Solo-on-a-Scooter Abd DLR and DCL Alaska! (7/21-8/6/2012) - Page 27 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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Thanks, everyone! I love my two new drawings, but Gus is my favorite. I like the looser style of drawing and it brings back memories of watching him come to life.
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Between my trip then traveling I knew I wanted to wait until I had time to finally enjoy your report. Just got through with the Disneyland section, what an amazing trip so far. Talk about a wonderful surprise on our first day, glad you had such a wonderful tour with Jeannie and her kids. I love the look of the Disney Soda Shop, and the desserts look pretty yummy.
What a nice room at the Loews, and some fun gifts from ABD. Your group dinner sounded very nice, getting to know everyone. Sorry the food was not that impressive but it sounds like your dinner guests made up for that. You definitely look happy at the Muppets Studio, what a great and interesting afternoon and a wonderful treat getting to see Walt's trains. It all sounds so emotional, getting to truly see all that he saw and enjoyed.
Great shopping at the Walt Disney Studio store, sorry that the heat got to you for the later portion of the tour, but I think that heading back to relax was a good move, better to get rest then push yourself to much. I am also dissappointed in Steakhouse 55, how could they not have even one vegaterian option, very surprising from what woudl be considered signature dining. Glad what you did get was enjoyable.
Your visit to Walt's apartment...each time I read about this in a TR, I can only imagine how I would feel if I was there. The whole thing about how they keep the light burning...so moving.
Sorry that there was no Club 33 dinner , but even without it you sound like you really enjoyd everything, and wonderful service from ABD. Glad that the next few days will be a bit more relaxing for you.
Going to get some work done and start on the Seattle / Alaska portion later tonight
I that drawing of Gus because the writing at the bottom makes it sooooo cute!
Isn't that sweet?? The artist was excited to be drawing a character she's never had a request for before. Poor little Gus-Gus!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
Between my trip then traveling I knew I wanted to wait until I had time to finally enjoy your report. Just got through with the Disneyland section, what an amazing trip so far.
Thanks so much for catching up, Meg! The ABD tour was incredible-- many wonderful memories.
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Hi Laurie! I just read the entire trip report. It took a couple hours, but it was well worth it! It sounds like such an amazing trip. I've never really considered myself someone who would be interested in AbD (I like to do self guided, explore on your own trips), but after reading this I have a new interest in the tour! Thank you so much for sharing. I loved all your pictures and can't wait to start on your cruise TR.
Hi Laurie! I just read the entire trip report. It took a couple hours, but it was well worth it! It sounds like such an amazing trip. I've never really considered myself someone who would be interested in AbD (I like to do self guided, explore on your own trips), but after reading this I have a new interest in the tour! Thank you so much for sharing. I loved all your pictures and can't wait to start on your cruise TR.
Thank you, Jenny! I'm the same way with travelling-- I love planning my own trips and using local public transport. I never wanted to do a group tour. This one really was different, though, because you can't do a lot of these things without the special access.
I am so far behind on trip reports, glad I was able to take some time today to read yours. Sorry it was so hot during your trip, it can make the day more exhausting. We had a rough summer this year with lots of hot days. Enjoyed your pictures, the joy does shine through. The Gus picture is priceless. Looking forward to moving over to the cruise portion and catching up. Thank you for sharing your trip.
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Last edited by Shari2137; 10-09-2012 at 01:20 AM..
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Wait.....5 Oscars in your family?? That's impressive, lots of talent going on in your family
OK, so I am caught up with this portion and now moving over to the cruise.
I just loved this TR. I am so in awe of old Hollywood, but I think my favorite moment was reading about Walt's apartment and how he would walk around MS in his robe. Ahhhh, such a sweet thought of him.
So happy you took us along for this ride, thank you.
Oh and I love the drawing of Gus, he's a fave in this house
Thanks for reading, Linny! All the Oscars were won by one person-- my great aunt-- for costume design. She's won Tonys as well. I have a cousin who's won many Emmys also. No perceivable talent of that kind in this generation, though! I love old Hollywood, too. And the memory of being in Walt's apartment still brings a tear to my eyes!
Thanks for reading! This was a great trip. Can't believe it's 2 years ago now.
I saw the title and had hopes you were doing another trip!
(I think it's nice when people comment on a trip report, even if it's not a recent one - shows how much value there is in having the trip reports for future visitors)