Hi, {{user("firstname")}} -- Here's your copy of the latest PassPorter newsletter, per your subscription request. -- Thanks, Jennifer & Dave
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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips
March 18, 2005 * Issue 5.5
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: Service With a Smile!
* Travel Feature: Visiting the City That Loves You Back: Philadelphia
* Disney Feature: Preparing Your Child for Walt Disney World
* What's New and Updated at Disney
* Tips: Make a Mickey Money Saver, Love That Laundry, Beat the Heat
* Q&A: PassPorter for Palm
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FROM THE AUTHORS: Service With a Smile
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Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
As you may already know, we here at PassPorter are dedicated to giving great customer service. It's a commitment we made to ourselves when we started the company back in 1998 -- if we were going to write about Disney and its legendary customer service, then our own customer service would have to match or exceed the standard of service our readers had come to expect from Disney.
While this is much easier said than done, we wouldn't have things any other way. Like Old World craftspeople, we have a passion for quality, and we hope that it shows in everything we do.
These past few months have been a particularly severe test of our dedication. Every day brought a new challenge, as the term "overdue book" took on a whole new meaning. We want to thank all of you again for the patience, understanding, and support you showed towards us. While some businesspeople suggest that "good service" is all that's needed, we're more convinced than ever that "great service" is the right way to go. If we hadn't gone the extra yard for you over the years, would you have been nearly so patient and understanding when we needed it?
We know we still owe apologies to some of you. Even now, as orders and deliveries are back to normal, we keep finding isolated problems we should have found (and corrected) sooner. If you've sent us an e-mail and haven't heard back, please write again -- your e-mail may have encounter technical problems enroute to us. All order-related questions should go to orders@passporter.com, and if you don't hear back in a reasonable amount of time please forward your concerns to jenniferanddave@passporter.com. If you'd rather, please call our toll-free number at 877-929-3273. If you don't reach a human being, please leave a voice mail message so we can call you back -- we return all calls promptly.
Again, thank you all for being so supportive. We hope that your faith in us will be returned to you many times over in the years to come.
Now, it doesn't hurt to repeat this message from our last newsletter: 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 recently, the first batch of updates is now online at http://www.passporter.com/wdw/updatechart2005.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 (mis-printed) 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.
And now, on with the newsletter! This edition sports a very loving article about Philadelphia by a very wonderful Brit, Cheryl Pendry. We can personally vouch for her skills as a travel guide - she and her husband recently took a day out of their busy schedules to take us on a marvelous tour of London. Thanks again, Cheryl and Mark! And, since we can't possibly have a newsletter without an article about Disney vacations, we have a great article by Leanne Phelps, who has all sorts of helpful hints for preparing children for their first visit to "The Mouse."
Happy reading!
Your friends,
Jennifer and Dave
Authors, PassPorter Travel Guides
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DID YOU KNOW?
2005 WDW Editions Ship Next Day!
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/2005.aspx
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TRAVEL FEATURE: Visiting the "City That Loves You Back": Philadelphia
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By Melissa Calemera, Guest Columnist and Native New Yorker
By Cheryl Pendry, Guest Columnist and PassPorter Message Board Guide
The City of Brotherly Love - the place where the American nation began and today, a cosmopolitan home to historic architecture, a sweeping skyline and stunning public art. In case you hadn't guessed, I'm talking about Philadelphia, America's first capital and a tourism destination that, these days, seems to be sadly overshadowed by the likes of Washington D.C. and New York City. But take the time to visit the city originally founded by William Penn and you'll find plenty to keep you occupied.
The first stop for most visitors is the Old City district, often referred to as "America's most historic square mile" and with good reason. It is home to the Liberty Bell with its famous crack and Independence Hall, the place where a new Constitution was designed for the American nation.
Nowadays, both sites are within a secure area and although tickets are free of charge on the day of your visit, they have to be obtained from the nearby Independence Visitor Center at http://www.independencevisitorcenter.com . If you want to reserve your tickets in advance, there is a nominal charge.
