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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and
Tips
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: Hard At Work in SoCal!
Travel Feature: Adventures by Disney: Viva Italia!
(Part 3)
Disney Feature: Top 10 Questions
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: The Grumpy Pin, Pick a Podcast, Fantastic
Fireworks
Captain's Corner: The Greatest Invention of All Time
Q&A: Why are the Disney Resorts all booked
for our dates?
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FROM THE AUTHORS: Treat
and Treat!
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Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Jennifer and Dave are in
In other happy news, all pre-orders for PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007 have shipped
and new orders are being shipped on the next business day. That means there is
plenty of time to order a new PassPorter if you are planning to attend MouseFest! Place
your order today at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/2007.aspx. And if you
subscribe to the HTML version of this newsletter, don't forget to use the 20%
off coupon code at the bottom of this issue of PassPorter News!
PassPorter Public Appearance Calendar
Here's an update on where you can see/hear/meet
PassPorter's authors in the upcoming months:
Coming soon:
PassPorter Meet at
Place: Fountain near
Join us to check out the new Pirates of the
Note: If you are a SoCal AP holder but still want
to get together with us, we'll be in the park on Sunday, November 12, too. Just
e-mail us (jenniferand
12/3 -
MouseFest 2006
See the MouseFest web site for the full schedule
Appearing: Jennifer, Dave and Alexander Marx, Deb
Wills
Be sure to bring your books for autographing
Books will also be available for sale at the
MegaMouseMeet, Saturday 12/9, at
In this issue of the newsletter Dotti Saroufim
finishes her three-part report on her Adventures by Disney tour of Italy, and Terry
Rohrer shares his Disney "expertise" with you.
Enjoy!
Sara Varney
PassPorter News Editor
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TRAVEL
FEATURE: Adventures by Disney: Viva Italia!
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by Dotti Saroufim, Guest Contributor and member of
the MouseEarVacations.com team
[Note: Adventures by Disney is Disney's new guided
vacation travel organization, currently offering a dozen different tours in
North and
Day Seven: Venetian Fantasy
Ouch. My turn for the pained expression in the
morning, but I deserved it. Poor Tony -- I made him talk very, very quietly.
Our luggage was to be outside our door at
I have taken many, many train trips from
The train arrived at the Santa Lucia station on the
I donÕt know how best to describe
Our gondola tour ended at Piazza SantÕAngelo, where
our walking tour began. There we met Laura (pronounced L-ow-ra), who expertly
guided us through the streets, over bridges, and up and down stairs to
ultimately turn a corner into Piazza San Marco for our first view of the
breathtaking beauty of Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale. And at least
one million pigeons, maybe more. There were so many pigeons; they virtually
carpeted the entire piazza. If you walked too fast, youÕd step on them as they
rarely moved too quickly. (DonÕt ask me how I know.)
Those of us who opted to were led into the Basilica
for a tour with Laura, while others were free to head to the hotel, only a
three minute walk away. Once adequately bedazzled by the amazing mosaics (and
this structure deserves a long visit, as there is just too much to be taken
in!), we made our way to the Bauer Venezia to pick up our keys and to sadly
unpack for the final time in
The entryway to the Bauer is situated in a little
square with a beautiful small church (relatively speaking) off to its side
called Chiesa de San Mois¸, and many designer shops across from its door. One
can shop and then pray for a way to pay, or as our friends Mike and Dennis did,
just pray that their wives found the shops only after they closed. The hotel
itself is situated right on the
I was on a mission to find the Venice Disney Store,
and IÕm happy to report that I now own a Venezia Mickey T-shirt. Searching for
the store was a fun way to see other parts of the city, including the
Since we didnÕt know where the name ŅRoccoÓ would
find us a good meal, we wandered the streets, peering into windows to see if we
could find Italians enjoying their food. We lucked upon a wonderful restaurant
where we filled up on salad, pizza, pasta, and wine for a total of 15 Euro each
- the bargain of the trip! We strolled along afterwards, finally making our way
into Piazza San Marco (with not one pigeon to be seen in the evening!) to
listen to the music at the outdoor cafes, and then back out again in search of
gelato and coffee. We sipped our coffees and ate our dessert while listening to
a street performer singing an aria Š an experience unlike any other.
Day Eight: Carnevale!
