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November 23, 2006 * Issue 6.45 |
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 In
This Newsletter
From the Authors:
Thank You!
Disney Extras Feature:
DisneyQuest
Disney Feature: The
Seas with Nemo and Friends
Updates: What's
New and Changed
Tips:
Prepping the First-timer, Countdown Chain, Disney Distractions
Captain's Corner: Music and Voice Lessons
Q&A: Are
there town car services for Disneyland?
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Updates:
What's
New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
Fantasmic Dinner package prices at the Brown
Derby and Mama Melrose's will go up on April 1, 2007. This package includes
special seating for Fantasmic and appetizer, entree, dessert and soft
drink for adults and soup or salad, entree, dessert and children's drink for
kids. (Kids must order off the children's menu. Specialty and alcoholic drinks
are not included.) The new prices are as follows:
Brown Derby - $43.99/adult, $11.99.child (tax & tip not included)
Mama Melrose - $32.99/adult, $11.99/child (tax and tip not
included)
The Hess Station at the Disney Car Care Center has re-opened and is now
open 24 hours a day. A large convenience store and counter service restaurant
have been added. The station was designed in conjunction with Disney
Imagineering and features a mid-20th century theme.
The Pop Warner Football Super Bowl and the National Cheer & Dance
Championships come to Disney's Wide World of Sports December 2 - 9, 2006.
Check out popwarnersuperbowl.com
for ticket information.
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:
PREPPING A FIRST-TIMER
"This will be my husband's first trip to Disney World so to get him into
the Disney spirit, I created a plan. First we watch the Disney World programs
that air on the cable food channels. (Who can resist the giant turkey leg?!) I
also send him Disney trivia and descriptions of some of the rides and restaurants
via his e-mail. Not only am I getting him excited about our trip but this also
provides me with his opinions on what he will want to see and eat in the world.
This will make planning my itinerary easier! "
-- contributed by Diana B. (diana_nali@...)
COUNTDOWN CHAIN
"Every two years we go to Walt Disney World. The youngest of our girls get
so excited very early on. To stay in the excitement, I made them each a themed
paper chain. One was black & red (Mickey theme) and the other one was in pastels
with the princess theme. I started the chain so there were 100 loops. Each day
they take off a loop. Some loops have little wrapped packages tied to them which
consist of Disney items I had picked up....hair items, charms, Disney Dollars,
etc. They love them and look so forward to the next 'little surprise' and they
can see the days left before our trip." -- contributed by Priscilla
O.
DISNEY DISTRACTIONS
"Before you go to Walt Disney World, try to buy "Disney Games." There
is Disney Guess Who, Trivia Pursuit, Memory, Uno, checkers, chess, or even a
deck of cards with Disney characters on them. They will come in handy if it's
really raining out and you don't want to go out in it. Or take the deck of cards
with you and play go fish or old maid while in line for a ride, waiting for a
show or waiting to be seated for dinner. " -- contributed by
Rita D.
>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:
"I decided not to get a 'kitty' from my pals at the Jungle Cruise. I think there's something in the water
over there that produces abnormally sized kittens... and egos! So instead I'm considering taking up a hobby -- perchance music and voice lessons?
I saw a sign offering lessons by appointment near ye olde Christmas Shoppe. I've heard good things about the gent who is giving the lessons --
he's really got the Christmas spirit!"
Who is offering music and voice lessons by appointement near Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe at the Magic Kingdom?
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 Pam Dotson who was
the winner of last week's treasure hunt game! Pam correctly identified
the "Free Kittens" sign as being in the queue of the Jungle Cruise attraction in
Adventureland. 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
JoyJ asks:
"Does anyone know if
there are any companies that offer a town car service (similar to those in
Orlando) for transportation to and from the airport to Disneyland Resort hotels?"
Dave & Jennifer answer: "We've got listings in
PassPorter Disneyland (p.20). However, unless you're flying into John Wayne, the
cost is pretty steep. The cost of a trip to/from LAX is closer to the price of a
trip between MCO and Port Canaveral.
