From the Editor: Greetings from Sunny Florida - Not!

Travel Feature: Other Orlando: WonderWorks

Disney Feature: Taking Great Fireworks Photos

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Snack Around The World, Sing A Song, Own The Same Ornament

Captain's Corner: The Sporting Life

Q&A: My daughter saw 'Poseidon', now she won't cruise - help!
 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Updates:
What's New and Changed

Here are a few of the new developments at Disney:

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights will be returning to the Disney-MGM Studios. The lights can be seen in the evenings decorating the Streets of America, November 13, 2006 - January 7, 2007. 

Disney's Wide World of Sports will once again be host to the Pop Warner Super Bowl and the National Cheer & Dance Championships December 3-9, 2006. 

Disneyland celebrated the 40th Anniversary of It's A Small World this past Sunday, May 28, 2006. The attraction debuted at the 1964 World's Fair in New York and re-opened at Disneyland on May 28, 1966. It is estimated that the famous title song has been played over 70 million times at Disney's theme parks around the world! (C'mon, you know you're humming it right now!)

Beginning July 1, 2006, Disney Vacation Club will be raising the price per point at the Saratoga Springs Spa and Resort from $98 per point to $101 per point. 

Our thanks to AllEarsNet.com from which we get some of our news leads.

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Disney Tips:
From Fellow Readers

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

SNACK AROUND THE WORLD
"When our family visits Epcot, the four of us share food from the World Showcase countries. This allows us to try many different items. Some of our favorites are fish and chips from the UK, pastries from France, chicken teriyaki and kaki gori (snow cones) from Japan, gelato from Italy, fried rice and egg rolls from China, rice cream from Norway, and nachos from Mexico. By the end of the day, we are stuffed but we have enjoyed snacking around the World Showcase!" -- contributed by Maris Lee (j3mlee@...)

SING A SONG
"I had the opportunity to have a once in a lifetime trip as an adult with my mom last November. I wanted to make the countdown to our trip fun for both of us. Since my mom and I email every day, I thought of an idea that I really liked: At the 30 day mark, I started sending her a song a day. I would pick songs from movies, attractions, or the parks in general and send them to her. I would come up with funny little sayings for the subject line of the email that incorporated our trip and the song. 
Here's an example: With five days left to go, I sent her "A Jolly Holiday" from Mary Poppins. The subject line read, "We'll be joining Mary and Bert on a Jolly Holiday in five days!!!" My mom loved it. All of her co-workers would come to her desk each morning to see the "Song of the Day. " -- contributed by Dawn E. 

OWN THE SAME ORNAMENT
"While visiting the Disney Days of Christmas store at Downtown Disney, why not purchase two of the same ornaments? That way you and your grandchild will have the same one to hang on the tree even though you may live miles apart. It's a great way to relive your trip year after year." -- contributed by Rita H.

>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.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Captain's Corner:
Treasure Hunting Game

Play our fun and quirky treasure hunting game, hosted by Captain Jack Skatt from our new book, "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World." 

The Captain makes a study of the delightful details -- sometimes hidden, sometimes in plain sight but often overlooked -- at Walt Disney World and aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Using notes from his journals, he will lead you to this "treasure" at Disney with clues, questions, photos, or riddles. Your challenge is to discover the answer by searching your memory, visiting Disney, or even just looking really hard on the Internet. If you think you've found the answer, e-mail it to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the first person to correctly submit the FULL answer will receive a free PassPorter enamel pin or PassPorter name badge pin.

Here is this week's treasure from Captain Skatt's Journal:

"Taking a wee break from my treasure hunting activities, I wandered over to our local baseball diamond to catch a game. Alas, I found it has been rained out -- in fact, it must have rained very hard because the field was filled with water and kids were playing in it. I wanted to sit in the stands, but I couldn't reach them. And when I went to throw a few balls, I discovered they were so big they wouldn't fit in my hands. Worse of all was the size of the bats -- they were over three stories tall!"

Where is this baseball diamond?

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 Holli Goetz who AGAIN was the winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Holli correctly answered that the two items the Spirit of Individualism statue is holding in The American Adventure theater are a saddle and a lasso (rope). To view the original clues, see last week' s newsletter. Holli is on a streak, can someone break it? 

If you enjoy treasure hunts, we've got an entire book with over 100 distinct treasure hunts and over 1500 questions, complete with clues and contributions from Captain Skatt. The new "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" book is now available! You can order the book today at http://www.passporterstore.com.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

ilovedisney0_0 asks: "I really, really want to go on a Disney cruise. My daughter was a little hesitant after seeing 'Titanic' a couple of years ago. She was just getting over it, and had agreed to the cruise. We saw 'Poseidon' this weekend, and now she is scared again! Any tips on how to convince her it is safe to cruise?"

