Our Penny Pressing Plans - the Photo Finish - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
PassPorter.com
Award-winning travel guidebooks

   guidebooks   |   news   |   podcasts   |   boards   |   blog   |   worksheets   |   photos   |   articles   |   updates   |   register   |   follow us on


Forums Closed
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.

So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.

Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.

And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.

We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm​. You made it all happen.

There are other changes as well.

Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:

We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.

It's time to move on and move forward.

PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.

But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.

So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.

And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.

That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!

If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.

So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!

Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!

Go Back   PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums > PassPorter's Walt Disney World Resort (Florida) > Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Register


Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.

To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.

If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-27-2009, 09:50 AM   #1
CinderAbby
Community Rank: Legend
 
CinderAbby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 19,490

Post Thanks / Like
Our Penny Pressing Plans - the Photo Finish

Saturday, I was up nice and early - at 5:00 am. I didn’t have a lot to do as almost everything was packed in the truck (van really) already. I blogged just a little then got Lenny up. I let Abby sleep a little longer though. Once everyone was up, we got the last minute stuff together then put it in the truck. I wanted to be on the road by 7 am. We didn’t quite make it but we were close. After giving everyone (mom, dogs and bunny) hugs and kisses good-bye, we were finally on our way at 7:20. We made it one whole mile up the street before we had to stop. Lenny (an adult, not a child) forgot to use the bathroom before we left so we had to stop at the Cumberland Farms/Gulf gas station for him. When he came out, Lenny walked behind the van and noticed the license plate light was out, so that required a second stop at Walmart. While I ran in to get the replacement bulb, Lenny worked on the light. Just a side note - owner’s manuals for vehicles are great - when they are correct that is.

So I came out of Walmart with the size bulb in hand that the manual said we needed but Lenny told me it was the wrong size. What the manual said I needed was a screw in bulb but what the socket took was a smaller plug in type. Luckily, before we left the old van at the dealer, Lenny took out all the extra parts he had (bulbs, fuses, etc). So we did have the right size bulb in the glove compartment. While Lenny finished up with that, I ran back into Walmart to return the bulb I had just bought. Back in the truck, we headed out again only to stop at McDonalds for a couple of Egg Mcmuffins because Lenny was hungry. We finally were on the highway about 8:15 - about 30 minutes behind at this point in time.

Our drive was really uneventful. Abby and I played travel bingo and she "won" a highlights hidden picture sticker book which she used right away. She also "won" a Casper DVD. We didn’t make too many stops either. We made one in Connecticut and this was a nice rest area. At this one, the Boy Scouts had a canopy set up and they were providing people with coffee, donuts, lemonade and hot dogs - all for free. They also had a bin set up for donations. Lenny grabbed a coffee, Abby a donut. I didn’t take anything as I left my money in the van. I felt that I would be taking advantage of them by taking anything else without leaving something in return.

Around 11:30, we stopped in Poughkeepsie New York again for McDonalds. It’s the same one we stopped at last year, so we found it with no problem. We stayed only long enough to eat, then we were back on the road again. We had no problems driving until we hit 81 South in Pennsylvania.

On 81 South, I have no idea what they are doing as both last year and this year, we saw only cones blocking one lane of traffic. We didn’t see any signs of construction or of workers actually working. We saw them standing around talking or driving in the blocked off lane. Because of the one lane being blocked off, as we neared mile marker 163, we hit a backup of traffic that started at mile marker 156. It took us about 25 minutes to go those few miles. The good thing about the backup?? We saw an 18 wheeler flatbed so large that it’s load looked downright tiny. And I was able to get pictures of it.


We got stuck in another traffic jam a little later as well and it took us probably 30 minutes to get through that one as well. All in all, we didn’t do too bad. We were at our hotel in Hagerstown Maryland and all checked in about 6 PM. It’s the same hotel we stayed at coming home last year and the room was the same too (a king suite) so I didn’t take any new pictures.

After a quick dinner at Cracker Barrel, we went back to the hotel for the pool. There were a few people in it and it was cold IMO so I went into the hot tub for a few minutes. I got out and watched Lenny and Abby for a few more but the heat of the room and all the chlorine started really bothering my eyes so I left them to swim and went back to the room. A little while later, Lenny and Abby came in the room, we got ready for bed, then we called my mother to talk to her for a bit. Despite having gotten up early, we didn’t go to sleep until after 9 PM. And Lenny and I didn’t sleep all that well either. We can’t put our finger on why, we just know we didn’t sleep well.
__________________
Disney 2018 TR COMPLETED 10-20-18 POSTS 266 - 273
Looking for my previous TR's? Here they are
My Previous TripsAll WDW - July 1980 off property - July 1981 FW - July 1983 FW - July 1985 FW - August 1987 FW - July 1988 Treehouse Villas - July 1990 Treehouse Villas - July 1997 FW - August 2006 AS Sports, 1st time with DH and DD - August 2008 AS Sports - August 2009 AS Sports - August 2010 AS Sports - July 2011 AS Sports - August 2013 AS Music - August 2014 AS Music - August 2015 AS Music - August 2016 AS Music - August 2018 AS Music, Kate (lovewdw2) joined us for the weekend
CinderAbby is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 09:56 AM   #2
JoanneS
Community Rank: Explorer
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Peterborough, NH
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 11,088

