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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips
February 7, 2008 * Issue 8.06
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: New
Disneyland Guidebook
Travel Feature: The
High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride
Disney Feature: Dining
Review: Tutto Italia
Updates: What's New and
Changed
Tips: Bring The
Beauty Home, One Way Clothes, Surviving the Sea of Strollers
Captain's Corner: Mrs.
Disney's Gift
PassPorter PhotoPick:
Stuntperson on fire at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Q&A: What type of
trip insurance do we need?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
====================================================
FROM THE AUTHORS: New
Disneyland Guidebook
====================================================
Hi,
{{user("firstname")}}!
We're working on the next
edition of PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions, and we
want it to be even better in celebration of our 10th anniversary in 2009.
That's something of a tall order, since that edition did win a Best Guidebook
award! So we're turning to you, our readers, who have already done so much to
help make PassPorter what it is today. What do you we need?
1. We
need feedback from both readers who have our first Disneyland edition as well
as from those who have not yet seen the book. Please take our Disneyland
Guidebook Survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=8UdpipuOw0_2bvtFICCJDjCA_3d_3d
2. We
want to include your special tips, magical memories, and to a greater extent
than in the past, your photos. We describe what we're looking for and how to
send in your contributions in this recent message board post: http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/dl-planning-your-disneyland-adventure/150174-passporters-disneyland-2009-news-feedback-more.html#post1921013
. We look forward to hearing (and seeing) from you!
The 2009 edition of PassPorter's
Disneyland and Southern California Attractions will be released this summer!
All chapters of our Disney
Cruise guide are now available in the special electronic preview file,
available with every pre-order of PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line and its Ports
of Call. The preview version of the guidebook is available to everyone who
pre-orders a new cruise guide through our PassPorter Store. As of this evening,
all seven chapters (352 pages, nearly 17 MB) are included in the preview file.
If you already pre-ordered, you can download the updated preview file by
returning to our store, signing in, checking your order history for your cruise
guide pre-order, and clicking Download Now. If you have any problems
downloading this large file, please contact us and we'll help. To pre-order and
start reading right away, visit the PassPorter's Disney Cruise Pre-Order Center
at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/dcl2008.aspx
We continue to be amazed
and honored by all the folks joining us for the PassPorter's Decade of Dreams
Tour. The Decade of Dreams Tour celebrates all of our dreams by going "on
tour," coast-to-coast and online! We're planning everything from online
events with contests to one-day parties (meets) to grand, multi-day group
trips. Our once-in-a-lifetime group trips include a 7-night Disney Cruise to
Tortola, a 4-night celebration at Walt Disney World, and a Disneyland visit
that includes park time and an Adventures by Disney expedition, with travel
arranged by our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. To get all the details and reserve
your spot on the limited-availability trips, visit the Decade of Dreams Tour
Overview. Everyone is invited and welcome! Will you join us? Visit http://www.passporter.com/decade-of-dreams.asp
Check out this week's
podcast on MouseGuest.com (show #132), which features an interview with
PassPorter e-book author Thomas Cackler, who wrote the popular PassPorter's
Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World e-book! http://www.mouseguest.com/podcast/index.php
PASSPORTER'S CLUB UPDATE
* Nearly 1200 vacationers
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 a new
e-worksheet for you to use to plan your next trip (click the link to go
directly to them): the Food Hit List helps you keep a running list of the foods
you don't want to miss while you're on your trip. Space is provided for the
food name, eatery, location, price, type, rating, and notes. There's also a
checkbox so you can mark off a food when you've actually had it! Get it at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-club-gallery/149418-new-e-worksheet-food-hit-list.html#post1910627
* 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
* More details at http://www.passporter.com/club
In this issue, Guest
Contributor and Theme Park enthusiast Barry Hom returns to report on The
High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride at Universal Florida's Islands of
Adventure park. Then, Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry reviews Tutto Italia ,
the restaurant that replaced Epcot's L'Originale Alfredo di Roma. 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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TRAVEL FEATURE: Attraction
Review: The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride
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by Barry Hom, PassPorter Guest
Contributor
When Universal Orlando's
Islands of Adventure theme park debuted in 1999, all of the amazing rides
opened except for one: Sylvester Monkey McBean's Very Unusual Driving Machines.
