From the Authors: Back From Disneyland!

Travel Today: Renting a Car

Disney Feature: How to Budget Your Disney Vacation

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Finding Characters, Light-Up Shoes, Cool Drinks

Q&A: Six Months at Disney, Wheelchair Accessible Shore Excursions
 
 

Updates:
What's New and Changed

Walt Disney World pass prices increased on June 1. One-day passes are $52/adult and $42/kids 3-9, plus tax. (As it turns out, the pass prices we projected for our 2003 edition of PassPorter are right on!) The rest of the at-gate prices increased as well, but all the advance purchase prices (such as those from the Disney Store) remain the same. You'll find an excellent chart with the current prices at AllEarsNet (http://wdwig.com/ticketchart.htm).

Our friend Peter Stepniewicz was one of those lucky guests who was around Mission:SPACE at Epcot for a preview today. Yes, that's right, they are intermittently opening the attraction for guest previews already! Peter reports that Mission:SPACE is "smooooooth... and very, very powerful" and that the "takeoff is the signature point of the ride." He also mentions that Mission:SPACE has a "great tribute to Horizons, front and center" (Horizons is the attraction that occupied the space previously and a big guest favorite). Peter took about a hundred photos of his preview experience -- you can see the photos and get more information on the previews and more at http://www.wdwmagic.com.

Peter also reports that a new "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" pre-show is here. It features 20 overhead plasma monitors with incredible picture quality. Alas, the old "True Colors" pre-show has been replaced with "a few new video vignettes telling stories about various people's memories of events."

The Great Movie Ride at Disney-MGM Studios has re-opened following its rehab. There are no major changes -- just a few new props and some new lighting.

Disney's California Adventure (in Disneyland Resort) has a relatively new stage show in the Hyperion Theater called "Aladdin, A Musical Spectacular." We had the pleasure of watching the 40-minute show last week and thoroughly enjoyed it! It really is quite a spectacle, and the staging is just beautiful. We particularly enjoyed the Genie and Flying Carpet characters! Go see the new show if you're in Anaheim.

While we were in California we saw "Finding Nemo" at Universal Studios' CityWalk (we know, we know -- we should have seen it at Disney's El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood). The movie was fabulous! If you haven't seen it, don't walk, don't run -- SWIM as fast as you can to your movie theater! Oh, and AllEarsNet reports that you can meet some of the Finding Nemo characters near the Ferryboat Landing at the Ticket and Transportation Center (near the Magic Kingdom) every morning between 8:15 am and 12:15 pm. Finding Nemo characters will also appear before the "Share a Dream Come True" parade at the Magic Kingdom.

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

Disney  Tips:
From Fellow Readers

HUNTING FOR CHARACTERS
"Our son loves getting character autographs, and toward the end of each trip, he always has two or three characters that he is hunting down.  When we are tracking down specific characters, we go to City Hall at Magic Kingdom:  after 9:00 a.m. they can find out where characters are throughout all the parks." -- contributed by Diane M.

KICK YOUR HEELS
"When we went to Disney in June 2002, my 5-year old daughter wore the shoes that light up as you walk. These were great during "scary" rides, as even my 8 year old son Adam could be heard saying "Kelly, kick your feet", if they became frightened by a ride.   They don't really put off enough light to be upsetting to other guests, but the distractability factor weighed high on my scale!  " -- contributed by Vicki Poore (vpoore@afce.com)

KEEP YOUR COOL
"We found a great water bottle that keeps water cold all day!  It is called the Polar Water Bottle ( http://www.polarbottle.com ). I've seen them on the web. We got ours at a sporting goods store. My son uses it when he plays lacrosse and when he goes biking. Someone else told me they take theirs golfing and it stays cold the entire 18 holes!" -- contributed by Blossom Zell (bzell@suscom.net)
 

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

Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

In this column we answer your frequently asked PassPorter and Disney questions.

DAD asks:
"I noticed in the current edition of Passporter, it states that Dave spent over 6 months in Walt Disney World. My question is, how did you manage to do this and weren't you sick of it after 6 months?"

Dave replies:
"You're making me sound like 'Charlie and the MTA!'

