Here's a copy of the newsletter we just mailed out:
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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips
November 2002 - Issue 2.14
PassPorter.com -
http://www.passporter.com
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Welcome to PassPorter News, an online newsletter
about PassPorter travel guidebooks and the
Walt Disney World Resort!
PassPorter News is available by free subscription
to all readers and friends of our labor of love --
PassPorter Walt Disney World: The unique travel
guide, planner, organizer, journal, and keepsake!
Learn all about at:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/about.htm
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In This Newsletter:
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* From the Authors: PassPorter WDW Kudos and 2003 Features
* Feature: Scavenger & Treasure Hunts at Disney
* Updates: "Millionaire" Now Awards a Cruise!
* Tips: Finding Characters, Cruises, and Ice Cream Sandwiches
* Q&A: Cruise Line Goodbook, Good Steak & Seafood
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DID YOU KNOW? (A little word from our sponsor -- us!)
We're offering a special 2002/2003 Package Deal!
Why wait until January? Start planning now! Buy a PassPorter 2002 Deluxe Starter Kit today and we'll automatically ship the updated 2003 text and covers when they're hot off the press, at a special package savings of over $8!
Fill in your worksheets and PassPockets now, and start planning with the still-fabulous 2002 text. When your 2003 update arrives in January, just pop it into your Deluxe ring binder. You'll have a brand-new book!
Learn more and order your package at:
http://www.passporter.com/packagedeal.htm
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FROM THE AUTHORS: PassPorter Kudos and 2003 Features
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Hi, friends!
Would you believe the current issue of Disney Magazine names PassPorter Walt Disney World as one of its "favorite sources?" PassPorter was cited as the second favorite book in the article on page 48, right after the official Birnbaum's guide. Here's what they said: "More than a guidebook, the PassPorter contains folders for plane tickets, park passes, ticket stubs, and other scrapbook-bound treasures. It includes loads of maps and lots of touring advice." Two other guidebooks were named (Walt Disney World with Kids and the Unofficial Guide), and several Web sites, including AllEarsNet.com (Deb Wills' WDWIG.com), Steve Soares' Disney Entertainment site, and Intercot.com -- our congratulations to them, winners all!
And with that bit of news, the 2003 edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World is just around the corner! While we don't have an exact release date yet, it's safe to say books should begin shipping in mid- to late-January 2003. The 2003 edition of PassPorter should hit bookstore shelves in February.
To learn more about the 2003 edition, get a list of new features, download some free pages, and pre-order your copy, visit:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/2003.htm
Thanks,
Jennifer and Dave
Authors, PassPorter Walt Disney World 2003
P.S. Watch our next newsletter for an announcement about our new guidebook to the Disney Cruise Line!
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FEATURE: Scavenger & Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World
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by Jennifer Watson
Walt Disney World is rich with delightful details -- it's one of the reasons why many of us like it so much. It's fun to stumble across these details while touring, but it's even more fun to discover themintentionally. How do you do this? Challenge yourself or your familywith a scavenger or treasure hunt!
For those of you new to hunts, let's explain how they work.Traditionally, a scavenger hunt requires that you gather as many of the listed items as possible. A treasure hunt, on the other hand, requires that you find and solve clues that lead to the goal. Hunts can be done alone, or as a competition between two or more people or teams. We've seen hunts last anywhere from half an hour to an entire day!
At Walt Disney World, most hunts involve finding answers to questions, rather than collecting objects. The first hunt we created at Disney was for a group of 30. Their goal was to find answers to 20 questions about Mickey's Toontown Fair. We split the group into teams of four, gave them each the list of questions, and wished them luck. One hour later they were back at the starting point with the list of answers in their hands!
You can also "scavenge" a bit at Walt Disney World as well. Two years ago we participated in the RADP Scavenger Hunt hosted by our friends Jeff, Jen, and Peter. This all-day scavenger hunt required you gather answers to questions, but also asked you to pick up various items, such as guidemaps, pamphlets, FASTPASSes, certificates, etc.
So how do you participate in a hunt? Your first challenge is to either find one that already exists, or create one yourself. We discuss our tips for each of these tasks below:
FINDING HUNTS
Disney doesn't offer a year-around, freely available scavenger or treasure hunt at its parks, alas. Likely, this is due to the ever-changing nature of the parks. Keeping a hunt up-to-date on a regular basis would be a challenge in itself! So we must look further afield for ready-made hunts.
