October 26, 2006 * Issue 6.41 |
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In
This Newsletter
From the Authors:
Trick or Treat!
Travel Feature:
Adventures by Disney: Viva Italia!
Disney Feature: MouseFest
Updates: What's
New and Changed
Tips:
Forget the Formal Purse, Flattered Favorites, Drawer Driving
Captain's Corner: Tip Top Club
Q&A: How
do we keep out passports dry on shore excursions?
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Updates:
What's
New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
Disney's Animal Kingdom welcomed a very tall
bundle of joy on October 7, 2006. Aibuni, a nine-year-old giraffe, gave birth to
a 110-pound baby girl. The baby has been named Imara (Swahili for strong)
and she and her mom will be re-joining the giraffe herd on the savannah any day
now. Keep an eye out for Imara on your next Safari!
The press got a sneak peek last week at Finding Nemo - The Musical, set
to debut at Disney's Animal Kingdom in January 2007. (Preview performances will
begin in November.) The show features puppetry similar to that used in the
Broadway version of The Lion King and will feature tap-dancing sharks, Crush the
Turtle the size of a Volkswagen and a 22-foot-tall Nigel the Pelican. (Going
to be at MouseFest? Join us on Friday, December 8 for a morning showing of
Finding Nemo - The Musical. Details at
www.mousefest.org!)
The 2007 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival has been expanded
to 60 days. Next year's theme will be Pirates and Princesses. The Festival will
take place April 5 through June 3, 2007. Over 70 topiaries will decorate Epcot
along with flower beds, bonsai, and rose gardens.
Our thanks to AllEarsNet.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:
FORGET THE FORMAL PURSE
"When planning for formal night on our recent Disney cruise, I searched and
searched for a great little formal purse that matched my dress. Well, I didn't
even use it. The only thing I needed was my Key to the World card and a
lipstick, both of which fit in my pocket. The walk from the room to the
restaurant is so short that you won't need to re-do anything once you're there
(like hair or makeup). If you don't have pockets, they could also fit in a
husband's or son's pants or jacket pocket."
-- contributed by Andrea K. (disney_mommy@...)
FLATTERED FAVORITES
"If possible we try to use the same autograph book every year. The characters
date each entry, and were flattered to see we valued their signature enough to
get it a second or third time." -- contributed
by Michelle S. (ocracoasties@...)
DRAWER DRIVING
"If you're driving to Disney and have room in your vehicle for this, it's a
great saver. Purchase a plastic wheeled three-drawer storage unit (often sold in
the crafts or laundry aisle) at your local discount store and use it to pack for
your trip. I used one drawer for snacks/food items and another drawers for
drinks/bottled water for the parks, the last drawer I used for misc. items such
as first aid stuff, water-mister fans, etc. It can be wheeled easily right into
your hotel room and when the snacks and drinks drawers are empty, it's a great
way to pack all the souvenirs for the trip home. As an added bonus, I used it as
an extra nightstand on my side of the bed in the hotel." -- contributed by
Carla A.
>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 new 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:
"Leota and I went on a date this weekend and stayed at a glitzy old hotel
recommended by my old pal Cadwallader. We had a lovely room with a view -- #414. We enjoyed an act by the
famous Anthony Freemont Orchestra at the hotel's lounge, the Tip Top Club. All in all, a lovely pre-Halloween
weekend with my beloved. She should no longer harbor fears that I will 'drop' her."
At what hotel did Jack and Leota stay?
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 Christy Vermillion who was the winner
of last week's treasure hunt game! Christy correctly identified Madame Leota as
Jack's lady love. To view the original clues, 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
Skatt. The new "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" book
is now available! You can order the book today at http://www.passporterstore.com.
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Q
& A:
With Jennifer and Dave
dre asks: "Any
suggestions on how to keep your passports safe and dry while on water adventure
shore excursions? We have those waterproof hard plastic cases that we got at our
local water park. They're great for small change and a credit card and/or
drivers license, but way too small for passports."
Dave & Jennifer answer: "Leave
your passports in your stateroom safe. Under all but the most unusual
circumstances, you won't need your passport ashore. Put a photocopy of your
passport into that plastic case - that should be enough to cover you."
(You will need photo ID such as a driver's license plus your Key to the
World card to re-board the ship.)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 See Your Name in Print?
