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 In
This Newsletter
From the Authors:
Thank You!
Travel Feature: Madison County: More Than Bridges
Disney Feature: Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Updates: What's
New and Changed
Tips: Another Pin Plan, Super Sleep Solution, Good Dog (Tag)
Captain's Corner: Strange Seat
Q&A: How do I handle my fear of Soarin'?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Updates:
What's
New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
Tusker House
at Disney's Animal Kingdom will be closing on August 20 and re-opening
on November 17, 2007 as a buffet service restaurant featuring a
character breakfast starring Donald Duck. This meal will replace Donald's Breakfastosaurus which will be offered for the last time on November 5, 2007. Restaurantosaurus will continue to serve lunch.
The Disney Cruise Line
has added some new "pizzazz" for guests on the Mediterranean sailings
commencing next week. (The Disney Magic is currently en route to the
Mediterranean on it's east-bound trans-Atlantic sailing!) With three
brand new theater shows and two new deck parties, it sounds like
guests on these cruises are in for an amazing trip! For more details,
check out the Disney Cruise Line News web site.
Today Disney announced cable TV viewers can get a new, interactive look at Disney's parks and resorts with a new service premiering on Cablevision and Time Warner. The new service debuts later this month. "Disney Travel On Demand" will offer four new series: "Making the Magic," "Disney Fact or Fiction," "Dream Makers," and "Disney Travel Insiders." Cablevision viewers can use an interactive "Talk to Agent" feature that generates a telephone call-back from a Disney travel agent. For more information, view the press release.
Update to the CARES article from the May 3 issue of PassPorter News: We
received an e-mail from Louise Stoll, creator of the CARES in-flight
harness system. Louise advised us that the latest model of CARES, the
only one currently available for purchase, has been widened to better
accommodate first-class seats. She also filled us in on a little of the
background behind the "Crotch-strap" debate: "Jennifer's review was comprehensive and accurate
- on the whole very very good and I am delighted with her comments. The bit
about wishing there were a "crotch strap"to keep the child from
sliding requires a bit of background. I initially proposed a crotch strap in one of
my several early iterations for CARES which, given that there is no hook on the
bottom of the airplane seat to attach it to, had to go either between the
child's legs, or around each leg separately, and up his backside and attach to
the red loop - basically placing him in a kind of sling between his legs. There
is no other way to attach the back end of a crotch strap. The FAA believed that a child could get injured in turbulence or a short stop by the crotch strap and I understood their point and
think they were right to proceed without it. During the certification process
the FAA did serious dynamic testing with instrumented dummies in CARES and in the
lap belt alone to look for evidence of "submarining" - the sliding
down that Jennifer described her child doing. With the lap belt alone
submarining was a problem. With CARES, the FAA found no evidence of submarining
when both the lap belt and the shoulder straps were snugged down properly. I advise
them to snug all the belts and straps down a bit, and, of course, if the child
does slip down to do as Jennifer did - reposition the child, be sure all the
webbing belts are properly positioned, and then snug everything down." Our thanks to Louise for the information!
Our thanks to AllEars.net
and Mouseplanet.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
Our readers deliver a wealth of information! Here
are the winners in this month's tip contest:
ANOTHER PIN PLAN
"After purchasing all of the wonderful pins that Walt Disney World had
to offer, I didn't want to put them away only to be seen once in
awhile. I went to the local office supply store and bought a cork
board. It hangs on the wall in our home office and I can remember all
of the great memories from our various trips and start to dream about
our next vacation. This way Disney never seems to far away."
-- contributed by Lois L.
SUPER SLEEP SOLUTION
"Does your wallet love the Value and Moderate resorts but your back
hates the mattresses on the beds? Mine definitely does. I'm a
'princess and the pea' kind of sleeper and every time I slept on the
mattresses at a Value or a Moderate I'd wake up super-cranky and in
pain.
For this trip, we were staying at the Pop Century and this time around
I brought a 1 ½ inch memory foam mattress topper I bought from
Target with me in a garment bag. I folded the topper into thirds
lengthwise and it tucked into my garment bag! The memory foam
compresses for easy-packing. Since the sheets on the beds at
Disney resorts aren't fitted, I was able to pull the mattress sheet
back, plop my memory foam on the bed then pull the sheet back all nice
and neat. Now I had a soft, comfortable bed that put me to sleep in 4.5
seconds. And after your trip you can use them on your bed at
home. I know I do!"
-- contributed by Bartricia W.
