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PASSPORTER NEWS

News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips

July 22, 2010 * Issue 9.29

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: Alexander's $5 Sale

Travel Feature: Enjoying Life In Lyon

Disney Feature: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Fan Mail, American Illusion, Layover Length,

Cool Links: Disney Stuff and Services

Captain's Corner: Here Be Dragons

PassPorter PhotoPick: My Disney Photo Mosaic

Q and A: Jelly fish at Castaway Cay?

Our Sponsors: We Recommend...


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FROM THE AUTHORS: Alexander's $5 Sale
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Hi, {{user('firstname')}}!

Alexander's $5 Sale
This Monday, our 5-year-old- son Alexander was chosen to exhibit his artwork at the Ann Arbor Kids' Art Fair! He was AMAZING and we're so proud of him! His paintings featured rocket ships, astronauts, and planets, and he sold nearly all dozen of his paintings for $5 each. In honor of his accomplishment, we're offering $5 off any printed book in the PassPorter Store this weekend! Just type discount code ALEXANDER at checkout to get your discount (may be combined with our 15% everyday discount, but does not combine with any other discount, coupons, or closeout). You can read more -- and see photos of Alexander at the art fair -- at http://www.passporterstore.com/store. Hurry -- Alexander's $5 sale ends on Monday, July 26 at 11:59 pm ET.

PassPorter.com Front Page Gets a Facelift
Come check out the newly redesigned PassPorter.com front page which now lists featured news, articles, podcasts, posts, blogs, announcements, tips, photos and more! Each feature is displayed in chronological order (newest first) and is accompanied by an awesome photo from our photo archive along with any comments received from our community members. This is a great place to stop on a daily or weekly basis to get your dose of Disney and travel magic! We'll be tweaking our design in the weeks to come based on your feedback, so please let us know what you think of the front page in our message boards.

Disney Cruise Guide Status
Our new guidebook has been printed and is just awaiting binding! All copies are scheduled to be bound and ready for delivery to our warehouse on July 26. Based on that schedule (and since the printer, our offices, and our warehouse are all within a few miles of each other), we should be able to start shipping to you on July 27. If you'll be sailing soon, please make sure we know it, so we can give your copy top priority. Please write to orders@passporter.com, and please mention "Cruise Guide Delivery" in the Subject of your e-mail. If this schedule means we'll miss the boat, our deepest apologies, and if you'd like to cancel or adjust your order, be sure to contact us with your desires. In the meantime, if you have pre-ordered (or if you choose to pre-order now), the electronic edition of the book is already online for your planning pleasure. To get your preview, simply go to http://www.passporter.com/cc, login, and click My Books -- if you do not yet have a PassPorter community member name, please create one using the same e-mail address that you used to pre-order your guide.

Reader Photo Contest -- Thank You!
Thank you for all the amazing photos you've submitted for our Reader Photo Contest! We are now going through all of the submissions and choosing appropriate photos to appear in PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2011 -- if your photo is selected, you will receive an e-mail and a permission form to fill out and return. E-mails have begun going out already and will continue to go out until the end of July, or even early August. Good luck to all who entered! If you get an e-mail that your photo has been selected, please stop by our message board to get your own "Winner!" badge!

Get Into Scrapbooking On This Week's Podcast!
Do you enjoy scrapbooking ... or just think you might? Check out Episode 26 of the PassPorter Moms Podcast! Jennifer and Sara talk to scrapbooker Dawn Erickson about preserving your vacation memories. There's also a 25% discount code at the end of the podcast for use in the PassPorter Store! To listen to this week's podcast in iTunes, just search on "PassPorter" or click this link. Or come listen at our site. Each episode brings news, tips, and some "motherly advice!" You can listen while you read this newsletter or surf the web! Just go to http://www.passporter.com/podcast/home.php and click Listen Now!



PassPorter's Club Update

In this issue, PassPorter Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry shares tips on Enjoying Life In Lyon. Then PassPorter Guest Contributor Jane Price gives us a glimpse into Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt.

