| August 16, 2012 * Issue 9.33 |
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 In This Newsletter
From the Founders: Cruise Crazy
Travel Feature: Whatever the Weather
Disney Feature: Jedi Training Academy
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Creative Car Trip Tips, Create Closet Space, Better Bag Check Strategy
Captain's Corner: Magical Memories
PassPorter PhotoPick: Clock on Cinderella Castle
Q and A: New Fantasy Land opens Dec 6th - we arrive Dec 8th - help!
Our
Sponsors: We Recommend...
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 Cool Links:
Stuff and Services
We encounter many Disney- and travel-related products and services. From among
those we try, a few are good enough to use ourselves and recommend to you:
Orlando Scooter Rentals - Electric mobility scooter rentals for use in Disney World!
Owner's Locker - The Purple Place for Storing Your Vacation Stuff!
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
This week we have 4 news bulletins:
Bistro de Paris to get New Name, Decor, and Menu Beginning in mid-December, Bistro de Paris, the Signature Dining restaurant located on the second floor of the France pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase, is getting a new name, new decor, and new menu. The popular counter service bakery, Boulangerie Patisserie, will move a new location featuring an exhibition bread oven and expanded menu. The old Boulangerie will become an ice cream shop! The new restaurant upstairs will still feature classic French cuisine but in a less formal setting. Downstairs, bustling Les Chefs de France Restaurant is not changing.
Comments: 49
This updates page 234 of PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook
Cars Land Executive Kathy Mangum Moves to Walt Disney World The Walt Disney Imagineering Executive Vice-President in charge of the Cars Land project at Disney California Adventure, Kathy Mangum, has accepted the position of Executive Producer for Walt Disney World, in charge of all projects at the resort. This move has increased speculation regarding the planned Avatar-themed land at Animal Kingdom. The current rumor is that "Avatar Land" will be located in the current Camp Minnie Mickey area.
Comments: 49
This updates page 191 of PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook
Walt Disney World Moms Panel to Accept New Applications in September The Walt Disney World Moms Panel will be accepting applications in September. (The official date has not been announced yet.) This year the panel is looking to add a few new specialties, including Sports Moms, International Moms, and Spanish-Speaking Moms. "Moms" by the way, is used as a general term--there are plenty of Dads on the panel as well! For more information, keep an eye on the Disney Parks Blog!
Comments: 49
This updates page 007 of PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook
Phineas & Ferb and You at Downtown Disney Disney Channel stars Phineas and Ferb are coming to Downtown Disney! Beginning September 1, 2012, guests will have the chance to interact with the gang in an augmented-reality experience located near Bongos Cuban Cafe at Downtown Disney's West End. Step onto the platform and immerse yourself in one of 20 scenarios from the Disney Channel hit show. The experience will be available daily from 2:00 pm - 9:00 pm until December 1, 2012.
Comments: 49
This updates page 207 of PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook
Tip: Need more news? Read, sort, and search all the PassPorter news bulletins at the PassPorter News Desk!
Our thanks to AllEars.net and MousePlanet.com from which we get some of our news leads.
Hear some news? Be a 'PassPorter Reporter' and send it to us!
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Disney Tips:
From Fellow
Readers
Our readers deliver a wealth of information! Send us your tips! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter! And you never know -- your tip could even appear in a future edition of a PassPorter guidebook.
CREATIVE CAR TRIP TIPS
'My mom decided to take my 9 yr old son and I on his first trip to Disney. My son has ADHD and aspergers, that plus the fact that we live in Virginia, made driving a better option. But my son had never been in the car for that long at one time. We were also keeping this trip a secret so he wouldn't ask a million "are we there yet" questions. So in preparation for the drive to Walt Disney World, I wrapped little gifts that were hints (from places like Dollar Tree, Walmart, & Target) for each hour of our drive. He never once complained about the drive. He was only interested in watching the clock for it to get to the next hour. By the time we arrived in Walt Disney World he had his autograph book, special pen, light up flips flops for the pool, disposable camera, water bottle, fan, and a book about Walt Disney World written by kids. '
-- contributed by Wendy
 Save This Tip
CREATE CLOSET SPACE
'I find the closet space so small whenever we travel(both in hotels and especially on a cruise), and with our family, there are usually not enough drawers either.
