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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: Thank You Subscribers!
Travel Feature: Macau
Disney Feature: Walt Disney World On A Budget: Souvenirs
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: On Demand Disney, "Lost" Labels, Start Stepping
Captain's Corner: Battle Brag
PassPorter PhotoPick: Tinker Bell Topiary
Q and A: Where can I get Tinker Bell's autograph?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
The list of Star Wars "alumni" appearing at this year's Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios in June has been announced. Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok) will be emceeing the event and will appear all four weekends. The current schedule of appearances (subject to change) is:
June 6 - 8: Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett) and Daniel Logan (Young Boba Fett)
June 13-15: Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and David Prowse (Darth Vader)
June 20-22: Amy Allen (Aayla Secura) and Matthew Wood (General Grievous)
June 27-29: Jake Lloyd (Young Anakin Skywalker) and Dave Filoni (Director of the upcoming animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Beginning May 4, the daily charge for internet access at DVC resorts will be waived for DVC members staying using points. The charge will remain in effect for those guests who are renting DVC points, DVC members staying at non-DVC resorts, and guests with conventional hotel reservations.
The Sounds Like Summer Concert Series which features "tribute" bands, returns to the America Gardens Theatre at Epcot June 9 - August 10, 2008. Concerts are at 5:45, 7:00, and 8:00 pm on the nights listed below. The first half of the schedule of bands appearing has been released. The line-up (subject to change) is:
June 9-15: 2U (a U2 tribute band)
June 16-22: Stayin' Alive (a Bee Gees tribute band)
June 23-29: Hotel California (an Eagles tribute band)
June 30-July 10: Bjorn Again (an ABBA tribute band)
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!
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Disney Tips:
From Fellow Readers
Our readers deliver a wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:
ON DEMAND DISNEY
"Check out your cable provider's channel line-up and On Demand programming. Currently The Travel Channel and Discovery on Demand have complimentary shows available On Demand. The Travel Channel also airs hour-long Disney specials on each of the parks that come on periodically. You can record these for continued watching."
-- contributed by Christine H.
"LOST" LABELS
"During my family's first trip to Walt Disney World, I was paranoid about losing my children. I have a four year-old girl and a two year-old boy who are very curious! What I did was print stickers on the computer before we left. Each one had a small picture of the child with their name, age, hotel, my name, and my cell phone number. I put the sticker on inside of the back of their shirts, up by their neck. They never did get lost but this sure alleviated my fears."
-- contributed by Brian M.
START STEPPING
"I started climbing stairs to get in shape for our cruise next spring. I want to be able to go up two to three decks without waiting for elevator this year. I hope to be in good enough shape to go from deck one to twelve in 2009!"
-- contributed by Richard W.
Send us your tips! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter!
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 or the PassPorter store. 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.
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Captain's Corner:
Treasure Hunting Game
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. (Please note: Players can win once every 3 months.)
Here is this week's journal entry:
"My friend Buzz asked me recently to help him fight his nemesis. He's given me a vehicle and weapon, and I must admit I've taken a shining to battle. I feel so powerful! After about 328 flights, I'm proud to say that I'm now flying and fighting at peak form, topping the leaderboard among my fellow pilots. To infinity and beyond!"
What is the maximum score you can earn at the attraction the Captain speaks of? For bonus credit, locate the photographic evidence in the PassPorter Photo Archive and post a comment with the photo!
Send your full answer to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the winner will be notified by e-mail and announced in a future newsletter, along with the correct answer!
Congratulations to Robert B. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Robert was the first person to identify the chef offering editing and catering services at Disney's Hollywood Studios as The Swedish Chef. To view the original clue, see last week's newsletter.
If you enjoy treasure hunts, we've got an entire book with over 100 distinct treasure hunts and over 1500 questions, complete with clues and contributions from Captain Jack Skatt. Get more details on "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" book at http://www.passporterstore.com.
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PassPorter PhotoPick
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:
Tinker Bell Topiary
contributed by dawn68
(click the photo or link to see a larger photo with details)
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.
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Q and A:
With Jennifer and Dave
momof3inga asks: "My daughter is obsessed with Tinker Bell. Is there a place to meet her at any of the parks?"
