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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: Turn, Turn, Turn
Travel Feature: My First NASCAR Race
Disney Feature: How I Convinced Prince Charming to Take Us on a Disney Cruise
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Scavenger Hunt Hoopla, Beach Club BBQ, Scrapbook Set-up
Captain's Corner: Let Sleeping Ducks Lie
Q&A: Help me decide between Spirit of Aloha and Mickey's Backyard BBQ?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
Our readers share their Captain Jack Sparrow encounters:
An Anony-"mouse" Cast Member writes: "It is indeed true, as I have seen it with my own eyes (and listed in our CM
official park schedule), that Captain Jack is doing meet and greets by the
Adventureland Veranda on a trial basis. He is officially scheduled for 10:00 am -
6:00 pm Sept. 16-20, 23-26, and 29. RUMOR has it he will be sticking around after
that, but that part I can't confirm yet."
Alan D. writes (from his cell phone, no less): "I am at Disney right now and
there is a meet and greet spot for him. The hours have been from
10:00 am 'til 6:00 pm daily. Most of the time there has been at least a 30 minute wait to see him."
Janice B. writes: "Just returned from Walt Disney World 9/22. While in the Magic
Kingdom on 9/16, we were able to get pictures and autographs from Jack
Sparrow. Our party had separated, so my grandsons were not with us at
this time, and when we returned to this spot on Friday (9/21) for the boys to see Jack, we were told that he
would be back on Sunday. (We left on Saturday, so they missed out.)"
Kim O. sent this photo of her son with the Captain:
Thanks to all of our readers for sending in their Captain Jack stories!
A re-dedication ceremony as well as other events, will take place this Monday, October 1, 2007 in honor of Epcot's 25th anniversary.
The ceremony will take place at 10:01 am - the same time Epcot
officially opened for the first time on October 1, 1982. A special
exhibit is opening in Innoventions West showcasing the history of the
park, and IllumiNations will be adding a special ending to mark the
occasion.
Ticket prices for Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba at Downtown Disney's West Side will increase as of the October 2, 2007 show. The new prices are:
Front and Center: Adult
(Ages 10+) $121.41; Child (Ages 3-9) $96.92
Category 1: Adult (Ages 10+)
$105.44; Child (Ages 3-9) $84.14
Category 2: Adult (Ages 10+) $86.27; Child
(Ages 3-9) $69.23
Category 3: Adult (Ages 10+) $69.23; Child (Ages 3-9)
$55.38
The Wilderness Back Trail Adventure Segway Tour is now a permanent offering at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. Call 407-WDW-TOUR for more information.
Our thanks to AllEars.net and MousePlanet.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:
SCAVENGER HUNT HOOPLA
"I planned a scavenger hunt around the house with rhymed clues to lead
our kids through the house, upstairs, downstairs, in closets and under
tables. The hunt culminated with their own 'special Christmas
present' boxes in the living room. In each box was a special
'ticket' I had made for at trip to Walt Disney World with
their name on it. Underneath, was another special "Ticket"
for a Disney Cruise. They were screaming with joy! Then they asked if
they could do the scavenger hunt again! Instead, I pointed to the
wrapped Christmas present addressed to both of them. It was the Magic
Kingdom Game. The game has you racing against other players to be the
first to visit all of your Magic Kingdom attractions on the cards you
have been dealt. This has become a favorite game of my boys since then
and really helped them familiarize themselves with the park and its
rides."
-- contributed by Trish M.
BEACH CLUB BBQ
"If you're staying at the Beach Club and would like to have a 'private'
barbecue, go behind the Villas near the quiet pool. Nestled almost out
of sight in the dunes area, not too far from the spa (hot tub) along
the walking path, is a picnic table with an umbrella and two barbecue
grills. You'll have to provide your own charcoal (they don't sell any
at the resort) but you can use the barbecue at any time, no reservation
required. This is a nice little spot to make some of your own 'magic.'"