100 Magic Kingdom Memories Challenge - This is a free, seasonal hunt for annual passholders, available from the Town Square Exposition Hall in the Magic Kingdom. If you're an annual passholder, you can show your pass to a cast member at the Expo Hall to get a sheet of 100 questions. We anticipate it will disappear at the end of the 100 Years of Magic Celebration. Not a passholder? You can't win the free litho by answering all the questions, but you can see the questions and play on your own. The folks at RealDisney.com have all 100 questions up at their site -- you'll find them at
http://www.realdisney.com/modules.ph...rticle&sid=549 {make sure you get the entire URL--it's a long one!). We did this hunt in September and had a blast! We found all of the answers in about five hours.
Group Scavenger Hunts - Several Disney fan groups -- notably RADP (rec.arts.disney.parks newsgroup) and our own PassPorter community -- host hunts for anyone who wants to participate. Our most recent PassPorter/RADP hunt was for Walt's Birthday last December -- we're sure to host another hunt at our next Gathering, probably in 2004. If you'll be at Disney on December 15, the 3rd Annual RADP Scavenger Hunt is being held that day! This is an all-day hunt and a wonderful challenge. We were on the winning team for the first hunt in 2000, and on the organizing team in 2001. (Alas, we can't participate this year due to other commitments.) The registration deadline is 11/20 and teams of 3-4 are required. Get more information and register at:
http://www.tiggerfan.net/jeffc/scavenger2002.html
Family Magic Tour - This is technically a "guided tour" (see page 242 of PassPorter 2002) but it has elements of a treasure hunt within it. The two-hour tour takes you on an interactive adventure through the Magic Kingdom to solve a mystery in the company of a Disney villain (such as Captain Hook or Maleficent). The tour, which is held at 10:00 am daily, is open to all ages for $25/person. You can reserve spots by calling 407-WDW-TOUR or by stopping at City Hall at the Magic Kingdom. We haven't had the opportunity to try this tour ourselves, but it sounds like a fun and easy way to have a little treasure hunt on your vacation.
Older Scavenger Hunts - By this we mean scavenger hunts done by others in the past. While some of the questions and answers may have changed with the rise and fall of attractions, much of the hunt will still be playable. The RADP folks have had their questions online in the past, though we haven't been able to locate the last two year's hunt questions yet. We've put all the hunts that we've designed online for you, however! You'll find them at:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/hunts.htm .
We also found two great-looking hunts at DIS -- one is for "Walt Disney: One Man's Dream" attraction and the other is a four-park combination scavenger/treasure hunt. You'll find both at
http://www.wdwinfo.com/games.htm
CREATING HUNTS
Personally, we like creating the hunts more than just participating in them! We've come to see the parks in a whole new light. You can create one for your partner, your child, your family, or your group -- the possibilities are endless. Here are our tips:
Getting the Questions - It's hard to create a hunt if you don't know what to put in it. Most of us don't have every bit of the parks commited to memory, after all, and we want to find new things rather than well-known trivia that someone can answer from memory. We created each of our hunts by visiting the parks beforehand, usually on an earlier trip. We created our last hunt the day before the hunt itself. If you don't have the luxury of visiting the parks before your hunt, try using pre-existing questions (discussed earlier) or try some of our other tips.
The On-The-Fly Hunt - This is one of our favorite ways to spend an afternoon at Disney. We go to a park with lots of details, such as Epcot, and split up. Our task is to find three questions in each of six World Showcase pavilions (18 questions in all) -- I take one half of World Showcase, Dave takes the other. We meet in the middle, exchange our questions, and the hunt begins! I answer his questions, he answers mine. They're comparable because we discussed what sorts of questions we'd be looking for in advance. We then meet again in the middle at a pre-set time to tally up our answers and see who won! This type of hunt would work for two or more people or teams.
The Can-You-Find-It Hunt - If you don't have the time to visit a park before you create your hunt, or even to make one up as you go, try making of list of items you'd *expect* to find at Disney and see how many you can find. We tried this during our 2001 Gathering last December -- we had a "DecoTour" of the resort hotels and looked for common Christmas items, such as a gingerbread house, candy cane, or rocking horse. It was easy to create and play -- all ages felt comfortable with it!
