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Updated
11/21/03
Copyright 1999-2004
PassPorter Travel Press, an imprint
of MediaMarx, Inc.
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Newsletter 2.10
==========================================
PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips
July 2002 - Issue 2.10
PassPorter.com -
http://www.passporter.com
==========================================
Welcome to PassPorter News, an online newsletter
about PassPorter travel guidebooks and the Walt
Disney World Resort!
PassPorter News is available by free subscription
to all readers and friends of our labor of love --PassPorter
Walt Disney World: The unique travel guide,
planner, organizer, journal, and keepsake!
Learn all about it at:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/2002.htm
==========================================
In This Newsletter:
==========================================
* From the Authors: Research Trip and PassPorter Villa
* Feature: Horsing Around at Ft. Wilderness (Trail Ride)
* Updates: What's New and Changed at WDW
* Tips: Park Cards, Fresh Clothes, Vacation T-Shirts
* Q&A: Early Character Breakfast
* Resources: Walt Disney World for Kids, PinPics.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
DID YOU KNOW? (a little word from our sponsor -- us!)
Our Deluxe Edition of the PassPorter Walt Disney World
guidebook will be back in stock at the end of August.
If you've been waiting for it, feel free to place an order
now and we'll ship it when it arrives.
Order your PassPorter Deluxe Edition or Spiral Edition
(and other neat stuff) at:
http://www.passporter.com/store/
Tip: Use the coupon code "summer" to get 20% off the list
price of our 2002 guidebooks. (Code expires 7/31/02)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
==========================================
FROM THE AUTHORS: Research Trip and PassPorter Villa
==========================================
We're back from our two-week driving trip to Walt Disney
World! We accompanied Allie, Dave's 9-year-old daughter, on
her yearly research trip. We're delighted to report that
Allie's recorded many new KidTips, which she'll share in our
2003 edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World. She was
finally tall enough (53") to go on every attraction, and was
brave enough to make it through Alien Encounter! We don't
plan to write a trip report, however, as this wasn't a
typical trip. But we are including a report of one of
our experiences -- the Ft. Wilderness Trail Ride --
in this newsletter.
Watch for some changes at the PassPorter Message Boards over
the next few days. We're opening the "PassPorter Villa" for
folks to hang out and chat about life outside Disney! The
Kitchen will be the place to talk about food, recipes,
healthy eating, and fitness. Or stop by the Family Room to
share news about your friends and family members, including
pets. We even have a Spare Room for
scrapbookers and pin collectors to trade tips.
There are many more rooms and places to explore.
We expect the Villa to be open by this weekend,
and everyone is welcome! To reach the PassPorter
Posts message boards, go to:
http://www.passporterboards.com
For those of you waiting on your PassPorter Deluxe Edition,
we expect to ship them in late August. If you need one
before then, drop us a line and we'll do our best to
accommodate you!
Thanks,
Jennifer and Dave
Authors, PassPorter Walt Disney World 2002
==========================================
FEATURE: Horsing Around at Ft. Wilderness
==========================================
Our Experiences on the Guided Trail Ride
by Jennifer Watson
As the co-author of PassPorter Walt Disney World, one of the
most frequently-asked questions I get is, "So have you done
EVERYTHING at Disney now?" Anyone who's been to Walt Disney
World knows that this is impossible -- there's just too much
going on to do it all! I usually respond with "I've been
fortunate to do most things, but not
everything. I haven't been horseback riding at Ft.
Wilderness yet, for example." Well, I can no
longer say that. On Monday, July 15, I went on
the Ft. Wilderness Trail Ride with Dave and Allie.
Yee-haww!
Dave made reservations for the three of us at 4:00 pm on
Monday by calling 407-824-2832 (reservations must be made in
advance, up to two weeks ahead of time, and can be cancelled
without penalty up to 24 hours in advance). The trail ride
is $32 (includes tax) per person. The Tri-Circle D Livery at
Fort Wilderness offers guided trail rides six times a day at
8:30 am, 10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:30 pm, and 4:00 pm.
We were instructed to arrive 30 minutes ahead of time and it
was suggested that we wear long pants and close-toed/heeled
shoes. Well, Monday was one of the hottest days of our trip
-- the heat index was 104 degrees! Dave braved the heat with
long pants, but Allie and I took our chances with shorts.
We arrived way ahead of schedule and checked in at the
kennel, near the front of the Ft. Wilderness resort. If you
arrive by car, just park in the visitor parking lot (free to
guests staying at Disney resort, $5 for all others). If you
arrive by bus, get off at the Ft. Wilderness Depot stop. If
you arrive by boat, walk to the Settlement Depot bus stop,
board an internal bus, and get off at the Ft. Wilderness
Depot stop.
