Forums Closed
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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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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.
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06-09-2005, 02:05 AM
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#1
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Dopey's biggest fan!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: China Spring, TX
Concierge Level: 9
Posts: 26,975
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DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- DAY 3 PART 1 updated 8/3!!!!!
Well, it sure is different for me to be posting a TR on this thread!!! 
Since I am now 2 weeks out from my trip, I thought I would get a start on my report . . . here goes!!!
<font color="green"> What I Did on my Summer Vacation --- a SoCal trip report!!!</font>
Destination: San Diego, CA, the one and only Disneyland in Anaheim, CA and my parents’ house in Oregon ----- then home for 2 days before heading to in-laws’ house in St. Louis! 
Dates:
Wednesday, June 22, 2005 until Monday, July 18, 2005 and Thursday, July 21 – Saturday, July 30, 2005
Adventurers:
Me, Sarah (28) - born and raised (till age 12) in San Diego, veteran of a few Disneyland trips and VERY homesick!!!
DD, Emilie (4 ˝) - never been to California!
DM, Barbara (50) - not the biggest fan of any theme park, but Disneyland was HER IDEA!!!
DF, Dan (51) - has been dying to take Emilie to DL since the day she was born!!!
. . . with appearances by DSis, Tina (24), DSis, Julie (23), DBiL, Robert (23), our family dogs, Jake and Cricket  AND DH, DMIL and FIL.
Resorts:
San Diego – Holiday Inn Express – San Diego/Sea World Area
Disneyland – Park Vue Inn
. . . and, of course, my old bedroom (which has been converted into a “den”) at my parents’ house in Oregon . . . then the guest bedroom at the in-laws' house in St. Louis
Celebrations:
No real celebration . . . DH is just out of town for a few months (thanks US Navy!), so my parents though I might like a change of scenery for a while!  Oh, but my baby sis turns 23 on June 17th!
<font color="red">“To all who come to this happy place . . . WELCOME!”</font>
<font color="green">Well, I sure didn’t think I would be saying this until sometime next year . . . if at all . . . but . . . </font>
<font color="blue">I’M GOING TO DISNEYLAND!!!</font>
<font color="green">Here’s how this all came to be . . .
My DH, Mike, is in the Navy. He is currently an instructor, teaching sailors fresh out of boot camp all about how to perform maintenance on aircraft electrical systems. The main schools are here in Pensacola, but they started up a smaller program identical to the schools here up in Great Lakes, IL. The instructors down here have been going to Great Lakes to teach in groups of 2-5 for 3 month shifts since November. Well, Mike was lucky enough to get looked over for the first couple of shifts, but he was up for this one!
So on May 6th, he took off driving to the Chicago area . . . leaving Emilie and I alone for the summer! Well, what to do . . . our “big” summer plans involved purchasing our new couch and loveseat, lounging by the pool and going to the beach a few times. Yeah, real exciting, huh?
Well . . . a couple of weeks after Mike left, my mom called me from her cell phone (which is VERY rare . . . ) She hardly let me get a word out of my mouth before she blurted out . . . “Your dad and I just bought you guys plane tickets. You’re meeting us in San Diego!” ------------ Wha-Wha-Whaaaaaaaaat?! -------------After asking her “What just happened?” She explained that she and my dad are going to Arizona to visit my grandfather as soon as school is out (she works for the school district) and they will be driving back home via San Diego. So, they’re going to fly us out to meet them there . . . we’ll spend a couple of days there . . . then we’re going to spend 2 ˝ days at Disneyland!!! (then we’ll drive north, home to Oregon, which is where I will spend the next 3 weeks)
Like I am going to argue over or say no to a free trip . . . to DISNEYLAND!!! 
So, the plans were all set . . . fly out of Pensacola mid-day on June 22nd, spend that evening, the next day and morning of the 24th in San Diego, drive to Anaheim the afternoon of the 24th, Disneyland on the 25th and 26th then start driving home the morning of the 27th (arriving home mid-day on the 28th . . . after an overnight stop in northern CA). Then we’ll spend until July 18th at mom and dad’s!
