PTR: Thingamabobs, Zebras, & Giraffes, Oh My! - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hope all goes well flying United! We've always had good luck with Southwest, so I'm usually apprehensive flying anyone else. Awesome to have a free flight home! We save almost exactly like you all.
Thanks! I do too! They were good for our flight to Dominican Republic, but it was a straight through flight, but man do they charge for everything!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Hope all goes well with United and you can manage to fit everything into your bags under the weight limits! I do all the savings tips you do. Coin jar (mine is a Mrs Potts piggy bank), and Disney Visa are my favorites. I use the Visa for everything I can, including my DVC dues and love when I get to add those rewards to my card!
Thanks! I love savings!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
I'm exactly the same as you and I always give the same answer as you when people ask how we can afford to take so many vacations. If you use every loyalty scheme you can find, it's amazing how much you can save and the more you save, in my mind, the more you can travel!
Thanks! See, we are all "trained" very well how to save for more travel!
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
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.
Good luck with United and glad you had points to fly back with SW.
I am with you on the vacation thing, it's nobody's business! But thanks for sharing you saving tactics. I am doing the Disney gift cards with my target card too for our Oct trip!
Good luck with United and glad you had points to fly back with SW.
I am with you on the vacation thing, it's nobody's business! But thanks for sharing you saving tactics. I am doing the Disney gift cards with my target card too for our Oct trip!
Thanks! Those Target cards really help! It's amazing how quickly they add up!
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Lisa, people say the same things to us. How do you afford Disney every year, how do you go on weekend trips all the time. We live in nice modest ranch style home, drive older cars and budget. The way I figure it Lillian will only be home for a certain number of years and I want her to have wonderful childhood/teenage memories. I want her to explore and experience. Not to rememebr her parents as boring, never did anything fun type people. So I totally understand!
Hi Lisa Just checking in I am just back from a split airlines venture... United to Vegas via O'Hare (Chicago) and US Air to Milwaukee via McCarrin (Vegas). I LOVED the United flight. They were well organized. Now, I am not sure if they board like they did at O'Hare at every airport, but in Chicago each "zone" had it's own boarding lane, which eliminated the mass free-for-all.
US Air -- not so much, that was a huge mess. Not as bad as my AA disaster trip from several years ago, but not a pleasant trek home.
Anyway.... I can't wait to read more
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~ Jenn **Disney is REAL LIFE Magic, so much more than optical illusions **
So I have decided that for this PTR I will share our "tentative" plans for each day. I say "tentative" because we are famous for changing our plans on a whim! Not in a bad way, we are just a very flexible family and tend to go with the flow. Sometimes we find that we just feel like we have had enough of this park for that day, or need a little more of that park, or maybe some retail therapy in Downtown Disney ~ and of course, sometimes we change our minds on where we want to dine. So I am thinking for me, this will be a good way to see how much we changed when we return!
Our plans for Day 1, Monday June 30th:
This is travel day for us ~
Our flight leaves from Hartford at the ripe hour of 6:00 a.m.. At this time we are planning to just drive up (it's about 45-60 minute drive) that morning, but we might choose to do a park 'n fly package if I can find a good enough deal (sometimes as it gets closer to the date I can find a park 'n fly package that includes room and parking for about the same cost as just the parking alone) - so I will keep checking on that - so far there are no good deals . I recently found out that because we are flying from Hartford (on United) with a stop in Newark, they are putting me on one of those smaller planes - you know the kind that only has 1 seat on one side, and 2 on the other ................well, let's just say that Jose might make an appearance in my diet coke that morning!!! . although lucky for us, that flight is fairly short, but we do have a bit of a layover to contend with (about 90 minutes), but I have already scoped out the terminal and saw that there is a Starbucks, so I am sure that I will be grabbing myself an Iced Vanilla Chai, and Emily will most likely want a caramel frapachino! Then we get to book a larger "normal" size plane and we are scheduled to land in Orlando at 11:10 a.m.
