From the Authors:  PassPorter Walt Disney World 2004 Editions Are Here!

Travel Today: Long-Haul Flights

Disney Feature: Magical Changes Aboad the Disney Magic Ship

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips:  Fireworks from Grand Floridian, Flashlights are Your Friend, Camp Minnie-Mickey

Q&A: Getting PassPorters Quick, Car Rentals in St. Martin
 

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Updates:
What's New and Changed

The U.S. Postal Service is bringing out Disney stamps! The four new stamps revolve around a "friendship" theme, with Goofy, Mickey and Donald on one stamp, Bambi and Thumper on another, Simba and Mufasa on the third, and Jiminy Cricket and Pinocchio on the fourth. The stamps will be regular, first-class (37 cent) stamps and are due to be released in June 2004. This is the first of three sets of Disney stamps due to be released – "Celebration" and "Romance" are the other two themes, which are expected to come out in 2005 and 2006. To see what the first set looks like, visit http://shop.usps.com

Splendid China, an Orlando-based theme park, closed on December 31. The park was closed due to losses and the travel industry’s recent downturn. The Days Inn Maingate West hotel near the park will continue to operate. (PassPorter Guidebook Owners: Be sure to cross-off Splendid China on page 258.)

>Things To Do: Hear some news? Send it to us at
news@passporter.com .
 

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Disney  Tips:
From Fellow Readers

Our readers are a wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:

WATCH FIREWORKS FROM GRAND FLORIDIAN
"If you don't want to get caught up in the crowds for the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, try watching from the boat dock at the Grand Floridian Resort. The view is great and not many people watch from there. As an added bonus, you will get to see the Electrical Water Pageant on nights that it is running. Two shows for one!" -- contributed by Jennifer Smith (renegadejenn@aol.com)

BRING A FLASHLIGHT
"My tip is a simple one -- pack a flashlight! We bought an inexpensive one at the local Walgreens when my daughter developed a sore throat (we kept checking for signs of strep...). In any case, that little flashlight had a million uses. Of course we checked sore throats (brother got one, too!) but we also carried it at night in the parking lots, used it on the beaches in the evenings, searched for sleeping ducks, hunted out armadillos, checked under the beds before checkout, and I used it in the mornings in the dark room when everyone else was asleep. Finally, I used it on the long drive home, after dark, to read my PassPorter!  We'll always pack a flashlight from now on!" – Colleen Costello (colleencostello@hotmail.com)

CAMP MINNIE-MICKEY TIP
"Visit Camp Minnie-Mickey at Disney's Animal Kingdom either first thing in the morning or right before the park closes. There are usually very few guests in this area and the characters will gather around and take group photos with you and your family. It makes for very unique memories! I used to work in Camp Minnie-Mickey and have seen some amazing magical moments happen between guests and characters during the last hour the park is open!" – Denise Evans (narnia919@aol.com)

>Notes: Send us your tips ! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter!
 

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Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

Joanne asks:
""I’m leaving for Disney in two weeks. Can I get a PassPorter that quickly?"

Jennifer answers:
"Yes! If you’re located in the U.S., just place an order at our store and be sure to choose either UPS Ground or USPS Priority Mail as your shipping method (both cost about the same). If you’re outside the U.S., or leaving in less than a week, give your resort/hotels as your shipping address and we can have it waiting for you when you check-in!"

kalihi girl asks:
"Has anyone rented a car while they were in St Martin? Do I need to make arrangements prior to arrival or are there car rental agencies near port? I would appreciate any suggestions or experiences regarding touring the island by ourselves versus a Disney onshore tour. "

Dave answers:
"I recommend that you do book ahead with an agency that has an office at the cruise pier. We've found that the rental rate for same day walk-ups is significantly higher than the book-ahead rate. Even if you do book ahead, be sure to bring print-outs of your reservation info and rate, and carefully scrutinize the rental agreement. If I hadn't been watching carefully I would have been charged the walk-up rate despite the reservation."

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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Hi, Friends!

Happy New Year! And it is indeed a happy new year for us here at PassPorter, as the new 2004 editions of PassPorter Walt Disney World arrived on Christmas Eve! That’s a whole month earlier than previous years, which means we can make that many more people happy. If you pre-ordered a copy, we’ve already shipped it and you’ll be receiving it soon, if you haven’t already. New orders go out within one business day!

