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 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: Free Shipping and DVC Guide Revised!
Travel Feature: Backstage Magic Tour
Disney Feature: The Monorails of Disney's Wonderful World of Theme Parks
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Seeking Sorcerers?, Dollar Bill Dilemma, Port Canaveral Perks,
Captain's Corner: Gone Fishin'
PassPorter PhotoPick: Mickey Barrette at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
Q and A: Will we be seated with other families on our cruise?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
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Cool Links:
Stuff and Services
We encounter many Disney- and travel-related products and services. From among those we try, a few are good enough to use ourselves and recommend to you:
SCOTTEVEST.com - Travel clothing with TONS OF POCKETS for the trip of your life!
KidsFlySafe.com - CARES FAA-approved safety harness for planes
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Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
World of Disney Orlando Holding Annual Passholders Event. The World of Disney store in Orlando's Downtown Disney is holding a pre-opening shopping event exclusively for AP holders on December 5, 2009 from 6:30 am until 9:30 am. In addition to the usual 10% AP discount, there will be special sales, exclusive items and surprise markdowns. In addition, the first 1000 shoppers will receive a free Vinylmation character. This updates page 300 of PassPorter's guidebook
China Approves Plans for New Disney Park in Shanghai. The Central Government of China has announced it's approval for the Walt Disney Company to move forward with it's plan to develop a new resort on mainland China. The initial phase of "Shanghai Disneyland" would potentially include a Magic Kingdom-style theme park as well as hotels and a shopping district. This updates page 300 of PassPorter's guidebook
Flu Prevention at Walt Disney World. With flu season in full swing, Walt Disney World is taking steps to help prevent the spread of the illness among Walt Disney World guests. Over 200 automatic hand sanitizer dispensers are being installed at park entrances, hotel lobbies, and other high traffic areas. Telephones, water fountains, and other frequently touched surfaces are being cleaned more often throughout the day. Disney is also distributing brochures on preventing the spread of the flu. This updates page 300 of PassPorter's guidebook
Our thanks to AllEars.net and MousePlanet.com from which we get some of our news leads.
Hear some news? Be a 'PassPorter Reporter' and send it to us!
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Disney Tips:
From Fellow Readers
Our readers deliver a wealth of information! Send us your tips! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter! And you never know -- your tip could even appear in a future edition of a PassPorter guidebook.
SEEKING SORCERERS?
'Want a great secret for a character greeting with the mouse himself (Mickey!) that requires little to no wait in line? At Disney's Hollywood Studios, "Sorcerer Mickey" can be found toward the end of "The Magic of Disney Animation" exhibit. However, if you don't want to see this exhibit, just cut through the gift shop in the same building (accessible directly from Animation Courtyard), which will bring you right into the character greeting spot. We did this twice during our trip, and both times Mickey was just standing there, waiting for kids to visit him.'
-- contributed by Scott
DOLLAR BILL DILEMMA
'Make sure you have 20-25 $1.00 bills with your travel money for tips. We did not have this and it was embarrassing not to be able to tip the people we needed to on our first trip.'
-- contributed by Pamela
PORT CANAVERAL PERKS
'Since I'm such an avid cruiser, the thought of missing any second of the cruise is unthinkable. So, I arrive at least the night before and, as soon as possible, get on board the day of sailing. I've had some problems finding a decent hotel near some Florida ports and have since tried to book a Port Canaveral cruise so that I can stay at Walt Disney World a couple of days prior and therefore be certain of getting a clean room. Of course, the parks are a nice attraction also.'
-- contributed by Lori
Want more Disney tips? For Walt Disney World fans, we've collected 500 of the best tips submitted by readers over the past six years. All have been edited for accuracy and categorized. For details, visit the PassPorter Disney 500 info page or the PassPorter store. For Disney Cruise Line fans, we have an e-book with 250 cruiser tips, as well as a special cruise line comparison section and seven customized packing lists. For information, visit the Disney Cruise Clues info page.
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Captain's Corner:
Treasure Hunting Game
Play our fun and quirky treasure hunting game, hosted by Captain Jack Skatt from our book, 'PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World.' The Captain makes a study of the delightful details -- sometimes hidden, sometimes in plain sight but often overlooked -- at Walt Disney World and aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Using notes from his journals, he will lead you to this 'treasure' at Disney with clues, questions, photos, or riddles. Your challenge is to discover the answer by searching your memory, visiting Disney, or even just looking really hard on the Internet. If you think you've found the answer, e-mail it to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the first person to correctly submit the FULL answer will receive a free PassPorter enamel pin. (Please note: Players can win once every three months.)
