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In
This Newsletter
From the Authors: Greetings From Onboard the Disney Magic in the Pacific Ocean
Travel Feature: Soarin'
Over South Africa
Disney World Feature:
Everyone, Start Your Engines!
Updates: What's
New and Changed
Tips: Fabric
Finders, Clean Showers, Pass the Popcorn
Q&A: Cruising
with a child under 3?
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Updates:
What's
New and Changed
Here's a few of the new developments at Disney·
Ariel's Grotto at Disney's California Adventure
will be host to the "Disney Princess Celebration" character lunch and
dinner beginning on August 16, 2005. Not to be outdone, Minnie Mouse
will be hosting a character breakfast over at Disneyland. "Breakfast
in the Park with Minnie and Friends" will be held at the Plaza Inn
on Main Street U.S.A. Advance Dining Reservations are available up to 60
days in advance by calling 714-781-DINE (3463).
A list of tentative narrators for this year's Candlelight
Processional has been announced:
Rita Moreno - Nov 25-27
Phil Donahue - Nov 28-30
Haley Joel Osment - Dec 1-3
Cicely Tyson - Dec 4-6
Jim Caviezel - Dec 7-9
Eartha Kitt - Dec 10-12
Lou Diamond Phillips - Dec 13-15
Harry Hamlin - Dec 16-18
Marlee Matlin - Dec 19-21
Gary Sinise- Dec 22-27
Steven Curtis Chapman - Dec 28-30
Tickets for the Candlelight Processional Dinner
Package go on sale on August 15, 2005 and can be booked by calling
407-WDW-DINE (3463).
The Disney Magic now has wireless Internet like its sister ship, the
Disney Wonder. Hot spots are decks 9 & 10, the atrium on decks 3-5, the Promenade Lounge, and Studio Sea.
Pricing is $.75/minute, $55 for 100 minutes, or
$105 for 300 minutes. There is no unlimited plan. It is working
well, and Guest Services provided a detailed instruction sheet
for connecting which was very helpful.
And it's thanks to the wireless access that we can send this newsletter, as we're currently
onboard the Disney Magic!
You can view our page-by-page list of updates
and corrections for the new PassPorter Walt Disney World 2005 Edition
at http://www.passporter.com/
customs/bookupdates.htm.
>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:
FABRIC FINDERS
"Before a trip I go to the fabric store and buy
a small remnant of oddly colored fabric. I cut this into strips and tie
a strip to every piece of luggage, camera bags, purses, backpacks, coolers,
etc. Because I choose an unusual colorful designed fabric I can easily
spot our items wherever they may be. I bring extra strips with me on our
vacation for those extra Disney shopping bags you always have at the end of
a trip. If we check into or out of our Disney resort and store our luggage
while enjoying the park for a few more hours we can always tell the Cast
Member that our luggage and bags are the ones with the strips of "pink
material with green balloons" on it, or whatever the design maybe."
-- contributed by Beverly Goff (figmentfan@...)
CLEAN SHOWERS
"I'm not a total nut about germs but every time
I get in a shower in a hotel I think about the cleanliness of the shower
curtains. That's when it occurred to me -- before my next trip I went to
the local dollar store and bought a shower curtain liner and hooks. They
pack neatly in my suitcase and don't weigh much. Now when I take a shower
in my hotel I know I have a clean shower curtain and because it only cost
$1 I can throw it away the day we pack up to leave."
-- contributed by Ella (elizaberry33@...)
PASS THE POPCORN
"When we went to the parks last year, we splurged
for the popcorn in the plastic containers instead of the disposable boxes.
This cost a few extra dollars, but I kept them, brought them home and cleaned
them. Now when we have movie night at home, we pop our microwave
popcorn and serve it in our Disney World containers! It really is
a trip down memory lane for us!"
-- contributed by Leanne P. (leanne@...)
>Notes: Send
us your tips! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of
PassPorter!