The track wound around Seuss Landing and a vehicle negotiated the track every
so often, but there were no signs that guests could experience the ride. A sign
outside said it was opening in 2000 and then it changed to 2001. The name was
changed to the Sneetches and the sign said, "Opening Soon." Eventually,
the signs were covered up. The queue to the ride became the Grinch's Lair for a
few years. There were many reasons why Sylvester Monkey McBean's Very Unusual
Driving Machines never opened. Some were practical, some were technical, and
many were rumors. Whatever the reason, finally in summer 2006, the long dormant
ride opened as The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride. Was it worth the
wait? We'll see...
The original concept of
the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride was that you traveled high above
Seuss Landing on ride vehicles. Reflecting the Sneetches story from the book
Sneetches and Other Stories, one side would be the Star-Bellied side and the
other the Plain-Bellied side. Each side would tell the story of the Sneetches,
but would go through the show scenes in a different path. You could bump the
vehicle in front of you and your ride vehicle would make Seussian sounds.
Luckily, most of the original ride concepts did make it into the final design.
The colorful ride entrance
and wonky music beckon you to enter. The Team Members are dressed up in
railroad worker overalls and cap. Their overalls have a yellow star on them.
The queue tells the first half of the Sneetches' story. Illustrations and text
from the story decorate the walls. The queue area winds up past Sylvester
Monkey McBean's massive machine and ends in the load area. The load area has
two tracks. The aqua track is to the left and the teal track is to the right.
The 20-seat trolley pulls up into the load area to unload and load guests. As
the trolley pulls into the load area, the Team Members ask the guests to yell
out a loud, "Choo-choo!"
As in the original ride
concept, the teal track is the Star-Bellied side and the aqua track is the
Plain-Bellied side. The Star-Bellied side has a sign that says Star-Bellied
Sneetches are allowed to enter before the trolley drives through Circus
McGurkus. The Plain-Bellied side first passes by a car wash-type scene, where
Sneetches can get their stars on their bellies "washed off."
The Star-Bellied side is
the side that tells the story of the Sneetches. The narrator is a young boy.
The story of the Sneetches is interrupted as you pass a Seuss Landing building.
When your trolley passes a building, the narrator tells a part of the story
that is represented by the structure. For example, when you pass by the Green
Eggs and Ham Cafe, the Sneetches story switches to lines from Green Eggs and
Ham. When you are out of sight of the Green Eggs and Ham Cafe, the narrator
continues the Sneetches story. The Star-Bellied side also passes through the
Circus McGurkus Restaurant. When this happens, the narrator tells of the circus
performers that he sees throughout the restaurant. Near the end of the ride,
the trolley passes by Sylvester Monkey McBean and two Sneetches shaking hands.
The narrator tells parts of the Sneetches tale that these figures represent.
The Plain-Bellied side
takes a different route through Seuss Landing and does not tell the Sneetches
story. The narrator is a young girl. The girl said that her father tells her
that she can see many amazing things if she would be alert and keep her eyes
open. As you pass by the buildings around the island, the narrator tells about
the stories represented by the building. You can hear snippets of the stories
Green Eggs and Ham, Sneetches and Other Stories, The Cat in the Hat, and
others. You still pass by the same Sylvester Monkey McBean and the two
Sneetches as on the Star-Bellied side, but the narrator says nothing about
these figures.
In a park full of thrilling
rides, guests might have expected the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Ride to be
a fast-moving, heart-stopping ride. Rather, it's a slow-moving ride targeted to
young kids and families. It's pretty much a side attraction to the bigger and
badder rides around the park. The ride is pretty relaxing and does give good
aerial views of Seuss Landing. I think it could have used more show scenes
about the Sneetches. Some of the show scenes make more sense if you listen to
the narration of the Star-Bellied side. If you ride the Plain-Bellied side, you
might be confused on the appearance of McBean and the Sneetches at the end. It
would be helpful to know the Sneetches story ahead of time if you choose the
Plain-Bellied side.
