PassPorter News - May 8, 2008

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PassPorter News

News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips

May 8, 2008 * Issue 8.19

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: Sailing Back to California?

Travel Feature: What To Do While Waiting for a Flight

Disney Feature: Yes, You Can Plan a Last Minute Trip!

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Hook Happy, Awesome Autographs, Stop & Stare

Captain's Corner: Guano

PassPorter PhotoPick: Big Noise!

Q and A: How busy will the parks be during the free dining promotion in September?

Our Sponsors: We Recommend...

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FROM THE AUTHORS: Thank You, Subscribers!

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

At the moment, it seems like we're commuting back and forth to California (a research trip in February, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books two weekends ago, and Book Expo America in just another few weeks), but there's another California-bound trip we really wish we could have been on... This Saturday (May 10), the Disney Magic steams away on a 15-day cruise from Port Canaveral Florida through the Panama Canal to California, for the start of a summer season on the West Coast. We wish everyone sailing a hearty bon voyage, and please, keep the rest of us up-to-date on your travels by posting on the PassPorter message boards at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-disney-cruise-line/

PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line and its Ports of Call 2008 is in stock! All new orders of our cruise guide 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. Get details at http://www.passporter.com/answer-book.asp

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

* Nearly 1400 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. Details at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-club-gallery/new-post-152726-new-e-book-coming-soon.html

* We have two recent-new e-worksheets for you to use to plan your next trip: the Daily Meal Log e-worksheet and the Deluxe Dining Plan e-worksheet!

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

n this issue, Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry has some tips on What To Do While Waiting for a Flight (although somehow she missed a favorite passtime of authors such as ourselves - read a good book!). Then returning guest contributor Mary Albright assures her fellow, plan-ahead-at-all-costs readers, Yes, You Can Plan a Last-Minute Trip to Walt Disney World! 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: What To Do While Waiting for a Flight

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by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist

The long and winding road ... Sometimes that's exactly how it feels when you've got a flight to catch. With all the increased security measures, you do feel like you're embarking on a very long and winding road when you arrive at the airport. After all, you're told to be there so many hours before your flight to check in and clear security and then what?

Over in the UK, the current advice is to be at the airport two hours before short haul flights such as to destinations in Europe, and to be there three hours before long haul flights. So that means if we're heading to America, then we have three hours to kill before our scheduled departure time. I think it's fair to say that we've become veterans at dealing with long airport waits -- so how do we cope?

The first thing we do is to double check exactly how early we should get to the airport, as we always want to ensure that we're there in plenty of time. We don't want to be desperately running to the gate just as it closes, but you also don't want to spend any longer hanging around an airport terminal than necessary.

The next thing we do is work out how the check-in process is likely to work. It's easier than it sounds. You'll probably already know from the information you've had from your airline whether you can check in before you go to the airport. Usually, this is the process if you're traveling on an e-ticket and many airlines open up check-in up to 24 hours before your flight is due to depart, which means you can get that part all over and done with before you even leave home -- or your hotel at the end of your vacation.

If you don't have this option, then you immediately know to allow time to do it at the airport -- and as we all know, that could mean long waits in line to be checked in. That happened to us on our recent visit to Berlin and it was surprising how long the whole process took, probably around 40 minutes in total.

Even where you do have online check-in, you may still have to stand and wait in line anyway to check your suitcases in, although some airports have introduced facilities that allow you to weigh your own cases and print your own luggage tags, before you hand them on to a member of airline staff, which is exceptionally useful.

As well as allowing time to check-in, of course you need to allow time to get through the security checks. It's worth having a look at the latest security restrictions in place and even the airport's own website, as security checks can vary from one airport to another. For example, some tell you to take laptop computers out of your bags, while others say it's not necessary. Then there's the shoe issue. In some airports in the past we've been told that all shoes must come off regardless, while others have told us that tennis shoes can stay on. Some airports, such as London's Heathrow, even do the checks on the shoes separately after the main security checks. You take them off and they pass through an X-ray machine in the same way as your hand luggage does.

