November 30, 2006 * Issue 6.46 |
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In
This Newsletter
From the Authors:
MouseFest Bound!
Travel Feature:
Updated Passport Laws
Disney Feature: All
Star Sports
Updates: What's
New and Changed
Tips:
The Key To Waiting In Line, A Key For Santa, A Key For The Babysitter
Captain's Corner: Cawn-Gah-Loush
Q&A: How
do the holiday decorations compare?
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Updates:
What's
New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
The Wonders of Life pavilion in Epcot's Future
World is now open for the holiday season. It is only open through the end of the
year so catch it while you can!
The Riverside Mill food court at Port Orleans - Riverside will be closed
for rehab from January 2, 2006 - April 15, 2007. The Sassagoula Floatworks and
Food Factory at Port Orleans - French Quarter will remain open.
The list of narrators for the 2006 Candlelight Processional has been
updated. The current list is:
David Robinson - Nov 24-26
John O'Hurley - Nov 27-29
Rita Moreno - Nov 30-Dec 2
Marie Osmond - Dec 3 (NEW)
Mario Lopez - Dec 4-5 (NEW)
Brian Dennehy - Dec 6-8
Steven Curtis Chapman - Dec 9-11
Maureen McGovern - Dec 12-14
Kirk Cameron - Dec 15-17
Neil Patrick Harris - Dec 18-20
Cuba Gooding Jr. - Dec 21-23
Gary Sinise - Dec 24-26
Marlee Matlin - Dec 27-30
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:
THE KEY TO WAITING IN LINE
"We didn't have too many lines on our last trip, but with kids it all depends on their mood
how the waiting will be. Lucky for me I brought a new toy that plays 20
questions with us, and that helped. It is a little electronic game ball that fits in
the palm of your hand. Every time my daughter saw a line or knew we had to wait
for a show, parade or fireworks, she would ask to play. Other people in line
played with us!"
-- contributed by Denise M. (demac9196@...)
A KEY FOR SANTA
"During our 2004 Christmas stay at Shades of Green, our five-year-old
daughter was concerned about Santa not being able to find a chimney to go down
to bring us our gifts. We modified an old skeleton key ($2 at an antique/flea
market) with electrical tape and old buttons to fashion a "Mickey key," which we
hung on the outside of the door on the knob/lever. Our daughter rested well,
knowing Mickey would "let Santa in" on Christmas Eve. (She even told him
during our visit with Santa in the Magic Kingdom where the key would be!)"
-- contributed by Anne Marie R. (ecofreako@...)
A KEY FOR THE BABYSITTER
"If you plan on having a babysitter coming to your room (or just want to
give the kids access to your room) ask for a room key at check-in that does not
have charging privileges!" -- contributed by
Pamela E.
>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 journal entry:
"I had my first music and voice lesson by Master Crane (or 'Old Ichy' as I like to think of him).
Judging by the dour expression on the old boy's face when I began to sing a rousy rendition of 'The Shiek of Arabi,'
I'm guessing I don't have a natural gift for song. My hopes of being able to sing a romantic ballad to my beloved Leota are not all lost, however!
Old Ichy suggested I visit an old friend of his who sings nightly -- he thinks he may have some insight for me. Alas, he only mentioned that he was
a military man and I'd find him at his club. Oh, and he did mention that I should mention a special word to the colonel --
it sounded something like 'cawn-gah-loush.' That sounds very familiar."
What is the military man's name and in what club will you find him?
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 Yvette Keating who was the
winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Yvette correctly identified
Ichabod Crane as the person offering music and voice lessons near Ye Olde
Christmas Shoppe. 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
disneymom9092 asks:
"How do the holiday
decorations at Disneyland compare to the ones at Walt Disney World? Are
they similar?"
Dave & Jennifer answer: "There's
really no comparison in my mind, as they're all land- and park-specific. For
example, there's nothing at Walt Disney World to compare to the decorations in
Disneyland's New Orleans
Square, and It's a Small World at WDW just doesn't have the opportunity to play
dress-up that Small World at DL has. On the flip side, DL doesn't have an
equivalent to the Osborne Lights. The holiday fireworks shows and parades are
different... Yes, in the sense that holiday decorations all have a unifying
theme, you can say they're similar, but beyond that... Neither is going to
scream out, "Been there, seen that!"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?
PassPorter News is now published
weekly, and 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!
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From
the Authors: MouseFest Bound!
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Yes, the time has finally arrived! We're
packing, organizing, and finishing final preparations for
MouseFest 2006! Over 2000 people will be
attending MouseFest events on the Disney Wonder (December 3-7) and/or at Walt
Disney World (Deceber 7-11). We know many folks from the PassPorter community
will be there and are looking forward to being able to spend time with you.
