An Animal Kingdom State of Being with Cam and Fam COMPLETED 9/18 - Page 9 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Okay, so I got so hopelessly behind on your PTR that I never managed to catch up. I will have to keep up with the TR. It is off to a fantastic start. Love the pic of Stefanie driving the plane. Too cute!
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
I'm so glad you have started your trip report! What an awesome way to start your vacation! I really wish SWA flew out of Myrtle Beach because I have always heard great things about them. Stephanie looks so at home behind the wheel of that plane. I can not wait to hear more!
Devin just walked behind me and saw the picture of Stephanie and said "Hey I know her! You didn't tell me she was a pilot!!"
I can't remember if I already responded to the pics of Stefanie in the plane or not, but I just wanted to say that I love the pic of her standing with the pilot. It's too cute! I'm glad the magic started for you all so early in your vacation!
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So happy to see the beginnings of your trip report. As always, magic seems to follow those who work to make sure behind the scenes people are appreciated. "A little kindness goes a long way."
We don't fly but I was thinking what a great way to show appreciation to those who check us in or those bus drivers who get us to the park safely. What a great idea!! More we want More please!!!!
We make little Thank You cards that Stefanie hands out to bus drivers, waiters/waitresses, bellmen, etc. whom she feels deserve a special note from us. Little treats might be even better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemo125
Yea!!! What a great 1st day! I love all the details you put in your writing. I have to agree w/Ann that I am too going thru DW withdrawls and Cam, Luke & Stefanie withdrawls as well. Hopefully we'll see each other again soon - and then Stefanie can meet Jeff, aka Grumpy, and pick on him all she wants!!!
Stefanie would have a blast giving Jeff a hard time. I'm sure she'd label him trouble right off.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dlandmom2
What a fantastic start to your vacation! I'm so jealous Stefanie got to "be" the pilot and flew that plane! What goes around, comes around, right? I'm never surprised at all your special adventures because you all are so sweet to everyone that they all want to be sweet right back to you!
:thank: you! Both mine and Luke's parents taught us when little that kindness always pays off and also is a key to happiness. I always feel better when I'm kind than when I allow myself to grumpy!
Quote:
Originally Posted by BettyBeBop
So much fun already!! I just love that you always put together goodie bags for the crews of your flights!! I "borrowed" that idea from you at Christmas time a couple of years ago. It was so nice to see their smiles!
It really is wonderful to see their smiles!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Belle0824
So happy that we are off on another Cam and fam trip report!! Tummy troubles are definitely forgotten when you get to meet the pilot AND sit in the cockpit, not to mention the awesome seats you scored!!! How cool for Stefanie, but I'm sure it was great for you and Luke as well, getting to see Stefanie so happy and having fun - even before you got to WDW!
How do you like your Nook Color? I have a Nook and I love it, but have been investigating the Nook Color and seriously thinking of an upgrade!
Welcome home! Can't wait to read more!!!
I am loving my NookColor. In fact I was reading a review this morning on eReaders and the author felt that right now it was the best option out there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by my2girls
What a magical start to your trip!! Pilot Stefanie is just adorable!!! Pilot Mark is pretty easy on the eyes too!!! Glad you made it Orland safely and 8 minutes ahead!!
Great pictures!
Pilot Mark definitely lived up to declaration that the pilots were good looking.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheyenne
I am all caught up and I'm loving your TR!!! You are so detailed and I'm really enjoying your photos! You had a great start to your trip and I will be making the goodie bags for the flight attendants on your next trip! I said I was going to on our last trip and I never made the time for it but I know the crew really appreciates it! Can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!!
So glad you'll be making goodie bags for your trip!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bee
your trip reports!
how steph got to "fly" the plane! I :Love: the pics..
I think I might "borrow" your goodie bag idea
more please
Please borrow the idea!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DoraDoug
I'm so glad you have started your trip report! What an awesome way to start your vacation! I really wish SWA flew out of Myrtle Beach because I have always heard great things about them. Stephanie looks so at home behind the wheel of that plane. I can not wait to hear more!
Devin just walked behind me and saw the picture of Stephanie and said "Hey I know her! You didn't tell me she was a pilot!!"
Devin's remark is just too funny!
Quote:
Originally Posted by southerngirl1014
Without fail I always end up painfully behind on your TR. Only solution? Live streaming to my brain of your TR. That is the future! Lol
Now that would be some super technology!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Linnynad
Such a sweet start to the trip...... it!!!! Excited to hear more, I hear there are a few surprises
Our shuttle arrived fairly quickly and dropped us off at Royal Pacific Resort around 8:00 Pm. We were checked in by 8:15.
The staff ar RPR were very friendly and accommodating. In fact though RPR is the lowest priced resort at Universal it is still exceptionally resort and even had a few things I wish Disney deluxe resorts had, such as magnifying makeup mirrors and dimmers on the vanity lights. I missed both of these in our one bedroom villa at Kidani Village where the bathroom is dimly lit at all times and does not include a magnifying mirror. I just hoped each day that my makeup was applied correctly.
We picked up our park tickets from one of the electronic kiosk in the lobby.
Pretty cool process!
From here we moved upstairs to our room to await bell services’ delivery of our luggage. Until our bags arrived, I took pictures of our room without all our mess. The bellhop who brought ours was very friendly, energetic, and informative.
The view from our window – pool view.
Now it was time for dinner at Islands, supposedly with some characters. Luke had made us a reservation here about two weeks prior to our trip, but it wouldn’t have been necessary as there was no one else dining here when we entered. Later we were joined by 3 or 4 other families. So strange compared to a character meal at WDW restaurants. No characters were visible when we first arrived and Luke and I thought we might be dining too late to meet any of them. Stefanie was disappointed.
Luke at our table
Just after our appetizer arrived, Luke signaled to me that some characters where arriving: Scooby Doo and Curious George, the two Stefanie had talked the most about.
Love this one as her face is priceless!
As far as our meal here, Luke and I shared the Pork Pot Stickers for an appetizer. Stefanie chose the spaghetti with meatballs, I had the chicken Caesar Salad, and Luke at fish (Tilapia) and chips with slaw. The slaw serving was funny as it came in the tiniest little bowl. Very tiny bowl! They really didn’t ration the slaw. (I suppose you’ve noticed no food pictures, and don’t get your hopes up When I’m hungry, I eat!)
After dinner we wandered the walkways around the resort finding the water taxis dock and working off some of dinner.
We made it back to our room at almost 10:00, and then set out clothes for tomorrow before getting ready for bed. We were in bed with the lights out by a little after 11 :00. In the middle of the night, we were awakened by a phone call from an unknown Mrs. Rogers, but managed to go right back to sleep.
Up Next: “Toto, I don’t think we’re NOT in Disney anymore.”
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Dora
it!!!! Excited to hear more, I hear there are a few surprises
disney4us
steph got to "fly" the plane! I :Love: the pics.. 
Stefanie was disappointed. 
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