From the Authors: Greetings from Walt Disney World!

Special Update: Are You Go For Launch? (Live Report from the WDW Media Event)

Disney Feature: Magical Gatherings: An Inside Look

Updates: What's New and Changed

Tips: Celebrating Birthdays with Disney!

Q&A: Cruising in Hurricane Season
 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Updates:
What's New and Changed

Just announced this morning! Four new attractions are coming in 2004-2006 (one for each of the four theme parks): Stitch's Great Escape! (Magic Kingdom), Soarin' Over California (Epcot), Stunt Show Spectacular (Disney-MGM Studios), and Expedition: Everest (Animal Kingdom). See more details in our special announcements section of this newsletter.

Mickey's PhilharMagic is now officially open (see our description of the premiere in our "Are You Go For Launch" article elsewhere in this newsletter).

The new Wishes fireworks show at Magic Kingdom is now showing (ditto above). While Magic Kingdom fireworks shows normally only happen on selected nights during off-seasons, Statements by WDW President Al Weiss suggest that Wishes will be a nightly show, at least for now. Now won't that be cool!

All Ears Net (http://www.allearsnet.com) reports that Coronado Springs is now offering high-speed Internet access in guest rooms for $9.95/24-hour period. We've also heard that this may be coming to the Contemporary Resort (and all resorts, for that matter) in the future.

Priority Seating Calculator (http://pscalculator.net) reports that Cirque du Soleil is testing a new pricing category. The test dates are from 10/1 to the start of their winter vacation (around 12/6 or 12/7). The third pricing category is $59.00 plus tax/adults and $39.00 plus tax/kids 3-11. Seats are located in rows 201, 207, and the back few rows of 202 and 206 (see the seating chart in your PassPorter).

House of Blues at Downtown Disney is now accepts priority seatings up to 90 days in advance through 407-WDW-DINE.

>Things To Do: Hear some news? Send it to us at
news@passporter.com .
 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Disney  Tips:
From Fellow Readers

In honor of Jennifer's birthday, each of these reader tips offer ideas and suggestions for celebrating birthdays:

BIRTHDAY TREASURE HUNT
"When we were planning our FIRST EVER trip for our daughter's birthday this past November, we wanted to ensure that it would stay a surprise and no one would give it away. To do this, we decided that we would let only the most necessary people know our plans - parents, bosses, teachers, etc. Then we had to figure out exactly how to tell our daughter. We had worked and snuck around for so long, it would seem anticlimactic to just say, 'Here, you're going to Disney World.' So, about six months out from the trip, we started hinting that she was going to get a HUGE surprise for her birthday. Each day, she could ask two yes or no questions before she went to bed, no more. Is it bigger than a book? Is it red? Is it alive? The anticipation was thrilling for her. During those six months, I used GiftsOfALifetime.com to order little odds and ends, used PassPorter (lifesaver!!) to plan our days, and worked on the Internet until late in the night to get everything ready. Finally on her birthday, we sat up a large treasure hunt for her. We started out with simple clues and as she became more comfortable with the concept, the clues were harder, some were even funny, such as: 'OH NO!! Rush, rush! Find your next clue where you have to flush.' At the end of the hunt, she found herself at her hope chest and found a large suitcase. When she opened it up, it was filled to the brim with Mickey hats, maps, water bottles, beach towels, etc. The look on her face was priceless! She still talks about the questions that she asked, and the treasure hunt making the trip that much better!" -- contributed by Dana Slusher (slusher@charter.net)

BIRTHDAY VOICE MAIL
"Messages from home make coming back to the hotel room after a great day something more to look forward to. When I took my boyfriend to Disney for his birthday, I called all his friends ahead of time and let them know where we were staying and gave them the phone number. When we got back to the room on the evening of his birthday, there were 12 birthday messages waiting on the voice mail. This would be a great idea for kids. Sometimes they don't want to go back to the hotel for the nap. This is an extra incentive... if there would be a message waiting for them from a friend back home." -- contributed by Barbara

BIRTHDAY PINS
"We just returned from Walt Disney World and had a fabulous time celebrating our son's 5th birthday. Stop by the information center, or town hall at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot for special 'Today is My Birthday' pins. Disney-MGM Studios does not have a separate pin, it is the same as Magic Kingdom. Encourage children or adults to pick up their free birthday pin, as the cast members do a fantastic job of making the birthday person feel even more special. Make sure to have one of the cast members call in for a special birthday recording as well." -- contributed by Lyn W.

