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In
This Newsletter
From the Authors: "Your
Special Needs" in Pre-Order!
Travel Feature: A
Guided Tour: The Anza Borrego Desert
Disney World Feature:
Taking a Toddler to Walt Disney World (Part 2)
Updates: What's
New and Changed
Tips: Gobs
of Great Gifts, Fro-Yo on the Go, Bottled Beverages May Be Best
Q&A: Expedition Everest Soft Opening?
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Updates:
What's
New and Changed
Here's a few of the new developments at Disney·
Disney has implemented a new resort room rate program
for Annual Passholders. It is called the "Passholder Best Rate Program"
and is available for stays at a Walt Disney World resort through December
19, 2005 that are booked online at least 120 days in advance and must be
booked online at http://www.disneyworld.com/
passholders.
Disney guarantees that AP holders will receive the best room rate
available at that time (except for offers that are specific to certain
groups such as AAA members or Florida residents) and will automatically apply
any further discounts to your room rate as they become available. A non-refundable
room deposit of one night's stay (room rate plus tax) must be paid at the
time of booking and passholders may only book one room per reservation.
The first ever "animated" balloon will
appear in the 2005 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. JoJo, from Playhouse
Disney show JoJo's Circus will be featured in the parade actually juggling
a set of three balls, one of which is a completely separate balloon. JoJo
is the first Disney Channel character to be featured in the Macy's Parade.
We heard through the cast member grape vine that Ice Station Cool at Epcot will re-open in late 2005 as
Club Cool.
No official announcement from Disney as of yet, but for those of us who
are big fans of this Coca-Cola sponsored exhibit, this is great to hear!
You can view our page-by-page list of updates
and corrections for the new PassPorter Walt Disney World 2005 Edition
at http://www.passporter.com/
customs/bookupdates.htm.
>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 provide a wealth of information! Here are
the winners in this month's tip contest:
GOBS OF GREAT GIFTS
"The gift store in the Toon Town Hall of Fame (at Magic
Kingdom) has
a wide variety of gifts for the younger recipients on your list, a good
selection of items for both boys and girls and many things for the under
12 age group we didn't see anywhere else. Even Disney employees were asking
us where we found a few of the items."
-- contributed by Michelle S.
FRO-YO ON THE GO
"For a great and easy frozen yogurt after a day
in the parks, freeze portable yogurt in a tube such as Go-Gurt. It's
easy for kids to eat, not as messy as frozen yogurt with a spoon, and the
kids love them."
-- contributed by Jennifer Z.
BOTTLED BEVERAGES MAY BE BEST
"If you've been to Walt Disney World before, you may have noticed the water
fountains have an odd sulfuric taste to them. First-time travelers
often learn the hard way to steer toward bottled water instead. But not
everyone knows that the same is true for soft drinks at the Walt Disney World restaurants.
Because they're mixed with the same water, their taste may seem
off to many travelers too. When in doubt, not only stick to bottled water,
but the bottled soft drinks as well."
-- contributed by Jon Severson (hansco@...)
>Notes: Send
us your tips ! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of
PassPorter!
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Q
& A:
With Jennifer and Dave
GATechGal asks: "I just read on another board
that there may be soft openings in Sept. for the Expedition Everest ride.
Any one else heard this?"
Dave answers: "I recently came across a rumor that
they'll delay the ride's official opening until the park's anniversary date in
April '06 (two years after they announced the attraction). If that's true,
then I can't imagine a soft opening as early as September. My sympathies
are for sooner, rather than later. Let's hope!"
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!
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Future
Newsletters:
Want
To Get Published?
We're on the lookout for guest columnists to contribute
articles to this newsletter. 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 details and our article guidelines,
please e-mail news@passporter.com.
Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed!
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From
the Authors:
"Your Special Needs" Pre-Order
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Maybe you're heard, and maybe not...
PassPorter's
Walt Disney World for Your Special Needs is now available for pre-order! Authors Deb
Wills and Debra Martin Koma and a team of more than thirty expert "peer
reviewers" have done a wonderful job on this, the latest addition to our shelf
full of PassPorter guidebooks. You're going to love this book -- it has something for everyone (after all, we all have special needs of one sort or another)! We expect to
start shipping it on August 15, and you can
reserve your copy
now. That way, you can be among the first to see it!