The LA area has oodles of car services, but it doesn't have car services that
specialize in trips between the airports and specific destinations like
Disneyland, the way they do in Orlando. WDW is the dominant presence in the
Orlando market, but the town car services in LA are focused on serving the
entertainment industry, the well-off, and business in general, not tourist
destinations. You won't find a situation where transportation companies are
competing on price over the Disney business or competing head-to-head with taxi
rates the way they do in Orlando."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: Thank You!
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Thanksgiving may have been yesterday, but we'd still like to take this opportunity to give thanks to YOU ... our
wonderful, amazing, and supportive community of readers. Your overwhelmingly positive feedback surprises us continually and give us the motivation to strive a little harder each year. Thank you for
being the best readers two authors ever had!!
Inspired by the spirit of the holiday and all the great deals going on today, we want to give you a great little post-Thanksgiving deal, too! So here's 'tis...
Post-Thanksgiving PassPorter Deal
Purchase a Deluxe Starter Kit from the PassPorter Online Store and receive a FREE PassHolder Pouch (valued at $7.95).
This deal makes a great gift combo -- use the PassHolder Pouch as a stocking stuffer and wrap the Deluxe Starter Kit as a gift (it comes in a nice box, too!).
This offer is good only for
purchases on our current deluxe editions: Walt Disney World 2007 and Disneyland Resort (first edition). You may combine this offer with one discount coupon code
(such as the 30% discount coupon code for registering a previous edition or the 20% newsletter subscriber discount code at the bottom of this e-mail) and/or a gift certificate you may have. This deal is valid only until
Sunday, November 26 at midnight Eastern Time. To order, visit the
PassPorter Store's Deluxe Deal page.
We're also pleased to announce our new "PassPorter Pal" program. What is it? Simple--if we spot you in the parks with a PassPorter book, pin, badge, or pouch,
or you attend a PassPorter meet, we'll give you a free "PassPorter Pal" cloisonne pin! The pin -- which you can only get if we give to you in person -- has the PassPorter "family head" logo being held by two hands -- "Small World, Great People" appears above the logo and "PassPorter Pal" appears below. We see so many PassPorter readers in the parks and
we wanted a way to recognize your loyalty. Credit for this idea goes to Chad Larner, our fellow PassPorter team member! This program officially begins
at MouseFest in a little over a week!
PassPorter Public Appearance Calendar
Here's an update on where you can see/hear/meet PassPorter's
authors in the upcoming months:
Coming soon:
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, Michelle Clark takes us on a virtual tour of DisneyQuest,
and frequent contributor Cheryl Pendry gives us the low-down on The (new) Seas with Nemo and Friends. Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors
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Did You Know?
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Walt Disney World Resort® - 4 Nights
Apr 18-22, 2007 -- From only $202 pp
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ask us about customizing your stay!
Visit us at:
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Click for full details As to Disney artwork: ©Disney
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Disney
"Extras"
Feature:
DisneyQuest
by
Michelle Clark, Guest Contributor and PassPorter Message Board Guide
As a returning
visitor to the Walt Disney World Resort, have you ever felt that you've
experienced all the theme park attractions Disney has to offer? Perhaps there is
another park that you have overlooked -- DisneyQuest. DisneyQuest is located at
Downtown Disney's West Side and is an interactive, indoor theme park. You can
find a large variety of attractions here -- there is something for everyone,
regardless of age and preferences.
This indoor theme park is comprised of five
levels, accessible by stairs or elevators. The attractions at DisneyQuest are
divided into four different "zones": Explore Zone, Score Zone, Create Zone, and
Replay Zone. It is quite easy to get lost in DisneyQuest, so it's a good idea
to keep young children close by.
We made our first visit to
DisneyQuest on a rainy morning -- against the advice of our PassPorter guidebook!
However, if you arrive when DisneyQuest opens, you should have time to complete
several of the more popular attractions before the majority of crowds arrive. On
the advice of a Cast Member, we headed first to "Pirates of the Caribbean:
Battle for Buccaneer Gold." This
is one of the best attractions at DisneyQuest and probably the most popular.