Whatever the procedure, knowing what it will be ahead of time can help to speed your process through security -- and let's be honest, there's nothing worse than being stuck in line behind someone who has no idea of what they need to do and then end up delaying you. Some simple tricks can make things much easier at any airport. We always ensure that all metal is emptied out of our pockets before we get to security. We put it in clear plastic bags and place it in our hand luggage or perhaps it could go into your coat pocket, as outdoor coats go through the X-ray machine.

Liquids, of course, should already be in their own separate clear, one-quart plastic bag (only one per person!) and in containers that are three ounces (or 100 ml.) or smaller before you get anywhere near security. I still never cease to be amazed by how many people are caught out by this and how many people we've seen being forced to throw items away.

Once you're on the other side of security, the wait really begins. This is where we find that research beforehand comes in handy. We always check the airport web site to see exactly what shops, cafes and restaurants are both before security and after it. That way, we know what to expect and very often, I can usually spot some retail names that I'm interested in paying a quick visit to! Don't forget that if you're flying back home, there's usually some form of souvenir shop to be found somewhere at the airport, which gives you the chance to pick up any last minute keepsakes from the place you've been visiting. If you're flying back home on an international flight, it's also a good last opportunity to use up the last of your foreign currency before you leave.

Equally, if we're going to need food before our flight (don't forget on some flights, you may have to pay for food and drink on board, so why not settle down, relax and eat beforehand?), then we try and identify places that we could try. Keep in mind how much time you're realistically going to have. Although airport restaurants understandably do have a very fast turnaround of tables, if you're short on time, a sit down meal may not be the best bet for you.

It's also worth checking to see what Internet access is available at your departure airport and whether you have to pay for this facility or not. It's a useful way to spend your time as you wait for your plane to depart.

Perhaps your airport even has an area where you can watch planes land and take off? Not only is it a great way of occupying children, it's also great fun for adults. Even with all our traveling, we never tire of that sight!

Finally, don't forget that it could take some time to get to your departure gate. At large airports, you may have to take internal transport systems, usually light rail or perhaps buses, so be sure to factor that in. Some of the airports we've flown from in the past warn you to allow between 20 and 30 minutes getting to your gate. While we find that's usually slightly over-exaggerated, we always make sure to leave enough time. You don't want to be running for your gate at the last moment, afraid that it's about to close!

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, 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: Yes, You Can Plan a Last Minute Trip to Walt Disney World!

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by Mary Albright, PassPorter Guest Contributor

You probably read the title of this article and said to yourself, "No, you can't!" Like so many of you, I am a serious, Type-A, obsessed vacation planner when it comes to visiting Walt Disney World. I don't plan last minute trips. I usually plan at least a year out. I like being in control of everything.

I went to Walt Disney World in early December 2007 for a week. Usually, I'm good for a while after a trip. I have a little withdrawal that I can hold in check. But this winter was driving me crazy and I felt like I needed to get the heck out of Dodge! Then they announced that Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party was back for 2008. Argh!

I've always wanted to make it to one of these parties. But they have usually happened right after the New Year, after our usual December pilgrimage, and in August, which are just not times we usually travel to Florida.

So, after having mooned over the fact that the Pirate and Princess Parties ended in early March and that I'd not have a chance to go, what does Disney do? They extend into June! More importantly, they extend through the first week of April, which happens to be Spring Break for my kids. My biggest obstacles in the past were that it was too hard to sneak down for even a weekend because 1) I just went in December and would feel guilty spending money to go back so soon; 2) These parties just weren't coinciding with the days my kids did have off; 3) When they occured when my kids had school off, it was a high priced travel time, like over Daytona 500 weekend.

Now remember who you are talking to; I normally plan my trips AT LEAST one year in advance. I'm slightly obsessive-compulsive, more than slightly Type A. Planning is part and parcel of who I am. Last minute trips like this ... six weeks away ... are totally last minute to me. What was I going to do?