I now take along an 'accordian' style hanging storage shelf. I pack it at the bottom of my suitcase (because it folds up very nicely)and hang it up first thing when unpacking. It provides at least 5 extra compartments and only takes up only about 8 inches of the closet. It has two hooks at the top that hang right on the closet rod. The small amount of closet room it takes up still allows me to hang my other items in the closet. When I get home, I keep it in my suitcase for next time.'
-- contributed by Barbara
Save This Tip
BETTER BAG CHECK STRATEGY
'I discovered a great way to speed up the bag-check entry into the parks. I had packed several "Hefty One-Zip" bags. While shopping I happened to purchase a new Mickey head drawstring backpack to use during my visit. It has a rather small opening and is dark inside and hard to see items in. I took everything I was putting into my backpack for the day -- wallet, camera, kleenex, umbrella, ADR's, medication, bandaids, etc. -- and loaded up one of my zippy bags first. The bag slid easily into my backpack and I was ready to go. When I arrived at the park bag-check, all I had to do was slip my clear bag out of my dark back pack, fold my empty backpack up and show the security personnel my stuff. I got a lot of happy smiles from those bag-checkers as they quickly glanced at the easily visible contents of my bag. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about -- thanks a lot!" was the comment of one person. Once past the check point, my entire bag slipped easily into my backpack and I was off. No worries about the occassional rain either since my belongings were in a plastic bag that I could seal up if I needed to. And let's not grumble about that bag check line --- it keeps all of us safe as we enjoy the "happiest place on earth"!'
-- contributed by Karen
Save This Tip
Want more Disney
tips? Look for the concierge bell icon in future newsletters and throughout the PassPorter.com site. When you see the bell, tap it to view and save the tip to your personal tip collection!
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. (Please note: Players can win once every three months.)
Here is this week's journal entry:
"Did you know you get can your magical MEMORY of a trip published in a PassPorter guidebook? At the end of each of the chapters is a memory from a reader. If your memory is picked, it will appear in a future edition (with your permission, of course) along with your name. PassPorter needs stories about YOUR magic, not magic made by a Disney cast member. For example, something special you did to plan or enjoy your trip. We love to hear about how a Disney cast member made your trip extra special, but we don't include these stories in PassPorter because we don't want our readers to think they will get the same treatment when they visit. If you've got something like this, submit it at http://www.passporter.com/customs/tipsandstories.asp"
For bonus credit, locate the photo in the PassPorter Photo Archive and post a comment with the photo!
Congratulations to who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! was the first person to
identify the answer to last week's clue as in . Bonus credit goes to as the first person to locate the photo in our PassPorter Photo Archive. To view the original clue, see last week's newsletter.
Send your full answer to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the winner will be notified by e-mail and announced in a future
newsletter, along with the correct answer!
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PassPorter PhotoPick
Each issue we choose a special photo from the PassPorter Photo Archive which highlights something beautiful, interesting,
humorous, or timely at Disney or around the world. Here is this issue's PassPorter PhotoPick:
Clock on Cinderella Castle
Photo by Arnir
(click the photo or link to see a larger photo with details)
You can nominate photos as a PassPorter PhotoPick by giving ratings in the PassPorter Photo Archive (you'll need to be logged in to do this). If you'd like to contribute your own photos to the Photo Archive and be considered as a PhotoPick, please read our Photo Upload Guidelines for details and benefits.
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. . . . . . . | Q and A: With Jennifer and
Dave
evenstar84 asks: "With the new Fantasyland opening officially on Dec 6th, and we arrive on Dec 8th (Saturday), I am concerned that the crowds will be CRAZY! We don't plan to hit Magic Kingdom until Sunday morning and again Tuesday afternoon/evening. Will Sunday be nuts? I planned our trip assuming the grand opening date would be in late November, not 2 days before we get there. 
