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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Great last day! Loos like you had a lot of fun at Epcot before heading to the airport. So sad it's all over!
It's nice to have that last-minute fun at the parks. On our last trip, I didn't schedule any parks on our last day and we had an even later flight. By 4 pm I was going crazy with boredom.
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How cute that the boys went to get the perfume as a gift (even if you knew ).
The last day is always sad but glad you were able to have some last minute fun over at Epcot before heading out to the airport.
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It's nice to have that last-minute fun at the parks. On our last trip, I didn't schedule any parks on our last day and we had an even later flight. By 4 pm I was going crazy with boredom.
Just make sure you're heading back to the resort by bus two hours before your DME time and you should always be good and depending which park and the distance. I would avoid the AK on this day with the extra stop at Blizzard Beach!
It's always Epcot or Studios for me as the dining options are a bit better (more so Epcot).
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
Just make sure you're heading back to the resort by bus two hours before your DME time and you should always be good and depending which park and the distance. I would avoid the AK on this day with the extra stop at Blizzard Beach!
It's always Epcot or Studios for me as the dining options are a bit better (more so Epcot).
I agree, Epcot is the best departure day park. It is my favorite park so I might be a bit biased. It has enough for you to do to keep you entertained, but not too much (like MK) that may distract you and have you lose track of time.
Always sad to end a trip, but looks like you were able to add in some last minute fun!
With the weeks I've been having lately, I wish I was there for that little bit of fun.
It was nice to walk around my favorite park before leaving for reality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
How cute that the boys went to get the perfume as a gift (even if you knew ).
The last day is always sad but glad you were able to have some last minute fun over at Epcot before heading out to the airport.
Can't wait to read your final thoughts.
They knew I wanted it. They always try to do surprise things like that for me. Their intentions are good.
I agree, Epcot is the best departure day park. It is my favorite park so I might be a bit biased. It has enough for you to do to keep you entertained, but not too much (like MK) that may distract you and have you lose track of time.
My favorite too especially with Illuminations the best fireworks in WDW), best dining choices and best park to explore with the World Showcase as I love the whole international theme. Especially as I have traveled to many locales over the last twenty years! You can see them in "My Previous Trips" here.
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
My favorite too especially with Illuminations the best fireworks in WDW), best dining choices and best park to explore with the World Showcase as I love the whole international theme. Especially as I have traveled to many locales over the last twenty years! You can see them in "My Previous Trips" here.
I'll start off with a little update on my life, as I vented a bit on this TR. The kids finished off the semester better than I thought. AJ (with whom I have no problem with) got straight A's. Abniel got 2 A's and 4 B's, a little lower than I've come to expect from him. He's a very smart kid but oh so irresponsible. He just doesn't want to do the work. Adriel really surprised me. He got 4 A's and 2 B's, he really pushed himself on those finals. It was a struggle and it still is.
This semester is going better. I still have to push them (Abniel & Adriel) a little to do their work and to study. I just ask of them to give a 100%. And in the end if their 100% isn't enough, at least I'll see that they try and care.
And now for my final thoughts.
Final Thoughts
This trip seems like a million years ago. Even as I tried to remember details to write this TR, it seemed so far away in my memory. I wasn't a very good note taker this trip, especially on those last few days. But I did take lots of picture.
I must start by saying that WDW is my absolute favorite place in the world to visit. I just feel so at peace there, no worries, no stressing, just pure fun. It's this magical place where I can just let go. And I am so lucky that I have a husband and kids that share my love for Disney. They are just as obsessed as I am. It can't get better than that.
As for the trip per say, I'll give a review of each aspect.
Accommodations
As a family of 5 (which apparently isn't the "traditional" family ), our options for hotels aren't very abundant. I mean we could always get 2 rooms but I don't like that idea very much.
AKV was an amazing resort! We stayed in a 1 bedroom villa on DVC points, which I rented. We had plenty of room to stretch out. Having 2 bathrooms was very convenient and the tub in the master bathroom was A+.
The resort, in general, was very beautiful. The grounds were very well kept, the pool was wonderful (my boys loved it) and the staff was very friendly. I loved watching the animals, especially the giraffes.
The only negative I can see is the lack of QS location and the size of the gift shop. But other than that, the resort is perfect.
Transportation Spirit Airlines: Bleh. They're not my cup of tea. We got a great deal on the airfare, but they just nickel and dime you for everything. Probaby won't use them again (unless I find a super good deal ).
Disney's Magical Express: There's something just so magical about boarding that bus when you arrive at Orlando. I consider that the start of my trip. I love the movie! It gets you in the Disney mood. Of course, taking it back to the airport is not so great.
Disney Busses: I'd heard many people complain about the busses from AKL & AKV. We didn't have a problem with them. The most we waited was 20 minutes and it was early one morning for a DHS bus. Other than that, they were great, on time. I loved the monitors they have at the bus stops because it gave you an idea of when your bus would arrive. The times were always accurate.