Sounds like a great plan, right? Well, DH and FIL didn’t think so . . . commence the family fight!!!</font>
NEXT UP: More pre-trip fun: Sarah’s happy trip planning gives way to angry rants and raves!!!  |
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06-09-2005, 02:07 AM
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#2
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Dopey's biggest fan!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: China Spring, TX
Concierge Level: 9
Posts: 26,975
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- PreTrip updated 6/9!!!
More pre-trip fun: Sarah’s happy trip planning gives way to angry rants and raves!!!
<font color="green">
BEWARE!!! RANT IN PROGRESS!!!
As soon as I told DH, DMIL and FIL (do notice the lack of D with FIL!) of my summer plans, I was met with resistance! DH was upset that I would not be (spending money we don’t have) coming to Chicago to see him . . . FIL just couldn’t “figure out - #1 – why you’d wanna go to San Diego. It isn’t that great and the one time we were there we had a horrible time. #2 – why would you want to go to Disneyland when you’ve already been to Disney World? You’ll all be so disappointed . . . I can tell you we were very unimpressed. Besides, we’d rather you just come here instead.”
I was a little angry . . . and A LOT hurt!!! I used my “nice voice”, but I let him have it . . . basically, here’s what I told him . . .
#1 – why I want to go to San Diego . . . Well, for one thing, I was born there! I lived there until I was 12 years old . . . I have 5 tons of childhood memories of that city! I love San Diego and will ALWAYS consider it “home” . . . I also haven’t been back to visit since 1998 (7 years!!!). Maybe if, when the in-laws made their visit to San Diego, they had done some of the things I had suggested, they might have had a better experience . . . that’s what they get for not listening to me!!!
#2 – why DL after WDW . . . he seems to forget that I grew up just 80 miles from Disneyland. That meant LOTS of day trips while I was growing up!!! DL was the park I saw FIRST . . . DL was the park that started the whole thing . . . My favorite place is Walt Disney World, but I have a special place in my heart for Disneyland and I think that any real, true Disney fan can understand that!!! Obviously, the March Disneyfication trip didn’t affect FIL. . . . Also, it has been 11 years since the last time I saw Disneyland . . . 1994, right after I graduated high school! AND it is Disneyland’s 50th birthday!!! WHY NOT?!
----------------- “Besides, we’d rather you just come here instead?!” ------------------
I am SO not telling my mother about that because she will rip the man’s head off . . . he basically came right out and told me to blow off MY OWN FAMILY for a month because he would rather have us come spend a WEEK with them!!! I told him as nicely as I could, “Thanks for the invite, but we’ll be spending some time with my family since I haven’t seen them since last August and we just saw you guys in March!”
DMIL understood completely, but FIL just couldn’t seem to get it through his big head!!! Eventually, I just stopped talking about ANYTHING to him! Now I totally see where DH gets his stubbornness from . . . unfortunately, it took 6 years to come out and it is all about jealousy over my family spending time with Emilie too!!! UGH!!!  Why can’t we all just get along?
Well, I finally felt like it was cool to start planning a little again after I put my foot down . . . and it’s a good thing too!!! Mom had been so wrapped up in things at work and buying tickets for everything we planned on doing during our short trip, that she forgot to make hotel reservations!!! After a gentle reminder from me . . . “DUH! Hey mom . . . it might help if you made those, huh?” . . . she made a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express – San Diego/Sea World Area for 2 nights then one at the Park Vue Inn in Anaheim (right across Harbor Blvd. From DL! ) for 3 nights!
Everything was set then . . . Dad and I were busy making and comparing lists of what we wanted to do (and eat  ) in our short time in SoCal . . . then FIL started calling again! “So, when were you planning on making time to come visit with us?” (well, I wasn’t really . . . ) He was heck-bent on flying us up for the first 2 weeks of this month . . . his parents (DH’s grandparents) were auctioning their household goods since they are now full-time in assisted living and sold their house. FIL thought it would be “very rude” of me to not be there for a “family function”. By this point, we were about 10-12 days away from the event (June 4th was the auction) . . . NO WAY am I dropping everything and NO WAY are your going to find a ticket out of Pensacola for under $700 each this close!  He suggested I leave on June 1st and drive up, then drive back a couple of weeks later . . . which would give me about 3 days to get laundry done and packed for the “BIG” trip!!! I suggested I come after my trip home . . . he suggested I “should be nice enough” to come there first . . . I suggested I not come at all! (I wasn’t about to budge!!! Now if I could just bargain like that when it comes to yard sales!!!)