Jennifer and Dave Marx
PassPorter Founders and Authors


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TRAVEL FEATURE: Enjoying Life In Lyon
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by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist

Ask anyone what the largest city is in France and you'd no doubt guess Paris -- and you'd right. But if you were asked what the second largest city in the country is, would you know the answer? Before we visited Lyon, I had no idea that it was, in fact, France's second biggest city, after the capital. As we drove towards it, I started to get an idea of the scale of the place, as we started to see signs for Lyon about 20 miles before we got to the centre of the city. As you'd expect from any city, the outlying suburbs aren't necessarily the most picturesque areas, but then again, they're not designed for tourists, they're designed for people to live in. However, head towards the River Rhone, and things change dramatically.

Unsurprisingly, it's here that the beautiful buildings are located, as people obviously wanted to live near to the water in days gone by. Not only is the city cut in two by the Rhone, a name more synonymous with Germany, but it's also divided again by the River Saone. Of course, the location of the city, on two such important trading rivers, helps to explain why it grew to be such an important commercial centre in this part of the country.

The heart of Lyon can be found in Presqu’ile, the "near island" and that's the area between the two rivers. It’s absolutely packed with shops and restaurants and, as a result, it's a thriving place to visit. We saw it on a late Saturday afternoon and, of course at that time, it was full of people shopping and heading out to dinner.

If you’re a visitor though, you’re more likely to pass through this area, as we did, on the way to the main tourist attractions in the city. These are located on the west bank of the river Saone in Vieux (old) Lyon. It’s not a place to visit on foot if you’re not prepared for some serious walking. Because the old part of the city is on the banks of the river, of course, there’s a huge hill to climb up to get to the top, where you’ll find the Roman amphitheatre and the basilica. We drove up and were lucky enough to find a parking space at the top of the hill, but even driving, we could tell how steep some of the hills were.

Once you get to the top though, what awaits you is well worth the climb up. The Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere was built in the late 19th century and its four gleaming white main towers and belltowers can be seen from many parts of the city. Step inside and you'll be spellbound by the mosaics in front of you on most of the surfaces, along with the stained glass windows and golden interiors. We sat there for some time, just taking it all in. This was definitely a church where statements were being made about the wealth the church had.

Walk round to the belltower end of the Basilica and you're rewarded with a view over Lyon that brings home to you just how huge this city is. It's very similar to looking across Paris from places like the Eiffel Tower or the Sacre Coeur and we were very lucky that, on the evening we visited, we had a clear view and could see for miles.

One thing we could see clearly beneath us was the Chemin du Rosaire, a path leading down the hill towards the old quarter. A few brave souls were staggering up it, but it’s definitely worth taking the funicular railway that runs from the main square below to just outside the Basilica and then walking your way back down.

This whole area was originally a thriving Roman town and there’s still evidence of that nearby with the two Roman amphitheatres. To this day, they’re still used for various performances, as was clear during our visit. They’re huge spaces, originally built in 15 BC and designed to seat 30,000 spectators. It was lovely to see them still being put to such good use today, both as a tourist attraction and a venue.

Head down into the Old Town and some of the other delights that await you include the Cathedrale St. Jean, which was started in the 12th century. One of its main highlights is an astronomical clock, which shows religious feast days until the year 2019. This area is also home to Museum of the Gallo-Roman civilisation, which is packed with discoveries from Lyon’s Roman past, uncovered over the last five centuries.

Although it’s not a city that’s necessarily on the tourist trail, Lyon is definitely one that’s worth checking out, as it has a surprising amount to offer the visitors that take the time to head there.

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About the Author: Cheryl is the author of the e-book, PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holidaymakers, and is the co-author of PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide: For Members and Members-To-Be. Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to Disney, and they have travelled around the world, visiting every Disney theme park on the way.

Questions, feedback, or corrections about this article, or just want to give kudos to the author? Share a comment here or e-mail us at news@passporter.com. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!

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DID YOU KNOW?

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Click here to learn more about Lighthouse Key Resort & Spa!

Note from Jennifer: Lovely resort! Awesome spa, too!


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DISNEY FEATURE: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
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by Jane Price, PassPorter Guest Contributor

I had wanted to take my eldest granddaughter to Universal Studios, as she is now old enough to appreciate the two parks there. When a Harry Potter Package was offered a few months ago, I jumped at the chance for the two of us to go. Included in the package was three nights at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. Having stayed at other Loews resorts I knew we would be in for a treat. We were not disappointed.