But we're not the type to kick back and
relax when a project is done. In a few more days we'll be at Walt Disney World,
working on the eighth edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World (due out November
15, 2005), and we've got a whole team working on PassPorter Disneyland and
Southern California, which will also be out in November. Work on both of those
books is especially exciting at the moment - Allie will be a full-fledged teen
by the time the book comes out, so she's looking forward to writing "Teen Tips"
for her favorite thrill rides. We're also upgrading both books to full color
interiors, and so far, they're looking great! Every photo, map and chart
will be in color. (As they used to sing, "The world is a carousel of color...")
Then, as soon as we can get a minute, it's back to work on PassPorter's Treasure
Hunts at Walt Disney World, our December "stocking stuffer," and that will be
followed by work on the next edition of PassPorter's Field Guide to the Disney
Cruise Line. Oh, and lest we forget, in December we'll be at Walt Disney World
and on the Disney Wonder for the PassPorter Gathering at
MouseFest! It's a good thing we're doing
the California-to-Florida repositioning cruise on the Disney Magic in August.
Imagine, two weeks of total relaxation! Dinner at Palo, lounging by the Quiet
Cove Pool while baby Alex is at Flounder's Reef... Well, we can imagine it, but
we have to spend a bit of time researching there, too, don't we? How about a
week-and-a-half of relaxation? One week? Can we get the weekend off? Please?
Speaking of vacation, what about yours?
Guest columnist Marley Braun has a great idea for a side-trip during your next
vacation at Disneyland, and Anna Totty finishes her tip-filled, two-part article
on toddlers at Walt Disney World. Happy reading!
Jennifer
and Dave
PassPorter Travel Press
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Did
You Know? WDW and DCL PassPorters Ship Next Day!
The 2005 edition of PassPorter Walt
Disney World and PassPorter's Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line 3rd
Edition are now shipping next business day when ordered by 8:00 pm ET the
night before. (Don't forget that Monday is a business holiday, though.)
If you've been waiting to order your copy, now is the perfect time!
Everyone gets a 15% discount and if
you've already got a copy of PassPorter, you can register
it to get a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of any PassPorter
guidebook.
Order your copy today at:
http://www.passporterstore.com/store |
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Travel
Feature:
A Guided Tour: The
Anza-Borrego Desert
By Marley Braun,
Guest Columnist
Living on the East Coast, our children
had never seen the desert. Their biggest request, besides seeing Disneyland
of course, was to visit a desert sometime during our recent Southern California
adventure. We chose to visit the Anza-Borrego Desert, which covers 126
square miles and is about a 2 ½ hour drive from Anaheim. We chose to take
a day trip there and I must warn you that to enjoy it properly, it will
take at least an entire day. The scenic drive is lovely and serene but
a little slow winding in and out of all of the mountains. After our Hail-Mary
day at Disneyland, it was a welcome pleasure for us to unwind and enjoy
the view.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest
contiguous state park in the United States, located on the eastern
side of San Diego County. It is home to wildflowers, palm groves, Indian
ruins, ancient fossil reefs, wind caves and several types of animals. You
can find detailed information regarding the park at http://www.anzaborrego.statepark.org.
After researching the web site, I found
that the best way to see it would be to find a guided tour. I chose California
Overland located in Borrego Springs, CA (866-6-EXPLORE or http://www.californiaoverland.com).
It is a brand new tour operation owned by Joe Rafetto. Joe offers
easy, moderate, and challenging tours that range anywhere from 2 hours
to overnight. Prices begin at $45 per person for a 2-hour tour. Each tour
can accommodate up to 17 people. He also offers boxed lunches and is in
the process of adding a wine tasting tour of the surrounding area. Trip
availability does vary with tourist demand and minimum participation requirements
may apply.
I called Joe a few months before our trip
and he asked me many questions so that he could create a tour that would
be perfect for our family. We agreed a shorter tour (3 hours) would be
best for the ages of my children. My five-year-old son really wanted to
see dinosaur fossils and a scorpion. My eight-year-old daughter just wanted
to see how different the desert really was.
