December 7, 2006 * Issue 6.47 |
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In
This Newsletter
From the Authors:
Also MouseFest Bound!
Travel Feature:
How to Handle a "Bumpy" Flight
Disney Feature: Christmas
Day At Disney
Updates: What's
New and Changed
Tips:
Magnet Laundry Markers, PassPorter Park Planning, Disney Day Off
Captain's Corner: Piscine Property?
Q&A: Resort
hopping at Disneyland?
.
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Updates:
What's
New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
Rock 'N Roller Coaster will be closed for
rehab from January 2 - 21, 2007.
Cast members at the Zawadi Marketplace at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
raised more than $100,000 in guest donations for the Disney Wildlife
Conservation Fund this year. Last years donations from the Marketplace totaled
$7000.) The fund supports conservation and environmental organizations around
the world.
The Dream Squad at Disneyland has begun awarding overnight stays in the new
Mickey Mouse Penthouse at the Disneyland Hotel. This "dream" is expected to
be awarded daily to random guests.
The list of narrators for the 2006 Candlelight Processional has been
updated AGAIN. (Yes, since last week!) 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
Mario Lopez - Dec 4-5
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
Edward James Olmos - 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:
MAGNET LAUNDRY MARKERS
"For those of us who pack light, the laundry room is always a stop on
the trip. I kept forgetting which dryers were the ones with our clothes (we
usually had at least 4 dryers, especially with a 15yr old). I began taking
magnets and putting them on the washers/dryers we were using (they never end up
being side by side). If I had to leave the laundry room and someone else had to
take over the laundry watch, they knew which ones were ours. It keeps you from
wondering whose underwear is in your dryer."
-- contributed by Kelly A.
PASSPORTER PARK PLANNING
"Whenever we begin planning a new Disney trip, the first thing we do is get
the latest refill for our Deluxe PassPorter and a set of new highlighters. Then
each of us picks a color and marks every attraction/show we want to see. Then
when it's time for me to plan what we do each day, I can easily tell what is a
"must see" to make sure we get to all of those on the trip. Sometimes I'm
surprised. Something I thought would be a must has changed into a "nice if we
have time" attraction. It's also great to be able to look through the past books
and see how my girls' likes and dislikes have changed over the years."
-- contributed by Anna T.
DISNEY DAY OFF
"The best advice I offer to friends planning a "big trip" to Walt
Disney World is this: Make sure to schedule in a DAY OFF. No matter how magical
the parks may be, they are also exhausting. The temptation to over-schedule is
strong when there is so much to see. Whether you are staying four days or
fourteen, an "off day" is a blessing. On our "off days" my family enjoys
swimming in the resort pool, visiting favorite restaurants, and riding the
monorail. Often these days are the best of our trip. Walt Disney World has so
much to offer that is slower-paced and even free. Don't overdo it!" -- contributed by
Colleen C.
>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:
"After enjoying a sing-a-long with the Colonel last night and
perhaps imbibing a few too many of those Kungaloosh drinks, I am looking forward
to spending a quiet afternoon with friends. I understand a group of like-minded
people will be gathering at a near-by inn. I'm told to look for a large piscine
sculpture on the roof of the inn. I wonder what they mean by that?"
Which resort is the Captain looking for?
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 Tina C. who was the
winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Tina correctly identified the military
man as Colonel Critchlow Sutchbench of The Adventurer's Club at Pleasure Island. 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
timb asks:
"Has anyone ever
switched resorts mid-trip at Disneyland? We are thinking of going in February
and staying at Disneyland Hotel for a few nights and then switching to Grand
Californian. Can we do this? How do we go about getting our luggage transported
or do we take it ourselves? Are they close enough to carry our luggage if we
have to since we aren't planning on renting a car?"
Dave & Jennifer answer: "We
have resort-hopped. We did transport our own luggage (we had a rental car). You
can certainly ask if they'll do it for you, but I suspect it's not a regular
service on their part. When you consider the number of hotels and guestrooms
involved, and that the typical length of stay at Disneyland is significantly
shorter than stays at Walt Disney World... it's just not something that's likely
to come up frequently.
If you just have a couple of bags, you could just walk between the
resorts. Paradise Pier and Grand Californian are a very reasonable walk - not
much worse than the distances involved schlepping your bags around the airport.
The distances between Disneyland Hotel and the other two are greater. For those,
a taxi would be cheap and convenient if Disney wouldn't do it for you."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 Editor: Also MouseFest Bound!
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Jennifer and Dave are sailing the high
seas with Captain Mickey (and about 250 MouseFest-ers) so it falls to me to
greet you this week. I'm departing for
MouseFest 2006 on
Thursday to join in the land festivities. I can't believe it's here already! I'm
really looking forward to seeing old friends, putting faces to "on-line" friends
and making some new ones as well. I'll be wearing my PassPorter name badge and
carrying a PassPorter bag so if you see me, stop and say "Hi!"