-- contributed by Tish I.
SCRAPBOOK SET-UP
"To help the magic last on the trip home, here is something you
can do. If you have a digital camera with a viewfinder or have
already printed your vacation photos, look through them during the
car/plane ride. You can plan the layout of your scrapbook pages and
decide what supplies you will need. When you head to your local
scrapbook supply store, the choices will not be overwhelming as far
as what to purchase. You will already have your layout ideas and
shopping list in hand and ready to head back home to scrap and relive
the magic again!"
-- contributed by Connie L.
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 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 journal entry:
"I do love good photos ... the more detailed, the better! So I'm delighted to discover that my
pals Jennifer & Dave are putting their immense, detailed photo collection online. I wandered about
the collection today and happened upon both fascinatingly unusual and curiously informative photos. For example, I found this photo in their collection and printed it to put on my wall ... the photo was taken (rest of text obscured by ink smudges)"
Exactly where was this photo taken? (For bonus points, post a comment with the same photo in the Photo Archive)
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 Kathy Muller who was the
winner
of last week's trivia contest! Kathy was the first person to
identify the location of the "giant evidence" as the All Star Music Resort. To view
the original clue, 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 Jack Skatt. Get more details on
"PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" book at http://www.passporterstore.com.
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Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave
Sunnybrook Sue asks: "We are trying to decide between the Spirit of Aloha
or Mickey's Backyard BBQ for our upcoming trip. I would appreciate any help in
choosing between the two. My daughters
(11 & 7) are the members of our party that are more interested in doing one
of the dinner shows. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!"
Dave and Jennifer answer: "The Backyard BBQ is more of an event than a show.
If you and/or the kids are not interested in getting up for line dancing or
dancing with the characters, all it becomes is a Fourth of July Picnic-style
buffet.
Spirit of Aloha is an actual show. There are two aspects to the
show -- the Polynesian dancing and music, and the story they use to string things
together featuring young people from a modern Hawaiian community and their older
mentor. The story wears thin quickly, but the dancing continues to be enjoyable
after seeing the show many times. The food? Not at all exciting or
interesting.
Overall, dinner at 'Ohana at the Poly is a far better meal.
While you don't have the big floor show, there's still some Polynesian
entertainment, and activities for the kids. You may find this is a good
alternative to the other two meals."
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 -- Super Soap Weekend and MouseFest Special Offers
MouseEarVacations.com -- Walt Disney World Special Offers
Quicksilver Tours & Transportation -- Save $5 off airport round-trip transportation in a town car
Thank you, sponsors!
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From the Authors: Turn, Turn, Turn
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Is it true? Is summer really over? That's what the calendar says, and,
here in Michigan, the leaves on the trees have begun to whisper it, too.
There's
a lot going on in Orlando during the upcoming week, with more than a
few folks making sure they're on hand for Epcot's 25th anniversary on
October 1, and for
the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. No doubt, there will be several
champagne toasts lifted around the World Showcase in the days to come.
We, however, get to miss that fun, in favor of a family wedding here in
Michigan. So, while we're toasting the bride and groom, we hope some of
the folks reading this will hoist a toast at Epcot on our behalf
(sorry, we're not buying, even if we have been heard to shout, "Free
drink, Colonel" on more than one occasion.)
The big news at PassPorter.com is a new
$1 PassPorter book offer! For the first
time ever, we're selling an older edition of our Disney Cruise Line
guidebook for just $1 plus postage and handling (we've done this in the
past with our Walt Disney World guidebooks). We have a few hundred
copies of the paperback of PassPorter's Field Guide to the Disney
Cruise Line and its Ports of Call 3rd Edition, updated in August 2005. Since
that was the year the cruise line first passed through the Panama Canal
and sailed to West Coast ports, it's an especially handy item for folks
sailing this year's Panama Canal and West Coast itineraries. Whether
you'll be cruising on those itineraries, are curious about our cruise
line guidebook, or want to share the PassPorter magic with your friends
and family, this is a great way to get your feet wet (so to speak). Order your copies at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/one-buck-passporter.aspx
We also have a great, new feature at the PassPorter web site -- the PassPorter Photo Archive!