Guests wear virtual reality goggles as they step into their own vessel to shoot
cannons at approaching pirate ships. It takes the work of your entire party to
defeat the pirates! This attraction has a 35 inch height restriction.
Right next to Pirates of
the Caribbean is the Virtual Jungle Cruise. Riders sit on an inflatable raft in
front of a big screen that simulates different water excursions. Each rider has
a paddle they must use to steer them through the whitewater adventures. This is
another popular attraction that should be done early in the day to avoid long
waits.
Our next stop
was one floor up at CyberSpace
Mountain. Here we designed our own coaster at a computer station and then we got
to ride our creation in a motion simulator! Two riders may enter the simulator
at a time. Riders must be at least 51 inches tall to experience this
attraction.
Besides creating roller coasters, you can also learn to create
Disney art at Animation Academy. We attended a session where we learned how to
draw Mickey Mouse. You can purchase your drawing for $5, which is a really cute
and reasonable souvenir. If the creative juices are still flowing, check out
the Radio Disney SongMaker where you can enter a sound booth and create your own
CD. The Living Easels allow even young artists to color scenes of various Disney
characters, which can also be printed and purchased. At Sid's Create-a-toy, kids
can make their own bizarre toy creations via a computer screen. Another popular
attraction on this level is Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride. Here guests wear a
virtual reality helmet while sitting on a seat with handlebars which maneuvers
your carpet through Agrabah. Four guests sit and work together at three
stations. Since only twelve people can experience this attraction at a time,
lines tend to move slowly.
On the next
level is Buzz Lightyear's Astroblasters, which are bumper cars with shooting
cannons. Two persons can ride in each bumper car. Riders must be at least 51"
tall to ride Buzz Lightyear's Astroblasters. The Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam is
another simulated attraction where you are the ball in a giant pinball game.
Again, this attraction has a height restriction of 48 inches.
Levels 4 and 5
both have a large variety of video game machines and arcade games. But don't
panic, these games are free with admission. So play Asteroids or Ms. Pac Man to
your heart's content!
By now you may
be ready for some down time. DisneyQuest offers two choices for dining. Food
Quest on Level 5 has the typical Disney food court offerings along with some
tasty Panini sandwiches. Those guests on the Disney Dining Plan will be happy to
know that Food Quest does accept counter service credits. Wonderland Café on
Level 4 will give you a great variety of desserts and coffees. The atmosphere at
the Wonderland Café is a little more peaceful with comfy chairs and dimmed
lighting. Both eateries have the decadent cheesecakes from The Cheesecake
Factory. Free internet access is available at the Wonderland Café.
Level 4 is the
home of another 3D virtual reality experience, Ride the Comix. Guests wear 3D
goggles to do battle with comic strip super villains with laser swords.
Invasion! An ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter is on the top level of
DisneyQuest. This is another simulator that allows four guests to battle aliens
and rescue fellow earthlings inside a space vehicle. The theming for this
attraction was based on the former Alien Encounter at the Magic Kingdom (which is now known as
Stitch's Great Escape).
You will
probably need to plan on approximately one-half of a day to experience
DisneyQuest. If you have any arcade junkies in your party, you might plan for
some extra time there. It has been rumored on a few Internet websites that
DisneyQuest may be closed in the future, although this has never been confirmed
by Disney. So if you have been thinking about visiting DisneyQuest, now is the
time!
About the Author:
Michelle Clark is a confessed theme park junkie and the mother of three teens
who share in her thrill ride obsession. She is also a Co-Guide for the Library
forum on the PassPorter Message Boards.
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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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Did
You Know?
Great Cruise Rates are available at
MouseEarVacations.com!
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Disney Feature:
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
by
Cheryl Pendry, Guest Contributor and PassPorter Message Board Guide
Perhaps one of
the things I love most about visiting Walt Disney World is that every time you
go, there's something new to experience. Just like the real world, this one is
also constantly evolving and changing and adding new attractions to enjoy -- and
our most recent visit a couple of weeks ago was no exception!
