Six months and counting…But will I be able to walk by then? My Disney hopes and Fantasy wishes PTR - Page 5 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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!
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.
OHH I love the memory lane trips.....sorry about the Hurricane Fay complications! We had one of those with dear Hurricane Jeanne...never can predict the Florida weather Will never forget the strange feeling driving south on empty roads while a vast exodus is heading north on the other side of the interstate!
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.
I love to see how we all have changed...well...maybe not me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lazanya
Great memories!
Thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jlhill4444
I just stumbled upon this report. You have some great plans and thank you for the trip down memory lane. It is always nice to hear other Disney people relive their magic.
It's been fun. Glad you are enjoying it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dwonderz
Just got caught up Linda - sounds like you've got another great trip in the works (I'm sure there will be some adventures )!
Sending to your dad!
Let's just hope they're aren't anymore misadventures. Thanks for the pixie dust for my dad.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
What an enjoyable trip down memory lane! Our very first trip as a family to WDW was in 1997 and I remember the cake castle. I loved it as I just was so happy to be taking Stefanie to MK for the first time. I can see why some folks feel it messed up the castle's true beauty, but Stefanie's face when she saw it made it perfect for us.
97 seems so far away. This was my parents first trip and most likely last. Mom's got to many health issues and now dad with ALZ.This was the trip that Heather remembered more of but it's still a a bit fuzzy in her mind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JKnott17
Great stroll down memory lane!
It's been fun and a bit of an eye opener.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Courtney892
OHH I love the memory lane trips.....sorry about the Hurricane Fay complications! We had one of those with dear Hurricane Jeanne...never can predict the Florida weather Will never forget the strange feeling driving south on empty roads while a vast exodus is heading north on the other side of the interstate!
It was really weird. Up until then I had never seen "Evacuation Route" signs. Nice to have the road just about to yourself though. Die hard Disney lover's headed toward the magic while everyone else runs for shelter.
Well there's a little bit of my trip down memory lane left before we head to future plans. So here we go.
Before 2009 rolled around I was already making plans but this time for our 1st cruise on the Wonder. Only four nights but we added Disney for a land and sea and were so excited. Finally…our cruise was about to happen…or was it? As you all know the economy tanked in 09 and Dan’s job is connected with construction and the automobile industry. He went from his mandatory 62 hour week…down to 46 and then 37 ½ hours. He was forced to use his sick days and then vacation days when they dropped to 32 hours for nearly 5 months. After all the planning, I realized it was over and canceled our trip and said a sad goodbye to all the friends I had made on my cruise meet. It was a matter of paying the bills and putting food on the table so vacation became the furthest thing on my mind. Around October of 2009 things started to pick up and within a few months we were back to normal and you guessed it planning our trip for 2010.
What about the Auto Train??? The thought crossed my mind and since Dan was tired of driving this seemed the way the go other than flying which wasn’t going to happen. If it was to be a train Dan wanted to be able to sleep and Heather wanted a shower. So we booked a family bedroom on the Auto Train and in December of 2010, we drove to Lorton Virginia which would take us to Sanford, Florida where we would drive up the coast for a night at St. Augustine to take in the famous “Million lights of Christmas,” only to head to Down Town Disney the next morning for lunch at T-Rex and some shopping before heading to Cocoa Beach where we would stay the night before boarding the Wonder for 4 nights and heading back to Disney for a few days followed by another few days at Universal but this time at the Royal Pacific.
Did I loose anyone????
To and from was a total of 17 days and this would be the last time I would ever be gone from home for such a long time. I was physically and mentally exhausted by the time we came home. The old saying…I need a vacation from my vacation…rang so true.