PassPorter News is now published
weekly, and this means we need more articles than ever! 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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From
the Authors: Trick or Treat! Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Halloween is fast approaching on October 31, so here's our trick-or-treat for you:
OUR TRICK: Our new
PassPorter Walt Disney
World 2007 edition is expected to arrive earlier than expected! At the latest report, the books destined for
our Michigan warehouse were somewhere east of Reno, Nevada. That's 7200 miles
down, 2100 miles to go! Barring blizzard, landslide, labor dispute, or loading
dock error, we may start shipping pre-orders as early as the week of November 6! About two
weeks after that you may start seeing it on bookstore shelves. pre-order your copy today.
OUR TREAT: We have a PassPorter Meet coming up for our Disneyland friends! We'll be heading out to Disneyland on November
4 for over a week of research for the next edition of PassPorter's Disneyland
Resort and Southern California Attractions. While there we'll be participating
in MousePlanet's
MouseAdventure on November 5, and we've scheduled a
PassPorter Meet for the following Saturday, November 11 in Disneyland's New
Orleans Square. If you can, please do drop by!
We're still hard at work on our Mediterranean trip report.
Day 2
(Marseille)
is now online and ready for your reading pleasure, with more to come soon. Our
full report contains many interesting articles. Keep watching this newsletter for
updates!
Just a reminder: Some of our older edition PassPorters on close-out are either out of
stock, or about to be -- so now's the time to get your cheap books. These close-outs are available from 65% - 95% off the list price -- a great deal! To
see what we have available, visit the
PassPorter Store.
MouseFest just keeps getting bigger and
better. New communities and attendees are being added to the list all the time -
nearly 1650 attendees have now registered! If you'll be on the December 3
sailing of the Disney Wonder and/or at Walt Disney World between December 7 and
11 please visit MouseFest.org to check
out all the great events (nearly all are free), and to register to receive the
MouseFest newsletter. See you there!
PassPorter Public Appearance Calendar
Here's an update on where you can see/hear/meet PassPorter's
authors in the upcoming months:
Coming soon:
11/11/2006
1:00 PM
PassPorter Meet at
Disneyland Park with Jennifer, Dave, and Alexander Marx
(this is NOT
a blockout date for Deluxe AP holders, but is blocked out for SoCal AP holders)
Place: Fountain near Haunted Mansion
Join us to check out the new Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, Haunted
Mansion Holiday, and anything else we feel like doing together. We'll have our
brand new "PassPorter Pal" cloisonne pins to give to anyone who attends our
meet!
Note: If you are a SoCal AP holder but still want to get together with us, we'll
be in the park on Sunday, November 12, too. Just e-mail us (jenniferanddave@passporter.com)
and we'll set up a time and place to meet.
12/3 - 12/11/2006
MouseFest 2006
See the MouseFest
web site for the full schedule
http://www.mousefest.org
Appearing:
Jennifer, Dave and Alexander Marx, Deb Wills
Be sure to bring
your books for autographing
Books will also be
available for sale at the MegaMouseMeet, Saturday 12/9, at 1:00 pm. |
In this issue of the newsletter Dotti Saroufim,
who many of you may know from AllEarsNet, takes us
on an Adventures by Disney tour of Italy, and Cheryl
Pendry reports on MouseFest 2006. Enjoy!Jennifer
and Dave PassPorter Authors and Publishers
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Did
You Know?
If you book your vacation with
MEI & Mouse Fan Travel by Oct 31,
we'll make a donation to Deb Wills fund
for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
LAST CALL - Walt Disney World Resort®
Nov to Dec Magic Your Way Package
5 nights from $369* - Book by 10/31/06
Valid most nights 11/1/06-12/23/06
Visit us at:
www.MouseFanTravel.com
*Per person/double occupancy,
subject to availability CST207807440
Click for full details. As
to Disney artwork: ©Disney
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Travel
Feature:
Adventures by Disney: Viva Italia! by
Dotti Saroufim, Guest Contributor and member of the
MouseEarVacations.com team
[Note: Adventures by Disney is Disney's new guided vacation travel organization,
currently offering a dozen different tours in North and Central America, and
Europe. To learn more, visit
http://www.adventuresbydisney.com or contact your Disney Specialist travel agent. -
Ed.]
