Index: wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php	(revision 23293)
+++ wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php	(working copy)
@@ -80,12 +80,16 @@
 		}
 
 		$title = empty( $item->label ) ? $title : $item->label;
+		
+		$submenu_text = '';
+		if (0 == $depth)
+			$submenu_text = 'style="display: none;"';
 
 		?>
 		<li id="menu-item-<?php echo $item_id; ?>" class="<?php echo implode(' ', $classes ); ?>">
 			<dl class="menu-item-bar">
 				<dt class="menu-item-handle">
-					<span class="item-title"><?php echo esc_html( $title ); ?></span>
+					<span class="item-title"><?php echo esc_html( $title ); ?> <span class="is-submenu" <?php echo $submenu_text; ?>><?php _e( 'sub menu' ); ?></span></span>
 					<span class="item-controls">
 						<span class="item-type"><?php echo esc_html( $item->type_label ); ?></span>
 						<span class="item-order hide-if-js">
@@ -383,7 +387,7 @@
 function wp_nav_menu_setup() {
 	// Register meta boxes
 	if ( wp_get_nav_menus() )
-		add_meta_box( 'nav-menu-theme-locations', __( 'Theme Locations' ), 'wp_nav_menu_locations_meta_box' , 'nav-menus', 'side', 'default' );
+		add_meta_box( 'nav-menu-theme-locations', __( 'Menus within your theme' ), 'wp_nav_menu_locations_meta_box' , 'nav-menus', 'side', 'default' );
 	add_meta_box( 'add-custom-links', __('Custom Links'), 'wp_nav_menu_item_link_meta_box', 'nav-menus', 'side', 'default' );
 	wp_nav_menu_post_type_meta_boxes();
 	wp_nav_menu_taxonomy_meta_boxes();
@@ -489,7 +493,7 @@
 	$menu_locations = get_nav_menu_locations();
 	$num_locations = count( array_keys($locations) );
 
-	echo '<p class="howto">' . sprintf( _n('Your theme supports %s menu. Select which menu you would like to use.', 'Your theme supports %s menus. Select which menu appears in each location.', $num_locations ), number_format_i18n($num_locations) ) . '</p>';
+	echo '<p class="howto">' . _n('Select a menu to use within your theme.', 'Select the menus you will use in your theme.', $num_locations ) . '</p>';
 
 	foreach ( $locations as $location => $description ) {
 		?>
Index: wp-admin/js/nav-menu.js
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/js/nav-menu.js	(revision 23293)
+++ wp-admin/js/nav-menu.js	(working copy)
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@
 			this.initToggles();
 
 			this.initTabManager();
+			
+			this.messageFadeIn();
 		},
 
 		jQueryExtensions : function() {
@@ -222,6 +224,14 @@
 				}
 			});
 		},
+		
+		messageFadeIn : function() {
+			var messages = $('#message');
+			
+			// Visual change when users save menus multiple times in a row
+			if (messages.is(':visible'))
+				messages.hide().slideDown('slow');
+		},
 
 		initToggles : function() {
 			// init postboxes
@@ -245,6 +255,9 @@
 				menuEdge = api.menuList.offset().left,
 				body = $('body'), maxChildDepth,
 				menuMaxDepth = initialMenuMaxDepth();
+				
+			if( 0 != $('#menu-to-edit li').length )
+				$('.drag-instructions').show();
 
 			// Use the right edge if RTL.
 			menuEdge += api.isRTL ? api.menuList.width() : 0;
@@ -307,6 +320,13 @@
 
 					// Return child elements to the list
 					children = transport.children().insertAfter(ui.item);
+					
+					// Add "sub menu" description
+					var subMenuTitle = ui.item.find('.item-title .is-submenu');
+					if (0 < currentDepth)
+						subMenuTitle.show();
+					else
+						subMenuTitle.hide();
 