The train was interesting…riding was great…sleeping…absolutely horrible. We had some wine that was completely indescribable and I don’t mean that in a good way and then of course Heather got locked in the shower/bathroom and I had to listen to her sobs because she couldn’t open the door without flooding the room and was having an asthma attack due too much steam and fear. Auto Train Heather clowning around in the shower/potty…later trapped
But…we had a great time at St. Augustine. Did some shopping, got some gelato from a really cute guy with an dreamy accent, had a delicious dinner at our hotel and took a carriage ride through the city to see the Christmas lights. However, we didn’t realize that the town would be shut down in the morning for a Christmas Parade so we had to head out earlier than expected which left plenty of time for shopping at DTD and lunch at T-Rex which I thought was enjoyable. We were back on the road and checked into our hotel at Cocoa Beach where we got a fantastic view of the Magic as she pulled out of port. I heard the horn blast first and we all ran to the window. My eyes filled with tears as I knew we would be experiencing the Wonder the next day. Christmas lights at St. Augustine The Magic from our hotel window
Leaving our car behind we boarded the Wonder and it was an experience like no other. Our four days flew by and we didn’t get to do it all or see it all but what we did was truly amazing. The one problem was that mother nature had a bee in her bonnet and it was so cold that shorts never saw my body. We lived in jeans and sweatshirts. The sail-away party had bitter winds but we still had a blast. Castaway Cay was frigid and we only managed a few hours before heading back. Riding bikes kept us warm. Animator’s Palate Nassau’s Atlantis Resort The point at the end of the Castaway Cay bicycle path A little gusty A sunrise like this made everything worth it
After our cruise we were headed to Disney and more frigid weather. Days were at least tolerable but the nights were just so cold and by the time we hit Universal we were wearing double sweatshirts and bought gloves, hats and scarves. The hats and scarves were souvenirs from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter where we rode anything we wanted as much as we wanted because the crowds were just that low.
We did however have some wonderful memories. The Contemporary Resort was more than I ever could have expected. We celebrated our 21st anniversary at the California Grill with a beautiful cake and views of Holiday Wishes. We had some fun character inactions and sported our anniversary pins while celebrating Dan’s birthday. Also our first and last photo session at the Grand Floridian where the sun came out just for us only to turn to freezing rains when we headed for the parks. MVMCP Castle Lights Our 22nd Anniversary cake Picture at 1900 Park Fare…we were freezing in this photo Heather with one of her favs…note sweatshirt Making up for the previous years fiasco Me and Dan with our favorite mouse One of my favorite shots from our photo shoot
Though Universal was frigid it also had it’s moments. Riding anything we wanted several times, Butter Beer on a 30 degree afternoon, waiting in line forever to buy some Hogwart’s scarf’s and hat’s only to use them to keep warm, a brain freeze from riding the Hulk and our first stay at the Royal Pacific where we could only stare at the pool. Braving the cold at Universal Hogsworth and the Forbidden Journey…note the wait time One of the Christmas trees at Royal Pacific Macy’s Garfield chillin’ in front of the Mummy Pumpkin juice…not bad Heather with one of the Arabian Nights horses The beautiful pool that we could only stare at…not a soul in sight
Soon we were back on the Auto Train where we were making good time until we hit a truck that was trying to beat the train at a crossing in Jacksonville. The driver was okay but what followed took forever with investigations and a damaged engine we arrive back in Lorton 4 hours late and finally made it home at around midnight due to heavy traffic that wouldn’t have been there had we arrived in Lorton at 9 am. Never again.
The thought of another vacation only a year later crossed our minds but didn’t work out in the past but then Dan gave me a bit of a challenge. If I could find the courage to fly then he would be more than happy to go to Florida. He was tired of driving…Really tired.