Bookstores will receive their 2004 editions in about 2-3 weeks. If you can’t wait until it shows up on your local stores’ shelves, you can order it from us at a 15% discount now. Tip: If you have a PassPorter already, register it to get a 30% coupon code at http://www.passporter.com/register.htm. Already have a code but can’t find it? Look up your coupon here!

To read what folks think of the 2004 edition’s full-color, fold-out park maps, tabs, personalization labels, highlighted text, and updates, visit:
http://www.passporterboards.com

For those curious about the second edition of our Disney Cruise Line guidebook, we’re anticipating an April or May release date. We’re currently waiting to see if Disney makes any announcements regarding future cruises, as we’d definitely want the new edition to cover that. When we have a more specific release date, we’ll put it up for pre-order. In the meantime, those of you cruising in the next year will be well-served with the current edition. For information, visit http://www.passporter.com/dcl/guidebook.htm 

Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Travel Press

Our 2004 edition sports 40+ photos (more than three times the number in our 2003 edition), self-stick, color tabs to mark your chapters, stickers and labels to personalize your PassPockets, light blue highlights on the text of all additions and significant changes at Disney since our previous edition, updated vegebility ratings, and, most importantly, peeks and previews of new and upcoming attractions and resorts! Order one today and receive it in as little as 3-4 business days.

To visit the Preview Center and pre-order a copy, visit
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/2004.htm

by Maureen Austin
Guest Columnist and PassPorter Board Guide

For many of us, we just can’t drive to Florida, California, or anywhere else for that matter. For others, it may be possible but torturous for some reason or another. The thought of little Johnny or Sarah in the backseat bickering back and forth for hours can make Mom or Dad shudder. Or sometimes you just just want to go and be there already. When these situations present themselves, flying is usually the best option. Long haul flights in particular can be trying on the mind and body. Keeping your sanity and your physical well-being can really go a long way in helping you enjoy your vacation when you arrive at your destination.

STAY IN SHAPE
The number one rule for long haul fliers is to keep your physical health in tip-top shape. In fact, this is so important, that on a recent flight from Dallas to London, British Airways showed a video regarding this issue almost immediately after take-off. My preparations began way before that though. I will admit to not being a water drinker (I know... shame, shame) and I usually dote on tea and diet cokes. However, about 48 hours prior to our flight, I upped my water consumption and dumped the caffeine. In addition, I made sure to get the best rest possible.  In the airport, I made sure to take brief walks while waiting out that two-hour check-in requirement. Even though I was nervous, I felt well-rested and comfortable when we boarded our flight. 

EAT AND DRINK
On the plane, we were encouraged to eat at the meal service – although I must admit sometimes I didn’t quite feel like it. The cabin crew did offer water and juices about every two hours but most passengers, including me, asked for water much more than that. Keeping hydrated is essential to good health on any flight, but even more important on flights of more than a few hours. Don’t wait until you feel extremely thirsty to ask for something -- by that point you could already be on the road to dehydration and illness. Another good idea is to bring some bottles of water in your carry-on in case the crew is busy or not able to come to you right away -- there’s no waiting for a drink! I also stuck to water instead of sodas and liquor, as virtually everything except water and juice actually encourages dehydration.

MOVE ABOUT
It is extremely important to walk or move around every now and again- doing so keeps your circulation in good shape, avoiding serious medical complications. Again, you may not feel like you need it but if you wait until you do, problems may already be developing. About every 90 minutes, I walked for about 10 or 15 minutes. It certainly wasn’t a nice stroll in the park as even a big 777 doesn’t have a whole lot of room, but I made the best of it. I was able to peek in on the flight galley and catch all the goings-on as flight attendants took inventory. On top of that, I had some really nice conversations with other passengers who were doing the same. Be sure to take the opportunities to do this and visit the lavatory whenever possible. You never know when the flight will encounter turbulence.  I did make the mistake once when all that water caught up with me and I waited too long to get up. As I unbuckled my seat belt to hit the ladies room, turbulence reared it’s ugly head, the seat belt light came on, and I was very uncomfortable for the next half hour!

REST AND RELAX
If you encounter night-time hours on your flight, you will find the lights are dimmed to encourage you to rest. For me, this was by far the most difficult part of the whole trip as I really couldn’t get comfortable or relax to the point I could sleep. I was in the minority though, so you may be able to catch your zzz’s. At the very least, do try and make the effort. I did close my eyes and just rested the best I possibly could.