Armed with that information, Joe created
the perfect tour! It began as we pulled into the parking area and were
greeted by converted military transport vehicles. My husband and son looked
like they had died and gone to heaven! The vehicles are fitted with cushy
school bus seats, seat belts and a canvas roof overhead to block out the
heat of the sun. Joe had packed us plenty of water, snacks and fruit for
our tour and encouraged us to have plenty of sunscreen on.
With the wind blowing through our hair,
Joe drove us to our first stop. To our delight, he had arranged for a private
tour of the Paleontology Lab at the Visitors Center. Park Ranger Frank
Jee took us on an informative "behind the scenes" tour of the hundreds
of fossils that have been recovered from the surrounding desert. The highlights
were an enormous, ten foot complete mammoth tusk, a giant sabertooth tiger
skull, a clawed hand bone of a sloth, and a huge tortoise shell reminiscent
of the Galapagos turtle we had just seen at the San Diego Zoo. The best
part was that we actually got to touch everything and we learned a tremendous
amount about how they have collected and preserved all of these wonderful
treasures.
Our next stop was Clark Dry Lake. On the
way there, we saw a roadrunner (they are much smaller than you would think)
and several jackrabbits. As we stepped out onto the cracked earth, we
were surrounded by beautiful mountains. We ate the snacks Joe had packed;
made sure we drank plenty of water to stay well hydrated and kicked back
and enjoyed the view. We even got to witness a type of mirage effect that
the kids thought was really cool. It looked like a ripple going across
the mountains through the air.
Lastly, we went on the truly rugged part
of our adventure to Font's Point. The kids loved all of the bouncing around
they got to do, while my husband and I enjoyed the unique rock outcroppings.
Font's Point has a beautiful overlook that reminded me of a smaller version
of the Grand Canyon. It was very picturesque and Joe provided us with binoculars
so that we could fully take in the view.
Our trip culminated with Joe presenting
my son with a scorpion, who had unfortunately met his demise the night
before when he crossed paths with a cat. The scorpion got a new "home"
in an empty film canister and it is proudly displayed anytime a guests
visits!
The Anza-Borrego Desert is well worth a
day trip if you are visiting the Southern California area. It is calm and
peaceful and provided my family with a lifetime of unique memories.
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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.
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Walt
Disney World Feature:
Taking a Toddler To Walt Disney
World (Part 2 of 2)
by Anna Totty,
Guest Columnist
You've done the advanced preparation, made
stroller decisions, got your bag packed and you're at the park. What do
you do next? Pick up a map at the entrance and locate the Baby Care Center(s).
They will be a great retreat for you. They have changing tables, rocking
chairs, and if you've left something behind or run out of diapers, the
center will have exactly what you need. An added bonus is that they are
air conditioned so you can get out of the heat for awhile. The Baby Care
Center will also be your best friend if you are potty training your child.
The Baby Care Centers have small toddler-size
potties that don't flush automatically, which are great for potty-training
toddlers. All the other restrooms have automatic-flush toilets and they
nearly ruined our first trip for our youngest. She's small and every time
she wiggled, the toilet flushed, loudly. She was terrified and refused
to use the bathroom anywhere but in the hotel room. She still asks if the
toilet is like Disney's every time we go to a new bathroom. But if you
can't make it to the special potties at the Baby Care Center and have to
use a regular bathroom, try this trick. Just cover the flush sensor with
your hand or with a small Post-It note until your child is finished so
it doesn't flush until your little one is done.
Now, you're ready for the rides. Do you
have older kids who want to ride Space Mountain but your younger one is
still too small? Disney has an answer. All of the rides that have height
requirements also have a baby swap option. What does this mean? One parent
can ride Splash Mountain while the other one waits with the baby. Then,
the second parent can ride while the first parent waits with the baby.
Your older kids will love baby swap. Disney wants to make sure everyone
has a great trip so no one has to ride alone. The older kids will get to
ride with Dad and then ride again with Mom, too. That's right; the older
kids get to ride twice at the baby swap rides.
One thing to keep in mind with the baby
swap is that all of the rides handle it differently. For example, at Kali
River Rapids we were able to take our sleeping baby in her stroller through
the FASTPASS line to a special waiting area with benches just for people
using the baby swap option. At Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, however, the parent
waiting with the baby is given a pass like a FASTPASS and waits outside
of the ride until the first parent comes out. Always tell the first cast
member you come to at each ride that you want to do the baby swap and they
will tell you how to handle it.
