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PassPorter News
News,
Announcements, Updates, and Tips
April 19, 2007 * Issue 7.16
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's Free-Book
Travel Feature: Touring With Extended Family
Disney Feature: DVC's Old Key West Resort
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: 20 Questions, Jazz Up A Jar, Renting Relaxation
Captain's Corner: Mickey-Head
Q&A: Where to hang out for a group of adults and older
teens?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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FROM THE AUTHORS: PassPorter's Free-Book
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Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Well, it's done, and it's ready for download! What's done?
Our latest e-book, "PassPorter's Free-Book: A Guide to free and low-cost
activities at Walt Disney World" by Jennifer Marx, Chad Larner, and Nicole
Larner. The new e-book debuted on April 15 for PassPorter's Club passholders (who can download it at no
extra cost) and it is now available to all at the PassPorter Store. Initial
reviews are very enthusiastic -- it's a very useful, fun e-book loaded with
imaginative ways to spend little-to-no money for Disney magic. To get more
details, visit:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/free-book.asp
Hot Money-Saving Tip: A one-month subscription to our new
PassPorter's Club costs the same as just this one e-book ($4.95), and you get a
whole lot more -- download all five of our wonderful e-books, choose from a
huge library of interactive e-worksheets that you can fill-in and print-out to
make your vacation planning and park time even more effective and enjoyable,
score a 35% discount on printed PassPorter books at our online store, and more!
You can save even more with an annual membership at $44.95, which gets you
every e-book we release and e-worksheet we create for a full year plus the
right to invent and commission a customized e-worksheet for the e-worksheet
library, all at no extra charge! Nearly 400 folks have joined PassPorter's Club
since it debuted a month ago, and more are joining every day. If you're one of
them, thank you! Get all the details at:
http://www.passporter.com/club
Meet us in person: Will you be at July's MagicMeets event in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania? We sure will! We'll be on hand to meet, greet, and
maybe put on a presentation or two. Alas, if you aren't already registered for
MagicMeet, you won't be able to join us there. The event sold-out in ten short
days (before we could even announce our participation). But if you did sign-up,
surprise! We'll be seeing you there!
Hear us on the radio: Dave Marx makes a return visit to KGNO
1370 AM in Dodge City, Kansas on May 8. Tune into "Live & Local"
with Keith Tallent, at 8:05 am Central time. Be ready with your Disney
questions -- we will be taking call-ins.
In this issue, returning guest columnist and message board
regular Thomas Cackler shares his advice for planning Travels With an Extended
Family, and Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry takes us for a tour of Disney's
Old Key West resort. Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Publishers and Authors
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TRAVEL FEATURE: Traveling With Extended Family (Or Any
Group!)
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by Thomas Cackler, PassPorter Guest Columnist
Ask anyone what the most relaxing thing is and chances are
good they'll tell you it's a vacation. Ask anyone what the most stressful thing
in the world is and there is a good chance they will tell you it is vacationing
with extended family. Planning a vacation when you have to consider the needs
of more than just your immediate family (often a job in and of itself) can
stress even the most patient and dedicated of trip planners.
Traveling with extended family doesn't have to become a
giant tug-of-war match. I know from first hand experience, as recently I
traveled to Walt Disney World and sailed on the Disney Cruise Line with not
only my wife's parents but her brother and his family as well. As frightening
as this might sound to some, we had a fantastic time. It is important to know
that no matter how well you get along with the other families, choppy water
lies ahead if you don't set the proper course. By familiarizing yourself with
the potential pitfalls and devising strategies to avoid them, traveling with
another family can be a lot of fun.
Most travel experts will tell you that planning is crucial
for any trip, but I tell you that it is even more necessary for traveling with
another family. Most people will stop at cooperatively planning dates and locations,
leaving the detailed planning to each individual family. This is a recipe for
disaster. It is important to ask questions about everyone's expectations
regarding how much time you will spend together and what activities you will do
on your own. While you may believe this is common sense, it is important for
everyone to share in the group planning. By asking these questions, you will
have a clearer picture of everyone's expectations and will help everyone buy
into those expectations of the trip.
We did this in different ways. First, we used the upcoming
trip as an excuse to have each other over for dinner. During the meal, we
discussed our plans and decided who would take each planning task. Second, we
loaned them planning materials (namely our older copies of PassPorter's Walt
Disney World) so they could get a better feel for what was to come. Although
some of the information was slightly out of date, their ability to select
activities they were interested in gave the Walt Disney World veterans the information
we needed to better chart our course.
