INTERCOT Insider August 2006 - Edition One

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<< Introduction >>

We’re over the big Summer hump, and that means the dog days of summer are upon us. Those lazy late summer days when the air is thick and the lemonade is plentiful on the porches of Americana. To help commemorate this annual time of year, the Insider presents a special article on Walt Disney World vacationing tips for dog lovers. Also in this edition we present the return of Touring the Parks, another installment of the INTERCOTee Top 5 and reminders on some end of summer deals. So take a load off on a porch swing and grab cool lemonade as a chorus of cicadas serenade you –-it’s Insider time!


<< End of Summer Savings  >>

-Radisson Resort Discounts-

INTERCOT visitors vacationing between August 22nd - September 30th can get exclusive discounts at the Radisson Resort Orlando – Celebration. This special End of Summer room rate of $59.95 per night is available now; so interested guests should book as-soon-as-possible while rooms are still available.

The Radisson Resort Orlando is a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel and is located only 1.5 miles from Walt Disney World. The resort provides shuttles to Disney, Sea World and Universal Studios, 718 remodeled guest rooms, 3 sparkling pools with waterfalls, 2 whirlpools and a 40' water slide, 5 on site food and beverage outlets. Visit the links below for details on pricing and to make reservations.

More Information
Reserve A Room Now

<< Tips for a Doggone Good Vacation   >>

-Vacationing Goes to the Dogs-

Although man’s best friend is not permitted in the Disney Parks or at Walt Disney Resort Hotels, the Walt Disney World Resort does offer 5 Pet Care Kennels and select campsites at the Fort Wilderness Campground for our vacationing four-legged friends.

The Pet Care Kennels are located at The Animal Kingdom Park, Epcot, The Disney-MGM Studios Park, The Magic Kingdom Park/Ticket & Transportation Center and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. Each air-conditioned Kennel is a member of the American Boarding Kennel Association and does require dogs to be up-to-date with all vaccinations prior to being admitted. Additionally, all dogs lodged in the kennels must be at least 8 weeks old and must be walked by the owner at least twice a day (three times daily for puppies). As an alternative option, the Epcot Kennel will walk the dog instead of the owner for a nominal $2.50 charge per walk. Guests have the option of lodging their dogs at the kennels just for the day or overnight. Daytime lodging is $10 per day and overnight lodging is $13 per night (Disney Resort Guests) or $15 per night (non-Disney Resort Guests).

The Kennels will also lodge other pets including (but not limited to) cats, rabbits, ferrets, small rodents, and birds. Same lodging rates apply and guests are required to visit their pet at least once a day.

For more information, individual Kennels can be reached at the following numbers:

Magic Kingdom (Transportation and Ticket Center) Kennel—(407) 824-6568
Epcot Kennel—(407) 560-6229
Disney-MGM Studios Kennel—(407) 560-4282
Disney's Animal Kingdom—(407) 938-2100
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground Kennel—(407) 824-2735

Guests who wish to “rough-it-out” with their canine friends can do so at full hook-up campsites along the “Pet Loop” at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground. There is an additional $5 per day per site charge for guests wishing to have their four-legged friend as an extra guest (note this is not a per pet charge).

Guest who wish to have their pet stay with them must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Pets will be restricted at all times to the designated pet loops during the Guest's stay.
• Pets must be walked on the pet path along the canal only. The owner is also responsible for picking up and disposing after their pet.
• Pets may not roam freely in their campsites. The pet must be kept on a leash when being walked or tethered when on the site. This tether can be no longer than 8 feet.
• Guests may not leave pets unattended in their site, which causes them to bark or whine, disturbing other Guests.
• Pets will not be allowed on pargos (electric carts).

Requests for the Pet Loop full hook-up camp sites can be made via (407) W-DISNEY.

-My People Went to Disney World and … -

… all I got was a bandana, and a food dish, and a chew toy and …

For guests who have a canine pal waiting for them at home, Disney has recently introduced a whole line of Disney merchandise aimed at dogs (and other pets) called Disney Tails. The new product line includes (but is not limited to) perfumes, Disney character costumes, Mickey Mouse-shaped ID tags, food dishes, dog treats, bandanas, bows, chew toys and designer carrying pouches. Many of the products can be found at the Disney Resort Hotel gift shops, but the complete product line can only be found at the Disney Tails store located in the Downtown Disney Marketplace.

-Photos for Fido –

Maybe more for you than Fido, but there are many great canine themed photo opportunities around the Walt Disney Resort that are sure to please dog-lovers alike.

