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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips
January 4, 2007 * Issue 7.1
PassPorter.com - http://www.passporter.com
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Welcome to PassPorter News, an online newsletter
about PassPorter travel guidebooks, the
Walt Disney World Resort, and Disney Cruise Line.
PassPorter News is available by free subscription
to all readers and friends of our labor of love --
PassPorter Travel Guidebooks.
Learn all about them:
http://www.passporter.com/aboutpassporter.htm
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In This Newsletter:
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From the Authors: Vacation Planning Season Begins!
Travel Feature: Kent, England
Disney Feature: All-Star Movies
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Surrogate Scavenger Hunt, Excellent E-Book Tip, I.D. Idea
Captain's Corner: No More Stains!
Q&A: Is
there a rental car office near the Disney Cruise terminal?
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FROM THE AUTHORS: Vacation
Planning Season Begins!
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Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Happy New Year! Our best
wishes from the PassPorter family for a happy, healthy, and prosperous new
year!
With the new year comes the start of vacation
planning season -- more vacationers start planning for their upcoming vacations
in January than at practically any other time of the year! So to kick things
off right, we want to make it easy for folks to get their new PassPorter
guidebooks and we're offering this cool deal:
Get free USPS Media Mail shipping in
the PassPorter Store from now to Monday, January 8, 2007. Just select Media
Mail as your shipping method -- no coupon or discount code needed. Free Media
Mail shipping expires at midnight ET on Monday and is only valid for shipment
within the U.S. This is a great time to pre-order the new cruise guide, pick up
the new 2007 edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World, or upgrade to a deluxe.
Order your new books at: http://www.passporterstore.com/store
Over the holiday break, we considerably expanded
PassPorter's online article collection which now houses more than 100
feature articles -- all about
Disney and travel in general. Check it out at http://www.passporter.com/articles
In this issue of the
newsletter, veteran contributor and native Brit Cheryl Pendry takes us on a
tour of her home county, Kent, England, and Maureen
Austin reports on the popular All-Star Movies Resort. Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors and Publishers
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TRAVEL FEATURE: Kent, England
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by Cheryl Pendry, Guest Contributor and
PassPorter Message Board Guide
With America and Britain sharing a common language
and history, perhaps it's no surprise that traveling between our two countries
is so popular.
Most people heading east to the United Kingdom are
coming for one thing -- London. But there's so much more to the country than
that and a new transatlantic service, operating out of Norfolk, Virginia,
allows visitors to discover that for themselves.
Operating weekly between May and October, the
service will fly into Kent International Airport on the southeast coast of
England. Just over an hour's drive from the outskirts of London, this airport
is an attractive alternative to Heathrow and Gatwick. Particularly because it's
so quiet, which means no long waits to get through customs. But it's also
situated by some beautiful places, which are well worth exploring.
Kent is a county -- the British equivalent of a
state -- whose history goes back 2,000 years. Home to Roman invasions and the
place where St. Augustine first came ashore to establish Christianity in
Britain, that history can still be seen today in Richborough Roman Fort and Canterbury Cathedral.
The Cathedral, just 16 miles from the Kent airport,
is one of the area's most popular tourist spots and with good reason. The name
is known worldwide not only as the mother church of the Anglican community and
from Chaucer's famous Canterbury Tales, but also as where Archbishop Thomas
Becket was murdered in 1170. More than that, it's an impressive building and
one that can easily rival the likes of Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's
Cathedral.
Closer to the airport, there's even more history to
be found in Broadstairs, a coastal town that was the favorite holiday retreat
of Charles Dickens. Bleak House, where he wrote David Copperfield, still
stands, overlooking the beautiful Viking Bay below. The Dickens House Museum on
the cliff top was once the home of Miss Mary Pearson Strong, on whom Dickens
based much of the character of Miss Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield. The
author's links with the town are celebrated every June during the Dickens Festival, which sees
performances of his plays and parades of costumed Dickensian characters.