Has anyone experienced a weekend after a big attraction opening? What's it like?
Any help is most appreciated.  "
Dave Marx answers: "With a Grand Opening media event on Thursday, you can expect there will be higher than normal crowds in MK over the weekend. There will be much bigger TV and radio coverage in Florida than the rest of the country, and, like they say, if you build it, they will come. Weekends are always less-than-wonderful in MK, due to attendance by locals who work during the week. So, yes, Monday or Tuesday will be a better idea."
Did our message board members agree with Dave Marx? To see other answers that evenstar84 received, check out the rest of the thread on the PassPorter Message Boards..
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):
Mouse Fan Travel -
Free Dining at Walt Disney World
Lighthouse Key Resort & Spa -
Spacious vacation condominium rentals four miles from Disney!
Quicksilver Tours & Transportation -
$5.00 off airport round-trip town car!
Orlando Scooter Rentals -
Electric mobility scooter rentals for use in Disney World!
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| | | From the Authors: Cruise Crazy
Hi, {{user('firstname')}}!
PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line Guide Now in Pre-Order!
The new, 10th edition of PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line and its Ports of Call is now available for pre-order in the PassPorter Store! As always, this new edition will be fully updated, including full port-of-call information for current ports, plus firsthand information on the new Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.
The new guidebook is available in paperback, in a Deluxe Starter Kit in our popular six-ring binder, as a refill kit for those who already have a PassPorter deluxe binder, and in an Online Edition only. Pre-order now at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/dcl.aspx and get immediate access to the Preview File, which is 214 pages long (the first five chapters) -- when all chapters are complete, this access becomes our Online Edition, which you can browse, search and print ... or even put on e-book readers like an iPad, Nook, or Kindle! Note that the Online Edition is currently incomplete -- over half of the pages are online -- but will be updated regularly in the next four weeks. You can also browse the first chapter from the new guidebook!
PassPorter's Club
UpdateMore than 1500 vacationers are now enjoying access to all our e-books, e-worksheets, and super-sized photo archive images. Thank you for your continued support!
- A completely updated version of PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide is now available. New pages have been added to cover all the member perks you can enjoy at Vero Beach, Hilton Head, and Aulani. Now that it's available to book with points, we've also added more information about Disney's Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland. And if you want to know how it differs from the Villas at the Grand Californian, we've included a comparison of the two.
Also included in PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide is updated pricing information, reflecting recent increases. We've added details on 2013 Adventures By Disney trips, including a look at the three member-exclusive excursions, along with the latest points requirements for non-Disney Vacation Club resorts at Walt Disney World and the resorts at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Packed with everything you need to know about being a member, PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide is invaluable for anyone thinking of joining the Disney Vacation Club, as well as those who have already joined.
PassPorter's Club Passholders can download the latest version using the Concierge Desk.
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In this issue, PassPorter Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry shares information on Whatever the Weather. Then PassPorter Guest Contributor Melissa Solbach gives us a glimpse into Jedi Training Academy. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt.
Jennifer and Dave Marx
PassPorter Founders and
Authors
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Did You Know?
Book your vacation by 8/31/12 & we'll
make a donation thru the Dream Team
benefitting Make-A-Wish®
Free Dining is Back* for qualifying
Walt Disney World® Resort packages
Valid most stays 9/30/12-12/20/12
(some blackout dates apply)
Book by 9/29/12
Visit us at: www.MouseFanTravel.com
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Click for full details As to Disney artwork: ©Disney Ships' registry: The Bahamas |
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Travel
Feature:
Whatever the Weather: Making the Most of Your Disney Vacation in Inclement Weather
Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
Every time we take a vacation, we want it to be perfect.
After all, it's a break from the normal day-to-day routine, and we want to be able to enjoy it as much as possible. You can plan all you want, but there are some things that will just take their natural course, and perhaps the thing that can impact your vacation the most is the weather. What do you do when the weather plays foul with your carefully made plans?