If this is your first newsletter and you are wondering what the heck this
MouseFest thing is,
head on over to
http://www.mousefest.org
to learn all about it. Then start planning to join us next year! And if you will
be with us this week, don't forget about the
"PassPorter Pal" program. What is
it? Simple--if a member of the PassPorter team spots 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.
PassPorter Public Appearance Calendar
Here's an update on where you can see/hear/meet PassPorter's
authors in the upcoming months:
Coming soon:
12/3 - 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, Maureen Austin
shares how to handle some of the challenges that can occur
during air travel and Cheryl Pendry shares what it is like to spend
Christmas Day at Disney! Enjoy!
Sara Varney
PassPorter News Editor
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Did You Know?
If You Book
MouseFest 2007 Early
You get our Extra Bonuses- FREE!
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Hope to See You at MouseFest 2006!
Stop by our Mega
Mouse Meet booth!
Walt Disney World
Resort®
4 nts
fr $377*
Free Ticket Upgrades - Jan to
Mar
Valid most nights 1/1/07–3/8/07
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Click for full details.
As to Disney artwork: ©Disney
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Travel
Feature:
How to Handle A "Bumpy" Flight by
Maureen Austin, Guest Contributor and PassPorter Message Board Guide
About a month ago, I adventured
down to Walt Disney World for a long, relaxing weekend with many of my dear
PassPorter friends. I’ve made the air travel journey to Orlando more times than
I can even count. For the most part, it’s been an easy, smooth and problem free
experience. However, on my recent journey I became a student of the
what-happens-when-multiple-things-go-wrong class in air travel. I penned a few
things I’ve learned; in hopes it will help other travelers. I’ll break that
adventure down, mishap by mishap and share solutions that seemed to finally put
the horror to an end.
Let’s begin with the first flight. I’m not in an
area that has non stop service, so I make a connection at one of the country’s
busiest airports - Dallas Fort Worth. When I arrived at my regional airport,
having checked in online - I was told my flight to Texas had been delayed by 1
hour due to high winds and that all east bound flights from Dallas had also been
delayed. What I did right: Checked in online. Doing that and doing it
early reduced my risk of being bumped and being delayed even later. What I
did wrong: I didn’t call ahead to check the status of the flight. As a
result, I sat in a very small airport for over 2 hours, waiting and waiting,
which added to my tension.
Finally, my 4:50 flight
began boarding at 6:20 pm. My connection to Orlando was to leave Dallas at 7:05.
However, I had been assured that all flights were delayed so I would make that
flight. I confirmed with the flight attendant on board about the Dallas delays
so although I was already a wee bit frustrated, I settled in and accepted what
will be will be.
No problems with arrival at
Dallas and knowing my gate number, I deplane. What I did wrong: Make my
way towards that terminal, contemplating the possibility of grabbing a light
meal. What I did right: Then it occurred to me I had better check on the
flight to be sure and found a departures board. My eyes nearly popped when I saw
flashing red words next to the flight number and gate - my flight was boarding!
So picture the scene from Home Alone, except that it’s me instead of a blond
haired kid running frantically through the airport. What I did wrong: I
initially assumed that the information given to me on board the first flight was
ultimately correct. Never do this. Think of the information given while still in
the air as a guide but at any time things can change. If you are delayed or
making a tight connection, either find a gate agent or look at a departures
board to reconfirm information. If an airport is experiencing major delays,
employees may be dispatched to assist travelers who have already been displaced,
need special assistance, etc. Yes, ideally they should be there to assist every
passenger without passengers having to ask but let’s face it, it doesn’t always
happen that way. In these times, look out for number one- yourself and don’t
depend on assurances or estimations to get where you need to be.
Okay. So I make it to the
connection just as the gate agent was about to shut the door. I might add I am
not the type to shout randomly across a terminal full of people but when I saw
that agent’s hand on the door, you better believe I was yelping. I make it on to
the flight and the door was closed behind me.
As I got settled, I began
to listen to the complaints of other passengers, some of whom were extremely
rude to the flight crew going on about everything from being bumped to almost
missing the flight like I did. The result of these tirades was a tension so
thick you could snap a rubber band. Certainly, I have been on flights with less
than friendly flight crews but I’m thinking these three ladies didn’t message up
to the big man upstairs asking for wind gusts nor did they call the airline’s
operations control begging to inconvenience thousands of people on a Friday
night. What I did right: I followed crew instructions, let these
employees do their jobs and made a note to lodge any complaints, if I had any,
to the right departments.
