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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: Jennifer Turns 40!
Travel Girl: How to Get A Great Deal At Disney
Disney Feature:
Disney From the Driver's Seat
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Chafing Challenges (Pt 2), Lose Those Loose Items, Snack Wisely
Captain's Corner: R2-D2 in Pieces
PassPorter PhotoPick: Through the Arch in Cinderella Castle
Q and A: Why didn't we get towel animals?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
Pixie Hollow, the new Tinker Bell and her fairy friends meet and greet area in Toontown Fair, is now open. (It was previously reported to be opening on October 24. No word on whether this is a "soft opening.)
Universal CityWalk is offering Pleasure Island Annual Passholders free admission until March 31, 2009.
The "final" schedule of celebrity narrators for this years Candlelight Processional has been announced. (Yeah, right...) The line up includes:
Nov 28 - 30: John O'Hurley
Dec 1 - 3: Neil Patrick Harris
Dec 4 - 6: Brian Stokes Mitchell
Dec 7 - 9: Virginia Madsen
Dec 10 - 12: Marlee Matlin
Dec 13 - 15: Monique Coleman
Dec 16 - 18: Chita Rivera
Dec 19 - 21: Abigail Breslin
Dec 22 - 24: Steven Curtis Chapman
Dec 25 - 27: Edward James Olmos
Dec 28 - 30: Angela Bassett & Courtney Vance
In honor of the upcoming election, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin has announced a contest to award a two-night stay in one of the resort's Presidential Suites, with room for a party of six. The winner will be announced the day after Election Day (November 5). Learn more and enter at http://www.swandolphin.com/election .
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:
CHAFING CHALLENGES (Pt 2)
"In the September 25th PassPorter News there was a tip about chafing challenges. I have another tip to help with that: use a lubricant! The one we like is a product called BodyGlide. You can usually find it in sporting good stores and especially running shops. Runners and other athletes use this product as well. You apply to the problem area (it is available in a solid like a deodorant). The lubricant helps the body parts glide past one another instead of sticking and rubbing. It isn't sticky, has no odor, you have no more chafing, and everyone is comfortable. Besides your thighs, you can also use it on your foot if there is a problem spot rubbing against your shoe to help prevent blisters."
-- contributed by Barb Z.
LOSE THOSE LOOSE ITEMS
"During a recent trip to the World, our family spent the day at Blizzard Beach. After climbing many flights of stairs to reach the start of Teamboat Springs, we arrived with our small children and their little plastic pails (acquired with lunch) only to find that we could not take the pails with us on the raft. We couldn't leave the pails there either. We ended up walking part way back down and stowing them. So remember, no loose items are allowed on the water slides. Before you end up making lots of trips up and down those stairs, find some place to keep your loose items while you enjoy the great family ride."
-- contributed by Kim R.
SNACK WISELY
"You can get a lot more for your Disney Dining Plan dollar by using snack credits wisely. Check out the Market section of the resorts for fresh fruit, yogurt parfaits, or baked goods. Each item counts as one snack credit and makes a great breakfast or afternoon snack. At $3 or $4 a piece, they are a much better use of your snack credit than a single piece of fruit or a cup of coffee."
-- contributed by Taryn H.
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:
"Still here at Disneyland in California! Last night I took a break from the hustle and bustle of the parks to check out the shops in Downtown Disney. While I browsed, I was delighted to stumble across R2-D2, who was apparently out doing some shopping, too. He must have been a bit stressed, though, because it looked like he was coming to pieces! I quickly moved out of his path so I would not block his way.
Where is R2-D2 in Downtown Disney (California)?
For bonus credit, locate the photographic evidence in the PassPorter Photo Archive and post a comment with the photo!
Congratulations to Teddy C. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Teddy was the first person to identify the day Old Flybait's died as August 9, 1869. Cause of death? "He croaked." Bonus credit goes to tjam 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:
Through the Arch in Cinderella Castle
contributed by Jennifer Marx
(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
DisneyMom87 asks: "On previous trips when we returned to our room from a day out, our kids were thrilled to find all of their Disney character toys posed in funny ways, holding the TV remote, on the toilet holding the tissue, holding a toothbrush. It was a hoot! This last trip, the mousekeepers made some cute towel animals and a towel mickey head for our arrival day and that was it. We were kind of disappointed. Does anyone know why they stopped this?"
