A 40th celebration to end the world! THREAD 2 COMPLETE AGAIN 4/27 - Page 25 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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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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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Whew! Just caught up on all of thread 2 after some time off the boards. (too much time spent looking up photos for the contest means no time left over for reading ) So I have a funny question for you...you mention going to Seaworld on Boxing Day and then explain that it is the day after Christmas for the non-Brits. Being Canadian, it is one of our statutory holidays and I was not aware that it was a Commonwealth sort of thing. Really? In the USA do you all (or should I say y'all ) just go right back to work the day after Christmas??
I was very happy to see you mention "weeks" when you spoke of the balance of your holiday - that means we have lots more TR to look forward to.
Whew! Just caught up on all of thread 2 after some time off the boards. (too much time spent looking up photos for the contest means no time left over for reading ) So I have a funny question for you...you mention going to Seaworld on Boxing Day and then explain that it is the day after Christmas for the non-Brits. Being Canadian, it is one of our statutory holidays and I was not aware that it was a Commonwealth sort of thing. Really? In the USA do you all (or should I say y'all ) just go right back to work the day after Christmas??
As far as I know, that's exactly what happens. Don't forget that Thanksgiving is of course a major celebration just a month earlier, so one day off for Christmas perhaps isn't such a big deal after that.
I'm guessing you guys probably got Boxing Day from the UK originally, but I must admit I didn't know Canada celebrated Boxing Day, but it makes sense...
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I was very happy to see you mention "weeks" when you spoke of the balance of your holiday - that means we have lots more TR to look forward to.
We're now on 13 December... we didn't fly home until 31 December, so heck there's a lot, lot more to come yet!
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Thursday 13 December – part six: the wait is how long?
As we made our way back to the entrance, we heard an announcement that the park would be shutting in an hour’s time, which really didn’t surprise us at all, given the temperatures today. That would make its closing time 3:00pm, and I think it’s lucky it made it that long.
The Commerson’s dolphins still weren’t keen on being photographed.
We made our way back to the entrance…
We headed back to property, and I came up with the idea of heading to Beaches and Cream for a late lunch.
However, when we got there, the guy told us that it was a full house, with three other parties waiting, and it would be a 30-45 minute wait. There were no seats even at the bar. Considering this was 2:40pm, I was absolutely shocked by this. Now I love this place, but there was no way I was going to wait that long to get in there. I was hungry, so we headed for the Marketplace.
This wasn’t a great idea, as we had what I’d call a stroppy Cast Member serving us. Mark asked for a turkey sandwich and she asked if he wanted brie, and bacon, so when he was done, I asked if I could have it without the turkey and bacon, which would’ve left me with brie and cranberry, which would’ve been perfect for me. I can’t do it came the reply. Apparently, it wouldn’t go through on the till, so I had to have a cheese flatbread, which wasn’t particularly good. This shows how bad the Liberty Tree Tavern meal was, as the flatbread I had there was just like this, but the meal cost a heck of a lot more.
We paid for the meal using a table service credit. I know, I know, not a good use of it, but heck, it was either using it or paying for the food, which seemed even more insane.
Once we were done eating, we headed back to Animal Kingdom Lodge for a couple of hours, where I was able to catch up on photos, the boards, and trip report writing.
However, every so often I’d be distracted by movement out on the safari, and usually that would mean an amazing sight out there. Honestly, this is definitely the best savannah room we’ve ever had.
We headed out to see the Osborne Lights around 6:00pm. It was the last evening we’d get to see them, and I really didn’t want to miss them. Although I love all the holiday extras that Disney does, if I really had to be pushed into picking just one, then I think it would be these. They are just wonderful.
We got some Photopass pics done when we arrived…
… and took some photos of our own. Although the Studios is our least favourite park of the four, the entrance is packed with some beautiful Art Deco buildings, and they look fantastic at night.
Too bad Beaches and Cream was so crowded. That meal from the Marketplace looks definitely sub-par. If that's what the flatbread at Liberty Tree looked like, it's no wonder you weren't pleased! More fabulous photos from the lodge. The variety of species and the activity is just incredible.
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Sounds like you folks had a full day of it. Have to remember that about Market place if we decide to hit that Happy to see Mark appears to have recovered nicely in PP pics
Agree, Osborne lights would be the one holiday must if we had to choose. Which we will next trip - we're only staying two nights, on the way to Port Canaveral for a New Years Eve cruise on the Fantasy. That makes one full day!
Too bad about Beaches & Cream. We've had a wait around that time of the day as well.
I can't imagine wanting to go to a water park at that temperature, so I'm still amazed that Aquatica was open at all. Bummer that Beaches and Cream was full as your meals at The Marketplace just didn't look that fabulous. DHS does look pretty lit up at night. Can't wait to see your Osborne Lights pictures.
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) So I have a funny question for you...you mention going to Seaworld on Boxing Day and then explain that it is the day after Christmas for the non-Brits. Being Canadian, it is one of our statutory holidays and I was not aware that it was a Commonwealth sort of thing. Really? In the USA do you all (or should I say y'all 
) just go right back to work the day after Christmas??
Guess where we were headed??
PassPorter Guide Author
that's exactly what happens. Don't forget that Thanksgiving is of course a major celebration just a month earlier, so one day off for Christmas perhaps isn't such a big deal after that. 
Considering this was 2:40pm, I was absolutely shocked by this. Now I love this place, but there was no way I was going to wait that long to get in there. 
I was hungry, so we headed for the Marketplace. 
Apparently, it wouldn’t go through on the till, so I had to have a cheese flatbread, which wasn’t particularly good. This shows how bad the Liberty Tree Tavern meal was, as the flatbread I had there was just like this, but the meal cost a heck of a lot more. 
Great pictures from DHS and the savanna!
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