Let’s take a moment here to
talk about complaints. If you’ve got one, you can address it in a number of
ways. If it is something that can be addressed immediately at the employee or
supervisor level, state your complaint without screaming or yelling. If it can’t
be addressed then, or you aren’t having much success, ask for a corporate
address or phone number. You can also find this information on the airline’s
website or in the in flight magazine. When you email, write or phone, have as
much information as you can available including a flight number, date of travel
and any names of people you encountered that you want to mention. If possible,
try to address it first on the spot, then move up the chain of command. You can
also contact the government to file a complaint against the airline at
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov.
Back to this twisty
adventure. On the flight to Orlando, I might add I heard someone mention to one
of the loudest passengers that she might consider the alternative - have this
flight and all the others leave on time and then us all be at risk for wind
shear, which can take a plane down. Interesting how quiet it got after that! How
an airline handles your delay is one thing- the reason FOR the delay is another.
I’ve been on flights where there is a mechanical problem. Inconvenient? Yes.
But I’d rather they find it and take care of it on the ground than at 35,000
feet. Planes are like cars. Things happen and sometimes, not at the best time.
Touching down at Orlando at
nearly midnight, I thought all my troubles were over. I was tired and almost 2
hours late, but I was glad to be there safely. Two of my best PassPorter friends
were there to greet me. What they did right: Called the airline for
flight updates via the 800 number. As a result, they spent time they would have
been sitting around waiting on me, wandering around the World Showcase.
As usually happens, it took
quite awhile for the baggage carousel to get going. So we waited and as the
steady stream of oddly shaped boxes, colorful and not so colorful suitcases
passed by, there slowly arose an uneasy feeling that my adventure was not over.
And indeed, my luggage was nowhere to be found. What I did right: I
waited until the carousel stopped and proceeded to the baggage office. This is
usually located within close proximity to the airline’s carousels. If you don’t
see it, ask. Do not ever, ever leave the airport without reporting lost
baggage!
As you can imagine, there
was a line. I was totally exhausted but I really had no other choice than to
wait. When I got to the counter, I was faced with a not so friendly agent. Did I
feel like screaming? Yes, sort of but what I wanted most was my stuff and
screaming wasn’t going to make the luggage magically appear. She proceeded to
ask me questions about my luggage- including a description. What I did right: I
was specific, down to the colors of my Mickey luggage tag. If you use a ribbon
or colorful identifier on your luggage- make sure you mention it. It could mean
getting your luggage that much quicker! What I did wrong: I wasn’t able
to give the agent a really good list of what was in my suitcase. Yes, I knew
clothes and shoes were in there but I forgot a lot of other things that were
worth some value like some gifts for my friends. It seems “Type A” to make a
list but if the luggage is indeed actually lost, the airline will need an
itemized listing of contents in order to reimburse you. Take a few photos.
As we got further into the
report, giving her information on my hotel and my contact information, I asked
her if there was any possibility that the luggage might be coming on a following
flight. She did tell me the last flight of the night was arriving at 1:05 and it
was likely my bag would be on it. At that point, I decided it was worth the
extra 30 minutes to have my bag in hand- even if just a possibility. My
wonderful friends agreed and we waited. It worked! When the luggage came rolling
out from the next flight, there was my suitcase. What I did right: Even
though I was ready to get to Disney as it was nearly 1:30 am, I went back to the
baggage claim to report the bag had been found.
What if it wasn’t on that
flight? Baggage is delivered to the passenger by the airline. In most cases, it
can take anywhere from 12-72 hours. If it still is not found, then it would be
considered missing and you would need to file a lost property claim with the
airline.
Sometimes damage to your
belongings or missing belongings may be a result of the security inspection
process. If you open your suitcase to find the calling card that the TSA has
inspected your bag and then discover damage or missing items, visit their
website at
www.tsaclaims.org to file a claim. If you lock your suitcase and the damage
is a result of the TSA having to break it to gain access, you are not entitled
to any reimbursement. I use plastic cable ties that can be cut and never had any
issues with any kind of damage.
I did finally arrive at
Disney and begin my vacation, having learned a few new things along the way.
Preparing well for any travel adventure can help you avoid disaster from the
unexpected. Happy and smarter travels!
About the Author:
Maureen Austin is co-owner of
Grand Getaways Travel. She is already planning her next trip to Disney and
hopes it will be a "smoother" trip.
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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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You Know?
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Disney Feature:
Christmas Day
At Disney by
Cheryl Pendry, Guest Contributor and PassPorter Message Board Guide
The decorations are abundant, holiday music is playing and everywhere you
look are advertisements for this season’s must-have presents. It’s a sure sign
Christmas isn’t far away and what better way to spend the festive season than by
visiting Disney?
We’ve been lucky enough to spend three Christmases in the magic of Walt
Disney World and there really is nothing like it. So for those of you enjoying
Christmas at Disney this year or thinking about it for future years, what can
you expect on Christmas Day itself?