Here is this week's journal entry:
"I love fishing and I love anyone who also loves fishing. Take my pal Goofy, for example. I see him fishing every day down at the Camp. Funny thing is, he also always asleep. I have to wonder how many fish he actually catches. One of these days I'm gonna hide his lunchbox on him and see how long it takes for him to notice!"
Where at Walt Disney World will you find the fishing/sleeping Goofy mentioned above and what is in his lunchbox?
For bonus credit, locate the photo in the PassPorter Photo Archive and post a comment with the photo!
Congratulations to Tina T. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Tina T. was the first person to identify the answer to last week's clue as signage in Disney's Port Orleans Resort. Bonus credit goes to Tina as the first person to locate the photo in our PassPorter Photo Archive. To view the original clue, see last week's newsletter.
Send your full answer to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the winner will be notified by e-mail and announced in a future newsletter, along with the correct answer!
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PassPorter PhotoPick
Each issue we choose a special photo from the PassPorter Photo Archive which highlights something beautiful, interesting, humorous, or timely at Disney or around the world. Here is this issue's PassPorter PhotoPick:
 Mickey Barrette at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
Photo by Princessdreamer
(click the photo or link to see a larger photo with details)
You can nominate photos as a PassPorter PhotoPick by giving ratings in the PassPorter Photo Archive (you'll need to be logged in to do this). If you'd like to contribute your own photos to the Photo Archive and be considered as a PhotoPick, please read our Photo Upload Guidelines for details and benefits.
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Q and A: With Jennifer and Dave
Squirrley asks: "We have two staterooms linked together for dining on our upcoming Disney cruise. Will we be seated together at aÊtable by ourselves or at a larger table with other families?"
Dave answers:Ê"You will probably have a table for 6. It's not as likely that you'd have a table for 10 or more (family of 6 and family of 4), as they don't have a lot of 10- and 12- tops. They do have a lot of 8-tops, but it's not common to put a party of 2 with a family group of 6."
Did our message board members agree with Dave? To see other answers that Squirrley received, check out the rest of the thread on the PassPorter Message Boards..
Have a question? Post questions at http://www.passporterboards.com -- and if you're lucky, you may find that folks have already asked and answered the same question that's on your mind!
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Future Newsletters:
Want To See Your Name in Print?
PassPorter News is published weekly, and this means we're always in need of articles! We're on the lookout for guest columnists who want to contribute articles to this newsletter. No professional writing experience is necessary, just a desire to share your experience with others! Not only is this a great way to give something back to the PassPorter community, but you get to see your name in 'print' and receive a $25 gift certificate for use at www.passporter.com.
For details and our article submission guidelines, please e-mail news@passporter.com. Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed!
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Our Sponsors:
We Recommend...
PassPorter only accepts advertising from services of the highest quality -- we recommend these companies because we use them ourselves. Please support our sponsors and, in turn, support this newsletter! This week's sponsors are (in order of appearance):
Mouse Fan Travel - Dream-ing of a Disney Cruise in 2011? Book the Disney Dream!
PassPorter Travel Press - Free shipping on all PassPorter books!
ALL STAR Vacation Homes - Choose from more than 150 homes within 4 miles of Disney!
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From the Authors: Free Shipping and DVC Guide Revised!
Hi, {{user('firstname')}}!
We have free shipping this weekend at PassPorter.com (see below), but first ... update! PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2010 is sailing across the Pacific as you read this, and the shipping container is scheduled to arrive at our Michigan Warehouse during Thanksgiving week. Of course, delays can happen, and with a Thanksgiving week arrival we have to allow for some delay once the books are in our hands. For now, though, we can expect to start shipping pre-orders starting right after Thanksgiving. Thank you again for your patience!
Free MediaMail Shipping Alert!
We're offering our very popular free MediaMail shipping deal on all new orders placed between now and next Monday, November 16 at 11:59 pm Eastern time. This is a great time to pre-order your copy of a PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2010 edition or get a PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line guidebook! Order at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/ -- and click here for more details on our free shipping deal!
Updated E-Book: PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide
A second revision of PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide for Members and Members-To-Be is ready for download. Changes include the newly released 2010 points charts for Disneyland, the Concierge Collection, the Disney parks outside the US, Adventures by Disney, and the World Passport Collection, along with updated point prices and the latest information on the perks available to DVC members. If you purchased the e-book from our online store, you can download the revised version by going to the PassPorter Store, logging into your account, locating the e-book in your Order History, and clicking the download link. If you're a member of PassPorter's Club, just head over to the Club and download from The Reading Room, as always.