Accommodations: Thank goodness for Disney Vacation Club (DVC). No stress about laying out the cash for a hotel room when you have points around. I called up Member Services on February 14. I thought perhaps that with April still being a busier time, I might be out of luck, but was crossing my fingers that since it was past Easter and past the prime Spring Break times, I'd get lucky. And I did! I scored a one-bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs Resort (SSR) right away. I also chose to be waitlisted for the Beach Club Villas (BCV) and Animal Kingdom Villas (AKV), but had no illusions about either one coming through.

Getting there: I'm in Minnesota. Anyone who can, flees the state over Spring Break. I expected that maybe flights would be full or overpriced and keep me from going. Wrong again. I got flights on Northwest Airlines that met my time requirements, and at what I thought was a reasonable price considering I was looking only six weeks out over a busy travel period. I got airfare for $303 per person and I had a few vouchers from bumps I took on a business trip earlier this year. Essentially, I had next-to-free airfare.

Dining: Since we were only going to be there for 3 nights/4 days, I wasn't going to make a ton of dining reservations. We planned on doing counter service or eating in the villa most of the time, but I wanted to try for one dinner. Originally, I was hoping to get into 'Ohana, but when I called on February 16, the earliest dining time available for my party size was 8:30 pm, too late for us. We all do better when we eat on a normal schedule and it makes vacation more enjoyable for everyone. However, I was able to get a reservation for Boma - one of my personal favorites - for 5:45 pm on April 2.

On February 19, I was thinking it might be nice to sit down to eat at the park before the party gets started, as the crowds are leaving. I didn't think I'd have any luck getting into Crystal Palace or Liberty Tree Tavern, given that this was less than six weeks out. Imagine my surprise when both places had availability that night. Liberty Tree had one opening at 6:30 pm. Crystal Palace had an opening just before 4:00 pm and at 6:25 pm. for my party size. I took the Crystal Palace because we've wanted to try dinner there for a long time.

Tickets: I ordered Pirate and Princess Party Tickets for April 1 from DVC Member Services over the phone on February 16. I had to pick them up at Magic Kingdom's Will Call window the night of the party. I ended up getting them at Epcot's Guest Services window earlier and found out that had I brought my Will Call Number with me, I could have also gotten the tickets at my resort concierge. Transportation from Orlando International Airport: Remember, I'm Type-A. I can't do Magical Express. I have to be in control of my own transportation. So renting a car is mandatory. I'm an Emerald Aisle Member with National Car Rental so I usually rent from them. When I first checked rental car rates, I knew I was going to have trouble getting a good rate. I wasn't staying over a weekend and I wasn't staying five or more days; so the weekly rates were out. I was coming Monday-Thursday; the kiss of death in getting a good deal on a rental car. My first check came back with $176 for an intermediate. Blech. I looked around online a little more and found a great contract ID that saved me a ton of money. My reservation was $115.21 and was made on February 18.

No word all through March on my waitlist with DVC. On March 26, while multitasking in my home office, I thought I'd call DVC and see if anything was available at Beach Club Villas. The waitlists are generally dropped 7 days out, so I knew that if any last minute cancellations came in, I'd have to call and ask. So I get a representative, and start my speech: "Hi, I have a reservation checking in on March 31. I know its last minute and there's probably no availability, but could you check and see if I could get into the Beach Club Villas for my dates?" The representative says, "You are at the Beach Club Villas!" I was like, "Huh?" She says, "Yes. Your waitlist matched on March 24." So, fellow DVC-ers, the waitlist does work!

We went to Disney World with less than two months for me to plan it. Did it work out? Absolutely! We enjoyed the party immensely, had a wonderful stay at the Beach Club Villas and even decided to take in the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot, which we had never done before.

So, the answer is, "Yes! You can plan a last minute trip," and have it be just as enjoyable as if you planned it a year in advance. Will that stop me from planning a year in advance? Uh...no. You can't cure this gal with one last minute trip, but I'm a little more open to it in the future.