Dave answers: "It's not something they stopped doing. Magic-making such as this is something that's up to the individual cast member.
The whole nature of magic is that it's something out of the ordinary. When magic is 'normal,'
it's no longer magic. As I've often said, the harder you chase the magic, the more likely it
is to slip from your grasp. Slow down, and give the magic a chance to find you. You won't
know where or when that will happen, and that's part of what makes it magic.
It's undoubtedly true for the CMs, too. When making magic is something you want to do,
it's as magical for the person making the magic as it is for the recipient. When it becomes an expected part of the job, it's not going to be nearly as rewarding.
Thanks to online communities such as this one, it's easier than ever for folks to learn about the magic (and disappointment) other people have experienced. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes not."
Did our message board members agree with Dave? To see other answers that DisneyMom87 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 November 2009
Mouse Fan Travel -- 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: Jennifer Turns 40!
Hi, {{user('firstname')}}!
Jennifer's turning 40 in exactly one week! Woohoo! In celebration of 40 wonderful years (which she's more inclined to think of as an accomplishment rather than being "over the hill"), Jennifer set up a special 40% coupon in the store. Just spend $40 or more dollars (before discounts, shipping & handling), and you'll get 40% off any PassPorter books and/or item(s) in your shopping cart. The coupon works great on the order of a deluxe PassPorter edition, for example! Use coupon code jennifer to get this special discount -- it expires at midnight on Jennifer's birthday, October 9! Click here for the details and to begin shopping!
Where did the summer go? According to the calendar, it ended less than two weeks ago, yet here in Michigan, it's like someone drenched us with a cooler full of ice water. The seemingly endless summer daylight has disappeared, a situation made even worse by the return of overcast skies and autumn rains. We'd like to mow the lawn before the leaves fall in earnest, but it seems every time we try, the grass is too damp. Temperatures tonight are due to dip into the 30s, reminding us that our first snow shower last fall came in mid-October (no big deal if you're in the northern part of the state, but here in the southeast, it was a bit unusual). Just one bright rose persists on the bush beyond the office window, but it can't last much longer. So, we've started wearing cozy clothes in the office, while our shorts and tropical shirts hang in the closet, awaiting December's MouseFest cruise on the Disney Wonder.
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 preliminary MouseFest schedule of events has gone online over at MouseFest.org, and MouseFest attendee registration has been going strong. So far, more than 400 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.
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)!
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, Guest Columnist Justine Fellowes shares her tips for How to Catch a Deal at Disney. Then, Guest Columnist Sandy Bostwick relates the accumulated vacation wisdom of chauffeurs in Disney From the Driver's Seat. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt.
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors
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Travel Girl's™ Tips for Disney World Podcasts:
How To Catch A Deal At Disney
by Justine Fellowes, PassPorter Guest Contributor and Host of Travel Girl podcasts
As you know staying at Disney is not exactly a cheap vacation. If you're listening to this podcast you are most likely pretty web savvy. You've already jumped from Orbitz to Priceline to DisneyWorld.com without much luck getting a great deal. Well, you're not alone and obviously Disney does this for a reason. They are in tight control of their room inventory and only cut deals on occasion. So let's talk about some secret tricks for Disney deals. First, get yourself signed up for the Mousesavers.com e-newsletter. The writers of this little treasure will keep you updated on deals that tend to go unnoticed by the general public. Next, think about the time of year you are visiting. Travel in late August, the fall, the last two weeks in January, May, and early June may get you some significant price cuts. Always keep in mind that packages from Disney may not be the cheapest way to go. It depends a lot on how much you plan to eat, how many parks you plan to go to, and the time of year that you book. Always ask for the package price and then the room price only, then carefully weigh the benefits of the package versus buying park tickets separately and not getting the dining plan.