The most common question I’m asked about being in Disney for Christmas is
“what are the cast members like?” Many people are under the impression that they
can’t have that same magic on Christmas Day. After all, who really wants to work
over Christmas?
Well, I’ve never come across any cast member who’s been less than totally
magical on Christmas Day. Every single one we’ve seen has wished us “Happy
holidays!” with a big smile on their face – and that even includes the
lifeguards at Stormalong
Bay, who were shivering because the temperature had dropped below 70°F
that day! The cast members we’ve talked to tell us that Christmas Day is a
magical time and it’s wonderful to be able to share that with so many guests,
who are taking in the magic of this special day.
And Disney doesn’t forget that it’s a special day. It’s not unusual to
wake on Christmas morning and discover that Father Christmas has come calling,
leaving a Disney stocking hanging on the door of your room, packed with goodies
to enjoy. It’s a lovely touch and a great way to start the day.
However, things can quickly become less than magical if you don’t plan
ahead. Let’s not fool ourselves. Christmas Day at Disney is wonderful – and
because of that, it’s a very popular time of the year to visit. Crowd levels are
at their peak and, unless you encounter particularly wet or cold weather, you’ll
find all of the parks straining with people.
The first choice to make about Christmas Day is whether to go to a Disney
park or not. Some people feel there’s no decision to be made, it wouldn’t be
Christmas unless they were in a park, but don’t forget that there’s lots you can
do outside of the four main theme parks.
If it’s warm enough, how about spending the day at a Disney water park?
We have very fond memories of the Christmas Eve we spent at Typhoon Lagoon.
Sure, you have to play it by ear and keep an eye on the weather forecast, but
you may be lucky and get a warm enough day.
You can take the stress out of Christmas shopping by not bothering before
the big day. One year we did exactly that and hit the shops on Christmas Day. We
set ourselves a limit each and we were allowed to buy exactly what we wanted for
ourselves up to that amount and it was a really fun – and different – way to do
things! At least you can guarantee that you’ll get what you want – and there’s
plenty to choose from at Downtown Disney.
Another option is to spend the day visiting the various Disney resorts.
They’re all beautifully decorated during the holiday season and it’s worth
making time to see them. Our favorites
that we always make sure we visit at Christmas include the Beach Club, Grand
Floridian, Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Wilderness Lodge. You’ll find a
chocolate merry-go-round, a life-size gingerbread house and a chocolate village
on your travels if you take in these resorts.
If you do want to go to a park, which one should you head for? Our
favorite
is Epcot, so that’s the one we usually go to. It’s packed with storytellers
around the World Showcase, explaining about the festive season in their native
country and for us, there’s no better way to spend Christmas night than by
watching the Candlelight Processional. Somehow, the re-telling of the Christmas
story is so much more magical on the day itself and, when followed by dinner at
one of Epcot’s superb restaurants, Christmas doesn’t get much better.
However, it’s a close call for us between Epcot and
MGM, with their wonderful Osborne
Lights, which will this year be dancing for your delight. There’s something very
soothing about the lights and they never fail to bring tears to my eyes.
Don’t forget Animal Kingdom either. Although it’s usually the first park
to close on Christmas Day, it’s also usually the last one to fill up, so if you
want to have a lie-in before you head out and find the other parks too much to
handle, this could be a quieter alternative for you – and what could be more
unusual than going on an African safari on Christmas Day?
Of course, most people head straight for the
Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day and
if that’s your plan, there’s only one thing you need to remember – get there as
soon as it opens! This park doesn’t handle crowds well and when it’s full, it
really does feel full. I’ve been the park has reached capacity and they’ve
stopped letting anyone else in. All you can see in every direction from the hub
in front of the castle is just a sea of people!
Don’t necessarily plan on doing many rides on Christmas Day if you do go
to a park. Nearly everyone else will have the same idea, with FastPasses
disappearing quickly and wait times skyrocketing. Waits of three to four hours
for the top rides have been seen in the past. Instead, what we tend to do is
head for the more unusual attractions that don’t get the crowds as much. If
you’ve never been to Tom
Sawyer Island in the Magic Kingdom or seen the films in Epcot’s World Showcase
or walked the various trails in Animal Kingdom, Christmas Day is a wonderful
time to do just that.
Whatever you
choose to do on Christmas Day at Disney, make sure you take time to just soak in
the festive atmosphere and enjoy the fact that you’re in the most magical place
on earth at one of the most magical times of the year. It really can’t be beaten
and we’ll be back there again for our Disney Christmas next year!
About the Author:
Cheryl and husband
Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America. They’ve spent
three Christmases in Walt Disney World in 2000, 2002 and 2004 and are planning
to make it four in 2007, when they’ll be joined by family.
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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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