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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: MouseFest Registration Has Begun
Travel Feature: Sardinia
Disney Feature: Resort Review: The Polynesian
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: No-Slip Sanity Saver, Manners Matter, Eat With Everest
Captain's Corner: Cursed Gold
PassPorter PhotoPick: Sorcerer Mickey's Hat at Twilight
Q and A: Which restaurant should we choose in France: Bistro de Paris or Les Chefs de France?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
Today (Thursday), Disney Parks and Resorts announced it's 2009 theme promotion, "What Will You Celebrate?" Designed to encourage visitors to celebrate all sorts of events including birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and reunions, Disney unveiled new ways to celebrate your occasions at Disney parks and resorts and highlighted existing and re-themed ways to enjoy a Disney vacation. One of the most notable features is the award of a free one-day, one-park ticket for people visiting a Disneyland or Walt Disney World park on their birthday during 2009 (alternate prizes available for those who already purchased admission). Learn more, and register your birthday(s) at http://www.disneyparks.com
To help kick off the new celebration, Disney announced a 30-city "What Will You Celebrate?" Tour for this fall and winter. "Party on wheels" vehicles will deliver the celebration message, enhanced by thousands of Disney balloons, and prize giveaways. The tour schedule and details about the prizes can be found at http://www.disneyparkscelebrations.com
It's official! Disney Vacation Club has confirmed one of the worst kept secrets in history: new Disney Vacation Club properties Bay Lake Towers at Disney's Contemporary Resort and the Treehouse Villas at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort. Bay Lake Towers will be the most expensive property in DVC history with ownership starting at around $18,000. Ownership in this property goes on sale Sunday, September 21, with current DVC members getting the first chance to buy. No sale date or price has been set yet for the Treehouse Villas.
Stormalong Bay at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts will close in phases beginning January 5, 2009 for refurbishment. The rehab is expected to be done by the end of March. The Flying Jib slide and pool area will close first on January 5th and is expected to reopen in mid-February.
The Spirit of Aloha Dinner at the Polynesian Resort will not be held January 13 - 19, 2009.
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! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:
NO-SLIP SANITY SAVER
"So if you are like me and travel by plane with a little boy who loves cars then you know how hard it is to keep them from rolling off the trays on the plane. I fixed this by buying some no slip shelf liner. I cut a piece off about the size of the tray and put it in my carry on. Then when my son wants to play with his cars he lays the no slip liner out and the cars don't go flying off the tray. This liner is also helpful for crayons and markers and it stops the drinks from sliding around as well."
-- contributed by Amy E.
MANNERS MATTER
"When interacting with anyone, especially cast members, at Walt Disney World, treat them as you would your very best friend. While they do get paid to be there, it is always easier to be pleasant with those who are happiest. We have always found that anyone can have a bad day, but by treating cast members with courtesy and respect, it helps them give that much more magic!"
-- contributed by Brett B.
EAT WITH EVEREST
"Next time you make dine at Yak & Yeti, why not ask for a table by an upstairs window that faces Expedition Everest? On our last trip we had reservations for 4:30. They seated us in the far, front corner upstairs window with a view of the streets leading to Everest. We had a perfect view of the parade as we waited for our order."
-- contributed by Alisa N.
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 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 3 months.)
Here is this week's journal entry:
"I'm still at Disneyland in California and having a grand ol' time! This morning I was looking through the many photos I've taken since I've been here and came across one I cannot identify. It shows a boarded up hole in the wall, with a sign above it that reads 'Touch this cursed gold if ye dare.' But I cannot for the life of me remember where I took the photo. Perhaps I touched the gold and now have a curse of forgetfulness!"
Unidentified Photo:
Click image above for larger photo!
Where in Disneyland will you find this cursed gold?
For bonus credit, locate the photographic evidence in the PassPorter Photo Archive and post a comment with the photo!
Congratulations to Sandra M. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Sandra was ;the first person to identify Level 10 as the parking garage level featuring Chip & Dale. Bonus credit goes to Pamellia who was 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!
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 Jack Skatt. Get more details on "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" book at http://www.passporterstore.com.
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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:
Sorcerer Mickey's Hat at Twilight
contributed by lukeandbrookesmom
(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
Ceara's mawmaw asks: "Which is the best restaurant in the France pavilion: Bistro de Paris or Chefs de France? It will be just my husband and me next year."
Dave answers: "Despite the name, Bistro is the elegant, upscale establishment. Much more 'fine dining' than Chefs de France. If you're looking for an elegant, romantic, long meal, Bistro is the place. If you like your romantic meals more on the casual side, and have other things you want to do around the park, Chefs is the place."
