From the Authors:  Pop Century Update, Shore Excursion Survey, MouseFest 2004

Book Update: PassPorter Walt Disney World 2004 Update List

Disney Feature: Nine Dragons Restaurant Review

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips:  Digital Photo Storage, Stroller Protection, Postcard Exchange

Q&A: 30% Discount, Mail Order, Magic Kingdom on Mondays
 

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Updates:
What's New and Changed

See our comprehensive list of updates elsewhere in this newsletter!

>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:

CLEAR YOUR DIGITAL CAMERA STORAGE
"For all you digital photographers, here’s a great way to save time and money with your digital camera.  There is a Kodak Digital Machine at the Main Street Emporium in the Magic Kingdom where you can download pictures from your digital memory card and burn a CD, giving you the ability to reuse the same memory card if you can't download to a home computer right way. It’s very expensive, though -- $12.99 to burn a CD there. Here’s how I saved money: At the end of the day before we went back to our hotel (off-site) we stopped at a Walgreens Pharmacy which all have Kodak Digital Machines. This machine will let you download your pictures from your memory card and burn a CD for you for just $3.99 each. So over 3 days, I took 340 pictures with my camera on my two memory cards. I went to the Walgreens twice and arranged for CDs, so I could clear off my memory cards and have them ready for another day of Disney pictures!" -- contributed by Michael Hennigan (mhenigan@…)

PROTECT YOUR STROLLER
"Before traveling to Walt Disney World, visit your local ‘dollar store’ and purchase a clear plastic tablecloth. Then before going into/on ANY attraction in Walt Disney World, place the unfolded tablecloth over your stroller, completely covering it. Now if a quick and common rain shower drenches everything, your little one can still ride in a dry stroller all day. It works great – it rains a lot in Florida!" – Karen Sharp

EXCHANGE POSTCARDS
"Ask someone that you know is going to Walt Disney World before you to send a postcard to your children, writing that Mickey (or their favorite character) is looking forward to their visit. To repay that person for their kindness, ask if you can send their children a postcard saying that Mickey misses them and still remembers their great visit! A great place to find someone who will be in the World before you is on an internet message board like the one at passporterboards.com." -- Leanne Phelps (leanne@...)

>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

Karen asks:
"I purchased a Deluxe PassPorter in 2000 and refill in 2001. I believe I did register them, way back when. We are going back to Walt Disney World in March. I would like to get a 2004 refill. Am I eligible for the 30% discount?"

Jennifer answers:
"Absolutely! Anyone who has a previous copy of a PassPorter can get a 30% discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter guidebooks at our store. To get your coupons, just register your older copy at http://www.passporter.com/
register.htm. If you already registered your PassPorter, visit http://www.passporterstore.com/
store/findmycoupon.htm to lookup your coupons."

Debra asks:
"We had a wonderful visit to Disney World, but my daughter forgot to buy some postcards she really wanted from EPCOT. They had pictures of all of the countries represented in the World Showcase. I thought we might be able to buy them online, but I can't find anything but Disney toys. Any suggestions?"

Dave answers:
"Yes. Telephone Walt Disney World Merchandise Mail Order, at 407-353-5200. Their specialty is theme park merchandise. Be prepared with as detailed a description of the items as possible."

Tara asks:
"In the 2002 edition of the WDW PassPorter, you suggest visiting the Magic Kingdom on Sunday mornings. I had also read this somewhere else before we went in 2002, that Sundays were best because it is a travel day for most people and when they first arrive at WDW, they go to the Magic Kingdom first, which makes Mondays at the Magic Kingdom very busy. We went on Sunday in 2002 and it was not very crowded at all. Now, in the 2004 edition, you are suggesting the Magic Kingdom on Mondays. Why the change? Why are Mondays now less busy?"

Dave answers:
"When we wrote the 2002 edition, the old Early Entry program (now Extra Magic
Hour) had been suspended. By 2003 it had returned, as Extra Magic Hour, with
an entirely new schedule. That schedule change is what prompted our change
in advice.

Generally, the days a park hosts Early Entry/Extra Magic Hour are the busiest days for that park, and the day following Extra Magic Hour is one of its quietest days. Formerly, Saturday was an Early Entry day for Magic
Kingdom, which meant that Sunday (especially Sunday morning, when a significant number of people are in church) was a quiet day. Now, Sunday is an Extra Magic Hour day for Magic Kingdom, which gives people an incentive to be in the park on Sunday morning and increases overall park attendance. True to pattern, the following day (Monday) is a relatively quiet day at Magic Kingdom.