I'll say at the outset that we deliberately don't visit Walt Disney World during the hottest months of the year, because we don't do well in extreme heat and humidity, but sadly, with changing weather patterns, despite trying to avoid the heat, we’ve ended up affected by it. Having sweltered at the start of May, I figured that a trip in April would be much cooler. If only! We hit record-breaking temperatures for that time of the year, and the effect on us was devastating. How people tour in the heat of the summer months, I do not know.
But you're at Disney, you have to make the best of it, right? Well, that's exactly what we did. We adapted our touring patterns, ensuring that we hit the parks as early as possible in the morning, before the heat became unbearable, taking full advantage of any Extra Magic Hours we could find in the mornings. We'd then clear out of the park when walking between the air conditioned attractions became too much for us, retreating to either our room, or heading out of Walt Disney World in the car, both of which, of course, have air conditioning. Thankfully, on most days we also had lunch booked, so that would take us out of the sun as well. We also made sure that every time we passed a drinking fountain, we took full advantage of it, as we didn’t want to become dehydrated.
Heat is only half the story. If you travel to Walt Disney World in the winter months, you'll learn only too well how varied the weather can be. We frequently go in December, and it’s not unusual to have one day where the temperatures reach into the low 80s, whereas the next day may only give you a high in the low 50s. That can be a huge shock to the system, and here you really have to pay attention to the weather forecasts. Generally, these guys know what they're talking about (obviously there are sometimes exceptions!) and if they say it’s going to be cold, take notice and dress accordingly. There’s nothing worse than wandering around the parks, freezing, and having to buy a new sweatshirt. I know a lot of us have been there before, and it certainly grates on me when you know ther's another cozy layer sitting back in your room that you could've brought with you.
We've talked about temperatures so far, but what about the weather that comes with them? When it’s sunny, and perhaps not too hot, it's perfect weather for touring, but be sure to lather up with suntan lotion, especially if you're prone to sunburn, like I am. And do't forget, once may not be enough -- the effects can wear off quickly in the intense Florida sun. A hat is also a good idea to stop any burning on top, if you see what I mean. Again, think about rehydration.
When the rain comes, the traditional wisdom if you’re a Disney fan is to get yourself out to the parks, as crowds will lessen when it’s wet. You won’t find many attractions closed in the rain, although Test Track can be a notable exception, and many are inside, with indoor waiting areas, so you won’t get that soaked. Some of my fondest memories are of being in the parks when it’s been tipping down with rain. Seriously!
Sometimes the rain is a blessed relief after the searing heat, but at other times with lower crowds, you can have some unexpected fun. I’ve never forgotten the time we found Tigger at Disney's Hollywood Studios, with no guests around to do meet and greets with him. Obviously bored, he was playing around, jumping up and down in the puddles, much to the consternation of his handler. Now that’s what I call a magical memory!
Florida is often subject to extreme weather, and while we’ve never been affected by hurricane season, we have experienced some pretty severe storms. We’ve seen torrential rain pour down for hours, and hours, and hours. New Year’s Eve 2002 into 2003 was a classic, with a downpour that started at around 7:00 pm, and continued until the early hours of the morning. It meant the midnight showing of IllumiNations was a complete washout, but despite getting drenched watching it, I’m glad we did, as there was almost no-one else around, everyone else having given up much earlier in the evening. Again, it’s something that sticks in my memory.
Another memory is the night of what was verging on a tropical storm. It was Christmas Eve, and we were trying to get from the Beach Club Villas to the BoardWalk for dinner at the Flying Fish Cafe. We decided to take the Friendship across Crescent Lake, and as we waited for one to arrive, the sky opened, and we were in the middle of an intense storm, complete with thunder, lightning, and severe winds. Sheltering underneath the lighthouse there, we were stuck for over half an hour before a boat finally rescued us. At least we finally got to dinner, and we had another memorable experience on the way there.
Writing this, perhaps the one thing that comes across to me is how much the weather can shape your vacation, sometimes in good ways, sometimes in not-so-good ways. But whatever the weather, you're at Disney, and that's always magical, right?