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Q
& A:
With Jennifer and Dave
jacq78 asked: "My question is for anyone that has
gone on a Disney Cruise with a child under three. (My nephew will be 2
at our travel date.) It seems to me that all activities are for children
3 and older. Will he and his parents be able to really enjoy themselves?
Is it better to wait until he is 3 or just go ahead and have the cruise?
Will they be able to participate in many activities?"
Jennifer and Dave answer: "We've already cruised
three times with our son (who has just turned one) -- in fact, we're cruising with him
right now (we're on the Magic's 2-week Panama Canal itinerary).
While it's certainly a different experience than we have when we cruise
as a couple, it works very well. We've also cruised several times with
relatives who had toddlers at the time, and find their experiences to be
consistent with our own.
One of the benefits of the Disney cruise is that
the infants and toddlers nursery (Flounder's Reef) actually operates for
a substantial part of the day and evening (typically noon to 4 pm and 6 pm to midnight), and it has a full-time staff
of infant/toddler specialists. On other cruise lines you may find that
their nursery is only open for limited hours, and may be staffed by part-timers
from other departments. For example, on our recent Carnival Glory cruise,
nursery services were only available from 10:00pm to 3:00am, after regular
"Camp Carnival" activities were over for the day. The Camp Carnival counselors
gave us a clear message, "We want your kid to be sleeping when you bring
him here."
While it's true that you can only make a limited
number of Flounder's Reef reservations in advance, they keep a lot of space
open for spur-of-the-moment childcare, too. I can't promise that they'll
always have space, but we've been able to work with the times they have
available.
Disney's philosophy behind care for toddlers and
infants is pretty sound. There are lots of family-friendly activities on
board, so there's little problem if parents never use the nursery. However,
it doesn't make much sense to create many activities specifically for families
with children under three (although there are sometimes a few on the schedule)
- kids of this age develop and change so quickly that few kids would be
at the right stage to enjoy a particular activity. This is also an age
when it's more appropriate for children to play with their parents than
with other children.
Also, parents with children in this age group aren't
always ready to let go. Back in December when Alexander was four months,
his Flounders Reef experience was the first time someone other than a relative
had watched him. Jennifer was more than a little apprehensive about leaving
Alexander at Flounders. I ended-up slipping down to Flounder's on a pretext
("Did we leave enough diapers?") so that I could peek in and report back
to Jennifer to set her at ease.
Overall, if parents with infants/toddlers are planning
to cruise on any line, Disney should be at the top of their list. And if
parents want a lot of "grownup time" while cruising, they should consider
traveling with some family/friends who are willing to take a turn watching
the baby, or leave the baby home with grandma and grandpa. However, if
they want a "family cruise," I can't imagine having a more magical time
than on Disney."
>Have a question? Post it at 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?
We're on the lookout for guest columnists to contribute
articles to this newsletter. No professional writing experience 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 details and our article submission
guidelines, please e-mail news@passporter.com.
Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed!
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From
the Authors: Greetings From Onboard the Disney Magic in the Pacific Ocean
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Excuse us while we put down the Mickey bars we just received from stateroom dining and let us
send you warm greetings from the
Disney Magic on its voyage from California to Florida through the Panama Canal! Yes, that's right,
this newsletter is hot off the wireless Internet onboard the Disney Magic and we're having the time
of our lives! If you'd like to read more about our experiences onboard this historic cruise (we've heard
a rumor Roy Disney got onboard yesterday in Acapulco),
you can read our live trip report at:
http://www.passporter.com/panamacanalcruise
Back on the homefront, the release on our new Special Needs guidebook is going wonderfully!
The book has gotten warm welcomes from folks around the Internet, a rave review from Bob Sehlinger
(author of "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World"), and a very high Amazon sales ranking!
The guidebook, "PassPorter's Walt Disney World For Your Special Needs," is in stock in the
PassPorter Store
and with Amazon.com. Bookstores will probably need another week or two to get it in stock.
In this edition of the newsletter, Michelle Mangio gives us a stunning look into the
exotic country of South Africa, and Jacque Boyles shares her adventures on the Richard Petty Driving Experience.
