From the Authors: Catching Up

Travel Feature: Venice

Disney Feature: Cruising with Dietary Restrictions

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Room Reminders, Character Fix, Love Those Links (Part 2)

Captain's Corner: Somewhere Beyond

Q&A: Some questions about Barcelona?
 

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Updates:
What's New and Changed

Here are a few items of relevant news:

Disney announced a new initiative to bring healthier menu choices to it's domestic theme parks. Trans fats will be completely eliminated from US theme park menus by the end of 2007 and from licensed and promotional products by the end of 2008. The new food guidelines, developed with the help of physicians, includes such things as smaller portions for children, a cap on saturated fat for main dishes, side dishes and snacks and a limit in the number of "indulgence items" served. Disney also announced that it will only be signing movie and endorsement deals with restaurants that limit sugar and fat in menu items.

The Walt Disney World Reservation system will undergo a scheduled software upgrade beginning on October 19, 2006 and is scheduled to be back online by the afternoon of October 23. The Disney Reservation Center will be answering calls but will be providing estimated quotes for vacation planners. Online reservations will not be available during this time.

The Disney Cruise Line (DCL) will be increasing rates for ground transportation between Orlando International Airport and Port Canaveral, and between Port Canaveral and Walt Disney World. Round-trip transportation is going up $10 per person, and one-way trips are increasing by $5. This affects all ground transportation reservations made on or after November 1, 2006, so if you haven't yet added ground transportation to your existing DCL reservation, now might be a good time. (Note that ground transportation between Walt Disney World and Orlando International Airport is still free, as part of the Disney's Magical Express program.)
 

Our thanks to AllEarsNet.com from which we get some of our news leads.

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Disney Tips:
From Fellow Readers

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Travel is grand, catching up when you get back home is, well, not quite so grand. We've spent the week and a half since returning from our Mediterranean scouting trip in the office, busily churning out everything from quarterly sales tax reports to illustrations for a promotional calendar. As Chairman of MouseFest 2006, Dave is scrambling to catch up with arrangements for that event (over 1500 attendees registered to date). Amidst it all, we paused to have a belated birthday celebration for Jennifer, and Dave flew back to New York for a business meeting. Naturally, we've been busy integrating our Mediterranean experiences into the manuscript for the fifth edition of PassPorter's Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line, and have also begun work on the first revision of PassPorter Disneyland Resort (we'll be heading to California in early November for a research visit).

Amidst all of this, we've even had time to work on our Mediterranean trip report. Day 1 (Barcelona) is online and ready for your reading pleasure, with more to come soon. Our full report already contains many interesting articles. Keep watching this newsletter for updates!

Just a reminder: Some of our older edition PassPorters on close-out are either out of stock, or about to be -- so now's the time to get your cheap books. These close-outs are available from 65% - 95% off the list price -- a great deal! To see what we have available, visit the PassPorter Store.

We're happy to say that PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007 has made it across the Pacific from Hong Kong, right on schedule. Now we're waiting for it to make its way from California to our Midwestern warehouse. If all continues to go well, we just may start shipping the new books well in advance of the announced release date. As you undoubtedly know, if you pre-order your copy it'll be on its way to you within days after it hits our warehouse.

MouseFest just keeps getting bigger and better. New communities and attendees are being added to the list all the time - nearly 1500 attendees have now registered! If you'll be on the December 3 sailing of the Disney Wonder and/or at Walt Disney World between December 7 and 11 please visit MouseFest.org to check out all the great events (nearly all are free), and to register to receive the MouseFest newsletter. See you there!

PassPorter Public Appearance Calendar Here's an update on where you can see/hear/meet PassPorter's authors in the upcoming months: Coming up next week: 10/24/2006 - 12:40 pm CT (and repeated on tape) WYAM TV 56- Decatur, AL and Huntsville, TN Talk of the Town -- The Light Side of the News Host: Suzie Wiley Appearing: Dave Marx (via telephone)   10/25/2006 - 9:07 am CT KBUR AM 1490 - Burlington, IA http://www.kbur.com/pages/shows.html The Steve Hexom Morning Show Host: Steve Hexom Appearing: Dave Marx (via telephone)   10/25/2006 - 9:45 am CT KORN AM 1490 - Mitchell, SD http://www.1490korn.com Let's Talk Host: Clint Greenway Appearing: Dave Marx (via telephone)   Coming soon:   12/3 - 12/11/2006 MouseFest 2006 See the MouseFest web site for the full schedule http://www.mousefest.org Appearing: Jennifer, Dave and Alexander Marx, Deb Wills Be sure to bring your books for autographing Books will also be available for sale at the MegaMouseMeet, Saturday 12/9, at 1:00 pm.

In this issue of the newsletter frequent contributor Cheryl Pendry takes us for a tour of Venice, Italy, and Julie Mikesell reports on her family's very satisfying experience Cruising with Dietary Restrictions on the Disney Cruise Line. Enjoy!

Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors and Publishers
 

Legend claims that the city was first founded around the year 420 and grew in power over the next 1,000 years thanks to its location, which allowed it to trade with the major empires. But, as the old saying goes "what goes up must come down" and that was the case with Venice. Sea routes started to open up to the east and trade dwindled to the point where the city became virtually bankrupt. Although it's hard to believe looking at it today, many of the city's old buildings and palaces fell into disrepair for many years, before tourists re-discovered its beauty and gave it a new lease on life.  

And what’s not to love about this place? World famous for its amazing network of canals that connect the 118 islands that make up this city, Venice is peppered with arching bridges on most streets and stunning views around every corner. Those canals will become your way of life during your stay in Venice, either as you cross over them on foot or as you take the water transport that is the lifeblood of the city. 

Of course, there are the famous gondolas, although if you've been to Las Vegas and thought the prices for a gondola ride at The Venetian were steep, you can be assured that those are merely in keeping with the real thing. Official fares are €80 ($100) for a 40 minute daytime tour for up to six people and €100 ($130) for the same tour at night. There's a simple rule for gondolas -- if the price is a problem, don't do it! We opted against it and didn't regret it, as there are so many other great ways to see the city from the water. 

The "vaporetti" are motorized waterbuses, which may not give you the same great views you'd get from a gondola, but they are quick, reliable, easy to use and stop by most of the main sights. If you do want to say you've ridden a gondola without the cost, then there are gondola ferry crossings that link various parts of the two sides of the Grand Canal and these are regularly used by Venetians, as well as tourists -- not surprising, as they cost less than €1! 

Although Venice is dominated by water, there's still plenty to do on dry land. The biggest attraction is undoubtedly St. Mark's Square with the impressive Doge's Palace and the beautiful Campanile, both of which will be familiar to Disney visitors, so much so that when we first arrived by vaporetti in the city, I couldn't help but exclaim "it's just like Epcot!" 

It isn't -- for starters, Disney's Campanile tower so far hasn't crumbled to dust and then been rebuilt. Around since 1514, Venetians got a rude awakening in July 1902 when the whole thing subsided into a heap of bricks and debris. Miraculously, none of the other historic buildings nearby were damaged and it was rebuilt over the next 10 years exactly as it had been. Today an elevator whisks you to the top of the tower for some superb views. 

Part of that view is the rest of St. Mark's Square, home to the Basilica di San Marco, which must rank as one of the world's most intricate buildings. The longer you look at the mosaics on the exterior, the more you notice. Inside is just as impressive, with more mosaics covering the walls and domes. It's estimated these took around 600 years to put together. The interior of the neighboring Doge's Palace is just as stunning. This really is how the other half lived and the extravagance here has to be seen to be believed. It's almost impossible to tour this place and leave with your jaw intact! 

Unfortunately, statistics suggest that this is the only part of Venice that most visitors see. Of the 14 million people who come here annually, around 80% stay for less than eight hours, which seems criminal when you consider everything else there is to see here. 

Fancy a waterfront walk? Then head for the Riva degli Schiavoni. This will give you a superb view of the original Bridge of Sighs -- and although it's been reproduced around the world, the original is still the best! Another bridge not to miss is the Rialto Bridge - it's a great place to watch the world on the water below you go by. The nearby market is also well worth checking out with some superb locally produced food. 

If you love art and want to see how life used to be in Venice, then the Ca' d'Oro -- the House of Gold -- should be on your list. Its elaborate façade is easy to spot from the Grand Canal, and inside you can visit an art gallery on the first and second floors and get a taste of life in an old palace on the ground floor.

Across the water from St. Mark's Square is San Giorgio Maggiore Island that's home to a beautiful church of the same name. Both the church and the vaporetti ride there and back offer stunning picture postcard views towards St. Mark's Square. 

While in Venice, don't miss the Lagoon Islands and especially the glass making heart of this area, Murano. It's got its very own Grand Canal and a myriad of shops where you can buy world famous Murano glass. If you want to find out more about that industry, visit the Museo Vetrario (Glass Museum). Murano glass is an irresistible souvenir and you'll find it ranges in price from just a few Euros to hundreds. We ended up with a six inch high glass Christmas tree, complete with ornaments and a treat-laden "sweet tray,"  which we had great fun with over the next few months, inviting visitors to try them. 

Shopping is really one of the great pastimes here. It's hard to resist the beautiful Venetian carnival masks you'll find everywhere, and again, if you shop carefully, you’ll find something to match every budget. If you want to see the real thing, then head to Venice in late February for Carnivale, the city's counterpart to New Orleans' Mardi Gras.  

Whatever time of year you do choose to go to Venice, it's unlikely you'll ever experience another city like it. A visit here truly is unique and might just make you think about how much better use we could all make of the water in our cities and towns for traveling around.

About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and have spent the last few years exploring much of Europe. They are looking forward to their next visit to Walt Disney World in October, when they'll also be heading north to visit Hilton Head Island for the first time.

