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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: Headed to Harrisburg!
Travel Feature: Windsor Castle
Disney Feature: Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Updates:What's New and Changed
Tips: Stroller Saviors, Grandma's Glitter, Take Along Tablecloths
Captain's Corner: Floored
Q&A: What can I pack in the plastic baggy in my carry-on?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
The 25th Annual "Nights of Joy" festival will take place in the Magic Kingdom on September 7 and 8, 2007. This event requires seperate admission to the park. Advance tickets can be purchased at http://www.disneyworld.com/
nightofjoy. Scheduled to perform on September 7: Jaci
Velasquez, Third Day, Chris Tomlin, Brian Littrell, David Crowder Band,
BarlowGirl, Leeland, Jessie Daniels, Sanctus Real
Scheduled to perform on September 8: Steven Curtis Chapman, Smokie
Norful, newsboys, Salvador, Kutless, Red, Mary Mary, Flyleaf, Mark
Schultz
The Mickey hand holding a magic wand and "Epcot" sign over Epcot's iconic Spaceship Earth are being removed. The removal is expected to be complete by October 1, 2007 - Epcot's 25th anniversary. Spaceship Earth will be completely "naked" for the first time since 1999 when the tower was erected to put up the "2000" sign for the Millennium Celebration. During removal the east side of the walkway under the attraction may be closed periodically.
Teppanyaki the table service restaurant in the Japan pavilion at Epcot will be sporting more than a new look when it re-opens next month. It will also have a new name: Teppan Edo.
RUMOR: According to Screamscape.com (as well as other sources), a Tinker Bell Meet & Greet is in the planning stages at the Magic Kingdom. (This Tink-loving Editor is VERY excited!)
Our thanks to AllEars.net and MousePlanet.com from which we get some of our news leads.
>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 deliver a wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:
STROLLER SAVIORS
"My wife and I are Annual Passholders (AP), the rest of our clan are not. We
normally arrive to our resort in the afternoon and the non-AP holders
don't want to use a pass to get into the parks for such a short time.
They hang out at the resort and after dinner my wife and I go to the
Magic Kingdom and go straight to Stroller Rental. At this time of night
there is no line and we rent our length of stay strollers and fill out
the name tags. This saves our kids at least thirty minutes in the
morning when people are in line to rent strollers, we just pick ours
up and begin the magic."
-- contributed by Harold G.
GRANDMA GLITTER
"I bought a small cylinder of glitter at a craft store that I carried
in with me. At certain times I'd sneak it out and sprinkle glitter
around and told my grandchildren that it must have meant Tinker Bell
was around as they could see the Pixie Dust. Their eyes sparkled more
than the glitter!"
-- contributed by Kathryn R.
TAKE ALONG TABLECLOTHS
"Purchase a couple of those disposable tablecloths (at a dollar store)
to stake your place and have something clean to sit on at parades. They
are small enough to fit in a backpack and just dispose of or pass on to
another family when you are done."
-- contributed by Dina T.
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.
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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.
Here is this week's journal entry:
"I went on a walk-about with my trusty camera today. I must have taken hundreds of photos! When I sat down to review my treasure, I discovered an odd picture. It looks like I accidentally took a picture of a floor ... but what floor! Stars and circles ... even some hidden Mickeys in here. I wonder if anyone can identify this floor for me ... I'm completely 'floored!'"
"I'm Floored" Photo
Where in Walt Disney World will you find this carpet? (Oh, yes ... it's a hard one!)
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 Nadine Daniels who was the
winner of last week's trivia contest! Nadine was the first person to
identify the mini-tiki and mini-tyke as being at the Polynesian Resort near Luau Cove. 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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Q
& A:
With
Jennifer and Dave
disneyfan822 asks: I've been practice packing to see what fits in carry on bags and trying to put all the liquids into the one little baggy, but I'm confused a little on what they consider 'liquids'? Do stick deodorants count? I also usually keep a little tube of hand cream in my purse, do I have to go through everything in my purse and try to fit it into the one little bag allowed? I'm traveling with my family and they don't need to put much in their bags so I'm putting some of mine in theirs, but I'm finding it hard to fit everything I need. I want to make sure I have one of everything that we need in our carry ons just in case our luggage gets (gasp) lost or is delayed from the airport.
Dave and Jennifer answer: Solid stick deodorants are about the only kind you might get away with leaving out of the bag. Roll-ons, glide-ons, etc. all use some sort of liquid or gel.
Pretty much, you stand a higher chance of TSA telling you to discard
something you're trying to bring in carry-on than you stand of losing checked
luggage. I keep my carry on to a minimum - toiletries all get packed in checked
luggage. Medications go in carry-on. When Jennifer, Alexander and I travel
together, we need just one one-quart baggie between the three of us (and all of
it is for the toddler). We'd rather have an easy clearance through security. I'd
hate to miss a flight because we were running late and then got delayed further
by the TSA.