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Q & A:
With Jennifer and Dave

Heidi asks:
"We are planning on cruising November 6 - November 10, 2005 and are a little concerned about the weather. We want to go in the fall, when Walt Disney World attendance is lower, but we also don't want to get stuck in a hurricane. We are flexible on our dates, if it would mean better weather? Any suggestions of information would be great?"

Dave answers:
You won't get "stuck in a hurricane," because the cruise line has plenty of advanced notice from the weather service. The ship will be rerouted to a different itinerary (if necessary) to avoid the storm.

Over the past 25 years there has been a very low incidence of tropical storms in November (barely a blip on the chart on page 33 of our DCL guidebook). This includes storms that don't reach hurricane force, and the count includes storms everywhere in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. Chances are, even if one does happen, it won't be anywhere nearby.

"In Hartford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly happen"

E. Doolittle

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!
 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Hi, friends!

Here we are, sitting in our Port Orleans hotel room at the end of a VERY long day, and we thought of you... our loyal readers. We kid you not. All day we've been gathering information about new and upcoming projects at Walt Disney World, we just KNEW you'd want to hear about it as soon as possible. So once we'd unloaded our bags full of camera, camcorder, and computer gear, kicked off our well-worn sandals, and let our heads stop spinning, we got online to send off this newsletter to you. This is about as fresh as it gets, folks!

So what's the big deal? Today was the second day of the big media event at Walt Disney World. Once every couple of years Disney throws a huge party to show off their new attractions, resorts, entertainment, and programs. Disney typically invites the working media (guidebook authors, TV and news reporters, radio personalities, magazine/newspaper writers, etc.) and travel agents. You would not believe what we've packed into the day and a half that we've been here! Here's a brief list:

• We were blown away by the Mickey's PhilharMagic Premiere
• We oohed and aahed over the debut of the new Wishes fireworks show at Magic Kingdom
• We learned about new Magical Gatherings 15-month celebration, and even sampled some of the food and entertainment!
• We went to the Disney Wonder at Port Canaveral to watch the new Golden Mickeys show
• We ate breakfast with Pal Mickey (really!)
• We witnessed the dedication ceremony of Mission:SPACE
• We interviewed NASA astronauts and Disney movers and shakers
• We enjoyed private parties at Magic Kingdom (last night) and Epcot (tonight), where we saw celebrities like Julie Andrews and heard the B-52s.

Whew! And on top of all this, today was Jennifer's 35th birthday. What a way to spend a birthday, eh?

[UPDATE: Since the time we wrote the above letter last night, Disney has made several interesting announcements, and we decided to delay the newsletter a bit until we could write them up and include them here. So look for the SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS SECTION at the end of our "Are You Go For Launch?" article in this newsletter!]

While we can't go into very much depth, we do want to give you a taste of the event and a briefing on the new Magical Gatherings celebration. More in-depth articles will appear in this newsletter and on our web site after we return.

So strap yourself in and prepare for an out-of-this-world report!

Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Travel Press

P.S. As we have time, we'll include more information and photos at:
http://www.passporter.com/articles/event2003.htm

Our sixth edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World will be out in early January 2004 - pre-order your copy today to be among the first to receive one! (The earlier you pre-order, the earlier your order is shipped out!)

Our 2004 edition will sport 40+ photos (more than three times the number in our 2003 edition), self-stick, color tabs to mark your chapters, stickers and labels to personalize your PassPockets, light blue highlights on the text of all additions and significant changes at Disney since our previous edition, updated vegebility ratings, and, most importantly, sneak peeks and previews of new and upcoming attractions and resorts!

To pre-order your 2004 edition of PassPorter WDW, visit:
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/2004.aspx

Tip: Want to get started planning now? Order our deluxe combo deal to get a 2003 deluxe edition now at 20% off, and the 2004 updated text and covers in January at 50% off. To order, visit:
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/
deluxecombodeal.aspx

by Jennifer Watson and Dave Marx

Cameras on? Check! PDAs charged? Check! Media credentials on? Check!

