PassPorter News - April 10, 2008

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PassPorter News

News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips

April 10, 2008 * Issue 8.15

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: PassPorter on the Road!

Travel Feature: Busch Gardens: Saving A Species Tour

Disney Feature: Walt Disney World On A Budget (Transportation)

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Automatic Outfits, Super Soap, Dinosaur Decals

Captain's Corner: The Big Cheese

PassPorter PhotoPick: Castle Reflections

Q and A: Does the money I put on my account at Disney World carry over to the cruise part of my Land & Sea package?

Our Sponsors: We Recommend...

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FROM THE AUTHORS: U.S. International Travel Rules, Meet Us in Deetroit!

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Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!

Before we know it, Dave will be packing his bags and heading to California for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (April 26 & 27). Will you be able to join him? He'll be hosting a PassPorter meet there on Sunday afternoon, and you just might get some great close-out prices on whatever books he may have left (see more, below)!

We'd also like to shout out to the folks who turned out for our appearance at last weekend's NFFC event in Detroit. It was great that you all could make it on such short notice! (And wasn't the view of the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, Belle Isle, and Canada gorgeous?)

What's next? Another trip to Los Angeles in late May for the year's big book industry convention. Soon thereafter, we're off to Walt Disney World for research on the next edition, and after that, we'll be jetting off to help celebrate Dave's dad's 80th birthday! Boy, those frequent flyer miles just keep on coming!

PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line and its Ports of Call 2008 is in stock! All orders of our cruise guide will ship the next business day. Order at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/dcl2008.aspx

Our newest e-book, PassPorter's Answer Book: Expert Answers to Common Disney and Travel Questions is now available to PassPorter's Club passholders as a regular benefit of membership, and it is available for order (and immediate download) in the PassPorter store to everyone! This is a great compendium of helpful information from the same experts who help folks day in and day out at the PassPorter message board community, our message board Guides. Details at http://www.passporter.com/answer-book.asp

As we mentioned above, PassPorter Travel Press will be exhibiting at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on April 26 and 27, 2008 (next month). Dave will be on hand to represent us. He'll have selected PassPorter books available for sale, autographing pen in hand, and we're planning a PassPorter Meet sometime during the event (come join the discussion to set the day and time at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/backyard-gatherings-meets-group-trips/154640-los-angeles-times-festival-books-meet.htm ). Admission is free (parking is $8.00), so it's quite a deal! If you can get to the UCLA campus, we'd love to see you there! We're in booth 657, in Zone F - Dickson Court North. More information on the Festival is at http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/

Will you be joining us for PassPorter's Decade of Dreams Tour? PassPorter is celebrating our 10th anniversary in 2009 with a year-long celebration from coast-to-coast! Everyone is invited and all are warmly welcome to join us at all or part of our celebration. We are combining small parties (meets) with grand, multi-day trips, including a 7-night Disney Cruise, a 4-night stay at Walt Disney World, and a Disneyland visit that includes park time and an Adventures by Disney expedition. See our Tour Schedule for the latest details at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-decade-dreams-tour-2009/

PASSPORTER'S CLUB UPDATE

* More than 1300 vacationers are now enjoying access to all our e-books, e-worksheets, and super-sized photo archive images. Thank you for your continued support!

* Our newest e-book, PassPorter's Answer Book is now available for download. This 85-page e-book is full of the detailed, up-to-date information on the topics that really matter to you. Visit http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-club-gallery/154412-new-e-book-passporters-answer-book-expert-answers-common-disney-travel-questions.html

* We have two brand-new e-worksheets for you to use to plan your next trip (click the link to go directly to them): the Daily Meal Log e-worksheet and the Deluxe Dining Plan e-worksheet! View them in the Gallery at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-club-gallery/

* More details at http://www.passporter.com/club

In this issue, Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry returns to Tampa to experience Busch Gardens' Saving a Species Tour. Then, PassPorter Guide Sue Kulick countinues her four-part series on Walt Disney World on a Budget. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt. Have a great week!

Jennifer and Dave

PassPorter Publishers and Authors

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TRAVEL FEATURE: Busch Gardens Tour: Saving A Species

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by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist

It's not often that you get a chance to see a rhino up close and hand feed a giraffe, but that's exactly what is possible at one of the special tours at Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa.

The tour is called Saving a Species and it immediately caught my eye just because it was so unusual. I have to also admit to being ever so slightly jealous of those people I had seen on previous visits to the park, heading out into the Serengeti Plain, getting close to the animals, in their own private vehicles. One day that was going to be me - and finally I had my chance!

