Dreaming of a Disney spring break - part three COMPLETED - Page 58 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Glad you got a great room--sorry about the shower! I hope it got fixed properly. I love Cirque shows and La Nouba is one of my favorites--I also love Mystere in Las Vegas!
Saturday 23 April – part one: a hidden lunchtime treasure
We were able to sleep in this morning, as for once, we didn’t have anything planned to get up for, so we wandered along to the concierge lounge when we were ready and I took the laptop to carry on writing up the trip report.
We chose one of the tables by the drinks, as they’re tucked out of the way and a bit more private. Not for long. We got the most annoying, whingeing British woman and her family turn up. Honestly, her tale of woe just carried on and on, as she complained about everything, particularly how crowded things were. Well, gosh what a shocker – it’s Easter, what the heck do you expect? This is not what I wanted to listen to at breakfast. After debating where to go today that wouldn’t have crowds ( with that one...!), they opted for a water park. Some people do make me laugh!
Having learnt my lesson from yesterday that you grab food and drink whenever you see it, as it won’t be around later, I got some mango juice and took it back to the room to put it in the fridge. I was pleasantly surprised to find that we had mousekeeping. I didn’t realise that you got it daily when you were staying on points on concierge level, so that was a nice discovery. We even got another cute offering from her....
There wasn’t much going on outside on the savannah, as they were refilling one of the watering holes.
It was time to head out, and on the way, we enquired about ADRs and were able to snag one for Restaurant Marrakesh at 12.00pm. Works for us!
After having failed to find anything much in the scrapbooking line at Disney this time around, which was a great shame I wanted to hit MouseMemories, having been so impressed with their stocks on our last trip.
It took us quite a while to get out there, although I did have some cow sightings on the way to pass the time..
When we got there, I found plenty of wonderful papers and embellishments, although to be honest, there were some papers, mainly of the national parks, that I was hoping to find there, but they were out of stock on quite a few items. Still, despite that, it was still well worth a visit.
Once I had stocked up, it was time to head back to Disney, as our lunchtime ADR at Marrakesh was fast approaching. Once again, we had a few bovine sightings to please me!
Soon we were back on property....
... and passing the Art of Animation Resort...
We headed over to the Beach Club, telling the security guy that honestly we were having lunch again at Beaches and Cream. I did say to Mark that we must look like the biggest Beaches and Cream fans in the world, as I think we’ve used that excuse for the last couple of days!
Still, it worked and we were in. We wandered through to Epcot and around World Showcase, which was amazingly quiet for Easter Saturday. Where was everyone?
We headed into Marrakesh and were seated immediately. To be honest, there was no way that we needed an ADR here. There couldn’t have been more than about 15 of us in total in here, with only a few tables in use. It’s such a shame, as every time we come here, we’re impressed with the quality of the food and today was no exception.
We did talk about it and wondered how the servers find it working here. It must be pretty boring for them at times when it’s so quiet. I could see a few loitering around with nothing to do and I felt quite sorry for them, as it’s nowhere near as good an experience as the Cast Members get in the other restaurants around World Showcase.
We did discuss ways to get more people in here and Mark came up with some good ideas, including a character meal. Just think, you could have an Aladdin meal with Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, the Genie and Jafar. Now that would be a good line-up that would bring more people in here.
We shared an appetiser of seafood bastilla, which was very nice. There would’ve been way too much for me, so I’m glad we did share it, as it was a good sized portion. It was on our table literally five minutes after we ordered it. I guess that’s what happens when a restaurant is this deserted.
For main course, I went for the vegetable couscous, which always delivers here – and it did again today. The vegetables they choose go so well with the couscous, which is a lot lighter than whenever we make it at home.
Mark had the chicken kebabs for entree and enjoyed them.
After we’d eaten all that, we were done. We got the check, which came to a stupidly low price of something like $40. This place is another that offers great value.
Restaurant Marrakesh:
Appetiser 9 9½
Entree 8½ 9
Service 7 6½
Atmosphere 8½ 8
Value for money 9 9
Average score: 8.40
Next: Impressions de France... as you’ve never seen it before!