Jennifer and Dave answer: "The basic problem getting an autograph from Tink is that she's so tiny. The normal, big-barreled autographing pen most of us carry around would seem like a tree trunk to her (even a sewing needle is taller than she is). There have been fairly strong rumors for over a year that Imagineering has been working on a way to shrink the guests (and their pens) so that everyone's the same size as Tink for the meet-and-greet. You may think, 'Wouldn't it be easier to just make Tink bigger?' Yes, I'm sure she could get some cookies and a bottle of special potion from Alice in Wonderland, but I'm figuring Imagineering feels it would seem less magical to meet a human-sized Tink, so they're going about things the hard way. I guess they haven't yet managed to work out the kinks (but if you've been to Honey I Shrunk the Audience, you already know that).
At least, that's what you can tell the kids (the small ones, and the ones that won't grow up). "
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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Future Newsletters:
Want To See Your Name in Print?
PassPorter News is published weekly, and this means we're always in need of articles! We're on the lookout for guest columnists who want to contribute articles to this newsletter. No professional writing experience is 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 for use at www.passporter.com.
For details and our article submission guidelines, please e-mail news@passporter.com. Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed!
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Our Sponsors:
We Recommend...
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 -- PassPorter's Decade of Dreams Offer
MouseEarVacations.com -- Disney Cruise Line Special Offers
Quicksilver Tours &Transportation -- Save $5 off airport round-trip transportation in a town car
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From the Authors: Thank You, Subscribers!
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Did you know that there are more than 38,000 weekly subscribers to this newsletter? Some of you have been with us for many years, and others are still new to the PassPorter community. We'd like to thank all of you for your continued support and readership, and hope we'll continue to live up to your expectations. Did you know that we have a fantastic, categorized archive of feature articles from past editions of our newsletters, and a complete archive of our newsletters with Tips, Updates, Q and A, Captain's Corner, PhotoPicks, and these wonderful "From the Authors" columns, going back to 2002? You'll find links to the Articles collection near the top of nearly every page of the PassPorter web site, but only newsletter subscribers get a link to the newsletter archive, which can be found at the bottom of every newsletter. Also at the bottom of your newsletter, you'll find a special Discount Coupon Code, good for 20% off PassPorter books and e-books purchased from the PassPorter Store. It pays to be a subscriber, so if you have a friend or relative who might appreciate a free subscription, please send them to http://www.passporter.com/news.htm to sign up!
PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line and its Ports of Call 2008 is in stock! All orders of our cruise guide ship the next business day.
Our newest e-book, PassPorter's Answer Book: Expert Answers to Common Disney and Travel Questions is now available to PassPorter's Club passholders as a regular benefit of membership, and it is available for order (and immediate download) in the PassPorter store to everyone! This is a great compendium of helpful information from the same experts who help folks day in and day out at the PassPorter message board community, our message board Guides.
Attention Southern Californians! What will you be doing this weekend? PassPorter Travel Press will be exhibiting at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27, 2008. Dave will be on hand to represent us. He'll have selected PassPorter books available for sale, autographing pen in hand, and we're holding a PassPorter Meet Sunday between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm (come join the discussion at the PassPorter message boards). Admission to the festival is free (parking is $8.00), so it's quite a deal! If you can get to the UCLA campus, we'd love to see you there! We're in booth 657, in Zone F - Dickson Court North.
Will you be joining us for PassPorter's Decade of Dreams Tour? PassPorter is celebrating our 10th anniversary in 2009 in a year-long celebration from coast-to-coast! Everyone is invited and all are warmly welcome to join us at all or part of our celebration. We are combining small parties (meets) with grand, multi-day trips, including a 7-night Disney Cruise, a 4-night stay at Walt Disney World, and a Disneyland visit that includes park time and an Adventures by Disney expedition. See our Tour Schedule for the latest details.
PassPorter's Club Update
Nearly 1400 vacationers are now enjoying access to all our e-books, e-worksheets, and super-sized photo archive images.Thank you for your continued support!
Our newest e-book, PassPorter's Answer Book is now available for download. This 85-page e-book is full of the detailed, up-to-date information on the topics that really matter to you.
We have two brand-new e-worksheets for you to use to plan your next trip (click the link to go directly to them): the Daily Meal Log e-worksheet and the Deluxe Dining Plan e-worksheet!
More details at http://www.passporter.com/club
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In this issue, our globetrotting Featured Columnist, Cheryl Pendry, takes us back to the Far East this week for a vist to Macau. Then our other Featured Columnist, Sue Kulick, wraps-up her four-part series on Walt Disney World on a Budget. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt. Have a great week!
