From the Authors: Bye, Matt!

Travel Feature: New York City

Walt Disney World Feature: Segway Tour

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Family Food, Tape Tip, Prep Your PhotoPass

Captain's Corner: Skunk!

Q&A: Will there be any special events to mark Walt Disney World's 35th anniversary on October 1, 2006?
 

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Updates:
What's New and Changed

Here are a few of the new developments at Disney:

Matt Ouimet, President of  the Disneyland Resort announced on July 25, 2006  that he is leaving the Walt Disney Company to become President, Hotel Groups for Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Ed Grier has been tapped as his replacement. Grier has been with Disney for 25 years, most recently as Managing Director of Walt Disney Attractions Japan. 

Resort tax on most Walt Disney World Resorts will increase 1 percent on September 1, 2006. The new total tax rate for rooms in Orange County will be 12.5 %. (The All-Star Resorts are not in Orange County and currently charge a resort tax of 13%.)

Liberty Square Riverboat at the Magic Kingdom is reported to be re-opening earlier than previously announced. It will now reopen on September 8, 2006. 

Sad news for pin traders: Mickey's Pin Trading Nights at Disney's resorts will no longer be held. The final events will be held on:
July 27 - 7-10 pm - All Star Sports
July 28 - 7-10 pm - Contemporary
August 5 - 4-7 pm - Pop Century
Individual trading with Cast Members continues and new pins and pin trading opportunities will be a part of the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration beginning this fall. 
 

Our thanks to AllEarsNet.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:

FAMILY FOOD
"When traveling with extended family, we found it quite a bit easier to truly plan ahead when it came to meals. Take no chances. Call! Call! Call! Get reservations scheduled in advance for table service restaurants you are interested in. This not only ensures you have a place to accommodate your dinner party, it also ensures you will actually meet up and be able to share your day's separate adventures with one another." -- contributed by Judith G. 

TAPE TIP
"If you are a mother like me, the size of a crowd makes me want to glue my child to my side. One trick that helps me ease my mind a bit is that I always put a strip of medical tape on the inside of the hem of each of my children's shirts.  Written on the tape is "call my Mom at ###-###-####". The number is my cell phone which I always have ON with me (on a cruise, we just include our cabin number and extension since cell phones don't work). I use medical tape because it adheres so well even when wet.  This works especially well for the really little ones who like to dart off but don't communicate well yet!" -- contributed by Trish M. 

PREP YOUR PHOTOPASS
"I suggest that people take an address sticker with them to put on their PhotoPass card. I have seen the photographers have a card in their hand when you hand them your card and I always wondered if we got out card back. I put an address sticker on our card and they were very impressed that it was marked. Also, if you lose it, someone could easily send it back to you." -- contributed by Sandy M. 

>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 new 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 treasure from Captain Skatt's Journal:

"The backward fountain at the Imagination Pavilion has nothing on this latest discovery of mine! A short stroll away in the Canada pavilion is a little trading post. Here they sell all sorts of Canadian goods and products. What's most unusual about this shop are the artifacts tucked under the beams of the roof. Among other interesting items, I found a skunk! I couldn't believe what it was sitting on, either! The skunk actually appeared to be perched on... (rest of text obscured by a fine powder)" 

What is the skunk sitting on in the Trading Post in Canada?

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 Pat Ravert who was the winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Pat correctly identified the location of the fountain that appears to flow backwards as in front Journey Into Imagination . To view the original clues, 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 Skatt. The new "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" book is now available! You can order the book today at http://www.passporterstore.com.

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Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

JenS asks: "The 35th Anniversary of Walt Disney World and the start of the Year of a Million Dreams are both on Sunday, October 1, 2006. Has anyone heard if there will be any special activities, events or parades in the parks that day?"

Jennifer and Dave answer: "The 35th anniversary probably won't get much play - Disney has a tendency to hold a birthday ceremony at around 9:00 am just inside the gates at Magic Kingdom for press and any guests that manage to crowd around. So, you could arrive at Magic Kingdom early, on "spec."