At check-in, we each had to sign a waiver agreeing that we
would not hold Disney responsible if anything happened
during the trail ride -- we were also instructed to indicate
our age, weight, and riding experience at the bottom of the
waiver. Riders must be at least 9 years old and weigh no
more than 250 pounds (113 kg). Double riding is not
permitted. Riding experience is irrelevant, however --
anyone who meets the age and weight restrictions may
participate.
For the record, I've had riding experience -- my aunt has
stabled horses for decades and I often spent summers on her
farm as a child. She taught me how to ride Western and
bareback, and I showed an Arabian stallion named "Alaric" at
the local county fair. Nonetheless, I'm not particularly
comfortable on horses, and I ultimately chose to stop riding
as a teen. Dave and Allie had no riding experience, other
than pony rides.
After we signed the waiver, we were offered the option to
use helmets while riding. We were a bit surprised that a
helmet was an option, not a requirement. Knowing how
dangerous a head injury can be, and that the incidence of
serious injuries is higher for horeseback riders than for
even motorcyclists and automobile racers, we requested
helmets for the three of us. There is no additional charge
for the use of helmets on the trail ride, and helmets are
available in child and adult sizes. We encourage everyone
reading this to use a helmet while riding -- why take
chances? For more encouragement to use a helmet, check out
the American Association of Pediatric's page on Horseback
Riding and Head Injuries at
http://www.aap.org/policy/04649.html
With our waivers signed and monies paid, we were given our
trail ride tickets and directed to the Trailblaze Corral,
right next door to the kennel. A small waiting area with
half-hewn log benches is situated in the front, along with
free lockers for the storage of small items. There were
quite a few biting flies in the area -- some insect
repellent would have been a good idea. We lathered ourselves
with sunblock, then stowed our things in the locker. We
should note that cameras, hats, and bags are not allowed on
the trail ride, and thus we have no photos of our
experience. We were among the first at the livery, but we
were soon joined by over a dozen others -- children and
adults. We also noted that one family dropped off the kids
for the trail ride; the adults did not participate. The
trail ride is limited to twenty guests, and we were close to
that. As we waited, we could see the horses in the livery,
already saddled and tethered to posts.
At about ten minutes to 4:00, two "wranglers" (cast members)
came out to collect our tickets, hand out helmets, and match
us up with our mounts. We were the only three riders to
request helmets, sadly enough. I don't think the cast
members referred to the weights we noted on our waivers, but
they did size each of us up and choose an
appropriately-sized horse. When it came our turn, Allie was
matched with a pony named "Poncho." Dave and I had
good-sized horses -- mine was named "Bugsy," and his was
"Apollo." We were told it was important to remember our
horses names as our trail ride leaders would use our horse's
names if they needed to give us instructions on the ride.
When I asked for the name of my horse to be repeated, a
bystander overheard and exclaimed, "Oh no... YOU have Bugsy?
I had him last year. Good luck! You'll need it." Ha ha.
Mounting our horses was easy -- each horse was led up to a
raised platform on which we were standing and we simply put
a leg over and sat down. Each horse was saddled with a
Western-style leather saddle and was dressed with a halter,
bit, and reins. Once mounted, the cast members cinched the
saddle, adjusted our stirrups, and then led the horse to the
other side of the corral, where it was tethered until the
entire group was ready. While we were waiting, I explained
to Dave and Allie that they should talk to their horses and
pat them encouragingly. While these horses are very tame and
are accustomed to strangers, this is a good practice in
general and helps the horse feel more
comfortable with you.
Once we were all assembled cast members gave us some simple
guidelines to follow, explaining that the horses would walk
in a single-file line along the right-hand side of the
trail. We should follow the horse in front of us closely,
but leave about 3-4 feet in between. Because it had been
raining, the cast members explained that the path was a bit
muddy and the horses may not want to walk on the right side.
We were instructed how to direct the horse left or ride
(just pull the reins to the left or right). We were also
warned that some of the horses may want to stop and graze on
bushes along the trail -- if this happened, we were to use
the reins to direct them away from the bushes. We were told
not to pull on the reins, however, as they'd just stop
walking completely and continue eating. The cast members
would ride at the lead and the end of our line, and would be
available for help if we needed it.