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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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	Disney Feature:  Dining with Dietary Restrictions: The Disney Cruise Line by Julie Mikesell, Guest Contributor My parents and I sailed on the Disney Magic's 7-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise the first week of September, 2006. When we made our reservations back in January, I had conveyed to our travel agent that my parents needed gluten-free meals, and I needed something with low sugar due to my diabetes. For those travelers with special dietary restrictions/requirements, it is often hard to travel and find those needs met. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised to find how accommodating the Disney Cruise Line was. In reading the frequently asked questions on the Disney Cruise website, it mentions any special diet-restricted needs need to be requested at the time of booking, to ensure that those needs can be met. The travel agent relayed that information on to Disney when she made our reservation. I was also quite surprised when Disney responded back to inquire if our room required a sharps container (a heavy-duty plastic container for my diabetic needles) -- I have traveled quite a bit, and have never been asked if I needed a container before.  After boarding the ship, we proceeded to Rockin' Bar D, in order to check that all the appropriate arrangements regarding our special diets had been made. The crew member replied that when we arrived at dinner that night to inform our servers, and they would take care of us from that moment on. And take care of us they did!  Our waiter, Sonny, explained that our meal that night would be served from the menu, but that he would provide us with the following night's menu as dinner ended and we could pre-order our meals. Sure enough, just after dessert, he came to us with the following night's menu, and wrote down our selections. The hardest part of this was deciding what you want to eat while still feeling so full from the meal you just ate!  Our head waiter, John, was also a valuable asset. He stopped by to make sure that we had received the menus for the following night and he arranged for a standing order of gluten-free pancakes at Lumiere's. He explained that we did not need to eat breakfast at Lumiere's every morning, but if my parents felt like having pancakes on any particular day, we could show up at Lumiere's and they would have the pancake batter available. He also made sure that my parents had gluten-free pancakes the morning of our character breakfast. Our final breakfast before our disembarkation was at Lumiere's. My parents ordered an express breakfast -- eggs, choice of meat, hash browns. They were pleasantly surprised when the waiter brought out the gluten-free pancakes. It appears that when our head waiter saw us arrive at the restaurant, he placed the order for them. Such service!  Many times, you would not have known my parents' food was gluten-free when comparing the dishes to the "regular" entrees ordered by our table mates. If the dish was a pasta dish, the chef used rice pasta instead of wheat. Potatoes or white rice were also readily available at every meal. Only the bread looked different. Every night, the waiter would bring out a basket of gluten-free rolls, which usually didn't match the featured bread of the evening. But had you not known they were gluten-free, you would have never known just from looking at it. Another special touch: unknown to my parents, the waiter also ordered a gluten-free dessert for them each night when he placed their meal order.  For my "lower sugar" diet, every night there were at least two no-sugar-added/sugar-free desserts. Also, I was able to preorder some of my meal -- requesting syrupy sauces removed or served on the side. If I waited until dinnertime to place my order, I was often out of luck because most of the items were prepared ahead of time.  While breakfast and lunch were less structured than dinner (no preordering required or accepted), it was still easy to find solutions to our dietary needs:  Breakfast always had egg, meat, and potato options for my parents and sugar-free syrup and jams for me. We were able to find many lunch options that also met our needs -- the buffets carried fruit, salad, vegetables, hand carved meats, and seafood. For dessert, there always seemed to be at least one option for me, and many times there would be some form of Jell-O, pudding, or mousse for my parents. We never went hungry.  While our diets did not focus on vegetarian needs, Disney had that covered as well. There were always at least two vegetarian options at dinner every night. With breakfast and lunch having buffet options, a vegetarian would have no problem finding the right combination of items to satisfy his/her appetite.  You may ask, "Ok, so your diets were accommodated, but how did the food taste?" My mom commented that all the gluten-free food, from the bread to the pasta, was wonderful. She could barely tell (if at all) that she was eating gluten-free, even though she felt confident that she was. As to the no-sugar-added/sugar-free food, I was pleasantly surprised. I, too, could not tell a difference. There were no funny aftertaste or texture issues that can come with sugar-free foods.  We felt so well looked after; it was hard to leave at the end of our trip. I would highly recommend the Disney Cruise Line to anyone, and especially to someone who has a special dietary need. When our family sailed on another cruise line last December, my parents had requested a gluten-free menu. For the most part, they were given gluten-free cornbread, but they had to enquire about the menu every night as to what they could or could not have. Very little attempt was made to anticipate or accommodate our needs. With Disney, there was no need to worry about what we could and couldn't eat. Disney took care of all of our worries so that we were truly able to enjoy our cruise.  Below are some tips to ensure that your special diet-restricted needs are met: Make sure you express your needs at time of booking, as outlined by Disney. This gives them plenty of time to make sure your needs are met. When you arrive on board, make sure your waiter (and even your head waiter) knows of your needs. When in doubt, ask. I did not realize that no-sugar-added desserts were available at the buffets, as no items had been specifically identified as such. I was told that the no-sugar-added items were not laid out on the buffet, but they were always available. About the Author: Julie Mikesell is a true Disney-fanatic. She has been to Disneyland numerous times, Walt Disney World five times (including this October for her first Halloween experience), Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris (when it was still named EuroDisney), and took her first Disney cruise this past September. - - - - - - - - - - - - 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.