Solo and Not So Solo TR - updated with final Magical Moment! - Page 7 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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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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The second person I had responded to on the "Feb. Trip" post was Melissa from Virginia (she's MGW on the PP boards), who tends to visit every February with her husband (Brent) and son (Liam). Her parents (Jean and John) are Cast Members. In her post, Melissa said they were hoping to have drinks one evening at BW's Bellevue Lounge. Since Sheri and I had dinner ressies at Flying Fish (just a few steps out the back door from the BW Inn), I arranged to meet Melissa and her family at 5:30.
I know -- you're thinking "Sheri and Cindy had MORE DRINKS?" Well yes, just one apiece -- a vodka & tonic for me and a mojito for Sheri. And that finished our alcohol consumption for Wednesday!
We stopped off at our room to freshen up and then headed downstairs at 5:30. Melissa and her entire family were already ensconced on the comfortable couches and chairs. It really is a nice, quiet place to have a drink -- at least, it was quiet until WE showed up.
I think it was Jean who snapped our pic with Melissa and Liam.
It was fun talking with all of them. Jean and John told us how much they enjoy working at the MK. They're seasonal workers. When they retired, they sold their house and bought a motor home, which they've taken to nearly every U.S. state. When they aren't working at WDW, they work at various parks and recreation areas, wherever they feel like roaming. Doesn't that sound like a nice retirement?
I can't believe I failed to get a photo of the entire group -- guess my equilibrium hadn't quite returned yet. Can't imagine why.
Before we knew it, it was nearly 7:00pm. Melissa & her gang were off to decide on dinner, and Sheri & I had a 7:10pm ressie at Flying Fish.
"Where did Liam go?" I asked as we made our goodbyes. A magician had commandeered Liam and two little girls as assistants in a corner of the room. It was fun to watch.
Everybody take a bow to great .
Gosh, that was fun! Melissa, I hope to meet up with you again at the Happy Place! Hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip!
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Cindy I just starting reading you trip report and I very jealous. I would love to take a solo trip to WDW. I don't think my DS would let me. Plus I don't think DH could put up with DS for that long by himself.
Sheri had suggested FF, since she'd heard good things about it but had never eaten there. As I mentioned earlier, this is where I had my favorite entree of the trip.
First, the ambiance is wonderful.
It's a shame Sheri isn't a more cheerful person, don't you agree?
Then we quickly agreed to share the "artisanal cheeses" appetizer.
We agreed that all the cheese, fruit spreads, crackers and breads were .
Sheri ordered the scallops. Now, I don't care for scallops, but this looks like scallop heaven to me.
And here is my Potato-Wrapped Red Snapper. OMG, I think I'm in .
We both ordered a side dish of asparagus, which was an enormous helping. We probably could have split one order of this -- but it sure was yummy.
We pronounced ourselves too stuffed for dessert, but of course FF knew we were celebrating a bday. . . .
Were cindybelle and skateycat happy with their meal? Heck yes!
Did I feel a bit "underdressed" with my Goofy pirate hat in that signature restaurant? Nope, not at all -- and WDW is about the only place you can eat in a nice restaurant in such garb without getting ANY glares from other diners. As I told several people on this trip, once you put on the Goofy pirate hat, you're committed for the day -- you should see how my hair is plastered to my head under that thing! There would have been no quick way to "fix" my hair for dinner. So I went incognito!
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I had to skip down to the part with me in it, but I promise I will read the rest very soon! We had a great time meeting you both! I will try to get cracking on my TR soon! Take Care!
__________________
Donning my Wellies to cut Peat in Scotland
Melissa
Thursday started out sunny and then got cloudy. I was feeling particularly chilled that day, so Sheri gave me her underwear to put on. . . at least, that's what I took great pleasure in telling EVERYONE we met
In actuality, she had brought an extra pair of leggings, which gave me TWO layers of clothing on my legs. Sheri. I purchased a Mickey scarf, which helped keep my neck warm. OK, we're ready to go!
I had brought my favorite old-fashioned Mickey/Pluto vest from home and wore it that day.
And Sheri always looks fabulous, of course!
Magic Kingdom, here we come! Early EMH -- well, we got there about 8:15, but close enough. And then we stopped at the Main Street Bakery for breakfast -- yum!
After getting FPs for Space Mountain, we headed to Fantasyland and managed to ride all the attractions we wanted.
We both agree that the updated Pooh ride is an improvement over the old cardboard cutout characters. Neither of us had been in that attraction for years.
There's always time for a quick snuggle with Eeyore.
Any guesses where we went next?
Of course, we could have argued for DAYS about which of us is the "fairest one of all," but we put aside our differences and enjoyed Snow White's Adventures.
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Would you believe I had never ridden Dumbo? Luckily we were there early enough that the line wasn't long -- whee! I'm flying!
Our Dumbo has a purple hat because that's my favorite color.
We flew with Peter Pan, too, did Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear, then Pirates and got FPs for Big Thunder Mountain RR.
I had never eaten at Pecos Bill's and was eager to try it. Yummy burger and fries -- love that fixins' bar.
We weren't the ONLY celebs visiting Frontierland that day.
About the time our FPs for Big Thunder Mountain RR were ripe, I heard from Alison. She and Elliott had done the BBB thing and the Princess breakfast and then pictures with the Fairies. While we'd originally hoped to meet for a Dole Whip, it was too cold outside that morning to enjoy it. And Alison reported that Princess Tiana (Ellie) was needing a nap. So we agreed that they would meet us in Frontierland for a quick visit.
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Considering Ellie was cold (and therefore huddled under a blanket most of the time), she was much less shy than she'd been Tuesday at DHS. Of course, it probably helped that I'd brought her a birthday present -- some Disney princess stickers -- because today was ELLIE'S 5TH BIRTHDAY.
"What IS it?" Ellie asked.
Oh -- Princess stickers! And a Princess and the Frog book!
Ellie got right to work, putting Princess stickers on the pretty background pages.
She was an awfully good sport about getting her picture taken -- although she didn't like the sun in her eyes.
Then she started putting Princess Tiana stickers on Sheri's leg and my knee. We both felt highly honored!
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There would have been no quick way to "fix" my hair for dinner. So I went incognito! 
Sheri. I purchased a Mickey scarf, which helped keep my neck warm. OK, we're ready to go!
Ellie makes a beautiful princess! 
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