Post Thanks / Like
Great start! Can't wait to hear more.
__________________


Rico: He's not a mutt, he's a "Designer Breed."
My Countdown Counting down to: Its all about the Food and Wine
Tasting it All
My Previous TripsWDW Nov 1987, offsite WDW-April 2007, AS-Movies WDW-Dec. 2007, Contemporary WDW-Jan. 2009, Caribbean Beach WDW-April 2009, AS-Music Family Suites WDW-Dec. 2009, Port Orleans French Quarter WDW-May 2010, Boardwalk Inn WDW-Nov. 2010, Animal Kingdom Lodge WDW-Jan. 2011, Port Orleans Riverside/Polynesian WDW-Oct. 2011, Pop Century WDW - Jan. 2012, Wilderness Lodge WDW - Jan. 2013, Art of Animation and Yacht Club WDW - Oct. 2013, Coronado Springs WDW- Jan. 2014, All Star Sports WDW - Jan. 2015, Grand Floridian WDW - Dec. 2015, Beach Club Resort
JoanneS is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 09:58 AM   #3
B.M.
Community Rank: Explorer
 
B.M.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,903

Post Thanks / Like
Glad to see you started your TR! Glad the drive is going well, despite traffic. Can't wait to hear more!
__________________
B.
My Countdown Counting down to: Road Trip IV
!!!!!******!!!!!*****!!!!!!*****!!!!!!*****!!!!!** ***!!!!!*****
My Previous TripsWDW/Pop Century June 2008-- WDW/AS Movies Thanksgiving 2009-- WDW/Pop Century March 2010-- DCL/Wonder to Alaska May 2011-- WDW/Vaca Home off property Christmas 2012-- WDW/AS Music Christmas 2014
B.M. is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 10:53 AM   #4
vfair
Community Rank: Trekker
 
vfair's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kansas City
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 1,814

Post Thanks / Like
Great start Darlene. Sorry about all the hold-ups but at least you're on your way!
__________________
Vicki in KC


My Countdown Counting down to: 2009 WDW Vacation
It's here!
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsOff Site July 1984, Off Site July 1987, Off Site May 1993, Dixie Landings March 1996, Dixie Landings May 1997, OKW May 1999, OKW May 2000, OKW April 2001, BWV Jan 2003, BCV Oct 2003, BWV Sept 2004, BWV Oct 2005, BWV Oct 2006, BWV Oct 2007, BCV Oct 2008
vfair is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 10:57 AM   #5
chezp
PassPorter Message Board Manager
PassPorter Guide Author

Community Rank:
Legend VIP
 
chezp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 190,285

Post Thanks / Like
Great start - you're on your way!
__________________

Relaxing on board the Magic. The trip report for our back-to-back cruises on the Disney Magic has started!
My Countdown Counting down to: 2019
Happy New Year!
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous Trips21 trips to WDW, 6 to Disneyland in California, 9 to Disneyland Paris, 1 to Hong Kong Disneyland, 1 to Tokyo Disney, 1 to Aulani, 1 to Hilton Head, 2 to Vero Beach and 13 Disney cruises on the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy
chezp is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 11:21 AM   #6
elisa1006
Community Rank: Scout
 
elisa1006's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 4,657

Post Thanks / Like
GREAT start! Those pics are too cute!!!

Looking forward to more!
__________________
Elisa
My Countdown Counting down to: First Cruise - Disney Dream
Dreams do come true!
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsFirst trip to WDW, May 1999 for senior trip. Worked at WDW college program Jan to May 2000. First family trip, June 10-18 2009, ASMO. Surprise trip May 31 - June 7, 2010, Wilderness Lodge. Oct 26-Nov3 POP. Aug 27 - Sept 7th Beach Club
elisa1006 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 11:37 AM   #7
knzyzach
Community Rank: Traveler
 
knzyzach's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 290

Post Thanks / Like
Great! Love the Pic of the truck very funny..
Fund Raising at a Rest Stop! This is a great idea....