In the spring of 2011, I bit the bullet so to speak and booked our airfare on Southwest Airlines for October. From there it was planning and getting everything set. A lot of you know this story. It was a fantastic trip…Disney land and sea. The weather was perfect and all was well until of course I injured myself on the first day of vacation. When I think about it I’m surprised that I toughed it out and I still wonder had I not would I be all healed by today? Oh well…that’s a moot point as they say. Also I got over my fear of flying. Yes…just like that. Traveling less than three hours by air is far better than 3 days by land. And though we did love seeing the country down and back, I think we’ve seen enough of it for awhile. Our first MNSSHP Me, Heather and Donald…This is my camera…honestly it was better than the Photopass shot Dan and his turkey leg…for some reason this attracted some attention from some onlookers that got way to close…personal boundaries’ anyone? Hallo Wishes (shot taken from my camcorder) Train station done up for Halloween
So as of today…it has been about nearly 9 months since my injury. I’m still sporting an ace bandage around my leg. I can drive now so Heather and Dan no longer have to be my chauffer‘s. I still get some pain and twinges but it’s a lot better than it used to be. Very soon I will try on the heels that I want to wear so much and if that doesn’t work I found a very cute pair of rhinestone studded flat sandals but I’m really hoping for those heels. At least for formal night. Just get me through formal night. The wrap for my leg goes without saying. I will still need to wear it. I have a black one for formal night. I think I’ll stick a sparkly pin on it…just to dress it up a bit. Lol!
So thank you all for sharing my trip down memory lane. I wonder where all the time has gone. Heather's first trip...she was only 4 1/2. Her 8th trip coming up...22.Boy am I getting old. LOL.
Next…Planning for our first 7 day Western Caribbean cruise and wait until the Kuzian's of the Caribbean get ready to party like pirates....Argh!!!
Another great trip down memory lane! I remember your freezing trip report. I felt so bad for you all having to bundle up so much. Sending more healing your way!
I remember your TR when yall were freezin!! I hate that your leg still hurts, glad to hear thats its gettin better. Sending pixies so that you can wear those heels!
__________________
Me and Cole in the Sears Tower Skydeck, 103 floors up, in a glass box hanging off the side!
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
Great trip down memory lane! Enjoyed all the pictures. Lots of pixies that you will get in those heels. Can't wait to read all about your plans for this upcoming trip.
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.
Another great trip down memory lane! I remember your freezing trip report. I felt so bad for you all having to bundle up so much. Sending more healing your way!
Thank you so much...I think it's working.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OCEANGRLLG
I remember your TR when yall were freezin!! I hate that your leg still hurts, glad to hear thats its gettin better. Sending pixies so that you can wear those heels!
Thanks for those pixies. I'll be testing those heels very soon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by taylan1
Great trip down memory lane! Enjoyed all the pictures. Lots of pixies that you will get in those heels. Can't wait to read all about your plans for this upcoming trip.
It was fun digging through those images. I went digital in 2004 so I had to dig through actual photos...so many memories...had to share.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dwonderz
I remember reading the freezing TR as well!
Awesome picture of MNSSHP - makes me want to go!
Hope your leg continues to get better
Thanks so much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mpwife153
Love your TR ~ signing on for this one
Sorry about you designs. for your leg & your Dad!
All the dresses are awesome!
Thanks so much for reading. My design issue is solved as I closeed my 4shared. Photobucket has been great. Thanks for the pixies. Everyone helps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JKnott17
Pixies for your ankle, I hope you get to wear those heels!
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.
So this being our third cruise we are of course silver which means my window for booking Palo brunch, excursions, port arrival is quickly approaching. Tomorrow, I’ll be sitting at my laptop at midnight waiting to log in as will many others. As I am writing this I am also wondering if I will get the elusive Palo brunch. They say the third times the charm but who knows. I do know that this time if I turn up zip I will high tail it to Palo and try to get a reservation for us as soon as we board. Last time I just couldn’t muster up the strength to even try due to my leg…this time I’m haulin’. Hopefully…I won’t have too. I’ll let you know how things turn out. Wish me luck!