Are you go for launch of Walt Disney World's latest and greatest? Join us as we countdown the ten most interesting aspects of this year's big media event for 2000 members of the working press and travel industry professionals (agents). As you might have already guessed, the theme for this year's media event revolves (or orbits) around Mission:SPACE, the newly-opened thrill attraction at Epcot, and Magical Gatherings, a new Disney program to encourage small- to mid-size group visits to Walt Disney World.

Reporting on a "media event" as a distinct news item is very unusual. Organizations of all sorts create staged events that they hope will draw the interest of the news media. They have a story to spin, and they want to serve it up in the best possible light. "Everybody does it." The only thing unusual about a Disney media event is its world-class size, scope, and star power. Normally, neither the press nor the host wants the public to know there's a free meal, special entertainment, souvenirs, hotel accommodations and/or lots of "adult beverages" on the table. Readers might get the impression that favorable news coverage was "bought."

So, the stories this week from Walt Disney World are supposed to be, "Magical Gatherings to Bring Families and Friends to Walt Disney World," "Grand Opening of Mickey's PhilharMagic," "Grand Opening of Mission: SPACE," "Debut of Wishes," "Ain't Pal Mickey Cute," "Pop Century is Going to be Great," and "New Attractions Coming to Walt Disney World in 2004-2005." Party? What party? However, Disney's media events (actually, media and travel industry events, as travel agents and others who sell Disney vacations substantially outnumber the press at these things) have become news in and of themselves over the years, so even traditional newspapers like the Orlando Sentinel have turned the "event" into headlines. After all, that's one reason Disney puts stars like Julie Andrews and the B-52s up on stage in front of the cameras. "Mary Poppins was back in the Disney spotlight tonight, at a party celebrating the grand opening of Mickey's PhilharMagic, a new 3-D film at Walt Disney World. Earwitness News reporter John Doe was there for all the fun..."

Rest assured that our evaluations of restaurants, resorts, rides and attractions are based upon our anonymous, real-world research visits, not upon these media events, when Disney adds all sorts of extras to the presentation. Then why are we here? These events are invaluable for obtaining background information, interviews with producers, Imagineers, chefs and other behind-the-scenes cast, and for cementing relationships of all sorts. This all brings an extra depth to our work that would be difficult to obtain in any other way. We hope you agree!

Here we go with our top ten countdown of highlights from this year's media event...

10. MICKEY'S PHILHARMAGIC PREMIERE
We were on-hand for the "official premiere" of this new 3-D attraction, and Disney rolled out the red carpet! In the elegant indoor queue area a string quartet played while we waited for the doors to "automagically" open. And the show? Wow! We were grinning throughout! Kids will absolutely adore this (no scary 3-D effects), and the inner child within all of us will be delighted. We were very impressed with the 3-D animation and effects, especially of Donald and various accoutrements (though we thought Ariel, Jasmine, and Aladdin looked slightly weird in 3-D). And some of the effects were amazing (Jennifer particularly enjoyed a "thrilling" flying carpet scene). Do not miss this attraction on your next visit. You won't be disappointed!

9. WISHES FIREWORKS AT MAGIC KINGDOM
What can we say about Wishes? We WISH we could see it again... and again! This fireworks show was everything we'd heard it would be, and more -- wonderful narration, a brilliant musical score, and phenomenal pyrotechnic effects. Unlike the old Fantasy in the Sky, Wishes spreads out and fills the sky behind Cinderella castle. For that reason, the best views are along Main Street, U.S.A. (and if you're too close to the castle you may miss some parts). When you see this 12-minute show, look for the blue stars, pink hearts, and even a face! The premiere of Wishes was introduced by none other than Julie Andrews, Mickey, and Jiminy Cricket, which was a real treat for many of us. We also had the pleasure of watching the fireworks with Deb Wills (All Ears Net), Beci and Chris Mahnken (MouseEarVacations.com), Len Testa (Unofficial Guide to WDW), and Robert Feder (Chicago Sun-Times), which really enhanced the whole experience for us.