When considering where to stay, make sure to choose the category level based on your budget, then, when you call, have them compare hotels within this level. Sometimes you'll catch a deal at less-booked resorts or it may be less than you think to upgrade, for example, from Pop Century to Caribbean Beach. I recommend using Disneyworld.com to get some basic price ideas and call when you are ready to ask detailed questions. First, ask for room only, Disney does not offer discounts on packages. Ask for AAA, military, or government discounts. (Swan and Dolphin- which you need to book through Starwood, not Disney, also offers government and teacher discounts!) If you are in the military, you may want to look into Shades of Green, the onsite hotel especially for military families. Also, ask about special deals for Florida residents, if you happen to be one, and annual passholder discounts if you happen to have one. If you don't have an annual pass and you are thinking of going to Disney for more than 10 days in one year, the discounts and saving on tickets may be well worth the cost.
Next trick: stick with the Garden View. While it's hard to avoid fantasizing about the perfect view of the castle, I've never found it worth the cost. You can always walk outside, and usually when you are in the room you're ready to sleep, not ready to look out the window.
Keep an eye on the deals that might not be related to the hotel. For instance, Disney often offers a free dining package for those arriving in late August and September. This can save upwards of $500 for a family of four on a six-night stay.
So let's review:
Tip # 1 - Sign up for the amazing e-newsletter at http://www.mousesavers.com
Tip # 2 - Think about when you can travel. Off season will get you less crowds with less cost.
Tip # 3 - Always compare the package to breaking out the room, dining and tickets separately.
Tip #4 - Ask for discounts -- they won't tell you unless you ask! AAA, seniors, military, teacher, Florida resident, annual passholder -- it's worth a shot!
Tip #5 - Stick to the Garden View
Tip #6 - Keep your eye out for special offers, such as free dining packages, that will offset the cost of your hotel room.
Please don't fall for scams, if it seems too good to be true- it most likely is.
And my TOP TIP for Disney: Find yourself a travel agent who knows Disney inside and out to help book your vacation.
Good luck!
About the Author: Justine, the author of
PassPorter's Disney Speed Planner: The Easy Ten-Step Program, works in
education in Connecticut. She is also the host of
Travel Girl's™ Tips for Disney World podcasts.
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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:
Behind The Scenes: Disney From the Driver's Seat
by Sandy Bostwick, PassPorter Guest Contributor
My flight arrived 20 minutes early. I planned to wander around Orlando International, but there was my driver, Douglas, holding the sign with my name. He explained that he tracks flights on his cell and the home office expedites drivers so no one has to wait. Before I knew it, I was settled into a Lincoln Town Car and on my way. Ah, to be royalty!
The tone for a trip starts and ends with the transportation. Quicksilver drivers, Douglas and Vinnie, shared their thought on what it is like to be part of the action in one of the top family vacation spots in the country-Orlando, Florida.
"You share personal moments that are usually pretty happy," said Vinnie. "It's more fun if I am the same driver when they get here and bringing them back to the airport, but that is just a chance."
Douglas enjoys the reactions at the gates of Walt Disney World. "I love when the kids yell Mickey, Minnie, YAY! I'm always looking through the mirror to see the faces."
Vinnie, a former Walt Disney World cast member, studied hospitality management at Valencia Community College. "I've always liked driving, and I like people, so when a friend told me about a job taking people to Disney from the airport, it sounded like fun. I think guests can tell if you really appreciate taking them to their hotel." His cutest fare was a chatty little girl who had just learned that passengers don't jump from the plane with a parachute at the end of the flight. He still e-mails one newly-married couple who he enjoyed speaking with during the ride. "He sent me an e-mail that his wife is pregnant and I was so pleased," Vinnie said. "It could be a friendship for a lifetime. Each and every day that I come to work, I enjoy it and always have a great time, especially when guests appreciate me!
Douglas left San Paulo, Brazil when a friend invited him to work in Orlando. "I've been working for Quicksilver since the beginning in 2002," he says proudly, adding that he met his wife in Orlando. He recalls a Wyoming family who borrowed $10,000 for a five night stay at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort with their small children, remembering that one had an obvious disability. "When the little girl came through the Disney gate, she became so happy and that was the Daddy's dream come true!" He remembers one woman's last Disney trip after cancer left her with a year's life expectancy. "She is always on my mind," he said. "I hope she is alive. I never saw her again."