Unless you're traveling with no checked luggage at all,
there's always going to be something in checked luggage that you'll need to
replace if the bag goes missing for a while. Been there (very rarely), and will
probably be there again before I'm incapable of travel in another 40-50 years. I
recently went without the bulk of my wardrobe for almost three days (the bag
went to Lisbon, we went to Barcelona for a cruise, and the bag didn't catch up
with me until the end of our second port day (Villefranche). Believe me, a few
missing toiletries was the least of my concerns, and by far, they were the cheapest and
easiest items to replace. Moral of that story is, don't put all of one person's
belongings in a single suitcase - spread it around a bit. Yeah, I guess you
could also each bring a carry-on with a couple of days worth of clothing, but we
usually have enough to carry without adding that extra burden. There are worse
things than having an excuse to shop for more clothes."
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):
MouseEarVacations.com -- Disney Cruise Line special offers
Mouse Fan Travel -- Walt Disney World Summer Deals
ALL STAR Vacation Homes -- Choose from more than 150 homes within 4 miles of Disney World
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From the Authors: Headed to Harrisburg
Hi,
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Tomorrow we'll be loading up the minivan with kids and books and heading to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to participate in MagicMeets, a gathering of Disney fans. If you'll be there, be sure to come up to us and say hello. We'll be staffing a PassPorter table in the main hall, and Dave will be holding a talk on Disney Dining during one of the breakout sessions. Important: Fred Block, the event's founder and organizer, asks that everyone understand that all tickets to the event have been sold, and that "sold out" really means "sold out." You cannot buy admission at the door, so please don't drive to Harrisburg hoping you can get in - it isn't going to happen. But, if you've got a "golden ticket," we'll see you there!
After a successful one-week preview period for the members of PassPorter's Club, our latest e-book, "PassPorter's Disney Character Yearbook," is now available at the PassPorter Store for $7.95 (15% discount price). The e-book is a 268-page compendium of all the live Disney characters you can find at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and on the Disney Cruise Line. It offers advice and tips on finding, meeting, photographing, and getting autographs from our Disney friends, as well as profiles on over 200 Disney characters. We've also added a personalizable autograph book at the end for you to print and assemble. Whether you're an autograph hound, or just curious about the identity of that scraggly fox in the mashed top hat you saw at the Magic Kingdom, this is a FUN e-book to have! To learn more about the Disney Character Yearbook, visit http://www.passporter.com/disney-character-yearbook.asp.
PassPorter Store News: Our PassPorter book close-outs continue to be very popular and are almost gone! The close-outs are at discounts up to 90% (or as low as $1.95). Close-out books range from spirals and paperbacks to deluxe starter kits and refill kits. Close-outs are available for both our Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line books. Please note that all quantities are limited and when they are gone, they're gone. For details and prices, visit http://www.passporterstore.com/store/closeouts.aspx
On the Air: Dave will be interviewed for the JB & Morgan Show on WIRN - World Internet Radio Network. As soon as we know when the interview will be on the air (and be available for download), we'll let you know right here!
MouseFest Park Schedule: For those of you joining us for MouseFest 2007, you can now consult the MouseFest Park of the Day schedule at http://www.mousefest.org -- stay tuned for more MouseFest announcements in the weeks and months to come.
In
this issue, Feature Columnist Cheryl Pendry returns home from Pompeii for a visit to England's Windsor Castle and Erin McAuliffe describes the not-so-rustic pleasures of Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt.
Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Publishers and Authors
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Travel
Feature:
Windsor Castle
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
When a castle's one of the official residences of the Queen of England and is the largest occupied castle in the world, it's bound to attract lots of visitors.
That's certainly the case with Windsor Castle, just an hour to the west of London and within easy reach of the capital by train, bus or car. It's been on the same site for nearly 1,000 years and the Round Tower of the castle dominates the landscape as you approach Windsor.
Originally built by William the Conqueror to guard the western approach to London, the outer walls of the castle remain in the same position as they did back in the 1070's, so he obviously got some good builders in to do the work!
Over the next few centuries, St. George's Chapel was added to the castle. One of the best examples of late medieval architecture, certainly in England and perhaps in Europe too, this should be on any visitor's list to see during a visit to Windsor. The architecture isn't the only draw here; it's also the final resting place to ten of England's kings, including Henry VIII, famous for his six wives. Indeed one of those wives, his beloved Jane Seymour is buried there with him. King George VI and his wife, the much loved Queen Mother, parents of the current Queen, are also buried in the chapel, along with Princess Margaret, the Queen's sister.