We take thousands of photos on every one of our research trips,
documenting the glorious sights and the smallest details, and now,
we're opening that photo collection up to our readers. While the
archive is far from complete (it takes a while to select, index, and
describe each image), we so far have over 1,000 quality images
catalogued and online. For those of you interested in every detail of
Disney's resort hotels, we already have a whopping 274 images of the All-Star
Resorts, 156 shots of Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, 167
pictures of the Polynesian... at the moment, the vast majority of
photos are of Disney's resorts, but as the weeks and months go by,
we'll also have thousands of images of every aspect of Walt Disney
World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and the Disney Cruise Line. The
PassPorter Photo Archive is available free to all registered members of the PassPorter
message board community (membership in the boards is free) -- photos
are viewable at 400 x 300 pixel size by all registered
members, a typical viewing size for online images. Members of PassPorter's Club
get an extra benefit -- they can also view the images in
high-definition, "Super Size" (we promise, they won't be fattening) -- up to
2000 x 2000 pixels, big enough to fill most computer screens and
then some (click here to see a super-sized image examples of a scenic shot and a practical shot)! If you ever wanted to read the fine print on a sign, or see
the smallest details in a hotel room's decor, this is the only way to
go -- the way we do it when we need to check facts and details after our
return to the office. The software behind the archive has loads of
great features that make it easy to search for and view images, add
your own comments, share as an e-card, and create links to the photos
for use in your message board postings and other personal uses. Enjoy!
Disney's new escorted tours business, Adventures by Disney (ABD), has been creating quite a stir among Disney fans, and we're interested in learning more about what our readers think about ABD and its offerings. We've created a survey, which we hope you'll take the time to fill-out, and we'll report back to you on our findings in an upcoming edition of this newsletter. The survey is at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=gtNE8ZzyZjZEKY0JmMpalQ_3d_3d
MouseFest News: Registration is open for MouseFest!
We've got an all-new registration program this year that offers a host
of new benefits and gives folks a chance to support this great event. Read all about it! Special MouseFest room rates available!
MouseFest has arranged for a special discounted rate at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort for MouseFest!
Stay near the heart of MouseFest action within walking distance of Epcot(r), Disney-MGM Studios, Disney's BoardWalk
entertainment district, Disney's Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf courses, and Saturday's MouseFest's Mega Mouse Meet
at the Walt Disney World Dolphin. To learn more, visit http://www.mousefest.org.
And check out the MouseFest event schedule , also at the MouseFest.org web site.
New meets are being added to the schedule on a regular basis, and the
list of people attending just keeps growing! At least ten of our
PassPorter Guides (moderators) are attending,
as are more than 130 PassPorter community members and readers! Stay tuned for more
MouseFest announcements in the weeks and months to
come.
In this issue, Thomas Cackler, part of the PassPorter e-book production team, describes his experiences at his first NASCAR Race,
and guest columnist and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California
Attractions guidebook contributor Rebecca Oberg confesses, How I Convinced Prince Charming to Take Us on a Disney Cruise. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt. Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Publishers and Authors
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Travel Feature:
My First NASCAR Experience: The Allstate 400
by Thomas Cackler, PassPorter Guest Columnist
If anything rivals my love of Walt Disney World, it's my passion for sports. Although football and baseball are tops on my list, I also enjoy watching motor sports, including NASCAR. When a friend called a year ago to see if I could make it out and join him at the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard in Speedway, Indiana, I jumped at the chance to not only visit an old friend but also visit one of the most legendary tracks in the world for a real race.