The hotel is close to both parks, but feels far removed from them, more so than any Disney hotel in which we have stayed. Parking is covered and close by, not interfering with the hotel ambiance in any way. We were booked for a garden view room, but were given an upgrade to a deluxe villa room overlooking the quiet pool.

The room was spacious with a HUGE bathroom with double marble sinks, separate shower and bathtub and 2 comfy cotton robes hanging on the door. A side cabinet by the door had a coffee maker with a nice selection of Emeril Coffee packs and a locked honor bar, which we never used. All that was missing was a mini-fridge.

I have been to Italy, and this hotel does a lovely re-creation of it, just cleaner, a lot less people in the piazzas, and the motor bikes have all their parts intact and are not running red lights! The extensive use of trompe l’oeil frescoes throughout the hotel’s interiors and exteriors adds to feeling of being in real Italy. The expansive bay area is a very good re-creation of the real Portofino Bay, and offers up a musical event most evenings at sundown. We caught the end of one upon our return from the park via water taxi.

The hotel has seven restaurants and bars to choose from, all with Italian-style offerings. Unfortunately, we did not have time to try one. Maybe next time? We did poke around some of the shops while waiting for the water taxi, and they had the usual assortment of t-shirts, clothes, sundries, and toys.

The three ways to get to City Walk and the theme parks are water taxi, bicycle rickshaws, and walking. The water taxi is the most popular way, as it is cool and comfortable, with beautiful gardens along the water. It reminded me of the ferries at Port Orleans Resort. The bicycle rickshaws seat two and are peddled by buff guys who will take you over to City Walk for tips only. This was the fastest way to get around, and I tipped $4.00/person. Walking is for the physically fit, as it is close to one mile each way, although it is a pleasant walk by the water, through the gardens. After walking most of the day in the heat in the parks, we opted for the water taxi, which runs every 15-20 minutes.

There are three pools at the hotel. We went to two of them as they were close to our room, the quiet, villa pool appeals to adults sans children, and the lively beach pool suits families. Both places offered us large, fluffy towels and complimentary iced water with citrus slices, and all lounge chairs had thick padding in both sun and shade. The beach pool had a large, zero-entry lagoon. I sat and had a Bailey’s Irish Crème milkshake where the lagoon connects to a large swimming area complete with waterslide, waterfalls and grotto. There was a large kiddie pool/play area and a large spa with a HOT waterfall. The theme here rivaled any of the Disney hotel pools, including my favorite, the Beach Club.

The staff was always friendly and helpful, serving with a smile. The only caveat here is the cost of parking, $15/day for self parking and even more for valet. However the hotel was so wonderfully themed and the service so good, I am sure we will return again.

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About the Author: Jane Price is a first-time contributor to PassPorter News. Jane lives in southeast Arizona with her husband, three granddaughters, and the family parrots. She is an Annual Passholder for Disneyland as well as a Disney Vacation Club member.

Questions, feedback, or corrections about this article, or just want to give kudos to the author? Share a comment here or e-mail us at news@passporter.com. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!

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DID YOU KNOW?

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WHAT'S NEW AND CHANGED
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Here are a few items of relevant news:

New Anime Exhibit in Japan. A new exhibit is now in place in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase. Spirit Beasts: From Ancient Stories to Anime Stars features characters from Japanese myth as well as their modern day Anime counterparts. This updates page 161 of PasPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook

15th Annual Epcot International Food & Wine Booths Announced. Foodie alert! The 27 international marketplace kiosks listing has been posted on the Walt Disney World web site. New this year are booths from Belgium and South Korea (Bulgogi = Yum!) as well as a new Charcuterie & Cheese booth. This updates page 237 of PasPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook

Reservations for Via Napoli Open August 6. Guests can make reservations for Via Napoli, the new restaurant at the Italy pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase, beginning on August 6, 2010. The restaurant will have it's official opening on September 10, 2010. This updates page 236 of PasPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook

New Downtown Disney Anaheim Food Kiosk. A new food stand opened at Disneyland Resort's Downtown Disney this month, Café Renee. Located opposite the World of Disney, folks strolling "Downtown" can choose from a variety of sweet or savory crepes, and funnel cake sticks. This updates page 125 of PasPorter's Disneyland Resort guidebook