8. BREAKFAST WITH PAL MICKEY
Our first event of the day on Thursday was an 8:00 am ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris (we've never seen so many animals out at once-it must have been a great time of day for them) followed by an African-inspired breakfast buffet. And - surprise! - we each received our very own Pal Mickey. Anyone at the parks today must have been amazed to see hundreds of grown-ups with Pal Mickeys clasped in their arms or clipped to their packs. Adventurers Club fans will be amused to note that we saw a few permanent club members masquerading as African explorers and, in one case, as Tony of Tony's Town Square fame.

7. MAGICAL GATHERINGS 15-MONTH CELEBRATION
We were invited to take in-depth tours this morning, and Jennifer chose the Magical Gatherings In-Depth Session. After a brief detour to watch the 9:45 am performance of Festival of the Lion King, we hopped on a bus to Epcot's Odyssey Center. Odyssey was decked out for the International Storybook Experience, one of the special "Grand Gathering" experiences available to Magical Gathering guests. The Odyssey Center is a throwback to the old days of Epcot, but Disney did a great job of transforming it into a festive atmosphere, complete with huge storybook backdrops. In addition to an informative panel discussion on the program, we saw a sneak peek of the downloadable Planner tool. For a more detailed description of this new program, see our in-depth article later in this newsletter.

6. GOLDEN MICKEYS ON THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE
The Disney Cruise Line now has the two best stage shows on the seven seas - long-time favorite Disney Dreams and brand-new Golden Mickeys. Thursday, Dave attended a special performance of Golden Mickeys, the cruise line's newest production, while the Disney Wonder was in port. The show recently began its run on the Disney Wonder, and it comes to the Magic in December. In a word, the show is "Wonder-ful." Flustered crew member "Ensign Benson" is drafted to host "The Golden Mickeys," a glitzy, Hollywood-style award show where the golden trophies are modeled on the world's favorite mouse. A large cast of performers is on stage and in the aisles to perform favorite musical scenes from Disney films, just as you might see at the Oscars or Tonys. Flanking the stage are two movie screens that show a wide range of documentary film clips, presentations by celebrities like Roy Disney, Angela "Mrs. Potts" Lansbury, and Tim "Buzz Lightyear" Allen, and excerpts from the animated films. The overall effect is far greater than the sum of its parts, as the show traces the history of Walt Disney and celebrates animated films of past and present. And the winner is... the audience, who enjoy all the best parts of an awards show (and Disney entertainment) with none of the acceptance speeches. It's even over in less than an hour! This is the new must-see show on the Disney Cruise Line. Note that this new show is now being held on the final night of the cruise, with Disney Dreams moving to an earlier evening.

5. INTERVIEW WITH AN ASTRONAUT
At 2:00 pm today, Disney gathered the largest group of astronauts ever to appear at Walt Disney World together along with about 20 exceptional students in an aerospace magnet program. The kids got paired up with astronauts to ride Mission:SPACE! (Lucky kids!) After the ride, the astronauts came back out to us poor, overheated media people so we could conduct interviews. Jennifer had the chance to interview astronaut Andrew Allen, who thought Mission:SPACE was a "great simulator." He noted that while no one simulator can approximate the effects of space travel, Mission:SPACE is a "good piece in the array of training simulators" available out there. As you would expect, Allen feels the ride is a "little less" intense than the centrifuge simulators that real astronauts use. When asked if he felt any physical effects during or after the ride, he assured us that it was a smooth ride. He proclaimed it, "just fun!" A veteran of three space flights, Allen has logged over 900 hours in space. He was the pilot on STS-46 in 1992 and STS-62 in 1994, and was mission commander on STS-75 in 1996.

4. INTERVIEWS WITH DISNEY FOLKS
Later this afternoon we interviewed two cast members about current Disney projects. George Scribner, animation director for Mickey's PhilharMagic, filled us in on a few of the more subtle aspects of the show. Did you know, for example, that the same person who originally animated Ariel (in 2-D) also animated the new 3-D Ariel? Or that there are two distinct smells during the show - apple pie and jasmine. George says that every seat in the house offers a good view, but admits the effects might appear best in the center. We also interviewed Yvonne Chang, Director of Multicultural Projects, regarding the new Ears the World translation headsets. The headsets, which are free to guests during their time at the park, offer synchronized translations of 25 of the most popular attractions in the four theme parks. Yvonne says that between English and the five languages available on the headsets, they reach 98% of all guests to Walt Disney World.