Will you be on the cruise and/or at the parks next
week, but this is first you've heard of MouseFest? Please, head on over to
http://www.mousefest.org to learn all
about it. Most events are free and open to all without registration, so it's not
too late.
MouseFest is also the kick-off for our
"PassPorter Pal" program. What is it? Simple--if we spot you in the parks with a PassPorter book, pin, badge, or pouch,
or you attend a PassPorter meet, we'll give you a free "PassPorter Pal"
cloisonné pin! The pin -- which you can only get if we give to you in person -- has the PassPorter "family head" logo being held by two hands -- "Small World, Great People" appears above the logo and "PassPorter Pal" appears below. We see so many PassPorter readers in the parks and
we wanted a way to recognize your loyalty. Credit for this idea goes to Chad Larner, our fellow PassPorter team member! This program officially begins
at MouseFest in
just a few days!
While we're gone, the PassPorter office
will be open for business (many thanks to teammates Nikki and Chad who are staying behind), so don't let our trip to MouseFest deter you from
ordering our books.
PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007 is in the warehouse, and all orders ship
within one business day. Wouldn't a Deluxe edition of
PassPorter Walt
Disney World 2007 or
PassPorter
Disneyland and Southern California Attractions be a particularly nice
present for your favorite Disney fan?
PassPorter Public Appearance Calendar
Here's an update on where you can see/hear/meet PassPorter's
authors in the upcoming months:
Coming soon:
12/1/2006
Dave Marx will be interviewed on
"First Look" with Bob Leonard on MN1.com
(Market News First). The interview will "air" live on Internet TV and radio at
8:15am Eastern time and will be available as a download by the next day.
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, Dave shares his
perspective on the latest changes to U.S. passport law,
and frequent contributor Maureen Austin scores with a tour of Walt Disney
World's All Star Sports resort. Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors
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Did You Know?
Great Cruise Rates are available at
MouseEarVacations.com!
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Travel
Feature:
Passport Update by
Dave Marx, PassPorter Author and Publisher
It all seemed
so simple some years back. Congress passed the The Intelligence Reform and
Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which among other things, required
passports for all people entering the U.S., including citizens. It seemed like a
good, common-sense requirement in a time of heightened security consciousness.
The Departments of State and Homeland Security responded with
proposed regulations, which is normal whenever laws are enacted. The public
commented, the proposals were modified several times, and some groups and
members of Congress were disappointed with the finalized regulations. New
legislation was formulated, debated and finally approved in October 2006.
Every twist and turn in the process made headlines, and
travelers (and the travel industry) did what they could to adapt to the changing
circumstances. Each additional chapter added to the saga created more confusion.
And now, the Departments of State and Homeland Security have thrown the latest
log on the fire.
When Congress amended the The Intelligence Reform and
Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 in October of this year, the headlines read,
"Passport Requirements for Land and Sea Travel Pushed Back Until June 2009."
However, buried in the law was a little "gotcha" - if the Departments of State
and Homeland Security succeed in meeting certain requirements, that passport
requirement can kick-in as early as January 1, 2008.
Based on the
latest press
releases issued November 23, 2006 by the Department of State, that's exactly
what they aim to do - meet the requirements so that passports (or certain
equivalents) are required for all air, sea, and land travel into the U.S. by
January 1, 2008. From a standpoint of national security, that's a laudable goal.
Further, the passport deadline for all
international air travel has been set to January 23, 2007, just a small change
from the previous January 1, 2007 deadline.
The Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) and Disney
Cruise Line have already responded to this latest announcement by encouraging
all passengers to obtain passports as soon as possible. We here at PassPorter
have to agree. The sooner you obtain a passport, the better. We see little value
to holding off on a passport application while you wait to see if the passport
requirement will be pushed back yet again.
A key item required by Congress in the new legislation is
the so-called "PASS Card," a credit card-sized identity document that will be
valid for land and sea border crossings between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the
Caribbean, and Bermuda. It's intended to supplement or replace several similar
documents that are used by daily cross-border commuters, and will be cheaper to
obtain than a passport.
The new card is proposed to cost $20 for adults, $10 for
children, with a $25 application fee, $45 or $35, overall. A traditional
passport including application fees costs $97 for adults, $82 for children under
16. That's an attractive cash savings, especially when an entire family is
involved.
On the surface, this card seems to be a useful,
money-saving item for folks cruising the Caribbean. However, we at PassPorter
strongly recommend that you do not depend on a PASS Card for leisure travel,
because the PASS Card cannot be used for international air travel
(including flights to the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada), and cannot be used at
all for travel to Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America.
Even if you only intend to cruise in the Caribbean,
unexpected circumstances may require that you fly. Let's say the boat leaves a
port without you, or an unexpected situation at home or work require that you
cut your vacation short. Now you'll be flying home, and a PASS Card will do you
little good. (Yes, there are special procedures for letting you back in the U.S.
without a passport due to an emergency, but do you need that added
complication?)
