From the Authors: Summer Fun!

Travel Today: Cruising Sint Maarten/St. Martin

Disney Feature: Exchanging Vows -- Disney Style

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Building Stamina, Safeguard Film, Coding Your PassPorter

Q&A: Foreign Cash, AA Meetings
 

Updates:
What's New and Changed

Our friend Scott of the invaluable Priority Seating Calculator site (http://pscalculator.net) reports that special children's tours and parties at the Grand Floridian (see page 244 of PassPorter WDW 2003) have increased their prices. Rates (before tax) are as follows:
Pirate Cruise - $28.17 per child, ages 3-10
Wonderland Tea Party - $28.17 per child, ages 3-10
Grand Adventures in Cooking - $23.47 per child, ages 3-10

As of July 1, all clubs at Pleasure Island are now non-smoking, thanks to an amendment added to Florida's Indoor Clean Air Act. Other locations -- such as Downtown Disney clubs, resort lounges and lobbies, convention halls, and Atlantic Dance Hall -- are non-smoking now, too. Smoking is still allowed in designated guest rooms and outdoor patios/balconies, as well as other designated smoking areas. More information on the amendment, as well as a general list of places where smoking is not allowed in Florida, is available online here .

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

Disney  Tips:
From Fellow Readers

BUILD YOUR STAMINA
"The adults involved should begin (or stick to) a regular diet and exercise routine for at least a month before the trip. Set a realistic goal so everyone will stay motivated.  When vacation time arrives, everyone will feel better, have more stamina (for those long days at the parks), and won't feel as much guilt when indulging in those desserts at the Crystal Palace!" -- contributed by Bob K.

SAFEGUARD YOUR FILM
"Bring along a few padded envelopes (addressed to your home). As you use up your film, pop it in an envelope and mail it off to your house. This will save you from losing rolls of film (like I did in June) and from worrying about X-rays at airports." -- contributed by Maria Gallagher (cameltails@aol.com)

COLOR CODE YOUR PASSPORTER
"Last year when I bought the PassPorter we decided to travel with our best friends that have a 7 year old.  I took sticky tabs of different colors and 'marked' the parts of the PassPorter that pertained to adults and those of interest to kids. When the 7 year old wanted to do something for himself, he just took my PassPorter and flipped to the pages that were color coded for him. From there he picked an attraction that he could do. This allowed EVERYONE the feeling that they had an input in our trip. We never had a complaint out of him the whole five days." -- contributed by Jennifer McGhinnis

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

Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

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

StephanieS asks:
"I'm going on the Western Caribbean cruise this August. Should I buy a small amount of Mexican Pesos for souvenirs and stuff at Cozumel, or are American dollars fine?"

Dave replies:
"Every product/service you're likely to encounter during your brief visit to Mexico will be marked in U.S. dollars. Pesos can't hurt, but they're not necessary."

Anonymous asks:
"Are any Alcoholics Anonymous meetings conducted anywhere on Disney property?"

Jennifer replies:
"Visit http://aaorlandointergroup.org to get information on AA meetings in Orlando. The only meeting that appears to be on Disney property is at the DoubleTree Suites on Hotel Plaza Blvd. (technically Disney property). Open meetings are held on Sunday. If you are staying at a Disney resort hotel but do not have car, you could either take a taxi to the hotel or take a Disney bus to the Downtown Disney and walk from there."

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!

Hi, friends!

We hope this newsletter finds you well and happily enjoying the beautiful summer. We're delighted to be "home" after almost two full months of travel, mostly for work and a bit for play. We've spent our time catching up on e-mail, upgrading our systems, and working on our upcoming projects. The new edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World (2004) looms on the horizon (publication date: January 2004), and our annual research trip for updates and photos will be August 11-18. We plan to be there for the official opening of Mission:SPACE, and we intend to offer a first-hand report in this newsletter upon our return.

In this newsletter, Dave writes a detailed article on Sint Maarten/St. Martin for all your cruisers and island vacationers out there. And Kimberly LaPaglia returns with an informative article on Disney weddings and vow renewals.

Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Travel Press

Yes, Virginia, we really do have a looseleaf, ring-bound edition of PassPorter! We continue to hear from readers who just bought a spiral edition of PassPorter and were surprised to learn we had a deluxe, looseleaf edition too. We call it a "Deluxe Edition" and we have one for both the Walt Disney World guidebook and the Disney Cruise Line field guide. The deluxe edition is popular with serious planners because it allows you to rearrange, add, and remove pages and pockets... and you can update it with future editions just by removing the contents and adding in a refill kit. You can learn more about the Deluxe Editions at the PassPorter Store.

Don't Forget: We're still giving away a free bottle strap with every order, though we do expect to be out soon! Our thanks to MouseEarVacations.com for making this possible for our readers.

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

by Dave Marx

Is it possible to know a place too well? Normally, I’d have to say no --  discovery is one of life’s greatest pleasures, especially when you’re discovering something new right in your own backyard. But when you’re responsible for guiding others, as I am, you run the risk of overloading your readers with more information than they can possibly make use of. Is this necessarily bad? No, but you do run the risk of sending readers on a hectic, see-it-all-in-one-day rat race--hardly the way to spend a rewarding vacation.