We were met by our guide, driver and official photographer, who would be accompanying us. There were certainly plenty of staff to go round for the small number of people who would be taking the tour and we were made to feel like VIPs. As we headed on to the savannah, our guide pointed out animals to us - many of them known to her by name. It was clear that not only did she love her job; she has a lot of affection for the animals she comes into contact with.

We learned about the ostrich that's joined a herd of kudu and is now not only convinced that she belongs with them, she also scares off any animal that threatens the herd! Then there's the pair of grey crowned cranes that can't be parted from each other - and if that happens, they will literally die of a broken heart. It was truly like being taken into the heart of Africa and entering the community that lives out on the savannah.

However, this was only the start, with the highlights still to come. Our first came when we met Dolly, one of the oldest giraffes on the plains. It soon became clear that Dolly is a real softie and I suspect has played a big part in their tours for a long time, as she knew exactly how to pose for photos with us and how to seek out the people with lettuce, which we had been given to feed to her. Everyone had plenty of time to hand feed her, stroke her and get their photos taken with her. There was even the opportunity to get a giraffe kiss by holding a piece of lettuce in your mouth. Not something that I was interested in, but my husband, along with a few other brave souls, was more than happy to give it a go!

The experience with the giraffe is perfect for children, even if you have young ones who may be apprehensive. There was one child in our group and she was easily persuaded to have a go at feeding Dolly and seemed to really enjoy it, which didn't surprise me, as Dolly was one of the most docile creatures I'd met and she's probably less likely to scare youngsters than many other animals. Our tour then continued through the savannah, before we were taken to an area in the middle of the plain to meet Forest. He's a black rhino and I must admit I was a little skeptical about how close we would actually be able to get to this great beast. Surely there would be glass between us or fences? Nothing like that. Instead, we were greeted with the sight of a trench in front of us, where one of the keepers was feeding Forest by hand, while another explained all about him and his species.

I'm ashamed to say that I don't remember a word of what we were told, but in my defense, there's good reason for that. I was just totally captivated by the sight in front of me and couldn't take my eyes off Forest. All my concentration went into watching what was going on. Again, it was clear that the keepers had excellent relationships with the animals in their care and had both the deepest respect and affection for them.

Considering this was the main selling point of the tour, I really was expecting to just jump back on the jeep and head straight back, but instead we were taken on a drive around the rest of the savannah, before getting another chance to try our hand at feeding the animals. This time, our guide attracted a tame eland to take lettuce from us. It seemed that the treats just kept coming on this tour and it really did exceed my expectations.

Having experienced this tour, I can fully understand why one of the couples on it had been on it three times before. I can easily see us heading back for another encounter with Dolly and Forest on our next visit to Busch Gardens Africa.

Saving a Species lasts for 45 minutes and costs $44.95, with discounts for Platinum, Gold and Silver Passport Members at Busch Gardens Africa. Bookings can be made at the Busch Gardens web site up to six months in advance. The tour is open to those aged five or older.

About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America. They are in the process of visiting every Disney theme park around the world within a year, having already spent a day in Disneyland Resort Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland so far this year. They are looking forward to returning to America in October to visit both Walt Disney World and Disneyland in California.

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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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DISNEY FEATURE: Walt Disney World On A Budget (Part 2: Transportation)

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by Sue Kulick, PassPorter Featured Columnist

Today we are going to look at transportation options.

So far in our hypothetical vacation, our family of four has decided to go to Walt Disney World from August 16 to August 24. Our family includes Mom, Dad, and two children, ages 9 and 5. And again, we are going to look at all aspects of transportation, from the trip there and back, to the differences in staying on and off property.

Once you have your dates and your resort confirmed, it's time to figure out how you are going to travel. Fly? Drive? First, let's talk about driving. Are you within a one day drive of Walt Disney World? If not, are you a commando style driver, driving straight through? Can you share the driving with anyone else in the car? Is your car in good enough shape to make the trip? Will you be able to put up with your children/spouse throughout a long car trip? And what about cost?

We are going to base our family of four in Philadelphia, approximately 16-17 hours of drive time straight through. The first consideration in cost is the condition of your car. Before beginning any long road trip, you want to have the oil changed, the fluids checked, the tires rotated, and the brakes checked. Sitting on the side of I-95 with a leaking radiator is no way to start your vacation. A little preventative maintenance goes a long way. You also will want to clean your car, inside and out. It's no fun being stuck in a dirty car for 17 hours. Next consideration, of course, is gas. At today's prices, fuel is a huge part of your cost. At $3.25 or so a gallon, and averaging 25 miles to the gallon, you are looking at about $50 every 375 miles or so. For our Philadelphia to Orlando trip, that means about $150 in gas. And, factor in the ride home, so you are looking at around $300 in fuel to get there and back. If you don't drive through, you will need a place to spend the night. Most Interstates have a variety of chain hotels along the way, and if you are planning to stop, make a reservation in advance. Add about $75 to the trip for this one way, and another $75 for the way back. And of course, there is food for the road. We generally pack a cooler with water, fruit and snacks, and you could add sandwiches and yogurts to this. Just make sure you have plenty of ice, and if you do stop, refill your cooler with ice from the hotel. If you are planning on stopping for meals, factor that in to your budget, about $6/person for fast food, about $10/person for a sit down meal plus tip.