We awoke to a gorgeous warm and sunny day, and the
breakfast buffet, and wonderful coffee, were enjoyed and appreciated. We
werenÕt scheduled to depart that morning for our next adventure until
I have to say that this morning was one of the
highlights of the entire trip. Visiting the store alone would have been
fascinating, but to be brought into the workshop and supervised by a master
mask maker and her assistants in the creation of our own masks was great fun!
We were asked to choose from a number of pre-made mask styles - the initial
Plaster of Paris process had already been performed for us. Masks chosen, we
were asked to think of an original design for our masks and sketch it out, if
possible, on the paper supplied. From there, we were to choose colors, both for
the base and for decoration, and also the glitter, jewels, or other
embellishments that we might want added.
Our teacher and her assistants were always close by
to give advice, supply the paints, blow-dry our creations, and give a hand in
any way needed. What we all came up with was indeed both creative and clever,
and this was quite the ŅsouvenirÓ to take back home! Since our next stop was a
water taxi for our trip to the
Our busy day continued with a tour of the Marco
Polo Glass Factory on the beautiful
We headed back to our hotel with a few free hours
before our farewell dinner, and we decided to take one last walk around the
city. We werenÕt looking for anything special but managed to buy some
Limoncello to take home, and some delicious biscotti and chocolate to eat on
our voyage back.
At
Day Nine:
Arrivederci
Based on our flight times, each of us had a
different meeting time to take the water taxi to the airport. (A few wiser
travelers added on a day or two in
We had our final breakfast on the patio overlooking
Santa Maria della Salute, and sadly bid farewell to our new friends enjoying
breakfast on the patio. Four of us had the same flight time, so we boarded our
water taxi together. As we pulled away from the dock and began our trip to the
airport, we looked back at the patio - and one by one, we saw them all stand up
- Beth and Mike, Marilyn and Dennis, Robbin and Marc, Kathy and Amy and Len,
and more - and there they stayed, standing and waving, until we were only small
specks in the distance.
Until we meet againÉ
Final
Thoughts:
Our
Adventure Guides: I cannot say
enough about Tina and Cinzia, and how they looked after us for nine wonderful
days. They were not only highly efficient and capable, but were truly caring,
patient and compassionate people. And they were fun! That the 36 of us became
such a ŅfamigliaÓ during this trip was due in large part to the personalities
of our guides.
Our
Group: We ranged in
age from mid-30Õs to one incredibly energetic woman of 85! (Katie, our
collective hats were all off to you -- you are one amazing Ņyoung woman!Ó) We
had doctors, lawyers, teachers, business analysts, nurses, real-estate agents,
Would I
recommend this tour to others? Well,
yeahÉ yÕthink? In all seriousness, when Tony and I first signed on, we were a
little wary of the price. When we finished, we said that we got our moneyÕs
worth and so much more. IÕm more than ready for my next Adventure by Disney!
About the Author: Dotti Saroufim is a CruisingCo.com/MouseEarVacations.com travel
agent. She recently returned from Epcot's Food and Wine Festival
and is looking forward to meeting some of you on land or at sea in
December for MouseFest
2006.
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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.
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DISNEY
FEATURE: The Top 10 Questions Asked of a Disney ŅExpertÓ
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by Terry Rohrer, Guest Contributor
Your friends know you as the ŅDisney Expert.Ó You
own every guide book and have over 50 Disney-related web sites bookmarked. Any
conversation usually leads to something Disney related. When your friends are
thinking about going to Walt Disney World, you are the first phone call they
make. Sound familiar? Do you often get asked questions about where to stay,
what tickets to get, or even what ride to do first?
As one of these so called, or self described,
ŅDisney ExpertsÓ I often find myself helping friends, and even friends of
friends, plan their trips. Of course, the first thing I do is tell them to get
the PassPorter and read it. That way they have some idea of what they are
getting into. But I thought I would put together a list of my most asked
questions to help the other ŅDisney ExpertsÓ out there.
1. Do you
really have to plan for a Disney vacation?
Chances are if you are reading this newsletter,
your answer to this question is a resounding, ŅYes!Ó Once your friends get a
guide book and see how much there is to do, they may get overwhelmed. But you
need to give them some idea as to why you do the planning Š to avoid
over-crowded parks, to make sure they get the meals they want, etc.
2. When
is the best time to go?
