From the Authors: Reviews and Freebies

Disney Parks Feature: Seeing (Stars) at Disney: Making the Most of Super Soap Weekend

Making More Magic Feature: IllumiNations Cruises: A Truly Remarkable Experience

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Instant Scrapbooking, Shoulder Saver, Make Ahead Mailing Labels 

Q&A: Epcot Attraction Sponsorships
 

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Updates:
What's New and Changed

Here's a few of the new developments at Disney·

As part of "The Happiest Celebration on Earth," Disney's celebration of Disneyland's 50th anniversary, Soarin' will open at Epcot in May 2005. Based on Disneyland's "Soarin' Over California" attraction, Soarin' is a thrilling flight over California's varied terrain. The attraction will be located in The Land presented by Nestlé USA. 

Due to the effects of Hurricane Jeanne, Disney's Vero Beach Resort is closed while damage is being assessed and repaired. Guests with reservations in October are being contacted. 

>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 are a wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:

INSTANT SCRAPBOOKING
"I'm an avid scrapbooker. I take along permanent marking pens and acid free paper so the character autographs my son gathers can be scrapped right in our scrapbooking pages." --  contributed by Taryn

SHOULDER SAVER
"If you are going to Epcot with a baby or toddler bring a baby sling. We took our 15 month-old with us to Disney World last June. We were surprised to discover that strollers aren't allowed inside most buildings at Epcot. I had brought along a simple fabric baby sling that I had made. It turned out to be a life-saver. While we waited in lines, I was able to carry our 30 lb. son without discomfort and he was able to nap in it too. I was approached several times by mothers of small children wondering where I had bought my sling because their arms/shoulders were aching from carrying their kids.  The sling came in handy too when we were riding Disney transportation to/from resorts." -- contributed by Grace Stark (gracestark@...) 

MAKE-AHEAD MAILING LABELS
"Pre-print your friends mailing labels on your PC for the postcards you want to send when you are at WDW. Don't forget to buy the stamps before you go!" (Editor's Note: Stamps are also available at Guest Services in your resort.) -- contributed by Annette Bush (apbush@...) 

>Notes: Send us your tips ! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter!

Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

In this column we answer your frequently asked PassPorter and Disney questions.

Lynne O. asks: "I recently read that Universe of Energy's sponsorship (by Exxon) had expired (or is expiring soon). Does anyone know what will happen to this pavilion if a new sponsor takes over soon? 

I was also wondering the fate of Wonders of Life... does their operating hours also have to do with lack of sponsorship? When I went into that pavilion on my last visit, it was practically empty...as if no one was interested in it. Thanks!"

Dave answers: "Naturally, Disney's pretty tight-lipped about these contractual matters. I think those folks who do keep track of them are either working the cast member rumor mill, or kept a copy of the press releases from back when the attractions opened (that may have listed the duration of the sponsorship).

In the realm of speculation, I wouldn't be surprised if Amerada Hess jumped into Universe of Energy as soon as Exxon/Mobil leaves (if it leaves). Since Hess has already replaced Exxon at the on-property gas stations and has sponsored the (rather inexpensive) expansion of Wide World of Sports, it seems a logical step.

Disney hasn't said so explicitly, but we all believe the loss of Met Life's sponsorship is the primary explanation for the reduced operations at Wonders of Life. One of the "issues" with long-term sponsorships is that at some point, Disney is going to ask for more money so that the attraction can be rehabbed/updated. ("Dear sponsor, while we've had a great history with the attraction you sponsor, guest visits have declined as the attraction has aged. We feel it's time, with your help, to breathe some new life into this classic...") At that point, the sponsor will do a major management review of the costs/benefits, and all bets are off."

Have a question? Post it 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 Get Published?

We're on the lookout for guest columnists to contribute articles to this newsletter. 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 guidelines, please e-mail news@passporter.com. Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed!