This planning stage helped us keep realistic goals in mind.
Any group dynamic involves give and take and traveling with another family
requires even more. It is unrealistic to expect your family or friends to do
everything exactly the way you would want them to in real life, much less on
vacation. We found it helpful to remember that if someone took on a planning or
touring task, we agreed to rely on his or her judgment. This allowed the
planner to venture forward without worrying about backlash from the group.
Vacationers should be prepared to change their preferred way
of vacation to accommodate the other travelers. Just like at home, compromise
and communication goes a long way in ensuring harmony. However, this does not
mean the group should consistently yield to one person. It is important to
remember that everyone should enjoy the vacation. However, groups should lean
on those who have extensive knowledge of a given area. If you have a particular
area of expertise, don't be afraid to assert that knowledge, especially if that
knowledge will make the trip more enjoyable.
For example, my brother-in-law is used to not needing dining
reservations while vacationing. I cautioned that certain restaurants at Walt
Disney World not only require reservations, but also require them months in
advance. My sister-in-law enjoys not having a set schedule on vacation,
especially when it comes to dining. Again, we compromised by planning meals on
certain days while allowing for spontaneity on others. By discussing the trip
as a group, we were able to better satisfy everyone's desires.
It is important to remember you don't need to do everything
together. Splitting up allows the members of the group to experience more of
what they enjoy while not forcing the rest of the group to participate in
something they may not. Many times throughout our trip we would break into
smaller groups based on what we wanted to do at a given moment. In fact, by
having a larger group, we gained flexibility that allowed us to do things we
might otherwise have skipped. One evening on our trip, for example, my
17-year-old nephew and I headed to DisneyQuest while the rest of the group
remained at the resort. Had our individual families traveled alone, chances are
that neither one of us would have had the opportunity to enjoy DisneyQuest.
Certainly traveling with another family, especially
relatives, is not for everyone. There is more work involved in this type of
trip than a single-family vacation and that can cause unnecessary stress on the
key planners. However, if you have friends or relatives you enjoy spending time
with; the rewards for such a trip are tremendous. I enjoyed traveling with my
wife's family and I would gladly join them again on vacation. With proper
planning and realistic expectations, you too can create magical memories that
span generations.
About the Author: Thomas is a web site coordinator and
freelance web designer. A veteran of five trips to Walt Disney World and one
Disney Cruise since 2002, Thomas is a member of several online Disney
communities including the PassPorter forums where he shares his knowledge and
love of the Disney Parks with anyone who will listen. He lives in Iowa with his
wife Julie and nephew Joey.
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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: Disney Vacation Club's Old Key West Resort
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by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Feature Columnist
I'm a Beach Club girl through and through. Let's just get
that little fact out of the way first. Wherever we stay in Disney, no other
resort will ever better my beloved Beach Club.
Having said that, we don't spend our entire life at Disney
at the Beach Club. (Much as I'd love to.) Firstly, I believe that variety is
the spice of life and let's be honest, how do you know if one resort is the
best and perfect for you if you don't try the others out? Secondly -- and,
let's be honest, more importantly -- sometimes your first choice of resort
isn't always available. That's exactly what happened to us as we planned for
our fall vacation last year.
So faced with the news that we couldnÕt get into the Beach
Club Villas for the last five nights of our stay, what were we going to do? The
Disney Vacation Club was able to offer us Saratoga Springs or Old Key West. It
didnÕt take long for me to decide. Not only would Old Key West cost us fewer
DVC points, it would be new to us and I had been hearing good things about the
resort for some time from those who'd already stayed there. So choice made,
what did we make of the place?
The first thing you notice when you arrive here is that the
resort is well hidden away. You can't really see it as you drive along and the
only way you'll get a glimpse of it, without actually entering the resort, is
by renting a boat from Downtown Disney. As soon as you get into the grounds,
you notice how spread out everything is and it quickly becomes clear why that
is the Lake Buena Vista golf course sprawls its way throughout the resort.
Holes three to eight see golfers make their way around Old Key West and if
you're lucky, you may even get a room overlooking the course.
Set against the golf course and Trumbo Canal that cuts
through the resort are a total of 64 buildings, all in beautiful pastel colors.
As with all Disney's resorts, there are superb photo opportunities all around
this resort. The buildings make for some great shots, as does the Hospitality
House area. This is where you'll find check-in and the resort's dining options.