The short answer is, ŅGo when kids are in school.Ó
But if taking kids out of school is not an option, direct them to the chart in
your PassPorter that shows crowd levels and costs throughout the year. If a
school schedule is not an issue, be sure to tell them about the special events
that may interest them ŠMickeyÕs Not So Scary Halloween Party, the new Pirates
& Princesses events starting next year, the International Food & Wine
Festival, etc. And you must, as a friend, tell them about Hurricane season. You
may lose a friend if they have to spend two days trapped inside a hotel room or
their flights get canceled.
3. Do you
stay on Property or off?
This will be a personal preference of the person
being asked. We always recommend staying onsite, because of the theming of the
resorts and the Disney transportation system. You have to give people enough
information to help them make their own decisions here. Make sure they know the
difference between a Disney owned and operated Resort, a Disney Good Neighbor
Resort, and off-site accommodations. Then let them make their own decisions!
Choosing a Resort is probably the most personal decision a family can make during
the planning process.
4. Which
Disney Resort should we choose?
This question always leads me to more questions.
Are they on a budget? What is important to them - pool theming, location,
inside hall? How many people are in their party? We all know the issues that
come with having a family or 5 or moreÉ I will then refer them to the
PassPorter and www.disneyworld.com so they can
see what each resort has to offer.
5. How do
you get there?
Once again, more questions for you to ask. Do they
have a budget, do they like long car rides, and do they need a car when they
get there? This is when I explain why I plan so much in advance - I start
looking at air fare and gas prices to decide whether to fly or drive. I have a
little boy and he does okay for a few hours in the car but for us it is an 18
hour drive. I know I can only take ŅAre we there yet?Ó for so long! But if they
want to see the beach, Kennedy Space center or have family to see, then driving
may be their only option. I tell people to look for web sites that have games
and ideas for traveling with kids. I also tell them to join
6. What
ticket option should we get?
As before, more questions on my part. How long are
they going for, do they think they will really use the Park Hopper option? This
seems like a straightforward question but it may be the most complicated.
YouÕre going for 5 days then get a 5 day ticket, right? But with all the
different options there is a little more to look at. I also tell people to
think ahead Š will you be returning to Disney World in the near future? An
7. Where
should we eat?
Now that they have started planning you get the
question about what restaurants to eat at. And you should have more questions.
Budget, what type of food, do you want to meet the characters, etc. Our family
is early to rise so we have a character breakfast almost each morning. You can
eat a ton of food for a little bit of money, the meals have all been great and
you get the characters to come to your table. No waiting in line to see or meet
them. This saves time in the parks to ride the rides. Also, do they want to try
new types of food? Are the kidÕs picky eaters? The menus at www.allearsnet.com
will give them some idea as to what each restaurant offers and what the price
range may be. Once again, if you schedule your trip you can find a place to eat
at the park you are at. By doing this you will not be one of the ones waiting
for a table or in the long lines to get a meal when you should be riding the
big rides when the lines are smallest.
8. When
do I do the
This question also depends on the make-up of the
party. For younger kids, you may want to save the
9. What
is FastPass?
This is when you really get to look like an expert!
You need to tell them how to get the FastPass, how to read it and when they can
get new ones. I will tell friends with small children to use their tickets to
get extra FastPasses and Mom or Dad can go 2 times with the older children.
This is also a good time to explain the ŅBaby SwapÓ. You now will be a friend
forever.
10. What
else is there to do besides the 4 theme parks?
This is where the Disney expert shines. You have
been there enough to know that it takes more than just 4 days to see it all. We
tell them about the water parks and Downtown Disney. Of course my wife tells
them about the shopping. I tell them about the Adventurers Club. We tell them
to take in a dinner show if it is in the budget, or book a fireworks cruise. It
is these little things that make the trip even more special.
Now, I am sure they will have more questions and if
you donÕt know the answer then donÕt be shy, tell them you have not done that
or just donÕt know. But keep it in mind so you can ask how it was when they get
back and add it to your next vacation. DonÕt overwhelm them with details; just
point them in the right direction. The planning is half the fun, so
resist the urge to do too much planning for them. (Especially tough if you do
not have a trip in the works!)
Either way, just make sure to remind them to have a
good time and take lots of pictures to remember the magic.
About the Author: Terry Rohrer is the father of two and
contributed an article on meeting Disney's PhotoPass program in the July 20, 2006 issue of
PassPorter News.
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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 holiday plans.
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UPDATES: What's New and Changed
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Here's a few relevant news items:
The Country Bears will not be celebrating Christmas
at Walt Disney World this year. Disney has decided to forego a Country Bear Christmas this year. The
regular show, Country Bear Jamboree, will continue as scheduled.