Reader Comments (49) - Comment on this article
View Article Online | Download Free Article PDF
About the Author: Cheryl is the author of the e-book, PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holidaymakers, and is the co-author of PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide: For Members and Members-To-Be. Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to Disney, and they have travelled around the world, visiting every Disney theme park on the way.
Questions, feedback, or
corrections about this article, or just want to give kudos to the author? Share a comment here or e-mail
us at news@passporter.com. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
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Disney Feature:
Jedi Training Academy: Disney Hollywood Studios Show Review
Melissa Solbach, PassPorter Guest Contributor
One of the coolest things our son got to do on our last trip to Walt Disney World was participate in the Jedi Training Academy at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
I';m not sure any of us understood exactly what we were signing up for, but now that we know, you can be sure it is something we will definitely do again!
First, this is an event that you will have to sign up for early each day. In fact, the one piece of advice we were given was to run, not walk when we got to the park, to sign up. So I stayed with the little one, and my son and husband took off at a brisk pace towards the sign-up at the American Idol building. We walked into the park right after rope drop, and it was off-season, so we had fairly high expectations of getting signed up. Boy, I am glad we made this the first stop of the day!
Even as early as I thought we were, the first available slot was for 2:00pm that day, and there was a large line behind us, still to go. Another tip I can share is that the child has to be present when enrolling. You can’t just send one of the parents to sign up for them, which was actually our first thought. We were so glad we read the fine print on that one before we got there! Once you are signed up, they give you a ticket and a time, and then ask that you come back an hour before your allotted time.
At the predetermined time, my husband and son went to the location noted on the ticket and my son and the other children were fitted with brown, Padawan robes. There was a mix of both boys and girls, but mostly boys, and the official ages are from 4-12, according to the website. They then get to parade to the stage, right next to Star Tours, and wait in a special area. We were told there was a special viewing area for parents of the Younglings, but learned that there wasn't anything specific marked off. But since we were all there half an hour before the show, we managed to be in the front rows.
The Younglings then got to meet their Jedi Master, take the Jedi Oath, and were assigned their own training light sabers. As the show started, it was mostly just us parents, but as it went on, a crowd formed behind us. This was partly due to the quip-tastic Jedi Master we had--he was really great at making the crowd and children laugh during the instruction.
He and an assistant showed the kids how to "turn on" their sabers with a quick flick of the wrist, and took them through a series of training moves. As luck would have it, right as they finished up, there was a great disturbance in The Force, and a couple of Imperial Storm Troopers and the big guy himself, Darth Vader, appeared. Each of the children got a chance to fight Darth Vader using all the skills they had just been taught, and I don’t want to spoil anything, but let’s just say that the bad guys didn’t stick around long.
After the show, the kids had to turn in their robes and light sabers, but they got a special certificate promoting them to the status of Padawan and stating they were then ready for official Jedi training. For us, the natural thing to do next was go to Tatooine Traders, the Star Tours gift shop, so my son could build his own customized light saber. It was actually something we had already planned on purchasing, and what better time than right after he defeated of the Dark Side of The Force?
As super fans of all the Star Wars movies, my husband and son were both excited beyond words that he got to participate in this event. I was just thrilled with the photos, because let’s face it, how often can you get a video of your child in a light saber battle with Darth Vader? It was yet another impossible thing that Disney makes possible on a daily basis.
Reader Comments (49) - Comment on this article
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About the Author: Melissa lives in the Midwest with her patient and easy-going husband and their two children. After hours of exhausting and thorough research for a trip to Walt Disney World last year, she is looking forward to the thrill of planning another trip sometime soon. Yes, her family thinks she is a little crazy, but enjoy the fruits of her hard work too much to complain!
Questions, feedback, or
corrections about this article, or just want to give kudos to the author? Share a comment here or e-mail
us at news@passporter.com. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
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Use Discount Code: PassPorter News
Call 888-GO TO WDW or visit quicksilvertransportation.com
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