The Photo Hunt - If you've got Polaroid/digital cameras (or camcorders), try a hunt for specific places in a park or a hotel. We created a photo hunt in 2000 where teams had to go around the Seven Seas Lagoon (Magic Kingdom, Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian), finding locations and snapping group shots at each one. If you know the park well you could make a list of places without too much effort. Otherwise, just combine this idea with the Can-You-Find-It Hunt, and have folks get photos with things they're likely to find, such as with a cast member, at a water fountain, on a train, or by a statue. You can add in a bit of fun by requiring that the participants pose a certain way in each picture. This hunt makes for great photo souvenirs, too!
The Traditional Hunt - Here's how we go about making a hunts for a group of people. First, we plan when and where it will be, so we can scout out questions beforehand. For example, for a December 2003 hunt we'd probably work on the hunt in September 2003. We set aside an afternoon to scour the location we've chosen for likely questions and answers. We split up and write down everything we can think of, and even take pictures of some items we may find hard to recall later. When we return from our trip, we look at all our notes and compile a list of questions from the best ideas. Then we print out the questions to hand out at our hunt -- the answers we list on another sheet so we can score the answers. We usually try to have a theme for our hunt, and an appropriate prize or two.
What makes a good hunt? We believe a good hunt presents a challenge without being frustrating, leaves time for fun and companionship, and shows the participants things they may never have noticed before. Everyone has to enjoy themselves, even if there can only be one "winner." We don't like to make contestants stand on line or ride an attraction, as that can take a lot of time or force them to take a ride they'd rather not experience. And we always consider how the hunt may effect other guests and Disney cast members--we don't want to cause a disturbance. Time and walking distances are also a factor. For all but the most exhausting hunts, we suggest you limit your hunt to one or two small areas of a park, rather than the entire park. Not only is it easier on the contestants, but it's much easier for the "huntmaster" to oversee the fun.
One final tip: Consider the complexity of your hunt. It's difficult to judge in advance how easy or difficult to make your hunt. Take a good look at your audience and determine what they'd be most comfortable with -- an easy, fun diversion or a sadistic, difficult challenge. Most beginners prefer to just have a good time, and may not want to be too competitive.
If you do organize a hunt and want to share it with our readers, please e-mail us at
hunts@passporter.com and we'd be delighted to put it online (and try it out ourselves!).
Don't forget to visit our PassPorter Hunts page at:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/hunts.htm
>>Things To Do: Know of more Disney scavenger and treasure hunts out there? Write to us at
hunts@passporter.com
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UPDATES: What's New and Changed at Walt Disney World
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Breaking News...
Who Wants to be a Disney Cruiser--Play It!!
Starting November 11, 2002, Who Wants to be a Millionaire--Play It! at Disney-MGM Studios (and Disney's California Adventure) has a wonderful new Grand Prize! Now, if you go all the way and win the million points at this popular attraction (as our very own Dave did, back in May 2001 -- check
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/millionpointwinner.htm), you win a three-night cruise for four on the Disney Wonder (airfare included, all four guests in one stateroom, some blackout dates apply)! Of course, you still get the other goodies, too--the commemorative pins, million-point medallion, embroidered leather baseball jacket, polo shirt, baseball cap and pin lanyard.
The attraction, which has been running at Walt Disney World since April 2001, is a faithful re-creation of the popular TV game show. Every one of the 600 members of the audience plays along and has an opportunity to get into the famed Hot Seat. "Dollars" have been converted to "points" that bring commemorative cloisonne pins instead of cash, the famed "lifelines" can still be used (with one small change), and just about once every three weeks another contestant succeeds in answering the million point question.
Formerly, the Grand Prize included a 3-day trip for two to New York City to watch a videotaping of Who Wants to be a Millionaire and (possibly) meet Regis Philbin, but once the program left the primetime lineup and Regis left the show, that prize didn't seem nearly so attractive (or practical). Prior winners who hadn't already used (or scheduled) the travel portion of their prize (like Dave) have been offered the cruise as an alternative.
This looks like a win for everyone involved. It's a great prize, it's a great promotion for the Disney Cruise Line, and it'll be easier on the attraction's Prize Coordinators, as they don't have to organize travel schedules around the TV show's taping schedule. Winners will receive a cruise certificate that they'll use to book their own arrangements, directly with the Disney Cruise Line.