While they're not as plentiful as at some other DVC resorts, you can still
enjoy a great meal at the resort's table service restaurant, Olivia's CafŽ, get
hamburgers or ice cream at Good's to Go or get some drinks at the Gurgling
Suitcase. Many people choose to eat in their rooms, especially as every room,
except for the studios, comes with fully-equipped kitchens. It's no surprise
then that the Conch Flats General Store has a great range of items, including
food, drink, Disney souvenirs and Disney Vacation Club and Old Key West
merchandise.
Walk a little further and you'll find the recreation area,
including Hank's Rent-n-Return. This is the place to either rent a boat (a
great way to spend a couple of hours) or if you're feeling more energetic, you
can rent bicycles here and set off on two wheels to explore the resort. Nearby
you'll find a children's playground, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts
and there's also a jogging trail that runs all around the resort.
If the weather doesn't inspire you to do any of those
things, then there's also the Electric Game room or you can rent DVDs and games
from Conch Flats Community Hall. The Hall is also home to various activities
for youngsters -- it's worth checking it out to see what's going on while
you're there.
The main swimming pool in the recreation area has recently
undergone some major improvements, including the addition of a new slide. If
the main pool is busy, there are three other quiet pools scattered around the
resort, meaning you should never be too far from one.
As this is a sprawling resort, if you don't have a car, you
may need to catch one of the many buses to get around Old Key West. As rental
car drivers though, one of the things we most enjoyed here was being able to
park right by the building we were staying in. Trust me; it's a big bonus when
you come back from a long day at the parks. Instead of having to park and then
walk for what seems like miles back to your room, you can pull up just outside.
And the rooms at Old Key West are perhaps the biggest draw.
If you want space, this is the place to head for. This was the first Disney
Vacation Club resort to open on Walt Disney World property, and rooms were
built a lot bigger in those days. We were really impressed with the extra space
we had in our studio, especially with the amount of luggage we were carrying
with us! The pastel continues inside the rooms and we found that very relaxing.
But let's not forget, Old Key West is designed to be
relaxing. That's the beauty of the place. It's laid back and has a wonderful
community feel to it. We really felt as if we were part of a big family during
our stay here and that's not something we've encountered to that degree at any
other Disney resort.
So if you're looking for somewhere that will offer a
complete break after a long day at the parks, then it's worth considering Old
Key West. Although my heart remains firmly with the Beach Club, I can now say
that Old Key West is an excellent alternative if our number one choice isn't
available!
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England
and love to travel, particularly to America. On their most recent trip to
Disney World, they stayed at Disney's Old Key West for the first time. They're
now looking forward to setting sail on Disney's first cruise around the
Mediterranean in May.
Did you enjoy this article? Have questions? E-mail us at
news@passporter.com or visit http://www.passporterboards.com to discuss your
holiday plans. Also check out our Article Collection at
http://www.passporter.com/articles for more great information!
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UPDATES: What's New and Changed
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Here's a few relevant news items:
Disney has announced big changes ahead for Epcot's Spaceship
Earth. Siemens, which became the attraction's sponsor in November 2006, has
announced ambitious new plans including a new storyline, extensive upgrades to
existing scenes including lighting, costumes, narration, and score, as well as
new scenes depicting "... how the spirit of innovation has moved people
from the caves to the cosmos," (per a Disney press release). Also, as
previously reported in PassPorter News, students from Carnegie Mellon
University have been working on a new post-show that will feature interactive
exhibits where guests can explore the future of medicine, transportation, and
energy management (not coincidentally, these represent Siemens' three largest
businesses). Spaceship Earth is expected to close for rehab later this year,
although no definite date has been announced.
Beginning May 2007, Air Tran will be joining the airlines
that participate in the Resort Airline Check-In program at Walt Disney World
resorts. The participating airlines will now be Alaska Airlines, American,
Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Northwest, and United.
Disney's Animal Kingdom celebrates Earth Day this weekend on
Friday and Sunday with a "Party for the Planet." The event, one of a
series of events across the country sponsored by the Association of Zoos &
Aquariums, will take place on Friday, April 20 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm and will
feature conservation-themed stations. Each station will have activities, costumed
characters, goodies for children along with a postcard detailing conservation
steps you can take at home. Some activities will be repeated on Sunday, April
22, which is officially Earth Day. To find an event near you this weekend,
check out the AZA's web site at http://www.aza.org/Promotions/PartyPlanetIntro/
Questions for Tour Guide Mike? Touring Plan expert Mike from
TourGuideMike.com will be answering your questions in an upcoming issue of
PassPorter News. To submit your question and possibly have it answered by Mike,
send it to news@passporter.com.
