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PassPorter
News
News,
Announcements, Updates, and Tips
March 6, 2005
* Issue 5.4
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: 2005 Edition Status and Updates
* Travel
Feature: A Change of Pace: Tampa/St. Petersburg
* Disney
Feature: And They Lived Happily Ever After: A Disney Intimate Wedding
* What's New
and Updated at Disney
* Tips: Repeat
Photo Offenders, Flip Your Lids, Film Finder
* Q&A: Nassau
Shore Excursions; When To Buy New PassPorters
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FROM THE
AUTHORS: 2005 Edition Status and Updates
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Hi,
friends!
It's hard to
believe that more than two weeks have passed since our last newsletter! The
office and warehouse have been hopping, as the new PassPorter Walt
Disney World 2005 editions started shipping two weeks ago today!
Things are nearly back to normal here (although we've got a lot of cleaning up
to do following the "storm"). By now, every pre-order has been
shipped, although there are probably some international orders that have yet to
arrive at their destination. If you have any question about the status of your
order, please e-mail us at orders@passporter.com -- please be sure to give us
as many details about your order as possible.
If you're wondering about finding the
newest PassPorter in your favorite bookstore, we beg a little more patience. To
add insult to previous injury, the books arrived from Hong Kong with a little
printing defect that we had to correct before shipping the books. Folks who
pre-ordered from our store received a specially-printed Errata Sheet with their
order (or should have -- if you didn't, you can download and print-out pages 74
and 98 at http://www.passporter.com/wdw/passporterwdw2005updates.pdf -- they
are included as part of the 2005 Updates described in the next paragraph.
This wasn't an appropriate solution for books going to the bookstores, so we
had special replacement pages printed and inserted into those books. This took
a little bit of time to pull together, but now the corrected books are
beginning to be shipped to the wholesalers, who will then send them to the
bookstores - allow about another two weeks for the books to start arriving in
the stores.
A lot has happened at Walt Disney World
since we sent the 2005 Edition to the printers back in November. So, even
though we just started shipping the books two weeks ago, the first batch of
updates is now online at http://www.passporter.com/wdw/passporterwdw2005updates.pdf
. Not only have we listed many changes that have occurred at Walt Disney World,
but we have completely overhauled four pages of the book to reflect such
changes as Magic Your Way tickets, Disney's Magical Express, and evening Extra
Magic Hour. All these updated pages, the update list and the replacements for
pages 74 and 98 are available as a free download
formatted to fit in your Deluxe Edition binder or your spiral-bound edition's
PassPockets. And if you don't yet own a PassPorter, this is a great way to take
a peek - everybody is free to download this PDF file.
We also have a
bit of news for our librarian friends. We now have a special Library Edition of
PassPorter Walt Disney World 2005. You see, most libraries don't like
spiral-bound books as they don't "sit" right on their shelves, and
librarians are a little wary of any book that's intended to be written in or
likely to be kept as a keepsake. So, we produced a paperback version of
PassPorter, without our famous PassPockets. It still has our great, color theme
park maps and all the other great information from our other editions. So, if
you're a librarian, or want to recommend this new edition to your local
library, it's PassPorter Walt Disney World 2005 Library Edition - ISBN
1587710242, and it's available for $20.95 from Baker & Taylor, Ingram,
Partners, Brodart, and directly from PassPorter Travel Press. And to those of
you who would like to see PassPorter in your local library, please request it
and pass this information along to your librarian!
Finally, besides all this news, we have
several fine newsletter articles for you to enjoy. Maureen Austin continues her
tour of the "other" Florida with a visit to Tampa/St. Pete, and Lori
Drury has managed to bring back warm memories of our Fairy Tale Intimate
Wedding by sharing the tale of her own Disney nuptials. Enjoy!
Your friends,
Jennifer and
Dave
Authors,
PassPorter Travel Guides
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DID YOU KNOW?
2005 WDW
Editions Ship Next Day!
The new 2005
editions of PassPorter Walt Disney World are now shipping next business day
when ordered by 8:00 pm ET the night before. We've worked through our pre-order
backlog and orders are shipping out quickly now. If you've been waiting to
order your copy, now is the perfect time!
Everyone gets
a 15% discount and if you've already got a copy of PassPorter, you can Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
it to get a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of any PassPorter
guidebook.
Order your
copy today at:
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/2005.aspx
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TRAVEL
FEATURE: A Change of Pace: Visiting Tampa/St. Petersburg
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By Maureen
Austin, PassPorter Message Board Guide and Co-Owner of Grand Getaways Travel
I t might
surprise visitors to Tampa to learn that this buzzing central city was once a
quaint Indian fishing village. Famous explorers Ponce de Leon and Hernando de
Soto began incredible journeys of adventure and discovery here -- and you can
do the same!