About the Author: Mary Albright is a previous PassPorter News Guest Contributor. Married with two children, she lives in Minnesota and works as a director for a direct sales company. She has visited Walt Disney World 13 times since 2000. Her next trip is October 2008.

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UPDATES: What's New and Changed

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Here's a few relevant news items:

It's official -- Princess Mania has taken over! The inaugural Disney's Princess Half-Marathon will take place March 6-8, 2009. The weekend will focus on women's fitness and will feature the half-marathon as well as a Family Fun 5k and kids' races. There will also be a "Disney's Fit For A Princess" women's health and wellness expo. For more information and registration check out the official web site for the event.

The 13th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will take place September 26-November 9, 2008. The "Eat To The Beat" Concert Series also returns to the America Gardens Theater. The current line-up (subject to change) is:

Sept 26 - 27: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Sept 28 - 30: Sheena Easton

Oct 1 - 4: Starship starring Mickey Thomas

Oct 5 - 7: En Vogue

Oct 8 - 9: Jonny Lang

Oct 10 - 12: Peabo Bryson

Oct 13 - 14: Sister Hazel

Oct 15 - 16: David Sanborn

Oct 17 - 18: Jon Secada

Oct 19 - 21: Spyro Gyra

Oct 22 - 23: Otis Day & The Knights

Oct 24 - 26: Expose

Oct 27 - 28: Kool & The Gang

Oct 29 - 30: Boyz II Men

Oct 31 - Nov 2:Atlanta Rhythm Section

Nov 3 - 5: David Cassidy

Nov 6 - 7: TBA

Nov 8 - 9: Los Lobos

Restaurantosaurus in Disney's Animal Kingdom is no longer serving McDonald's Chicken McNuggets and French fries. They have switched to the Disney standard nuggets and fries. There have also been additions to the children's and dessert menus.

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:

HOOK HAPPY

"When we went to Walt Disney World, I brought those metal old fashioned style shower curtain hooks and those Velcro ties for your electrical cords. They attach great to the stroller or your backpack for hanging things such as bags, hats, and drink mugs."

-- contributed by Donna A.

AWESOME AUTOGRAPHS

"Carry blank index cards for character autographs. Then display them in a scrapbook next to your child's photo with that character."

-- contributed by Amanda S.

STOP & STARE

"Don't pass up something that looks interesting just because it is not on the list you made. Some of the best times to be had are when you run across a street actor having fun with the guests. Stop if it looks interesting. You may miss out on a once in a life-time memory."

-- contributed by Rita D.

>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:

"I was flitting about Disney's Animal Kingdom today and made an excellent find! Hidden Mickeys embedded in a brick wall. I snapped a photo of it, and then promptly forget where I was when I took it. Oh guano!"

Photo: http://www.passporter.com/news/hiddenmickeyswall.jpg

Where in Disney's Animal Kingdom was this photo taken?

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 Erik J. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Erik was the first person to identify the Club that Jack was at The Adventurers Club and the sender of the letter was Hathaway Brown. Erik was also the first person to find the evidence in our photo archive! To view the original clue, see last week's newsletter at http://www.passporter.com/news/news042408.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:

Big Noise!

contributed by akleos

View Photo: http://www.passporter.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/5254

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 - 1310 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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disney16 asks: "This will be my first time visiting Walt Disney World during the Free Dining promotion in September. I know this is usually a slow time, but wondered if it's different during the Free Dining promotion? What are the crowds like?"

Jennifer and Dave answer: "We've taken advantage of the September free Disney Dining Plan offers several times. While the crowds are certainly greater than they would have been without the promotion, crowds have never been worse than moderate (and generally on the low side of moderate). Historically, September is one of the quietest months of the year, since, for families, school has just begun and summer vacation budgets have already been exhausted. Only January has lower historic visitation levels.

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 -- MouseFest Cruise 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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