To see other answers that Ceara's mawmaw received, check out the rest of the thread
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):
MouseEarVacations.com -- Disney cruise offer for Christmas 2009
Mouse Fan Travel -- Last Call for Oct/Dec 2008 Disney Deals
All Star Vacation Homes -- Choose from more than 150 homes within 4 miles of Disney
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From the Authors: MouseFest Registration Has Begun!
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Were you thinking of joining us this December 11th-15th at Walt Disney World and/or on the December 7th-11th Disney Wonder cruise for MouseFest? This "grand gathering" of Disney online communities, podcasters, bloggers, webmasters, and authors has become a holiday season tradition for many of us, and keeps getting bigger and better every year! If you already have plans to be on the Disney Wonder and/or at Walt Disney World at the same time as MouseFest, definitely check it out. There are all sorts of free activities, and you'll be able to meet a whole lot of really great folks who share your passion for all things Disney.
The big news this week is that MouseFest attendee registration has begun, and in just three days over 300 people have registered, including many members of the PassPorter message board community. Many PassPorter message board Guides will also be on hand, and folks from PassPorter are organizing a bunch of great events to share with everyone who attends. Come on by MouseFest Corner at our message boards to see what your fellow "PassPorters" are planning, and get a chance to get acquainted.
A brand new event has also just been added to the MouseFest line-up, in a brand-new location for MouseFest (although it's been around at Walt Disney World since the beginning). Registered attendees will be welcome at the MouseFest Kick-Off Reception, to be held at Disney's Contemporary Resort Convention Center (what a great chance to take a gander at the Contemporary's newly-announced Bay Lake Tower).
This announcement goes hand-in-hand with some slightly older news, that MouseFest's biggest event, the Mega Mouse Meet, will be held at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Convention Center. We've also arranged a special lodging deal at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resort. Have we piqued your interest? Then pop over to the MouseFest.org web site, and read all about it. While you're there, please sign up for the MouseFest newsletter, so you can keep on top of all the MouseFest news.
While we're counting down the days 'til MouseFest, we're also anxiously awaiting the delivery of PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2009, which will arrive in our warehouse in less than a month. Now is a really great time to place your pre-order, so you'll be among the first to receive the next edition of our guidebook (and have it in time for MouseFest, too)!
Our PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line guidebook received a great mention in a recent Sun Sentinel article about Disney cruises. You'll also find several quotes from Dave Marx in the article as well! Check it out at Sun Sentinel
Our very popular PassPorter PassHolder Pouches and PassPorter Name Badge Pins are back in stock. These are great items to add to any PassPorter order. What else do we have? PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line and its Ports of Call 2008 and PassPorter's Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line are also in stock, ready to ship.
Will you be joining us for PassPorter's Decade of Dreams Tour? PassPorter is celebrating our 10th anniversary in 2009 in a year-long celebration from coast-to-coast! Everyone is invited and all are warmly welcome to join us at all or part of our celebration. We are combining small parties (meets) with grand, multi-day trips, including a 7-night Disney Cruise, a 4-night stay at Walt Disney World, and a Disneyland visit that includes park time and an Adventures by Disney expedition. See our Tour Schedule for the latest details.
| PassPorter's Club Update More than 1450 vacationers are now enjoying access to all our e-books, e-worksheets, and super-sized photo archive images.Thank you for your continued support!
Our newest e-book, PassPorter's Answer Book is now available for download. This 85-page e-book is full of the detailed, up-to-date information on the topics that really matter to you.
More details at http://www.passporter.com/club
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In this issue, Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry retraces her visit to the beautiful Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Then, Guest Columnist Erik Johnson reviews Walt Disney World's mainland "island," the Polynesian Resort. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt.
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors
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Travel Feature:
Sardinia
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
The fact that the Mediterranean is home to so many islands makes it perfect for cruising and, of course, on any cruise, the likelihood is that you'll stop off at one or two -- and perhaps one of the most beautiful to visit is Sardinia.
Sardinia lies to the west of Italy and the south of France and it's about as close to Italy as it is to the north coast of Africa, which probably helps to explain its beautiful climate when we visited. During the summer months, temperatures range between 70*F and 80*F with almost no rainfall, but surprisingly, in the winter, it can dip down to the low 40s.
Before heading there on Disney's inaugural cruise around the Mediterranean in 2007, I'd heard from friends that we would be wowed by this island. It was somewhere that I hadn't really come across before, so I took their reports with a small pinch of salt. Let's just say when we got home, I was just as enthusiastic as they were about the beauty of this place.