The biggest drawback of
the ride is the loading time because the trolleys are dispatched every 3 to 4
minutes. Lines can get very long, very quickly. I've seen the line go up to 60
minutes or more during a busy afternoon. Even if you use Universal Express, you
can expect to wait at least 15 minutes to ride. Because of the potentially long
wait times, try to ride the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley early.
My enjoyment of the ride
was directly based on how long I had to wait for it. When I first rode it, I
waited 30 minutes. After riding, I thought, "That was it? This is what I
waited seven years for?" I wasn't too impressed. When I rode it again, I
waited 15 minutes in Universal Express and enjoyed the ride more. The last time
I rode it was in the first hour of the park operation and I waited 5 minutes.
The ride was pretty enjoyable then, too. It is a fun ride and a change of pace
from the thrills in the other areas of the park, but it's not a ride that I
want to invest a lot of time in the queue line. With the long waits, I would
expect some more queue line entertainment. If you want to ride, use Universal
Express or ride early in the morning. If you wait later in the day, you might
enjoy the ride, but you probably won't enjoy the long line!
As you walk around the
ride's queue area and Seuss Landing, note some of the details. The back of each
trolley has its unique name on it. See if you can find all the names of the
trolley. The trash cans around the ride have the Once-Ler's famous saying from
The Lorax. If you have lunch in Circus McGurkus and you see a trolley go by,
wave at the passengers!
About the Author: Barry is
a roller coaster and theme/amusement park enthusiast. So far, he has ridden 471
roller coasters and visited over 80 theme and amusement parks in many U.S.
states, France, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, and Japan. He is also a
columnist and a moderator for the website IOA Central
(http://www.ioacentral.com). He is looking forward to the opening of the Hard
Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, SC in Spring 2008.
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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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ORLANDO FEATURE: Tutto
Italia
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by Cheryl
Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
It's not often that a
restaurant at Walt Disney World closes down and re-opens again almost
immediately, but that's exactly what happened a few months ago at the Italy
pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase.
Alfredo's -- or to give it
its full name L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante -- had been a staple there
for many years, but last fall it gave way to a newcomer, Tutto Italia, after
Alfredo's managment chose to not renew its contract with Disney. Tutto Italia
is operated by the Patina Restaurant Group, their first venture into Florida,
but not their first Disney eatery. They also run the Catal Restaurant, Uva Bar,
Naples Ristorante and Tortilla Jo's in Downtown Disney at Disneyland
California, along with restaurants in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
When you first walk into
the restaurant, there isn't that much to distinguish it from what went before
and that's no real surprise, as there was no time to undergo a major refit.
That's being saved for later this year instead. If you've dined at Alfredo's
before, then the decor will be familiar to you and it's a nice feeling to walk
into what's essentially a new restaurant, but immediately feel at home in
surroundings you know and love.
We dined there in December
using the Candlelight Processional package, mainly because we wanted to book a
meal at Tutto Italia and, at the time, that was the only way we could. The
package included an appetizer, entree and dessert each, so sadly we just had to
sample all three courses on offer here.
There's a wide choice of
appetizers, with plenty for anyone who doesn't eat meat. Choices when we ate
there included an eggplant caponata with Sicilian olives, pine nuts and
raisins; insalata mista with arugula and radicchio; carpaccio de salmone; and
prosciutto di Parma, ham with thin slices of seasonal melon. Although all of
those may sound great, we opted for something different. I went for the fresh
mozzarella with vine ripened tomatoes, basil, and Tuscan olive oil, which I can
thoroughly recommend. It really reminded me of the wonderful dish I had enjoyed
while in Italy on our Mediterranean cruise and that's a great endorsement for
any Italian restaurant. My husband opted for the cozze marinara, or to you and
me, mussels in a spicy tomato and garlic sauce and, having sampled a bit
(purely for research purposes you understand!), I can confirm that was another
winner.
Entrees are divided into
either pasta "Tutto Italia" or fish and meat dishes (pesce and carne)
on the menu, with each of us sampling one category. I tired the spaghetti with
clams, cherry tomatoes, garlic and parsley - certainly an unusual combination
of ingredients, but one that comes together beautifully. Other pasta options
include some more conventional ones, such as penne with crushed tomatoes, fresh
mozzarella and basil; lasagne al forno, a great traditional Italian dish; and
tagliatelle with meat ragu Bolognese. More unusual choices include Bucatini
Gratinari -- and if your Italian isn't that great, I'll translate: it's Italian
Prosciutto ham, peas, Parmesan and cream -- and spaghetti with veal meatballs
and pomodoro sauce.
