The Daring Duck Disney Destination Duo - Page 4 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
The cruise sounds wonderful start to finish!!!!!! Castaway sounds great! That waterslide looks cool; do you know when their suppose to finish construction?
Sounds like a great time at DTD! That cheeseburger looks delish!
I haven't looked at all the pics yet, but plan to after the kids are in bed......
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.
Sunday Dec 6
First an outline of my plans. I schedule one park a day,-two days in each park-one solo kamikazee style and one devoted to Passporter meets) and only make one ADR a day. Otherwise it is footloose and what happens happens. The first four days are the no-meet days
Today was my favorite park-EPCOT. I love this park. To me it has the best gardens, food and the world showcase let me travel without overseas airfare.
Breakfast was TS at POP. A POP waffle/meat combo with orange juice and milk (plus coffee in my refillable mug. Was tempted to join those doing the twist, but there is so much to do at EPCOT that I wanted to be there at rope drop.
They started letting us in at 8:45. Stopped to take a picture of my beloved Donald in topiary
then on to the rope drop area just short of innovations. At drop we were escorted to the Land (with a rope controlling the speed) and then the mob headed to Soarin'. Both elevators were in the down mode, and the stairs filled with people all headed there, too. I got a fast pass, then while waiting for it to mature I had a visit with figment
I think I was the only one in the building other than cast members. Exiting I then headed to the Seas to jump in a clamshell. Leaving the reef I headed to ride Soaring. With the fast pass, the wait was only one load. Refreshed with my flight over California, I stopped to get a taste of Beverly (alright I drank the Watermelon flavor instead) then took a tour of both innovations East and West, with a stop in Epcot Character stop. Line there was about 1/2 hour, so I caught up on my Iphone in line, and then skipped all of the characters except Donald.
On to test trak for a speedy ride on four wheels. It was now approaching 11 so I headed towards the world showcase, stopping to the Monorail over the gardens and lake
On to the world showcase starting with my beloved Donald and his Grand Fiesta.
One to Maelstrom (wait was about 20 minutes standby..not bad for a Sunday, then the wonderful Tour of China in 360. (I love these movies.) In all three countries I spent time looking at the theming and everything in the stores. In Norway I found a viking Donald, so I bought it and had it sent to my room.
Next to American Adventure. Only had to wait 15 minutes for the next show. I love this tribute to the history of our country. I had skipped over Italy and Germany, so I then backtracked to Germany first, then to Italy, stopping for an early dinner (ADR) at Tutto Italia. I had a Candlelight Processional package. On the Disney website this is $59.95 + tip, but my TA booked me the regular meal plan (free for CS plan since I was in a value resort, plus $10 per day to upgrade it). So my net cost for dinner was in my book $10 I was seated inside. For dinner I had Lasagna al Forno, with Mocha Tiramisu for dessert. Since I was on the CP package, I was given my sticker for the 6:15 performance and also told of the special viewing area for CP diners for Illuminations. After a wonderful dinner, I headed on the peruse Japan, Morocco, France (watching the 180 degree movie) then on to Canada to enjoy a trip with Martin Short in his beloved Canada. Now it was time to get in line for CP! I was near the end of the line (it stretched clear to France ) but once they started seating us it only took about 5 minutes for all of us to get a seat. I was 2 rows behind the aisle and almost dead center. The reader was the voice of the princess and the frog). As usual this production is wonderful.
By the finish it was totally dark. Walking in EPCOT is interesting at night as it is not well lighted. I stopped by France to get a snack (pastry) and meandered through the stores of UK and Canada, slowly working my toward the viewing area reserved for Illuminations. It is the area between the two stores between the bridge and world showcase/futue world. It was roped off and you had to have your sticker. I shopped in one of the stores (and 'toured' both) getting something for the ornament exchange later in the week. There was a food cart nearby so I got a hot chocolate, while we waited for the people from the late CP to work their was the .6mile around the lake and join us.
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Deb
PassPorter Guide Author
One day we're going to have to cruise at Christmas time. 
Great photos!
Donald in topiary 
(alright I drank the Watermelon flavor instead) then took a tour of both innovations East and West, with a stop in Epcot Character stop. Line there was about 1/2 hour, so I caught up on my Iphone in line, and then skipped all of the characters except Donald.
the Monorail over the gardens and lake 
) but once they started seating us it only took about 5 minutes for all of us to get a seat. I was 2 rows behind the aisle and almost dead center. The reader was the voice of the princess and the frog). As usual this production is wonderful. 
at night as it is not well lighted. I stopped by France to get a snack (pastry) and meandered through the stores of UK and Canada, slowly working my toward the viewing area reserved for Illuminations. It is the area between the two stores between the bridge and world showcase/futue world. It was roped off and you had to have your sticker. I shopped in one of the stores (and 'toured' both) getting something for the ornament exchange later in the week. There was a food cart nearby so I got a hot chocolate, while we waited for the people from the late CP to work their was the .6mile around the lake and join us.
Linear Mode