DH was jumping on the wagon with his dad and things just got downright miserable for a few days! Finally, one day while FIL was at work, DMIL called, saying “We need to talk about this ‘stubborn’ Jack thing.” So, I explained my frustration with the whole situation and that I would be glad to come visit, but I would not be doing so until AFTER my visit with MY family. She said she thought it was a great idea and that she thought it was WAY too short a notice . . . (FIL was still calling as of June 1st, trying to get me to come up there on June 3rd!!! ) then gave me her credit card number, telling me to just buy plane tickets for whenever is convenient for me, which I did . . . finally happy and stress-free! </font>
NEXT UP: A look back on Disneyland in 1994 . . . what was there that isn’t now . . . and what WASN’T there that IS now!
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06-09-2005, 06:18 AM
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#3
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Living Seas wannabe
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 31,940
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- PreTrip updated 6/9!!!
Sarah sorry to hear that FIL is being such a pain... hope things improve and you can have a great trip to see both families.
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06-09-2005, 08:26 AM
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#4
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Community Rank: Explorer 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Posts: 13,817
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- PreTrip updated 6/9!!!
I'm sorry FIL is giving you such a hard time.
Your plans sound great! I went to DL before WDW and it holds a special place in my heart too - I just  the Mattahorn!
Have a great time! |
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06-09-2005, 08:51 AM
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#5
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Community Rank: Legend 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Concierge Level: 7
Posts: 18,767
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- PreTrip updated 6/9!!!
Yay!!! Another TR from Sarah!! Sorry to hear about all the FIL issues, but glad DMIL seems to be understanding! I can't wait to see your flashback to 1994. Looking forward to more!!
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06-09-2005, 09:10 AM
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#6
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New York
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 7,960
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- PreTrip updated 6/9!!!
Whew! After dealing with your FIL, you deserve this trip! I'm so glad you were able to work out a solution. Can't wait for more!
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06-10-2005, 10:31 PM
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#7
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Community Rank: Globetrotter 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: California
Posts: 3,878
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- PreTrip updated AGAIN 6/9!!!
I hope you have a great time, I'm sure you will. Try to do the SD Zoo while you are in SD. Its a great Zoo.
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06-13-2005, 09:57 PM
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#8
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Community Rank: Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Posts: 27,691
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- PreTrip updated AGAIN 6/9!!!
Awesome pictures! I sure hope you can log on and give us updates!  |
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06-13-2005, 11:51 PM
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#9
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Niagara Falls
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 12,431
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- PreTrip updated AGAIN 6/9!!!
You look just like Emilie in the picture with your dad!!! Too funny!!!
We're going to miss you!!! PLease have fun and stop in as often as you can!
Jennifer
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06-14-2005, 09:05 PM
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#10
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Community Rank: Globetrotter
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: California
Posts: 3,878
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- PreTrip updated AGAIN 6/9!!!
those great pictures from your past. You are going to have so much fun
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08-02-2005, 11:22 AM
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#11
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Community Rank: Jetsetter 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,022
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- DAY 2 updated 8/1!!!
Sarah, I am sorry to hear that your FIL was giving you such a hard time. Good for you to stick to your guns. Waiting to read more!!
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08-02-2005, 11:38 AM
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#12
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Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ohio Football Hall Of Fame
Posts: 42,304
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- DAY 2 updated 8/1!!!
Great update Sarah!! Your pictures at the zoo are awesome!! How cool to see where you went to school and lived when you were younger!! Can't wait to read more!!
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08-02-2005, 12:10 PM
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#13
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Community Rank: Trekker 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Harrisburg, PA
Posts: 1,410
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- DAY 2 updated 8/1!!!
So glad you "plugged" your TR in the Sunroom....I didn't realize you had started it back up again! I love your trip reports! Lookin' forward to more! |
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08-02-2005, 12:30 PM
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#14
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Southampton, U.K.
Posts: 8,125
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- DAY 2 updated 8/1!!!
Great photos Sarah!
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08-02-2005, 01:00 PM
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#15
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But why is the rum gone?
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Needville, Texas
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 12,286
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Re: DopeyGirl Goes to Disneyland!!! --- DAY 2 updated 8/1!!!
Great update Sarah!!! I love the pics!!
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