Other kings lying in the chapel include Charles I, who was on the throne at the outbreak of England's Civil War. He was eventually captured by Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentary forces, who wanted to get rid of the Royal family, and held at the castle before his trial and execution in London.
Fortunately, not all the events at St. George's Chapel are so grisly. It's still used for weekly church services and it's also been the site of many Royal weddings over the years, the most recent being that of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999.
Today, the castle is just as well known for what happened in the early hours of 20 November 1992, when a major fire broke out after a curtain was ignited by a spotlight. Over the course of the next 15 hours, as the fire blazed, approximately one fifth of the castle area was destroyed. It took the next five years to restore the castle, but my goodness; it's a challenge now to see which parts were damaged. In fact, if they didn't tell you which rooms were destroyed in the fire, I don't think anyone would be able to tell. Much of the amazing repair work at Windsor Castle was funded by opening Buckingham Palace to the public every year during the summer months; something that's continued to this day even though the bill for repairs at Windsor was paid off a decade ago.
For much of the year, visitors can walk around the State Apartments, where most of the Royal work takes place, including State visits by foreign heads of state, with the Presidents of France and South Africa among the recent visitors to the castle. If you're an art fan, you're in for a treat, with many paintings, sculptures, and armor from the Royal Collection on display.
One other thing you shouldn't miss is an unusual visitor attraction. A doll house may not sound that fascinating, but this is no ordinary doll house. This one belonged to Queen Mary and contains working lifts, running water, and electricity, and took 1,500 craftsmen three years to complete. There are frequently long lines to see this, but it's worth the wait and no wonder this is known as the most famous doll house in the world!
Something else you shouldn't miss if it happens to be taking place on a day when you visit is the Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle. From April to July, it's held every day except Sundays, and throughout the rest of the year, it takes place on alternate days, weather permitting of course! Starting at 11:00 am, it's a colorful sight and we preferred the ceremony you see at Windsor to the Changing of the Guard in London, mainly because you can get a far better -- and closer -- view in the castle grounds. You can even get your photo taken next to one of the world famous guards, which makes for a great memory of your day at Windsor!
If it sounds like there's a lot to see at Windsor Castle, that's because there is. Allow at least a couple of hours for your visit and longer if you're visiting during the busy summer months, when the castle can get crowded and you may have to wait in line to visit the various different areas.
Entrance into Windsor Castle costs 14.20 pounds for adults, 12.70 pounds for students and seniors (age 60+) and 8 pounds for the under 17s. Under fives are admitted free of charge and family tickets are also available at 36.50 pounds for two adults and up to three children. If the State Apartments are closed during your visit, you can expect the admission prices to be almost half that amount.
Windsor Castle is open to the public all year round, with the exception of December 25 and 26 and selected dates when the Queen is in residence. St. George's Chapel is closed to the public on Sundays, when services are taking place. In addition, the State Rooms may be closed to the public on certain dates. To check on opening times and dates, visit the Royal Collection web site at http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/ .
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America. They were on the first 11-night sailing of the Disney Magic around the Mediterranean and are now looking forward to returning to Walt Disney World in December.
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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:
Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort
by Erin McAuliffe, PassPorter Guest Contributor
Disney's Wilderness Lodge opened its doors for the first time on May 28, 1994 in the Magic Kingdom area of Walt Disney World. The resort is modeled on the historic Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone National Park circa 1904. Upon entering the lobby, no longer are you in Central Florida but in a majestic National Park Lodge, where the staff is more than happy to welcome you home. The lobby is home to an eighty-foot-tall fireplace, a built to scale replica of the Grand Canyon's rock layers, rocking chairs, two five- story-tall totem poles, tepee-topped chandeliers, and much more.
During the holidays the Wilderness Lodge is decked out for the season with wreaths and garlands adorning the walls, while a 60-foot Christmas tree decorated with theme appropriate decorations and 60,000 lights take center stage in the lobby.
Rooms come with the choice of three views. Standard View faces out over the parking lot or driveway. Woods View rooms face out over the trees towards either the Magic Kingdom (although the Magic Kingdom cannot be seen, you may get a glimpse of a passing monorail or fireworks display) or the Wilderness Lodge Villas, which opened as part of the Disney Vacation Club in November 2002. Courtyard View looks out over the pools or Bay Lake upon which the resort is situated.
The Villas at the Wilderness Lodge is a free-standing Disney Vacation Club building adjacent to the Wilderness Lodge, offering studio, one- and two-bedroom vacation villas. The Wilderness Lodge and the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge share all facilities, and villas are available to the general public as well as to vacation club members.
