Our First Trip, MY First TR!!! (Dec. 2010) - Page 5 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I just found your report and your plans sound great. I went to Disney in Dec. along time ago. It was wonderful. There's nothing like Disney World at Christmas. You'll have a great time.
Liz
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Awesome, love the bag and the camera, and the nook!
I love my Nook! I read ALL the time now!
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Originally Posted by chezp
Great purchases!
Thanks!!!
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Originally Posted by ilovedisney247
I just read the whole PTR so far and it sounds like its going to be a great trip! Your ADRs sound good and MVMCP is a real treat! I have an older model of the camera you just bought--the 7.2 megapixels version and (its pink) I love it! It takes some practice to get the settings right for fireworks and the parades, but I've ended up with some really great shots once I played with the settings. Hope to hear more soon!
Welcome to the PTR! hehe! Thanks for reading! I cannot wait for the MVMCP It sounds so great! Snow on Main Street!!!!!! I'll also have to tke a look into the settings on the camera. It does a great job on Auto, but I'd like to learn what it can do with me in charge! hehe. Maybe I'll take a Photography Class like the one I took in High School.
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Last edited by WDWHarpua; 10-15-2010 at 03:40 PM..
Thank you so much! It's already down to 49 Days!!! I'm Going to have to start a Count Down! I need a Disney Advent Calendar!
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Originally Posted by Cam22
Not too much longer now! Nice pictures with the new camera, too!
Thanks! I was trying to get a "Hidden Mickey" look with the Pumpkins, but none of those came out right. I'm just glad they were in focus!
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Originally Posted by MGW
We will be there that same weekend! I love WDW at Christmastime! And I loved our stay at Coranoad Springs a few years ago, that is still where you are staying? Anyway, can't wait to hear all about your adventure!
Yes! We're still staing at Coronado Springs! Our other option was POFQ, and I just found out that POR is going to be full of Pop Warner kids that weekend, so I am very glad we made the choice we did! Everyone who I've talked to said they absolutely LOVED Coronado Springs so I think we lucked out! Where are you staying this time around? Maybe we'll bump into you!
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Originally Posted by islandgirl
Great purchases!
Thank you!
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Originally Posted by RunningPrincess
Hi, just found your pre-trip reportand everything sounds great, in order, and mostly ready to go.
One of these days I am definitely going to WDW during Christmas time and I don't care if it's by myself
That's what I said! I don't care what the rest of the family is doing, I'm going to get there to see the Decorations no matter what! It was such an easy trip to plan too. Just 3 nights and it'll be a great little Get away with My GF. I hope you get to go. It's the most Magical time of year at the most Magical place on Earth!
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
It'll be here before you know it!
I know! I can't wait! I text Beth every day with a Countdown!
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Originally Posted by TinkBrat
Love the plans, will be there for the MVMCP on the 3rd as well!! Will keep an eye out for ya!
WOO! I'm so excited! I just want to see the Snow on Main Street. I'll be so happy! Maybe we'll bump into you!
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Originally Posted by clio
I just found your report and your plans sound great. I went to Disney in Dec. along time ago. It was wonderful. There's nothing like Disney World at Christmas. You'll have a great time.
Liz
Welcome to the PTR!! Thanks for reading along! I am very excited for the decorations, the Ginger Bread, the Candy Canes, the Music, the SNOW!!!! I just can't wait! I'm like a little kid! I am glad you had a great time. That tells me that my time will probably be Wonderful too!
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Last edited by WDWHarpua; 10-15-2010 at 03:41 PM..
Hey Keith, is that Cyber Shot easy enough to use? Am thinking of getting that same one! My beloved Fuji had an accident on the plane to the UK earlier this year lol. I saw the Cyber Shot and loved how slim it is!
It's a Breeze to use! It's got Picture mode, Panorama mode and Movie Mode. All of which are very easy to use. I haven't really played with the features, but they seem pretty intuitive. The Auto mode is very smart and works great. I like the face recognition. It knows where to focus without me telling it anything.
I love how small it is, since I'll be carrying it wherever I go. I didn't want to bulk up my pockets, and it's barely even noticeable. It's smaller than my Cell Phone.
It's a Breeze to use! It's got Picture mode, Panorama mode and Movie Mode. All of which are very easy to use. I haven't really played with the features, but they seem pretty intuitive. The Auto mode is very smart and works great. I like the face recognition. It knows where to focus without me telling it anything.
I love how small it is, since I'll be carrying it wherever I go. I didn't want to bulk up my pockets, and it's barely even noticeable. It's smaller than my Cell Phone.
Thanks, I really think that's the one I want. Told DH and he said to check out the local sales!! Yay!!
So, We all thought that the planning was over, didn't we? I know I did! I was DONE! But nope. Today something came over me and I had to make a change... Silly Keith! So it was this past weekend we spent the weekend at my Parents' Lake House to help button down the hatches for the winter and we spent a bunch of time talking about Disney and Restaurants and it seemed like Beth kept bringing up how good Raglan Road was when she went in 2008...
Well, We were planning to spend the afternoon of the last day of our trip in DTD, so why not add a lunch? That way we won't be starving when we get on the plane, or have to find dinner in the airport. So I checked online and added a 1:00 Lunch at Raglan Road.
Then I figured, "We already had one too many TS meals for our dining plan to cover, why not add another and upgrade to the DxDP?"
So that's what I did! I added Breakfast on Saturday the 4th at Captains Grille at 8AM!
That gives us 6 TS meals at 6 different places. We can then mix and match, Adding 3 CS meals or even 3 more TS meals (TOO MUCH FOOD) plus 6 Snacks each, total??? Why didn't I think of this in the first place?
I just told Beth about the Upgrade and she's dubious. Until I told her it's all on me because we're celebrating her Birthday on this trip!
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Congrats, how awesome to upgrade to Deluxe, way more food options right?
Thanks all! I'm so very excited. But I have no idea how we're going to eat this much food!!! It probably will wind up costing more than if we paid it Out of Pocket, but seriously, this way we don't have to worry about paying for food at all!
Keith, I am lovin' your energy and your organizational skills. You sound like a fellow Disney nut, all right! Your plans sound great, and you seem like the kind of person who can still "go with the flow" if some things take longer than you'd thought (like meals). You're sure to have a great time.
Having just returned from WDW and my first breakfast at Kona, I can heartily recommend Tonga Toast (stuffed with bananas and topped with strawberry compote). Delish!
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