Jennifer and Dave answer: "I wish I could say the rogue wave in Poseidon was completely fiction, but I can say that the effects of such a large wave (up to 100 feet tall) are probably a bit overblown in the movie. An article at Wikipedia lists several "freak wave" encounters with both large cruise ships and some far smaller cruise ships, and in no case did they capsize. That's not to say that it couldn't happen, but the chances seem incredibly slim. Based on what's known about rogue waves, they seem to occur as part of an existing wave train, generally in a storm. Since the (fictional) Poseidon had to be broadsided by the wave in order to capsize, the odds get very slim indeed in real life. Ships generally head the bow directly at storm waves, rather than run parallel to them, specifically to reduce or eliminate the chance of capsizing. That's probably why all the cruise ships listed in the article survived with relatively little damage. There are other hazards that are far more likely (fire, collision with other vessels), and even those happen very rarely. 

It's similar to the incidence of shark attacks. You're tens of thousands of times more likely to be hurt while driving to the beach than the chance that you'll ever be witness to, no less a victim of, a shark attack. The heck with "Poseidon" or "Jaws." If they really want to scare folks, Hollywood should make "I-95!" Oh, actually, they did, Smashup on Interstate 5 "

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!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Future Newsletters:
Want To See Your Name in Print?

Big News! PassPorter News is now published weekly. This means we need more articles than ever! We're on the lookout for guest columnists who want to contribute articles to this newsletter. No professional writing experience 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!

Hi, {{user("firstname")}}! 

Well, since Jennifer and Dave are currently at Walt Disney World (and didn't take me with them - pout, pout...) I've taken over the letter writing duties this week. 

I can't believe how big we've gotten in the two years that I have been with PassPorter! PassPorter Travel Press now offers five, count 'em FIVE books:

Other Orlando: WonderWorks
by Michelle Mangio, Guest Contributor 

Like many Disney fans, my husband and I rarely ventured outside of Walt Disney World when we visited Florida. To us, “The World” was Orlando, and it was all the vacation we wanted. But one year we decided: let’s see what’s in Orlando. I could easily talk about SeaWorld and Universal Studios, the two main attractions outside of Disney World that many visit each year. But though we enjoyed both attractions – and have, from time to time, returned – what captured our interest and enjoyment most was a little tiny place called WonderWorks.

To us, WonderWorks is the hidden gem of Orlando, an amazingly themed adventure that delights the senses even as it enriches the mind. It’s great for families, but equally fun for two kids-at-heart who are fascinated by the amazing magic of science.

It was sheer luck that led us to this discovery, as we turned down the wrong way on International Drive in Orlando and found ourselves near the entertainment complex. As we drove, looking for a convenient place to turn around, we happened to spy an upside-down building off to the side.

"What is that?" we wondered, "And why is this huge building upside down?" Our curiosity thus ensnared, we found a place to park and made our way to this intriguing landmark.

We were delighted from the onset. This building even had sound special effects to make it sound like it was creaking as we approached, and was ingeniously designed to appear as if it hand landed on top of another building! Some of the “original sidewalk” of the building was still attached, and so palm trees swayed slightly over your head.

All plans of another Orlando destination forgotten, we ventured into this building to see what it would hold.

Because it is upside down, you must enter through the “attic,” and all elevators go “down” to the basement below. Umm … above? You can see how it becomes a bit confusing! It was in the entrance, where you purchase your admission tickets, that we learned the “story” of this little attraction.

It was originally located in the Bermuda Triangle, a top-secret laboratory conducting experiments. Scientists had been trying to find answers to the unexplainable, but their experiments had gone awry, causing a freak tornado to erupt from within the building, carrying the building all the way to Florida before dropping it into Orlando.  Amazingly, all the experiments remained intact, now allowing you to venture inside to interact with them.

On the first two floors, there are over 100 different interactive experiments. This is a science museum where the science truly comes alive, in a fun and compelling way. You can land the Space Shuttle, or fly in a Fighter Jet. Design your own roller coaster and then ride in it. Or get all shaken up in the Earthquake Simulator!

But the fun doesn’t stop there. Other exhibits include becoming a Virtual Sports superstar, or spending hours in the Bubble Room where you can make bubbles larger than you are! Perhaps you can show your little ones just how Leo, June, and Quincy (of the Little Einsteins) managed to get stuck in that giant bubble!

You can learn what it’s like to lie on a bed of nails, or make a 3-D impression of yourself on the Wonderwall. Watch your hair rise up towards the ceiling in the static electricity generators (but prepare for the shock if you touch anything metallic!).

WonderWorks does its best to keep the illusion of the upside building going, too. When you look out of any of the windows, a little bit of magic is at work, and the rest of the world appears upside down, as if you are now right side up in the building!

When you make your way to the “basement,” you can play some rounds of Lazer Tag (if you bought the combo ticket, or play it directly without going to the interactive science museum). This game is fun even for the adults, and the kids certainly take delight at being able to shoot you, causing all of your lights to blink like crazy.

