A 40th celebration to end the world! THREAD 1 COMPLETED 2/16 - Page 74 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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That's a good point about Tutto Italia. We've found some of the wait staff to be a little stuffy there in the past, whereas they were much friendlier in Tutto Gusto.
Cheryl
Good to know this, but was surprised.
We ate there this Dec. ,while you were there, and had a wonderful time. There were 7 in our group and I had some reservations about eatting there because it was new to us and some of our group are meat and potato eatters so to speak.
But everyone loved the food and wine and our waiter was so nice and made the experience a great one. We actually had 3 trying do things for us at one point. It turned out to be one of our best meals this trip.
Our waiter even wrote down the ingredients in my meal after I had asked for the recipe and he found out from the chef that they don't give those out any more. (:
It sounds from everyones messages that we were lucky and happened to be there at the right time.
The first day we got to Be Our Guest the line was crazy too. We went back later and only waited about 15 mins. It was beautiful inside and we loved our lunch. I am sorry I don't remember the meatless items.
We actually ate there TWICE this trip. Both were lunch.
We also had the Lafous Brew at Gaston's Tavern. I liked it but Jerry said it was ok but wouldn't get it again. You have to like icy apple juice. It was cool going down on a hot day that was for sure.
As for Dumbo, I agree there isn't as much there as I thought there would be. We did do the character visits in the tent and got some great pictures. Did you do those?
We also got to ride Ariel's ride once. We tried a few times but it was down. Still working out bugs I guess.
The wait time was crazy when you were there.
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That man in the fountain must have been drunk, right? I can't think of any other explanation as to why he was standing in the fountain. And I can't believe the CM had no clue what to do!!
I've with you on the eyesore construction. If they were going to open it up in phases, it seems logical to build it front to back so no one has to cross through construction. At least that is logical to me.
Now that guy in the fountain was a fool, but how silly that a CM didn't know what to do. I agree with others that how to deal with inappropriate guests should just be standard training.
I'm anxious to see pictures of a one-bedroom BLT villa. We've stayed in one bedrooms at AKLV, BWV, and BC, so I wonder how these compare.
Boy, that sky does look ominous! It will be so nice when the entire wall comes down in Fantasyland. I wonder if the guy was dared to go in there; what a numbskull! Can't wait to hear about your stay at BLT!!
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Disney Trips: BLT & Poly Bungalow 2016, VGF 2015, Fantasy 2015, Saratoga Springs Resort 2014, Grand Villa at VGF 2013, Fantasy 2013, BWV and Kidani Village 2011, BWV and Kidani Village 2010, BWV and Saratoga Springs Resort 2008,Beach Club Villas 2008,Villas at Wilderness Lodge 2006, BWV 2006, BCV 2005, HHI 2004,Polynesian 2003,Grand Floridian 2000/concierge, Honeymoon at Polynesian 1994,Polynesian 1980,Polynesian 1978
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Sue
The guy in the fountain looked like a jerk. Can't help but WONDER if Disney made a serious mistake opening up a place for ADULT beverages. CM should have known enough to ask him to exit or at least call for assistance in helping the individual to exit the fountain area
I have to agree with you on the wall comment. There is no rhyme or reason about its structure.
When I got to the Little Mermaid Ride, I had a fast pass, (thanks to Splash Mountain breaking down!), but the wait time was only 70 minutes. When I got to the front of the line, it was a continuous moving ride. (Think Haunted Mansion ride). So I really don't understand the long wait times. Or maybe it's just me.
Anyway...I'm really looking forward to the finish of the Mine Ride. That roller coaster looks so cool!!
I'm only partway through your TR and thoroughly enjoying it - PP meets, food porn and excellent descriptions and an amazing variety of pictures. It sounds like the best way to celebrate your 40th!
I have to ask - the survey marker photos between the GF and the Poly, which resort are they closer to? DH is a licensed surveyor and we are always on the lookout for the markers.
Cheryl
I loved that first picture of Mark as he was tasting his wine. It is priceless.
I have one like it of Jerry from last spring when we went to the Smoky Mountains and he tried a sip of moonshine in the Moonshine Holler in Gatlinburg. It was so funny, a priceless picture from that trip.
I was glad I had thought to have my camera ready that time. lol
They're the sort of memories you want to capture, aren't they?
I got the black tea kettle to match your spoon rest. It is so cute.
Did you get one?
There's no point in us buying electrical things in the States, unless we're only going to use them in the States, as you guys are on a totally different electrical system to us.
As for Dumbo, I agree there isn't as much there as I thought there would be. We did do the character visits in the tent and got some great pictures. Did you do those?
I think the wait times the one time we were there were 30 minutes plus and we weren't prepared to wait that long.
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Very strange about the guy in the fountain and no one wanting to get him out!
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There's no point in us buying electrical things in the States, unless we're only going to use them in the States, as you guys are on a totally different electrical system to us.
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