Our Fall 2014 Trip Report - Coming to You Barely Live from Orlando - Page 12 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
Looked like a great time at Epcot and La Hacienda! I've been there twice and personally like it so much more than San Angel, even though the latter has better indoor scenery....La Hacienda has the views of Crescent Lake and Illuminations! Give the nod to La Hacienda! The Fondue looks so good! Next time you go have the Botana appetizer, which is amazing! You'll love it!
__________________
October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
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.
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.
It's amazing how speeding time with someone you love just watching the world go by can be just as much fun as being in a park. DH and I usually take one day and just do that while resort visiting.
I missed your post before - you are so right. Having a longer trip made it easy to relax every day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by llgmommy2
All caught up again. Looks like you are really enjoying your time. I love the Queso Fondu too. Although I think the DH wants to skip eating in the Mexico Pavilion this year. : (
We have a hard time finding good Mexican food, so usually try to catch up at Epcot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Perfect timing missing the rain! I love exploring around the sides and backs of the pavilions and the UK area is beautifully done. Dinner looks very nice. I've yet to try La Hacienda. Nice shots of Illuminations from the room! Your room was at the perfect spot in the curve along the lake to catch a bit of the fireworks from MK, Epcot and I think you can also see Fantasmic! from there. .
It was a great room location - a little obstructed for Wishes, but just seeing some of them was fun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by princetoaprincess
Wouldn't you know you'd post right before I went to lunch and when I was really hungry. Go figure.
At any rate, glad the rain held off just long enough for y'all to make it to dinner. Also, the shots of the fireworks are awesome.
What kind of camera did you say you were using?
i use a Canon 5D MIII, although many of the photos in this report were with the panasonic Lumix FZ1000.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SharonK0527
All caught up. What a nice day you had at DHS. Dinner looked delicious!
Thanks, Sharon . It was an easy day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
That sky was ominous - glad you managed to avoid the rain. I love the photos of IllumiNations from your room, beautiful!
Reading your TR makes me feel like I am relaxing at Disney.
I'm glad - I always think our touring style is so relaxed, others might fall asleep reading about it
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
We have enjoyed every meal we've had at La Hacienda. I'm going to remember that taco appetizer for a future visit. How cool to see glimpses of Illuminations from your room balcony!
Thanks, Cam - the taquiza appetizer has always been a winner for us, and is more than enough for a meal. Lou takes the extra flour tortillas and makes his 3 tacos into 6 smaller ones
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperDave
Looked like a great time at Epcot and La Hacienda! I've been there twice and personally like it so much more than San Angel, even though the latter has better indoor scenery....La Hacienda has the views of Crescent Lake and Illuminations! Give the nod to La Hacienda! The Fondue looks so good! Next time you go have the Botana appetizer, which is amazing! You'll love it!
I want to try the botana app! but it's so much food. We like the atmosphere at San Angel and usually eat lunch there, but prefer the food at la hacienda.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdhc
Really enjoyed catching up on your TR. I couldn't believe Lou had never been to DHS. Glad he enjoyed it and all your meals looked great.
Thanks - I bet you are looking forward to your upcoming trips.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lfredsbo
Great timing with the rain! Dinner looks great! We love La Hacienda too
Thanks, Lisa.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Glad you had a great meal at La Hacienda! Great pictures!
Thanks, Marnie. It was tasty.
Quote:
Originally Posted by princetoaprincess
I've wanted to try La Hacienda. Sounds like it was a good meal.
Defintiely give it a try sometime.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR
Your meal at La Hacienda sounds delicious!
How great that you got to see the fireworks from your balcony!
Thanks, Mayra.
I took a lazy day yesterday. I do have more photos ready to go, so will most likely do an update today.
Well, after reading about your meal at La Hacienda, I had to go and make an ADR for my Dec. trip. Now, I will be hitting both Mexican restaurants that trip as my CP meal is for San Angel Inn two days later. Can you tell I love Mexican food?
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.