Heard all the buzz about PassPorter guidebooks, but haven't seen one yet? You can get a FREE copy of the PassPorter Walt Disney World guidebook -- all you pay is shipping/handling (avg. $6). You'll receive last year's edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World, which includes our famous PassPocket organizer pockets, our detailed resort maps, fold-out theme park maps, planning worksheets, and expert advice! While the advice will be a bit out-of-date, this is a great way to see if the PassPorter concept works for you, too! TIP: You can order up to 5 free copies and give them to friends and family also going to Walt Disney World!

Order today at:
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/

Seeing (Soap) Stars at Disney: Making the Most of Super Soap Weekend 
By Lisa Simon, Guest Columnist and Soap Opera Fan

Are you a fan of ABC soap operas All My Children (AMC), General Hospital (GH), or One Life to Live (OLTL)? Ever dream of meeting your favorite ABC soap stars in person? Now, imagine meeting them live at Walt Disney World! Dreams can come true at ABC's 9th annual Super Soap Weekend (SSW) at Disney MGM Studios November 13 -14, 2004. I attended last year for the first time and met a Super Soap Weekend veteran who showed me the ropes.  

Weekend events include autograph sessions, indoor and outdoor talk shows, Casting Call, the Disney Stars and Motorcars parade, special editions of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire -- Play It!, and the Street Jam Concert. Your park admission includes all Super Soap Weekend events. There are 30 ABC stars in attendance, 10 each from the three ABC shows. Each 45 minute talk show is held six times daily, featuring different actors each session. These shows all run at the same time as the autograph sessions and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire -- Play It. The event venues are far apart, so you can't watch the outdoor talk show at the Sorcerer's Hat Stage and then hope to get a seat for the indoor talk show at ABC Theatre next to Sounds Dangerous, because there's a line, and seats are limited. So how do you choose? Here are my tips, based on last year's experience. Note that Disney is always tinkering with Super Soap Weekend to improve things, so procedures may be different this year.

Before leaving home, access ABC's official Super Soap Weekend Website at http://abc.go.com/daytime/supersoap/
mgm/index.html which has descriptions of the weekend's festivities as well as event times and locations.  A tentative list of stars attending was just posted at http://abc.soapsindepth.com/latebreakingnews/ the website of ABC Soaps In Depth Magazine, the official magazine for Super Soap Weekend.  The November 23, 2004 issue of the magazine will also have Super Soap Weekend info. Disney may distribute free copies as you enter the park that weekend, but getting the schedule earlier lets you plan ahead. Fans of all three ABC shows should pick their two favorites, focusing on one show's events each day. Otherwise you will go crazy trying to do everything and seeing nothing. Last year, we went to all the AMC events on Saturday and the OLTL events on Sunday.  Most of the talk shows are repeated with the same stars on the second day, so you won't miss anything.

Second, to beat the crowd if you're staying on-site, consider driving your own car, renting one, or hiring a taxi. Last year the park gates opened at 6:00 a.m., even though Disney buses started running at 8:00 a.m. for the official park opening at 9:00. (Saturday's Extra Magic Hour was changed to Magic Kingdom for that weekend). Those who had their own transportation had the advantage over those who relied on Disney transportation. Hopefully, Disney will run the buses earlier this year, but if you REALLY want that Susan Lucci autograph, plan on getting there as early as possible, before 6:00 a.m., especially because Ms. Lucci is so popular and autographs will be limited. Also, the park was filled to capacity and closed to new guests by 10:30 a.m. on that Saturday, so latecomers beware!  
 
Third, unless you are a diehard fan of Thorsten Kaye (Zach, AMC) or Kathy Brier (Marcie, OLTL), skip the autograph lines. I won't give the details of 2003's FASTPASS system, which you can read about at last years Super Soap Weekend site, because I'm guessing Disney will again make changes. FASTPASS helped limit the number of autographs a star would sign, but the distribution process still needs retooling. It was complicated and time consuming (waiting in line for the FASTPASS took about an hour and we waited yet another hour to get the autograph).   Consider getting a signed photo from one of the cast members walking throughout the park, instead. The difference is that these are signed, but not personalized (i.e. it says "Susan Lucci" rather than "To Elizabeth-Thanks for being a fan! Love, Susan, Lucci"). They are still nice keepsakes.