After getting off the plane, we will head to Disney Magical Express (of course, this is if Scott does not change his mind about getting a rental car!!!) and board for our ride to our first destination..........Art of Animation! We are hoping (like everyone else does ) that our room will be ready - but if not, we will check our carry ons (and again, I am not sure that we will have DME bring our checked luggage or if we will grab it and bring on the bus ourselves) and head straight to Magic Kingdom! We will have to make a pit stop at Guest Services to exchange our PAP vouchers for actualy PAP's, and then I will have to stop (I think???) in the photopass shop for my Memory Maker (still need to purchase) There is no wasting park time here! . We already have some Fastpass+ options booked: Space Mountain, Meet Mickey Mouse in Town Square Theater (Have to see him upon arrival in WDW!!), and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train . If we can fit in any other attractions, we will.
Now we do have a small dilemma here...........our SDMT fastpass is for 5:10 - 6:10 pm. We also have an ADR at 1900 Park Fare for dinner at 5:50 pm. I have tried to get a bit later on our ADR with no luck right now, but I will keep checking. We are hoping that it won't be too big a deal, as we will plan to be right at SDMT at 5:10 to ride - just not sure how long we will actually have to wait, then we will fly to the front of the park and take either the boat or the monorail which ever is there first to GF.
1900 Park Fare is one of Emily's favorite character meals - dinner time you are visited by Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine & the step-sisters! Scott always has a blast with Drizella! And Emily really enjoys the strawberry soup here. I am also hoping that we might get to see the Fairy Godmother - sometimes she has been there when you have your photo taken, not sure if she still does it or not.
After dinner we will see how we feel - thinking we will most likely be tired and just head back to the resort to explore, maybe a night time swim before bed!
Up Next: Day 2 plans!
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Signing in to follow along. Happy Belated birthday to Scott!! I am excited for your report on Mine Coaster as we just missed it. But the area did look wonderful!!
Gotta love those bright and early departures! I hate those itty bitty planes too!
Arrival day planes look great! I can't wait for some reviews of SDMT!
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
Busy day-- I'd expect nothing less! Hope the timing works out with the dinner and FP+. If you purchase the Memory Maker before you leave home and add the number to your Magic Bands you shouldn't need to stop at the Photo place at all. Just start taking pics right away with your bands.
Signing in to follow along. Happy Belated birthday to Scott!! I am excited for your report on Mine Coaster as we just missed it. But the area did look wonderful!!
Thanks for joining in! I can't wait to ride that!
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneydreamer33
Gotta love those bright and early departures! I hate those itty bitty planes too!
Arrival day planes look great! I can't wait for some reviews of SDMT!
Thanks! Can't wait to ride SDMT!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR
Great plans for your first day!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by iwonathomas
Day 1 plans should great!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coop
You waste no time do ya? Wow - a lot packed into "travel day"!
Thanks! NO wasting any time here!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Busy day-- I'd expect nothing less! Hope the timing works out with the dinner and FP+. If you purchase the Memory Maker before you leave home and add the number to your Magic Bands you shouldn't need to stop at the Photo place at all. Just start taking pics right away with your bands.
Thanks! You know us, hit the ground running! Thanks for the info on Memory Maker....wasn't sure since it has changed over.
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
About This Page: 
We save almost exactly like you all. 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Liz 
Just checking in 
I am just back from a split airlines venture... United to Vegas via O'Hare (Chicago) and US Air to Milwaukee via McCarrin (Vegas). I LOVED the United flight. They were well organized. Now, I am not sure if they board like they did at O'Hare at every airport, but in Chicago each "zone" had it's own boarding lane, which eliminated the mass free-for-all. 
~ Jenn 
. I recently found out that because we are flying from Hartford (on United) with a stop in Newark, they are putting me on one of those smaller planes - you know the kind that only has 1 seat on one side, and 2 on the other 
................well, let's just say that Jose might make an appearance in my diet coke that morning!!! 
. although lucky for us, that flight is fairly short, but we do have a bit of a layover to contend with (about 90 minutes), but I have already scoped out the terminal and saw that there is a Starbucks, so I am sure that I will be grabbing myself an Iced Vanilla Chai, and Emily will most likely want a caramel frapachino! Then we get to book a larger "normal" size plane and we are scheduled to land in Orlando at 11:10 a.m.
. We already have some Fastpass+ options booked: Space Mountain, Meet Mickey Mouse in Town Square Theater (Have to see him upon arrival in WDW!!), and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 
Deb
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