It was back in
1987 that I first visited Epcot and the attraction I fell in love with
immediately was what was then called the Living Seas. I just found it to be
enchanting and very relaxing and enjoyed visiting it every time we headed to
Walt Disney World. That was, until the dark days of 2002.
At first you
couldn't tell anything was wrong. You still wound your way in through the twists
and turns of the waiting area and then waited for the hydrolators to take you
down to Sea Base Alpha, but the base itself was lacking something -- the
wonderful ride through the aquarium. We were told that the ride was down for a
"rehab" as Disney call them, but usually Disney rehabs don't last this long and
by the time we got to our next visit in spring 2004, I was smelling a rat. Was
this ride ever going to re-open?
Just as I was
giving up all hope, some new -- and familiar -- faces from the Disney Pixar movie
Finding Nemo began to appear in this pavilion. The Nemo and friends area,
showcasing the real life versions of the cartoon creations, was the first sign
of change. Suddenly a range of different generations were yelling "Nemo" when
they saw clownfish and suddenly seeing stingrays and starfish in a whole new
light.
From there, the
changes accelerated with the arrival of Bruce's Sub House, with its centerpiece
attraction of an open shark's mouth that makes for a fun photo opportunity and
plenty of other things for kids to enjoy. And kids of all ages could enjoy the
other new attraction that arrived here -- Turtle Talk with Crush. While those of
a younger age marveled at being able to talk to Crush, the laid back turtle
dude, and ask him questions, everyone else just marveled at this attraction,
all no doubt thinking the same thing -- "how do they do that?"
And in October,
the transformation of this pavilion was complete, as its ride finally emerged
from "rehab" and it was re-christened The Seas with Nemo and Friends.
The first thing
you notice about this new pavilion is how much more colorful and fun the outside is now. Yes, the waves still crash about as they always did,
but now three seagulls watch what it does, their heads moving from side to side
and with the occasional cry of "mine, mine, mine". They don't do it all the
time, but it's worth waiting to see it -- it's guaranteed to raise a smile!
As you walk
into the pavilion, you'll see all of the stars from Finding Nemo in colorful silhouette form along the pavilion wall. We heard plenty of kids pointing out
Nemo, Bruce and Crush to their parents as they walked in!
That twisting,
turning line is still there -- fortunately with no wait at all when we were there
-- but now you feel as if you're walking through a beach area, complete with long
grass and a lifeguard station. Turn a corner and suddenly you're underwater.
Look up and around you at all the superb theming.
Now you're in
Nemo's world and it's time to board your "clam-mobile" for your trip through
this underwater delight. The storyline is simple and what you'd expect. That
adventuresome Nemo can't stay still for long and has gone wandering off again
from Mr. Ray's class and you'll follow his journey, through jellyfish and then
past Bruce, peeking out from behind shipwrecks. This part of the ride is
particularly dark and does have the potential to scare youngsters, although
Bruce is his usual friendly self when it comes to fish!
Perhaps the
most unusual part is the journey with Crush and Squirt down the East Australian
Current and then it's time for Nemo and his friends to meet their real-life
counterparts, as you enter the main aquarium area. At first, I was sceptical
about this part. Surely it would look stupid? But it doesn't, it's been
beautifully done and on our first ride through, I was so enchanted by the
characters that I didn't even notice the fish. Be sure to try and take in all
your surroundings at the end, otherwise -- like me -- you'll have to head back for
a second go to see everything!
I've read mixed
reviews of this latest addition to the Disney line-up of attractions in Epcot,
but for my money, I loved it. As you might expect, its effects are much more
sophisticated than rides such as Snow White and Peter Pan and there's lots here
for both adults and children to enjoy. A word of warning though -- this ride is
dark in places and does have the potential to frighten young children who don't
like the dark.
As someone who
first discovered this pavilion as a teenager, it's fascinating to see how it's
come full circle over the last 20 years. Once again, it's a place where everyone
can explore the wonder of the world under the sea. Now I wonder how it will look
in another 20 years' time?
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to
America. They've recently returned from a two week visit to Walt Disney World
and Hilton Head Island.- - - - - - - - - - - -
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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