The down side of driving is that you take a full day away from each side of your vacation. Our family would need to leave Friday night to arrive on Saturday, and the drivers would be pretty tired on that first day. And you would need to either leave a day early from Walt Disney World, or come back on Monday. The plus side to driving is that you will have your car, and you are free to go where you please! If our family stays off property, they have instant transportation to and from Walt Disney World, and to any other attractions they want to see. If our family stays on property, they can use their car to leave Disney property, which opens up many more dining options. They will also have free theme park parking as an on-site resort guest. Whether on or off property, our family can stop for groceries at a local Orlando grocery store and look to save even more money! Now let's talk about flying. Ticket prices are also feeling the pinch of rising fuel costs, and cheap tickets are getting harder to find. However, our Philadelphia-based family still has several options. There are several relatively inexpensive carriers out there, including JetBlue, AirTran, Southwest and Allegiant Air. You need to decide how much you are willing to spend on airfare, and be flexible! Many times, a flight with a layover will be a little less expensive, if you are willing to go to Orlando, via, say, Cleveland. There are also direct flights that are relatively inexpensive, but many of them take off very early in the morning or very late at night. The best thing to do is to fare-watch. This usually involves checking for good fares every day, and grabbing them when you see them. At 5 and 9, our children may be eligible for a child's discount. For an example, AirTran's current fares are $83 one way down and $128 back for our time chosen. That's $1012 for our family to fly. Makes driving look a little better, doesn't it? J If you see a cheap fare, be careful of what it entails. Some carriers charge a per-bag fee, some charge extra to choose your seat, some don't let you choose your seat at all, and some have very strict cancellation policies.

If you are flying, you need to make a decision about getting to your resort. Orlando has two airports, Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Sanford Airport. If you fly into MCO, you can take advantage of Disney's Magical Express (DME). DME does not operate out of Sanford. DME is Disney's free bus shuttle to and from the airport. You can sign up for this if you are staying at a Disney-owned resort. Your luggage is taken care of, and you board the DME bus and get ferried to your resort. Your luggage arrives sometime after you do. This is a nice perk, available only to resort guests. But keep in mind that using DME does not allow you a grocery stop. You can also use a transportation service such as a town car company, which will take you to an off-property hotel for about $112 round trip.

If you decide to rent a car, you first must look at what type of car you need, and what specials are out there. Our family can rent a mini-van from a reputable car company for about $200 for the week. Remember that the cost does not include fuel, and make sure your auto insurance carrier will cover you in a rental car. Even on-property, a car can be a valuable asset, and you will be able to stop for groceries.

There are many decisions to be made when considering your transportation options. You need to look at how you travel, and what you will be comfortable with. Once you figure out how you want to travel, you are ready for the next step!

Check back next week for Part 3: Choosing Theme Park Admission!

About the Author: Sue Kulick is a resident of the Pocono Mountains and an avid Disney fan. She and her husband, Steve, live in a log home with their Golden Retrievers, Cody and Belle and their cats Tigger, Rocky, and Adrian.

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UPDATES: What's New and Changed

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Here's a few relevant news items:

The cost of ECV and stroller rentals at Walt Disney World has increased. An ECV is now $45 per day. A single stroller is now $15 per day, $13 per day for a multi-day "Length of Stay" rental. (An increase of 50% over the previous price.) A double stroller is now $31 per day, $27 per day for a "Length of Stay" rental (an increase of 72%!).

Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground now offers a new category of camp site: Premium. The site can accommodate larger RVs and offers larger concrete pads, upgraded picnic tables and grills, and preferred locations. Theses sites are priced from $66 to $111 per night depending on season and include water, sewer, and electrical hook-up. High-speed Internet access is available for an additional fee.

Annual Passholders will have the chance to check out Toy Story Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios soon! The Passholder Preview will be held Saturday May 10, Sunday May 11, and Monday May 12, 2008 from 9:00 am-7:00 pm. Photo ID and your Annual Pass are required for entry.

