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PassPorter News Brought to you by PassPorter Guidebooks
 July 7, 2005 * Issue 5.13
 
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!


 

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

 


 
 

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

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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