Florida flowers and Caribbean cruising THIS SECTION COMPLETED 5/7 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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.
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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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Florida flowers and Caribbean cruising THIS SECTION COMPLETED 5/7
Just to let you know that the pre-trip report for our upcoming vacation is now underway in the WDW trip reports forum. I'm going to post the whole thing over there, as out of our two weeks, we're only on the Dream for four nights, but in due course, that part of the trip will posted over here.
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Right, it's time to get the Disney Cruise Line part of this trip report underway, so with no further ado, let's set sail....
Monday 23 February – part six: it’ll be easy to park…
When we arrived at Port Canaveral, we couldn’t remember how it worked with the luggage. I knew in the past, we had dropped it off as we approached, and then had parked. I also remembered that previously porters had picked up our luggage from the car park, so we asked a guy, and he told us it would be much easier for us to park and then someone would pick our luggage up from there.
We entered, had heart failure at having to pay a flat rate of $75 as previously, we’d paid by the day, and of course that’s a lot of money for just four nights.
We found a spot on level three, which is where the guy had told us to park, but no sign of any porters, and he’d given us duff information, as we had to haul the luggage over the walkway, then take the elevator down, before we could pass it off to anyone. Not a great start!
That finally done, we joined the line for security, which wasn’t bad, but it was like a greenhouse in there, as you couldn’t feel the air conditioning working as you waited, which wasn’t pleasant. Once through, we headed up the escalator into the main terminal, and found the Castaway Club line (once we were able to get past the irritating family blocking the way! ) and we handed over our documents and had our passports checked, and in return, got our Key to the World cards.
Because it was so late on, it was now free boarding, so with a couple of photos, we headed on board. This is a much more stress free way to do things.
When we were due to be announced, we got talking to Jamesz (I think that was how he spelt it), as he picked up on our British accents, and he asked where we were from. It turns out I work in his home town and he’s worked in our home town. He was so funny. He kept saying “shut the front door” in such a camp voice! Later on, a Crew Member saw us and said to us “oh you’re Jamesz’ special friends”.. I’m not sure that’s how I want to be remembered necessarily…
There was a massive line for the midship elevators, so I headed forward, knowing that few people would be down there, and we were on our own, and quickly caught an elevator up to the ninth deck. Another beauty of boarding late is that your room is ready, so you can immediately drop your hand luggage off, which is what we did. Of course I had to get one or two photos as well…
We were very impressed with our Castaway Club gift…
The view from our room…
We headed out to go to Senses to get our Rainforest passes booked for the duration of the cruise. They were also doing a special offer, with a 75 minute pamper package down from $239 to $139. Sign me up! I managed to snag a 7:00pm slot, and Mark got a shave for the same time, so we were set.
We popped down to Guest Services to get today’s Navigator, as they’d run out in the terminal, and there wasn’t one in our room when we boarded, which surprised me.
That done, we headed back to the room for a bit of down time. We were pleasantly surprised by how quickly our three cases turned up. They were all there before 3:00pm! I also managed to resolve the problem with our phone. I’d emailed our phone provider at home, and they’d replied, saying they would reactive the SIM card, and if I turned off the phone for a few minutes, when it was turned back on, I’d have text message service – and I’m delighted to say I did!
Just before 3:00pm, we headed back to the spa for the raffle, but as usual, we didn’t win. This is as tough as winning the lottery!
When we came out of there, we went to get a drink at the bar. I have no idea what I got, as I asked for something sweet, and by the time we’d got through my allergies (as well the fruit issues, I can’t drink dark rum, as everything goes black and that’s only with a little taste! ) It had grey goose vodka, cranberry and orange juice and it was very nice.
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Too bad you were given misinformation about luggage porters. Other than that, it is easy to guess you are experienced cruisers. Nice score on the spa package and cold cocktails.
A delightful start to your cruise. Bon voyage.
I'm excited just seeing the pictures - can you tell I LOVE cruising with Disney? I don't remember those rattan chairs/sofas that you see in the last picture They look incredibly comfy. Where are they located exactely?
I can empathize with you about the stress of arriving at the port.it seems like there should be more signs explaining the basics, especially when they introduce new procedures, such as a parking garage. It's so easy to get overwhelmed and to stress about things! But you had the right idea--get settled and have a cocktail!
Sorry about the port snafu!. After that, it sounds like things went much better though!. I love the story about Jamesz! Your adult beverages look positively yummy!!
When you say you had a late boarding, what time did you actually arrive and get on the ship etc? I'm debating how we want to do ours in November and I like the idea of not lugging a bag all over creation...
Your room looks beautiful! What exactly was the CC gift?
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Waiting for our next adventure after enjoying our Alaska cruise. 
Jenn
as previously, we’d paid by the day, and of course that’s a lot of money for just four nights. 
) and we handed over our documents and had our passports checked, and in return, got our Key to the World cards. 
Later on, a Crew Member saw us and said to us “oh you’re Jamesz’ special friends”.. 
I’m not sure that’s how I want to be remembered necessarily… 
I managed to snag a 7:00pm slot, and Mark got a shave for the same time, so we were set. 
Us 
They look incredibly comfy. Where are they located exactely?
. After that, it sounds like things went much better though!
Parlor Panther in 'stalking mode'
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