The three-night itinerary on the Disney Wonder takes cruisers to Nassau in the Bahamas and Disney's private getaway, Castaway Cay. After the stress and excitement of a stint in the Hot Seat, isn't a cruise the perfect way to unwind?
>Things To Do: Hear some news? Send it to us at
news@passporter.com.
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DISNEY TIPS FROM FELLOW READERS
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Here are some tips to hunt for special treasure at Walt Disney World!
Finding the Characters
"I have found that one of the best places to get pictures and character autographs is at the Toontown Hall of Fame and Mickey's Judge's Tent in Toowtown Fair. Many people are not aware these are character greeting areas and do not go all the way in. I have found that the lines are reasonable and if you go right when the park opens up you shouldn't have any trouble getting in right away."
-- Contributed by Melissa Schwatka (skatetigger@yahoo.com)
Getting an IllumiNations Cruise
"When calling to reserve IllumiNations fireworks cruises, call a day or two before the 90-day limit to find out exactly what day the reservations office is booking. Then on the first booking day you can call, start calling one call after another about 5 minutes before the hour (7:00 AM Eastern). The answering system message is different when the center is 'closed' so you can hit re-dial almost immediately.The system message changes when the center "opens" so you are among the first in the phone queue. I am told there are only 4 of these cruises available for any given date and some 40 agents working the "PLAY" phone number, so keeping at it is essential. I called three mornings in a row, was disappointed the first two days, but finally got a cruise on the third day."
-- Contributed by Dolores Black
Finding the Perfect Ice Cream Sandwich
"Be sure to get the ice cream sandwich at the Main Street Bake Shop on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. You can choose the kind of cookies you want to sandwich the excellent ice cream between! A great deal and so tasty."
-- Contributed by Jody R.
>Notes: Send us your tips! You may see them in this newsletter. Two lucky folks will win a copy of PassPorter each month, too! Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/contest.htm
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Q&A WITH JENNIFER & DAVE
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In this column we answer your frequently asked PassPorter and Disney questions.
Jane writes:
"I'm going on a Disney cruise in summer of 2003 and I want a guidebook for it. BarnesAndNoble.com says you will publish a guide but they don't have it in stock. Can I order it from you?"
First, yes, we will have a new guidebook for the Disney Cruise Line out soon, though we don't have a specific release date yet. You will be able to pre-order it from us within about two weeks. We'll be announcing the new book and adding it to our store on November 27. Watch for the announcement in this newsletter and in your e-mailbox!
(Note: If anyone else out there wants to be notified when our cruise guide is announced and when it is released, please visit this page:
http://www.passporter.com/dcl
Disneyphile's Wife writes:
"On our next trip to Walt Disney World, we have decided to try one good seafood restaurant and one good steakhouse. Our list includes Cap'n Jack's, Coral Reef, Flying Fish Cafe and Fulton's Crab House for seafood, and Concourse Steakhouse, Le Cellier, Shula's Steak House, and Yachtsman Steakhouse. Which ones should we try?"
The Cape May Cafe Clambake and Narcoossee's probably belong on this list, too, and if you count sushi as seafood, the list gets a bit longer: Matsu No Ma Lounge, California Grill, Kimonos, and Wolfgang Puck. For steakhouses, add Maya Grill and Teppanyaki to the list.
So, are you looking for one seafood restaurant and one steakhouse, or would a single restaurant fill the bill? Fulton's Crab House is a particularly good choice for a "double-threat" restaurant (ribeye, filet mignon, and NY strip). Concourse Steakhouse has three steak entrees and three seafood entrees, and Shula's has four seafood choices. Narcoossee's, California Grill, and Flying Fish all broil a lot of steaks, but the choice of steaks is very limited.
As both Shula's and Fulton's can be budget-busters, I'd just choose one, and kill both birds (although "bird" isn't quite the right metaphor) with one stone. That is, unless you both want steak and both want seafood.
Don't forget to refer to Deb Wills' menu collection at
http://www.wdwig.com/menu/menus.htm
Jennifer and Dave
>Things to Do: Send us your questions about PassPorter or Walt Disney World and we'll do our best to answer them!
E-mail:
questions@passporter.com
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Copyright (c) 2002 - MediaMarx, Inc.
[ 11-14-2002, 07:31 PM: Message edited by: Dave Marx ]
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