But even if that weren’t enough grand entertainment, WonderWorks also offers a wonderful “Outta Control Magic Dinner Show.” For dinner shows, it’s reasonably priced at $21.95 for adults, and $14.95 for seniors and children 4-12 (3 and under are free). The price includes unlimited hand-tossed pizza, beer, wine, and soda. And though the food is good, the best part really is the show, which is part magic show and part gales of laughter, as the two magicians use improvisational comedy and sensational magic to entertain adults and children alike. It’s one of the best shows in Orlando, if you ask me.  But, then, I was always found of magic. It’s why I love Disney… and why WonderWorks managed to endear itself to me as well. 

Michelle Mangio is the owner of Magical Escapes, and is a frequent visitor to Walt Disney World (and now Orlando as well!) with her husband and 2 year old son.  As much as she enjoys vacationing just to visit new places and revisit places she loves, she also enjoys the opportunity to share what she’s learned with others.  And like many Disney fans, she’s already planning her next trip before she’s even home from the last!

Taking Great Fireworks Photos 
by Bill Myers, Guest Contributor and PassPorter Message Board Guide 

You just love those fireworks and night-time photos. Come on … admit it … And most of you will be the first to say “But I can’t do THAT!” Guess what? You can, with your very own digital camera. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to take good fireworks and night time photos, not only at Disney, but anywhere.

Many newer cameras come with scene modes on them, and “fireworks” is sometimes one of them. But, beware! If you don’t read that manual and play with your camera ahead of time, you will be disappointed. Most digital cameras set the shutter speed very slow in fireworks mode, sometimes as long as 2 seconds. That means the camera is taking the photo for 2 seconds, and any movement is recorded on the photo. That’s why so many fireworks photos come out blurry.

So what can you do? First, read your camera’s manual, especially the part about the scene modes. Learn what they do and how they work. Secondly, practice, practice, practice. Take outdoor photos at night using those scene modes to get used to how they work. Learn to use them to your advantage. And make sure you have enough “film.” The price of memory cards is dropping and it would be sad to not get the shot you wanted because your memory card is full. (Editor’s Note: We go through our photos every night on our trip and delete ones you KNOW you will never print. You know – those ones where your child’s eyes are closed or your finger is over the lens? Delete those to make room for future fantastic shots.)

Now, how do I hold my camera still for 2 seconds? Well, a tripod would help. What? You don’t carry one around with you at all times? Well, neither do I; in fact, I bring a monopod and tripod to Walt Disney World with me every trip and still forget to carry them with me into the parks. Too much baggage, especially since I don’t have a stroller or something like it to carry it in or on.

For long exposures, anything over 1/60 second, find a fixed object to use - a garbage can, seat back, light pole, rock, or tree trunk … whatever is available. Set your camera on or up against that object to assist in providing stability. So what if you have to hold the camera sideways, you want good photos, right? Besides, you can always rotate the photo to what you want on your computer during the editing process. This will get you the steadiness you need for those slow shutter speeds.

Next, how do I focus? Well, this is a problem, especially with many of the “slower” focusing cameras. Look in your owner manual and see if you can manually focus, or better yet, how to lock a focus setting into memory, or force manual focus to set itself to the one automatically set. What you can do here is manually focus on an object far enough away so that your fireworks will be in focus. In the Magic Kingdom I focus on the Castle, at Epcot I focus on a building across the lagoon from me. I then transfer this focus distance to manual. When using my Olympus “prosumer” cameras, all I have to do is press and hold one button for 3 seconds and it locks the focus distance in. Now, I’m focused and ready to shoot!

Learn to use your body as a tripod. Space your feet firmly under you, turn your body partially sideways to where you’re going take the photos and use your side to support your arm (keeping it close to your side). The hand holding the camera should now be “rigid”, and as you slow your breathing down you make a great tripod for slow shutter speed photos.

Worried about the camera shaking when you push the shutter button? If your camera comes with a remote, then use it, especially if your camera is sitting on a solid object. If you don’t have a remote, or don’t feel comfortable using it, then practice releasing the shutter control - gently push on the button until the shutter releases and you take a picture. Remember, if you jerk your hand or finger to “quickly” get a photo, you will blur the shot at slower shutter speeds. If you’re taking photos of still objects such as The Tower of Terror, Spaceship Earth in Epcot, the fountains in front of Journey Into Imagination, etc. then you can use your self timer. Read the manual on how to use it, but they usually give you a predetermined time between when the button is pushed to take a picture and the actual picture being taken. This time usually ranges from 2 to 10 seconds, and some cameras let you program it. I have taken many, many night photos of the parks using this method; it makes things so easy to do.

And lastly, for you digital folks, look at your photos before you walk off. If your camera allows you to view and zoom in, please do so. It gives you an idea of how the photo looks and whether you need to re-shoot it or try a different method or camera placement. Digital film is cheap, and you can never take too many photos if in the end, you get the one you want.

Remember to take the memories home with you… in pictures!

Bill Myers is a PassPorter Message Board Guide.  He is an avid photographer who has been taking photographs for over 40 years. 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

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.