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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips
January 10, 2008 * Issue 8.02
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: Cruise
& Reviews
Travel Feature: Michigan's
Upper Peninsula
Disney Feature: What Keeps
Us Coming Back to Disney?
Updates: What's New and
Changed
Tips: Opentable.com,
Mirror Magic, Charming Charms
Captain's Corner: Tiki
Torch Tango
PassPorter PhotoPick:
Epcot's Canada at Sunset
Q&A: What activities
are there for Senior Citizens on the Disney Cruise?
Our Sponsors: We
Recommend...
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FROM THE AUTHORS: Cruise
& Reviews
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Hi,
{{user("firstname")}}!
Wow, the new year is
getting off to a fantastic start for PassPorter! This week, PassPorter's Walt
Disney World 2008 is #15 on the list of bestselling travel books in bookstores
across the nation! PassPorter.com was cited as a valuable resource for vacation
planning in a CNN article (see Taking the Kids: Disney World 101 - http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/traveltips/01/07/disney.101/index.html
). The PassPorter Newsletter has just topped 34,000 subscribers! And our web
site is getting many, MANY visits from fellow vacationers! So many, in fact,
that to keep up we need to upgrade our dedicated server (didn't we just do
this?) and add a second server as well -- if you're part of our thriving online
community, keep your eyes peeled for announcements before the
"construction fencing" goes up. (If we do this right, the only way
you'll know we're upgrading is that the site seems to work better than ever.)
Finally, we have a big announcement coming soon -- watch next week's newsletter!
In other news, we're
pleased to announce that our sixth edition of PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line
and its Ports of Call is now available for pre-order! As we don't expect to
have the book available to ship until mid-March 2008 at the earliest, we're providing
special electronic versions of the guidebook to everyone who pre-orders a new
cruise guide through our PassPorter Store. Currently, the first chapter is
available for download -- you will see a Download Now link after you complete
checkout in the store. More chapters will go up within days! To pre-order,
visit the PassPorter's Disney Cruise Pre-Order Center at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/dcl2008.aspx
We have something new for
those of you interested in Walt Disney World, too! After a year in development,
we're happy to debut our new Disney World Hotels Reviews & Ratings Forum in
the PassPorter message boards. This is a special review-only forum, where
vacationers' hotel reviews and ratings are collected and displayed all in one
spot. Each hotel review is accompanied by seven different numerical ratings,
which are then averaged with all other reviews on a particular hotel. The
reviews are fully searchable and sortable, too! Tools to mark your favorite
hotels are also provided to aid you in planning. Best of all, YOU can
contribute your own review and rating and tell the world what you think! We
already have more than 70 hotel reviews, with many more to come! We plan to
create similar review & rating forums for other popular topics, too. Check
it out at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/disney-world-resort-hotel-reviews-ratings/
PASSPORTER'S CLUB UPDATE
* More than 1050
vacationers (wow!) are now enjoying access to all our e-books, e-worksheets,
and super-sized photo archive images -- thank you for your continued support!
* We have FOUR new
e-worksheets for you to use to plan your next trip: character checklist, a
multiple resort reservation tracker, a caregiver information sheet, and a meal
tracker for a large family -- view them at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-club-gallery/
* Our latest e-book,
"PassPorter's Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World by Thomas
Cackler," is available for Club Passholders to download free of extra
charges: http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-club-gallery/144369-new-e-book-passporters-festivals-celebrations-walt-disney-world.html
* We've just released
Club-exclusive avatar backgrounds of Disney resort hotels for our Living Avatar
system, too. Use them to create a personal avatar that reflects you and your
interests! See http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-club-gallery/147229-new-avatar-items-resort-backgrounds.html
* More details at http://www.passporter.com/club
In this issue, Guest Contributor and PassPorter
Message Board Guide Tina Peterson guides us on a journey up to the U.P. of
Michigan; the Upper Peninsula, that often-overlooked one-third of PassPorter's
home state that is not part of "the Mitten." When you read about
Winter in Wonderland, consider that the "Yoop" stretches across the
top of northern Wisconsin (above legendarily frigid Green Bay), and reaches
nearly as far west as Duluth, Minnesota. No wonder we've only ventured there
during the height of summer! Featured Contributor and PassPorter Message Board
Guide Cheryl Pendry waxes eloquent on What Keeps Us Coming Back. Need we add
that she's writing about Disney's worldwide parks, resorts, and cruise ships?
Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt.
Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Publishers and
Authors
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DID YOU KNOW?
Great Walt Disney World
Rates are available at MouseEarVacations.com!
Disney Cruise Lineš
Special Offer
Save Up To $810 by booking
Early.
Select Summer and Fall
2008 Dates
Click here to see
available dates:
*Savings based on double
occupancy. Ships' Registry: The Bahamas
CST2058090-40
www.MouseEarVacations.com 800-886-8601
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TRAVEL FEATURE: Winter
Wonderland: Michigan's Upper Peninsula
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by Tina Peterson,
PassPorter Message Board Guide and Guest Contributor
I've had this happen more
times than I can remember: someone finds out I'm from Michigan and holds out
their hand facing me so I can point out where in Michigan I am from. This
inevitably leads us into a conversation about the Upper Peninsula (the
"other" part of Michigan), which is where I live. If you look on a
map, the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) is the rabbit-shaped section above the
"mitten". We affectionately refer to ourselves as
"Yoopers." (U.P.'ers - get it?)
Being a Yooper takes a
special kind of person. Our winters last a long time, usually starting in
October and finally giving us some reprieve in April. In an area where the
snowfall averages over 200 inches a year, you have to either really love winter
or at least be able to cope with it. Me? I'm a little bit in the middle. There
are days when the always gloomy, overcast skies of winter make me want to run
away to somewhere sunny (yes, Walt Disney World usually comes to mind). But
then my sons will ask me if I will come outside and help them decorate their
snowman and I remember why we live here.
The U.P. is an outdoor
lovers dream. There is plenty to do during all four seasons up here. Spring is
the ideal time to go waterfall hunting, summer is great for hanging out, or
boating on Lake Superior or Lake Michigan, and the fall colors are
breathtaking. But winter is when this area really comes alive.
Skiing, both downhill and
cross country, are big tourism draws. Many trails and hills are near a ski
resort, which offers lodging, food, and other amenities either onsite or
nearby. Although I've never partaken in downhill skiing, I love cross country.
The sound of the crunching snow under your skis, the cool wind on your face,
and the accomplishment of actually finishing a grueling trail are exhilarating.
There is also a different type of trail around here, and these are for
snowmobiles. People flock to the U.P. for this snowy activity. On any given day
in the winter, if you drive down a county road, you're sure to see several
snowmobiles zipping along the side of the road. Whatever your fancy, be sure to
finish off your outdoor activity with a cup of hot cocoa brimming with mini
marshmallows.
Don't leave the kids behind
on a trip to the U.P. There are several sledding/tubing hills around. Every
local community has its own 'secret' hills, so be sure to ask! If you're
looking for something a little more daring than regular sledding, do not miss
the Lucy Hill Naturbahn Luge in Negaunee. This is an actual luge hill where
Olympians train. Open most weekends for public use, the area uses the bottom
1/6 of the track for family fun. Equipment and instructions are provided. The
fee is $10/child and $20/adult. This is North America's only
"naturbahn" luge track, so it's a unique experience. (A
"Naturbahn" luge is a natural, un-refrigerated hill bordered by
boards and snow banks. This is in contrast to the luge tracks you see on the
Winter Olympics that are man made, refrigerated tracks.)