Turning to the meat and fish,
the braised pork shank with creamy polenta and root vegetables was my husband's
choice, perhaps the only dish that didn't work completely for us, as the
polenta didn't go that well with the pork. Under this section of the menu
you'll also find fish fillet, salmon "al forno," a traditional
Italian style of cooking that means "in the oven", lamb
("agnello") and chicken cutlet Milanese.
For me, the best part of
any meal has to be the dessert and again, this was full of Italian delights,
just like the rest of the menu. We can personally recommend the lemon sorbet
(you can also pick from other delightful flavors such as chocolate, blood
orange and melon pomegranate) and the zabaglione ice cream, but if you have the
room for anything more, you can sample the Zuppa Inglese, which is trifle cake
with candied fruit, vanilla cream and meringue; chocolate and hazelnut torte;
mocha tiramisu; or even cannoli, a crisp pastry filled with sweet ricotta,
chocolate and candied orange.
We really couldn't fault
the food at Tutto Italia - and as the name suggests, it's certainly completely
Italian, with a lot of specialties that you would only find on offer at some of
the better Italian restaurants. However, the saying goes that you get what you
pay for and that's the case here. This restaurant comes with a much more
expensive price tag than its predecessor, although currently it's listed as one
credit on the Disney Dining Plan, which makes it excellent value for anyone
who's planning on using the Dining Plan.
Tutto Italia is an
excellent addition to the dining line-up at Epcot and one that's well worth
trying on your next visit - just be prepared to pay for that good experience if
you're not on the Dining Plan.
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 Disney travel plans. Also check out our Article Collection at
http://www.passporter.com/articles for more great information!
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UPDATES: What's New and
Changed
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Here's a few relevant news
items:
Stop the presses! American
Idol is coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios
In an announcement earlier
today (Thursday, February 07, 2008) Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo
plus the creator and producers of the TV series revealed plans to open a new
attraction based on the ultra-popular TV show American Idol by "late
2008." The show, held six to eight times daily, will allow superstar
wannabes to audition for a Disney producer, and if they make the cut they'll
get vocal coaching, hair styling and makeup before performing in front of a
live theme park audience. The winners of each day's shows will compete at the
end of the day for a "guaranteed reservation" for a spot in the
regional stadium auditions for the real TV show. While the press release was
silent on the location of the show, illustrations reveal it'll be in the ABC
Theatre, the long-unused space next to the park's hub, formerly home to Doug
Live. For more information, check out the official press release at http://www.wdwnews.com/ViewPressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=109130
More dates for Walt Disney
World's Pirate & Princess Party are available if you phone Disney
reservations! The latest dates are: April 1, 4, 6, 11, 16, and 23; May 2, 9,
16, 21, 26, and 31; June 4 (all 2008, of course). Same-day purchase rates for
this after-hours event at Magic Kingdom are $51.07 adult/$44.68 children 3-9.
Advance purchases are $46.81/$40.42. Annual Passholder and DVC members are
$40.42/$34.03. Tax included in all rates mentioned. These rates have increased
-- whether it's a seasonal difference or a permanent increase is unknown. (As
we go to press these dates are not yet available at the Disney web site and
have not been announced in a press release.)
The Wolfgang Puck Express
in Downtown Disney's Marketplace is closed for renovations through March 6,
2008. A new menu, faster service, and larger indoor dining area is expected.
The Wolfgang Puck in Downtown Disney's West Side remains open.
Eli Manning is "Going
to Disneyland!" but not just yet. The Quarterback of the Super Bowl
Champion New York Giants was scheduled to appear at Disneyland on Monday but
due to scheduling conflicts will be appearing at a later date, yet to be
determined.
The 16th Annual Chef's
Gala benefiting Heart of Florida United Way will be held on Saturday, April 5,
2008, from 6:00 to 10:00 pm at Epcot's World Showplace at Walt Disney World.