It's easy to see why Dickens fell in love with this
town, with its array of quaint shops, narrow roads and seven beautiful beaches
that offer a range of activities from surfing to donkey rides. During August,
the town is filled with music from international Folk Week, which attracts over
100,000 visitors each year. Some of the best folk acts from the UK and Europe
perform. Even better, many of the performances are free to attend.
A little further down the coastline is the
beautiful harbor town of Ramsgate, the only place in Britain that can boast a
Royal Harbour. Awarded the status in 1820 by King George IV in appreciation of
the hospitality he received, the harbor remains one of the most picturesque in
the country, surrounded by hundreds of buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th
century. This is a town packed full of stunning architecture. By evening, it
comes alive with bustling cafŽs and restaurants along the waterfront.
The town's maritime past is celebrated at the
Ramsgate Maritime Museum. As well as looking at the development of the history
of the area, this museum is packed with items rescued from shipwrecks from the
nearby Goodwin Sands. Many of
these date back to the Great Storm of 1703 and provide a fascinating look at
warships from centuries gone by. It's also the site of the unique Ramsgate
Meridian, the site where the town's own mean time, 5 minutes and 41 seconds
ahead of London, was calculated. It makes Ramsgate the first place in the
country that can rightly claim to celebrate each New Year!
There's more maritime entertainment with powerboat
racing in July, when the top competitors race just off the coast. That's
followed by the Ramsgate Regatta Week in August, one of the country's biggest
sailing regattas. In 2007, the Royal Temple Yacht Club which organizes the
regatta will celebrate its 150th anniversary. The club was first founded on the
Temple Steps in London (which is how it got its name), before moving down the
coastline to Ramsgate 40 years later.
Kent is also the place to explore some of Britain's
finest coastline with 14 sandy bays, some quiet and romantic, some lively
family beaches, in a 26 mile stretch of coastline. Home to some of Europe's
most unusual wildlife, the area was also described by artist JMW Turner as
having the "loveliest skies in Europe.Ó The sunsets are something to see.
Of course, the area wouldn't be complete without
its own castle. Dover, famous for its white cliffs, is also home to an ancient
castle that played a key role in defending the country during World War Two.
The secret wartime tunnels underneath Dover Castle became the
nerve center for Operation Dynamo, launched in May 1940, to rescue British
forces and French troops from the beaches of Dunkirk in Northern France. As the
Nazis took hold of mainland Europe, 338,000 were saved; almost ten times the
original estimate of 45,000 troops that it was believed would be rescued. It's
a fascinating place to visit. You can't help but wonder how so many people
coped with living in the dingy tunnels while commanding such a successful
operation.
The medieval town of Sandwich, with its city walls
and period houses, is probably known more widely for the food of the same name.
Rumor has it that the sandwich was invented here. Nearby are three stunning
golf courses, St. George's, Prince's and the Royal Cinque Ports, all of which
have hosted the British Open Championship in their time.
And if that isn't enough for you, getting over to
France for the day is easy enough, with ferries running from Dover. Or perhaps
you'd rather take a car over on Eurotunnel or let the train take the strain,
with both options allowing you to enjoy the Channel Tunnel between Britain and
France.
With so much history, such beautiful coastlines and
fine dining and sporting opportunities, it's perhaps no surprise that Kent
welcomes something like four million visitors each year. Now, with new flights
starting straight from Virginia, the potential is there to welcome many more.
To
find out more about Kent and the flights into Kent International Airport,
visit:
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live
in Kent and regularly explore the area they live in. They also love to travel
and their next trip will see them taking the inaugural Disney Cruise Line
around the Mediterranean.
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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 travel plans.
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DISNEY FEATURE: DisneyÕs
All-Star Movies Resort
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by Maureen Austin, Guest Contributor and
PassPorter Message Board Guide
The magic of Disney films is the delightful theme
for Disney's third value resort - All-Star Movies. Built as the final (so
far...) portion of the All-Star Resorts, this 1900+ room resort offers big
"blockbuster" fun on a small "independent film" budget. Whimsical
accents throughout the resort and the many amenities make this an ideal choice
for families. Located in the Animal Kingdom Resort Area, this resort is
extremely popular in the value category, so make your reservations early if
this will be your home base while at the World.