Come February, there are
sled dog races. The U.P. 200 takes place around where I live and attracts
"mushers" from all over. The kids andI bundle up, go stand on the
sidelines and cheer while the mushers and dogs take off on their race! This is also
a good month to go ice fishing. Driving by local lakes, you will see dozens of
shanties spread out on the frozen ice. (Anyone see Grumpy Old Men?) The
fishermen put up these little shelters, bore a hole in the ice and fish to
their hearts content. February is also the month for Michigan Tech's Winter
Carnival. If you take a trip to the far north of the Upper Peninsula, you will
have the pleasure of viewing the wonderful ice/snow sculptures that are a big
centerpiece of this carnival.
If you are not an outdoorsy
person, do not fear. The U.P. is the perfect place to curl up by the fire with
a good book while the fluffy flakes fall outside. We have many quaint bed and
breakfasts, so even if your traveling party goes out for a day of snowy fun,
you can stay back and relax. This is also hockey country, and the local
universities put on some great home games. Be sure to visit the local
restaurants and shops and pick up a pasty, some cudighi (Italian sausage) and
some Trenary toast.
If you're looking for a
specific area or activity while you are here, don't be afraid to ask. Yoopers
are extremely friendly and we want to share our winter wonderland with you!
About the Author: Tina
Peterson has lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan her entire life, the last
11 having been spent in Gwinn, MI. Her favorite winter activity is building
snowmen with her 9 and 11 year old sons. Tina enjoys traveling throughout the
country, even flying to Boston and Connecticut for PassPorter meets. Tina is a
proud member of the PassPorter message guide team.
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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. Also check
out our Article Collection at http://www.passporter.com/articles for more great
information!
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DID YOU KNOW?
Book your vacation by
1/31/08 and
we'll make a donation thru
the Make-A-Wish
folks benefiting the Dream
Team Project
Happy New Year!
Book Early & Save Up
To $695!
Disney Cruise Lineš
4-nights w/ 2 stops at
Castaway Cay
Select Summer 2008 dates
Visit us at: http://www.mousefantravel.com/?apid=ptpn
*Savings pp/dbl occ,
subject to availability. -CST207807440- Click for details.
As to Disney artwork:
©Disney Ships' registry: The Bahamas
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DISNEY FEATURE: What Keeps
Us Coming Back to Disney?
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by Cheryl Pendry,
PassPorter Featured Columnist
Why do we return to Disney
over and over for our vacations? That's a question that has often crossed my
mind on our travels to Disney parks around the world.
So far, my tally stands at
11 trips to Orlando to visit Walt Disney World, two visits to the parks in Los
Angeles and Paris, and two Disney cruises; and I can't get enough. There's
another trip to the Paris park in the works, along with our first ever visit to
Hong Kong Disneyland and plans for a two week vacation that would take in both
Florida and California. So why do I keep returning to Disney time and time
again?
There are many reasons. The
first is that it's one of the few places in the world where you can just get
completely away from it all and forget about daily life. OK, so you can head
for a far flung beach, but somehow Disney has that feeling of safety whenever
you're in the parks. Don't get me wrong - I'm not advocating for one minute
that you lose all common sense and just leave valuables lying around waiting
for someone to take them, but there have been many examples of items being lost
and then magically recovered later in the stay. There really is nowhere else
that I can think of that such good nature prevails amongst people. It's almost
like stepping back into a bygone age when people happily left their doors
unlocked at home, knowing that nothing bad would happen. (Again, I'm not
suggesting it!)
Another reason is that
there's just so much to see. I don't think it will ever matter how many times I
go to any Disney park around the world, I think I will always find new things
that I never knew existed before. On our most recent visit, we took the Segway
tour of Epcot and, as part of that, you get to visit a lot of the pavilions
around the World Showcase. As we weaved in and out of them, I kept spotting
areas that we'd never walked through before on our travels. That amazed me, as Epcot
is our favorite park and consequently, the one we always spend most of our time
in, yet there were still unexplored nooks and crannies here that we had just
never noticed before.
Then there are all the
little touches that perhaps you have noticed, but have never really paused to
look at. One of my favorite things to do as we walk along Main Street, USA is
to cast my gaze upwards at the windows of the shops and read the signs on them.
