TR: Thingamabobs, Zebra & Giraffes, Oh My! Completed 3/25/15 - Page 36 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Thank you so much for sharing Lisa! I'm curious to know, will you guys go in the future without a car rental for longer trips? Can't wait for your next report!
Thanks for once again taking us along And once again giving Lucille and I some new ideas to check out on our next trip
Thank you!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by melduckie
Thank you so much for sharing Lisa! I'm curious to know, will you guys go in the future without a car rental for longer trips? Can't wait for your next report!
Thank you!! I think we are finally at a point where we feel that we can go without a rental car now. When Emily was younger we felt it was more convinient for us, and gave us more freedom. However, now that we have it all down, and feel comfortable with the DME (although I still haven't allowed them to take my luggage!!! ). And using Garden Grocer, we feel that the savings is worth it for us now, and to only rent one for a day if we need/want it. Hope that makes sense?
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Great final thoughts!
I love the giraffe print bowl! And the idea of using it for remotes.
Tell me how the gift card purchases work with target red card. I have not tried to do this but my mom has and she said they do not give the 5% discount on gift cards.
So sorry to read that Emily got sick but glad she didn't have to be taken to the hospital. Can't believe your trip is already over. Loved the final wrap up and the cost breakdown I may have to do that on my next trip in June to actually see what we spend.
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What a great morning at AK, so glad Emily was ok after her scare and that after some water and rest she was able to enjoy the evening. Your dinner looked delicious....the polenta and short ribs looked delicious, everything did.
What a great wrap up - love all your purchases. Thanks for sharing another great trip with us. Looking foward to reading your PTR for the next one
Great final thoughts!
I love the giraffe print bowl! And the idea of using it for remotes.
Tell me how the gift card purchases work with target red card. I have not tried to do this but my mom has and she said they do not give the 5% discount on gift cards.
Thanks! I give Cam credit for the remote idea
The Target Red Card - you can get it as either a credit card or a debit card (which is what I have, linked right to my checking account) and each time I use it at the store, they give me 5% off all purchases - I have purchased only a Disney gift card and received the discount. You do not receive a discount on the Target Store gift cards.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iwonathomas
So sorry to read that Emily got sick but glad she didn't have to be taken to the hospital. Can't believe your trip is already over. Loved the final wrap up and the cost breakdown I may have to do that on my next trip in June to actually see what we spend.
Can't wait until you start your next report.
Thanks! It does open your eyes to what you spend!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
What a great morning at AK, so glad Emily was ok after her scare and that after some water and rest she was able to enjoy the evening. Your dinner looked delicious....the polenta and short ribs looked delicious, everything did.
What a great wrap up - love all your purchases. Thanks for sharing another great trip with us. Looking foward to reading your PTR for the next one
Thanks! Hopefully this weekend I will get that one started!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
your wrap up! I also love all the AK purchases. I've had that salt and pepper shaker, but unfortunately, after 3 or 4 years of use, they both cracked.
Thanks! That's a bummer about the shakers
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
What a fun filled trip! I'm glad to see how quickly Emily bounced back from feeling poorly. " Terminal Express" Haha! That's a great description of the sad bus ride.
Thanks! I give Cam credit for the remote idea
The Target Red Card - you can get it as either a credit card or a debit card (which is what I have, linked right to my checking account) and each time I use it at the store, they give me 5% off all purchases - I have purchased only a Disney gift card and received the discount. You do not receive a discount on the Target Store gift
Yes, I thought it was Cam who first had the idea for the giraffe bowl as a remote holder! I will be looking for that bowl as well!
Thanks for the info on the gift cards. I will have to share that with my mom. Maybe she bought a target GC and that's why it wasn't discounted. I may have to start doing that as well. Every little bit helps!
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Great wrap up to your trip! Thanks for posting a few pictures of some of your souvenirs. Congrats on the weight loss, keep you the good work!! Looking forward to hearing about your upcoming trip!
Great TR Lisa!!!
I have been catching up when I can and have really enjoyed all your posts. Sounds like you had a truly wonderful time. Can't wait to hear all about your next trip too, we will be there for a quick trip in April as well.
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). And using Garden Grocer, we feel that the savings is worth it for us now, and to only rent one for a day if we need/want it. 
Hope that makes sense?
your wrap up! I also love all the AK purchases. I've had that salt and pepper shaker, but unfortunately, after 3 or 4 years of use, they both cracked. 
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
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