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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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Hubby and I are planning a trip to Savannah in October and we were looking for a place to spend a night or two somewhere between Jacksonville and Savannah as we are planning on flying in/out of Jacksonville. Someone suggested Jekyll Island and from the little bit of information I have been able to find, it looks really nice.
Any info about the place that I can't find online? Any insider tips?
TIA
And feel free to throw any Savannah info my way too. Thanks! Also considering a day trip up to Charleston while in Savannah.
Jekyll Island is a really nice, relaxing beach area. I think it would be a great place to stay for a night, but just wanted to make sure you do realize that it's less than 2 hrs from the Jax airport to Savannah? Wasn't sure if you thought it was longer and a stop over would be necessary. The only real "tip" I can think of that sometimes people forget or don't know about is that there is a charge ($5 I think?) to get on the island, so have some cash handy.
Regarding Savannah tips....well, I live here. So I have lots! LOL Is there anything specific you'd like to know more about? Feel free to PM me or post here with any questions!
(PS - I see that you'll be coming in October....aside from the first week in April when the azaleas are blooming, October, IMO, is the best time to come!! )
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
The real reason for "escaping" Savannah early and making a stop on Jekyll Island is that the hotel rate in Savannah more than doubles for Friday and Saturday night, so I figured while we are in the area, why not visit another place that we've never been.
We're thinking we'll stay at the Mulberry Inn in Savannah and at the Hampton Inn on Jekyll Island. I'm in the early planning stages, since I'm not sure of the budget just yet (will be using our tax refund). We do like to walk and just see things.
We had been looking at the last week of Oct./first week of Nov., but the hotel rates go up on Thursday night too because of some Rock & Roll event that will be taking place the first weekend in Nov., so we're pushing the trip back to the last full week of Oct.
It is just hubby and I - a couple of 40 yr old kids.
The real reason for "escaping" Savannah early and making a stop on Jekyll Island is that the hotel rate in Savannah more than doubles for Friday and Saturday night, so I figured while we are in the area, why not visit another place that we've never been.
We're thinking we'll stay at the Mulberry Inn in Savannah and at the Hampton Inn on Jekyll Island. I'm in the early planning stages, since I'm not sure of the budget just yet (will be using our tax refund). We do like to walk and just see things.
We had been looking at the last week of Oct./first week of Nov., but the hotel rates go up on Thursday night too because of some Rock & Roll event that will be taking place the first weekend in Nov., so we're pushing the trip back to the last full week of Oct.
It is just hubby and I - a couple of 40 yr old kids.
Ah, the price thing makes total sense. The Rock N Roll event you mentioned is actually a marathon. It's part of the Rock N Roll Marathon Series, and it's going to be the first time it's in Savannah. (Just in case you were curious)
I'm trying to rack my brain on thinking where the Mulberry Inn is.... I can see the sign clearly in my head, but can't think of it's location. It's a nice place though. My dream B&B is the Kehoe House...but it's really hard to justify their prices when my own house is 15 minutes away, ya know?
Quote:
Originally Posted by kelleigh1
Oh, and can you recommend one place in Savannah to have a really nice dinner? We like to have one special dinner when we visit a new city.
Personally, I love The Pink House. DH and I have never had a bad experience there. The food is delicious, the wait staff is amazing, and the ambience of the old beautiful house (decorated to the period) is just wonderful. We also really enjoy Ruth's Chris (again, amazing food and service), but since that is a chain and found in other cities I thought you might prefer something "strictly" Savannah. Another really wonderful nice restaurant with gorgeous views of the river is Vic's On the River. Delicious food. I would recommend making reservations at any of those places, as they can be busy (especially Pink House).
Any more questions, feel free!
***PS - there is nothing like Halloween time in Savannah!! Whether you are believers or just want some fun, definitely take a ghost tour! The walking ones are best, IMO, and give much more information. Many of them give lots of historical info even if you aren't super into the ghost thing. I've been on several, and my favorites are the Sixth Sense Tours. (Whatever you do, skip the hearse tours and the Ghosts and Gravestones tours unless you want ultra-cheesy!)
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
And yes, you are right, I'd prefer an authentic Savannah place for dinner. We have a Ruth's Chris here in Boston and I see them when we travel, although I've never eaten there.
Mulberry is on Bay Street, all the way down at the end of the street from what I can see.
Know any fabulous breakfast spots? It's probably my favorite meal to eat out.