Some great dog-themed photo spots include:

• By the Lady & the Tramp paw prints in the cement outside of Tony’s Town Square restaurant in the Magic Kingdom Theme park.
• In front of the Giant Pongo statue or elsewhere around the 101 Dalmatians section of the All-Star Movies resort.
• In front of Pluto's doghouse in the backyard of Mickey's Country House at the Magic Kingdom Park
• With the dapper Goofy (statue) sitting on a bench in Town Square in the Magic Kingdom Park.
• With the Pluto statute in the Hub in the Magic Kingdom Park.


<< "Touring" with MickeysGirl & dr_nigel_c  >>

-Hidden Treasures of World Showcase-
Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort

You'll have to excuse us, we have this thing for behind-the-scenes tours at Disney theme parks. So far, we've had the pleasure of taking the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour at Disneyland, the Keys to the Kingdom Tour at the Magic Kingdom, as well as the Undiscovered Future World tour at Epcot. So, during our most recent visit during Memorial Day weekend, we decided to add the Hidden Treasures of World Showcase, another Epcot tour, to our list.

Jamie enjoys the architecture of each pavilion, and I enjoy interacting with the Cast Members from their home countries, so we knew this tour would be right up our alley! Although we don't feel this was the best Disney tour we've had, it didn't disappoint.

Our group met outside the Epcot main entrance, just in front of the "Guest Services" window. Actually, all of the folks attending other tours for the day were meeting there, so it was quite a big group milling about. Cast Members from the Disney Institute descended upon us right at 9am, and divided everyone up into their respective groups.

There were quite a few folks who were going to be taking our tour, but as our guide started going over her list she realized that one member of a family taking the tour together was under the minimum age of 16, and politely asked them to leave. Now, every time we call to make reservations, the person on the phone always asks if anyone in the party is under the minimum age for that tour, so I'm sure the same protocol was followed with this group.

Anywho, now that our group had shrunk by almost half, it was time to set off! We entered the gates and paused just outside of Spaceship Earth, so our guide could give us a very brief history of Epcot and how it came to be. A more in-depth discussion of the beginnings of this park is part of the Undiscovered Future World tour, so you might want to sign up for that tour first if you're considering both.

We quickly moved through Future World and into World Showcase, with Mexico as our first stop. We talked a bit about the Mexico pavilion building, then moved inside to browse around. Being the only ones inside was definitely a wonderful experience!

Next stop was Norway, which was quite full of guests waiting for the Princess breakfast. After a brief history lesson there, we were off to China. At this point, we were allowed past the guest barrier. In fact, we wouldn't see another guest until World Showcase opened at 11am. To underscore this point, the lack of area music was quite evident.

Our guide spoke briefly about Chinese customs as well as the amazing water and gardens near the front of the main building. From there, we were off to Germany. As we were getting our German lesson, the Segway Tour group passed us by, further intriguing me about that particular experience! Maybe next time!!

Next stop, Italy, our favorite pavilion. By now we were fast approaching 11am, and sure enough, the area music kicked in right on schedule! We knew our alone time in World Showcase was coming to a close, and all backstage doors were quickly shut as the cleaning crews practically vanished into thin air. It was definitely a real treat to see them working on the park, getting it ready for the day.

We hit the American Adventure, Japan, then France, where we had a nice break in one of the shops. It was time for the first 'backstage' portion of the tour, which was to experience Disney's use of forced perspective. We won't give this part away, but you'll never look at that Eiffel Tower the same way again!

Next, we headed over to the UK pavilion, which was starting to fill up with park guests. But, since we had a smaller group, it was a bit easier to keep together. We then ventured over to Canada, and we knew our tour would soon be over. Escorted through a Cast Member only door, we were backstage again. Our tour guide covered some more Epcot facts, then we headed back onstage.

Our guide asked if we had any other questions, then presented us with our pins and that was it!!

As with any tour, the activities, the tour guide and the group members make or break the experience. Our guide, although with Disney and Epcot for quite some time, didn't seem as "into it" as some of our other guides have been. Although our group asked some very good questions, they weren't as vocal and outgoing. Don't by shy -- chat with your fellow group members and ask questions!

I'll admit we were hoping for a few more backstage experiences and some more 'unknown' Epcot facts than were provided, so that probably dampened our experience. Also, most of the information from our tour guide during the day can be found in the many guide and trivia books available in bookstores and online. But, all in all, we enjoyed this tour!!