The horses were untethered and each horse followed the one
in front without any prodding on our part. They knew the
drill well. We walked our horses out of the livery, across
the main road through the resort ("Ft. Wilderness Trail"),
and onto a wide trail in the woods between the Wilderness
Cabins and Vista Blvd. The trail was well-shaded with tall
pines, bay trees and palmettos. It was also well-groomed,
though needing to stay on the right side of the trail did
mean we brushed along some bushes and trees ocassionally.
There were no pedestrians on the trail; it was off-limits to
all but horses and their riders. The ride settled down into
the familiar rhythm of the horses, broken only by the mud
puddles that the horses tried to avoid. Neither Dave nor I
had any trouble keeping our horses to the side of the trail,
though I noticed that Allie's horse wandered into the center
a few times. My horse, Bugsy, wasn't quite as good-natured
as the other horses -- he seemed a bit skittish and
continually tried to graze alongside the trail. At one
point, I even sensed he wanted to bolt, but didn't. The
other horses and cast members kept him, and everyone else,
in line. The horses only walked; no trotting or galloping.
The trail ride last just about 45 minutes. At the end of the
trail ride, we each walked our horses up to the mounting
platform -- a cast member held our horse while we
dismounted. Allie had a lot of fun, turning back to look at
us with big smiles and ask us how she was doing. Dave seemed
comfortable enough, though I don't he's planning to start
taking horseback riding lessons anytime soon. Allie,
however, is sold on horses and informed us she plans to have
a horse when she grows up. I had mixed feelings about the
ride. I enjoyed the trail and it was a pleasure to watch
Dave and Allie on their first ride. But my horse was a bit
too restless at times, and I found myself hoping it would
end soon so I could regain control. Most likely, this was
just my old baggage about riding resurfacing, and not a
reflection of the trail ride itself. The other guests seemed
to have a good time. I would rate this as an excellent first
riding experience for kids and adults, but that it may be a
bit boring for experienced riders.
All in all, it was a rewarding experience! After we returned
home from Disney, we paid a visit to my aunt's farm and
Allie had another opportunity to ride a horse -- this time
bareback!
I think she's hooked.
>>Things To Do: For photos of the trail ride, visit
Jeff Spencer's Ft. Wilderness FAQ at:
http://home.hiwaay.net/~jlspence/faq_fw.htm
==========================================
UPDATES: What's New and Changed at Walt Disney World
==========================================
Disney recently announced a new enhancement to the FASTPASS
attraction reservation system. Each FASTPASS now lists the
time you're eligible to receive your next FASTPASS. This
should greatly reduce some confusion, but may introduce
other confusion, as Disney is now assigning the time when
you can receive that next FASTPASS, based on actual demand
for FASTPASSes. In some cases, you might get a second
FASTPASS sooner than you could under the previous system,
but there's also the chance that you'll have to wait longer
than you did before.
A new Princess character breakfast debuts July 28 at
Norway's Restaurant Akershus, in Epcot's World Showcase.
Although Cinderella will not be present (she's too busy at
her castle), many of Disney's popular princesses and
heroines will be in attendance. The meal is being booked in
two seatings--8:30 to 9:00 am, and 9:50 to 10:20 am. The
family-style meal costs $15.99 for adults and $8.99 for
children 3-11. Guests for the early seating can enter the
park at either the main entrance or the International
Gateway, and must check in at the gate with their
reservation number before being allowed in the park.
Originally scheduled to "test" through October 31, 2002,
Demand has been so strong that Disney has already extended
reservations through November 30. Call 407-WDW-DINE to book
your Royal encounter. (Thanks to Scott Thomas of
http://www.pscalculator.com)
Fiji and Aotearoa longhouses at the Polynesian Resort are
closed for renovation and are walled-off. This is the
continuation of a resort-wide renovation -- all the guest
rooms are getting new carpeting and furniture.
"Get Happy.... with ABC!" show open at Disney-MGM Studios
from now until October 5, 2002. This 25-minute show offers a
sneak peek of the ABC-TV line-up. Presented in the ABC
Theater (where Doug Live! used to be).
Disney Vacation Club members are no longer allowed to use
Stormalong Bay unless they are guests at Beach Club, Beach
Club Villas, or Yacht Club. DVC members may still pool hop
at other resort's pools, however.
Pin Traders now have a shop they can call their very own.
Disney's Pin Traders is a new store at Downtown Disney
Marketplace, near Team Mickey, Disney at Home, and the new
Once Upon a Toy, in a six-sided building that formerly sold
toys and plush.