Dave and Jennifer Marx
PassPorter Authors
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Travel Feature:
Macau: More Than The Las Vegas of the East
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
There can't be many places in the world that so thoroughly mix the cultures of two very different nations from two different continents. Macau is one of those few places.
Located in China, although classified as a Special Administrative Region the same as Hong Kong, Macau was handed back over to the Chinese in 1999 by the Portuguese, who had ruled the area for 500 years. With no visa required to visit the city from other parts of China, that makes it a very popular day trip from Hong Kong, but it's also a huge attraction for the mainland Chinese. The reason is simple; Macau is now known as the Las Vegas of Asia, and with very good reason.
If you arrive on the regular ferry service from Hong Kong, which takes just over an hour, the first sight that will greet you is the Sands casino. You don't have to go far before you see billboards for other famous-name casinos, such as the Wynn, Bellagio, and MGM Grand, so the link to Las Vegas is soon obvious. This is something that is only going to keep growing, with around 27 million gamblers visiting Macau last year from mainland China. It's easy enough for them to get here, with complimentary shuttle buses offered from across the border. And it's a short trip, with China easily seen just a short distance away across one of the rivers around Macau. With that sort of potential audience, it's no surprise to learn that more casinos are being built all the time.
But there is much more to Macau than just gambling. The city has a fascinating history and everywhere you look, you can see the influence of the former European rulers, from the street signs written in Portuguese and Chinese, to the Mediterranean-style buildings that are littered throughout the different districts.
The history really starts at the A-Ma Temple, dedicated to a Taoist sea goddess and completed in 1488, as this is where the Portuguese first came ashore in the early 1550s. They quickly adopted the name for the city they had discovered and, eventually, A-Ma became Macau. Today, the temple is still standing and attracts people wishing to pay their respects. The sensation you get here when you walk in, like many of the other temples we visited in Hong Kong, is one of serenity. You're also greeted by an intense aroma of incense, which can easily overwhelm you.
Fast forward to the early 1600s and a church, Sao Paulo, was built in Macau, but the site they chose was obviously not a good one. Not long after it was constructed, fire ripped through the building. Undeterred, the church was rebuilt and stood proudly on the site for the next 200 years, until history repeated itself and fire broke out again. This time, they were able to save some of the building and, in particular, the main facade at the entrance, but it proved impossible to re-build the rest of the church, so today those ruins are all that remain.
It is an odd sight to see what is essentially one wall of a building, just standing there, propped up. It's a great shame, as you can see from the detail on the brickwork just how exquisite the whole church must have been. The intricate stone carvings were created by Japanese Christian exiles and as a result, the carvings have some unusual features, such as skeletons; not what you're used to seeing on a church.
Walk down the steps in front of the church to the square beyond and you're in the heart of Macau, the Largo do Senado or the Senate Square. The most stunning feature is, unusually, right beneath your feet. The whole square has been paved with a bold Portuguese wave pattern mosaic. Not only is it exceptionally striking, it also helps to create the atmosphere of a Mediterranean town.
That impression is helped by the fact that the square is surrounded by some beautiful buildings, one of which is St. Dominic's Church, which dates from the early 17th century. Its cream and white exterior is typical of exactly the type of churches we saw during our Mediterranean cruise, and we did find ourselves feeling as if we were on a shore excursion from the Disney Magic as we stood in the square. We're not the only ones to be impressed with the historic center of Macau, as it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, as part of that listing, there are plans in place to demolish some of the less desirable buildings a little further away and replace them with more squares and replicas of historic buildings. It's very refreshing to see that the government here obviously takes its history very seriously and wants to preserve it for future generations and visitors.
There are many other glimpses of the Portuguese impact on the city, from the beautiful Governor's residence to the city's number one souvenir, Portuguese egg custard tarts - and having sampled one, I can see why most people who come here feel the need to try them and then leave with some. They were exceptionally good!
But one of the final gifts the Portuguese left for Macau was the Kun Lam statue, a popular Buddhist goddess, on the seafront. It's an intriguing piece of art and perhaps a fitting final gift for the former rulers to hand over.
It is possible Macau is at a crossroads. It is clear that there is a will to preserve it's very unique history, but it is also clear that the vast majority of visitors who come here are heading for those big-name casinos, which will just continue to multiply. While the casino guests of course bring money into the economy, it's a shame that most of them remain blissfully unaware of what else Macau has to offer - and I'm very glad we took the time to discover that for ourselves.