Located just
little over an hour's drive west of the Walt Disney World Resort, the Tampa-St.
Petersburg area has wonderful attractions and charm to offer you on your next
visit to Florida. Tampa is not only one of the most culturally and
ethnically rich communities in the Sunshine State, it also has stunning natural
beauty beyond compare.
Tampa offers a
chance for everyone in the family to go wild! Check out Busch Gardens Tampa.
Combining fascinating animal experiences and some of the country's best thrill
ride coasters, this is sure to be a must do for the entire family. If you are
planning a visit to Sea World in Orlando, inquire about a combination ticket.
Sea World and Busch Gardens are both Anheuser Busch Adventure Parks and you may
be able to save some money by buying a multi park pass. Visit
http://www.buschgardens.com and http://www.seaworld.com for more information.
Don't stop
with Busch Gardens. Tampa has several other wonderful attractions worthy of a
visit. Take a dive down near coral reefs without getting wet at the Florida
Aquarium. Among the many fantastic exhibits in this state-of-the-art facility
is a coral reef. As you progress through the exhibit you encounter different
depths and see how the landscape changes. You can also find more than 5000
species of animals. The Florida Aquarium loves your kids - there are plenty of
hands on experiences for the wee ones. Visit http://www.flaquarium.org for more
information.
Take a
relaxing stroll among flowers indigenous to Florida and the butterflies that
love them at the University of South Florida's Botanical Gardens. The gardens
are open daily and will provide some much needed relief to your soul as well as
your pocketbook - admission is completely free! Get more information from the
Botanical Gardens' website at http://www.cas.usf.edu/garden .
If warm sand
beaches and the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico are softly calling your name, you'll
find them an easy drive from Tampa in St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Fort De
Soto Park was recently named a top beach in the U.S. This particular area
boasts 900 unspoiled acres and 7 miles of pristine beach. In addition to
restrooms, concessions and other amenities at the beachfront, you can also take
advantage of the park's biking and skating trails. There are many other parks
and beachfront areas to discover and they all can be seen at http://www.floridasbeach.com
.
Also be sure
to leave time in your itinerary to visit what is probably the most culturally
diverse area in Tampa as well as Florida. Ybor City offers an incredible
district full of shopping and dining as well as nightlife and history. This
lively area became home to the cigar industry when in the 1800's a man by the
last name of Ybor brought his cigar manufacturing company to Tampa and offered
jobs to thousands of immigrants from all cultures, who worked side by
side.
If there is a
sports lover in your family, Tampa is sure to please. Tampa is home to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, in addition to other
spectator sports across the area. Golf enthusiasts will definitely find their
bliss. Tampa hosts several major tour events including the PGA's Verizon
Classic. Tampa offers courses that will be up to par for the novice or the
advanced player.
To list and
describe all that Tampa has to offer you on your vacation would have us all
reading here for quite some time. Instead, visit the Tampa Bay Convention and
Visitors Bureau site at: http://www.visittampabay.com where you can also find
excellent information on accommodations, restaurants, shopping and much more.
Be sure to visit Orlando's neighbor for a change of pace and fantastic vacation
memories!
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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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DISNEY
FEATURE: And They Lived Happily Ever After:
A Disney Intimate Wedding
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by Lori Drury,
Guest Columnist and Newlywed
I first went
to Walt Disney World during the summer of 1972 as a little girl and was
immediately hooked on this enchanted place. When I met my husband, I knew
instantly that he was my Prince Charming. He proposed to me on St. Valentine's
Day, and we couldn't wait to start planning our wedding. I had seen various
television shows where couples had gotten married at the Magic Kingdom or
Disney's Wedding Pavilion, and I thought it would be truly magical to do the
same. After all, what little girl doesn't dream of being a princess for a day?
My husband had never been to Walt Disney World before, but he was instantly
intrigued when I brought up the idea of exchanging our vows there. We had both
been previously married with large, traditional weddings and so agreed that we
wanted something small yet elegant. With both of our families being from out of
town, getting married in either place would have left someone out.
We knew how costly
weddings could be, so our first concern was that a Disney wedding would be too
expensive. While it is true that the sky is the limit when planning a Disney
wedding, we were pleasantly surprised by how affordable they can be as well. We
started our planning by going to http://www.disneyweddings.com and reviewing
the information available on the various wedding packages.