We work very hard to keep our port-of-call advice in PassPorter’s Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line and its Caribbean Ports of Call attuned to what’s practical for a single-day visit to the island. Here, however, I’m going to stretch out a bit for those who might be spending more time on the island or simply want to know more.

Of all the islands visited by the Disney Cruise Line, Sint Maarten is the one I know best. My parents started visiting the island about 30 years ago, and have been part-owners of a house there for nearly as long. While I haven’t been there annually as my parents have, I’ve spent many week-plus vacations enjoying the pleasures of this half-French, half-Dutch island. (I refer to it as Sint Maarten, the Dutch spelling, rather than St. Martin, the French/English spelling, as the Disney Magic docks on the Dutch side.) This intimate knowledge is an advantage and a problem for me. Every place changes over time and my memories of a much quieter, less popular island blend with the current reality, so I have to take care that my advice is really up-to-date. But it also means I’m more confident in my advice than I can possibly be for other islands, something I hope you can all benefit from.

Dave enjoys a fine meal in Marigot

We paid a one-day visit to my family’s "home island" aboard the Disney Magic in May of this year, and a month later we returned for an 11-day celebration of my father’s 75th birthday with my parents, my brother’s family, my daughter Allie, and of course, Jennifer. With a group this size, we couldn’t stay at my parent’s place (and besides, it was rented for the off-season). Instead, we rented Casa Boco http://www.villalady.com/wfcasaboco.htm, a five-bedroom waterfront villa on a rocky peninsula near Juliana Airport. The house met our needs beautifully, with a large patio perched on the edge of crashing surf, a delightful view, lots of room for family togetherness, comfortable bedrooms, and a generously-sized pool that kept the kids very happy. At off-season rates, we got a lot for our money.

My parents normally vacation around Thanksgiving time, but we chose to celebrate closer to Dad’s July 5th birth date. Friends on the island tried to discourage us from coming, as late June is nominally part of hurricane season. Statistically, though, bad weather is a long shot this early in the season, and we had no weather problems during our stay. My parents had never visited the island at this time of year, and were pleasantly surprised. While temperatures were a bit higher than we’re used to in Michigan, the cool island breezes and moderate temperatures were a relief for the rest of our New Jersey and Georgia-based family.

CAR RENTALS
If you do rent a car, reserve in advance and be sure to bring your reservation documents with you. We found the one-day rates for walk-up customers at the cruise ship pier were about $20 higher than the rate we had reserved just days earlier (but the agent had to be reminded that had the lower rate). There are five rental agencies with offices at the cruise ship pier. We booked online through http://www.stmaartencarrentalguide.com/ and bought low-cost insurance at the same site. Our car was new and in good condition (you can’t always count on that with the bargain rental firms).

PHILIPSBURG
The Disney Magic docks at the east end of Philipsburg. In PassPorter’s Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line I give the town pretty short shrift. My personal preference for a few hours of in-town shopping and lunch remains Marigot, on the French side of the island, but Philipsburg deserves better than I gave it. Recent upgrades have made this port town far more pleasant than it used to be, although the main shopping district on Front Street will still be a tangle of fellow cruisers...

To read the rest of this in-depth article, visit Cruising Sint Maarten/St. Martin

by Kimberly LaPaglia, contributing writer and Walt Disney World "bride"

While honeymooning at the Grand Floridian (GF) in January 1992, my husband Michael and I dreamt about renewing our vows in Walt Disney World. Ten years later, we decided to celebrate with a vow renewal. Our plans began small, thinking we would quietly exchange vows on our first family trip with our son.

In 1991, Walt Disney World created the Fairy Tale Weddings Department offering wedding and honeymoon planning. Their options for making dreams come true were quite enticing. Our small trip turned in to a once in a lifetime vacation for our extended family of 14 guests.

Kim and family ride in Cinderella's Coach

INTIMATE AND CUSTOM WEDDINGS
Disney offers Intimate and Custom Wedding packages. Intimate weddings are for up to eight guests at a small ceremony followed by a cake and champagne toast. These packages, starting at $3,000, typically include park passes and lodging. Custom weddings are more personalized but require a $7,500 minimum expenditure for Mondays through Thursdays and $10,000 for Friday, Saturday and Sunday events. These prices exclude tax, gratuities, lodging and tickets. There are also food, beverage, and hotel night minimums. Note that holiday seasons may require higher minimums.

We began planning a small Intimate vow renewal and by the time our 10th anniversary vow renewal took place we had switched to a Custom event with special (and some costly) trimmings.

Planning a Destination wedding or vow renewal is challenging. Many couples visit Orlando to meet with their event manager and oversee details in person. We decided to do everything from home (via phone and e-mail). 

Minimums can be met with reception food and beverage, floral and other decorations, music, entertainment, photography services, video, transportation, spa services, and ceremony site fees.