Sardinia's history goes back thousands of years and, like much of Europe, the Romans ruled here, as did the Spanish, who were in charge for more than 300 years, before passing it to the Austrians. Eventually the island became an autonomous region of Italy, which is how it remains to this day.
However, it's about as different to the mainland as it's possible to be. The pace of life here is much more laid back and the frenetic driving that we've witnessed all too often in other parts of Italy didn't seem to be as evident here. One thing that was fortunately very evident were the wonderful gelaterias, serving the ice creams that Italy is famous for.
On our shore excursion, we headed to the north of the island, otherwise known as Costa Smeralda. This was an area created by a group of financiers in the 1960s and today remains home to a number of , well-known European celebrities. On our bus ride through this area our guide pointed out a number of villas, all set well back from the roads that were the homes for famous names.
This is the scenery that instantly comes to mind when you think of Italy -- stunning mountains behind picturesque villages with beautiful houses and villas, many with bougainvillea in full bloom crawling all over the buildings. It was a breathtaking sight and it's the sort of place you dream of heading to for a break away from everything.
The real highlight at this end of the island is the Maddalena Archipelago. As the name suggests, it's a series of seven islands and these islands are a popular place to visit for a number of reasons. Those include the unique wildlife, and the regattas held there due to the almost constant wind in the area. Despite that, the wind on our day there was very pleasant and helped to take the edge off the temperatures.
Of course, it's also a popular spot for tourists and one look and you can see why. The waters are perhaps the most clear that I've ever seen and are a beautiful turquoise color. When you first see it, you can't help but wonder whether some sort of coloring has been added to the water, as it just looks so perfect and inviting.
We took the ferry across to the largest of the islands, La Maddalena, and the ferry ride was a wonderful slice of Sardinian life, as it's obviously used by locals every day to get around. It made a pleasant change to be surrounded by the chatter of Italians, as all too often these days, in big cities, you rarely hear the native language.
A scenic drive took us around the island and allowed more views of the stunning turquoise water, as well as the other islands in the Archipalego. Then it was back to the capital of the island, also called La Maddalena, which still boasts buildings from the 19th century, when this town was forced to develop rapidly into a naval base by its rulers. Once again, the feeling as you walked around the town was that life here is slow and relaxed and very much enjoyed by its residents. Cafes and gelaterias lined the streets and we were only too happy to take advantage of them.
It was also one of the few stops on our cruise where some knowledge of the native language came in very useful. All too often my schoolgirl attempts at Italian, French, and Spanish were met with responses in English, but not here. Shop workers didn't seem to speak English and that was a pleasant change, making you feel as if you had finally found the real Italy to enjoy.
As we made our way back to the main island of Sardinia and then the Disney Magic, I could see why so many people had rated this island so highly. It's one of the most relaxing and beautiful places I've come across in some time and I hope our travels take us back that way again one day soon.
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America. They are in the process of visiting every Disney theme park around the world, having already spent a day each in Disneyland Resort Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland so far this year. They are looking forward to returning to America in October to visit both Walt Disney World and Disneyland in California.
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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. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
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Disney Feature:
Resort Review: Disney's Polynesian Resort
by Erik Johnson, PassPorter Guest Contributor
When you enter the Polynesian Resort, it is like entering a completely different land, while having your feet firmly planted in Walt Disney World. The dark wooden beams and the light colored accents and furnishings of the lobby help to set the mood along with the beautiful plants and trickling water both inside and out, and you can easily be carried away to another place and time.
As you enter the lobby from the outside world, you are greeted by a "cousin" who is ready to give you a silk flower lei and a cheery "Aloha!" In the main lobby, gazing at the waterfalls and flowers and plants from the seating areas is wonderful for relaxing and decompressing from a long day of travel or touring the parks. There are many windows and lots of light, both night and day, in keeping with the feeling that you are outside when you are inside!
Even though this is one of the original Walt Disney World resorts, the resort wears its age well and is in excellent condition. It is interesting that the buildings are of different sizes, and along with the beautiful landscaping and paths it really helps to resist any sort of cookie-cutter or barracks impression that you might get at other resorts.
We were assigned a room in the Rarotonga "longhouse," which was very good for us because it was close to the Grand Ceremonial House (GCH, the main building with the lobby) with the shops and monorail station. We were also only a short walk to our van in the parking lot, the theme park bus stop, the guest laundry, and the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC). The building that is farthest away from the GCH is Tahiti, but that one is closer to the TTC, so it can be more convenient for getting to the parks. On the maps, the resort looks spread out, but while you are there, it doesn't seem that way. Tahiti also seems to have many rooms that have a theme park view. We spent so little time while awake in our room; the view really did not matter much to us. It also seemed we never had to wait very long to board a monorail during our stay. The bus to and from Animal Kingdom was a completely different experience, however. The resort launch service to the MK was fine and fun!