PassPorter on Facebook
Wow! When we created an official PassPorter page on Facebook, we had no idea we'd have more than 1000 fans in less than a week! If you haven't yet checked it out, drop by and signup as a "fan" -- we'll add updates and news to it, and perhaps we'll find something more interesting to do with it in the future. See you there!
Sneak Peek at PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2010
We've posted a cool sneak peek of PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2010 on the PassPorter.com front page. We're using a new technique for displaying the sample pages -- the pages actually flip! -- and we think you'll really enjoy it! Meantime, as we reported last week, the real books have been delayed on their way out of Hong Kong. The current estimated arrival at our warehouse is around Thanksgiving. Let's hope that schedule works out, because we'd really rather not feel like turkeys. If you've pre-ordered the new edition and are traveling in November or December of this year, contact us so that we can properly prioritize your shipment or change your order. We also thank all of you in advance for your loyalty and forbearance.
Note: For those viewing this newsletter online or in another Flash-friendly location, here's that sneak peek of the 2010 edition we mentioned above. Can't see it, go here toPassPorter.com's front page!
New E-Book: PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holidaymakers
As well as looking at all the Walt Disney World resorts, PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holiday Makers has details on some of the hotels most commonly featured in British holiday brochures for Lake Buena Vista, the International Drive area, Kissimmee, and Universal Orlando. PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holiday Makers also explores the other Orlando theme parks that British visitors head to, with detailed information on the attractions and dining options at Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Universal CityWalk, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Aquatica, and Wet 'n Wild. Two of the most popular day trips from Orlando—Busch Gardens in Tampa and Kennedy Space Center in Cocoa—are covered, too. Among the e-book's other features are a look at the chain restaurants in Orlando, coverage of the shopping options around the area, and information on airport hotel and parking packages so you can start your holiday in a more relaxed frame of mind. Plus, handy clip-and-save currency conversion rate tables give you a guide to how much your pound might buy you in the States.
So how do you get a copy of PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holiday Makers ? The e-book is currently available as a regular membership benefit for members of PassPorter's Club (this is a great time to join!). You can also purchase this e-book at the PassPorter Store. Want a peek inside the e-book? You can browse a bit of it online at http://www.passporter.com/wdw/brits.asp.
New PassPorter's E-Books Browser
Ever wish you could browse PassPorter's e-books like you do one of our print books? Now you can with PassPorter's E-Book Browser, a new and nifty online feature that offers sneak peeks of all our e-books to anyone! To see it in action, visit http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/view.php?pg=ebooks-browser . Each of our eleven e-books is available, and each has a sneak peek offering anything from 7%-10% of the actual e-book! The E-Books Browser has fun features like the ability to "flip" pages as you would in a real book, amazing search capabilities, print functions, and the ability to share the sneak peeks with a friend! Another neat thing about the E-Books Browser is that if you're already a PassPorter's Club passholder, you can view the FULL version of the e-books in all their glory right there -- just be sure you're logged in when you view e-books. It's as easy as that! !
PassPorter's Club Update
- More than 1500 vacationers are now enjoying access to all our e-books, e-worksheets, and super-sized photo archive images. Thank you for your continued support!
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In this issue, PassPorter Guest Contributor Rebecca Oberg shares information on Backstage Magic Tour: Adventures By Disney. Then PassPorter Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry gives us a glimpse into The Monorails of Disney's Wonderful World of Theme Parks: A Closer Look. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt.
Jennifer and Dave Marx
PassPorter Founders and Authors
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Travel Feature:
Backstage Magic Tour: Adventures By Disney
Rebecca Oberg, PassPorter Guest Contributor
"Is it worth the money?" That was a question I asked myself when booking my first (and only, thus far) Adventures by Disney vacation. In fact, the cost of the trip made it difficult to justify including my family. After all, it was just a trip to Disneyland -- the Disney park in Southern California. The one with which we live within driving distance. The one that we find a reason to visit at least a couple of times a year. The one that we know like the backs of our hands. Right?
Yes and no. The itinerary also had us in Hollywood for a few days as well. Hollywood? Now, I grew up in Southern California, and Hollywood was certainly not a place I wanted to vacation. I could only conjure up images of litter-filled streets and that grimy downtown feel many big cities have. Then I read that magical word -- "Imagineering." The place where Disney magic begins. The place where the people who create that magic work. The idea capital of the Universe. I knew at that moment that whatever the cost, I was going to find a way to get inside that building (or group of buildings, I know now).