Excellent articles... and great for those armchair travelers among us. Enjoy!
Jennifer
and Dave
PassPorter Travel Press
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Travel
Feature:
Soarin' Over South
Africa
By Michelle R.
Mangio, owner of Magical Escapes Vacations and a "Fundi" South Africa Expert
Imagine for a moment... you are winding down
a road that seems removed from the rest of civilization, twisting among
low-lying trees and vegetation until -- suddenly -- the Lodge appears before
you, thick thatched roof and dark wooden timbers over a welcoming entrance.
You step inside to see a glimpse of African luxury and décor.
Across from you, you can see the savannah through the huge window, and
the fire pit where you are asked to gather at night to tell stories, enjoy
the stars, and immerse yourself in the experience of the African safari.
But first you are taken to your room, where windows and balconies overlook
the grasslands. You can barely contain your squeal of delight as
a giraffe lifts its head up and seems to look right at you.
Where are you? For most of us, this
would be your entrance to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge in Walt Disney
World, a deluxe resort designed to transport the experience of an African
safari lodge to sunny Florida. But what you were really experiencing
was your first moments on a safari in Kruger National Park, located deep
in the heart of South Africa.
For most Americans, Africa is synonymous
with Safari. Whenever I think of that destination, my mind conjures
up images of wind-swept grasslands where lions lounge, elephants and giraffes
graze, and a cheetah dashes by on a high-speed chase after a zebra.
And while no South African experience would be complete without a Safari,
there is much more to this amazing destination.
So close your eyes for a moment and imagine
(okay, read all of this first, and then close your eyes and imagine...)
We'll start with Kruger National Park,
a vast stretch of wilderness larger than the country of Israel, home to
the largest diversity of wildlife in all of Africa: more than 640 mammal
and bird species, and over 300 different types of trees. Luxurious
private reserves surround its borders, offering game lodges reminiscent
of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge with one notable exception: small size,
often limiting its clientele to no more than 20 guests at a time.
Under a brilliant star-filled sky, you gather for a barbecue, tell stories,
sing songs, and then embark on a night game drive led by experienced guides.
You continue on, soaring over Blyde River
Canyon, the only green canyon in the world. You stop for a moment
to gaze out over "God's Window," arguably the worlds most breathtaking
view as you look over a series of canyons, escarpments, mountains, and
the interior plateau stretching out endlessly before you.
Onward you go, to the capital of Johannesburg,
an amazingly energetic city of great shopping, fine dining, and night life
that continues well on into the day. But it's also a city steeped
in history, with roots to the Apartheid movement, the birthplace of Nelson
Mandela, and the World Heritage site "The Cradle of Mankind," where you
can view the fossilized remains of the man-like creatures from which human
beings evolved.
You find yourself next on the pristine
beaches of the warm Indian Ocean. The eclectic city of Durban provides
a little bit of something for everyone, and is also home to the largest
aquarium in the southern hemisphere, Ushaka Sea World. Enjoy the
diversity of world cultures in this city through its architecture, dining,
shopping, and arts, or lounge on one of the many pristine Blue Flagged
beaches in the area. Along the way to your next destination, stop
at the "living museum" of PheZulu, where you can experience Zulu culture,
including traditional cooking, thatching, spear making, and dancing.
Now you zip across to the other side of
South Africa, to the cooler Atlantic coast. The Garden Route takes
you from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, where your imagination is captured
by tangled forests fading into purple mountains, dramatic cliffs that tumble
into the sea followed by long stretches of sandy beaches. In sheltered
coves, you can even watch dolphins and whales at play. In the small
towns dotting the region, you can choose from a dizzying array of adventure
activities, art galleries & museums, and craft centers.
Southward your grand adventure takes you,
to the "Mother City," Cape Town, ranked as one of the top destinations
of the world. This amazing and lively city will capture your heart
and soul with all it has to offer: culture, wine & vineyards, breath-taking
scenery, pristine beaches, leisure activities of all sorts. Whether
your desire is to stay in a country inn or spa nestled among the vineyards,
take a trek into the national parks to view a waterfall, or soak up the
culture, dining, and shopping of an energetic South African city, Cape
Town and its environs has it all.