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:

AUTOMATIC OUTFITS

"When packing for our young children, I package one complete outfit -- socks, undies, shorts, and tee -- in a gallon-sized zip lock bag and squeeze out the air. This gives me a bit more room in the suitcase and prevents the clothes from becoming a wrinkly mess. Once at the resort, I "file" the bags into a drawer so each morning my sons only have to pull out a bag and put on what's in there without my undivided attention to detail, such as matching colors. I know by vacation's end, that they won't be left with completely mismatched items, and I'll have a bunch of bags for unforeseen issues during the trip - unfinished snacks, broken lotion bottles, soiled clothes, wet stuff from park fountains, etc."

-- contributed by Gina P.

SUPER SOAP

"I like to take pre-soaped disposable washcloths when we travel. They can be found with the baby shampoo. They are tear free and great for kids of all ages! No more dealing with slippery bars of soap or packing bulky shower gel bottles that may leak in your luggage. Just wet, wash and go. I have two toddlers so I always keep a few in my backpack to wash dirty hands and faces while on the go. They are also good to use in a public restroom if your little one can't reach the sink."

-- contributed by Christa W.

DINOSAUR DECALS

"I don't know about you but when I stay at a Disney Value hotel I lose track of which room is ours. When I'm tired or just talking with my family I forget where I am. Some people put their stuffed animals in the window. However, with it being Disney, it seems almost every window has a princess or the 'fab five' in it. So I went and purchased the static cling window decals that were non-Disney dinosaurs (sacrilege, I know), but they were very easy to spot. It was a cheap way to keep me from freaking another guest out when my door key didn't work in their door."

-- contributed by Kelly A.

>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

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Play our fun and quirky treasure hunting game, hosted by Captain Jack Skatt from our book, "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World."

The Captain makes a study of the delightful details -- sometimes hidden, sometimes in plain sight but often overlooked -- at Walt Disney World and aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Using notes from his journals, he will lead you to this "treasure" at Disney with clues, questions, photos, or riddles. Your challenge is to discover the answer by searching your memory, visiting Disney, or even just looking really hard on the Internet. If you think you've found the answer, e-mail it to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the first person to correctly submit the FULL answer will receive a free PassPorter enamel pin or PassPorter name badge pin.

Here is this week's journal entry:

"There's a mouse in my house! And, no, it's not Mickey or Minnie. But I'm just a big softie, so I need to lure it out of my house gently. I asked Minnie for advice and she suggested cheese -- mice LOVE cheese. She even offered me some special cheese from her own private, gourmet selection. I was amused to see Minnie has a round of cheese called 'The Big Cheese' stashed away. It's pretty price -- I wonder if she saves it for Mickey."

Where will you find Minnie's cheeses and how much does 'The Big Cheese' cost? 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 Yvette K. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Yvette was the first person to identify the location of the plaque as a survey marker outside the Odyssey Center in Epcot. Yvette was also the first person to find the photo on our web site. To view the original clue, see last week's newsletter at http://www.passporter.com/news/news040308.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

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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 PassPorter PhotoPick:

Castle Reflections

contributed by Wintersong

View Photo: http://www.passporter.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/3614

You can nominate photos as a PassPorter 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.

Top 5 Photo Contributors

chezp - 955 photos

akleos - 568 photos

Meggera - 347 photos

Dopey007 - 270 photos

OffKilter_Lynn - 261 photos

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Q & A WITH JENNIFER & DAVE

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1DisneyMom asks: " Can anyone tell me if your doing the land and sea package, if you put $500 on your account when you check into Disney World, do you have to put another $500 on the cruise portion or will it carry over from the World? Thanks for any help."

Jennifer and Dave answer: "They'll do both accounts when you check in at Walt Disney World. If you're using a credit card it just carries forward. If you're putting down cash they'll probably need you to bring the account back up to $500 for the cruise."

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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WANT TO GET PUBLISHED?

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PassPorter News is published weekly and we're always on the lookout for good quality Disney and travel articles! We seek guest columnists who want to contribute articles to this newsletter. No professional writing experience necessary, just a desire to share your experience with others! Not only is this a great way to give something back to the PassPorter community, but you get to see your name in "print" and receive a $25 gift certificate.

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OUR SPONSORS: We Recommend...

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PassPorter only accepts advertising from services of the highest quality -- we recommend these companies because we use them ourselves. Please support our sponsors and, in turn, support this newsletter! This week's sponsors are (in order of appearance):

Mouse Fan Travel -- Free Dining Offer

MouseEarVacations.com -- Disney Cruise Line Special Offers

Quicksilver Tours &Transportation -- Save $5 off airport round-trip transportation in a town car

Thank you, sponsors!

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