The trip of many changes... TRIP REPORT UPDATED 4/25 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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The trip of many changes... TRIP REPORT UPDATED 4/25
Welcome to the second part of this trip report, which will cover our cruise on the Disney Wonder around the southern Caribbean. If you’re only just joining up, then firstly where have you been? but secondly, here’s what you’ve already missed in the first part of the trip report, which covers our travels to Walt Disney World and the two and a bit days we spent there.
You join us just as we’re leaving the Wilderness Lodge to head for the airport…
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We headed back to the room and picked up our bags and headed out, with me getting some final shots of the lodge as we left. We really had both fallen in love with the place and I think we’ll be back here. It’s certainly more likely we’ll be back here than Bay Lake Tower, for example, as we just adore the theming here.
Then we made our way out…
We weren’t sure how much of a mess it was going to be getting out of the Magic Kingdom area, but because of the time of day (about 10:20am), it was fine. Look at all the work they’re doing here!
We were soon on the toll road and I deposited as many coins as I could at each toll plaza. I’m sure each member of staff loved me for that!
We had a clear run and before long, we were heading off at the airport turning on to a whole heap of new roads. It’s amazing how much changes and has been built in between each trip we make.
We found our way back to Alamo and honestly it was the easiest drop ever. The guy literally told us everything was included and we were good to go and that was it. I can’t fault Alamo for this car rental. Let’s hope the second of this trip is just as good…
We headed into the terminal and upstairs to security…
Oh my goodness, what a mess! It was saying the wait time was 20-25 minutes and I suspect it was. We asked if we could use the wheelchair accessible line and the woman there told us the airport had no problem with it, but TSA might tell us to go back to the beginning. I decided it wasn’t worth risking, so we headed through the line. Thankfully they’d just opened up another bit of queue area, so at least we were walking for quite a bit of that time, rather than standing.
Because they were slammed, we were told everything was to go inside our hand luggage – i.e. liquids, cameras etc. There would be no bins to put anything in. Ok… interesting. They told us it was much quicker, which does beg the question why they don’t do this all the time and also is it safe? Let’s not dwell too much on that…
We were quickly through and headed for the tram. It ended up being one of the new ones, which was neat to see.
When we got to the terminal building itself, we made our way to the gate. I decided to ask about pre-boarding, as my ankle was killing with all the standing and I really did not want to be rushed by anyone today. I didn’t want to risk someone slamming into me, if I was taking things slowly. The guy just asked me if I wanted wheelchair assistance and, much as I hate to ask, I knew it was the right thing to do, so I said and that’s where I sat perched waiting to board.
However, I wasn’t alone. There must’ve been about 15 of us in wheelchairs and only airport staff are allowed to take you down to the plane, which I understand completely, but my goodness, it slows the process down, especially as there were only three of them to deal with everyone. Mark did volunteer to take me, but was told in no uncertain circumstances that wasn’t possible, which made sense, given how hard he braked – I was nearly catapulted out!
We asked if Mark could go with me, as that wasn’t clear and the guy was fine with it, so we boarded first thing and thank goodness we did. It was a full flight and towards the end of boarding, people were being told that they’d have to put their roller luggage in the hold.
MCO security is always so backed up. We've been fortunate the last few times we've flown, to be randomly chosen for TSA pre check, and that line moves very fast.
I'm surprised that they can change the rules and request that you leave all items in your bag. As you say, if it's so much faster why don't they do it all the time?
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MCO security is always so backed up. We've been fortunate the last few times we've flown, to be randomly chosen for TSA pre check, and that line moves very fast.
I think, given what we experienced, it would be an honour to be chosen for TSA pre-check there... it would make all the difference not having to stand in that, at least for me with my chronic fatigue.
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I'm surprised that they can change the rules and request that you leave all items in your bag. As you say, if it's so much faster why don't they do it all the time?
I am not a fan of MCO security as you never know what they want you to do with your stuff and they aren’t the friendliest bunch. Glad you were able to get assistance on to the plane.
I am not a fan of MCO security as you never know what they want you to do with your stuff and they aren’t the friendliest bunch. Glad you were able to get assistance on to the plane.
You're right, they do seem to change their mind about what they want you to do, which never exactly instils confidence...
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So glad you enjoyed your stay at WL so much! It's such a beautiful resort, so many details that I think a lot of guests don't even know about.
I've always had good experiences with Alamo too, easy peasy.
When I flew Chicago to Paris, they told us the same thing. Keep everything inside our bags, no separate liquid nonsense, no separate laptops, keep everything inside our bags and don't bother taking shoes off either. They were just rush, rush, rush. Like back in the old days! I guess maybe it just means the Xray employees have to study the screens a little bit harder? I don't know.
My mom uses a wheelchair regularly at airports and they are particular as to who gets to push - and when. My Dad has pushed her through the airport itself before, but there were some airports where they required an employee to do that. But getting on to the actual plane is almost always by an employee! (that I can remember anyway!)
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So glad you enjoyed your stay at WL so much! It's such a beautiful resort, so many details that I think a lot of guests don't even know about.
I would definitely stay there in a heartbeat again and honestly? I think it's now my favourite of all the Magic Kingdom resorts.
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I've always had good experiences with Alamo too, easy peasy.
We used to rent with them many years ago and had a couple of bad experiences, so I was very pleasantly surprised with them this trip. I think they're going to be my number go-to car rental company now, based on our experience with them.
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When I flew Chicago to Paris, they told us the same thing. Keep everything inside our bags, no separate liquid nonsense, no separate laptops, keep everything inside our bags and don't bother taking shoes off either. They were just rush, rush, rush. Like back in the old days! I guess maybe it just means the Xray employees have to study the screens a little bit harder? I don't know.
Wow, so our experience obviously wasn't a one off!
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My mom uses a wheelchair regularly at airports and they are particular as to who gets to push - and when. My Dad has pushed her through the airport itself before, but there were some airports where they required an employee to do that. But getting on to the actual plane is almost always by an employee! (that I can remember anyway!)
I can understand it with the ramp, but even through the airport? Wow, I would've thought they'd have been happy to free up an airport employee from doing that.
When we have our own wheelchair I’m allowed to push Mike onboard (actually through the jetway as we then gate check the chair right before stepping on to the plane) but if we use the airport chair it always has to be airport personnel. It’s only been once that he used the chair to get all the way to his seat. If we’re able to preboard he can make his way though the aisle. Glad you did take advantage of that with your ankle and CFS.
When we have our own wheelchair I’m allowed to push Mike onboard (actually through the jetway as we then gate check the chair right before stepping on to the plane) but if we use the airport chair it always has to be airport personnel.
That's interesting. I'm guessing then it's something to do with it being airport equipment maybe?
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It’s only been once that he used the chair to get all the way to his seat. If we’re able to preboard he can make his way though the aisle. Glad you did take advantage of that with your ankle and CFS.
I didn't want to, but I'm glad I did. It was the right decision.
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but secondly, here’s what you’ve already missed in 
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I can’t fault Alamo for this car rental. Let’s hope the second of this trip is just as good… 
I didn’t want to risk someone slamming into me, if I was taking things slowly. The guy just asked me if I wanted wheelchair assistance and, much as I hate to ask, I knew it was the right thing to do, so I said 
and that’s where I sat perched waiting to board. 
Mark did volunteer to take me, but was told in no uncertain circumstances that wasn’t possible, which made sense, given how hard he braked – I was nearly catapulted out! 
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