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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: Happy Independence Day
Travel Feature: Berlin: A City Divided Now Reunited
Disney Feature: Dave's Take - Changes to Pleasure Island
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Germ Patrol, Slow Down and Enjoy, Scooter Seat Cover
Captain's Corner: Patriotic Pleasures
PassPorter PhotoPick: Where the Track Ends
Q and A: How is the noise level on Deck 5?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
The biggest news of the week is Disney's announcement that the clubs on Pleasure Island will be closing on September 27, 2008. Check out Dave Marx's analysis of the announcement in our Disney article.
In light of this news, beginning September 28, 2008, Park passes that have the Water Park Fun & More option will, obviously, no longer include admission to Pleasure Island. Guests may instead play a round of golf (9 holes) at Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course.
Dining changes are the other big news this week!
Beginning October 6, 2008, Garden Grill at Epcot will no longer serve lunch.
Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom will no longer offer a character meal at dinner beginning January 5, 2009.
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:
GERM PATROL
"As soon as you walk into your (hotel) room, clean the television remote, the telephone, and the inside door handle with antibacterial wipes. The number one area for germ transfer is the television remote. Young children sneeze, put their fingers in their mouth, or other places, and then touch the remote. You don't want to get sick while you're on vacation."
-- contributed by Lee M.
SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY
"Give in to the goofiness and spirit of the place. Hug the characters, skip between rides, and RELAX. You will have a much better time by soaking up everything as you go instead of worrying about beelining from ride to ride to make sure you see everything - believe me, its never going to happen! So slow down and enjoy!"
-- contributed by Traci S.
SCOOTER SEAT COVER
"My husband uses a scooter at WDW. Be sure to bring a poncho or cover for the scooter. It's not much fun to come out of a ride and have a wet seat."
-- contributed by Shirley 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:
"Independence Day is just around the corner and today I celebrated by visiting the Hall of Presidents at the Magic Kingdom. What a delight ... and so stimulating! I spent quite a bit of time exploring the antechamber prior to the show and discovered a plethora of patriotic pleasures. I was so inspired, I spent some time after the show admiring the building's architecture. I was interested to note the number on the building, which was a significant date in American history."
What number is on the building that houses Hall of Presidents, and how is that number significant?
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 Nicola S. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Nicola was the first person to identify the color of the rose in the Beauty and the Beast stained glass window as pink. Bonus credit goes to AmandaG23 who was the first person to identify the photo in our PassPorter Photo Archive. 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:
Where the Tracks End
contributed by tigger1221
(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
IdahoDisneyMom asks: "I'm looking at the category 10 rooms on deck 5 (on the Disney Cruise Line ships), and wondering if there's a large amount of noise due to the kids' clubs all being located just down the hall. Also, with the theater right above us, will that bring in a lot of noise? Help!"
Jennifer and Dave answer: "I like the rooms on Deck 5. There is separation from the kids area and the movie theater (which is on Deck 5, not 6), and because there are relatively few staterooms in the area, there's very low traffic (and noise) in the halls. And if you do have kids or are a movie fan, those rooms are really convenient. I think I've stayed in 5 twice and it has always seemed quieter than a mouse."
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 -- MouseFest Sea & Land Offers!
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: Happy Independence Day
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
We're hard at work, trying to get to a good stopping place before we set work aside on PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2009 and take a break for the July 4th holiday here in the States. We hope all of you will have a happy and safe holiday!
Fred Block, who runs the very popular MagicMeets event in Pennsylvania every July, asks us to remind you that only pre-registered attendees can get in (and we're not going to even tell you where or when you'd have wanted to try to get in). There is no, and we repeat, no, walk-up registration, so please, don't come in hopes of getting lucky, especially if you'd be in for a long drive. Please, save gas! However, if you've got one of the 500 golden tickets, we'll see you there!
As we explained in previous newsletters, sales of PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2008 have been so good that we have none left in the warehouse (although they are still in stock -- for now -- at book stores around the country). If you can't wait for October to get a 2009 edition from us, you may purchase a 2008 electronic edition (download only) or get a 2007 edition at a close-out price. Refer to the 2008 electronic edition for the most up-to-date info, and print-out the pages you'll need when you travel. Rely on the 2007 edition for all our great planning features, PassPockets, and info that's still pretty darned accurate and useful.
PassHolder Pouches are back in stock! Not only that, but we upgraded the printed PassPorter logo to a full-color version that we think is much more attractive than the old, all-yellow version. Order at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/0966899437.aspx.
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.
What else do we have? PassPorter's Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line is also in stock, and because they're electronic downloads, all our e-books and downloads at PassPorter's Club can never go out of stock (the Internet may go down, but that's a different story)! Get yer downloads runnin'! Club membership is just $4.95 per month, the price of just one e-book download, and $44.95 if you decide to come on board for a full year. With that first month's membership you can strip our cupboard bare of great e-books and interactive worksheets. Then you can cancel, or even better (if you happen to be us), continue the subscription to maintain all the club benefits (like a 35% discount on all PassPorter printed books) and qualify for all the new e-books and worksheets we'll be adding to the Club.