They're all Disney-related and it's fascinating to think about what they all
mean. If that's something you've never done before, do try it the next time
you're there. One of the best touches at Disneyland in California was the light
in one of the windows in the Main St. firehouse that's always burning. As I
understand it, that's done in memory of Walt himself, and seeing that brought a
tear to my eye.
Even waiting in line can
bring enjoyment. Knowing that the big E-ticket rides attract huge crowds, the
Imagineers have come up with so many wonderful things to admire as you stand
and wait your turn. Some of my favorites include the lines for Expedition
Everest, Tower of Terror and Test Track. Sometimes, just sometimes, it's worth
waiting in line for a little while, just to have a chance to admire their
handiwork and the thought that went into it.
Something else I love is
that there's always some new restaurant or attraction to experience. I doubt
there are many people who can claim to have been on every single attraction and
enjoyed every single restaurant on any Disney property. I know I can't,
although I've had a good go at doing both things. There's nothing more
enjoyable than sampling a new restaurant and discovering that it's a hidden
gem, although it does leave you wondering why it took you so long to make it
there.
As for the attractions, I
think we've now done the vast majority of the ones we can handle (the big
coasters are well and truly out of our league!), but on every visit, there
seems to be something new to enjoy at one of the Disney parks. Almost as soon
as we leave, something else seems to open for business. Change and constant
improvement is something else that definitely keeps us coming back. On our most
recent trip, we were able to enjoy the Finding Nemo musical at Animal Kingdom
and the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor at the Magic Kingdom for the first time, and
we were lucky enough to sample the improved Spaceship Earth at Epcot during its
soft opening. By the time we go back, there'll be a new parade and the new
attraction Toy Story Mania at the newly renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios. So
many new things to enjoy!
But perhaps the main thing
that keeps us going back to Disney is the people there. The Cast Members are
often what makes a vacation really special, from the server who does everything
faultlessly at a restaurant, to someone on the Concierge desk at your hotel who
spends a little extra time with the children in your party. Disney magic can be
found everywhere in the people who work there, and it's always worth taking
that little extra time to chat with Cast Members and find out more about them.
We were charmed by the
girl from Chicago in Epcot, who took the time to explain to us where we should
go and what we should see when we visit her hometown. Then there were the Cast
Members on one of the Friendship boats who created a truly Magical Moment for
us. Or what about the street entertainers you find in each park? We enjoyed a
dance in Main Street, USA, after stopping to watch the town mayor and some of
the park's other famous figures.
These things usually don't
happen by accident. They happen because you take the time to talk to those who
help to create the magic. More often than not, they have wonderful stories to
tell and great memories to share.
Those are things that keep
us coming back to Disney time and time again. How about you?
About the Author: Cheryl
and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America.
They were on the first 11-night sailing of the Disney Magic around the
Mediterranean and have recently returned from 19 nights in Walt Disney World.
They are now looking forward to visiting Hong Kong and Hong Kong Disneyland.
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. Also check out
our Article Collection at http://www.passporter.com/articles for more great
information!
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DID YOU KNOW?
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ticket specials with every reservation!!
Special for PassPorter News
readers:
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UPDATES: What's New and
Changed
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Here's a few relevant news
items:
The price for Palo brunch
and dinner has just increased to $15 per person (previously $10 per person) on
the Disney Cruise Line. The price change is effective today (Jan. 10, 2008) on
the Disney Wonder and Saturday (Jan. 12, 2008) on the Disney Magic. The rate
increase only applies to new reservations; if you already made your Palo
reservation, it will remain at $10 per person.
Disney Cruise Line has
announced a new theater production joining the entertainment line-up onboard
the Disney Wonder. "Toy Story - The Musical" will have soft openings
in March prior to it's official debut on April 10, 2008. Eight new songs have
been created to join the perennial Toy Story anthem, "You've Got A Friend
In Me." The new show will be replacing "Hercules - The
Muse-ical."