However, there's a greater probability that there will be a media/travel agents event to mark the beginning of Year of a Million Dreams. That may not translate into anything special for guests, though. I'm going to guess that the parade Grand Marshals that day will be special in some manner. If they do change the parade, fireworks or replace the castle forecourt show at MK (hasn't been announced, but you never know), then there might be a premiere of some sort. :::shrug::: Depending upon the size of the media/travel event, there could be a special ceremony in front of the castle sometime during the day.

Unfortunately, there's very little done for most of these "celebrations" to mark the occasion for guests. By the time they jam all the media and invited guests into the prime viewing areas for events the public can attend, the general public usually is far from the action."

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 See Your Name in Print?

Big News! PassPorter News is now published weekly. This means we need more articles than ever! 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!

Hi, {{user("firstname")}}! 

We rarely comment on Disney company news in this column, but Matt Ouimet's departure from the Disney Company (see What's New and Changed) is well worth mentioning. Matt had a long and illustrious career at Disney Parks and Resorts, doing great things for Disney Vacation Club and as founding President of Disney Cruise Line, and finally heading a turnaround at Disneyland, just in time for its 50th anniversary. Under his leadership Disney Cruise Line recorded the highest guest satisfaction ratings of any Disney Parks and Resorts unit, and Disneyland's formerly unhappy cast and fans turned all smiles under his leadership. Clearly Matt is someone who "gets it" and knows how to lead his people in the right direction. Disney's loss will be Starwood Hotel's gain. Best wishes, Matt!

In this edition of the newsletter PassPorter News editor Sara Varney dashes off to New York City on a secret mission (and to buy shoes), and Laura Clarkson takes us for an oh-so-cool jaunt around Epcot on the 21st Century's version of the horseless carriage, in her report on the Segway Tour. As always, Captain Jack Skatt returns with a new treasure hunting game. Enjoy! 

Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors and Publishers

In a New York Minute
by Sara Varney, PassPorter News Editor and Message Board Guide

I spent my Fourth of July in New York City this year. It wasn’t how I planned to spend it, but it sure was fun! So how did this spur of the moment trip come about? 

I learned in late June that I needed to be in New York City on July 5 to take a test. (I’ll reveal for what later in the article.) Despite having lived in Manhattan for a brief stint in my twenties and the fact that I now live less than two hours away, I had not actually been to “the city” in over five years. In the interim a lot had happened – mainly 9/11 and my becoming a mother. I’ll admit to a moment of irrational fear about visiting New York again. I decided to face my fear head on and immediately enlisted my best friend to come with me. 

But where to begin? After all, there is no PassPorter New York City. (Yet…) We decided to go down on the Fourth of July and spend the night. We also decided that the main focus of our trip would be shopping! Shopping for us means Fifth Avenue, which meant a hotel nearby in Midtown Manhattan. It also meant we didn’t want to spend more than $175 a night for the hotel so we’d have more money in the budget for shoes! 

I checked out hotel rates and room availability on web sites like Travelocity and Expedia. There seemed to be plenty of rooms available in New York City that night, so I decided to see what kind of deals I could get on Hotwire. Hotwire lets you see the general location and price of a hotel room along with the amenities available, but not the actual name of the hotel - until after you book. The cost of the room is non-refundable and due immediately, so you are taking a bit of a risk. We chose a 4 star hotel in Central Midtown Manhattan that was labeled a “customer favorite,” for $169/night. After booking we discovered that our hotel was the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, at Seventh Avenue and 53rd St. We would see if $169 was a bargain once we checked in!

Our next decision was how to get to there. You’re probably thinking, “But you only live two hours away! Wouldn’t you just drive?” Not necessarily. Parking in New York City is VERY expensive and driving is, well, let’s just say I’d consider bungee jumping less risky. This left us with hiring a town car, taking a bus or taking the train. A town car turned out to be cost prohibitive - about $400 round trip! Where is Happy Limo when I need them? A bus just didn’t fit in with the image of the glamorous Girls’ Weekend that we had planned. So the train it was! 

We looked at the Metro North commuter rail schedule online and decided that we would drive to New Haven and take the train from there. The trains were on a holiday schedule for the Fourth so our options were limited, but on the way home there was a train leaving practically every 5 minutes. While you can purchase tickets online, they must be mailed to you and our trip was too soon for that. We purchased them at the station, which is cheaper than buying them on the train. 