 					// Update depth classes
 					if( depthChange != 0 ) {
@@ -461,6 +481,8 @@
 				if( '' == $t.val() )
 					$t.addClass( name ).val( $t.data(name) );
 			});
+			
+			$('.blank-slate .input-with-default-title').focus();
 		},
 
 		attachThemeLocationsListeners : function() {
@@ -572,6 +594,9 @@
 			$.post( ajaxurl, params, function(menuMarkup) {
 				var ins = $('#menu-instructions');
 				processMethod(menuMarkup, params);
+				// Make it stand out a bit more visually, by adding a fadeIn
+				$('li.pending').hide().fadeIn('slow');
+				$('.drag-instructions').show();
 				if( ! ins.hasClass('menu-instructions-inactive') && ins.siblings().length )
 					ins.addClass('menu-instructions-inactive');
 				callback();
@@ -945,8 +970,10 @@
 					var ins = $('#menu-instructions');
 					el.remove();
 					children.shiftDepthClass(-1).updateParentMenuItemDBId();
-					if( ! ins.siblings().length )
+					if( 0 == $('#menu-to-edit li').length ) {
+						$('.drag-instructions').hide();
 						ins.removeClass('menu-instructions-inactive');
+					}
 				});
 		},
 
Index: wp-admin/nav-menus.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/nav-menus.php	(revision 23293)
+++ wp-admin/nav-menus.php	(working copy)
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@
 				<form id="update-nav-menu" action="<?php echo admin_url( 'nav-menus.php' ); ?>" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
 					<div id="nav-menu-header">
 						<div id="submitpost" class="submitbox">
-							<div class="major-publishing-actions">
+							<div class="major-publishing-actions <?php if ( isset( $_GET['menu'] ) && 0 == $_GET['menu'] || empty( $nav_menus ) ) echo 'blank-slate'; ?>">
 								<label class="menu-name-label howto open-label" for="menu-name">
 									<span><?php _e('Menu Name'); ?></span>
 									<input name="menu-name" id="menu-name" type="text" class="menu-name regular-text menu-item-textbox input-with-default-title" title="<?php esc_attr_e('Enter menu name here'); ?>" value="<?php echo esc_attr( $nav_menu_selected_title ); ?>" />
@@ -574,14 +574,20 @@
 					<div id="post-body">
 						<div id="post-body-content">
 							<?php
-							if ( isset( $edit_markup ) ) {
+							$drag_instructions = '';
+							if ( empty( $ordered_menu_items ) )
+								$drag_instructions = 'style="display: none;"';
+							
+							if ( isset( $edit_markup ) ) {								
+								echo '<div class="drag-instructions post-body-plain" ' . $drag_instructions . '>';
+								echo '<p>' . __('Drag each item into the order you prefer. Click an item to reveal additional configuration options.') . '</p>';
+								echo '</div>';
+								
 								if ( ! is_wp_error( $edit_markup ) )
 									echo $edit_markup;
 							} else if ( empty( $nav_menu_selected_id ) ) {
 								echo '<div class="post-body-plain">';
-								echo '<p>' . __('To create a custom menu, give it a name above and click Create Menu. Then choose items like pages, categories or custom links from the left column to add to this menu.') . '</p>';
-								echo '<p>' . __('After you have added your items, drag and drop to put them in the order you want. You can also click each item to reveal additional configuration options.') . '</p>';
-								echo '<p>' . __('When you have finished building your custom menu, make sure you click the Save Menu button.') . '</p>';
+								echo '<p>' . __('Give your custom menu a name above, then click Create Menu.') . '</p>';
 								echo '</div>';
 							}
 							?>
Index: wp-admin/css/wp-admin.css
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/css/wp-admin.css	(revision 23293)
+++ wp-admin/css/wp-admin.css	(working copy)
@@ -6785,6 +6785,21 @@
 	position: relative;
 }
 
+.blank-slate br { 
+	display: none; 
+} 
+
+.blank-slate .menu-name { 
+	height: 2em; 
+}
+
+.is-submenu {
+	color: #999;
+	font-style: italic;
+	font-weight: normal;
+	margin-left: 4px;
+}
+
 /* Menu Container */
 #menu-management-liquid {
 	float: left;
@@ -7080,7 +7095,7 @@
 }
 
 #menu-to-edit {
-	padding: 1em 0;
+	padding: 0.1em 0;
 }
 
 .menu ul {
@@ -7326,6 +7341,11 @@
 	margin: 5px 0 1px;
 }
 
+.nav-menus-php .blank-slate .publishing-action { 
+	float: left; 
+	margin: 1px 0 0; 
+}
+
 .nav-menus-php .major-publishing-actions .delete-action {
 	vertical-align: middle;
 	text-align: left;