Our thanks to AllEars.net from which we get some of our news
leads.
>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:
20 QUESTIONS
"Our family has a special version of 20 questions we
play at Walt Disney World. We take turns, starting with the statement,
"I'm thinking of something at the Walt Disney World Resort." The
others have 20 questions to come up with the answer. We've used rides,
restaurants, characters, shops, you name it. Usually the first question asked
is, "Is it at a theme park?" My 10-year-old son (with 18 trips under
his belt), has only been stumped once! What was it? The Yankee Trader gift
shop. I guess he's not into kitchen stuff!"
-- contributed by Carolyn P.
JAZZ UP A JAR
"To save money for our upcoming Disney trip this year,
my husband and I went to the local 'big box' store and bought a 7-gallon water
jug from the camping department. We found some great Disney scrap-booking
stickers and decorated the jug, and we're using it to save all of our
change!"
-- contributed by Angela J.
RENTING RELAXATION
"Consider renting Disney Vacation Club points to stay
at a Disney Vacation Club 'Home Away From Home' resort for the price of a
moderate resort. This tip saved us money, and allowed us to stay at a much
nicer resort in a much nicer room than we otherwise would have been able
to."
-- contributed by Matt R.
>Notes: Send us your tips! You may see them in this
newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter! Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/tipsandstories.htm
>>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 weekÕs journal entry:
"Oh my, I saw the strangest thing recently. My dear
friend Jennifer proudly showed off photos of her two-year-old son Alexander. In
the photos, the poor boy had some vibrant blue STUFF on his head! The STUFF
(for lack of a better word) was in three globs, one a little bigger than the
other. I admit the blue globby stuff did resemble Mickey's head on the head of
this little boy. And then to add insult to injury (what will this poor child
think of his parents when he grows up?), multi-colored Mickey-shaped confetti
was strewn about the boy's head as well. Honestly, it looked like a certain
pixie tossed her Mickey-shaped cookies. While I would never allow this highly
unusual Mickey head ritual to be performed upon me, of course, Jennifer tells
me that one could have this service performed at ..." (rest of text
obscured by a big blue blob with several pink and purple Mickey-shaped
confettis)
Photo: http://www.passporter.com/news/mickeyheadbig.jpg
Where did Alexander AND the Captain get their "Mickey
Head" 'dos done?
Send your full answer to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the
winner will be notified by e-mail and announced in the next newsletter, along
with the correct answer!
Congratulations to Erin Blackwell who was the winner of last
week's treasure hunt game! (This is Erin's second win!) Erin correctly
identified the doormat as being on the wall at The Adventurer's Club. To view
the original clue, see last week's newsletter.
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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Q & A WITH JENNIFER & DAVE
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tinkspixiedust asks: "My family and I are going on our
first cruise in July. We have a large group with two sets of parents and 'kids'
ages 15, 17, 18, 20, 22 and 24. Will they be really strict if we are all
sitting by the adult pool? Will the 15 and 17 year olds be asked to
leave?"
Dave & Jennifer answer: "One nice thing about a
cruise is that a family group such as yours doesn't have to stay together every
minute of the day. There may be times when all the kids want to hang out
together, and others when you'll want to split up.
Rather than plan to have your "everyone together"
hangouts by the adult pool, pick someplace where you don't run the risk of
having the party broken up.
Every situation is a bit different, and everyone's
estimation of peoples' ages is different, too. The group you describe, where
only two members are underaged, could still look like a "gang of rowdy
kids" to some people, and a "nice, polite group of young people"
to someone else. The adult pool area is very quiet. They don't even pipe-in
music as they do at the other pools. If your siblings and cousins are anything
like mine back when were when we were growing up (and even now, when we've all
got some gray hairs), there's going to be a lot of laughter and loud voices,
even though everyone is behaving in an adult manner. Your best bet is to choose
someplace to hang out where you can do that without running the risk of
disturbing someone else. Fortunately, the ship is full of them."
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?
===================================
PassPorter News is published weekly and weÕre 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 newseletter! This week's
sponsors are (in order of appearance):
Mouse Fan Travel -- Magic Your Way with FREE Dining
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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