The action starts in Cinema Hall. This is the
central hub for the resort where you can find check-in, guest services and a
well equipped gift shop. In addition, the food court offers a wide variety of
dining choices throughout the day and evening including pizza delivery to your
room until midnight. There is no full service restaurant on site. Kids will
especially enjoy the arcade and playground.
Bus transportation to all the Disney theme parks as
well as Downtown Disney and the water parks is provided. Resort to resort
transportation is also available; however this requires a transfer at Downtown
Disney or the Ticket &Transportation Center. Be sure to allow plenty of
time for this when making any plans that take you from AS Movies to another
resort.
The resort is divided into 5 fun and very
"DisneyÓ sections. Herbie fans will enjoy the section devoted to
everyone's favorite VW Beetle in the Love Bug section. Those guests partial to
Buzz, Woody and the gang will go head over heels for the Toy Story Section. As
a fitting tribute to one of Disney's finest animated works, Fantasia is also a
section all its own. Filling out the resort are the Mighty Ducks and 101
Dalmatians sections.
Guest rooms are small but adequate for a family of
four. Rooms average 260 square feet and have either 2 double beds or a King
bed. Accommodations for the physically challenged are available in the King bed
layout. Bathrooms are also on the small side. DŽcor matches the theme of the
section but is imaginative and colorful. When my son and I stayed at All-Star
Movies years ago, he was absolutely enchanted with our room in the 101
Dalmatians section. A color TV, clock radio and also a table and chairs are in
each guest room. Categories for rooms are standard and preferred locations.
Standard rooms can overlook a courtyard or parking lot. Preferred location at All-Star
Movies (in the 101 Dalmatians section) are rooms located close to Cinema Hall
for easy access to guest services and amenities. Preferred location rooms cost
a little more but many guests feel this is worth the price. Laundry facilities
are also available at the resort.
The pools at All-Star Movies are bright and
colorful. You can take a dip at two different locations - Sorcerer Mickey welcomes
you to the water at the Fantasia pool located just behind Cinema Hall. The
Mighty Ducks section also has a "quiet" pool that tends to be less
crowded.
Rack rates for 2007 begin at $82 per night for a
standard room and go up, depending on the season. Be sure to ask your travel
agent or Disney Reservations about any discounts which may be available such as
Annual Passholder, Florida Resident or AAA/CAA just to name a few.
About the Author: Maureen is the Co-Owner of Ears To You Travel as well as
a PassPorter Message Board Guide.
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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 holiday plans.
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UPDATES: What's New
and Changed
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Here's a few relevant news items:
Disney will unveil the new version of the
Disney.com web site on January 8,
2007 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Beginning on January 1, 2007, the age
restriction on most Pleasure Island nightclubs
has been raised to 21 and over. Those under 21 may still visit The Adventurer's
Club and The Comedy Warehouse if accompanied by an adult, and no age
restriction exists for Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant.
Dates have been announced for the 2008 15th
Annual Walt Disney World Marathon. The event
includes a marathon, half-marathon, Family Fun Run 5K and a Health Expo and
will be held January 10 - 13, 2008. Registration begins January 8, 2007, the
day after this yearÕs marathon weekend ends.
Our thanks to http://www.allears.net 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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Our readers are a wealth of information! Here are
the winners in this month's tip contest:
SURROGATE SCAVENGER HUNT
"My kids (ages 12 and 7) and I were in dire need of a
good Mickey fix, but we don't have a trip planned in the foreseeable future.
Luckily, friends of ours were heading down to Walt Disney World soon. We made
them a scavenger hunt! We gave them a list of items to find (things like
"something from a place far away", "something
Mickey-shaped", and "something that made you smile"), and we
emphasized that most of the things they find should be free. There were a few
items that would need to be purchased ("something we can eat!") so we
included a small amount of cash to cover any costs. We also gave them a few of
our pins to trade, asking that they send us some of the new pins they obtained
from trading but also that they keep some for themselves. When they finish
their trip, they'll box up all their treasures and send them to us (we paid
postage). We hope they'll have fun on their scavenger hunt, but best of all
we'll get our Mickey fix! We can't wait for our package to arrive."