[Note from Jennifer &
Dave: "Hercules, the Muse-ical" has been running for as far back as
we can remember. While we didn't know it would be our last chance to see the
show, we still made a point of seeing it on the MouseFest cruise this past
December -- it's just that entertaining, even after all the times we've seen
it! If you'll be cruising on the Disney Wonder during the next couple of
months, make sure it's part of your plans.]
Effective as of January 1,
2008, Victoria & Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian has a minimum age
requirement. Guests under 10 are no longer able to dine at the restaurant.
Disney's Contemporary
Resort has added a couple of high-tech enhancements. iHome alarm clocks have
been added to guest rooms. Also, Disney's Online Concierge Service has begun
service at the Contemporary. In-room computers give guests access to park
hours, dining information and resort information. While this service is being
introduced, high speed internet access is also available free of charge.
[Note from Jennifer: The
iHome alarm clocks are VERY cool -- I have an iHome clock, as does my team mate
Chad Larner. These alarm clocks allow you to dock your iPod, iPhone, or other
MP3 player, and the clock will charge it and play music. In fact, you can go to
sleep listening to your music (with the volume gradually decreasing, if you
wish) and wake to your music gradually, too. The alarm functions are quite
reliable, as well. What a great addition!]
Our thanks to AllEars.net
and MousePlanet.com from which we get some of our news leads.
Hear some news? Be a
"PassPorter Reporter" and send it to us at http://www.passporter.com/report.asp
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DISNEY TIPS FROM FELLOW
READERS
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Our readers deliver a
wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:
OPENTABLE.COM
"I love using Opentable.com
to make dining reservations. It's free and available in most major USA cities.
There are links to the restaurant's web sites and you can view their menus.
I've even used it to make reservations at several of Disneyland's Downtown
Disney restaurants." (Editor's Note: Opentable.com can also be used to
make reservations at Raglan Road at Downtown Disney in Walt Disney World.)
-- contributed by Jim E.
MIRROR MAGIC
"We love to stay at
the moderate resorts at Walt Disney World. Some of the bathrooms have pedestal sinks with very
little room to put your bathroom amenities. We purchased a small plastic oblong
cup with a suction cup on the back of it (they come in single and double size)
at Walmart and stick this to our bathroom mirror. In it goes our toothbrush,
floss and toothpaste - it saves so much room and the maids don't have to touch
your toothbrush when cleaning! I take it to every hotel as I travel often for
business. The cups even have holes at the bottom so no water stays in the cup.
They look like what you hold a sponge in on the sink."
-- contributed by Annette
K.
CHARMING CHARMS
"My mom and I had our
first mother/daughter trip to Walt Disney World last October. We knew we would
be purchasing the refillable mugs at our resort, so I decided to make charms
for the handles to easily identify one from the other. I used a metal loose-leaf
ring that opened wide enough to circle and close around the handle. Then I
created a charm with our initials to dangle from the ring. The result was too
cute and we never mixed up our drinks!"
-- contributed by Kristina
Z.
>Notes: Send us your
tips! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter! Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/customs/tipsandstories.asp
>>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
==========================================
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 week's
journal entry:
"I haven't yet shaken
the post-holiday doldrums. In my continued pursuit for some escapism, I've been
listening to my favorite music -- Fifties POP! I know about a really loaded
jukebox -- biggest selection I've ever seen! I popped over to check out the
tunes. I found a great ditty called 'The Tiki Torch Tango' by The Higgenbotham
Art Players. Fabulous! It's become my new favorite. I even have the tune's
position on the jukebox memorized -- it's at ... (rest of text obscured by a
smear of pomade)"
Where is this great
jukebox and what is the Captain's favorite tune's position (hint: it's a letter
and number)? For bonus credit, locate the photographic evidence in the
PassPorter Photo Archive and post a comment with the photo!
Send your full answer to
jackskatt@passporter.com -- the winner will be notified by e-mail and announced
in a future newsletter, along with the correct answer!