Now you can close your eyes, and picture
all that we just saw. Are you ready to escape away to Africa now?
Would you believe that this is only the tiniest fraction of what South
Africa can offer?
It's an ideal location, in a sub-tropical
climate nestled between the warm Indian Ocean and the cooler Atlantic.
This Mediterranean-style climate, coupled with its large area and varied
landscape, ensures that South Africa always has an area that is reliably
warm (without being too sweltering) for your vacation. The best time
to visit South Africa very much depends on what you wish to do while there.
For example, the best safari season is August to October, while viewing
humpback whales is best August to December. If you enjoy scuba diving
or surfing, visit April to September, but December to March is best for
beach combing on one of South Africa's many pristine beaches.
Because of the enormous size of South Africa,
as well as the varied destinations and activities available, working with
a South African Expert is the best way to ensure that your vacation matches
your dreams. On South Africa
Tourism's web site, you can search for a "Fundi," an expert on South
Africa certified by their tourism board. There are only about forty-six
experts currently in the U.S., but you can be certain that by working with
one of them, your vacation will be more than you imagined it could be.
It is a long flight to Johannesburg or
Cape Town; nearly 18 hours direct from the US. Many travelers fly
first to Europe, for a brief sojourn before departing on an overnight flight
to South Africa. You want to stay at least a week, though many packages
offered to the region are ten to fourteen days in length.
South Africa is an exciting and hot destination.
While certainly more expensive than a trip down to the Animal Kingdom Lodge
in Florida, as this destination grows in popularity, the costs of a South
African getaway are also coming down. And there are activities and
accommodations for all budgets available.
The next time you walk into Disney's Animal
Kingdom Lodge, imagine what it would be like to step into a real safari
lodge, deep in the heart of South Africa. It may have seemed an impossible
dream, but it's no longer so far out of reach; this amazing destination
offers 360 degrees of possibilities for your vacation dreams.
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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.
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Walt
Disney World Feature:
Everyone - Start Your Engines!
by Jacque Boyles,
Guest Columnist
I have been a NASCAR fan for nearly 30
years. So when I read about Richard Petty Driving Experience, or RPDE,
at Walt Disney World Speedway I knew I had to try it. RPDE puts you in
a NASCAR "Cup" style stock car, either as a passenger or behind the wheel.
I love to drive, so I called 1-800-BE-PETTY and made a reservation for
the 8 lap "Rookie Experience."
As I drove through the tunnel to the Speedway
infield, I got goose bumps thinking that this was how real race drivers
get to the track. At RPDE everyone knew how nervous this "Rookie" was and
they put me at ease. There was the usual waiver, but it was carefully explained
so I was comfortable signing it. I was fitted for a fire suit to wear over
my clothes (they have all sizes!). Since it gets hot in the car and I'd
be crawling in and out of the window, I wore my favorite NASCAR t-shirt
and shorts. Because the floor in the car gets hot, I wore sneakers and
socks to protect my feet. While I waited for the driver's orientation,
I read the inscriptions on photos of celebrities who have done RPDE at
WDW. My favorite was Michael J. Fox, whose picture said "Sorry about the
car!"
I watched a safety and orientation film
and then was introduced to the instructor, a licensed NASCAR driver. Next
there's a van ride around the track to see the "driving line" marks on
the pavement. The instructor told me I would be in my own car with him
in a car on the track in front of me. The first couple of laps he'd evaluate
my driving ability, slowly increasing the speed. If he felt that I was
capable of handling it, I could go as fast as 145 mph! He explained the
colored instructional flags I'd see from the starter's stand, his hand
signals and what to do when I saw them. Then he told me I couldn't pass
him -- well, darn! How about a little bump draft? That's not allowed either.