--
contributed by Jen K.
EXCELLENT E-BOOK TIP
"I booked a Disney Land and Sea vacation and am
constantly looking for new tips for my trip. I found a ton of tips in the
PassPorter e-books and wanted to combine them with my travel books. Rather than
carrying the Disney World and Disney Cruise e-books with me, I got a little
creative. I printed out the e-books and cut out the tips I liked the most. I
then taped these tips to a blank sheet of paper (plus Disney clip art) and
copied it. This made each page customized with all the tips I liked the most! I
also made then small enough so that the papers fit neatly into my
PassPorter."
--
contributed by Diana B. (dianan_nali2@...)
I.D. IDEA
"For helping to be reunited with your kids
(think toddler to early school age) in the event you get separated, the iron on
transfers are a great idea. We ordered a bunch of these online for a few
dollars and they more than made up for the cost in peace of mind. We had the
following printed "Smith Family, if found please call cell XXX-XXX-XXXX".
Instead of placing them in a hidden location, we ironed them on in the middle
of back of the boys t-shirts. This way they didn't pick them off, yet knew
where they were if they needed to show someone. In addition, we didn't give
away their first name to a stranger as we only listed our last name on the tag.
We love this idea for any event where there are lots of people. We always carry
our cell phones so having that number on the tag works well. And if you don't
like these as a fashion statement after your trip, they peel off with a little
help."
--
contributed by Carrianne B.
>Notes: Send us your tips! You may see them in this
newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter! Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/tipsandstories.htm
>>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 at
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/disney500.asp
>>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 at http://www.passporter.com/dcl/cruiseclues.asp
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CAPTAIN'S CORNER: Treasure
Hunting Game
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Play our fun and quirky treasure hunting game,
hosted by Captain Jack Skatt from our 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 weekÕs journal entry:
"It's once again time to set my new year
resolutions. This year I resolve to keep more notes on where I've found my
treasures at Disney. To that end, I've decided to buy a new journal -- this old
dog-eared diary has more stains, rips, and smears of who-knows-what than...
well... nevermind. Yes, anyway, I stopped at a little writer's shop near the
commissary and looked about for a new journal. They had books, music, and a small
coffee counter, but no journals. I will continue hunting.
Where
is this shop and what is its name?
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 Glenn T. who was the winner
of last week's treasure hunt game! Glenn correctly identified the spider web at
the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set at the Disney-MGM Studios. To view the
original clue, see http://www.passporter.com/news/news128106.htm#captain
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. ÒPassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" is
now available! You can order the new book today at
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587710269.aspx
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jswalker1992 asks: "We are
going to be flying into Florida the night before we leave for the cruise. We
are going to rent a car and drop it off before the cruise. I believe that I
read somewhere that there is a Budget close to the terminal, is that correct?
Would that be located in Cape Canaveral? Has anyone been able to purchase their
rental through someplace like Priceline where it is a bit cheaper, or do we
have to go through Budget?"
Dave & Jennifer answer: "Budget, Dollar and Avis all have
agencies in the Port Canaveral area that offer free shuttle service to and from
the cruise terminal (you may have to search on "Cape Canaveral,"
"Port Canaveral," or "Cocoa Beach" to find the agency listing
at the car rental web sites). National/Alamo also has an office but does not
offer free shuttle service, so you'd have to factor-in a cab fare as well.
Shop your best deal. By all means, try Priceline if
you wish - just be sure that the deal is so good that you can afford to pay cab
fares if you "win" an agency that doesn't provide a shuttle. We've
used all the above agencies at Port Canaveral at one time or another. Sometimes
it'll pay to keep the car and park at the cruise terminal ($10/day), but it has
never worked out that way for us. We've always dropped the car off, and picked
up a new rental on the trip back.
As to the security of the parking lot... while I
would trust the safety of the car itself (the lot is fenced and guarded), I
wouldn't leave personal effects in the car."
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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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 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.
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Copyright (c) 2007 - MediaMarx, Inc. / PassPorter
Travel Press, PO Box 3880, Ann Arbor, MI
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