Day One:
Benvenuto!Could
I possibly be more excited? My last overseas trip was to Lebanon in 1993, and
this trip promised to be much more fun with a lot less bombing. Even after over
seven hours of sitting with my knees pushed up to my chin (I’m taller than
most), I left the comfort (ha!) of Alitalia with an abundance of
caffeine-induced enthusiasm and energy.
Flying in from Logan Airport in Boston made Rome’s
Leonardo da Vinci -
Fiumicino Airport seems sane and
organized. The signs were plentiful and clear, and we made our way to the
baggage claim without any confusion. There we were met by an Adventures by
Disney representative, carrying what would soon become a very familiar sign.
After claiming our bags, we were led out to the customs area, where we met our
first Adventure Guide, Tina Hyatt.
Tina’s job on this day was
to run around the airport looking for arrivals, tag their bags, hand out
information sheets, and get them and their luggage settled into some kind of
transportation and on their way to the hotel. No easy task with guests arriving
at all different times, and to multiple baggage claim areas. As effortless and
stress-free as she made it appear, it was just the beginning of nine days of
careful planning and meticulous attention to detail that made this trip so
seamless for those of us traveling.
There were eight of us on
the Boston to Rome flight, Tony and I, and a wonderful family of six who we came
to know and love. Rather than have us wait for them to clear customs, a private
car was ordered up for us and we had our first “thrill ride” in Italy -- Mr.
Giuseppe’s Wild Ride to the Westin Excelsior. “Hey, is that the Coliseum?”
Whoosh! “Wow, was that the Vatican?” Whoosh! “Wait, isn’t that…?” Whoosh! In
Rome, you pretty much have to do as the Romans do, and we settled back and
relaxed -- all Romans drive like this!
We soon (very soon --
whoosh!) arrived at the Westin, our luggage was taken at the door, and we
entered the ornately decorated front door to find ourselves in a magnificent
chandeliered lobby -- what a lovely hotel! I don’t honestly know how or where we
found Cinzia Orlando, our other Adventures by Disney guide, but like magic she
was by our side. After excusing herself to take care of the guests who arrived
shortly before us, she came over to where we had found a comfortable place to
sit and wait, and told us that our room was actually ready at this early hour.
It must be Disney magic! She gave us a little tour of the hotel, including a
glimpse at the wonderful spa and indoor pool, and showed us where we’d be
meeting for the evening events. Our “Daily Viva” noted an “Adventure Welcome” at
5:30 p.m. and a dinner at 6:30
p.m.
Our “Adventure Welcome” was
the first time we’d officially meet all of our traveling companions -- 36 of us
in all! “Getting to Know You” games were played, champagne flowed freely, and
delicious appetizers were served. By the time we entered the private dining area
for our meal, we were all fast friends. One tie that bound many of us was our
love for Disney, so there was no lack of topics for conversation!
Day
Two: All Roads Lead to Rome
Our day began with an
amazing array of food at the breakfast buffet in the hotel’s restaurant -- and
with the best coffee I may ever have tasted! I’d go back to Rome just for that.
We then met up with our Adventure Guides, and also with our local guide,
Fabrizio, for our walking tour of Rome. Fabrizio would be a familiar sight (and
voice) for the next few days, and we became very accustomed to his, “Andiamo, my
friend, andiamo,” (“Let’s go!”) as we moved from place to place. We were all
given individual headsets and lanyards, so that we could hear Fabrizio from a
distance -- so much better than the olden days of guides shouting to large
groups of tourists, and those like me, who lagged behind to take photos, missing
most of what was said. We were also handed cold water bottles and snacks to pack
up and take with us -- a thoughtful touch!
Our walking tour began in
the Villa Borghese gardens, a short stroll from our hotel. The villa was built
in 1616 by a nephew of Scipio Borghese (Pope Paul V) and in 1901 the gardens
became a state-owned public park. The views of these gardens, and from the
gardens, were magnificent! From there, our tour took us to the Spanish Steps,
the Trevi Fountain (where we all tossed coins to guarantee that we’d one day
return), the Pantheon, and the nearby Piazza Navona with its beautiful statues
and fountains. By now the sky had cleared considerably and was dotted with white
puffy clouds -- a perfect day for walking!