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! 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

FAN MAIL
'I was looking for low cost souvenirs (read: cheap) when I stumbled across a great discovery. Disney mails signed fan letters upon request. I sent separate letters on behalf of each of my nieces and nephews (and one for myself) requesting autographed pictures of their favorite Disney characters. I thought they would be standard post card sized photos. Disney mailed back beautiful black and white glossy 8x10 signed photos. (Lightning McQueen's wasn't signed since he doesn't have hands, of course.) There is no charge for this service. It is something that Disney does on behalf of its fans. The kids are so excited! These are going in frames on the wall. They arrived in about six weeks. Mail requests to: The Walt Disney Company, Attn: Fan Mail Dept., 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521'
-- contributed by Valanie

AMERICAN ILLUSION
'While in the America pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase, pop on into the American Adventure. They have a painting on the far left front of a war plane in the hangar being worked on. Before approaching the painting, stand by the second column and follow the line in the floor. As you walk the plane will follow you. It is a very cool optical illusion. '
-- contributed by Alisa

LAYOVER LENGTH
'A good rule to use when traveling by air with a layover, do not take a flight with less than 30 minutes between flights. The ground crew needs about 15-20 minutes in most cases to transfer your luggage. The other 10 minutes is in case the flight is delayed and/or so you do not have to run to make your next flight.'
-- contributed by Paul

>>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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COOL LINKS: Disney Stuff and Services
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We encounter many Disney- and travel-related products and services. From among those we try, a few are good enough to use ourselves and recommend to you:

MouseEarVacations.com: http://www.cruisingco.com/web/family/?cpe=Y3A9UFArQ29vbCtMaW5rcytGVEYmcz1QYXNzcG9ydGVy

KidsFlySafe.com: CARES FAA-approved safety harness for planes -- you can visit them at http://www.kidsflysafe.com/?utm_source=PASPTR&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=affiliate



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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 perusing my vast photo collection today and stumbled across an unusual shot. At first glance it appears to just be an outcropping of rock with a little waterfall. But when you REALLY look at it, you suddenly see a dragon's head! I wonder where this photo was taken.

Click here to view the photo mentioned above: http://www.passporter.com/news/rocks-large.jpg

Where at Walt Disney World will you find the item mentioned above?"

For bonus credit, locate the photo in the PassPorter Photo Archive and post a comment with the photo!

Congratulations to Joanne C. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Joanne C. was the first person to identify the answer to last week's clue as Pork Security Co. in a sign near Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Bonus credit goes to Joanne C. as the first person to locate the photo in our PassPorter Photo Archive. To view the original clue, see last week's newsletter.

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!


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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:

My Disney Photo Mosaic
Photo by masplund
Photo Link: http://www.passporter.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=21304

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 - 5108 photos
Dopey007 - 1393 photos
Meggera - 736 photos
akleos - 568 photos
Disneydiana - 536 photos


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Q & A WITH JENNIFER & DAVE
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omd asks: I was just searching around the internet and found a sunscreen that also protects against jelly fish and sea lice :eek:. Do we have to worry about such things while at Castaway Cay?

Dave Marx asks: Generally, no. They've never been a significant issue. Can I issue a guarantee? Not where Mother Nature is concerned. ;)



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 - Dream-ing of a Disney Cruise in 2011? Book the Disney Dream! Visit them at http://www.mousefantravel.com/?apid=ptpn

Lighthouse Key Resort & Spa - Spacious vacation condominium rentals four miles from Disney! Visit them at http://www.lighthousekeycondos.com?ovchn=AFF&ovcpn=Passporter&ovcrn=Newsletter+Jul+22+10&ovtac=AFF&keyword=passporterlhk

Quicksilver Tours & Transportation - $5.00 off airport round-trip town car! Visit them at http://www.quicksilver-tours.com/

MouseEarVacations.com - Family Travel Favorites - For all your family travel needs! Visit them at http://www.cruisingco.com/web/family/?cpe=Y3A9UFArQ29vbCtMaW5rcytGVEYmcz1QYXNzcG9ydGVy

Thank you, sponsors!

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