Taking A Break from Life with a Trip to My Happy Place - Page 10 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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So I got a very special phone call on Saturday afternoon from the CM that sent my mom that last email. She apologized for not returning my phone call sooner, but she had been in contact with another CM at the MK and wanted to wait until she had all the information to give me.
She made sure to point out several times that this was an extreme exception to the rules and policies, but she would be be able to accomodate Hope into the preview without her having an annual pass. To say I was excited was an understatement, and I couldn't stop thanking her. To make things even better, I was able to pick out the date, time and itinerary I wanted to preview, so of course, I chose the Storytime with Belle Itinerary.
Not sure how this works, but the confirmation I received says we have to sign in at the Transportation and Ticket Center 30 minutes prior to our preview time where we'll be given wristbands. Then I guess they take us or tell us where to go to enter the new FL area. It says that we will also be given a tour of the new Be Our Guest Restaurant, although food will not be served in there, however, it does say that there may be limited food and drink availability in the new area, so I'm not sure what that means. I promise to take a ton of photos (if I'm allowed) and give detailed info on the experience for all of you wanting to know.
Seems like a little magic has come my way before our vacation has even begun, and when I shared the good news via text with Dawn, Kelly and Linny, and these were some of the responses I got...
Dawn (dsteiny23):
"I am so glad you got some magic!!! Linny's posterior pixie must have passed some dust on to you".
Me:
"Hahaha!!! Hope's looking at me like I'm crazy because I was laughing a little too loud. Now she just needs to send that pixie your way".
Dawn:
"I feel pixie dusted to be here. But if she wants to pass some gas...I mean dust my way for FLE I'll take it"!
Linny (linnynad):
"Glad she came through. I told that pixie who was up my a** to do that for you girl".
Kelly (OhToodles):
"Yay! That's awesome"!
So from that, can you tell who the obnoxious...ahem, I mean, Jersey...ahem, one more time, I mean crazy ladies are in our little group? And that's why I love them because as soon as I hung up the phone with mom after giving her the good news, they were the people I most wanted share my happiness with.
__________________
Melissa
Last edited by honeybee723; 11-05-2012 at 01:46 PM..
Yay, so glad that they are going to let Hope into the preview! We were able to check out part of the FLE with the soft openings while we were there in October. We rode the new Mermaid ride which was really cute. I am not sure what else was open, I know Gaston's Pub and I think you could have seen the restaurant maybe, but we didn't walk around there. It was dark at the time and kind of hard to really enjoy the space. So I can't wait to see your pictures if you are allowed to take some!
We heard its going to be a bad winter in our area. That nor'easter is just going to add insult to injury for the beaches and shore.
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Teresa
Sammy 5 years and Peyton 15 months - September 2013
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Yay!! I'm dancing a jig for you (which means sitting in my chair and wiggling around!). Can't wait to hear how it all goes. One thing I think is odd is that you have to report to the Transportation and ticket center instead of someplace at the MK itself. If you're reporting there 30 mins before the preview you'll have to hoof it and trust to luck that you can get on a ferry or monorail, then through security and the turnstiles, then back to FL in time. Or are you being escorted??
(Those crazy ladies you hang out with virtually are a hoot!!)
This next storm is NOT what people need right now. The winds are supposed to be tropical-storm level again.
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The pixie jokes will never die!!
I was really so happy that that all came through for you in the end ( pun intended). I am also happy you shared it with us right away too
I do enjoy reading over your list of firsts, and while I like them all, my favorite list would be the one titled "Drinks in Epcot" yes, yes.....do have fun with those.
That whole check in at TTC is odd to me. I hope it's an early time and doesn't get in the way of whatever you have going on that day, and why won't there be food available in BOG? It's open now for dinner and lunch isn't it? Who cares though really........you are going to SEE it!!!
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Aw! I feel special! Sorry I don't get all smart. I have a 'stupid' phone and texting on that thing is a PITA! I'm elgible for a discounted upgrade on Thursday so I'll be looking to get a better phone - and more texting too.
I'm pretty sure Dawn farts pixie dust too. I mean, how many times in a row can the same family get upgraded at the same resort?!?!?
I'm so excited you'll get to see FL! I'm jealous all of you will see it before me! (I'm pretty sure Dawn will get in sometime while down there. At least I hope so.) This is why we're going to MNSSHP next year after the cruise - just so I can see the new FL.
Great news! So cool that you got to pick your time and itinerary both. When we were allowed in for the dress rehearsal, Gaston's was open and serving some food and drink, so maybe that is what they mean by some food. I was also allowed to take pictures of everything we saw, so hopefully, you will be, too.
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on Saturday afternoon from the CM that sent my mom that last email. She apologized for not returning my phone call sooner, but she had been in contact with another CM at the MK and wanted to wait until she had all the information to give me.
but she would be be able to accomodate Hope into the preview without her having an annual pass. To say I was excited was an understatement, 
and I couldn't stop thanking her. To make things even better, I was able to pick out the date, time and itinerary I wanted to preview, so of course, I chose the Storytime with Belle Itinerary. 
I promise to take a ton of photos (if I'm allowed) and give detailed info on the experience for all of you wanting to know. 
I mean, Jersey...ahem, 
one more time, I mean crazy ladies are in our little group? And that's why I love them because as soon as I hung up the phone with mom after giving her the good news, they were the people I most wanted share my happiness with. 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Teresa
Holly: 
( pun intended). I am also happy you shared it with us right away too
PassPorter Guide Author
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
"Sparky"(My first trip.)
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