I don't completely buy into the arrival/departure day theory, although it does have some impact. Sunday is a busy departure day, but Saturday is probably a bigger arrival day than Sunday. I personally believe that things balance-out - Saturday arrivals visiting on Sunday compensate for the Sunday departures. Another factor that isn't addressed by this theory is visitation by area residents. Friday evening through Sunday afternoon is the biggest time for local visitors, and with Magic Kingdom being the most popular park, it's especially hard-hit on weekends. This makes any Monday at Magic Kingdom quiet when compared to the weekend."

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!

We’re fresh from our first stay at Pop Century Resort, Disney’s newest value resort. What did we think? We are very impressed, and we’re not normally big fans of value resorts. Yes, the buildings are painted in harsh neon colors and it lacks the "you-are-there" theme of moderate and deluxe resorts, but for the money this is easily overlooked. Just about everything at this resort seems one step above the All-Star Resorts – the décor is just a bit nicer, the theme pools are a bit more themed, the guest rooms are a bit classier. Even the television sets are larger. Bus service was quick and efficient, staff was friendly, food was well-prepared and varied, and the resort was interesting to explore. In fact, we found enough interesting details during our stay that we were inspired to put together a simple treasure hunt for those of you may like a rainy day activity. You’ll find the hunt and all the updated information available in our free, downloadable Pop Century update pages at http://www.passporter.com/wdw/popcentury.htm. The free pages are a complete revision of the four-page resort description we published in our 2004 edition, including the floor plan and maps. We've even included a 30-page treasure hunt!

Now that we’re back, we’re working hard on the next edition of our Disney Cruise Line guide. We expect it to become available sometime in mid to late April, and it will feature over 60 new pages of information. Readers have been asking for more shore excursion information in particular, so a good portion of our new pages will be concentrated in this area… but we need your help! We need your reviews of past shore excursions. If you’ve been on a Disney shore excursion, please take a moment to fill out our short survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=95393364020  . Everyone who submits a survey receives a coupon code good for 30% off the list price of our cruise guide (when purchased directly from PassPorter)! Our next cruise guide isn’t yet available for pre-order, but it will be within the month of February – watch this newsletter for an announcement!

Last but not least, we’re having another PassPorter Gathering this year, in conjunction with MouseFest 2004. We’ll do a four-night cruise from December 5-9, followed by four nights at Walt Disney World until December 13. Last year’s gathering was a blast, and this one promises to be even better! And folks who book the land package portion of their trip through MouseEarVacations.com get an invitation to a private dinner party at the Adventurers Club – how cool is that? To get more information and RSVP, please visit http://www.passporter.com/gathering.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 as quickly as 3-4 business days.

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

Throughout the year we maintain a list of updates for our guidebooks. Thanks to our latest visit to Walt Disney World, we have lots of updates for the new 2004 edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World. So grab your 2004 edition and check our update list below! You can also view this list (and others) online at www.passporter.com/customs/bookupdates.htm. A formatted PDF version of this list is also available for you to download, print, and tuck in your PassPorter (download here). Use this update list and you can brag that you have the most up-to-date guidebook there is!

Pages vi, vii, 7 - The All Ears Net (formerly WDWIG) web site is now located at http://www.allearsnet.com (instead of http://www.wdwig.com).

Pages 7, 11 - DisneyDollarless is now called The Magic for Less, and is located at http://www.themouseforless.com.

Page 17 - In fall 2003, Orlando International Airport opened a new food court in the center of the main terminal -- it features Carvel, Chick-Fil-A, Fresh Attractions, Krispy Kreme, McDonald's, Nathan's, Sbarro, and Zyng's Noodlery (plus more than 200 species of tropical fish in a 3000 gallon tank). We also noticed that two new full-service restaurants are coming to the terminal this summer -- Romano's Macaroni Grill and a sports bar. A new Borders bookstore also opened in the terminal last year, and it stocks PassPorter guidebooks!

Page 34 - Some refillable mugs now cost as much as $12/mug, such as those at Pop Century Resort. The word is that all mug prices are gradually being increased to $12.