Finally, the day arrived! My friend arrived bright and early to pick me up and we hit the road. We boarded the train and arrived at Grand Central Station about 90 minutes later. 

Now, had I not been carrying a heavy bag with multiple changes of clothing, we probably could have walked to our hotel. But it was hot, and I am lazy. “Taxi!”

We were greeted at the hotel by a doorman, and entered a lobby that was just gorgeous. Dark woods and large floral arrangements abounded, but alas…no Hidden Mickeys! Check-In was quick and painless, and we were directed to a room on the 10th floor. 

The room was very small but beautifully furnished, with two queen beds with cherry headboards, nickel light fixtures, and a desk that ran the entire length of the window. The beds were extremely comfortable and had linens with a very respectable thread count. Not to mention five, count ‘em, five pillows each! We quickly decided that the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers was worth every penny and then some. 

From there it was off to the races! Or off to the stores, to be exact. We hoofed it over to Fifth Avenue and headed directly for Saks Fifth Avenue, about a five block walk. I found myself slipping back into my old “New Yorker” ways – jaywalking, speed walking and smiling in benign amusement at the tourists who were looking for traffic the wrong way down a one-way street and almost getting run over. 

We enjoyed lunch in the store at Café SFA, and then got down to some serious spending. July is a great time to shop in New York City, as the summer sales are in full swing. Much coin was dropped in the shoe department by both of us. 

After “spending” the day shopping we headed back to the hotel, some of our purchases in tow. (Tip: If you live in a state that has lower sales tax than New York, ship your purchases home. You will not be charged sales tax but may be required to pay your state’s sales tax when you file your income tax later.) We stopped at the hotel’s concierge desk to enquire as to a nearby place for dinner. Our concierge recommended Giovanni Restaurant and called to arrange reservations for us. 

The reservations turned out to be unnecessary as we had the restaurant practically to ourselves! Due to dining early by Manhattan standards (6:30 pm) and the holiday, business was very slow. This was fine by us, as we lingered over calamari and pasta and re-lived the glory of the bargains found that day. 

The next morning we indulged in the ultimate luxury for the mother of a toddler – watching the Today Show from bed while eating a big, uninterrupted room service breakfast! Once we rolled ourselves out of bed and primped for a while, we decided to go back to Fifth Avenue and check out Bergdorf Goodman, a luxurious department store that had been closed the day before. Alas, the heavens had opened overnight and it was pouring rain. So once again – a taxi cab to the rescue! 

We spent the morning spending even more money, pausing only so I could take my exam. I passed, by the way. The test was to be a contestant on a game show. “Who Wants to be A Millionaire.” Maybe you’ve heard of it? I’m now in the contestant pool, so wish me luck!

Our next stop? Times Square! Lest you think us too sophisticated after shopping Saks and Bergdorf’s, our main goal today was to find the Hello Kitty store. (OK, we had also squeezed in a trip to the Disney Store the previous day.) My friend is a collector, and was very excited to see this haven for Sanrio merchandise. Haven – nay, this is Hello Kitty heaven! Pink, for what seems like miles, greets you upon entering. Judging from my friend’s squeals of delight and the ringing of the cash register, I’d say this store was a hit. 

Well by now it was time to start heading home, but frankly, we were having too much fun! After convincing ourselves that we would be better off taking a later train home, we decided to cap-off this girls’ trip the right way. After all, what Girls’ Weekend is complete without a trip to the spa? No appointments? No problem! 

So it was back to Saks Fifth Avenue, to the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon & Spa. An hour or so later we emerged refreshed and looking gorgeous, thanks to a facial (me) and a sugar scrub (her), followed by a complimentary make-up touch-up. 

Finally it was time to go home. We returned to the hotel and collected our bags. (Unlike Disney resorts, which hold your bags for free on the day you check-out, the Sheraton charges $3/bag.) One final taxi ride to Grand Central, and we were headed home. 

In retrospect, I don’t know why I stayed away so long. Getting there and back was far easier than I anticipated, and getting around New York was equally as easy thanks to a well-located hotel. The things I’ll remember for next time are; bring more cash (taxis and tipping cost more than anticipated), research restaurants just a little, and wear comfortable shoes. (Buy the uncomfortable ones to wear at home!) I know one thing for sure – I’ll be back soon!