From our perspective, everyone who travels (and even
those unlikely to travel) should have a passport. When you consider the months
it normally takes to obtain a passport and the added cost to obtain a passport
on short notice, and then consider all the many circumstances that now (or soon
will) require one, delaying seems like a false economy.
Did you just learn of an unbelievable, last-minute vacation deal in
Jamaica or Cancun? Might your daughter go on a high school excursion to Italy?
Will you fly to Vancouver for the Winter Olympics, or to board a cruise ship
bound for Alaska? What about that second honeymoon in Paris? A passport leaves
you free to travel nearly anywhere in the world, at any time, and in our
increasingly small, connected world, that's a very useful freedom indeed.
To learn more about these changes, and how to apply for a passport, visit
http://travel.state.gov/passport
About the Author: Dave Marx is co-author of PassPorter's Field Guide to
the Disney Cruise Line, PassPorter Walt Disney World, and PassPorter Disneyland
Resort. He is also Publisher of PassPorter Travel Press, and in his spare time
(yeah right) is Chairman of MouseFest 2006.
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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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As to Disney artwork: ©Disney
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Disney Feature:
Disney's Original Value: All
Star Sports by
Maureen Austin, Guest Contributor and PassPorter Message Board Guide
Back in the early nineties, Disney
was finding increasing success in keeping guests on property by expanding resort
options. However, Mickey and crew had yet to really attract more budget
conscious travelers and saw those folks seeking accommodations elsewhere off
Disney property. The answer? Disney’s own brand of value, economical lodging. In
1994, All Star Sports opened its doors, offering guests looking for big points
on value while at the same time, staying in the “magic.”
All Disney resorts built prior to Sports had an
array of amenities including dining, pools and recreation as well as theming
that was uniquely Disney. All Star Sports fits that mold just as well, and
throughout the sprawling 1900-plus room resort there is no shortage of food,
fun and first rate Disney theming.
Nestled in the Animal
Kingdom resort area, All Star Sports boasts larger than life sports icons and
specific sports themes within the resort. At the heart of the resort is Stadium
Hall. You’ll begin your sports adventure here when you check in for your stay.
Also located in Stadium Hall is Sport Goofy Gifts and Sundries- to pick up
merchandise, snacks and those things you forgot to bring. While the resort does
not offer a full service restaurant, everyone is sure to find something to
appease the appetite at the End Zone Food Court. You’ll find offerings for
breakfast, lunch and dinner, as the food court is open from early mornings to
late nights. Pizza can also be ordered from room service should you wish to
order in. Transportation via motor coach to all Disney parks and other areas
originates at the bus stop located outside Stadium Hall. Bus service can be
slower or faster, depending on the time of year or even the time of day. Make
sure you allow a sufficient amount of time to get to your destination-
especially if you are trying to reach another resort from All Star Sports.
Rooms at All Star Sports
are organized into two categories. A Preferred room booking provides you close
access to main areas - rooms are located in the Surfs Up! section, near Stadium
Hall and the main pool. The rooms are identical to "standard" rooms in other
buildings. This does tend
to be a noisier part of the resort due to, among other things, its proximity to
the main pool area. Guests looking for action on the quieter side might do
better in other sections.
Standard rooms will be found in
all other sections of the resort, with views overlooking courtyards, other
buildings or parking lots.
Football fans will find themselves at home in the Touchdown section, with huge
footballs and goalposts in the courtyard. Home Run Hotel will have the baseball fans right at
“home” and tennis enthusiasts will “love” the Center Court
section. Basketball
fans aren’t left out either by way of the Hoops Hotel section. All of these
areas have amazing icons bigger than the sport (well, almost!) itself!
Room size is about 260
square feet, which is the smallest room plan of all Disney resorts. Rooms
feature 2 doubles or a king bed. Disabled guests can be accommodated in the king
beds as most of these rooms have facilities such as roll in showers. Storage
space is limited, to maximize floor space. Bring along over the door shoe organizers or
organizers that can be placed on hangers. Other features of the room include
clock radio, TV, small dresser and a small table and chairs. A fridge is
available for a nominal fee.
Ready for a swim? Not to
disappoint, look no further than Surfboard
Bay, located near Surfs Up! or
try out the Grand Slam pool near Home Run Hotel. Pool hours vary by season and
towels are usually not provided, so remember to bring some from your room.
2006
rates range from $79 to $137 and for 2007, rack rates start at $82 going up to
$141. Be sure to inquire about any possible discounts or special package offers
for the time of your stay.
About the Author:
Maureen Austin is co-owner of Grand
Getaways Travel and a proud Florida native. Born in South Florida and
having lived all over the state, she enjoys writing about the Sunshine
State's many attractions and natural beauty.
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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.
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