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
More than 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 a brand new e-worksheet for you to use to plan your next trip (click the link to go directly to it): the Daily Ride and Meal Plans e-worksheet lets you plan the rides, shows, and meals around the park(s) you plan to visit in a single day!
More details at http://www.passporter.com/club
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In this issue,Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry takes us for a tour of Berlin: A City Divided Now Reunited. Then, Dave reports on the recently announced Changes to Pleasure Island at Orlando's Downtown Disney. 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:
Berlin: A City Divided Now Reunited
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
There can't be many cities in the world that have the sort of history that Berlin does. Most cities' histories stretch back hundreds of years and usually the most dramatic changes took place well before living memory. That's not the case at all with Berlin, where its history has been very much shaped by the events of the last 60 years.
Now the capital of Germany, for many years, Berlin was still a capital city, but of East Germany, when the country was divided during the Cold War. Literally cut in half almost overnight, the Berlin Wall left families torn in two, with some living in West Berlin and others stuck on the East side with no way out.
It all started after the Second World War, when Berlin was divided up between the Allies; The United States, Britain, France, and Russia, with each getting roughly a quarter of the city. However, as the years went on and the Cold War took hold, Berlin took center stage in the battle against Communism. In a bid to stem the number of refugees heading to the western parts of the city, the Russians decided to build a wall in 1961 and that was the end of a unified city, until the wall fell in 1989.
Bearing in mind that the historic events of the fall of the wall only took place two decades ago, it's amazing that today the city shows very few signs of ever having been divided. Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous way to move between the two parts of the city, still remains, but today it's there mainly for the tourists to have their photo taken with it -- and people dressed as Russian and American soldiers - in the background.
The nearby Checkpoint Charlie Museum is a fascinating place to visit, although at first glance it looks tiny and when we visited, it was absolutely packed with people. However, head upstairs and suddenly you realize that the museum runs almost the length of the street and is a real hidden gem. It also brings home to you how people lived while the city was divided and, although there were some humorous stories to read in there, it did make you think about the desperate lengths people would go to so they could cross from the east of the city to the west.
Today where the wall once stood is marked out, wherever possible, with bricks on the roads and pavements and it doesn't take long before you realize that most of the major sights are in what used to be East Berlin. That includes the Brandenburg Gate, perhaps the city's most famous sight. The gate dates from 1795 and is a striking sight today, having recently undergone a major restoration program.
Move further east and you'll come to Museum Island -- an area of the city that's got a good reason for its name. Not only is it an island on the River Spree, which cuts through the city, but its home to a variety of museums. The Altes (old) Museum houses Greek and Roman antiquities, while the Neues (new) Museum was originally built to accommodate the overspill from the Altes Museum. Today it's the place to find Egyptian art. Add in the Old National Gallery and the Bodemuseum, which contains an impressive collections of coins, medals and notes, and you can see how the island got its name.
But perhaps the most stunning museum on the island is the Pergamonmuseum, which got its name from one of its most famous exhibits, the Pergamon Altar, taken from a Greek temple that dates to around 170 BC, on display in the first hall you enter. The huge structure been recreated and you can sit on the steps of the altar and just take in everything you're seeing. The museum is dedicated to antiquities and other highlights include the Market Gate from Miletus, a Roman town in Asian Minor, dating from around 120 AD (and currently undergoing major restoration); and the Ishtar Gate from Babylon, dating from the 6th century BC. To us, this was the most stunning of the main displays,covered with glazed yellow and blue bricks to depict animals such as lions. Looking at it, you can't help but be amazed by the detail that went into it and wonder how on earth the people living all those thousands of years ago were able to create such a masterpiece.
Museum Island isn't the only place to find stunning museums in Berlin. One of the newest additions to the museum line-up is the Jewish Museum to the south of the city. It takes you through two thousand years of Jewish life and we certainly learned a great deal from our visit to it. It's a sobering place to visit, as you might expect, although the section on the Second World War is very sensitively handled and doesn't dwell overly on the terrible events that took place during those years.
So far, every attraction I've looked at was in former East Berlin, but there are some that were on the other side of the dividing line. One of those is the Reichstag, the German Parliament, just a few metres away from the Brandenburg Gate. Dating back to the late 19th century, this superb building recently underwent a major addition in the shape of a glass dome, complete with viewing gallery. It offers some superb views of the city and the Reichstag is also home to a wonderful restaurant, again offering great views over Berlin.
Somewhere else to head for to get a bird's eye view of the city is the TV Tower, affectionately called the "toothpick" by locals because that's effectively what it looks like. The viewing platform is more than 200 metres above ground and offers views in all directions. It's also home to a very popular cafe, so there are plenty of restaurants with a view to be found in Berlin!