Page 40 - Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort concierge guests have a new tour -- the Wanyama Sunset Safari! Three nights a week, up to 8 concierge-level guests of the hotel (adult only) can get up-close and personal with the animals and birds that roam the savannahs around the hotel. The tour is conducted in an open-air safari van, and is followed by a South African feast with wine pairing at Jiko. The three-hour tour starts at 4:00 pm on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays and is $150/person (including dinner). Concierge guests may make reservations at 407-938-4755.

Page 48 - The playground on the Parrot Cay island at Caribbean Beach Resort has moved. It is now on the beach, across from the main pool.

Page 66 - Concierge rooms at the Grand Floridian Resort are now housed in Sugar Loaf Key (not Sago Key), in addition to the main building.

Pages 75-78 - After a two-year wait, Pop Century, Disney's newest value-priced resort has finally opened! We visited this resort in late January, and have fully updated the resort description that appears on pages 75-78 of PassPorter Walt Disney World 2004 to reflect what we've learned. You can view and download a free, fully updated version of those four pages at http://www.passporter.com/wdw/popcentury.htm. And for extra fun, we've even created a special Pop Century Scavenger Hunt that's included at the same page.

Page 85 - Port Orleans French Quarter is re-opening on March 21, 2004.

Page 99 - The Dolphin Resort is home to two new restaurants: Fresh and bluezoo. See our reviews of these later in this update chart.

Page 104 - The Courtyard by Marriott is now a Holiday Inn (web site: http://www.holidayinnwdw.com). The change occurred on December 28, 2003. Holiday Inn plans to redecorate the lobby and the guest rooms sometime in 2004. The phone number is 407-828-8888.

Page 133 - For an updated description and review of Mickey's PhilharMagic, visit http://www.passporter.com/articles/philharmagic.htm  .

Page 135 - The new Stitch attraction will actually be called "Stitch's Great Escape." The story line introduces us to Experiment 626 (Stitch), back before he was sent to Earth. The attraction's guests will be recruited to provide extra "security" for this troublesome prisoner. Naturally, Stitch escapes, to spread playful havoc.

Page 143 - Spaceship Earth - The Global Neighborhood post-show area still mentions AT&T, despite the lapsed sponsorship. About a third of the hands-on exhibits have closed, though.

Page 143 - The Wonders of Life is currently closed for rehab. Potted shrubs block the entrance. The pavilion is expected to re-open seasonally, and it sounds like the Pure & Simple cafe and shops will close permanently.

Page 145 - At The Living Seas, a colorful new sculpture display featuring the cast of Finding Nemo now graces the entrance plaza at The Living Seas. Although we didn't witness it, this area also hosts a character meet-and-greet featuring everyone's reef-y friends. For the first time Epcot's ever-present seagulls don't seem out of place, even when they're not squawking, "Mine, mine, mine...." Inside the Living Seas, Nemo and friends have taken over the tropical reef exhibit in delightful style, with Nemo-themed interpretive signs and tanks full of the real creatures that inspired the motion picture. Alas, beyond this little cove, the rest of the "seas" continues as if Nemo had never been hatched.

Page 145 - Food Rocks at The Land is now permanently closed (to make way for Soarin' in 2005).

Page 150 - The Land is geared-up for the arrival of Soarin' (presented by Nestle) in 2005, which was officially announced late in 2003. Construction cranes and the attraction's steel framework can be seen rising between Imagination Pavilion and The Land. Food Rocks has rolled off into oblivion to make way for the entrance to the new attraction.

Page 154 (map) - "Backstage Pass" is actually "The Making of The Haunted Mansion Movie," and is located in Sound Stage 4, to the immediate left of Walt Disney: One Man's Dream.

Page 159 - "Backstage Pass" is actually "The Making of The Haunted Mansion Movie." The attraction lasts 17 minutes and includes a film and a guided tour of the movie's ballroom set, complete with sound and lighting effects. Scare factor: brief darkness. No photography allowed. Wheelchair accessible, film is closed-captioned.

Page 159 - The Studios Backlot Tour will be closed until April 2004, presumably to accommodate construction for the new Auto Stunt Show attraction opening in 2005.

Page 159 - New York Street - Construction fencing blocks views of the ground floors of many New York Street facades while rehab work continues. Meantime, at the far end of the street you can see the new sets for the auto stunt show rising in the distance. Even the old Back Lot Theater (former home of The Hunchback of Notre Dame) is getting a new front. Inside, the theater has become a warehouse for the temporarily-orphaned Osborne lights.