BUST THAT BOREDOM 
Most international flights have a pretty good arsenal of boredom-fighting diversions. Movies, music and television programming can distract one for hours -- after all, if you can sit on your couch for a whole evening watching a movie or TV, you can do it at 35,000 feet, too! Getting into a good movie can really help the time fly. Bring along that book you have been dying to read. Or you can do as I did and save up the past few weeks of your favorite magazine to read on the flight. You can take advantage of this zero time to do things you normally aren’t able to during life on the ground. Remember the days before e-mail when we actually put pen to paper? I wrote three letters during my flight to some friends I’d been meaning to catch up with. I mailed my letters while we were in London and after returning home, I got three phone calls from some delighted friends -- a pretty productive use of my time in the air!

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
Many planes are equipped with GPS tracking systems, showing you on your seatback monitor the route the plane is taking, the plane’s current location, and the cruising altitude. This became one of the best diversions for me. I would glance at where we were and guess how long it would take us to get somewhere else on the flight path. If I felt changes in altitude, I checked myself to see if things had changed or stayed the same. This entertained me for quite some time. 

BRING YOUR TOOTHBRUSH
Before leaving Arkansas, a friend of mine who had recently flown to Amsterdam told me, "Bring your toothbrush. It makes a world of difference." I did and she was so very right! I brushed my teeth, combed my hair, and reapplied deodorant a few hours before landing in London. Doing all of these little things gave me a little refresher that went a long, long way!

Flying certainly is the fastest way of getting where you want to go but the condition you find yourself in upon arrival makes a lot of difference in the first few days of a trip. Prepare well and take good care of yourself in flight to get the most out of your vacation!

by Dave Marx

Ah, if only we could dash off for another week on the Disney Magic! The ship returned from dry dock late last fall sporting a net-full of refurbished and re-purposed guest areas. The folks at Disney Cruise Line were good enough to show us around the ship one Saturday in November while it was docked in Port Canaveral, and we were very impressed with what we saw. The overall effect of these changes is a ship that is much friendlier for adults and teens, with no negative impact on its family- and child-friendliness.

The headline changes can be found right at the top, on decks 9 and 11. Disney has pulled the old switcheroo – the space that had been the ESPN Skybox, at the top of the forward "smokestack," has been converted into the new teen club, The Stack. In return, adults get two newly-refurbished spaces – the teens’ old Common Grounds lounge on deck 9 is now the Cove Café, and Off Beat, the dueling pianos bar on deck 3 has had a complete makeover into Diversions, a sports pub. The cruise line has also made some subtler changes to the Promenade Lounge on deck 3, and has added two sales offices for the Disney Vacation Club. Now, here are the details:

The Stack
Disney and its passengers learned that the original teen-only lounge, Common Grounds, wasn’t nearly large enough to provide a good home to the ship’s teen population. The lounge itself was very attractive and comfy, with a coffee bar, Internet terminals, projection TV, a great jukebox, and lots of cushy seating for reading, board games, or just hanging out. Dance? No floor space. Party? Much too small. Further, with no windows or glass doors, the room felt like a cave during the daylight hours. All too often, this meant the teen population just skipped Common Grounds altogether, and hung-out wherever they could.

The Stack changes all that. The former ESPN Skybox has been restyled, and offers much more space for the kind of activities teens want. The makeover is mostly cosmetic. The bar is still there, but naturally only serves non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. The big screen TVs are also all present, but they’re more likely to be showing music videos than sporting events. The main room is filled with small, round tables that can easily be moved aside for dancing and other group activities, and the ceiling drips with the lighting equipment required by a good dance club. The décor now sports bold splashes of color, gleaming stainless steel, and a mirrored wall draped with gauze curtains. The adjoining room, formerly filled with bleacher seats for watching the big game, now sports an open floor plan, with Internet terminals lining the walls. Plenty of sunlight pours in during the daytime. While we’re not teens, it’s clear to us that this should be a big improvement for everyone.