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I love Morocco, but wasn't fond of Marrakesh when I tried it. I would go back again though, to try it. I really like the idea of that type of character meal, it would be a lot of fun!! They'd lose Jasmine at Akershus, but oh what a gain it would be to have Genie and Jafar!! Write an email in your persuasive way and see what happens!!
Can't wait to hear about a new way to see France's movie!
I think Mark's idea of a character meal at Marrakesh is great! I, too, always feel sorry that more people don't try this place. The decor of the restaurant is so beautiful and I do always enjoy the vegetable couscous. I guess people are afraid the food will be too exotic, but it's really not. The servers are always so nice and will give an explanation of some of the decor and Moroccan traditions if asked. This is one place I've always been able to walk right into without an ADR.
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That's almost spooky to see Epcot deserted like that, right at Easter time! Makes for some wonderful photos though with little to no people in them. I have yet to try this restaurant, but my parents rave about it. They go there every time.
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Great update! I am curious about you next update to come. I have to know where is Mouse Memories? I would love to find some more Disney Scrapbooking supplies!
Everyone must have opted to go to the waterparks that day instead of Epcot, just to annoy the woman you saw/heard at breakfast!! Wouldn't THAT have been a hoot!
Nice picturesof the Restaurant Marrakesh. Having never been, I'm thinking it might have to go on the "to-do" list.
Looking forward to hearing about the story that goes with the picture of you and Eeyore.
WOW!! I just got caught up on your trip report and I have two words: LOVE IT!!!
I love how you rate each of your restaurant experiences and at the end of each day you give a synopsis/review of best worst etc. Such a great thing to add to a TR! I also love all of your pictures. It really feels as though I am there with you btwn the pictures and your writings!
After looking over your pictures of Tokoyo Dining, I had my daughter look over the menu there. We have ADR's for Teppan Edo, but now we are not so sure.
We also love Marrakesh and think it is a hidden treasure. We would be going back there this trip if it was not for the want to try new restaurants at Epcot and we don't have a PH. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea of an Aladdin character dinner. It's genius and I wonder why Disney has not thought of that. I definitely think you should write a letter with the suggestion. Plus, it would give a character meal that was not just geared toward princesses for little boys (well girls would love it too, but you know what I mean, right?).
OH, as for that little boy...YIKES! I'm surprised that did not tie for your worst experience for the day that day. It amazes me how parents are not teaching there children how to behave these days! We also have the rule that everyone sits at the table until you are excused and manners are important not just at restaurants but at home too!
Thanks for having such and entertaining TR. I look forward to reading more!
Boy did I get behind! That's what I get for taking a short jaunt down to the beach, eh?
A few comments from earlier - that little boy needed some good discipline from some clued-in parents. Kids have their moments, no question. Meri definitely does. As a server myself, I see so many horrifically behaved children and their oblivious parents. It's a real shame, and I am seeing it more and more. It makes me worried at times, but at least I know I'm doing my best to do my part in raising a polite, (mostly) well mannered child.
I really need to make it a point to get to Marrakesh. Your photos look absolutely delicious! We had an ADR on our last visit but canceled it because we didn't go to the park that day. That'll teach us.
Last but not least - it makes me absolutely laugh that you are so unabashed about admitting you park at BC to go to EPCOT for a few hours. We do that too, when we drive. It's just easier.
And I really REALLY need to stop reading TR's before I eat...
Can't believe the low crowds, and on Easter weekend, no less!
What a GREAT idea to do a character meal at Marrakesh! Send that one in!
The restaurant is so beautiful, but we've only eaten there once as we found it didn't compare to Marrakesh here in DC. The chicken was quite dry. Maybe we need to give it a second try at some point.
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Honestly, her tale of woe just carried on and on, as she complained about everything, particularly how crowded things were. Well, gosh what a shocker – it’s Easter, what the heck do you expect? This is not what I wanted to listen to at breakfast. After debating where to go today that wouldn’t have crowds ( 
with that one...!), they opted for a water park. Some people do make me laugh! 
We even got another cute offering from her.... 
Where was everyone? 
I have to know where is Mouse Memories? I would love to find some more Disney Scrapbooking supplies! 
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