After getting your ticket, which gives admission times to both the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, a security check beckons and then you can take your time learning about the history of the Liberty Bell, before heading across to Independence Hall for a tour with a knowledgeable guide, explaining the historic events which took place within these walls.
There are many other historic buildings in the Old City worth a look, including Congress Hall, where the Bill of Rights was adopted; Carpenters Hall, a beautiful building dating back to 1770; then go underground to learn more about Benjamin Franklin at Franklin Court. A steel structure represents the outline of Franklin's house, while the nearby Underground Museum is a fascinating place to visit.
The beauty of the Old City is that many of the historic sites are within four blocks of each other, but to see the eighteenth century homes in nearby Society Hill, let a horse drawn carriage take you there, while you take the weight off your feet. Find them waiting for you at Fifth and Chestnut Streets.
The city's heritage isn't just found in historic buildings. Penn's Landing, overlooking the Delaware River, is home to the Independence Seaport Museum at http://www.phillyseaport.org , a must for maritime enthusiasts. Including the World War II submarine U.S.S. Becuna and the steel warship U.S.S. Olympia (a veteran of the Spanish-American war), the museum offers the chance to find out first hand about life on board both vessels.
There's no shortage of other museums to visit in the city. The Museum District stretches along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and includes the Franklin Institute ( http://sln.fi.edu ), allowing you to explore science interactively, the Academy of Natural Sciences ( http://www.acnatsci.org ) and the Please Touch Museum (http://www.pleasetouch.org), dedicated to children aged seven or younger.
But the real highlights are the fine arts museums. Philadelphia is home to a number of museums, most notably the Rodin Museum ( http://www.rodinmuseum.org ) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art ( http://www.philamuseum.org ), set in Fairmount Park in a building whose steps will be familiar to movie fans as those that Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) trained on in the movie.
Philadelphia doesn't confine its art to museums though. It's everywhere throughout the city. Murals abound, thanks to a program to improve the appearance of the city and keep graffiti artists otherwise occupied. With over 1,400 pieces of public art in the city, you're bound to see some on your travels -- it's even there to greet you at the city's airport! Arguably the most impressive site for public art is the John F. Kennedy Plaza, right in the heart of the city, with its famous red LOVE sign. Nearby, you can play board games with life-size chess and Monopoly pieces, and other sculptures around the City Hall include a giant clothes peg.
Like so many other places in Philadelphia, City Hall offers free tours, with this one offering a breathtaking bird's eye view of the city. Only six people can ascend at a time, with bags having to be put in lockers before climbing into the tiny elevator, which takes you to the base of William Penn's statue, more than 500 feet above street level. Once, this would have put you above any other structure in the city, but now it brings you level with the higher floors of the newest skyscrapers. The glass plated towers of Liberty Place make a striking addition to the skyline both night and day.
The city's restaurants are also a striking addition to anyone's vacation, as you'd expect from the home of the Philly cheesesteak and the pretzel. Cafs and delis abound and if you want French, Asian and Italian, you'll be able to find it somewhere in Philadelphia. The chances are that you can find all of the above and more at the wonderful Reading Terminal Market ( http://www.readingterminalmarket.org ), just a couple of blocks from City Hall. The perfect place to enjoy lunch, you may well snap up a bargain here too.
But away from the center city, there is so much more to Philadelphia -- the grounds of Fairmount Park, the University of Pennsylvania, the markets and restaurants of South Philly, the beauty of Rittenhouse Square. Outside of the city, Greater Philadelphia boasts the picturesque villages of Manayunk and Germantown and, with a car and time on your side; Longwood Gardens is home to a myriad of plants and blooms. Celebrating each of the seasons, there are festivities at the gardens throughout the year, but Christmas is particularly special, featuring stunning displays of poinsettias, decorated trees and 400,000 lights that bring the site to a magical life after dark.
Other Northeastern cities may spring more readily to mind when planning a vacation, but Philadelphia really does have something for everyone and has certainly lived up to William Penn's ideal of being a City of Brotherly Love.