About the Author: Sara is counting the days to her family's trip to Walt Disney World this fall. She is also looking forward to an upcoming trip to Hilton Head Island next month. 

Around the World on a Segway
by Laura Clarkson, Guest Contributor

On our most recent visit to Walt Disney World in April this year, my husband, Andy, and I decided to take the Around the World at Epcot Segway tour. We found out about this tour a few months ago, and having always been jealous of the cast members riding around on two-wheeled Segway Human Transporters, we knew we had to book it for our next trip.

On the morning of our tour we arrived at Epcot at 9:00 am. The tour started at 9:30 am but we had been told to arrive by 9:15 am. We were both excited and I was also feeling a little nervous. On arrival, we had to sign a waiver form and were given stickers to wear with our names on them. When everyone had arrived a cast member came and took us over to the training center, which is in Innoventions. There were eight people in our group.

We met the tutor and then had to pick out helmets, either medium or large, and put them on. We watched the instructional video and I began to realize just how tricky this might be! 

The instructor then brought out a Segway to demonstrate to us how it works and how you switch it on and turn left and right. Then came the moment of truth - we were led out to our own Segways!

We were guided through switching them on (rubbing the "key" - a round piece of metal - on a spot on the vehicle's handlebar) and then shown how to get on and off - putting one foot on and then holding on, looking straight ahead and stepping up your other foot. Another instructor had joined us by this point so there were two people looking out for everyone.

Once we had mastered this (with several people doing what they call "the Segway dance" when it shoots forward as you get on because you have leaned forward instead of standing up straight), we stood on them for a few minutes to get used to the sensation. The instructor told us that this feeling has been described as trying to balance on a log in a river. I can't think of a better way to describe it - this was exactly what it felt like. It's very strange you think when you first get on that this could never feel natural, but it really doesn't take long to get used to it.

We then learned to move backwards and forwards - lean forward to go forwards, and lean back to go backwards. We were told by the second instructor not to touch the wall to stop ourselves because if we lean forwards we could keep going or tip off the Segway.

Once everyone had mastered backwards and forwards, we split into two groups. Our group firstly had a set of cones which we had to weave in and out of to practice turning left and right - which is done by twisting the left grip of the handlebar. We then swapped with the other group and had to take the Segway up and down a ramp. This was a little tricky, but not as hard as it looked.

After this we were brought back as one group and shown how to lift the Segway over an obstacle - this was because we would be traveling round the World Showcase while cast members were setting up for the day, so there was a possibility that there might be hoses across the ground. Luckily, we didn't encounter any obstacles.

We were then allowed out into the World! The scariest part for me was actually getting to (and later from) the World Showcase, as Future World was pretty crowded.  However, one of the instructors stayed at the front of the group and one at the back so we were never far from assistance if we needed it.

Once we got to World Showcase, we stopped in each country as far as France and one of the instructors told us a bit about the country we were in. There were also some challenges along the way that were optional - I sat some of these out - but I did go round the water garden in Japan, which was lovely. We stopped in front of the Illuminations globe, where the instructors took pictures for us and we had some free time and the opportunity to whiz around at the Segway's speed limit of 5 mph. (Trust me, that sounds slow, but on these it was really pretty quick!)

Once we got to France we headed straight back to Innoventions. At the end of the course, we were all presented with a Segway pin. These are only given to people who have taken this tour so they are pretty special. I was thrilled with mine. It has a little man on a Segway, and you can make him move up and down.

One more thing. I always thought Segways were an easy option for getting around. I take it back! This was hard work - we both had very achy feet and legs afterwards, in fact, it was a struggle to walk for the rest of the day. I would, however, recommend this tour to anyone remotely interested in Segways; it was a lot of fun, if harder than it looks!

The tour costs $80 per person (including tax) with a 15% discount for Annual Passholders, AAA members and DVC owners. The minimum age for taking the tour is 16 (16 and 17 year olds require the signature of their parent or guardian) and there is a 250 lb. maximum weight limit. Tours run three times a day at 8:30 am, 9:00 am & 9:15 am.
 

About The Author: Laura Clarkson lives in England and has been visiting Walt Disney World since 2002 with her husband, Andy.  She is currently looking forward to their next trip to the World in September. 

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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.