   And will he ever return?
   No, he'll never return
   And his fate is still unlearned
   Poor Charlie!
   He may ride forever
   'Neath the streets of Boston
   He's the Man Who Never Returned

Putting things in full context, here's the full quote from my bio on page v: "He discovered the "World" (Walt Disney World, that is) in 1997 and spent more than six months there over the following five years." Now, if it had said I had spent more than five years there over the following five years, that would have been something worth noting. 

How'd I manage six months? A week here, two weeks there, at least a few trips every year. It begins to add up after a while. Regardless, it still doesn't qualify me for Florida Resident status. "

DisneyKidsDad asks:
"I have a 12 year old daughter in a wheelchair. We are going on the 7 night Eastern Caribbean Cruise this summer. We want to take a couple of shore excursions. We are interested in the Butterfly Farm and Coral World. Does anyone know if they are wheelchair accessible?"

Dave replies:
"The real trick with all the excursions is whether the tour bus is wheelchair accessible. So far, I haven't seen any tour buses with lifts. I think you'll have to contact DCL, and DCL will have to contact the tour operator. Tour operators change without notice, even when DCL still continues the same excursion name/number, so past experience can't predict the future. I just visited The Butterfly Farm. No, it wasn't built with wheelchair accessibility in mind, but I've seen far worse. With the exception of a couple of low steps from the parking lot and into and out of the shop, and some narrow screen doors, I didn't see any major barriers. If you can get there, it should still be manageable with a pair of helping hands.

You can contact the Butterfly Farm directly at info@thebutterflyfarm.com . Be sure to specify that you're asking about the St. Martin butterfly farm. The contact address for Coral World is marketing@coralworldvi.com ."

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!
 

We just flew in from California after a 15-day trip to Los Angeles, Anaheim, and San Diego. We're exhausted, but we accomplished a lot and met many great people along the way.

First, we're delighted to report that we attended the Benjamin Franklin Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, and won our eighth award for PassPorter -- best travel guidebook. We also won a Ben Franklin in 2000 for the first edition of PassPorter (best first book by a new publisher). It was exciting to walk up and receive our award at the ceremony (see photo), and it was a great kick-off to our trip!

Woohoo!

In addition to attending the Book Expo America trade show, we did a huge amount of research for our new guidebook, "PassPorter Disneyland Resort and Southern California," which we expect to have out before the end of this year. We "did" Hollywood, Universal Studios, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disneyland Resort, Knott's Berry Farm, San Diego Zoo, San Diego’s Balboa Park, San Diego Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld, LegoLand, and stayed at five different hotels on this trip. Whew!

We also want to extend a big thank-you to...
 - Mike Scopa, who wrote a glowing review of PassPorter at MousePlanet.com (http://www.mouseplanet.com/mike/ms030606.htm). He wrote, "Passporter is the ultimate Walt Disney World companion. Regardless of whether you are making your first or your 101st trip to Orlando, Passporter will serve you in many ways, as a reference tool, a guidebook, and most of all a trusty companion that should make the trip with you." Aw, shucks -- thanks, Mike!
 - Thanks to those of you who've been purchasing your PassPorters through Amazon.com. Right before we left on our trip, we were astounded to discover that PassPorter Walt Disney World was #3 on the list of Top Sellers in Travel. That means out of all the travel guides (all destinations, all types of travel books), our little PassPorter was the third best-selling book at the time. Amazing!

This newsletter is a little lighter than usual thanks to all our traveling around, but in it you'll find a helpful article on car rentals and an excellent feature article from Kimberly LaPaglia on budgeting for your Walt Disney World vacation.

Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Travel Press

P.S. Next Friday we're off for a week in St. Maarten -- it's a family reunion trip and purely vacation (thank goodness)!

Our most popular travel accessory is the "PassHolder Pouch" -- a thin nylon "wallet" that hangs around your neck. The PassHolder is incredibly convenient -- you can put I.D. cards in the clear plastic window, credit cards and cash in the zippered pocket, small notebooks in the large velcro pocket, and pens in the pen holders. With the PassHolder around your neck, you won't accidentally leave something behind or have to dig around to find that I.D. card, and you’ll just breeze through security with your photo ID on display! The pouch is very light and quite small, and perfect for touring hands-free. We have a hard time keeping these pouches in stock! You can view a pouch at http://www.passporter.com/online-store/passholder.htm

Tip: Here's another hands-free solution -- you can get a free adjustable bottle strap with every order while supplies last! Our thanks to MouseEarVacations.com for making this possible for our readers.