GOOD DOG (TAG)
"We had a small dog tag engraved with our six-year-old's name and put
our cell phone numbers on it. We bought a reasonably priced silver
chain. We instructed our son that if he got lost, he should find a cast
member (we told him to look for the name tag) and show them the dog
tag. Thankfully, we didn't have to use it, but it was nice to know that
if we were separated, even if he got frazzled, we would easily be
reunited. You can make the tags at any large pet supermarket type
store."
-- contributed by Nancy P.
Notes: 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.
Here is this week's journal entry:
"I stumbled across the most unusual chair this morning. It was a high chair -- quite difficult to hoist myself up onto -- with weird footrests. I'm very curious about the purpose of this chair. I must remember to ask Mayor Weaver about this strange seat."
The unusual chair -- click for a larger image
Where is this chair found, and what was its original purpose?
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 Amy Smith who was the
winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Amy correctly identified
the "three" ride the Captain ended his spin on as the Triceratop Spin,
the attraction he spied as Primeval Whirl AND got the bonus points
answer - the pulled pork sandwich from Flame Tree Barbecue!
Great job on getting the bonus
points Amy! 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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Q
& A:
With Jennifer and Dave
MinnieLor asks:
"Let me first just say that I adore Soarin'. But when I
ride it, I have to hang onto the arm rests. I have a big fear that the
seat belt is going to fail and I'm going to be "soarin'" for real. I know that they
test everything before they open each day but I still get nervous. I wish they
had something more to hold you in than a seat belt.
Does this make
anyone else nervous and how do you handle it?"
Dave and Jennifer answer: "Soarin' depends a whole lot on illusion, so maybe you have to create some
comforting illusions of your own. I presume you do tug on
the red tab attached to the seatbelt buckle, right? Tug twice just to make sure.
Settle yourself back in your seat so you can feel the seatback pressure at all
times (if you sit forward, you lose that "anchor" of assurance). Rather than
grip the armrests, just rest your arms calmly on them, knowing that if you had
to, you could grab them instantaneously.
As I already mentioned,
amusement rides depend in part on illusion. Sometimes the illusion is that
you're in greater danger than you really are (Expedition: Everest is a good
example). Sometimes the illusion is that you're in a different place or time
(personally, I put Soarin' in that category). (Of course, usually there's a
mixture of all these.) To enjoy the rides you do have to play along to some
degree, to let the Imagineers mess with your mind, but the question is always,
to what degree? The same ride that instills fear in some will bring exhilaration
to others, depending on what expectations they bring with them to the
experience.
On Soarin' I'm willing to wager that the seatbelt's principal
"safety mission" isn't so much to keep you from falling out but rather, to
prevent guests from leaving their seats at the wrong time. (Even without the
belts, I don't think the seats tilt enough to dump you out.) However, the belts
do add to the illusion of risk, and the Imagineers know that, too. So maybe,
rather than think about the belts failing (which probably wouldn't lead to an
injury of any sort), focus on anticipating all the great things you'll see and
feel on the ride, and on finding new details to appreciate.
As an
experienced whitewater boater, I love the scene when we swoop over the American
River. The scent of the cool, moist river air, the temptation to feel my bare
feet skim the cold water as I soar past (I always wear sandals at WDW, so my
feet are always bare when riding), the desire to join the boaters down on the
river... all of this means my mind will be occupied with the experience, rather
than thinking about the mechanics of the ride."
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 -- Magic Your Way with FREE Dining Specials
MouseEarVacations.com -- Disney Cruise Line special offers
Quicksilver Tours & Transportation -- Save $5 off airport round-trip transportation in a town car
Thank you, sponsors!
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From the Authors:
Thank You!
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Thank you for helping us celebrate our 8th guidebook anniversary recently -- your support and enthusiasm continues to amaze and motivate us.
Peer reviewer and friend Bruce Metcalf is writing a live trip report of his trans-Atlantic crossing cruise on the Disney Magic -- with a back-to-back Mediterranean cruise thrown in for good measure. To read his live reports, visit 25 Days on the Disney Magic
Meet us in person: Will you be at July's
MagicMeets event in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania? We sure will! We'll be on hand to meet, greet, and maybe put on a
presentation or two.
In this issue, Thomas Cackler takes us for a visit to Madison County, Iowa (bridges and all), and Newsletter Feature Columnist Cheryl Pendry scares up some advice for fall's Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Publishers and Authors
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Did You Know?
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& FREE extras for MouseFest 2007 too!
~Walt Disney World® Resort – 4 nights ~
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01/10/08 - Marathon Friends/Family- from $174*
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If this doesn't quite fit your needs
Ask us about customizing your stay!