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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: Preparing Your Child for Walt Disney World
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by Leanne Phelps, Guest Columnist
Are you taking a child to Disney World? A daughter, son, grandchild, or neighbor? Maybe it is his or her first trip and you want to make it magical. Here are a few ideas about how to make the trip (and the anticipation of it!) extra special.
The first step is to break the news! Telling your child that he or she is going to Disney World can be lots of fun all by itself. Many people like to share the news by giving their child a Disney stuffed animal, wrapping up a Disney World map, showing a Disney video, or sending a special Disney postcard or letter to the child. For older kids, you could share the news by giving them their own planning guide and a pen. Some people even surprise children by packing their bags in secret and revealing the trip right as they board a plane or jump in the car. However you choose to do it, your child will be thrilled!
If you are involved in the PassPorter Boards ( http://www.passporterboards.com ) or another on-line Disney community, you may hear of someone who is going to Disney World before your trip who would be willing to send your child a postcard. When an online friend was at Disney a month or two before we were going, she sent my niece a postcard from her favorite Disney characters saying they couldn't wait to see her soon. My niece was so thrilled! (Editor's note: We call them Fairy Godmailers! Find one in our "Making More Magic" forum at http://www.passporterboards.com/ubb/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=UBB8 .)
To help your child know how many days are left before the big trip, you can make a "countdown calendar." This could be in the form of a paper chain where you remove a link each day or it could be a special calendar where you place a Disney sticker every day until you leave. Any type of countdown will not only build excitement, but it might also cut down on the number of times you answer the question, "How much longer until we go to Disney World?"
To keep everyone excited while you are waiting for your big trip to start, get everyone involved in the planning! Everyone can contribute ideas for where to stay, eat, and play. Older kids can look at a Disney World map or at your PassPorter and start making a list of "must do" attractions. Some parents give each family member a highlighter of a different color to highlight things that are of special interest to them. Younger kids may enjoy seeing a picture of an attraction and giving it a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down."
It is also fun to make a ritual of reading about a different Disney park, ride, show, or restaurant each night before bed or sharing Disney trivia as a family. To keep the Disney magic in the front of everyone's minds, you can take a family trip to your local Disney Store, check out Disney's website, or go to the movie theater to see the latest Disney release. There are also some great Disney games like Disney Monopoly or the new Disney Scene It! that are fun to play.
For young kids, watching Disney movies can get them familiar with the characters they'll see. You may also need some time to prepare the smaller children for what the characters will be like at Disney World. While watching the characters in the movies or when you see them in photos, you can tell your child what it will be like to see them "in person." Ask your child what he or she might say to Cinderella or Peter Pan. As for Mickey, Pooh, and Goofy, describing how big they will be or that they will not speak out loud might make your child more comfortable when you actually encounter them at the parks. Make note of who your child is most interested in meeting at the parks. Once you arrive at Disney World, check for a schedule of where to find a particular character. You can ask for the schedule at City Hall in the Magic Kingdom, Guest Relations in any park, or at the "Tip Board" near the center of every park.
Kids of all ages will enjoy the free planning video or DVD put out by Disney. You can request one by going to http://www.disneyworld.com or you can even watch it online. This is an excellent planning tool! It will also come with a full color brochure that is fun to look at as well.
Children that are old enough to manage money will enjoy receiving Disney Dollars as a gift or compensation for chores. I've heard of families who give their children's allowances to them in Disney Dollars for weeks before a trip. That way, once they arrive at Disney World they will have their own "money" to spend (they can't spend it before they get there!) and you won't have to constantly give a yes or no to every request. They can decide what is important to them and use their Disney Dollars accordingly.
To add to the anticipation (and to give your child something fun to do in the car or plane) you could prepare a goodie bag to give to the child. This could be given right before you leave or even as a way to "break the news" about your exciting trip. Possible items to include are: Disney coloring book and crayons, autograph book and pen, stickers, candy, sunglasses, disposable camera, wallet with Disney Dollars in it, small puzzles, pins to trade, small stuffed animal, lip balm, mini flashlight, etc. If you have Disney maps, you can include them, too!