There are also some special things that
small ones can do while waiting for the bigger kids to ride the big
rides. For example, if some of you are riding Splash Mountain or Big Thunder
Mountain at Magic Kingdom, the others can take advantage of the toddler-size
playground located near the entrance to Splash Mountain, hop on the train at the
nearby station
and ride the complete loop around the park, or go see the Country Bear Jamboree. Is your group riding
Space Mountain or Buzz Lightyear? Then ride the Tomorrowland Transit Authority
with your toddler. It goes through both of these rides so you can play
a game to see if you can find the rest of your group.
Do you want to explore the World Showcase
at Epcot but you're scared your little one won't sit still? At the first
country, locate the Kidcot Fun Stop - there's one in each country. One parent
can stay with your toddler while she does the art project and makes her mask,
while the other parent explores. Then you can swap. If you explore all
of "the world" and your child gets stamps from all the Kidcot Fun Stops, she
will get a free poster at the last stop. My girls loved doing the Kidcot Fun Stops. It really kept their interest.
Also in Epcot, are you doing Mission Space
or Test Track? If so, there's a small playground in the Mission Space building
and, to make it even better, it's air conditioned. Go through the regular queue
and pre-show, and ask a cast member to show you the way. Are your older kids
spending lots of time in Innoventions? There are a few computer games for
smaller kids near the Toontown game.
Disney-MGM Studios is a little trickier. There's nothing
for little ones to do near Rock 'n' Roller Coaster or Tower of Terror but
wait outside in the sun. I suggest going back down Sunset Boulevard to
the open air Sunset Ranch Market and buying a snack and waiting for the rest of the
group there at a table in the shade. If you think the Studios Backlot Tour
is too intense for your little one, you can wait at the very convenient
Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground. When it comes to Star Tours, baby swap
allows you to go all the way up to the ride and wait on a bench outside
the entrance. While your child will have to wait, it will give you a nice
break in the air conditioning.
Disney's Animal Kingdom is very toddler friendly.
If your group wants to ride Primeval Whirl, the baby swap occurs at the ride
platform at the loading gates. It has benches and is in the shade. If part
of your group is riding Dinosaur or It's Tough to Be a Bug and you decide
it's too much for your little one, your toddler will love the convenient Boneyard
playground. It has toddler-sized slides in addition to the big climbing areas,
and a huge, shaded sand box where you can dig up fossils.
Here are some other things you can do to
make your trip less stressful and more memorable:
* When checking in at your resort take advantage of the
fact that only the person whose name is on the reservation has to stand
in line. Take the kids to explore the hotel. Go look at the pool or some
of the special things at your resort such as the animals at Animal Kingdom
Lodge, the giant paddlewheel at Port Orleans Riverside, etc.
* Take things with you to the parks to
keep your toddler happy while waiting. Some easy things to carry are pipe
cleaners in multiple colors that can be used over and over to make anything
your child imagines, bubbles, the small, travel-sized Magna-Doodles that
can be attached to your stroller, Playdoh, etc.
* If you are going to Disney's Animal Kingdom and
your child won't drink without a straw, make sure you bring a sippy cup.
Straws are taboo at Animal Kingdom for the safety of the animals, but disposable
sippy cups work wonderfully well.
Finally, take a break in the afternoon.
That advice is so basic, and it's also the advice that's most often ignored.
If you are staying onsite, hop on Disney transportation and take the short
ride back to the hotel. You will feel so much better, and your toddler
will, too. If going back to the hotel isn't an option, find a quiet place
at the parks to rest such as one of the chairs on Tom Sawyer's Island in
the Magic Kingdom, or watch the boats and have a snack at the Cantina de
San Angel at Epcot.
Your vacation is going to be great. Don't
rush; take time to experience the magic of Disney. Your toddler won't care
if she didn't get to ride everything in the park. Toddlers like the small
things and Disney is a great place for making magical memories. We've found
that it's often the small, unexpected things that children, especially
toddlers remember most vividly.
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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 planning your Disney vacation. |
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