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Travel
Feature:
More Than Bridges: Madison County, Iowa
by Thomas Cackler, PassPorter Guest Contributor
Nestled in the quiet farm
country of central Iowa lies a quiet rural area known best for its covered
bridges and the romance that captivated a nation. While The Bridges of
Madison County no longer tops the bestseller lists, the quiet landscape of
Madison County, Iowa, remains one of the best-kept tourist secrets in the
country. With its lush landscape, small town charm, and memorable tourist
destinations, this area has a little something for everyone.
Madison County is located in central Iowa, just southwest of the state capital, Des Moines. With Interstate 35 bordering the county on the east and Interstate 80 bordering the county on the north, Madison is easy to get to and offers a wide selection of recreation and tourist
activities. Settled in the mid-1800s, the county saw the construction of the
now-famous covered bridges later that century. Six bridges exist today, by
either preservation or re-creation.
Perhaps the most famous of these bridges, the Roseman Covered, still stands in its original location after an extensive renovation in 1992. Featured in the motion picture and novel The
Bridges of Madison County, the bridge stands as the second longest in the
county and is home to the Roseman Bridge Store. Additionally, the Holliwell Bridge and the Stone Foot Bridge feature prominently in the movie.
Unfortunately, arson
severely damaged Francesca's House from the film and it no longer offers tours,
although you can still visit the grounds for photos. However, many other buildings
and landscapes from the film still exist today. From the Texaco station that now houses an Internet café to M. Young and Co. feed store that served as the General Store in the movie, fans of the movie and novel will find many familiar places and buildings as they visit.
But the movie and the novel are not the only draws in the area. Every fall since 1970, the entire county descends on the town square in Winterset for the annual Covered Bridge
Festival. Like many small town fall festivals, this one features booths full of
local produce, handcrafted items, and other fun events. Held the first full
weekend in October, this annual festival highlights the area's past, present,
and future, surrounded by the majestic fall colors of the Middle River Valley. Music, presentations, and a parade all highlight this quintessential
small town celebration.
Winterset also features a city park that rivals larger cities for attractions and amenities. In addition to the relocated Cutler-Donahue Covered Bridge, the city park features a hedge maze, camping
facilities, and two other historical attractions. Besides the previously
mentioned Stone Bridge, the Clark Tower stands as a monument to some of the area's first
settlers. Built in 1929 and at over 25 feet tall, the limestone structure
offers an impressive view of the surrounding area.
Winterset is also home to a
vibrant town square of specialty shops featuring collectibles, gourmet food,
and other merchandise. If you are a quilting fan, the home of Fons and
Porter's Love of Quilting television program and magazine are also located
here on the town square. If you have a desire to sit in the same seat Clint
Eastwood did during the filming of The
Bridges of Madison County, you can stop into the Northside Café and grab the
fourth stool from the front of the restaurant.
However, the most famous
person to ride off from Winterset is still one of the town's favorite sons.
Marion Morrison, better known to most as John Wayne, spent his early childhood
in Winterset after his birth on May 26, 1907. While his family moved when he was four, the house
where he was born still stands and offers tours daily from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm except for New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. For a
cost of $4/adult, $3/senior, and $1/child, you can visit the birthplace and see
memorabilia from classic John Wayne films such as Rio Lobo, True Grit,
and Stagecoach. An adjacent store sells John Wayne merchandise and
proceeds go to help fund the non-profit John Wayne Birthplace Society.
Madison County shows that while Iowa isn't atop many people's top places to visit, the charm of a tourism destination isn't in bright lights or theme parks. Instead,
these tourism destinations are memorable for the experiences they offer
their guests. Whether it's the romantic story of
Francesca and Robert, or the rugged individualism as showcased by
Winterset's
favorite son draws you in, Madison is a destination that is highly recommended.
About the Author: Thomas Cackler is the PassPorter's Club "on call" editor and consultant. A veteran of five trips to Walt Disney World and one Disney Cruise since 2002,
Thomas is a member of several online Disney communities including the PassPorter
forums where he shares his knowledge and love of the Disney Parks with anyone
who will listen. He lives in Iowa with his wife Julie and nephew Joey.
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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:
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Feature Columnist
Halloween is a time for
ghosts and ghouls, scary stories and trick or treat, so perhaps it's no wonder
that it's also the subject of a special ticketed after hours party at the Magic Kingdom.
Held on selected nights in September and October and one night in November, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, often seen abbreviated down to MNSSHP, takes place from 7:00 pm until midnight. But what can you expect from the party and is it worth attending?
Those were just some of the questions I was asking a year ago, as we
prepared for our first trip to the Walt Disney World resort over Halloween.
When we were booking our flights, it was noticeably cheaper if we traveled in early November, as opposed to late October,
which gave me a dilemma. I was keen to try out the Halloween Party, but was it
worth the extra money that the flights would cost us?