3. MISSION:SPACE DEDICATION CEREMONY
The official dedication ceremony kicked off at 7:45 pm tonight, and we were lucky enough to have a front row view. The ceremony began with a big-budget documentary, narrated by Walter Cronkite and showcasing humankind's curiosity about the stars and our drive to go into space. But this was no ordinary documentary - the show was projected onto two huge balloons suspended high above the stage, and comet-like pyrotechnics lit the sky periodically. Michael Eisner appeared, along with the (attraction sponsor) HP's CEO and NASA's Executive Director, to introduce Disney's newest thrill ride, Mission: SPACE. Yet more fireworks blew us all away. But the crowning touch was a TV transmission from the crew orbiting on the International Space Station, who lauded Mission: SPACE and our collective desire to explore. This was the most elaborate dedication ceremony we've ever witnessed. And with Pete Werner (of http://www.wdwinfo.com ) standing beside us with his camcorder, we're pretty sure you can find video clips from the ceremony on his web site if you'd like to experience it for yourself.

2. THE PARTIES
We (and 2000 other media, travel agents, and guests) were treated to two huge, blow out parties. Wednesday night we were at Magic Kingdom, where they sprinkled glitter on the streets, cast funky light effects on the Main Street shops, and had a very large brass band to direct us into the park. Buffet tables lined the streets along with (our apologies in advance to the purists) open bars offering wine, beer, and cocktails. The Brian Setzer orchestra (of "Stray Cats" fame) entertained us, along with several other smaller bands about the park. The scene for Thursday night's party was Future World at Epcot, where we witnessed the stellar Mission: SPACE dedication ceremony and a viewing of IllumiNations (great views for everyone!). Sugar Ray and the B-52s played at the Fountain Stage, and there were three sets of fireworks during the course of the evening (dedication ceremony, IllumiNations, and a "goodnight kiss"). The best part was hanging out with friends - we rode Test Track twice with Deb Wills and Beci & Chris Mahnken, chatted with Mary Waring and Sue Pisaturo, and bumped into Rick & Gayle Perlmutter, Dann Hazel & Josh Fippen, Robert Feder, Pete Werner, and Rick Howard. And on the way out of the party, as we walked between two long lines of cast members wishing us all a good night, the cast members from the Italy pavilion noticed Jennifer's birthday pin, took her by the hand and escorted her back up the line, where everyone present sang "Happy Birthday" in both English and Italian!

1. JENNIFER'S BIRTHDAY
The absolute highlight today had little to do with the media event... it was my birthday! Not only did I get a huge, built-in party all day long, but cast members went out of their way to make my day, friends stopped to give birthday greetings, and Deb, Beci, Chris, and Dave must have serenaded me at least five times! Best of all, I was the lucky recipient of the most incredible birthday surprise when I returned to our room at midnight Wednesday, the start of my birthday. As I opened the door to our room, I saw Tinker Bell streamers festooning the walls, a Tinker Bell cake placed on a blue-green tablecloth draped table, and a Tinker Bell-green canopy over the bed (see photo). Dave had surprised me by having our room decorated! He claims it was the work of Tinker Bell, but I think it was actually Jane of GiftsOfALifetime.com! Thank you so much for making my day special, Dave - you're the best!

As we have time, we'll include more information and photos at:
http://www.passporter.com/articles/event2003.htm

by Jennifer Watson

On Wednesday, October 8, Disney announced its new "Magical Gatherings" program. It's ostensibly a new 15-month celebration (think "100 Years of Magic") but this one has the potential to last far beyond December 31, 2004. Magical Gatherings is a new program designed for small groups of at least 8 guests (previously, Disney's definition of "group" meant 16 or more guest rooms, and usually 20 or more restaurant diners). Not only does the program make it possible to book reservations and priority seating for smaller groups (and adds extra features for larger groups), but it offers exclusive dining and entertainment opportunities - what Disney calls "Grand Gatherings" -- only for Magical Gatherings guests.