The Intimate
Wedding package was perfect for our needs. Intimate ceremonies start at $3,500
with a minimum four-night stay. And the best part of all is that a Disney
Wedding Coordinator handles all of the arrangements, which can really alleviate
the stress that comes with planning a wedding. Intimate Weddings are designed
for smaller parties of up to 8 guests, including the wedding party.
Once we set
our wedding date, the next step was to choose a location. There are five
choices for Intimate Weddings - Disney's Wedding Pavilion at the Grand
Floridian, Sunset Pointe at the Polynesian, the Wedding Gazebo at the Yacht
Club, Sea Breeze Point at the Boardwalk, and Sunrise Terrace at the Wilderness
Lodge. We chose the Wedding Gazebo at the Yacht Club for our special day.
Once we
decided when and where we wanted the ceremony, we spoke with a representative
from Disney Weddings who checked to make sure our choices were available. We
had to choose a resort at this time, and we picked Disney's Caribbean Beach
Resort. Everything was all set once we sent in our deposit of one night's room
and tax.
Shortly
thereafter I received an e-mail from our Wedding Coordinator. She made the
planning a snap and was always available to answer any questions. Her first
e-mail included several attachments with detailed information about the various
elements of our wedding package.
Our package
included all of the basic elements of traditional weddings, but with that extra
Disney touch. We were provided with the names of several officiants who were
experienced in presiding over Disney wedding ceremonies. We contacted a few
different officiants until we found the one who seemed like a good fit for the
type of ceremony we wanted. Most of the officiants provided sample ceremonies,
but since Toby and I wanted ours to be more personal, we took some extra time
and wrote our own ceremony.
For the
wedding cake, we were able to choose from several different cake flavors and
scrumptious fillings, and we received a keepsake Mickey and Minnie cake topper
as well. A bottle of champagne was provided for our first toast as husband and
wife. My bouquet and my husband's boutonniere were also included in the
package, and there were again different styles and colors to choose from. Since
my dress was embellished with various shades of pink Swarovski crystals, I
requested a French-style bouquet with different shades of pink roses that
complemented my dress quite nicely.
A very
talented violinist provided the music for our ceremony, reception and, most
importantly, our first dance. Again, we were given a list of suggested
selections from which we could choose. And to capture all of the special
moments, Disney provides a basic photography package that includes twelve
prints in an embossed wedding folio. This was the one element of our package
that we chose to upgrade, and for an additional cost we received a beautiful
album with forty 5X7 photographs. We also decided to splurge for Disney's
videography services since our families were unable to attend our wedding. This
included two video cameras that were positioned at different angles to record
every magical moment and we were extremely pleased with the finished
product.
Another
element of our package was a four-hour chartered limousine to take us to and
from the ceremony. Since we had made a dinner reservation for later in the
evening at Narcoossee's, we chose to extend the limousine to pick us up after
Wishes and bring us back to our hotel in style.
To make our
special day even more stress free, our Wedding Coordinator arranged a
professional hair styling and manicure with Disney's cosmetology services for
an additional charge. These services were performed right in our hotel room, so
I really felt pampered!
Of course, no
trip to Walt Disney World would be complete without spending some time in the
parks. Theme park admission is also included in the Intimate package.
Intimate
Weddings can be arranged as far in advance as 12 months or in as little as 21
days. Another component of the package is a personalized wedding website that
gives your guests all of the information they need for making plans to attend
your special day. And shortly after the wedding, there is a link on your
website for friends and family to view and purchase photographs.
All in all, a
Disney Intimate Wedding is a great choice for a destination wedding that is
stress free, all inclusive, and a great value for the price. There are options
to upgrade almost every detail included in the basic package, but for the most
part we found that the basic elements fit our needs. Looking back, it was
everything "simple yet elegant" that we dreamed of and more, and
proves that fairy tales really can come true.
[Read about
authors Jennifer & Dave's Intimate Wedding at Walt Disney World on May 1,
2004 at http://www.passporterboards.com/ubb/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=501678&an=0&page=1#501678
]
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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 planning your Disney wedding.
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UPDATES:
What's New and Changed
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Here's a few
of the new developments at Disneyá
The Guest
Services desks at the Walt Disney World Resorts are being replaced by Lobby
Concierge desks. Very similar in function to the former Guest Services, Lobby
Concierge staff will be available to assist you with dining and recreation as
well as ticket sales. The Front Desk staff will continue to assist you with
check-in and any issues with your room. This program is being introduced to the
resorts over the next few months while the front desk of each resort is altered
to accommodate this change.
