LIVE - From Walt Disney World and Universal!! Jan 21-26 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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LIVE - From Walt Disney World and Universal!! Jan 21-26
Hello and welcome!
I had all intentions of doing a PTR for this trip, but that just didn't happen. For many reasons. I'm still working on my August 2014 TR, the holidays, and the fact that this is the busiest time of the year for my job - a Disney travel agent!
So, I have decided to start this tread and try to do a few live updates while there!
Here are my intros ~
I'm Shelly. I am the wife, the mom, the ultimate Disney planner! I work part time as a Teaching Assistant at our elementary school. And I work full time as a Travel Agent, specializing in Disney Destinations! In my spare time I enjoy photography, shopping, and spending time with all my boys – DH & I have been married for almost 17 years and have 2 boys, 15 and 13. Plus a Sheltie named Captain “Jack” Sparrow!
DH has become quite the Disney fan himself! He didn't used to like to admit it, but anymore he will tell anyone that will listen! DH works long hours as a Quality Assurance Inspector, so he really enjoys getting away to FL & taking it easy on our Disney Vacations! In his spare time he enjoys spending time with the boys and being outdoors.
DS15 is our oldest. Hard to believe that he is just a few years away from being a man. He is a sophomore in HS. He enjoys writing stories, being with his friends, play video games, skateboarding, and archery. He is a thrill ride seeker and my WDW ride buddy! He still loves Disney and I hope that doesn't change anytime soon. DS is very out-going and hilarious.
DS13 is our youngest, but is growing up quickly. He is in 7th grade now. He loves playing video games, hanging with his friends, and most of all he LOVES soccer!! He has played since he was 4 and is a starter on the MS team! He also loves Disney very much and I can always count on him if I want to talk Disney!
Here we are last August ~
This will be our 13th trip to WDW. And this will just be a quickie winter getaway. We always go in August for about 8-9 days. This trip is only 5 nights, so I'm sure it will fly right by. But, we are doing something new - going to Universal! None of us have ever been there. I never want to give up any of my WDW time to even give it a try. But now that I have started selling Universal vacations, I figured some first hand experience couldn't hurt. Although, to hear my kids tell it I am the worst mom ever for making them give up 2 days at WDW for Universal. They tend to not want to try new things, but when they do they usually end up loving them. We shall see on this one....
As of now our plans look like this:
Jan 21-24 WDW/Bay Lake Tower
Jan 24-26 Universal/Portofino Bay
I hope to be able to check in at least once a day and give a little update and post a few pics! For those of you who know me or have read any of my previous TR's, you know I love to take pictures!
Welcome and stay tuned....
__________________
Shelly
Disney Destinations Specialist
Magical Vacations Travel
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You do have an early flight. I thought I'd be all alone on this thread this morning. Dang. You might be tired tomorrow, just a little.
I woke up to 13 emails. But you go and enjoy your vacation, Ms Florida, and don't think about the rest of us stuck with no MK to walk to, 10 minutes outside our door.
__________________
Jodi şOş
Disney Destinations Specialist
Magical Vacations Travel
You do have an early flight. I thought I'd be all alone on this thread this morning. Dang. You might be tired tomorrow, just a little.
I woke up to 13 emails. But you go and enjoy your vacation, Ms Florida, and don't think about the rest of us stuck with no MK to walk to, 10 minutes outside our door.
Well look who it is. Yes, I might be a LITTLE tired tomorrow. Stupid SW and their stupid flight times. It was 6 or 12:30. No 8, 9, 10, nothing. Ugh.
Enjoy the overload while I'm gone. Try not to hate me too much!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeL
Welcome across the lake Ft Wilderness hope your stay is as good as ours has been
Hey neighbor!
Enjoy the rest of your trip!
__________________
Shelly
Disney Destinations Specialist
Magical Vacations Travel
I know you are getting so excited! I am extremely jealous. At this point in the winter, I am really wanting to get away to Florida, the Caribbean.... somewhere tropical! Enjoy it! What I'd give to see a Palm tree right now...
Oh, I'm almost done with your TR. Better late than never right? I had so many comments, I had to take notes! Ha!
Last edited by DisneyWorldNut; 01-20-2015 at 09:22 AM..
I know you are getting so excited! I am extremely jealous. At this point in the winter, I am really wanting to get away to Florida, the Caribbean.... somewhere tropical! Enjoy it! What I'd give to see a Palm tree right now...
Oh, I'm almost done with your TR. Better late than never right? I had so many comments, I had to take notes! Ha!
I am excited!! Although, I really think this will be my last January trip. It's just so busy at work and really going to be hard to get away and not be tempted to work while I'm gone. And when I get back -- But, I'm going to try to relax and enjoy my 5 days away. I kind of regret doing a split stay on a 5 night trip too. It just seems like a lot of moving around in a short amount of time. So, that has me a little anxious. But, I did want to try something new this time. And you know it went from Disneyland, to a cruise, to this WDW/Universal split!!
So glad you are getting caught up on the TR. Hopefully I will be able to finish it up shortly after I get back!
__________________
Shelly
Disney Destinations Specialist
Magical Vacations Travel
About This Page: 
This trip is only 5 nights, so I'm sure it will fly right by. 
But, we are doing something new - going to Universal! None of us have ever been there. I never want to give up any of my WDW time to even give it a try. But now that I have started selling Universal vacations, I figured some first hand experience couldn't hurt. Although, to hear my kids tell it I am the worst mom ever for making them give up 2 days at WDW for Universal. 
They tend to not want to try new things, but when they do they usually end up loving them. We shall see on this one....
For those of you who know me or have read any of my previous TR's, you know I love to take pictures! 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
~ Jenn 
,
Yes, we have a slightly early flight tomorrow morning. 
So glad you are here!!
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