Congratulations to Pamela
Van Austin who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Pamela was the
first person to identify the posted speed limit at the Sci Fi Dine In Theater
as 5 mph. Tacey Atkinson was the first person to find the photo in the Photo
Archive and post a comment. To view the original clue, see last week's
newsletter at http://www.passporter.com/news/news010308.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 Jack Skatt.
Get more details on "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World"
book at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587710269.aspx
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PASSPORTER PHOTOPICK
==========================================
Each issue we choose a
special photo from the PassPorter Photo Archive which highlights something
beautiful, interesting, humorous, or timely at Disney or around the world. Here
is this issue's PhotoPick:
Epcot's Canada at Sunset
contributed by zeilbergs
PhotoPick Link: http://www.passporter.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/3942
You can nominate photos
for PhotoPick by giving ratings in the PassPorter Photo Archive (you'll need to
be logged in to do this). If you'd like to contribute your own photos to the
Photo Archive and be considered as a PhotoPick, please read our Photo Upload
Guidelines for details and benefits at http://www.passporter.com/photo-upload-guidelines.asp
Top 5 Photo Contributors:
chezp - 536 photos
Meggera - 347 photos
Dopey007 - 270 photos
imadisneygirl - 171 photos
bradk - 171 photos
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Q & A WITH JENNIFER
& DAVE
====================================
Maxiscool and MelissaL
ask: "Does anybody know what a 68-year-old can do for fun on a seven day
Eastern Caribbean cruise? We're asking on behalf of Max's grandmother, who will
be accompanying the family on our upcoming cruise."
Dave and Jennifer answer: "The
easy answer is, 'Everything but the kids club activities.'
It's hard to know whether
68 is 'old' or 'young,' so trying to guess what, among all the many shipboard
and shoreside activities would be suitable is kind of difficult. For example,
if I say, 'Bingo,' will that be right on target, insulting, or irrelevant?
My particular bias is to
list everything there is to do on the ship (and off). I'm not all that far from
68 (at least, I don't feel that way at the moment, due to a backache), and I
can't think of much onboard that wouldn't be suitable to my needs or interests.
Now, there are other
cruise lines that intentionally promote active/adventure shore excursions and
boast rock climbing walls and even artificial surfing on board. I can see
wondering whether those lines offer anything to someone over the age of 20
(Okay, I exaggerate -- there are loads of 68 year-olds participating in
adventure sports).
Disney Cruise Line, on the
other hand, is rooted in Walt Disney's theme park idea -- a place where parents
and children (and by extension, grandparents, too) can do things together,
doing things all of them can enjoy.
The Disney ships have been
carefully honed so that guests of all ages and abilities will have lots to do.
The adults-only recreation areas on Deck 9 (Quiet Cove pool, Cove Cafe, spa and
health club) and the adults-only entertainment district on Deck 3 are fabulous
-- 'playgrounds' for adults that are as carefully tailored to adult interests
as the far more famous kids and teen clubs are for those age groups. In short,
there's plenty for everyone, regardless of age.
Arguably, Disney does a
better job of serving all age groups than any other cruise line. There are
certainly lines that cater to particular age groups (such as the super-deluxe
lines that aim for sedate, affluent couples), but among the large ship cruise
lines (nearly all of which try to appeal to all ages), Disney has come closest
to getting it right. Want to avoid kids and teens? On other large-ship cruise
lines it can't be done (unless you spend your time in the casino). On Disney,
it's easy. Want to spend quality time with family? Piece of cake! There's a
broad range of entertainment suitable for all ages.
I'd like to note here that
Conde Nast Traveler's readers give Disney Cruise Line very high ratings. In
fact, if you look at the recently released Gold List statistics, it turns out
that Disney Cruise Line is the highest rated large ship cruise line, beating
out even Celebrity (you have to read between the lines to figure that out,
since Conde Nast didn't make that particular distinction). If you're familiar
with Conde Nast's readership (affluent, sophisticated travelers), I think that
says a whole lot. I really doubt Disney Cruise Line would get that kind of
rating if it was just a 'kiddie cruise.'"
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