Yes, now I remember exactly where the Mulberry is! It's a great central location. You said you enjoy just walking and looking, and that is perfect for Savannah. DH, DS and I will often grab a dog (we've got a selection to choose from with 4 LOL), and drive downtown and just meander around for a couple hours. It's a very peaceful place. I don't know how you feel about cupcakes, but there is the BEST cupcake shop called Ms. Mabel's Cupcake Emporium on State Street. They make everything fresh that day, have many different flavors, and make normal sized cupcakes not the giant ones everywhere seems to have lately, so I don't feel too guilty eating one! But I digress, because you asked about breakfast....
Clary's is a Savannah classic. It's a diner that's been around forever. It's a bit of a hike from Bay St, but it's definitely walkable (I know because I've done it!). B Matthew's is another great place and it's right on Bay St.! It has awesome a delicious bfast menu (and has really great lunch sandwiches and soups too!). I know we're not being fans of chains, but there is a really yummy place called J. Christopher's that is a chain, but they only basically have them in Atlanta and here. It's on Liberty. Those are my favorites for bfast. (although if you like grits - I do NOT, but DH could eat them constantly) you will find those on a lot of menus morning, noon, and night! Oh, I thought of another dinner place (or lunch I think too) - Six Pence Pub. It's not super fancy or anything, but it has really good food and a nice pub ambience.
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
Great info! Thank you. And yes, I love cupcakes! We have a place here called Cupcake Charlie's and I have to stay away because every time I go near the place I gain 10 lbs. But they are just so good. They were on the show Cupcake Wars and should have won, but the other person's display was better.
Great info! Thank you. And yes, I love cupcakes! We have a place here called Cupcake Charlie's and I have to stay away because every time I go near the place I gain 10 lbs. But they are just so good. They were on the show Cupcake Wars and should have won, but the other person's display was better.
I've never heard of/seen the show Cupcake Wars, and I think it's a really good thing! I try to avoid contact with cupcakes at all cost, because once I see one, I have to eat one! (This makes for very fattening but delicious time at WDW)
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
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Wow - I didn't realize it had been so long ago that I originally posted this.
We are now just a little over a month away from our trip. We are heading to Savannah on Oct. 22 and staying at the Mulberry until the 27th, then heading to Jekyll Island for 2 nights at the Hampton.
We are flying in and out of Jacksonville, since I could get direct on Southwest from there and this gives us a chance to see more of Georgia as we drive back and forth.
We are also thinking of a day trip of Charleston once we're in Savannah since that will mean another state we'll get to visit.
Any updates or additional tips from anyone? I'll be reading through this again before we go so I can make notes. I feel like I have stuff everywhere and now I really need to organize it.
I just wanted to say hi again and I hope you have a great time here!!! If you are not too busy and would like to meet for lunch (believe me, if you are busy or just interested in a romantic week alone w/ your hubby I TOTALLY understand, just thought I'd throw the idea out there) I would be more than happy to meet up when you're here. I won't be working at that time, so weekday lunch would be easy for me.
Again have a great time and if you have any last minute questions, just throw them out there. One tip - keep a close eye on the weather as your trip gets closer. Our weather has been completely insane this week - 90s M-T, 70s F &Sat, then back up to 90 next week - so who knows what it will be like by the end of Oct. It's usually very beautiful (low 80s for highs, 60 for lows) at that time, but this year has been out of control weather-wise so you never know.
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
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Some recommendations while you are on Jekyll... visit the Sea Turtle Hospital - its over in the Historic District - as well as the Jekyll Island Club - very historic area with an old "club" converted to a beautiful hotel (hubby took me there for my birthday one year). Some beautiful dining options at the club. Of course there is driftwood beach on the north side of the island... and if you are looking for a more lively area - don't miss St. Simon's Island (the next island over - get there via Brunswick) - as well as Ft. Frederica National Monument and the St. Simon's lighthouse. My FIL lives in Brunswick and we live in JAX - so we are often up in that area.
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Is there anything specific you'd like to know more about? Feel free to PM me or post here with any questions!
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I try to avoid contact with cupcakes at all cost, because once I see one, I have to eat one! (This makes for very fattening but delicious time at WDW
I just wanted to say hi again and I hope you have a great time here!!! If you are not too busy and would like to meet for lunch (believe me, if you are busy or just interested in a romantic week alone w/ your hubby I TOTALLY understand, just thought I'd throw the idea out there) I would be more than happy to meet up when you're here. I won't be working at that time, so weekday lunch would be easy for me.
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