As this was my first race, I don't know how much of my experience was due to the venue itself or how much of it was due to the nature of NASCAR. The atmosphere was more a combination of a state fair mixed with a flea market than a professional sporting event. Temporary food stands surrounded the track as did booths selling racing memorabilia with everything from seat cushions to used racing tires. Race sponsors had an interactive midway area that offered entertainment and activities in addition to promotions for their products.
Speaking of spending money, if someone complains about the price of food and souvenirs at Walt Disney World, chances are good they have never experienced a NASCAR race. The ticket itself for a seat in turn four was $60 and that was about mid-range, with the least expensive ticket going for $35. Food was slightly more expensive than at Walt Disney World, but not terribly so. Turkey legs, for example, were $7.00 at the race while they are $5.50 at Walt Disney World. Souvenirs were also slightly more expensive at the race. For example, a ball cap cost one or two dollars more than a similar cap at a Disney park.
The festival attitude extended into the parking lot where many people drive their RV's in and spend the entire week at the track. Most of these RV's flew the flags and colors of their favorite drivers. Those who didn't stay all week arrived early in vans and trucks to tailgate, preparing breakfast and lunch before heading into the track. The atmosphere certainly would remind someone of a college football game with the actual event taking a back seat to the tailgate parties on either end.
One other surprising thing was that the track officials allowed coolers in. While this did seem to lead to a few fans who "over-indulged," it provided cool relief for the extreme heat to the rest. Many fans passed around ice to help cool people off. When someone in our group got a little sick due to the heat, some nearby fans took wet washcloths from their cooler to help cool him off. Conditioned by the NFL and Major League Baseball, it hadn't occurred to me that I could take in a cooler, but I certainly wished I had by the end of the day.
The other surprising thing was the volume. Loud doesn't begin to describe the level of noise from the machines that raced around the track at close to 200 miles per hour. During one stretch of the race when the line of vehicles circled almost the entire track, you couldn't hear the person sitting next to you even if they yelled in your ear. At first I scoffed at the people who brought earplugs, but I quickly realized that they had the right idea. I wouldn't have minded having a set during the race!
The race fans we encountered were excited to hear that it was the first race for several of us. Much like passionate Disney fans, they told us what to watch for and offered advice on how best to enjoy the race. We even experienced a bit of magic as the teenager with us received a previous year's ticket with his favorite driver on it. Overall, most of the crowd behaved well and allowed everyone to enjoy the race. Just like any other sporting event, there will always be a few obnoxious fans but the respectful fans heavily outnumber them.
The thing I disliked most about the track was the layout. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a big track with a large and heavily built-up infield. This meant that spectators in turn four couldn't see the backstretch or turns one and two due to the size of the track. Instead, those fans had to watch the action on large monitors positioned in the infield. I was a little disappointed that I paid $60 to watch half the race on television when I could have stayed home and enjoyed the whole thing from my recliner for the cost of my monthly cable bill.
At the end of the day, this NASCAR event was different from any other event I had ever attended. As I went into it with no set expectations, I certainly wasn't disappointed. Was it my cup of Mad Hatter's tea? No, I can't say it was. While I won't rule out a race in the future, I have a feeling I'll attend another major sporting event first. To each his own!
About the Author: Thomas Cackler is the PassPorter's E-Book Team "on call" editor and consultant. A veteran of five trips to Walt Disney World and one Disney Cruise since 2002, Thomas is a member of several online Disney communities including the PassPorter forums where he shares his knowledge and love of the Disney Parks with anyone who will listen. He lives in Iowa with his wife Julie and nephew Joey.
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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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Did You Know?
Great Walt Disney World Rates are available at MouseEarVacations.com!
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Disney Feature:
How I Convinced Prince Charming to Take Our Family on a Disney Cruise (And More Importantly - Enjoy it!)
by Rebecca Oberg, PassPorter Contributor to PassPorter's Disneyland Resort and Southern California Attractions guidebook
It all started out in the usual way -- we had some extra money, enough to take the kind of trip I'd dreamed of since I was a little girl. I ran it by my loving husband (during some sort of sporting event on TV, for maximum understanding). I got the nod and smile I needed. We were going on our first Disney Cruise! I was extremely excited and began planning right away. Two PassPorters were ordered, one for the land and one for the sea portion of the vacation. Every second of extra time was spent poring over message boards and web sites. I had important decisions to make - did we want to swim with dolphins? Eat dinner at Palo? Have a luxurious massage at the spa?