Learn more and place an order at:
http://www.passporter.com/store/

Travel Today:
Tips on Renting a Car

by Jennifer Watson and Dave Marx

For the last 15 days, we've depended on our rental car to carry us along California’s freeways, take us to the parks, and even get us up to Soledad Mountain for a stunning 360-degree view of San Diego. With this experience fresh in our minds, we wanted to pass along a few tips for those of you who decide to rent cars on your travels.

1. Money-Saving Tip! Try Hotwire when you're shopping for rental cars. While it doesn't allow you to specify the rental car agency, it does use the big companies and you can get great deals. Thanks to Hotwire, we got a full-size rental car through Avis for just $21/day (inclusive) at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport). If you decide to go with Hotwire, keep in mind that all purchases are final.

2. Collision Damage Waiver insurance offered by the rental agencies is expensive. Before you leave home, check with your auto insurance and your credit card to see if they cover you, and if so, skip the rental agency's insurance. The Disney Visa card does offer this type of protection if you use the card to initiate and complete the entire rental transaction and decline the agency's insurance.

3. There’s sometimes little difference in price between smaller and larger-sized rental cars. Before you assume a sub-compact is all you can afford, check the cost of cars that can fit all your luggage in the trunk.

4. Bring a good map. Your rental car agency will probably give you a basic map, but you'll find it easier to get around with a good set of detailed road maps. Get them in advance from Amazon.com, AAA, or pick them up in the airport bookstore when you arrive.

5. Rental cars look alike. It seemed like everywhere we parked we saw identical silver Buick Le Sabres with the same U.S. flag decal in the window. Bring along a Disney antenna topper (available at the Disney Store) to put on your antenna and help you identify your car in the parking lot.

6. Fuel up before you return your rental at the end of your trip. If you don't, you'll be charged an arm and a leg for refueling.

Disney Feature:
How to Budget Your Walt Disney World Vacation

by Kimberly LaPaglia, contributing writer and Walt Disney World fan 

Whether you are fanatic about spreadsheets or mathematically challenged, financing your Walt Disney World vacation can be an accessible goal. You can visit Walt Disney World whether you are penny-pinching or looking for luxuries. A dream vacation can be enjoyed even on a thrifty plan.

Budgeting Tips
Begin with a spreadsheet, the Budget Worksheet in your PassPorter, or other financing tools such as a pen, paper, and a calculator. Play with the numbers. Fill in the blanks for different scenarios. Try the cost for driving versus flying. A budget hotel versus a deluxe hotel. Eating out every meal, or having cereal in your room.

Investigate your transportation options. Should you fly, drive, or take a train to Orlando? Remember to factor in a rental car or round trip transportation between the airport and hotel. If driving, estimate how many miles per day you wish to drive and the cost of gas. Determine the cost of meals and any overnight hotels. You can look in to the train to Orlando, including the Amtrak Auto Train out of Lorton, Virginia. A sleeper car will cost more than riding in coach.

Experiment with hotels. Are you staying on Walt Disney World property? If staying on-site, get price quotes for hotels in the budget, moderate, and deluxe categories. Calculate various travel dates. Be aware that Disney has a value, regular, holiday and peak season that will greatly affect your hotel costs. Note that tax is 11.5% for the resorts, except the All Stars at 12%. Be patient and discover discounts. Plug in the different prices and see which works best for you.

Check out admission ticket options. When purchasing a package, tickets are probably included. If you’ll be returning within the year or going for a lengthy stay, consider annual passes. There are reputable discount ticket suppliers. You’ll need to research which tickets best suit your touring agenda. If you will not be visiting the water parks, Pleasure Island, and other minor attractions, avoid tickets with these features. Employees of Walt Disney World sponsors should check with their Human Resource office. For example, Eastman Kodak employees receive 12% off park passes and are eligible to purchase 20 tickets per calendar year.