A new
character breakfast geared towards boys will be tested over Mother's Day
Weekend at Walt Disney World. The Mother's Day Brunch at Epcot will feature
Disney "Heroes" such as Mickey Mouse. Aladdin, Hercules, Peter Pan
and others. This event will take place on Saturday, May 7, 2005 from 11 a.m. -
2 p.m. and Sunday, May 8, 2005 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Call (407) WDW-DINE for
Priority Seatings. Rumor is they are going FAST!
Magic Your Way
tickets now include an option for 8 - or 9-day tickets. Prices are available at
www.disneyworld.com . If you have recently purchased tickets, note that you can
upgrade your tickets anytime within 14 days of purchase. Changes can only be
made at Walt Disney World parks or resorts, not over the phone or online.
You can view
our page-by-page list of updates and corrections for the new PassPorter Walt
Disney World 2005 Edition at http://www.passporter.com/
customs/bookupdates.htm
.
>Things To
Do: Hear some news? Send it to us at
news@passporter.com
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DISNEY TIPS
FROM FELLOW READERS
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Our readers
are a wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:
REPEAT PHOTO
OFFENDERS
"My
family and I have visited Walt Disney World nine times over the last seven
years. After so many trips, it's hard to take pictures that don't feel repetitive.
I mean how many pictures can you have of your children on Dumbo or standing in
front of Cinderella Castle? Walt Disney World is great about continuing their
themes (even on the bathroom doors) so we thought we would have picture taking
themes, too! One year, we had a cast member take our picture as we were getting
on rides (make sure you have your camera out and don't take much time to pose
'cause they have to keep the ride lines moving). My son, Hunter, was only one
when we took our first trip so he was unable to ride many of the rides. As he
got older, we took his picture in front of the HEIGHT RESTRICTION plaques of
each ride he was now able to ride."
-- contributed
by Lisa McBride (JMcBrideHouse@...)
FLIP YOUR LIDS
"Save the
plastic lids from your drinks, the kind with the "x" cut out for a
straw. Invert the lid and insert your frozen juice pop or Mickey Bar, no more
messy hands or drips on clothes!"
-- contributed
by Laura C. (cg_laura@...)
FILM FINDER
"When you
have snapped your last picture, remove your film, and place in canister. Put a
sticker on that canister -- if you carry more than two rolls of film, you will
know which film was used."
-- contributed
by Elaine B. (ginger1snap@...)
>Notes:
Send us your tips! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of
PassPorter! Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/customs/contest.htm
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Q & A WITH
JENNIFER & DAVE
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Roxanne asks:
"We're going in March on the 4-day Disney cruise. We've read through the
Nassau shore excursions and have tentatively decided to do the historic city
tour rather than the Ardasta Gardens and city tour. If we do the city tour and
are done around noon, since we are in port for several more hours, what is the
easiest way to get over to Atlantis to see the shops? We didn't want to do the
harbor tour since the walk up to Atlantis sounds like too much for my mom. Is
it possible and can we even get in? We wouldn't be swimming but would like to
see the place for future cruises for when the boys are older."
Jennifer
answers: "The easiest way is to Atlantis is by taxi. They are constantly
coming and going from Atlantis, so availability should not be difficult
assuming you pick one up from the pier after your city tour.
Yes, you can
get into Atlantis -- the shops and casino are open to the public. The beach and
water park areas are reserved for hotel guests and those with special access,
however, so don't expect to be able to visit those. You may be able to tour the
aquariums, however -- check with the representatives in the lobby about getting
a day pass. You can get more information on Atlantis at http://www.atlantis.com
."
Joan asks:
"My family and I are taking a Walt Disney World vacation in July 2006. Do
you make a new version of the PassPorter every year? I was wondering if I
should buy now or wait until Jan or Feb 2006. Or should I buy the 2005 version
and then will there be 2006 updates? I've never bought one so I'm very excited
to get one."
Dave answers:
"We do publish a new edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World every year,
typically in late December or early January (though this year's was later due
to shipping delays). Whether you buy the 2005 or 2006 edition depends in part
on when you plan to make your hotel reservations, as our hotel coverage is so
helpful. If you don't intend to do that until early 2006, then you may as well
wait for the 2006 edition. If you want to get started earlier than that,
perhaps the 2005 will serve you better. We publish updates for the 2005 edition
at our web site until we release the 2006 edition, so you will be able to keep
up-to-date with the changes at Disney."
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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WANT TO GET
PUBLISHED?
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We're on the
lookout for guest columnists to contribute articles to this newsletter. 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 details and our article guidelines, please e-mail news@passporter.com.
Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed!
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Copyright (c)
2005 - MediaMarx, Inc. / PassPorter Travel Press, PO Box 3880, Ann Arbor, MI
48106