Who qualifies for Magical Gatherings? First, your group needs to have at least 8 guests age 3 and over (guests under 3 can be included, but they don't count towards the minimum total). Second, everyone in your group needs to book your rooms at one or more Disney resort hotel(s) on Magical Gatherings "packages" via Disney or through a travel agent (this will probably include room-only "packages," so annual passholders shouldn't be left out). If you already have reservations, you'll need to give Disney (or your travel agent) a call to see if you qualify.

What are these special "Grand Gathering" opportunities? You're in for a treat! Jennifer had the opportunity to sample several of the events on a special media tour Thursday morning, and they look incredibly fun. At this time, there are four special events just for Magical Gatherings guests:

Good Morning Gathering Breakfast - Dine with characters at Tony's Town Square at Magic Kingdom. You'll get one-on-one time with Mickey Mouse and photo opportunities with characters (Pluto, Goofy, Chip, and Dale). Guests will receive transportation to the park and will be escorted into the park before it opens. Breakfast is buffet-style.
Location: Tony's Town Square Restaurant in Magic Kingdom
When: Tuesdays and Saturdays (before park opens)
Cost: $24.99/adults and $11.99/kids 3-9

Safari Celebration Dinner - After Disney's Animal Kingdom closes, you'll get a special Kilimanjaro Safari ride followed by a dinner reception at Tusker House. The reception includes live entertainment, appearances by Disney characters (Timon and Terk), and up-close animal experiences. Dinner items are ordered off the Tusker House menu.
Location: Africa in Disney's Animal Kingdom (Tusker House)
When: Sundays and Tuesdays (after park closes)
Cost: $59.99/adults and $19.99/kids 3-9

Epcot International Storybook Dinner - Celebrate "international friendship" at the Odyssey restaurant, which will be decorated with international flags and miniature globes at each table. The evening includes Disney characters, storytelling (kids are invited on the stage to hear a classic Disney story, such as Sleeping Beauty or Alice in Wonderland), song and dance, and even a miniature indoor fireworks show. The dinner is buffet style and the menu features a variety of multicultural dishes. After dinner, you'll head over to a VIP viewing location to enjoy IllumiNations.
Location: Odyssey Restaurant in Epcot
When: Mondays and Fridays
Cost: $59.99/adults and $19.99 kids 3-9

Magical Fireworks Voyage - Captain Hook and Mr. Smee greet you as you board your boat at the Contemporary Resort. Once you've taken your "pirate oath," you'll cruise on over to the Seven Seas Lagoon. Along the way you'll be entertained by "Patch" the comedian, hear the story of Peter Pan, play Disney trivia, and kids receive sea trinkets from a treasure chest. There are opportunities for autographs and photos, too! The voyage culminates in a showing of the new Wishes fireworks show, as seen from the Seven Seas Lagoon. You may even be visited by Peter Pan! (No refreshments are served.)
Location: Seven Seas Lagoon (leave from Contemporary Resort Marina)
When: Saturdays and Mondays
Cost: $29.99/adults and $14.99/kids 3-9

Grand Gathering events can be booked up to 90 days in advance, and theme park admission is required for all. Grand Gatherings are not private; you will be joined by other groups participating in the program. Custom, private events can be designed for groups of 20 or more, too! All Magical Gathering events are available starting November 16, 2003.

Another very interesting aspect of the Magical Gatherings program is the Planner tool for your computer. While it isn't available online yet (watch for it on October 15), it is a downloadable program for your Windows 98 or higher computer. The planning tool features Tinker Bell as your host and offers a wide variety of group tools, including e-mail, polls, chats, synchronized browsing, favorites lists, and itinerary building. It looks like a great way to build consensus and excitement for a group trip. The two biggest drawbacks we can see are that the built-in favorites list and web browsing features only work with the Disneyworld.com web site, and that a version isn't yet available for the Mac (but one will be developed if there is demand for it).

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? To get more information on these events and other Magical Gathering services, call 407-WDW-MAGIC or visit http://www.disneyworld.com/magicalgatherings. You can request a Magical Gatherings Vacation Planning Kit (video or DVD). And, of course, Magical Gatherings merchandise is available, including a special cloisonn‚ pin that features Mickey and Tinker Bell ($6.50). If the Magical Gatherings program proves popular with families and groups, Disney hopes to extend it past the 15-month celebration period.

If you book a Magical Gathering, we'd love to hear about it! Please send us details of your experience at editor@passporter.com