Quote:
Boy Scouts had a canopy set up and they were providing people with coffee, donuts, lemonade and hot dogs - all for free. They also had a bin set up for donations.
__________________

My Countdown Counting down to: 2013 Combo Trip Universal / IOA / Disney Dream
My Previous TripsWDW September 2014; Cruise Disney Dream November 2013; Cruise Disney Fantasy October 2012; WDW December 2009 Winter Vacation; WDW September 2008 DS 11th Birthday; WDW June 2006 DD 5th Birthday; WDW November 2005 Honeymoon; WDW September 2001 DS 4th Birthday
knzyzach is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 01:19 PM   #8
lauren-roxy
Community Rank:
Legend Extraordinaire
 
lauren-roxy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ohio Football Hall Of Fame
Posts: 42,304

Post Thanks / Like
Great start Darlene!!!
__________________
Lori
My Countdown Counting down to: Last day of school!!!
My oldest is off to the middle school!
My Previous TripsWe go to Disney every July for our Annual Trip
lauren-roxy is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 01:31 PM   #9
hoosiermomma2
Community Rank: Traveler
 
hoosiermomma2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 349

Post Thanks / Like
Enjoying reading your report!
__________________
my little man
My Countdown Counting down to: Our First Ever Disney Vacation
Hurrah!
My Previous TripsOur first visit---Sept 2009--AKL
hoosiermomma2 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 01:39 PM   #10
wayneava81
Community Rank: Jetsetter
 
wayneava81's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Abita Springs LA
Posts: 2,327

Post Thanks / Like
Great start!
__________________
Amber
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsWDW 1992, ASSp 1995, ASMo 2004, ASMo 2005, ASMo 2007,ASMu Jan. 08, ASMu Jan.09,PoFQ Mar. 11, CB May 2012, AsSp February 2013,Pop Sept. 2015
wayneava81 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 01:45 PM   #11
christiejay
Community Rank: Globetrotter
 
christiejay's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,651

Post Thanks / Like
Glad to see you've started on your report. That little truck on the flatbed was funny! Sorry about the traffic delays, but it sounds like everything else seems to be going well. Looking forward to reading more!
__________________
Christie
Read my Gatlinburg Trip Report
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous Trips1975 - offsite; 1979 - offsite; 1983 - offsite; 1985 - offsite; 1988 - Days Inn Suites; 1992 - Days Inn Suites; 1994 - Days Inn Suites; 1996 - Caribbean Beach - Aruba; 1999 - Fort Wilderness - tent; 2000 - Fort Wilderness - cabin; 2000 - offsite (CM sister's apartment); 2005 - Pop Century - 70's; 2008 - Wilderness Lodge - lobby; 2009 - All-Star Sports - Baseball
christiejay is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 03:15 PM   #12
bfth
Community Rank: Jetsetter
 
bfth's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: NJ
Posts: 2,825

Post Thanks / Like
Looking forward to reading more!
__________________
My Countdown Counting down to:
Vacation Over.
bfth is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 03:38 PM   #13
emtpej
Community Rank: Explorer
 
emtpej's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Hollywood on the Potomac (DC)
Posts: 7,486

Post Thanks / Like
Good Start!
__________________
EJ, At your service!
See my TRs about a National Treasure , The National Aquarium, the Navy Memorial, the National Air and Space Museum , my Land and Sea '08 PTR and my WDW Raincloud TR
Callahan's Law: "Shared pain is lessened; shared joy, increased—thus do we refute entropy."
-- This is well observed, here at PassPorter!
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsWDW June 1979 (offsite), WDW July, 2005 (POR), July 2008 -- Poly and the Wonder
emtpej is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 03:43 PM   #14
bitterchickey
Community Rank: Explorer
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 9,843

Post Thanks / Like
That truck picture is hilarious! Isn't it funny how everyone has those little issues that delay things (i.e. the light). Glad you had the spares!
__________________
My PassPorter Bookshelf
bitterchickey is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2009, 03:46 PM   #15
emtpej
Community Rank: Explorer
 
emtpej's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Hollywood on the Potomac (DC)
Posts: 7,486

Post Thanks / Like
Quote:
Originally Posted by CinderAbby View Post
We were at our hotel in Hagerstown Maryland and all checked in about 6 PM.

After a quick dinner at Cracker Barrel, we went back to the hotel for the pool.
We dined at that Cracker Barrel on our way through on August 14th. We don't have any close by, so we like to stop at them when we can.

By the way, they seem to have a good many penny presses around Niagara Falls!
__________________
EJ, At your service!
See my TRs about a National Treasure , The National Aquarium, the Navy Memorial, the National Air and Space Museum , my Land and Sea '08 PTR and my WDW Raincloud TR
Callahan's Law: "Shared pain is lessened; shared joy, increased—thus do we refute entropy."
-- This is well observed, here at PassPorter!
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsWDW June 1979 (offsite), WDW July, 2005 (POR), July 2008 -- Poly and the Wonder
emtpej is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Reply




Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump














Please login or register to hide these ads -- it's free and easy!

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:44 AM.

-->

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Feedback Buttons provided by Advanced Post Thanks / Like v3.4.0 Patch Level 1 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
(c) 1998-2017 PassPorter Travel Press/MediaMarx, Inc.
Celebrating 19 Years of Making Dreams Come True
Ad Management plugin by RedTyger