Solo-on-a-Scooter takes the A-Train. LIVE TR, 8/29 - 9/11/2015 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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Solo-on-a-Scooter takes the A-Train. LIVE TR, 8/29 - 9/11/2015
Is this really happening”?
In case you’ve never met me before, I’m Laurie, 60’s, scooter-using solo traveler. I’ve made many trips to many locations around the world, but the one I keep returning to is WDW. I’m a DVC owner at Boardwalk Villas, chosen for easy proximity to Epcot. My favorite parks are Epcot and Animal Kingdom. I am known for spending all morning, every morning of my trips, at Animal Kingdom, especially the veterinary window at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. I’m obsessed with seeing every procedure I can at the window, so every morning I head to AK and take the first train to Conservation Station. Once the procedures are over, I tour the other parks, but I MUST get my AK fix first! I’ve seen many fascinating procedures over the years, from a gorilla hysterectomy to a routine wellness check on a tortoise, and I love them all. I'll be following my usual TR procedure, posting live updates with photos for each day.
This trip is an unexpected treat…. I have a progressive muscle disease and last year it moved to my heart, causing me to have a heart attack and after many lucky years of slow progress, the disease is now causing me to lose strength more quickly. I spend most of every day in bed now and I thought my traveling days were over. However, I’ve lived with this disease for years and have learned to accept the realities but to keep planning and living for the present and the future. It’s not over ’til it’s over! Realistically, this is probably my last visit to WDW, and I think of it as my “farewell tour”, but never say never.
This trip was only a “maybe” until very recently, so I’ve not had my usual trip countdown and have kept quiet on the boards about it because I had a hard time having confidence that it would really happen. If you spot me at WDW during my dates, August 29-Sept 11, please say HI! I’m not making any appointments for meets, though, because I don’t know how much time I’ll be spending resting. If your dates overlap mine and would like to chat, you can meet me any morning except Wednesdays (no vet procedures) or rainy days, in front of the Vet Window at Rafiki’s. I’ll be sitting front and center on my scooter, and would be delighted by any surprise PP ambushes!
More coming up on my plans, including the “A-Train”!
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I must say I really enjoyed your TR with the AK Vets working on different animals. In fact I looked for to those not knowing which procedures would be next and which animal too!!!! It saddens me to think this maybe your last Trip. I will be sending you lots of Pixie Dust that this will be the best trip ever and you may have more TRs in the future!!!
Oh Laurie! I haven't been on the boards much in months, but you've always been in the back of my mind, wondering how you are doing. This TR is bittersweet for me to read. I love hearing about your adventures and it saddens me this may be the last one. My thoughts are with you my friend, and I hope this doesn't turn out to be your farewell tour.
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.
Oh I'm so glad this has worked out, as I know how much you were hoping to get a trip in. What a shame you're in WDW and we're in Disneyland - I had to do a double take at your dates, as they're exactly the same as ours for our upcoming trip to Alaska and California!
Yay! I was so excited to see a PTR from you today, as I know you had said before that your traveling days were over. I hope this trip works out well for you and you have a wonderful time!
Great start Laurie! I'm glad you're taking this trip and have a great attitude. We just might be ambushing you at AK!
I hope you do get to AK when I'm there! It will be wonderful to meet you
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Originally Posted by Disney4us2
Laurie, so glad you are making the trip. Don't be surprised if you see me at the window...
I'll be more surprised if I DON'T see you, Marci.
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Originally Posted by Hugmonster
Glad to see you taking a trip. Maybe you will be surprised at the energy you find by being home!
I'm hoping that will happen. Energized by the magic.
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Originally Posted by Roxie2006
I must say I really enjoyed your TR with the AK Vets working on different animals. In fact I looked for to those not knowing which procedures would be next and which animal too!!!! It saddens me to think this maybe your last Trip. I will be sending you lots of Pixie Dust that this will be the best trip ever and you may have more TRs in the future!!!
Thank you so much! I sometimes think I'm being so boring describing all the procedures, so I'm glad to hear you look forward to reading about them.
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
So happy you are able to make the trip Laurie!! Can't wait to hear all the details!
Thanks, Marnie.
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Originally Posted by MayraLR
Great start!
Thank you, Mayra.
Quote:
Originally Posted by num1DVCfan
Oh Laurie! I haven't been on the boards much in months, but you've always been in the back of my mind, wondering how you are doing. This TR is bittersweet for me to read. I love hearing about your adventures and it saddens me this may be the last one. My thoughts are with you my friend, and I hope this doesn't turn out to be your farewell tour.
You're so sweet, Jennie. I know it will be hard when this trip is over, but right now I'm just glad to be on my way back. I hope Sean and Owen are thriving!
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Originally Posted by Dlandmom2
You've started! I'm looking forward to following along on an amazing trip!
Thanks, Jeannie! You've been with me for all the ups and downs of making this happen.
Oh I'm so glad this has worked out, as I know how much you were hoping to get a trip in. What a shame you're in WDW and we're in Disneyland - I had to do a double take at your dates, as they're exactly the same as ours for our upcoming trip to Alaska and California!
I noticed that as well, Cheryl. I'll be home in time to meet up with you in Boston next month, though!
Quote:
Originally Posted by pamcarey
Yay! I was so excited to see a PTR from you today, as I know you had said before that your traveling days were over. I hope this trip works out well for you and you have a wonderful time!
Thank you, Pam. I shouldn't make predictions like that, because you never know!
So happy you have this trip planned, but sad your health and strength is not what it was when we met at The Plaza in 2014. Have a wonderful time and looking forward to seeing you in Boston at the scheduled brunch. And let me know if you need us to pick you up at your home.
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.