Next, go to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Super Soap Weekend Edition to pick up a FASTPASS. The six daily sessions will "sell out" quickly. Walt Wiley (Jackson, AMC) hosts this year and top prize each session is a leather jacket. Disney has tinkered with tradition here as well. Previously, you got to share the Hot Seat with two soap stars and the questions were all soap-related, which was a treat for longtime soap fans. In 2003, the questions were general knowledge. I hope they'll rethink this, as it was a unique experience for us soap aficionados. 

You can hold both an autograph FASTPASS and a Special Edition Who Wants To Be A Millionaire FASTPASS, and still get FASTPASSes for other attractions. The Super Soap Weekend passes are separate from the normal FASTPASSes and have the Super Soap Weekend logo on them.

Stop in for lunch at the ABC Commissary and peruse the official Super Soap Weekend gear for sale there. Shirts, mugs, pins, tote bags, caps and visors are all available featuring the official Super Soap Weekend logo. For under $20, I bought a t-shirt listing each actor present and the dates of Super Soap Weekend.  Limited quantities of shirts are produced for Super Soap Weekend, and the larger sizes sell out first, so if you need a particular size, get there early. Also on display and for sale at the Commissary are costumes worn by the actors from each show.  Each item has a tag telling which actor wore it. Take time to look through these, and note the sizes; these people are TINY! Some of the clothes are affordable, and some cost upwards of $2000, but they are still fun to look at and touch, especially if it's an outfit you recognize from the show.  
 
The talk shows are a fun way to "get to know" the stars. There are six actors per session, and each star is introduced individually. There are great photo ops here (even indoors), so be sure to have plenty of film! Stars first chat with the host and then audience members ask them questions. Some queries are predictable, such as "What's happening next with your character?" or "Could I have a hug?" but many are original. Many of the actors are witty, and it's a great opportunity to be "in" on the joke. An example of this is when a fan asked an actor why his character still lived with his parents on the show, and the actor replied that the show couldn't afford another set. It was funny and true.

My favorite Super Soap Weekend event is Casting Call, hosted this year by Cameron Mathison (Ryan, AMC). Three selected audience members "audition" to play a scene with a star. The crowd chooses the best actor, and that lucky person gets to perform a soap scene with a star. This is especially fun if the "auditionee" is a ham! New this year is that the top six performers (one from each session) will have a chance to win a walk-on role on an ABC soap. 

Each day's grand finale is the Grand Stars and Motorcars parade and the Street Jam concert. If you stake out a good spot for the parade, you won't have a good view for the concert, which starts immediately afterwards at the Sorcerer's Hat Stage. Still, I recommend watching the parade, since you'll be able to hear the concert all over the park. I stood at the traffic light by Guest Services to watch the parade, giving me a wonderful view of celebs as the cars turned the corner. My only disappointment with the parade is that the Disney characters riding with the actors block your view of the star, making it difficult to take pictures.  

After the parade, go to the Sorcerer's Hat Stage for the Street Jam concert. A good view can be had by the Brown Derby. This concert lets the stars showcase their vocal talents. Some actors, such as Kassie DePaiva  (Blair, OLTL) and Eden Riegel (Bianca, AMC) have recorded their own albums or appeared on Broadway, so this is a real treat. The concert is held both nights, but not all actors perform both nights, so again, if you can't attend both, you must choose.  

The October 3, 2004 issue of TV Guide stated that AMC will be filming crowd scenes at Street Jam and other scenes throughout the park during Super Soap Weekend that will air later in November. Also, ABC/Disney owned SoapNet's talk show, SoapTalk, will tape the Saturday outdoor shows at the Sorcerer's Hat Stage.

In summary, plan ahead. Know in advance what you want to see and which stars you want to focus on.  Be flexible. Know that you're not going to get to see everything. Above all, relax and have fun. Super Soap Weekend is a unique opportunity to get up close to your favorite stars and to learn what they are like off the set. It's also a great way to meet fellow fans and "dish" your favorite shows.  Have a great time and don't forget to keep watching your favorite soaps!