At AllEarsNet (http://www.wdwig.com), look at menus to estimate your food budget. Figure out a daily meal plan and enter the approximate costs in your document. If you are over budget, consider eating breakfast in your room. To save more, consider a Character Breakfast in the late morning, in lieu of a more expensive lunch.

Mickey ears and other souvenirs are tempting. Limit yourself to a certain amount per day or per the length of your stay. Beware of impulse buying. Will the Mickey hat still be fashion trendy back home? Then again, do splurge on a few items. This is a difficult area for us, too, but try to be a wise shopper.

Don’t forget miscellaneous expenditures such as tipping for bell-hop and maid services. Figure $1 per bag for luggage help and $1 per person per day for "mousekeeping."

Finally take all these components and calculate the total. Determine if you can save this amount by your chosen dates. If your budget is higher than your allocated funds, delete some unnecessary items. If you just can’t trim another expense or have your heart set on a certain hotel, consider saving for 18 months instead of a year. In fact, it’s better to know you are going several years from now, then nixing the idea entirely. Delay instant gratification in order to reach your dream.

Compare purchasing the components separately versus buying a travel agent’s package. Usually a la carte is less expensive, however a package can offer time and money savings. For instance, Walt Disney World's current "buy 4 nights get 3 nights free" promotion may be a package option that is cost-effective for those who need to purchase tickets. Annual passholders, for example, might do better on their own.

Money-Saving Tips
How do you allocate and actually save the money? For some folks, you may want to open a separate bank account and earmark it as a vacation fund. Or you might be disciplined enough to just keep a running total of how much in your account has been reserved for your trip. Challenge the whole family to brainstorm thrifty cost-saving measures!

Get a large coffee can and have everyone contribute their change. When the can is full, cash it in and add to your savings.

Think twice before renewing magazine subscriptions. Add the money you would have spent to your vacation fund. Spend spare time reading free online Walt Disney World sites.

Instead of ordering out, have the family make their own pizzas, add three pepperoni slices in the shape of Mickey as a reminder of your shared plan. Don’t forget to add the savings to your fund.

Hold a garage sale. Or look into selling on eBay. You probably have a closet full of stuff that your family no longer needs. I’ve sold "pick up only" items such as a sofa, computer desk, baker’s rack, and play gym. These were items that were not needed at our new house. I’ve sold less than 100 items on eBay, mailing the smaller items to winning bidders. Although I’m not a savvy salesperson, I’ve made over $1500 as a casual seller, mostly from toys and clothes that my son has outgrown.

Check out credit card reward programs. We use American Express for most purchases and subtract the receipts in our checkbook. I tally up the purchases against the statement before paying off the full balance each month. The reward points really add up. For instance, I just transferred American Express points to my free Priority Club hotel membership. I then booked a Holiday Inn Express room with the points. The free hotel room will be used on our road trip to Orlando in January 2004. There are many credit card and hotel programs. Check in to clubs that might suit your family.  

Start your bank account 52 weeks from your travel date. When you make a hotel deposit or purchase advance tickets, take out of this account only.

Reduce the amount you need to save per week by adding any holiday, birthday, bonus, tax refunds or other special monies to your account. As you add the extras, notice that the weekly amount needed to save decreases. Let that inspire your family to discover innovative ways to hoard your funds!

When short for the weekly amount, cash in your coins early or skip a take-out lunch that week. Of course, if the trip isn’t a huge priority then you won’t go to such extremes. And that’s okay. But if your family really wants to visit the Mouse’s House, then you too can make it happen!

If you need a quick Mickey fix, decrease your hotel nights or budget one sit-down meal per day. For example, the day we do a Character Lunch, we share a breakfast of pastries. And then eat a fast food dinner of pizza.

Do we practice all these annoying, obsessive strategies? Yes! Our can of coins usually pays the road trip gas and/or food.

Saving for Walt Disney World trips has become a strategic game for us. Once you walk down Main Street U.S.A., you won’t recall all the little things that your family gave up in order to make the journey.

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What did you think of this article? Do you have budgeting and money-saving tips to share? Please e-mail us at editor@passporter.com