The Parks
Epcot: My favorite park!! And Arben's too. I think we spent the most time here. I loved being able to explore the pavilions at WS! We had a prime spot for Illuminations, which is my favorite nighttime show. I love the relax feeling this park gives. There's plenty of great places to eat too.
Magic Kingdom: My 2nd favorite park. My kid's favorite. This park, to me, is just magical. I enjoyed meeting characters and I was able to meet some princesses and my favorite, Tinkerbell. I was happy because my boys were willing to meet them just to make me happy. We did lots of things here, I think we did almost every attraction. That's quite an accomplishment.
Animal Kingdom: I love animals! So this park is right up my alley. It also has my favorite ride which is Expedition Everest. My goal for this trip was to see the gorillas and I must say that I hit jackpot. I saw them, lots of them and got some great pictures.
Disney's Hollywood Studios: My least favorite park. There are a couple of good rides but that's about it for me. To me, this park lacks something. I don't know, it just doesn't entice me to visit it.
Blizzard Beach & Typhoon Lagoon: I am not a water person. I don't like deep water, or moving water or slides. My boys were dying to visit them so I gave in. They had an awesome time and poor daddy had to endure the slides with them. I had a nice time relaxing in the chairs, soaking up the sun and people watching. I did try Crush 'n' Gusher which I liked. I also went in the lazy rivers, that was relaxing. But the wave pool at TL ruined it for me.
Disney Quest: My kids love video games and I thought they'd have fun here. But then I had to come and get sick and cut their visit short. LOL! I did promise them to come back but we never had the chance. They still remind me of this.
Food
Let's be honest, this is the main idea we come to Disney. TO EAT. And we did plenty of this. We tried some new places and went back to our favorites too. Almost all of the places we ate at, we enjoyed. There were a couple that were "been there, done that, not likely going back". But overall, we had great meals.
I didn't get the dining plan because Abniel was 10 and considered an "adult" but he eats like a 6 year old. And I don't eat much either, so it would've been a waste of money. But by not having the DDP, I found that we were very conscious of what we ate and how much we spent. We ended up cancelling a couple of adrs because of budget.
But considering all this, the DDP still is not the thing for us. Next trip, we'll have all Disney adults. I've priced and for the length of time we always vacation, it would be more than $3,000 for food. What the heck! There's is no way we'd ever spend that much money on food if we pay OOP. Not even close.
To wrap this up, this trip was just what we needed. Fun, relaxation, good food. We didn't go without our stressful moments but we're a family and we get over it quickly. We prefer to vacation solo. Extended family just adds stress and unnecessary problems that I don't want to deal with. Disney is our family time!
I don't know what the future holds for us. I'm 90% sure there won't be a trip this year. It just doesn't fit in our budget, at least the kind of trip I like to do. I'm aiming for June 2016. So that's what I'm planning for. (Yes, I've started planning already)
Thanks to all for following along! I enjoyed reading each and every one of your responses. It's nice to know that your life is interesting enough that other people feel like reading about it.
I'll leave you with a recent picture of my family. (taken on January 31)
I don't know what's up with Arben's eyes, there wasn't any alcohol served.
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Great wrap up, Mayra! It was a great trip, thanks for sharing
I've looked into renting DVC points, and I think it's something we might do in the future. Staying at one of the deluxe resorts has been a dream of mine that always gets crushed because of the budget Renting points seems like a more affordable way to do it! Glad to hear that you had a good experience with it. Did you use one of the companies out there to rent from?
Great wrap up, Mayra! It was a great trip, thanks for sharing
I've looked into renting DVC points, and I think it's something we might do in the future. Staying at one of the deluxe resorts has been a dream of mine that always gets crushed because of the budget Renting points seems like a more affordable way to do it! Glad to hear that you had a good experience with it. Did you use one of the companies out there to rent from?
Yes, I used DVC Rental Store. They were very helpful and efficient. It was a very easy process. I think you should definitely try renting points.
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.
I hate to see this end! Can't we just start again? So glad the boys did well in school this semester. Looks like they're all trying hard, and succeeding, too. Your family is beautiful and I loved following you around and seeing all the great, happy photos.
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It has enough for you to do to keep you entertained, but not too much (like MK) that may distract you and have you lose track of time.
With the weeks I've been having lately, I wish I was there for that little bit of fun. 
He just doesn't want to do the work. Adriel really surprised me. He got 4 A's and 2 B's, he really pushed himself on those finals. It was a struggle and it still is. 
And we did plenty of this. We tried some new places and went back to our favorites too. Almost all of the places we ate at, we enjoyed. There were a couple that were "been there, done that, not likely going back". But overall, we had great meals. 
I've priced and for the length of time we always vacation, it would be more than $3,000 for food. 
What the heck! There's is no way we'd ever spend that much money on food if we pay OOP. Not even close.
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