Page 159 - The Magic of Disney Animation continues, despite the closing of the Walt Disney Feature Animation studios earlier in January. Visitors can view the permanently-empty animators' desks where Lilo and Stitch and Brother Bear came to life. The closing of the studio didn't eliminate the presence of animators at the attraction, though. A real, live animator still gives lessons as part of the attraction. The attraction starts in the Drawn to Animation Theater, for a nine-minute presentation featuring a live animator and a filmed Mushu (from Mulan). Following a brief question-and-answer session with another tour guide, guests can walk through the animation studio display area at their own pace. Finally, guests can enter the Animation Academy, where 38 Mickey-styled animation easels await, and a live Disney animator conducts classes in how to draw one of a variety of Disney characters. Guests can repeat this section as often as they wish, to learn to draw the various characters. No photography. Animation Academy can be accessed through the Animation Gallery shop.

Page 188 - Admission to DisneyQuest is NOT included as an option on the Park Hopper Plus passes.

Page 209 - Coral Reef restaurant's hours are noon-3:00 pm and 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

Page 209 - The Electric Umbrella quick-service restaurant has a revamped menu, including a passable Reuben sandwich and a club sandwich on Foccacia bread, to go along with the burgers and chicken strips. Hours are from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Page 211 - Read our review of our most recent meal at Nine Dragons at http://www.passporter.com/articles/ninedragons.htm. We were so impressed by the meal that we've increased our ratings to a 7 (Jennifer) and an 8 (Dave).

Page 221 - The Earl of Sandwich shop has yet to open. We managed to peek through the windows and discovered little more than an empty space and a stack of blueprints. We hope this shop does open, but things aren't looking very hopeful at the moment.

Page 223 - We also ate at Planet Hollywood for the first time in a long time. Although some of the Hollywood memorabilia and video clips have been updated, some other parts of the restaurant are showing their age. Our meals were satisfying, but nothing particularly special -- no change to the "5" ratings from both Jennifer and Dave.

Page 229     - Fresh is a new buffet restaurant serving breakfast and lunch at the Dolphin Resort. We dined at Fresh in December, and were totally delighted with the quality and variety of the foods offered. As the name implies, everything is freshly-prepared, with an emphasis on light and fresh flavors. That doesn't mean the food is wimpy -- far from it. Everything we sampled was full-flavored and full-bodied. You'll find a wide range of cuisines represented, with the biggest emphasis on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern. The chefs stand right behind the counter, cooking and encouraging guests to try everything. Like Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Fresh offers high quality, adventuresome dining without neglecting the tastes of less worldly eaters. Jennifer's Rating:  Dave's Rating: 7

Page 229 - bluezoo, a seafood restaurant under the direction of celebrity chef Todd English, opened in January at the Dolphin Resort. The menu is inventive and upscale (price range similar to Flying Fish Cafe at the BoardWalk Resort), and the decor dark, suave and sophisticated. Open only for dinner, the restaurant and busy bar were noisy (a convention was in town), and service was still coming up to speed when we visited in January 2004 soon after the grand opening. The comparison with Flying Fish Cafe is apt - the offerings are similarly inventive and are as expertly prepared, but with a very different touch that to us seemed more "urban sophisticate" and a bit less "Disney-accessible." Jennifer's rating: 7  Dave's Rating: 8. Priority Seating recommended. Business Casual attire, no children's menu(!)

Page 232 - The caption on the photo incorrectly identifies the princess as Cinderella; that's actually Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty.


Have an update or correction for us? Please e-mail us feedback@passporter.com

by Dave Marx

After a long hiatus, we returned to Nine Dragons restaurant, in Epcot's China Pavilion. The recently revised lunch and dinner menus drew us back, and now that we've sampled, we'll be coming back for more! While we were able to list those new menu items in the latest edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World, we hadn't had a chance to taste them. Naturally, this also meant we couldn't update our old ratings. Well, after a totally delightful lunch in late January, we can finally revise those numbers, in a big way. Jennifer's rating goes from a "2" to a "7," and Dave's goes from a "4" to an "8!" The reason for the change is that the revised menus offer a wider range of out-of-the-ordinary offerings, and the preparation and quality finally justify the high, Midtown New York City prices. While you'll still pay far, far less in Chinatown or the local strip mall, you'd be quite fortunate to find a local Chinese establishment that compares.

