A New Grade, A New House, and A Surprise! TR August 21-31 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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!
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A New Grade, A New House, and A Surprise! TR August 21-31
Since my summer vacation is almost here, I figured now was as good a time as any to start my PTR.
A little explanation of the title - lots of changes are happening in our lives right now. For the past 11 years, I have taught 7th or 8th grade and loved it (most of the time!); however, despite an amazing class this year, I have been feeling like I needed a change. When the time for next year's grade assignments came, I mentioned to my principal that I would be open to anything. And I got it! I will be moving to Grade 2 next year and I am excited and ready to pass out at the same time.
On a family front, we decided that we wanted a different style house with a little more space, so a house-hunting we went. After looking for a while, we decided to build in a neighbourhood close by - the kids will remain at their school and it's in a great location. Then came the stress of selling ours - yikes! Never again It took weeks of sorting and organizing, but we got the house 'show-ready' and listed it. Much to our delight, it sold in 6 days. Then fell through.
So on the market we went again, but I am happy to say that we have officially sold it and we are set to move 2 weeks after school starts.
And last, but not least, the 3rd part of the title. I have always told the kids ahead of time that we are going to Disney and they have been actively involved in the planning and the details. Since we have gone the past 5 years, they assumed we were going this year, but DH and I were worried about them 'expecting' to go all the time (even though we do love going!), so we deferred telling them we had booked the trip.
When they asked again in the spring whether we were going, we told them not this year because of the new house. They were disappointed, but understood. Their request to make up for not going to Disney? A trip to the zoo. Well, okay then, we can go to the zoo.
Our initial plan was to tell them when school was out, then DH suggested telling them the day of. I have always loved the idea of this, but never thought I could keep my big mouth shut, but lo and behold, here we are in July and we are leaving in a month, and I still haven't spilled the beans! Yay me!
The plan is to pack on a day that they go to day camp and if they ask where such-and-such is, I'll just say I packed it for the move. Hopefully no one will be the wiser. As for the telling, we are going to have a 'camp-out' in our living room (kids love to watch a movie and sleep in their sleeping bags there), so when we wake them in the morning, they will be together when they are told. Hopefully they will lose their minds
Up Next: The cast.....
__________________
Stacey
Why do these kids look so pathetic?
Find out in: A New Grade, A New House, and A Surprise!Final Thoughts 01/30
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Great start! I was a fifth grade teacher before I moved down to 2nd. I know what you mean about change. Sometimes I need something to change or I'll lose my mind. Great start!
I hope that you and your family have a magical time at the world
__________________
Heather - "I'm Tinkerbell's biggest fan!"
WDW - August 1997 Off Property
WDW - January 2005 AKL
WDW - May 2006 Pop Century
WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
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WDW- july 2015 beach club
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Great start! I was a fifth grade teacher before I moved down to 2nd. I know what you mean about change. Sometimes I need something to change or I'll lose my mind. Great start!
Thanks! How's life in the 2nd grade? I'm hoping I'll enjoy it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by bsblady01
I hope that you and your family have a magical time at the world
Thanks so much!
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneymom57
Wow, you have been busy! A trip to WDW is just what you need. I hope your kids go crazy with the reveal!
Yep, little bit busy And I hope they do too!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Wow, you have been through the changes!
Congrats on keeping the secret so far and with the next few weeks!
I've been doing a lot of deep breathing to get through the insanity of our lives right now!
Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzspal2
Great start. I'm looking forward to the reveal.
Thanks! Just hoping nobody who knows we are going slips and tells the kids! They shouldn't, but you never know!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coop
Congrats on the house, the new assignment and trip! Looking forward to reading more!
Thanks so much!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great start! That's gonna be one big change going from 7th/8th to 2nd! Can't wait to meet the cast!
Thanks Marnie! I'm super excited, but it is going to be SOOOO different!
Quote:
Originally Posted by belle0517
Great start!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
Congratulations on a lot of great changes. What a wonderful way to surprise them!!
Thanks for the congrats Meg!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
I love reading about surprise trips! I don't think I'd like to be surprised, myself, as I enjoy the anticipation so much, but with kids it's great.
I agree with you - I wouldn't want to be surprised; I like daydreaming about the trip too much This will be the one and only time we surprise them. The weird thing is DD woke up a few weeks ago and told us about a dream she had: We surprised them with a trip to Disney! She said it was the best dream ever. I almost choked on my coffee when she told us
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMB733
Great Start!!! Congrats on the new grade to teach and the new house!!! Hope the kids are surprised about going to Disney!!
Thanks so much!
Quote:
Originally Posted by magic mickey
Congrats on all the big changes. We surprised our kids once and it was our most memorable trip ever. Don't forget to videotape their reaction
Oh, you've made me more excited! I'm planning on double videotaping just in case something happens with one!
__________________
Stacey
Why do these kids look so pathetic?
Find out in: A New Grade, A New House, and A Surprise!Final Thoughts 01/30
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
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It took weeks of sorting and organizing, but we got the house 'show-ready' and listed it. Much to our delight, it sold in 6 days. Then fell through. 
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Pixie Dust
PassPorter Guide Author
with the next few weeks!
That's gonna be one big change going from 7th/8th to 2nd! 
Lisa 
And I hope they do too! 
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