Our room was spacious but kind of dark. There was not nearly enough drawer space for our family of four and although there are two closets one is only half as wide because of the safe and shelving. I am glad I brought along an over-the-door shoe organizer as suggested by PassPorter for our cruise - it really came in handy here, too. There is a cooler and a coffee maker. The flip-over sofa and bed was pretty comfortable. The flat panel TV was a nice space-saver and even though the remote did not function properly, one call and they delivered another one right away!
At Captain Cook's, the 24-hour quick service cafe, there are still problems with the guest traffic flow because if you want to order, pick up some beverages or something from the cooler and then check out, there can be a pretty big swarm as guests have to backtrack through everything to pick up their tray. The pagers issued for food pick-up and the computerized order entry system helps to speed things up. Pretty much all we got here was breakfast, except for one snack visit when we got flat bread (pizza) and serve-it-yourself Dole Whips - it was all good!
The resort has two table service restaurants; Kona Cafe and 'Ohana. Breakfast at Kona Cafe was excellent! You can get 100% Kona coffee in a French press pot, and the much-celebrated banana-stuffed Tonga Toast, served with maple and strawberry syrups. Some diners may want to split this dish and mix or match with some meat or eggs with another member of their party. Dinner at Kona Cafe was excellent, with sushi and other appetizers, American-Asian fusion entrees, and petite yet delicious desserts. I had the shrimp and scallops dish, everyone else in my party had the beef teriyaki. The Kona Island sushi menu is available to you while you dine at Kona (they are right next to each other) as are the fabulous tropical drinks of the Tambu Lounge! I had the shrimp tempura maki and my wife had the duck pot stickers, and they were both the best we had ever had.
'Ohana's Best Friends Breakfast with Lilo and Stitch was a yummy, family-style meal. Our youngest son did not care for the likiioli juice or the pineapple bread, but everyone else loved it. Your table also gets a big pan with scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon, sausage, and Mickey waffles. On the side is syrup and butter, of course. If you still have room and want more, just ask your cousin for the hour, your server. The main event is a parade with music and Hawaiian Shirt Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and a two-armed Stitch. The characters have leis as do all the guests, once they check in with the host. Then they take a group shot for the optional photo package. It all adds to the ambiance. If you buy the photo package, you can have it added to your PhotoPass account using the event code printed on your receipt. The decorations, including all of the tikis, are very appropriate and add to the fun and ambiance.
If you stay at the Poly (or even if you don't) you might consider taking the time to enjoy the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, which occurs nightly on the grounds of the Polynesian. It seemed to be well attended on the night we went. They serve salad, ribs, chicken, pineapple, bread, and drinks. It's all-you-care-to-eat, just ask your server for more! Kid-friendly food is available, too. The show is kind of corny, about a girl who comes back home to Hawaii after being on the mainland. They also feature a fire dancer and dancers, and the cast performed "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride." I suppose they could have brought out Lilo and Stitch, but maybe that's not very authentic?
Plenty of shopping is also available at the Poly. The shops and amenities on the second floor are: Samoa Snacks, Trader Mickey's (general and Polynesian-themed gifts), a PhotoPass kiosk, and Caricatures kiosk. Downstairs you can find Wyland Galleries, Capt. Cook's Quick Service, Moana Mickey's Arcade, and Bou-Tiki Fashions and Accessories.
Outside at the Polynesian there is more to be found. The Naeaua Volcano-themed pool with water slide and zero-depth entry area is a big draw for families. There is also a quiet pool, Mikala Canoe Club (marina), and Luau Cove. For parents wanting an evening alone, there is Never Land Club. This child care club is open from 4:30 p.m. until midnight and costs $11/hour per child.
There are special activities every day of the week scheduled for those who have the time for them! These include a hula class, the torch lighting ceremony, beach or pool games and a campfire sing-along. At night, it was very nice to sit at the beach and watch the Electrical Water Pageant and Wishes with the family and a frosty beverage.
Disney's Polynesian Resort is a fantastic place to get away from the rest of the world and still be able to easily get to Disney's parks for either a short or a long stay. Aloha!
About the Author: Erik Johnson grew up in the Washington, D.C. area and works in the city, but still loves to explore the area's many interesting sites. He lives in the country with his wife Kendra and their sons and dogs and cats.
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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. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
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