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America. They are in the process of visiting every Disney theme park around the world, having already spent a day in Disneyland Resort Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland so far this year. They are looking forward to returning to America in October to visit both Walt Disney World and Disneyland in California.
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Did you enjoy this article? Have questions? E-mail us at news@passporter.com or visit http://www.passporterboards.com to discuss your travel plans. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
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Disney Feature:
Walt Disney World On A Budget: Souvenirs & Other Discounts
by Sue Kulick, PassPorter Featured Columnist
(This is the final installment of our four part "Walt Disney World On A Budget" series. If you're just joining us, catch up by reading Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.)
Well, we are almost done! This article is about inexpensive souvenirs, and even more discounts.
So our fictional family of four has had a memorable, reasonably priced vacation. They've enjoyed all that Walt Disney World has to offer, and they traveled well. They ate many wonderful meals. They saved money and still had a great trip. Now, our family wants to remember their trip, but they really don't want to spend a fortune on a Mickey sweatshirt or a plush Pluto. How to cherish the memories without breaking the bank?
One of the best free souvenirs you can collect is a map of each park. You can pick these up for free at the entrance to each park, as well as at your resort. Pick these up at the end of the day, so that they are in good condition for the trip home. If you'd like to remember a special meal, you can also ask for a copy of the menu. Most restaurants will give you a copy, and it makes a nice souvenir, as well as a great scrapbook item.
You can also collect pressed pennies. These are typically 51 cents. You provide the penny and pay 50 cents to press it. Each machine will show you the pictures available to press on the penny. Kids love to collect these, and they are easy to find, easy to collect, and easy to transport home. (Bring a little zip-top sandwich bag to transport them safely home in your suitcase). Postcards make great souvenirs, and they are also easy to transport home. You can get some great ones at Walt Disney World, and many others off-property.
There is a store in Downtown Disney called "Mickey's Mart," where everything is less than $10. Check out the World of Disney Store at Downtown Disney. There is usually a clearance rack, and also, there are usually many items that are not too expensive. One of our favorite souvenirs is of the edible kind. There are cookies, candy, Mickey-shaped pasta, coffee, and many other delectable goodies at a fair price. If you really want to bring home a T-shirt or a sweatshirt, try venturing off property. Orlando is surrounded by outlets, and they are much cheaper than the shops at WWalt Disney WorldDW. Try Character Outlet for great deals!
One of the best souvenirs you can bring back is pictures! You can pick up a single-use camera for about $5 (get them at home before you go) and give one to each child. The memories seen through their eyes will be priceless. Bring along your digital camera, and upload the photos to your computer. If you want to share your trip with family and friends, you can send them the link to your memories. This is much less expensive and more personal then bringing them something that they will only display when you come over to visit!
Now that the souvenirs are bought, it's time to return home. If you are driving home, remember to load your cooler up with ice for the trip, and repack your food, drinks and snacks. If you are flying, you will probably not want to transport foods that might spoil, but you should be able to pack your dry food in your suitcase. If you rented a car, fill it up before you bring it back. An empty tank can cost you a fortune, as the rental companies expect the car to be returned full. If you are flying, try to eat before you arrive at the airport. Airport cafes are usually quite over-priced. You can bring some snacks on the plane, but remember that you can't bring water or liquid through the security check point.
And so, our Walt Disney World vacation comes to an end.
There are a few other places to check for discounts. Apply for an Orlando Magic Card online before you make any plans. This card, issued by the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, gives you discounts on dining, hotels and attractions. If you are a member of AAA/CAA, you can check for discounts with membership. For all the latest in discount codes, you can't beat Mary Waring's site, Mousesavers.com. Mary does all the research and comes up with many discount codes. Try Googling "Orlando discounts" to see what you can find. I found the following sites: Orlando Savings, Orlando:About, and Free Orlando Coupons. All these sites offer discount coupons for dining, attractions and hotels.
So there you have it -- a Disney vacation that won't have you re-mortgaging the house and a wonderful world of family memories that your children (and you) will remember forever. Plus, it comes with bragging rights -- you did it all and stayed within your budget!
About the Author: Sue Kulick is a resident of the Pocono Mountains and an avid Disney fan. She and her husband, Steve, live in a log home with their Golden Retrievers, Cody and Belle and their cats Tigger, Rocky, and Adrian.
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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 vacation plans. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
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