If I'm honest, it wasn't something that I thought about for a long time.
Part of the reason I love going back to Disney is that at certain times of the
year, there are extra events that make your stay more magical, like the Flower
and Garden Festival in the spring, all the holiday events between Thanksgiving
and the New Year and the Food and Wine Festival and the Halloween Party in the
fall. Of those, the only one we hadn't experienced was the Halloween Party and
in my book, you should give all of them a try at least once.
That decision made, I read with interest various comments on the party and comparisons to the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, which we had been to a number of times. All I can say is I'm glad those debates took place after we'd ordered our tickets, as most people came out very strongly in favor of the Christmas Party. It did make me wonder whether we'd be disappointed and if we'd get our money's worth out of our tickets.
Well, on both counts, I'm pleased to report that we had nothing to worry about.
We loved every moment of the Halloween Party and were immediately into the
"spirit" of things when we got off the monorail and saw the displays of
pumpkins outside the gates. What I wasn't expecting were the inflatables
everywhere, obviously put up in time for the Party each night, with giant
pumpkins and ghosts, a larger than life Timon and Pumbaa in Adventureland and a
giant Stitch in Tomorrowland.
Lighting was also cleverly used to create some wonderful effects, with Main Street lit up in a
series of bright colors, an eerie green
to be seen in some parts of the park, and the Castle enjoying its own Halloween
light show, including images of ghosts, ghouls and the Big Bad Wolf at points
throughout the night.
As well as being able to enjoy all the attractions that you'd see during
the day, there are plenty of other things going on all
evening. Let's face it, Halloween wouldn't be the same without Trick or Treat
and there are plenty of places throughout the park to add to your candy loot as
the night goes on, without even having to threaten anyone with a trick first!
If you or your family are character fans and enjoy collecting autographs
and photos of them, the Halloween Party will be an absolute gold mine for you.
Not only are there lots of characters out and about, you'll see a new side to
many of them. During the night we were there, we found Eeyore dressed as a
mummy and Pooh Bear as a bee. It makes for plenty of unique photo
opportunities. And speaking of unique, this has to be the only time we've ever
come across Snow White and all seven of her dwarfs, so keep your eyes peeled
for the character meeting areas. They're well worth exploring.
The real highlights of the Halloween Party, just like the Christmas one,
are the parade and the fireworks. Taking them in order, the parade is something
not to be missed, especially if you're a fan of the villains, as you'll see
more of them in this parade than in any other. We loved some of the unusual
additions, such as the gravediggers with their spectacular display of sparks
from their shovels on the ground. Once again, you'll see your favorite
characters all dressed in their Halloween finery and when else are you
going to find a Headless Horseman clattering through the streets of the Magic
Kingdom, leading the way for the parade to follow? That sight on its own is
priceless. I'd heard that he moved quickly, but even I was surprised by how
fast he flew past us.
In between the early and late parades is the nightly firework display,
but this is no ordinary version of Wishes, this is Hallo-Wishes, again full of
all the Disney villains you could ever think of and each with their own set of
amazing fireworks and lighting displays on the castle. Whatever you do, don't
miss Hallo-Wishes, it's worth the price of your admission on its own and is
truly spectacular. In our book, it was far superior to the daily version of
Wishes we're all used to.
One thing many people worry about is whether they should come in costume
or not. The simple advice is it's best to do whatever you're comfortable with.
We saw a lot of people, both adults and children, dressed up, but we saw just
as many who weren't. You'll certainly get a lot more attention from the Cast
Members if you do come in costume, so if you're shy and the extra attention doesn't
appeal, you might be best coming in costume as ... yourself!
Another thing that concerns people is whether the party has the
potential to frighten young children. Of course, there's always that chance,
but Disney does a great job of sticking to the name of the Party – after all it
is Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.
Would
we go back to the Halloween Party again? Without
question. It was far better than we'd ever expected it to be and
if someone
asked me (go on ask me!) which I prefer between the Halloween and
Christmas
Party, I'd be very hard pressed to choose, although I suspect the
Halloween
Party may just get the edge for its use of lighting to create
atmosphere, villains, and characters you don't usually see. If
you buy tickets for it, I
doubt you'll come away disappointed.
About
the Author: Cheryl
and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America. Their last visit to
Disney World was in the fall, when they enjoyed both the Halloween Party and
the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot.
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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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Did
You Know?
You Can Arrive at Walt Disney World in Style!
Airport Meet & Greet, luggage help, free car seat
Free 30-minute grocery stop with airport round-trip
Special! $5.00 off airport round-trip
Use Discount Code: PassPorter News
Call 888-GO TO WDW
or visit quicksilver-tours.com
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