Living the dream and remembering the Bagman LIVE UPDATE 10/2 - Page 34 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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.
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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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Wonderful update! Since they raised the price of TIW, it is harder to reach the break even point, for sure! It was certainly scary to see your post that day on FB! So glad it was only a reaction to your medication! Bill's picture does look quite wonderful on the black shirt!
Disney website...don't get me started! When I was trying to purchase the tickets to the Fireworks, the site kept declining my Disney Visa! It scared me because I knew there was way more room than what I needed to complete the transaction. I called Chase and they looked it up and said it declined for an expired card. But my card was good until 2019 and reflected that on the website. I had used it previously to buy park tickets! So I went back to MDE, took the card out, re-entered it, same expiration date...and it worked just fine.
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That trip to the hospital was scary enough to read about at the time.... so glad it was just side effects! And so true - if your biggest worry is the color of your shirt, then life's pretty good. You'll be easy to spot in the crowd of black shirts.
I have a heck of a time getting the MDE app on my phone to recognize my reservations. 9 times out of 10, it says I have nothing. So I just use the website because that seems to work. MDE does work for FP+ though, which is weird. Their IT department is frustrating! But usually when you call, they are able to fix things, so I can't complain too much.
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Love the way y'all are honoring Bill. I know it means so much to Jan as well.
but Sandy and Dyan are the ones who deserve the credit for coming up with this wonderful idea.
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On Sunday, July 17th, we had three police officers killed, one injured but released later in the week, and one still in the hospital fighting for his life. Senseless crimes.
Oh good grief. What is it with people? I just don't understand things like this. for the families of those who died and the injured officers.
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Looks like your math for dining works out in your favor. It's always best to calculate for each trip to see how the numbers fall. So many new restaurants, not enough time.
Great update, Cheryl! You've inspired me to figure out our TIW discounts now!! We are getting it anyway because we are planning multiple trips with a year, but it will be fun to see where the break even point is!
I bet you'll easily break even with multiple trips.
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I can't believe how much trouble you have with the website! That must be very frustrating! Here, I find I have very little trouble with the website but the amount of time wasted when it is necessary to talk to someone is ridiculous!!
I thought everyone struggled with Disney's website... Oh don't get me started about trying to speak to someone - they do everything these days to stop you!
Wonderful update! Since they raised the price of TIW, it is harder to reach the break even point, for sure! It was certainly scary to see your post that day on FB! So glad it was only a reaction to your medication!
Scary though how bad reactions to medication can be, isn't it?
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Bill's picture does look quite wonderful on the black shirt!
I absolutely it.
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Disney website...don't get me started! When I was trying to purchase the tickets to the Fireworks, the site kept declining my Disney Visa! It scared me because I knew there was way more room than what I needed to complete the transaction. I called Chase and they looked it up and said it declined for an expired card. But my card was good until 2019 and reflected that on the website. I had used it previously to buy park tickets! So I went back to MDE, took the card out, re-entered it, same expiration date...and it worked just fine.
Three weeks later it did it again.
Oh for goodness sake - you could really do without that sort of shock, couldn't you?
That trip to the hospital was scary enough to read about at the time.... so glad it was just side effects! And so true - if your biggest worry is the color of your shirt, then life's pretty good. You'll be easy to spot in the crowd of black shirts.
That's a good point!
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I have a heck of a time getting the MDE app on my phone to recognize my reservations. 9 times out of 10, it says I have nothing. So I just use the website because that seems to work. MDE does work for FP+ though, which is weird. Their IT department is frustrating! But usually when you call, they are able to fix things, so I can't complain too much.
I think the only time I ever had to ring their IT department was when we were at Disney. We were jetlagged and up hideously early (about 4:00am) and couldn't get Internet. It turned out we'd alerted them to a problem with their whole network and the guy was understandably very grateful!
Oh don't get me started about trying to speak to someone - they do everything these days to stop you!
I love when your on hold, and you get the recording that you can go online to make reservations, answer questions, etc. Like if I could DO it online, that's where I'd be right now, and not waiting on hold!
I love when your on hold, and you get the recording that you can go online to make reservations, answer questions, etc. Like if I could DO it online, that's where I'd be right now, and not waiting on hold!
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It sounds like you've worked out the dining discounts to your advantage! Loved seeing all the F&W listings that you're interested in trying out. Sorry you had such problems with the Disney website getting your reservations and tickets linked up. I don't understand how such a large company has so many issues with their website! Looking forward to seeing pictures of your shirts for Bagman Days. It really does sound like you're going to have such a wonderful celebration of Bill's life.
It sounds like you've worked out the dining discounts to your advantage! Loved seeing all the F&W listings that you're interested in trying out. Sorry you had such problems with the Disney website getting your reservations and tickets linked up. I don't understand how such a large company has so many issues with their website!
I know... it never seems to get any better...
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Looking forward to seeing pictures of your shirts for Bagman Days. It really does sound like you're going to have such a wonderful celebration of Bill's life.
I'm sure we will. I think there will be some very difficult and sad bits, but I know there will be fun parts with friends, remembering a great guy.
Nice plans and good going with the deluxe dining plan! Yes. we all know what a battle it can be dealing with the Disney website!
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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!
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TiW still works best for us as we get three trips use out of it, but if we were doing just one trip, I doubt we'd purchase it. I hope you love The Boathouse. I've been thinking recently that I wish I had made a ressie here for October, but we'll be headed here on our April/May trip.
The FP+ set up on the Disney website had me a little anxious, too. Even a day before we could make FP+, our days weren't showing as open. But the very next morning, we were free to see all our dates. Kind of weird to me, and I told Luke that I thought it was different before they made the changes.
I Terri's photo's photo of Bill on Splash. Precious!
TiW still works best for us as we get three trips use out of it, but if we were doing just one trip, I doubt we'd purchase it. I hope you love The Boathouse. I've been thinking recently that I wish I had made a ressie here for October, but we'll be headed here on our April/May trip.
I hope it's good, as I'm really looking forward to it, having heard great things about it.
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The FP+ set up on the Disney website had me a little anxious, too. Even a day before we could make FP+, our days weren't showing as open. But the very next morning, we were free to see all our dates. Kind of weird to me, and I told Luke that I thought it was different before they made the changes.
I Terri's photo's photo of Bill on Splash. Precious!
It's also very rare, given he didn't do many rides.
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An unexpected trip to the hospital is always a scary thing. Glad you were feeling much better the next day. Great job working out all the dining discounts. Looks like you've got everything working to your advantage.
What a great picture of Bill on Splash Mt! I can tell everyone is going to have a great time remembering and sharing all the great times and stories about Bill.
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When I was trying to purchase the tickets to the Fireworks, the site kept declining my Disney Visa! It scared me because I knew there was way more room than what I needed to complete the transaction. I called Chase and they looked it up and said it declined for an expired card. But my card was good until 2019 and reflected that on the website. I had used it previously to buy park tickets! So I went back to MDE, took the card out, re-entered it, same expiration date...and it worked just fine. 
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but Sandy and Dyan are the ones who deserve the credit for coming up with this wonderful idea. 
We are getting it anyway because we are planning multiple trips with a year, but it will be fun to see where the break even point is!
That must be very frustrating! Here, I find I have very little trouble with the website but the amount of time wasted when it is necessary to talk to someone is ridiculous!!
Oh don't get me started about trying to speak to someone - they do everything these days to stop you! 
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