After lunch, we were off to
the Coliseum by motor coach. This was our first meeting with Reno, our wonderful
driver, who would be with us all the way until our departure for
Venice later in the week. Along
with being an expert driver (those roads in Tuscany are tough!); he was a kind and
patient soul, as we were a loud bunch once we got to know each other. The Coliseum
was as remarkable as I expected, but even more startling to me (even though I’ve
seen the photos for all of my life) is how it sits there in the middle of this
bustling modern city, a huge reminder of the past and how far we’ve come, but
how little we’ve progressed. (Ignore me. I was sleep-deprived.)
Back at the hotel, we
showered and rested and met up soon to depart for our Roman Feast. Being
somewhat jet-lagged at this point, I honestly don’t remember the name of the
restaurant nor where it was located, but the food and the company was truly
memorable. During our many-coursed meal, we were entertained by dancers and
gladiators, depicting what life would have been like at a Roman feast of old.
Tony got to participate in a sword fight (helping to make room for the next
course) and we were all made honorary Roman citizens. It was a fun evening!
Back at the hotel, I was
asleep in minutes, but I hear that a few of our traveling companions (and you
know who you are!) went out in search of some tasty Limoncello -- an Italian
liquor made from lemon rinds, sugar, and … lots of alcohol. Judging by the
pained looked on their faces the next morning, they found some. “Limoncello!”
became somewhat of a battle cry for the whole group as the trip progressed --
somehow these “Adventures” take on a whole new meaning without children along!
Day
Three: Let’s Be Civilized
This was our day to visit
the Vatican, and leaving any later would almost insure that we wouldn’t get in
-- or we’d at least have to wait for many hours to do so.
After a long but enjoyable
(hey, I had 35 people to talk to!) wait in line, we were allowed in. It was also
a time for another one of Adventures by Disney’s little thoughtful surprises,
something that kept us occupied while we waited. One of the wonderful things
about being on this type of tour is that the tickets are all purchased by one of
the guides while you wait; when it’s time to enter, you just go through the
turnstiles. This was our third day in Rome and I hadn’t yet reached into my
wallet for anything -- even the coins for the Trevi Fountain were supplied by
our guides!
Once inside the Vatican,
even I was so overwhelmed it kept me quiet. There are truly no words to describe
it -- the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries, the Etruscan
Museum -- ultimately leading into the Sistine Chapel where just the ceiling
would take a month of study and admiration. It is so jaw-dropping,
overwhelmingly beautiful. And to leave the Sistine Chapel thinking that nothing
could awe me in quite that way again, and then to walk into St. Peter’s Basilica
where each and every section and alter and piece of marble was a work of art --
a better writer might be able to describe the emotions that this place evoked,
but I’m surely not that writer. For those who know me, just saying I was
speechless should be enough.
We had a little time
afterwards to explore the Basilica and the Square on our own, and to do a little
shopping. We were then brought by motor coach to a lovely little restaurant near
the Coliseum called Le Lanterne, where we had pre-ordered our lunches the day
before. We started with a generous antipasto buffet, followed by a choice of
vegetarian pasta, grilled chicken breast or Veal Saltimbocca (my choice!).
Dessert was fruit salad and ice cream - yum! We then had the choice of exploring
the area and wandering back to the hotel on foot, or going back via motor coach,
and as stuffed as we were (and tired!), we chose the latter.
Dinner tonight was on our
own, and our Adventure Guides were in the lobby for any questions or
recommendations. Tony had a name of a local place, only a few blocks away, that
was recommended by a friend. We were to go to the Taverna Flavia and ask for
“Rocco.” After meeting up with some of our traveling companions, six of us
headed there for dinner and had a wonderful meal -- albeit by questionable
means. When Tony asked for Rocco (who was there, by the way), the owner came out
to welcome us “back.” He brought us champagne to start the meal, an enormous
selection of antipasto, only charged us for some of the wine we consumed, and
also brought complimentary Limoncello after our meal! From then on, we decided
that “Rocco” was a code word, and that we were likely mistaken for visiting
Mafia!