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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 Super Soap Weekend.

IllumiNations Cruise: A Truly Remarkable Experience
by Mary Albright, Guest Columnist and Disney Addict

Showing nightly at Epcot, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is, oddly enough, an almost unearthly experience. Since the Millennium Celebration, people have poured into the World Showcase to witness this firework and laser light show which tells the story and progression of mankind. It isn't uncommon to see people staking out prime spots two hours in advance of the show.

Since my daughter's seventh birthday fell during our trip, I wanted to do something special. Rather than fight the crowds for this popular show, I decided I would try to secure an IllumiNations Cruise.

What is an IllumiNations Cruise, you may ask?  There are five boats that can be reserved each night.  four pontoon boats seat up to 10 adults (12 people total) and The Breathless speedboat seats fewer. These boats dock under the bridge between United Kingdom and France in the World Showcase, offering a unique unobstructed view of IllumiNations.

The beauty of this arrangement is you don't have to stake out a prime spot hours before hand. But you also pay for the privilege. It costs $120 per boat.

I happened to find a few friends on the DISboards who were at Walt Disney World during our stay, so we all decided to go together and share a boat. We met at the Yacht & Beach Club Marina around 8:00 pm. Our captain, Aaron, explained that we would leave no earlier than 8:15 pm and that all children under 12 would be required to wear a life jacket. We had three children in our group and that was no problem. We suited up the kids and boarded our pontoon boat. Aaron had thoughtfully draped the seats with towels so we all wouldn't stick to the seat covering.

We then took a tour around Crescent Lake, while Aaron pointed out some of his favorite places around the boardwalk. He was quite a character and very entertaining, full of stories about the resorts. After touring Crescent Lake, we headed down the waterway towards Disney-MGM Studios, passing by The Swan and Dolphin resorts and The BoardWalk Villas.

It was so relaxing to just sit on the boat on a nice evening, talking with our new cyber friends, not worrying about where we needed to camp for a great view of IllumiNations. The kids started singing the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean as we floated down to Disney Studios. Everyone on the boat had the same silly grin as they listened.

After turning around at Disney Studios, we headed back down the waterway, into Crescent Lake and under the bridge between United Kingdom and France. All the pontoon boats tie up to each other, and those near the bridge supports tie in there as well, so the boats don't move.

Aaron and the other captains asked if there were any birthdays on board. We pointed out our daughter.  He said, "You see those torches?" (Referring to the torches around the World Showcase Lagoon).  She nodded. "Those are your birthday candles for tonight.  When I say go, you blow real hard and see if you can blow them out."  Of course, when the time came to start IllumiNations, he gave my daughter the signal, she (and the other birthday people) blew and, magically, the torches blew out.

IllumiNations from the water was just breathtaking.  I had seen it before, and the story grabs me each and every time. But from the water, the view made the experience for me. I highly recommend that anyone who can experience an IllumiNations Cruise do so.

How to secure an IllumiNations Cruise? 

It's just as hard as getting a priority seating for the Cinderella's Royal Table character breakfast. Start calling at 90 days out from the date you want. If possible, have some alternate dates in mind, because this event seriously sells out fast. I was on hold early but by 7:02am, all boats were gone for a Monday night in November. Lucky for us, my husband had a faster speed dial. Here are the steps:

*Call 407-WDW-PLAY
*Immediately Press 5
*Stay on hold. Once you get in the queue, you have a better chance than if you redialed again.
*As soon as you get a cast member, tell them you want an 8pm Specialty Cruise and hope to see IllumiNations.
*You will need a credit card to hold the reservation, but you can pay however you like the night of the cruise. There is a 48 hour cancellation policy.

If you don't get a cruise the first day, continue to call back. The cast members themselves encourage this as they get cancellations all the time. Another option is to try and share a cruise with some other visitors. Some message boards (including PassPorter) have trip planning forums where you can see who else may be traveling the same time as you. Good luck and happy cruising!

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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 special events.