Wow, that is an amazing room location. You are right on the boardwalk! You could spend a day people-watching there!
Yes - in fact, we did spend a lot of time on the balcony
Quote:
Originally Posted by lindawdw
What a nice relaxing day at DHS! Your pictures actually look like postcards - they're so beautiful!!!
Thanks - DHS was pretty relaxing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pris
Well, after reading about your meal at La Hacienda, I had to go and make an ADR for my Dec. trip. Now, I will be hitting both Mexican restaurants that trip as my CP meal is for San Angel Inn two days later. Can you tell I love Mexican food?
Funny how we seem to like the same things - I love Mexican food, too. I also like to do an occasional solo trip
Quote:
Originally Posted by pamcarey
Your meal at La Hacienda looks really good, and the taquiza appetizer looks like it would be there perfect size for a meal. I'll have to try that!
Definitely give the tequila app a try. It's a nice combo of flavors. Edit: That should be Taquiza app, not Tequila. Thank you autocorrect.
I've Lost Track of What Day it Is - Pretty Sure it's Wednesday, the second to last full day of the trip:
We slept in today, and grabbed some breakfast snacks from the Boardwalk Bakery - no photos !!! It rained during the morning, but started to let up at noon, so we ventured out to Epcot. The arrow in the photo below shows our room location:
We made it on the launch, but as we entered at the IG and headed to France, it started to rain - hard:
The rain let up enough for us to try to get something to eat. We each decided to get the braised beef tips on a waffle from Belgium - I should have picked the waffle with whipped cream and chocolate! This was just okay - perhaps the rain dripping on it didn't help the soggy texture. We shared the beer flight (I had permission from my doctor for a few drinks during the trip )
It's sunny across the way:
You can see how the rain helps to thin the crowds. I think being in the parks in the rain can be a lot of fun at times; wanting to get something to eat at the Festival wasn't the easiest thing for us to do in the rain (but, still kinda fun).
Our next stop was Italy & Poland. One nice thing about the Premium Package was, it made it easy for us to order from different booths. I had the Cheese Ravioli from Italy. Reviews are so so on this, but I really enjoyed it. Lou wanted to try the Kielbasa from Poland - he said this was probably the best item he tried.
Lou waits for his food, and chats with one of the CMs - as I mentioned before, they were all friendly. This photo also shows how some areas had one of the preexisting benches incorporated into the reserved area - it was nice to have a place to sit down.
We moved on to Germany, where Lou had the bratwurst, and I had the donut thingy with apricot filling (it was light and delicious). While waiting for our food, Lou had to go visit the train, and take a hundred photos - here are just a few:
Lou poses while we wait for our food from Germany - he wasn't really grumpy; he just decided I had too many photos of him smiling (even the kids comment whenever he smiles in a photo ):
I took some more photos as we completed the circle of the World Showcase, but finally put the camera away as it was raining off and on. We said a brief hello to China, Norway, and Mexico, before walking back to the exit. I decided we would wait for the launch, and as we waited ... it stopped raining again.
I had Lou take my photo as we waited for the launch. I ordered a couple of Frogg Togg rain ponchos before we left, and they worked great (although Lou just used his Disney umbrella).
The flowers were enjoying the rain:
It started raining again as we landed at the Boardwalk, and continued off and on for the next few hours:
Once again, we did not set any records. But, visiting 3 different Kiosks is about my limit for food at one mealtime. We were planning on visiting Epcot again the next day for lunch at the Festival.
You and Lou sound like Luke and me as I want to try the ravioli while he wants to get the Kielbasa again. I'm pretty sure I'd be in trouble if I every walked by the train display. The difference here is we both take lots of pictures.
About This Page: 
I've been there twice and personally like it so much more than San Angel, even though the latter has better indoor scenery....La Hacienda has the views of Crescent Lake and Illuminations! 
The Fondue looks so good! 
Next time you go have the Botana appetizer, which is amazing! You'll love it! 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Great pictures! 
I love the photos of IllumiNations from your room, beautiful!
Linear Mode