Day
Four: Etruscan Roots
This morning, we had to
leave our luggage outside the door by 7:30 a.m. for our trip to Orvieto and
Tuscany. At least the motor coach wouldn’t be leaving until 8:45 a.m. -- a much
more civilized time! After one last wonderful breakfast and at least a pot of
heavenly coffee at the Excelsior, we boarded the bus and within minutes were
outside of the city and enjoying the scenery of rural
Italy. Tony ended up loving Tuscany the
most, as it reminded him of his country, Lebanon, with its rolling hills,
farmlands, mountains, and vineyards. It was a lovely and peaceful drive, when
two buses weren’t fighting for right of way on high winding roads.
Our first stop on the way
to Tuscany (after a quick “pit stop” for the bathroom -- see “pot of coffee”
above -- and “necessity shopping”) was to its neighboring region, Umbria, and
the lovely village of Orvieto. Orvieto is perched on a 984-foot plateau, overlooks smaller towns
and vineyards, and is reached by a “funicular,” a cable-car system once run by
water. Tourists are drawn to this village for the Duomo, one of
Italy’s greatest cathedrals, which began
construction in 1290 and took over 300 years to build. With its winding
cobblestone streets, beautiful views, and interesting history, this is a special
village to visit.
After exploring the little
side streets with its shops and restaurants, we had a lovely lunch with two of
our new friends in a little out-of-the-way café that Tony found by asking one of
the locals where she liked to eat. I had ravioli with a black truffle
sauce that was just heavenly. Did I mention that the food was good in Italy?
When we arrived at our
hotel, it was a
bit misty and foggy, and the outlines of the buildings and the streetlights
appeared almost mystical. Once a working hamlet, we soon discovered that each of
the rooms at the Borgo de Fontebussi was uniquely different -- from simple rooms
with small baths to multi-level townhouses with kitchens and sitting areas.
After unpacking, Tony (since dubbed “the Mayor” by most of our group) took me on
a tour, showing me where each of our group was staying. “Rick and Jan are across
from us, Marc and Robbin are in that building over there, Maura and Erin are in
this one to the left…” Our room was in the “main villa” where there were also a
few sitting rooms if guests chose to congregate outside of their rooms.
On the motor coach earlier
in the day, we had chosen our dining time and our dining companions, and eight
of us were scheduled to eat in the hotel’s restaurant at 7:45 p.m. Again, we
were given our choices in advance and this time I went for the fried Pecorino
(incredibly tasty fried cheese) for a starter, the pasta with wild boar sauce
for my first course, and the pork loin with a side of potatoes for my second
course. Dessert was a choice of ricotta cake, chocolate mousse or Panna Cotta.
Ahhhhh.
(Dotti
and Tony’s adventures in Italy continue in the next issue of PassPorter News!)
About the Author:
Dotti
Saroufim is a
CruisingCo.com/MouseEarVacations.com
travel agent. She recently returned from Epcot's Food and Wine Festival and is
looking forward to meetinng some of you on land or at sea in December for
MouseFest 2006.
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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.
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You Know?
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double occupancy. Valid most sailings 1/04/07 - 3/08/07. Ships'
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Disney Feature:
MouseFest 2006 by
Cheryl Pendry, Guest Contributor and PassPorter Message Board Guide
What do you
call hundreds of Disney fans all gathered in the same place to enjoy the magic
together? MouseFest!
Of course it all started with
a mouse, but this particular week long celebration, now an annual event, really
grew out of the Internet and the many Disney web sites and message boards, such
as
http://www.passporterboards.com, where people can meet like-minded friends.
In fact, it was PassPorter authors Dave and Jennifer Marx, along with AllEarsNet.com founder Deb Wills, who started the whole ball rolling, with the
first official MouseFest in 2003.
Since then it’s grown in size,
as one quick look at the official website
http://www.mousefest.org will show. Already this year, there are more than
1,600 names registered covering nearly every state in America and countries as
diverse as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Brazil and the Bahamas.
Of those, more than 250 will be on the MouseFest four night cruise aboard the
Disney Wonder from December 3 – 7, while they and the rest will be enjoying the land
based events at Walt Disney World from December 7 – 11. So what can you expect
from MouseFest?
We went for the first time
last year, wondering exactly the same thing. Our participation was limited to
the land based events, as our budget unfortunately couldn’t stretch to include
the cruise, no matter how hard I tried!