What has us kvelling (rhapsodizing) so much? Let's tell you about our recent lunch, where we went sampling-crazy. Not only did we order the lunch sampler for two ($29), but we also ordered three items from the dim sum menu. Either would have made a full lunch, so as good as it all was, we couldn't finish the half of it.

The lunch sampler offers some tasty but safe selections for the couple with "regular" tastes (there's also a menu for four suited to similar tastes). Jennifer chose the Shanghai wonton soup to start - a flavorful, superior broth and a garnish of fresh Chinese parsley elevated this war horse above the mundane. Dave began with hot and sour soup, which again was a cut above the ordinary. The sampler was rounded out by three entrees, each portion sufficient for one, so had we finished all three (and it was a temptation), we would have looked like Winnie the Pooh. Dave's favorite among the three was the sesame chicken. The small morsels of battered and deep-fried chicken were covered in a crispy honey glaze, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It was easily the best version of sesame chicken he's ever had (and with that luscious hunny, we're sure Pooh would agree!)

Jennifer's favorite was the sautéed beef and peppers. Old-time Cantonese restaurant goers might just think "pepper steak" and move on, but even jaded Chinese food fan Dave agrees that the julienned red and green peppers and onions, and the flavorful, well-balanced brown sauce rose above commonplace versions.

The third item took a back seat on both of our lists. The shrimp with cashew nuts was just "OK." Still a cut above average, but this was a case where they didn't find a way to distinguish the medium shrimp, diced celery and cashew nuts in a light brown sauce.

Between the soup and entrees, we had several dim sum selections. Dim sum, or "touch the heart" is Chinatown's version of Spanish tapas and Japanese sushi. These small (usually) appetizer-sized portions are a staple of Chinatown lunchrooms. The menu at Nine Dragons offers nearly two dozen choices, including a variety of steamed and fried dumplings, spring rolls, stir-fried and pickled veggies, traditional sweets like deep-fried sesame seed balls and steamed buns with red bean filling, savory meats (crispy roast duckling, chicken breast marinated in wine, spicy beef shank), steamed tofu with shrimp, and several noodle dishes. Prices range from $3.95 - $14.95. Our Chaozhu steamed dumplings ($3.95) were plump, translucent packets of rice noodle dough stuffed with a flavorful mixture of minced veggies and peanuts - no dipping sauce was supplied, or needed. A cold plate of sweet and spicy cucumber salad ($3.95) was the perfect between-item palate-cleanser for our sampling odyssey - its sugar, rice vinegar, shredded ginger and red pepper marinade was perfectly balanced for Dave's taste, but a mite spicy for Jennifer. Finally, the crispy duckling ($7.95). The huge portion of carefully cut-up, bone-in duck approached perfection. All too often, crispy duck is incinerated in deep fat to produce a thick, crunchy, greasy crust and dried-out meat, or comes out with browned-but-soggy-and-fatty skin. Here, the duck came out golden brown, with light, delicately crisp outer skin, nearly no fat beneath that skin, and wonderfully moist and flavorful meat below. While the duck was accompanied by the traditional dish of hoisin dipping sauce, it was hardly required (dip sparingly). Whew! This is the new benchmark by which Dave will compare all Chinese duck.

Now, either the sampler meal or the three dim sum items could have made a satisfying lunch (well soup and four or five dim sum would have been heaven), but we were here to sample and scout. Dim sum is the perfect solution for a table full of food-loving friends. While the little plates aren't wheeled around on a cart, Chinatown-style, you can keep ordering item after item, as your whim and appetite permit. The dim sum lunch certainly offers more adventure than the regular menu that lists familiar Cantonese and Szechwan favorites like sweet & sour pork, Kung Bao chicken, moo gu gai pan, scallops with black bean sauce, and mu shu pork. Still, if the familiar beckons, be assured that it won't disappoint.

Next on our agenda is a dinner at Nine Dragons. You see, after the wonderful duck at lunch, Dave can't wait to try the Three Course Peking Whole Duck Dinner, which is served only at dinner. What's remarkable here is that you can order this Chinese classic at whim - the few restaurants that serve the "real thing" often require a 24-hour-in-advance order. Alas, the selection of dim sum at dinner is much smaller, so you just may have to make two visits to Nine Dragons to sample its many pleasures.