Also opening officially on August 1 (it's already open in
preview) at Downtown Disney Marketplace is the
newly-constructed Once Upon a Toy store. A partnership
between Disney and Hasbro, the 16,000 square foot shop
offers such exclusive merchandise as a Lincoln Logs version
of Wilderness Lodge, a Mr. Potato Head with Mickey ears, and
a version of CLUE based on Disney's Haunted Mansion. "Madame
Leota, in the Graveyard, with a Doom Buggy?"
>Things To Do: Hear some news? Send it to us at
news@passporter.com.
==========================================
DISNEY TIPS FROM FELLOW READERS
==========================================
Entertain Kids with Park Cards
"I went online and found different pictures of different
parts of parks. We made them into cards about the size of
baseball cards, then laminated them. On the back, we gave
clues and facts without giving away location. We hooked
about 5-10 'cards' on a stretchy keyring and gave it to my
girls. So as we were walking around they could 'find' the
destinations on the cards. The kid with the most finds got
to pick what was for dinner that night. They learned the
park as well as neat facts about different parts of the
park. This was very inexpensive entertainment and it
encouraged them to look more closely at their surroundings
instead of rushing to get somewhere all the time.
We took enough to do 3-4 days worth. Afterwards, they
made great keepsakes."
-- Contributed by Bobbie Thompson
Carry Fresh Clothes
"I always carry a clean, dry set of clothes in a small
zipper freezer bag in my backpack. No, not for me, but for
my 4 year old daughter who loves to play in the various
water activities in Walt Disney World. "
-- Contributed by Renee T.
Design Vacation T-Shirts
"I design t-shirts with my children for each day of our
trip. We get light colored plain shirts and put our own
designs on with fabric paints (like handprints or Mickey
heads), cutouts from other fabrics with iron-on fusable web
and craft stamps. This way, we all have matching outfits in
the event we get separated (you can tell people the missing
party is wearing "this"). They are one-of-a-kind, help us
keep track of what day which photos were taken during the
trip, and help us pass the time/build-up anticipation
before our trip."
-- Contributed by Sue Lowder (AmndaSarek@aol.com)
>Notes: Send us your tips! You may see them in this
newsletter or on our tip-a-day mailing list. Two lucky folks
will win a copy of PassPorter each month, too! Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/contest.htm
====================================
Q &A WITH JENNIFER & DAVE
====================================
In this column we answer your frequently asked PassPorter
and Disney questions.
Larry writes:
"Hello, since we are not going again until 2003, we were
wondering when the 2003 edition will be available?"
PassPorter Walt Disney World 2003 becomes available in
January 2003. Watch for the pre-order page to appear on our
Web site in the next month or so. Bookstores should have it
in late January/February of 2003.
Terry writes:
"I have reservations for the breakfast in the castle at 9:10
am however the park doesn't open until 9:00. How will I be
able to make it in time for my reservation. I'm not staying
on the resort and will be driving to WDW. Could I get in the
park earlier somehow?"
The parking lot at Magic Kingdom will be open at least an
hour in advance, and you can board the resort monorail for
Magic Kingdom (tell them you have breakfast reservations).
When you arrive at the park entrance, just let a cast member
know about your priority seating time and they will let you
into the park a little early.
>Things to Do: Send us your questions about PassPorter or
Walt Disney World and we'll do our best to answer them!
E-mail: questions@passporter.com
====================================
DISNEY RESOURCES AND LINKS
====================================
Cool Site: Walt Disney World for Kids
A colorful site with simple descriptions and ratings that
kids can understand. The site isn't quite done yet (you'll
note some unfinished areas), but it has great potential.
Visit it at:
http://www.geocities.com/wdwrfk/
Cool Tool: PinPics.com
Pin Collectors have a great resource with PinPics.com! Free
registration lets you organize your own pin collection and
use the Trade Assistant to find and make trades with other
collectors. Everyone can browse the extensive list of pins
-- you'll even find they added the PassPorter pins to their
list!
Visit it at: http://www.pinpics.com
>Things to Do: Nominate a site, resource, or tool for this
newsletter. E-mail: news@passporter.com
====================================
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it through our Web site or at the time of an order,
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Please ask your questions and help each other in our
Message Board Community:
http://www.passporter.com/boards.htm
Copyright (c) 2002 - MediaMarx, Inc
PassPorterWDW is a community service
from PassPorter Walt Disney World: The
Complete Vacation Planning Site and
PassPorter Walt Disney World: The unique
travel guide, planner, organizer,
journal, and keepsake! (we're the one
with the built-in itinerary/storage
pockets customized for your Disney
vacation). http://www.passporter.com
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