One thing we did learn is that
you’ll get so much more out of MouseFest if you’ve “met” some of those taking
part online before you get there. The PassPorter message boards are a great
place to do that as well as learn details of some of the meets being planned.
It’s so much easier to talk to people face to face if you already know something
about them from the posts they’ve made on message boards. We found that many of
the meets were like coming face to face with old friends, even though it was the
first time we’d seen many of these people. It’s certainly an odd feeling and not
one that you can prepare for, but it’s also a wonderful feeling! You instantly
feel part of a very special community. So if you haven’t done so already, log on
to the PassPorter message boards and start getting to know those that you’ll be
meeting up with!
What is wonderful about
MouseFest is that you discover you’re not the only one who loves Disney. There
are literally hundreds of people who share your passion and exploring the parks
with them gives you a new perspective on the Walt Disney World Resort.
One thing you mustn’t miss if
you’re at MouseFest is the Mega Mouse Meet, which takes place on the Saturday of
MouseFest at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort. It’s the centerpiece event
and is packed with Disney guidebook authors (including our own Jennifer and Dave
Marx who will be autographing books), web site founders and representatives of
various Disney communities. Before I attended this event, I really thought I was
a Disney fan and knew about every source of information on the market about the
place, but the Mega Mouse Meet proved me wrong. We found many new publications
and web sites that we’d never come across before and were able to chat with lots
of people and learned a great deal about our favorite happy place.
There really is something for everyone at MouseFest. On the
cruise, which is the perfect place for a group get together, you can take a
walking tour of Nassau,
join the sail away party, enter the pirate costume competition or the sandcastle
competition on Castaway Cay or just lounge around with Jennifer and Dave.
During the land portion of the
event, each day is allocated a specific park, where most of the events will be
taking place. Every year, you can hunt for Hidden Mickey’s with Steve Barrett,
author of the Hidden Mickey’s book, which gives you a fascinating way to look at
the parks, or see how many safari vehicles you can fill at Kilimanjaro Safaris
with the AllEarsNet.com team.
This year, you can put faces to the names on your favorite
podcasts, with live podcasts and recordings taking place. PassPorter authors
Jennifer and Dave are hosting a number of meets, including the late parade at
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on Thursday, December 7 and you can join
them for a Noodle Nosh on Sunday, December 10 at
noon at the Tomorrowland Terrace
Noodle Station in the Magic Kingdom.
Something which may become a
regular event in future years is the Ornament Exchange, being tried for the
first time at Disney’s Days of Christmas at Downtown Disney. You need to sign up
in advance and you can find more details
here.
As well as all the organized
events, because there are so many Disney fans in the parks, it’s also possible
to arrange your own meets with people you know – and this is where getting to
know people beforehand is invaluable. Some of our fondest memories were the
meets that were literally arranged on the day, with a quick phone call to ask if
we wanted to come along with watch SpectroMagic with them that night or spotting
friends in a park and seeing if they were free to join up with us for the next
couple of hours.
Whatever you choose to do – or
not to – in the MouseFest schedule, it’s a wonderful opportunity to meet up with
like-minded people and to put faces to the names that bring us all so much
enjoyment all year round with their guidebooks, web sites and online
communities. If you’re thinking of attending your first MouseFest, my advice?
Don’t wait any longer – make a booking and join in. You won’t regret it. Perhaps
we’ll see you there in 2007?
And if you can’t make it this
year, there’s no excuse not to get involved in the future. Dates are already
available for 2007 – 2010 – and I thought I planned ahead!
December 2 – 6, 2007 – four night Wonder Cruise
December 6 – 10, 2007 – land events (December 8 – MegaMouse Meet)
December 7 – 11, 2008 – four night Wonder Cruise
December 11 – 15, 2008 – land events (December 13 – Mega Mouse Meet)
December 6 – 10, 2009 – four night Wonder Cruise
December 10 – 14, 2009 – land events (December 12 – Mega Mouse Meet)
December 5 – 9, 2010 – four
night Wonder Cruise
December 9 – 13, 2010 – land events (December 11 – Mega Mouse Meet)
About the Author:
Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and went to their
first MouseFest in 2005 and are hoping to return for their next one in 2007.
They are looking forward to their next visit to Walt Disney World, when they’ll
also be heading north to visit Hilton Head Island for the first time.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
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.
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