The Gala, which includes live jazz music and a silent auction, features over 20
of Florida's finest chefs preparing unique dishes served with wine pairings.
Funds raised at the Chef's Gala will help serve more than 375,000 Central
Floridians in need. Tickets are $175 per individual. To purchase tickets, call
407-835-0900 ext. 377 or email chefsgala@hfuw.org.
Parking rates at Port Canaveral,
where the Disney Cruise Line has its terminal, have increased to $15 daily.
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
==========================================
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:
BRING THE BEAUTY HOME
"If you're planning
on making a trip to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, consider doing it on your
last day at Walt Disney World. We took our three kids there prior to leaving.
It was a good way to end the trip, not to mention they got so much attention at
the airport, and when we boarded our airplane the attendant had the pilot greet
the princesses boarding the plane. Doing it this way they weren't so sad to
leave, they still had that "magic" feeling all the way home."
-- contributed by Rachel
A.
ONE WAY CLOTHES
"We make sure to pack
many 'one-way clothes.' Specifically, sweatpants, sweatshirts, pajamas, and old
T-shirts which are getting too small or tattered are packed to be worn as PJs
on our trip. Then, they are discarded, leaving more room to pack souvenirs for
the way home!"
-- contributed by Marilyn
S.
SURVIVING THE SEA OF
STROLLERS
"A sea of strollers
is not an uncommon sight at Walt Disney World. Whether you're coming out of an
attraction or building or off a ride, you will be met at the exit by a sea of
strollers, only having to find yours among the dozens there. We avoided the
proverbial stroller search by tying a brightly colored scarf to the handle of
our stroller. We never had any problem spotting our stroller immediately, while
others were going from stroller to stroller looking for the card with their
name on it."
-- contributed by Chris
C.L.
>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
==========================================
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 received a thick
letter from my cousin, Captain Seawolf, who's living in California these days.
Seawolf likes treasure hunting as much as I do, and he's been telling me about
some of his recent finds. He claims to have found an artifact left by Mrs. Walt
Disney right ... and it's in broad daylight at Disneyland! Supposedly the
artifact is more than 50 million years old and formed opals at one point in its
history. Mrs. Disney presented it to Disneyland in 1957. Unbelievable! I think
I may have to travel out to California to see this 'artifact' with my own
eyes."
What was Mrs. Walt
Disney's gift to Disneyland? 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 Fred K.
who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Fred was the first person to
identify the location of Tasha's Trek and Tongba Shop as the stand-by queue at
Expedition Everest. To view the original clue, see last week's newsletter at http://www.passporter.com/news/news013108.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
==========================================
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:
Stuntperson on fire at
Disney's Hollywood Studios
contributed by
OffKilter_Disneymom
PhotoPick Link: http://www.passporter.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/4204
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
OffKilter_Disneymom - 182
photos
DeBestWife - 177 photos
====================================
Q & A WITH JENNIFER
& DAVE
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AMG asks: "I am
looking at purchasing trip insurance on my own versus Disney's. What type of
coverage do we need? Does pre-existing conditions only account for medical
issues or does it also cover work? We are a military family and leave dates can
and do change."
Dave and Jennifer answer:
"A change of plans due to military service is not a "pre-existing
condition" -- that refers to medical only. For changes to military leave,
you have to examine each policy to see what situations are insurable. Note that
the sooner you know the schedule changes, the less an insurance policy has to
do with things, since depending on when you receive notice, you'll get either a
full or partial refund, or no refund at all, directly from the cruise line.
What kind of coverage? You
clearly want to be covered (if possible) for changes due to military service.
You also want coverage for any kind of travel delays/disruptions from the
moment you leave your house to the moment you get to the cruise line terminal.
Coverage for medical evacuation (usually helicopter), out-of-country medical
care, medical transportation back to the States, and any costs incurred by a
companion accompanying the sick/injured is very useful since those costs can be
incredibly high and rarely provided by other kinds of insurance policies (what
does Uncle Sam provide?). Beyond that ... coverage of disruptions while the
cruise is underway is rarely needed, but there's no way you can get a policy without
it."
Have a question? Post
questions 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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