In less than two weeks, Dan will have a week off for a little vacation. We’re not planning on going anywhere too far. I’m thinking maybe dinner at our favorite local sushi bar and restaurant. Probably a movie and a trip out for ice cream. Sounds real exciting huh? Well it is to me because Dan has been working 62 hour weeks since we returned from our vacation last October. He did take the 4th of July off but mostly because we knew he wouldn’t be able to get out of town to work. Rutland is small but we have one of the biggest 4th of July celebrations and fireworks than most of the surrounding towns. It lasts 4 to 5 days filled with band concerts, chicken bbq, strawberry fest, contests, road races and of course fireworks and a huge parade. The town is literally blocked. We can’t even get down our street because people will park everywhere and anywhere. Most will ask permission. So you walk to get around. Yes…it will be nice to see him around for a week.
Very soon I will have to gather everything I plan to bring on this vacation and hopefully cut it in half. I admit I have slightly over-shopped but I’ve learned from experience that if you see something you like and hesitate…most likely it will be lost. Case in point, the black evening gown that I purchased for formal night on the cruise….well it’s just about sold out and what’s left is either too small or way too big. So I’m happy that I grabbed it when I did. I also have some things that I didn’t post. One is a cute ruffled cocktail dress with a little sparkle on the straps and neckline in a gradient of gray to black. I’m saving this for the “next” time. It would be perfect for dinner at Palo or even Remy. I’m also saving some of my bling. Don’t need all that for this cruise.
Now I would really love some advice from all of you. We are planning to rent a tux for Dan for formal night. But here’s the thing. I think Dan would look dashing in a traditional black tux but for some reason or the other he’s going for the white dinner jacket. Thinking James Bond here. Not that I have anything against 007, but how many men actually wear the white jacket? So I am asking you….what is your opinion on this? Black vs. white????
I have two more payments to Disney and we’ll be all paid. I have to call and add our flight time for DME. As some of you may recall last time I was sweating it out because I didn’t get my packet. I finally received it only days before we left. I also downloaded an app called Disney’s Mobile Magic. It looks like it could be very useful when we’re in the parks. Has anyone out there used this app? It was free…so what the heck. Sounds like fun. I’ve also been experimenting with a new camera. It’s a Fuji Finepix HS20 EXR…kind of digital meets manual. There are so many things I can do with it but It didn’t break the bank like so many DSLR’s. I’m having a lot of fun with it and hopefully will have some amazing shots when I return.
So I will end this for now…I know…shorter than most. I’ll let you know how things turn out tomorrow night and will show you what we have in store or MNSSHP and Pirate night. Have a magical evening.
Linda
About This Page: 
Will never forget the strange feeling driving south on empty roads while a vast exodus is heading north on the other side of the interstate! 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
to your dad!
Our very first trip as a family to WDW was in 1997 and I remember the cake castle. I loved it as I just was so happy to be taking Stefanie to MK for the first time. I can see why some folks feel it messed up the castle's true beauty, but Stefanie's face when she saw it made it perfect for us. 
This was the trip that Heather remembered more of but it's still a a bit fuzzy in her mind.
,
<--- Disney Fantasy 2016!
As I am writing this I am also wondering if I will get the elusive Palo brunch. They say the third times the charm but who knows. I do know that this time if I turn up zip I will high tail it to Palo and try to get a reservation for us as soon as we board. Last time I just couldn’t muster up the strength to even try due to my leg…this time I’m haulin’. Hopefully…I won’t have too. I’ll let you know how things turn out. Wish me luck!
Probably a movie and a trip out for ice cream. Sounds real exciting huh? Well it is to me because Dan has been working 62 hour weeks since we returned from our vacation last October. He did take the 4th of July off but mostly because we knew he wouldn’t be able to get out of town to work. Rutland is small but we have one of the biggest 4th of July celebrations and fireworks than most of the surrounding towns. It lasts 4 to 5 days filled with band concerts, chicken bbq, strawberry fest, contests, road races and of course fireworks and a huge parade. 
The town is literally blocked. We can’t even get down our street because people will park everywhere and anywhere. Most will ask permission. So you walk to get around. Yes…it will be nice to see him around for a week.
Linear Mode