Finally, there on pit road, my machine
waited, a 600 HP stock car painted Petty blue and red. I was fitted for
a helmet and it was time for someone to get in the car. This was one time
when I heard "Ladies first" that I didn't argue. Professional drivers make
getting in and out of a stock car look so easy. I just wanted to do it
without falling on my head or looking completely ridiculous. Well, I didn't
fall on my head and my boyfriend said that I looked "cute." It wasn't as
hard as I thought it would be. I'm vertically challenged, so the worst
part for me was getting my rear up to the windowsill -- after that I got
through the window feet first and settled into the seat. At this point
the steering wheel isn't installed and the seat is set up for someone in
the 6' range, so I had plenty of room for maneuvering. One of the RPDE
pit crew was there to assist, but thankfully I didn't have to call on him.
The pit crew guy helped me get everything adjusted. These stock cars have
a standard shift transmission, so I had to be able work the clutch properly,
and it would help if I could see out the windshield! The pit crew had plenty
of cushions and they got me comfortable in the car.
Safety is very important in racing, so
the pit crew went over all the safety equipment. I sincerely hoped I wouldn't
need to remember how to do any of these things, but it was comforting having
it all explained. They made sure my harness was securely buckled
and that I knew how to unbuckle it in the unlikely event that I needed
to get out in a hurry. They showed me the engine kill switch, how to drop
the safety net over the driver's window, how to disconnect and remove the
steering wheel and how to set off the fire extinguisher bottle
Helmet on, safety harness buckled and tight,
window net up and latched. Lady, start your engine! I hit those toggle
switches, the engine roared to life and I felt that raw power running through
me. I had a few seconds to get used to this feeling and it was time to
roll out of the pits. I put it in first gear, slowly let out the clutch
as I gave it some gas (I didn't want to stall) and I was moving off pit
road and on to the track
Walt Disney World Speedway is a one mile
long track. During the van ride, it seemed huge and almost overwhelming.
When I started coming up to speed, the track got small in a hurry and those
corners came up pretty fast. Going in to the third turn on the second lap,
I felt this huge smile breakout on my face -- this was more fun than Test
Track and Tower of Terror combined! The instructor waved me to come up
and we picked up speed and he kept waving me up and picking up speed, I
was hitting my marks, and I felt like I was flying.
All too soon, that checkered flag waved
and I had gone back to the pit. The pit crewman patted me on the helmet
and shoulder and told me I did great. Then I managed to get out of the
car without falling on my head. My boyfriend said when I turned around
I had a smile on my face like he had never seen, and I was yelling that
I wanted to do it again! The instructor shook my hand and told me I did
great, and then we went to the pit box to see the telemetry from the drive.
My fastest average lap speed was 125! The RPDE crew all congratulated me
and gave me a certificate with my top lap speed on it.
I wanted to do it again. I didn't have
enough money for another 8 laps, but I had enough for the 3 lap Ride Along.
I signed up and I got a discount because I had done the 8 laps. I buckled
in, the driver climbed in, shook my hand, buckled in, fired up the car,
put it in gear, let out the clutch and I was slammed back in the seat!
We must have hit 145 by end of the back straight. And I know we were only
millimeters from the wall! Okay, it was probably inches - maybe 10, but
it looked like 6 and felt like 1. The driver kept looking to see if I was
okay and I know I was grinning like a crazy woman.
I've done some neat things at Walt Disney World since
1971, but this was, by far, the coolest! If you're looking for a new thrill,
try the fastest ride at Walt Disney World, Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Speedway. You don't
have to be young (I'm 50-ish), and you don't have to be big and strong
(I'm only 5' tall), and you obviously don't have to be a guy. If you're not sure about spending money on driving, try the Ride-Along
first. One of my friends did and now she's saving money to do the Rookie
Experience. Ladies, don't let the men have all the fun! Everybody
-- Start Your Engines!
To book the Richard Petty
Driving Experience, call 800-BE-PETTY (237-3889). Check out http://www.1800bepetty.com
for more information.
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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 planning your Disney vacation. |
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