Gatorland, the 57 year
old Orlando-area attraction, suffered a fire on November 6. The fire started in
the main entry building with the iconic "gator mouth" entrance, but
was contained and all of the animal pens, fencing and venues are in tact. Two
exotic snakes and one crocodile died in the fire, but all of Gatorland's other
residents (reptile, animal and human alike) were unharmed.
Walt
Disney World resorts began testing
a discount program yesterday
(November 8), similar to the Disney Cruise Line's onboard booking discount, to
see if current guests would be interested in receiving discounts on a future
trip by booking while at Walt Disney World. The special currently being offered
is a 5 night/5 day package including standard accommodations at a Value Resort,
a base Magic Your Way ticket and the Disney Dining Plan starting at $453/adult.
You must travel from
There are two ways to book this package - "Your Next Disney Vacation" desks
will be set up in the lobbies of Disney's Yacht & Beach Club and Port
Orleans Resorts where a Disney Reservation Specialist will be on hand to book
your package. Guests of Disney's Pop Century and Contemporary Resorts will be
given a phone number at check-in to call to book their packages. You must be a
Guest of a Walt Disney World owned and operated Resort to book this package.
You do not have to be a Guest of the
Resorts that have test sites. You can go to Port Orleans or the Yacht &
Beach Clubs to book the package. You must book and place a deposit on your
package prior to check-out.
Our thanks to http://www.allearsnet.com 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:
THE GRUMPY PIN
" The last time we went to Disney World our
boys were eight and four years old. We recalled from previous vacations that
occasionally the boys would have cranky periods (ok sometimes us adults too)
from being tired, hungry or just plain over-exhilarated. So we came up with the
"Grumpy Pin". We purchased a Grumpy pin at Epcot and stated that
anyone who is "Grumpy" has to wear the Grumpy Pin for at least an
hour. It worked like magic. Just the thought of having to wear the pin is an
automatic mood booster. It also allows the whole family to get in the act. Our
boys made one of us wear the pin more than once during one of our grumpy
moments. It was amazing to see how quickly bad moods went away. We are going
back this December with the whole extended family and plan to put the Grumpy
Pin Plan into action. "
--
contributed by Jane B.
PICK A PODCAST
" Get excited
for your trip by listening to a Disney podcast! It has fun info on the parks
and will get you thinking Disney." [Note:
Disney podcasts are available at web sites such as www.disneypodcastnet.com and http://mousetunes.com] --
contributed by Mike D.
FANTASTIC FIREWORKS
" If you want to
enjoy fireworks and dinner (and California Grill is booked or not to your
taste), make a reservation at Narcoossee's for about an hour before the Wishes
fireworks are about to begin. If you do this, you will just be finishing your
dinner when you can go outside on the deck that overlooks the water, and see
the fireworks with the music piped in!" -- contributed by Chloe C.
>Notes: Send us your tips! You may see them in
this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter! Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/customs/contest.htm
>>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 new 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:
" As I
disembarked my space cruiser for the final time and began my trek across
Tomorrowland, I was halted by a voice extolling the wonders of "the
greatest invention of all time"! As I consider myself somewhat of a
"weekend" inventor, further investigation was required. I followed
the sound of the voice to see what I could discover."
According to the narrator of the Tomorrowland
Transit Authority, what is the "greatest invention of all time"?
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 Jennifer Shaughnessy who was the
winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Jennifer correctly identified planet
Dannmoll X1 as being in sector 6. (This was a tough one - only 4 answers were
received and Jennifer's was the ONLY correct answer.) To view the original
clues, see http://www.passporter.com/news/news110206.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 Skatt. ŅPassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt
Disney World" is now available! You can order the new book today at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587710269.aspx
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Q & A WITH JENNIFER &
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Lilyian asks: " Does
anyone know why the Disney resorts seem to be sold out 12/3 and 12/4? Does the
fact that Disney Resorts are full mean that the parks will be especially crowded?"
Dave &
Jennifer answer:
"Early December has a variety of special events - conventions, Pop Warner,
etc. This fills the hotels, but the rest of the hotels in
Have a question? Post it 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
===================================
PassPorter
News is now published weekly, and this means we need more articles than ever!
We're on the lookout for 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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Copyright (c)
2006 - MediaMarx, Inc. / PassPorter Travel Press,
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