It appeared we would also be visiting Jim Henson's Muppet Studios, Disney Studios (the real working film studio, not the park!), and a couple of historic theaters in Hollywood. It also appeared that nearly everything was included. All admission fees, all lodging, most tips, and many meals. So, I was able to justify most of the expense. I spent the next ten months drooling over the very few trip reports, the promotional materials, and the nice little "get excited" package of trip documents and goodies that Adventures by Disney sent us.
The time seemed to fly by and it wasn't long before the town car service (also included in the price!) was whisking me away to the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel. We were greeted and checked in by our Adventures By Disney Guides while our luggage was shuttled off to our room. This is where one of the primary values of an Adventures by Disney vacation became very apparent. The service. It's hands-down the best service I've ever had the privilege of receiving anywhere. Our talented and gracious guides attended to our every need while remaining light and fun and an integral part of the travel group. I kid you not, these two gentlemen not only took care of all of our mundane travel arrangements (like luggage and check ins), but also provided us with little extras such as, snacks and water bottles popping up as needed and enlightening bits of Disney trivia and history (enough to delight even our group of seasoned Disney travelers).
They even helped me shop, searching through oodles of pin racks for just the right souvenir for my husband, and pointing out special discounts in more than one gift shop. One of my guides heard me say I collect paper napkins when on a Disney vacation so that I can have a little Pixie Dust in my lunch every day at work, and from then on he presented me with a stack of napkins from each venue we visited.
The other key value of this particular Adventures by Disney vacation is the access to locations, areas, and activities that are not available to the general public. For example, this is the only way to visit the Jim Henson Muppet Studios as a tourist. We were also granted that coveted backstage access at Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Imagineering, and the Disneyland Resort. I'd love to go over everything we saw and did there, but I'd hate to spoil the surprise should you take this trip yourself! Also, guests on this Adventure are required to sign a release…so it's all top secret. We were also treated to many back entrances and line-free rides! Everywhere we went our glorious guides (or one of the guests) carried a paddle that identified us as a special group of people. I swear people at Disneyland Park were trying to figure out just who exactly we were. We felt like rock stars! It'll be hard going back to regular guest status on my next trip. Wait in line? No extra Fastpasses? No guide to attend to my every need? The horror!
Another aspect of the trip I didn't factor into my value equation, was the delight of traveling with a group of Disney enthusiasts, such as myself. I made some lifelong friends and connected with people I'd previously only "met" online. We had so much fun together! I'd never before encountered a grown woman who squealed with delight at the mention of riding Haunted Mansion Holiday or watched Fantasmic! with folks eager to discuss the mechanics of the new dragon.
To sum it all up, Adventures by Disney Backstage Magic is most certainly worth the cost of the tour and then some. Every detail is taken care of and included in the package, the hotels were top-notch, and the food was delicious and plentiful. There's one thing of value that's really difficult to put a price tag on, that patented Disney feel. The quality of experiences that the Disney provides ring wholeheartedly through every aspect of this Adventures by Disney vacation.
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About the Author: Rebecca has been an avid Disneyland fan as long as she can remember. She's recently added Disney Cruise Line and Walt Disney World to her list of favorite places on the planet. When not traveling, planning to travel, or visiting Disney, she is mother of three, wife of one, and teacher of 23 third graders.
Questions, feedback, or corrections about this article, or just want to give kudos to the author? Share a comment here or e-mail us at news@passporter.com. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
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Disney Feature:
The Monorails of Disney's Wonderful World of Theme Parks: A Closer Look
Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
Most Disney fans will be aware of Walt's intense fascination with trains. They've found their way into many of the Disney parks around the world, but perhaps the most enduring image of Walt's love of trains is the futuristic monorail system
Monorails now run in four of the five Disney Resorts in California, Florida, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, with Disneyland Paris the only one not to boast its own system. And, in each park, they're very different, although they're also undeniably Disney.
The monorail system I grew up with was the one at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Somehow, I think probably because the monorail expanded to serve Epcot when that park opened in 1982, I always assumed that the system would grow as more theme parks arrived on the scene. Sadly, that wasn't the case, as there's nothing I'd have loved more than to travel between all the parks via monorail. I guess though, at a reported investment of $1 million per mile of track, it would be a steep price to pay, just to put a smile on my face!