(My husband's thought process will be recreated in italics and inserted throughout the article.)
I think she said something about Disney again. Did she say cruise? Wait. Cruises are expensive. We've got a front yard to put in, a house to paint, and three kids to put through college someday. We can't afford a cruise. What's the score?
The planning continued and payments were made (and days added to the land portion). It was time to do some shopping! Everyone needed new clothes, swimsuits, and other vacation items. This was another fun part of preparing for the cruise. We'd have the opportunity to wear fancy clothes and swimsuit cover-ups. Sounds like a dream come true to me!
I'm going to have to dress up to eat dinner? I thought this was a vacation. Why do we need all this stuff? Isn't this vacation expensive enough already? Am I really going to enjoy this? What am I going to do on the ship while you're doing "Disney Stuff?"
The travel and the Walt Disney World portion of the trip went off without a hitch and before we knew it, we were being whisked off to Port Canaveral in our luxurious Disney bus. I couldn't believe how seamless this trip was. No luggage worries, no arguing over a map of a completely strange city, and no worries about entertaining the kids. How relaxing, and we're not even on the ship yet!
Walt Disney World was fun, but I'm ready to go home. So far so good, though. No schlepping suitcases, no driving or navigation responsibilities, no whining kids. This ain't so bad!
Within minutes of embarking on our voyage, we were fed and relaxing with frosty drink in hand. The kids were busy doing things that made them happy, and the husband and I were left to our own devices. There were lovely long dinners, chats at the ship's rail overlooking the vast ocean, and some beautiful sunsets. There were movies with no interruptions, and even a couple's spa treatment. We really reconnected on this family vacation.
My wife is so relaxed and happy, and we can spend time doing what we want to do. We ate ice cream in bed and watched movies that weren't animated or rated "G." I've been in a golf chipping contest and hung out in a sports bar. I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want. Surprisingly, I liked the spa as much as my wife did. Oh, yeah, and the kids are having a good time, too.
In addition to the very romantic aspects of this vacation, we had some wonderful family moments as well. We built an extraordinary sandcastle, hunted for treasure on a tropical island, and indulged in lots of giggling and adventure-sharing each evening before drifting off to the gentle rocking of the ship. All too soon the journey was coming to an end. We'd be heading back to reality, but not before having the time of our lives together. I hope we can someday embark on a Disney Cruise again. The service was superb from the moment we stepped on board to receiving our airline boarding passes and being relieved of our luggage when disembarking the vessel. It was the perfect vacation for each person in our family and for all of us together.
We'll definitely be saving up for another Disney Cruise. It's the best vacation I've ever been on. My family and I were treated like royalty. Every detail was taken care of so we could truly relax. Next time we're staying longer, though. It was the perfect vacation for each person in our family and for all of us together.
So if you have a doubting Thomas (or Rob or Sally or whomever) in your family who thinks a Disney Cruise is too expensive, too fancy, or just not their idea of fun, try to get them to think again. And most importantly, get them on the ship! The patented Disney Magic (or Wonder) will do the rest.
About the Author: Rebecca has been an avid Disneyland fan as long as she can remember. She's recently added Disney Cruise Line and Walt Disney World to her list of favorite places on the planet. When not traveling, planning to travel, or visiting Disney, she is mother of three, wife of one, and teacher of 23 third graders.
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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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Airport Meet & Greet, luggage help, free car seat
Free 30-minute grocery stop with airport round-trip
Special! $5.00 off airport round-trip
Use Discount Code: PassPorter News
Call 888-GO TO WDW
or visit quicksilver-tours.com
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