DECISION-MAKING
Begin with choosing a ceremony location. Disney offers many different sites at varying rates. Your choices begin with Cinderella Castle, Sunset Pointe at the Polynesian, the Wedding Pavilion located on a private island with a picturesque view of Cinderella’s Castle, Sunrise Terrace at the Wilderness Lodge, Grand Floridian’s Marina, Sea Breeze Point at the Boardwalk, and the Wedding Gazebo at the Yacht Club. You can even exchange vows in Epcot’s World Showcase. We chose the Wedding Pavilion for its Cinderella Castle view without the steep after-hours fee for having it inside the Magic Kingdom.

The Victorian splendor of the pavilion was echoed in our choice for our reception, the Grand Floridian’s Whitehall Room and Terrace. It was our dream to have a family portrait taken on the stairs of the GF. The Whitehall Room and Terrace was perfect for our small gathering. It was delightful watching the monorail go by and having people wave to us. Reception locations are numerous and are only limited by your dreams and your budget. They include hotel reception rooms, California Grill at the Contemporary, and even the Haunted Mansion, Cinderella’s Castle or Great Movie Ride.

You may want to begin the day with hair and makeup courtesy of Disney Cosmetology. Then, make a grand entrance. Transportation choices include Cinderella’s Coach, vintage cars, boats, buses, and a horse-drawn carriage. You can follow tradition or really personalize your plans. In keeping with our family theme, we had our guests greet the arrival of the bride, groom, "prince" and "princesses" in Cinderella’s Coach before being seated in the Wedding Pavilion.

We had 1.5 years to save and so our budget and dreams were trimmed accordingly. Even dressed as Cinderella, a realistic budget had to be managed. One of the last things we added was Cinderella’s Coach. The chapel was my husband’s dream and the coach was mine. And we compromised by trimming out other extras.

For entertainment, the offerings can include character greetings, caricature artist, majordomo, fireworks and more. Our choice to have Mickey Mouse was well worth it. Mickey marched in and danced with the adults and children. Mickey helped us cut our cake. Our favorite photo is of our son interacting with Mickey.

The idea of our vow renewal/family reunion was to celebrate the people that had helped us when our son was born three months premature. Our son had just celebrated his second birthday, so we sang Happy Birthday to Nicolas with Mickey by his side. We toasted our guests for organizing their budgets and vacations to be with us.

For music you can hire a deejay, violinist, harpist and more. We went with the pavilion’s organist as it was already included in the pavilion fee.

Disney Floral creates magic even on limited budgets. I love flowers but my selections were kept simple with a few elegant hydrangea arrangements and a hydrangea bouquet. We had a beautiful Roman Table decorated with floral, ivy, and candlelight where we sat with our guests.

The Disney chefs create masterpieces and offer a wide selection of menus to choose from. We had a display of pastries and fruit, along with coffee and juice for the cocktail hour held at 11 a.m.  Our luncheon was splendid, ending with a white chocolate Cinderella slipper dessert with a chocolate silk-screened castle on the serving plate. An open bar offered soda, wine, beer, and strawberry daiquiris.

Disney can help coordinate your favors or you can create your own. For favors, we made our own CDs with a song from each year of our ten-year marriage, and added a CD with Disney music to remind everyone of their week-long trip. We also had chocolate in the shape of castles, storybooks, and characters. To thank your guests, consider having gift baskets put in their rooms. We made up our own and our event manager delivered them to the hotels.

Your special day doesn’t have to end quietly. Consider a dessert party at IllumiNations or Fantasmic. We held a private IllumiNations dessert party at the United Kingdom Terrace in Epcot.

There are many extras to consider such as officiant, photos, video, gown, tuxes, and ceremony programs. The wedding department at Franck’s Studio can guide you along the way.

THE WEDDING DEPARTMENT
Contact Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings at http://disney.go.com/vacations/disneyweddings. Cast Members at Fairy Tale Weddings make dreams come true every day of the year. They are organized and creative. The staff wears headsets to communicate with each other, and after the ceremony we were asked, "What beverages would you like awaiting your arrival?" We gave them our order and thought nothing of it. Cinderella’s Coach pulled up to the GF Convention Center, and we entered the elegant foyer where we found sitting atop a beautiful tray, our requested beverages. It was moments like this that put us in awe.

THE PLANNING STAGES
How can you plan a destination Disney wedding or vow renewal? Start with the official Disney Fairy Tale Weddings department. And then proceed directly to http://www.yourfairytale.com. This is an unofficial online guide to Disney weddings and honeymoons and was the primary source of all our planning. The message boards, affectionately called "disneymooners" were an indispensable way of sharing ideas with past, present and future Disney brides and grooms. Yes, grooms get involved too! Disney brides were truly generous in sharing their planning tips whether they were hosting a private ceremony or a reception for 300 people.

Finally, send out "save the date" cards to your guests. This will provide a heads-up about your destination event and allow time to plan accordingly. Sending a monthly newsletter will keep them informed on lodging, transportation, ticket options and what to pack.

Despite the challenges of a destination Disney wedding or vow renewal, you can plan a special occasion that you and your guests will always remember.
 

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What did you think of this article? Do you have Disney wedding and/or vow renewal tips to share? Please e-mail us at editor@passporter.com