Cove Café
We smiled broadly when we entered the new Cove Café. Located on deck 9 right next to the adults-only Quiet Cove pool, Cove Café has helped turn the entire adults-only area into a whole new world. First, DCL took out the blow torches, and started cutting holes in the steel walls of the former Common Grounds teen lounge. A new, glass automatic double door opens right into the pool area, adjacent to the Signals bar. A new, second door lets in even more light on the lounge’s port side wall. To top it off, they added two large round windows. The overall effect is wonderful, creating a space that’s a daytime delight. You can now walk right in from poolside into the air conditioned space and take a seat at the comfortable bar, curl up with a book or magazine, or log onto the Internet. Amazingly, much of the décor hasn’t changed from when the teens owned this turf. The warm woods, Italianate plaster crown moldings, black stone bar-top and earth-tone upholstery exude the relaxed, cosmopolitan feel of the ship’s reservation-only restaurant, Palo and are much better suited to adults than teens. Cove Café is open from 10:00 am to Midnight. You can enjoy gourmet coffees and teas, cocktails, sandwiches, and desserts while you socialize, read, or watch TV. What’s more, they even have robes and slippers, for the ultimate in luxurious lounging. Out on deck, as a special added touch, they’ve erected a deck-to-ceiling, frosted glass privacy screen that clearly marks the beginning of "grown-up country." You’re really entering another world when you leave the Goofy Pool behind.

Diversions
Disney Cruise Line also brought their blow torches and decorating staff down to deck 3 forward. Off Beat, part of the Beat Street adult entertainment district, began as a comedy club, and switched over to a dueling pianos bar. While both entertainment options had their followings, the room was never really a hit. Well, the old décor is gone, the stage has been ripped out to reveal large, round windows, and DCL has brought in more of its characteristic Italian-style wood paneling, lots of stylishly comfortable seating, luxurious board game tables, and big, flat-screen TVs. Disney calls Diversions a "pub," but there’s nothing English about it. Those big windows now make this a very appealing daytime space. Operating hours vary (check your onboard Navigator), and it’s open to all ages until 9:00 pm, after which it’s adults only. This room takes over the ESPN Skybox’s turf for the big sporting events, but they’ve installed special air filtering equipment to keep the air fresh for the non-smokers in the family (smoking is allowed at the bar only; no cigars or pipes allowed). There’s still a full bar in the back of the room, and a Pub Master is on hand to host sporting events, trivia contests, piano sing-alongs, and talent contests. The checkers/chess/backgammon tables are especially appealing to us – we can’t wait to try them out.

Promenade Lounge
Unheralded in Disney’s press releases are a couple of smaller changes. The Promenade Lounge on deck 3 midship (between Parrot Cay and Lumiere’s), has been changed to greatly improve guest traffic flow in and out of the space. Previously, this long, narrow lounge could only be entered on the two extreme ends. Low, decorative railings separated the lounge from the adjoining main hallway, creating major bottle-necks when large numbers of guests arrived for entertainment events and the occasional bingo game. A relatively small change has wrought a major improvement here. A small stage (usually occupied by a two-piece band) that had been located halfway along the hallway railing has been moved to the opposite (inside) wall. Then, rather than keep things fenced-in, the railing in the old stage area was removed, affording much easier access to the heart of the lounge, and making the entire area feel much more airy. Meantime, the seats were reupholstered, making a subtle change to the room’s appearance.

DVC Sales Offices
Finally, in one more unheralded move up on deck 10 in the forward smokestack, the former ESPN Shop (which was quietly closed down years ago) has been replaced by two, glass-enclosed sales offices for the Disney Vacation Club (DVC). While this won’t mean much for most cruisers, I’m sure the folks at DVC are very happy to have a place to hang their hats.

Impressions
Overall, all these changes add up to an added air of luxury and elegance on this already classically-styled ship. Only time will tell whether the expanded teen spaces and the entertainment in Diversions will achieve the desired effects, but it’s easy to see that DCL is definitely on the right course. While there will always be adults-only cruisers that will shy away from DCL, currently 1/3 of all DCL cruisers are adult-only couples and singles. We can’t see how these new changes will do anything but good for DCL’s reputation in the cruising community. Maybe it’s still DCL fans’ little secret, but with Palo, the Quiet Cove pool, Cove Café, the Vista Spa and Beat Street, the Disney Magic may be one of the most adult-friendly large cruise ships afloat. And what about the Disney Wonder? You can expect similar modifications to the Wonder when it enters dry dock in the fall of 2004.