For worry-free travels, Douglas advises travelers to double check the flight and hotel information given to their transportation company, and to take time to read all directions for pick-up, especially if taking one of the group travel options. "Some people use the elevators and go straight to the carousel to claim luggage," he said. "On the web site, we promise we'll be waiting with a sign at the bottom of the escalator. Orlando is a big airport, so you need good information when you leave the plane." He also suggests that passengers allow themselves to be pampered. "When you hire a chauffeur, let him act as a chauffeur, let him open the door and treat you like royalty. You should expect VIP service, not a cab."
Vinnie suggests marking luggage with a large bright sticker or name tag for easy identification as the bag travels around the carousel. When it comes to happy travels,"It's all about being positive," he emphasizes, remembering a family who demonstrated this. "They were supposed to fly in the morning and they ended up flying at nine at night. I picked them up at one in the morning. The parents were saying 'Tomorrow is a new day and we are going to have a great time' for the kids."
"Most of the time my guests have been in the plane for hours and they need to be cheered up. They have great expectations, and that starts at the moment that they land at the airport, so we are part of their vacation. We should always present the best and cheer them up if they need it and make sure they really experience the excitement from the start," Vinnie continues. "With families I always start with kids. I ask them about their favorite characters. I like to guess their age. I find that little trick really gets them to open up. When you pick them up you are a stranger to them, and it's fun when you don't feel so much that way at the end. Sometimes things don't go right. It rains, or bad things happen, but to ask questions about the good things is the best way."
Douglas finds that most of his clients are looking to make the most of their visit by cutting transportation time. "If you lose four hours on your vacation, that costs money," he explained, referring to shuttles or buses that might wait to be filled, make several stops along the way, and can't wait if you are unexpectedly delayed. For the return trip, "We recommend two and a half hours, 30 minutes to ride and two hours in the airport because we never know how bad is the traffic or how bad is the security line. If the customer checks luggage at the hotel, we can drop that recommendation to two hours, but not all airlines check the luggage at the hotel. I see sometimes families losing the bus and they have to call a cab otherwise they lose the flight," he continued, remembering a family at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort who missed their bus for a flight to France. "I was there dropping people off and the wife called me over and asked if I can give a ride. The office said I can help her. We are not usually allowed to do this because our service is pre-arranged with a reservation, but in that situation, the boss let me do that."
Even when all goes smoothly, a ride back to the airport bears the tone of closure. "On the way, they are excited about starting a vacation. On the way back, the Daddy is broke, Mommy is tired, and the kids are mad because they have to go back to school," Douglas laughed. "The little ones wear their Mickey ears and are carrying animals but on the way out it is party all over."
Vinnie uses a few tricks to end on an up note. "Sometimes the kids are a little bit sad, so the best way is to ask them about their vacation and what was their favorite ride. When they start talking about their vacation, they get that smile again from remembering. I always say they can come back again. Asking their favorite food from the vacation always helps."
In my final vacation hours, a sudden downpour with fierce lightning delayed the Epcot shuttle boat indefinitely. I trekked to the nearby Dolphin on foot, arriving fifteen minutes late, soaked, and stressed. Vinnie searched the lobby, holding his sign high and looking serious. HE WAITED! His positive thinking magic immediately brightened my mood. I pulled dry socks and shoes from my luggage, before he took it away and opened the car door. I settled into the comfy leather seats of the Cadillac Escalade and adjusted the temperature to just right as the sun poked through the clouds. Ah, to be royalty!
About the Author: Sandra Bostwick is an occupational therapist, music therapist, and adjunct professor at County College of Morris. She owns Creative Learning Studios and enjoys motivational speaking and writing. She has experience in the travel and entertainment industry on land and sea, but dreams of earning a Walt Disney World cast member pin one day. She is an expert peer reviewer for the PassPorter guide books and can be reached at Speed_of_light_2@yahoo.com.
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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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