is yours for the evening and you're not being rushed to make way for another party. All too often you feel as if you're on a conveyor belt, with the next family being rushed in as soon as you're out of the door. Not here. 

So what about the food? Well, the theme is American, although it's difficult to predict exactly what will be on the menu, as it changes every week to incorporate the freshest of ingredients. Specialties here include the brick oven fired flatbreads, which are delicious, but they're not exactly small. Unless you've got a big appetite, you may be best sharing these. For our Christmas Day dinner last year, we sampled the smoked salmon flatbread and it was superb. 

Another of the California Grill's specialties is sushi and boy is it one worth sampling! Having tried sushi on our last trip at both Epcot's Teppanyaki and the California Grill, I can tell you that the California Grill won that battle hands down. 

As for the appetizers, the bisques are another favorite, having sampled a range, including asparagus and oyster. When it comes to the main courses, the menu does at first appear to be dominated by meat, but look closer and there's plenty for non meat eaters. Usually there are at least two fish options available and there's also a vegetarian zone. If the vegetarian items you see on the menu don't take your fancy, then make use of the vegetarian zone and tell them exactly what you'd like to try. I've done this before, mixing and matching from some of the dishes on the menu and the chefs have always come up trumps for me. It seems that nothing is too much trouble for them. 

Usually by the time we've made our way through the sushi, the flatbread, appetizer and entrée, there's sadly no room left for dessert. I keep promising myself that one day I will leave enough room for their signature dish, the Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake, a divine sounding mixture of chocolate and cherries. The problem is that this always comes after the other courses and by then, I've found too much on the menu that I feel the need to sample! 

One of the other beauties of the California Grill is their wine list, covering everything from the best known varieties to an extensive reserve list, which we haven't yet sampled. Whether you're looking for just a glass or a bottle to complement your meal, your server will be able to offer help to pick just the perfect accompaniment. 

Eating at the California Grill isn't cheap. Our bill, for the two of us, is usually between $100 and $150, but it's a price we feel is worth every penny for a truly indulgent and romantic evening. And it's not just a place for couples to visit. We see plenty of families every time we go there, although it's fair to say that usually the children are a little older than at many other Disney restaurants. 

Because it's an expensive meal, we always get a little bit dressed up; usually a nice top and perhaps a smart pair of pants or perhaps black jeans. On occasions, I've even dug a nice dress out and worn that. It's not a place I'd recommend heading to decked out in shorts and a t-shirt. We did so on our first visit on our honeymoon and felt decidedly out of place, which could explain Disney's new dress code for this and a few other restaurants, requesting no swimsuits, torn clothing, tank tops or flip flops be worn. 

Dining at the California Grill is a great experience and very much an evening out. Combining fine food, good service and amazing views, if it's somewhere you've yet to visit, then be sure to add it to your "must try" list for future trips. 

The California Grill is located on the 14th floor of the Contemporary resort, with check in on the second floor. Once your name is checked off, you're then escorted by a member of staff in an elevator to the restaurant. Open for dinner every evening from 5:30-10:00 pm, the menu can be found here: http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_cg.htm 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

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.