From here, you get clear views of Nikolaiviertel, the oldest part of Berlin, dating back to the 13th century. It's a maze of narrow alleyways, unique shops and old buildings and is exactly what you'd imagine traditional Germany to look like.
It's probably clear that Berlin not only has a lot to offer the visitor, but is also a city of contrasts, with history from recent years and dating back over many centuries, and even millennia to explore. The divides of the past have all but gone now and you can't help but think as you travel around the city that it's a great improvement without the wall, not just for local people, but for visitors, as the former East Berlin has a lot to offer and explore. It's wonderful to finally be able to step into this area and see some of the city's highlights now that Berlin is once again reunited.
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:
Upcoming Changes to Pleasure Island
by Dave Marx, PassPorter Publisher & Author
Late in the afternoon on Friday, June 27, 2008, Walt Disney World announced that the six dance and comedy clubs on Pleasure Island, part of the Downtown Disney shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, would close on September 27, to make way for "a completely re-imagined Pleasure Island." A Disney spokesman said, "Our bold new vision for Downtown Disney reflects the feedback we receive from our guests each and every day." Let's pick the hard information out of the press release:
The September 27 closure affects only the six nightclubs currently operating on Pleasure Island: 8-Trax, Adventurers Club, BET Soundstage Club, Comedy Warehouse, Mannequins Dance Palace, and Motion. (Disney's fiscal year starts October 1, and there can be tax benefits to wrapping-up club operations before the year ends.)
The shops and restaurants will remain open: Raglan Road, Fuego by Sosa Cigars, Curl by Sammy Duval, Orlando Harley-Davidson, and various outdoor food and beverage kiosks.
A new restaurant, previously announced for Pleasure Island, is expected to open in Spring 2009. Operated by E-Brands Restaurants, the "high-energy, casual eatery will feature authentic Central and South American cuisine, specialty drinks and live music along the waterfront. Concept art released by Disney suggests the eatery will be called "La Dolbe," and will be located between the Adventurers Club and former Rock and Roll Beach Club.
Disney also cataloged other changes for the Downtown Disney area:
Portobello Yacht Club, also on the Pleasure Island property, is being re-styled and re-themed in summer of 2008 (like, now), as Tuscan Country Trattoria, with new interior decor, new menu (but still Italian, of course), and an outdoor dining area. This establishment is operated by Levy Restaurants of Chicago.
Fulton's Crab House, just across a small bridge from Portobello and also operated by Levy Restaurants, will get spruced-up in spring 2009, and they'll add an upper-deck area for added guest capacity and the option for larger private parties.
Just steps away from Fulton's, Portobello/Tuscan Country Trattoria, and The World of Disney in Downtown Disney Marketplace is T-Rex, a new themed restaurant operated by Landry's (the Rainforest Cafe folks). That's set to open in the fall of 2008.
In the final restaurant news, sometime in 2009 Wolfgang Puck Cafe in Downtown Disney West Side will also receive refreshed interior decor and a new, enclosed outdoor patio. That patio may help relieve some of the demand for tables that can be so frustrating on busy, weekend evenings.
Since old news can still be repackaged as new news, the recently completed rehabs of Cap'n Jack's Restaurant, Ghirardelli Soda Shop, Earl of Sandwich, and Wolfgang Puck Express, all in the Marketplace district, were also mentioned in the press statement.
Not to be upstaged by the very recently announced, 400-foot tall Big Wheel (observation Ferris wheel) set to rise in Orlando's International Drive district, Disney has unveiled plans for a tethered observation balloon, which will take passengers up 300 feet into the skies above Lake Buena Vista. It's sure to provide much better views of Walt Disney World property than the Big Wheel, which will be seven miles away to the northeast. According to Pleasure Island vice president Kevin Lansberry in an interview with Orlando Attractions Magazine/Inside the Magic Podcast, the balloon will be located in Downtown Disney West Side area, in the open area between Bongos Cuban Cafe and Wetzel's Pretzels. And if anyone is worried about floating away, Wizard of Oz-style, I have a feeling Disney will have the ropes fastened a bit more securely.
Hanes will open a design your own t-shirt store in fall 2008, at an unspecified location somewhere on the 120-acre Downtown Disney property.
Goofy's Candy Company, in the Downtown Disney Marketplace district, will be opening a private party room in fall 2008. That'll be for family-style birthday parties, of course.
Also in the Marketplace in fall 2008, the Marketplace Stage will be upgraded to a new, covered stage, intended to be a major venue for Magic Music Days (for which it already hosts many smaller events).
Fans of the Adventurers Club have reacted strongly to this announcement, as one might expect (Jennifer and I have many fond memories of the club and its cast, and have long recommended it to our readers). There is an online petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/wdwaclub that currently has nearly 3,800 signatures, and many are writing letters to Disney (for a start, Guest Communications, Walt Disney World Co., Inc., PO Box 10040, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040)
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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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