Hidden Treasures of World Showcase is currently offered every Tuesday and Thursday, and costs $59.00 for adults, aged 16 and up. Water is given at the beginning of the tour, but lunch is not provided. Annual Passholders can receive a 10% discount, and Disney Visa cardholders can receive 15% off! This tour has limited availability as it is only offered on Tuesday and Thursday during each week. For more information, call (407) WDW-TOUR or check out INTERCOT's Tours All Around The World Section of info Central.

Happy touring!

<< INTERCOTee Top 5 … Resort Pools >>

Summer is well underway and that means big time heat is here as well. What better way is there to beat the Summer heat than a dip in a pool? Well, how about a dip in a pool at a Disney World resort! The Insider reviewed discussions from the past 6 months and (based off INTERCOTee’s posts) have collaborated the INTERCOTee Top 5 Favorite Walt Disney World Resort Pools.

Coming in at number 5 … Doubloon Lagoon

Doubloon Lagoon at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter resort serves up splish splash’n fun with a side of Mardi Gras flare. On the banks of this pool is a giant sea serpent Mardi Gras float featuring a water slide that shoots riders out of the mouth of the serpent down it’s giant tongue and into the pool. If you’re looking for a more relaxing pool experience Doubloon Lagoon also features a hot tub and the Mardi Grog’s pool bar. For the smaller pool guest, there is a splash pool and a fun fountain area featuring an Alligator band.

Coming in at number 4 … The Dig Site

The Dig Site at Disney’s Coronado Springs resort offers guests a cool archeological experience. These watery Mayan ruins feature a 46 ft tall pyramid, a 123 ft long water slide, a splash pool and a hot tub. If you feel like a cool drink while lounging poolside there is Siesta’s Pool Bar. If the hustle and bustle of the cool-seeking adventurers is too much, there are three other quite pools spread about the resort for a more relaxing pool experience.

Coming in at number 3 … Uzima Springs

The Uzima Springs at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge resort lets guests get wet on the wild side. This 11,000 square foot pool is surrounded by fascinating red rocks and the resort’s savannahs giving pool-goers quite the unique experience. For those seeking adventure, there is a 67 foot water slide that blasts riders into this African watering hole. The zero entry feature and nearby splash pool, make this area a big hit with the littler pool goers. For those seeking relaxation, Uzima Springs offers two hot tubs and a pool side bar/snackery that shares the same name as the area.

Coming in at number 2 … Nanea Volcano

The Nanea Volcano pool at Disney’s Polynesian resort cools off guests in South Pacific style. This pool sits at the base of the 40 ft tall Nanea volcano and features a 120 ft water slide that shoots riders through the volcano itself. The sounds of the South Pacific never have to leave guests of this pool, as music is actually pumped into the pool itself giving guests the music of the islands even when they are underwater. For the littler pool goers, the Nanea Volcano features a zero entry area, a kids water play area and a splash pool. For guests seeking a true island reprieve they can take in a cool beverage at the Barefoot pool bar or visit the Quiet pool located between the Samoa and Tokelau longhouses.

And coming in at number 1 … Stormalong Bay

Stormalong Bay at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club resorts packs a water park punch into a resort sized pool area. This three-acre, sand bottomed pool is divided into three unique areas each to fulfill a different type of cool seeking guest. For Adventurous pool-goers, there is the shipwreck area. Here guests will find a 230 ft water slide that shoots riders through the hull of a large shipwreck and also a sand bottomed whirlpool that literally takes guests for a cool spin. For those seeking relaxation, there is the lazy river area. Grab an inner tube and float along this more peaceful section of the “bay”. Additionally for the relaxation minded guest, there are a number of secluded hot tubs scattered along Stormalong Bay. For little ones, there is the shallows area. This sandy area features splash pools and even a kiddie water slide. If you looking for something to wet your whistle after you wet yourself, you can stop by Hurricane Hannah’s for a cool beverage. The Beach Club and Yacht Club each also feature quite pools tucked away in alcoves of their respective resort buildings for those looking for the ultimate in secluded pool lounging.

That’s it for the countdown, hope it’s given you some cool reasons to pick out a place to stay on your next trip.

<< Conclusion>>

That wraps it up for this issue. Hope you all enjoyed and were able to gain valuable information for planning your next trip. We’ll be back in a few weeks with our regular monthly columns, until then stay cool.

Don’t forget, we’d love to hear from you. Have a suggestion, comment, idea or trip tip? Send it in to [email protected] and it might just end up in an upcoming issue of the Insider.


<< INTERCOT Would Like To Thank>>

The INTERCOT Insider and INTERCOT.com are supported by the following sponsors who in turn, help us bring the Magic to you!

All Star Vacation Homes
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