Whether you use some of these tips or use some wonderful ideas all your own, by the time your special child arrives at Disney World he or she will be more ready than ever to experience the magic that only Disney can bring! Congratulations on embarking on an exciting adventure. Few things are as rewarding as seeing the "World" through the eyes of a child.
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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 vacation.
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UPDATES: What's New and Changed
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Here's a few of the new developments at Disneyá
"Crush 'n' Gusher" is guaranteed to make a splash when it debuts at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon this week! This "white-knuckle water coaster" will have three levels of slides with varying degrees of drops, twists and turns. Themed as an old fruit factory, the different levels bear names such as "Banana Blaster," "Coconut" Crusher," and "Pineapple Plunger".
The "Wonders of Life" pavilion in Epcot will be open from March 20 through April 2, 2005. "Body Wars," "Cranium Command," and "The Making of Me" will all be open.
Robert Iger will succeed Michael Eisner as CEO of the Walt Disney Company on October 1, 2005. Mr. Iger will be only the sixth CEO in the history of the company. He previously was head of Walt Disney International and was involved with the expansion of the Disney theme parks into Asia.
You can view our page-by-page list of updates and corrections for the new PassPorter Walt Disney World 2005 Editionat 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:
MAKE A MICKEY MONEY SAVER
"Make a Mickey Mouse bank! You need: yellow, black, and white paper, construction paper, or poster board; a coffee can; red spray paint; and (possibly) a black (large) permanent marker. Wash the coffee can. Spray paint the can red and if the lid is not black, use the marker to color it. The new Folger's Aroma Seal canisters are great; the lid is black, the can is red (just paint over the label) and the canister is plastic (great for kids). While the paint dries, cut two circles with small tabs from the black paper (ears), two small ovals from the white (pant buttons), and the top part of a large heart from the yellow (shoes). Cut slits in the lid to insert the tabs of the black circles making ears on the lid. Duct tape the tabs down on the inside of the lid. Cut another large opening in the lid for inserting money. Glue the white ovals on the red can in the front top section to make the buttons on Mickey's pants. Glue the yellow heart top under the can so just the "toes of his shoes" stick out from the bottom. This bank was fun for the kids as well as me to make. It makes saving the money to visit WDW more fun since we get to put it in "Mickey's Shorts"!"
-- contributed by Jenny S.
LOVE THAT LAUNDRY
"On our last trip, which was five nights, I brought with us one of those pop-up hampers. We used it for dirty laundry in the room and then just carried the whole thing to the washers by the pool. It folds flat so it takes up no room in your suitcase! Add that with the quarters, dryer sheets & pre-measured ziploc bags of powdered detergent & I was good to go!!!"
-- contributed by Elise M. (logansam54@...)
BEAT THE HEAT
"A lot of us with "medical conditions" are very sensitive to the heat, so a strategic approach to the order in which one visits the different attractions can make all the difference. Save those which are indoors in the air-conditioning for the heat of the day and visit the outdoor attractions during the cooler morning and evening hours."
-- contributed by Cyn Shelton
>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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Cliff F. asks: "Is there ever going to be a PassPorter for the Palm? Making it GPS
friendly would be great."
Dave answers: "Will there ever be a PassPorter for the Palm? Two or three people
ask every year, which unfortunately means there isn't enough demand for it to justify the development costs. As a dyed-in-the-wool Palm user myself, it sure would be neat (I've had a Palm III, Palm M-105, Palm M-135 and a Tungsten T3), but for the foreseeable future, I don't think it will happen.
We really want our Palm version to take advantage of the full power of the Palm, so for example, a person can put together an itinerary, priority seating, etc. and link those datebook entries to the pertinent restaurant, resort and attraction descriptions. Same idea with the maps - tap on a land to pull up nearby dining and attractions. As you may imagine, we rarely do things halfway - If and when it happens, I want this version to be nifty."
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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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