The Wilderness Lodge houses 728 guest rooms that are approximately 340 square feet in size and come with either a single king bed, two queen beds, or a queen bed and a set of bunk beds, along with a sink area containing two vanities and a separately enclosed shower and toilet. Each room comes equipped with a television, table, chairs, coffee maker, refrigerator, hair dryer, iron and ironing board and small in-room safe that is adequate for storing airline tickets, traveler's checks/cash and some jewelry. For any other valuables, arrangements can be made at the front desk.
Another option for families is the Junior Suites, which are 500 square feet and have a kitchen/living room and a large bedroom with two beds. Along with the amenities found in the regular rooms, the suites also come equipped with a sofa bed and wet bar.
Concierge rooms, located on the seventh floor, offer either a woods view or courtyard view. In addition to the regular amenities, concierge guests receive bathrobes, nightly turn down service, a continental breakfast and various snacks and drinks throughout the day at the Concierge Lounge.
The Wilderness Lodge is considered to be a Deluxe resort and is priced accordingly, although it is typically the least expensive resort in this category. There are four different rate seasons throughout the year: Value, Regular, Peak and Holiday. Quoted rates do not include Florida Sales Tax or County Resort Tax and are based on double occupancy. Children under the age of 17 stay free when staying in the same room as an adult.
Transportation to and from the Wilderness Lodge is offered through the boat dock and the bus depot. Boats can take guests from the Wilderness Lodge to Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, the Contemporary Resort and the Magic Kingdom. Buses are available to every park, including the Magic Kingdom, the Transportation and Ticket Center and Downtown Disney.
The Wilderness Lodge has two full-service restaurants, a lounge and two snack bars.
Artist Point is a full service restaurant that serves dinner daily from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm. It serves Pacific Northwestern cuisine. Well known for its Cedar Plank Salmon, Artist Point is one of the few restaurants to annually receive the rare Copper River Salmon.
Whispering Canyon Cafe is a family restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. All-you-can- eat skillets are a popular menu choice and range in price from $10.99 for breakfast to $22.99 for dinner. Little ones are kept entertained with the hourly Pony Express rides held throughout the restaurant.
The Territory Lounge is situated adjacent to Artist Point and is a relaxing lounge that serves a range of micro-brews, espresso and cappuccino along with light snacks between 5:00 pm and 10:00 pm nightly.
Roaring Forks Snacks is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to midnight with food offered at hot and cold stations and what is known as "Grab and Go," which includes items like fresh fruit, boxed cereal, etc. There is a small seating area to one side for those wishing to eat a quick breakfast before heading off to the parks for the day without having to return to their rooms. Refillable mugs are available for purchase for $11.99 and can be used for unlimited coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and fountain drinks for the duration of your stay.
The poolside Trout Pass Bar operates under seasonal hours.
Room service is available for breakfast from 7:00 am until 11:00 am and dinner is available from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm.
Many activities are available to Lodge guests. The main pool begins in the lobby as a bubbling hot spring before flowing outside and over Silver Creek Falls, finishing in the pool, which contains a short water slide. There are two hot tubs, lounge chairs, tables and umbrellas available for use around the pool. A quiet pool is adjacent to the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge and is open to all guests.
Guests can take in the sun on the beach at the edge of Bay Lake, take advantage of the three-quarter mile wooded path that runs between the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness by taking a walk, going for a jog, or taking a ride on a bike that can be rented at the Teton Boat and Bike Rental, located near the beach. Bikes can be rented for about $10 per hour, while small speed boats can be rented for about $40 per half hour. A 120- foot geyser spouts off every hour on the hour between 7:00 am and 10:00 pm daily and can be viewed from the main lobby, the courtyard or the walkway located just behind the pool.
There are many quiet areas to be found throughout the Wilderness Lodge that overlook either the lobby or the courtyard and are a great place to curl up with a good book after a long day traipsing through the various parks.
The Electrical Water Pageant runs nightly on Bay Lake and passes by the Wilderness Lodge at approximately 9:35 pm, although it may be canceled due to inclement weather.
The Mercantile stocks a variety of north-western and Wilderness Lodge themed merchandise, Disney plush and various sundries and the Disney character totem pole just outside the doors makes for a wonderful photo opportunity.
The Cub's Den is available for children aged 4-12 and is open from 5:00 pm to midnight daily. Kids are kept entertained with video games, storytelling, arts and crafts, and Disney movies. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3463).
Make sure to spend time exploring the Wilderness Lodge. One way to do this is through the Wonders of the Lodge Tour which is offered at 9:00 a.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays where you will learn about the Lodge's architecture, landscaping and artwork, including all the metalwork, totem poles and paintings.
About the Author: Erin is an Executive Assistant and long time Disney enthusiast. She is looking forward to her next visit and first stay at Pop Century in October 2007 before returning to the Wilderness Lodge for the holiday season in December 2008.
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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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