Having said that, what we've got now is superb and covers something like 14 miles around the resort, running from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot, with three separate lines in operation. My favorite has always been the line that takes you into Epcot, simply because it allows you to glide over Future World, offering tantalising glimpses of the delights inside my favorite park. That's something that is replicated over at Disneyland in California, where one of the monorail stations is actually inside the park, in Tomorrowland.
The first time we used the Disneyland monorail, it was only partially operating, due to all the work being undertaken on Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at the time. Immediately, one of the reasons I added to my list of why I wanted to go back to Disneyland was to experience the full monorail route. When we did, I will admit to being a bit disappointed. I was expecting something along the lines of the Epcot line, where you get some superb views of the park below you, but to be honest, the monorail was zooming along too quickly to see much, which was a shame. I did love the way that it winds its way through the Grand Californian Hotel and I couldn't help but think that they should have added a monorail stop into this resort.
Despite all the monorail systems around the world, the only place with monorail stops at the resorts is still Walt Disney World in Florida and, let's be honest, you can't beat being able to board a monorail from the hotel you're staying at. I think most of us would agree to still having a sense of wonder every time the monorail glides through the concourse of the Contemporary Resort. I know it's a sight I'll never get tired of seeing.
As for the monorails themselves, these do all vary tremendously between the different parks. I think it's fair to say that those at Walt Disney World are now the least attractive to me, having seen the new Mark VII trains in operation in Disneyland in California. True, we've only seen the red and blue trains, with an orange one now added since our last visit, but they are radically different to what you're used to. Gone is the white monorail with a colour band running through it -- these are literally made up of bright colours and are quite a contrast. It takes some getting used to.
But these aren't my favourites either. To my mind, they're still a bit of a shock to the system, being very modern, and it will take me a long time to get used to them. Now having seen the monorails at both Hong Kong and Tokyo, I can't help but have a pang of sadness that they didn't introduce this style of train into Disneyland. So what's so special about these? Well, the first things to say are that both systems are very different than the American ones. For starters, both charge a fee, although if you're a guest at one of the Tokyo Disney hotels, you will be able to ride the monorail for free. Seeing ticket machines at the stations really does take some getting used to.
But when you step onto the platform and get your first glimpse of the monorail trains, you begin to see what you're paying for, with the Mickey-shaped windows greeting you. When you step aboard, the grab handles hanging down from the top of the carriage are all Mickey-shaped as well. The feeling inside the monorail carriage is very much one of space, with the whole train just one long carriage and seats along some of the sides of the train. There is plenty of standing room and space for strollers and wheelchairs, understandably, as these, like all the Disney monorail systems, can get exceptionally crowded at peak times.
Perhaps of the two, my personal favorite was the Hong Kong system, as the carriages are littered with Disney memorabilia, with miniature statues of some of the main characters, such as Mickey, Donald, Chip and Dale, and Goofy, along with photos of Walt, illustrating his love of trains. It brought a tear to my eye and I can safely say that's the first time just seeing the inside of a Disney monorail train has had that effect!
At Hong Kong, the monorail is literally just a shuttle service from the main subway system to the Disneyland station, while at Tokyo, the system runs on a circular system, not dissimilar to Walt Disney World, with stops at each of the two theme parks, another one for the nearby official hotels and the final stop for Ikispiari, the shopping and entertainment complex that is also the place to catch the main train system into Tokyo from Maihama station.
Sadly, this loop suffers from the same problem as Disneyland in California, with poor views as you travel along. It's one of the main disappointments I had with Tokyo Disney generally. The monorail seems to be very much a mode of transport here, rather than an attraction in its own right and a lot of what you can see is "backstage" areas with little theming. Having said that, it does offer some great opportunity for neat shots from within the parks, particularly Tokyo DisneySea and some of the official hotels, such as the Sheraton, where we spent one night.
Whether or not you have to pay to use the various Disney monorail systems around the world, each is very unique and their continued appearance at the different parks shows the importance of the monorails -- and trains in general -- in Disney's continuing legacy.
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About the Author: Cheryl is the author of the new e-book, PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holidaymakers, as well as Co-Author of PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide: For Members and and Members-To-Be. Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to Disney, and they have made numerous visits to destinations across America and Europe. They recently completed their tour of every Disney theme park around the world, which culminated in their visit to Japan, including the Tokyo Disney Resort.
Questions, feedback, or corrections about this article, or just want to give kudos to the author? Share a comment here or e-mail us at news@passporter.com. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
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