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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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This is my first attempt at a PTR! It will be my 15th trip to WDW since my first one in 2003! I will be returning again 6 weeks later with my family (pending all goes well with DH who is having some health issues…..but he is insisting that we will make it for our trip – and insisted on me keeping this trip intact – as it was in the making for quite some time – we have plenty of family around to help if need be…..but anyway – I will be doing 2 PTR’s at the same time!!!)
So here goes for Girls Only Weekend Trip:
Cast of Characters:
Lisa #1 (will have just turned 40 right before trip!), whom I have known since 7th grade! And is my dearest, bestest friend ever!!! (Oh yeah….and she is only listed as #1 because she is the oldest!!! ) Oh – and she is a member of here…..however, has not been on in Forever…so hoping she will jump on and add to this PTR!!!
Lisa #2 (will be turning 40 later this year), this is me!
Lisa #3 (well, she is just a youngin’ ~ only 35, but hey, we’ll bring her along because she is Fun!) – just kidding – she is also a very dear, close friend. Her husband and Lisa #1’s husband grew up together, so we have adopted her into our circle!
When: May 18 – 22, 2011
Where: Boardwalk Villas (I am a DVC member! And this is Lisa #1’s first time staying on property!)
Why: Well gees………2 of the 3 Lisa’s turning 40 in the same year as Disney World!!!
A Few more details: we are so excited to be leaving Husbands and Kids at home!!! We have wanted to do a girls only trip for so long! We were originally suppose to have all 3 couples go to Vegas in the fall to celebrate the 40th’s however, life has gotten in the way – and we quickly realized that in order to really enjoy Vegas and do it right – we would need more $$$......so we will save that for another milestone!
So here is a basic outline of our plans ~ a few things we know up front is that:
1) We don’t have much time for sleep !!! I have an annual pass, but the girls will each only have a 4 day hopper, so we plan to open and close parks each day!
2) We all LOVE the Big Mouse and Disney World so much that we will be GIANT kids running from character to ride back to character! (Lisa #3 actually did the College Program back in her day!)
3) We are here to have a GREAT time and enjoy quality time with each other without interruptions from our own kids……or hubbies! We love them….BUT a mom needs a break every now and then!
4) We recently found out that Lisa #1’s sister with her husband and child, and their parents will be overlapping our trip (we will meet up at some point ~ but again…..this is our trip! )
Wednesday 5/18/11:
Flight departs at 12:45pm from CT.
We land in Orlando at 3:35pm ~ will grab the Magical Express Bus (my first time using DME…..with my family we usually rent a car!) to Boardwalk Villas (hopefully it will be one of the first stops and leave the airport quickly!) but I am figuring hopefully being checked in around 5ish.
We can go up to room, unpack, check it out – and then I would like to run across the street to the Hess Station to purchase some diet coke (gotta have my diet coke on hand and ready!!!) and water bottles for room – I do believe that we will purchase a refillable resort mug also but would like to have stuff in the room – and it will be cheaper to pick up 6pack at Hess rather than resort gift shop?
We will then need to head over to Grand Floridian (plan is to the take the boat from Boardwalk to DHS, then the bus to GF) to the 1900 Park Fare for 7:15pm dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drizella!
After dinner, (thinking it’s gonna be around 8-8:15ish?) was thinking we could take monorail over to Polynesian – grab an adult beverage from somewhere in there (also gonna check to see how late their pool bar is open) and pick a spot on the beach and watch Wishes Fireworks from the Beach (hoping the music is piped in?)!!!
Then we can head back to Boardwalk. There we can do one/more of a few things: Relax at Hot Tub (with an adult beverage!); walk around Boardwalk (there is always stuff going on there in the evening); and/or take a peek into Jelly Rolls.
Thursday 5/19/11:
Wake up EARLY!!! We are going to the Parks!!!! Watch out Disney World!
We have an 8:05am breakfast ressie @ Tusker House with Donald, Daisy, Mickey & Goofy!!!
After breakfast we will be hopefully on one of the first trucks on the Kilimanjaro Safari!!!
After that we will have to make a beeline to Expedition Everest (EE) to grab Fastpasses (FP’s) for Lisa #1 and I – cause we all know that Lisa#3 (who is a CHEE-KIN!!!) will be the “official bag holder” at this point! LOL! Love her anyway!
We will then be able to tour AK, hopefully seeing Kali River Rapids, Dinosaur (Just for the sake of getting Lisa #3 on a scary ride! ), EE, Camp Mickey Minnie (characters!) and Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Hopefully if there is time, catch Finding Nemo or Lion King? And of course we will have to stop at every photopass photographer we see!
We will then leave AK when we are ready and we will take the bus, depending on time – either straight to MK or if we have time and someone wants to we can go back to resort (shirt change if needed if it’s hot?) before heading to our next destination…….
We have dinner ressies @ Crystal Palace for 5:50pm with Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, & Piglet! Done with dinner around 6:45-7ish? Then off to play in MK till 11pm!!!!
Of course, again, need to stop at every photopass photographer along the way!
We will have a few different times to visit MK, so just about every attraction is on the list for there! LOL! But Splash will be saved for Saturday when we meet up with Lisa #1’s family!
Oh yeah – when we get back to resort, thinking it might be hot tub time to relax our feet and muscles from all the running we did ~ and of course can enjoy an adult beverage if needed before heading to bed!
Friday 5/20/11:
Start the day with breakfast ressies @ Epcot @ Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway at 8:15am where we will dine with 5 various princesses.
After breakfast ~ depending on wait times, maybe run over to Future World and take a quick spin on Test Track and/or Soarin’! (And maybe grabbing more FP’s for later that night?)
Then we will beat feet it (as quickly as the boat will take us!) from Epcot to DHS for some MAJOR fun there! Those other 2 Lisa's....well they are a bit of Star Wars Geeks!
First thing we NEED to do when we enter (besides stopping for Photopass Photographer !) DHS is get to Toy Story Mania (TSM) as quickly as we can to grab FP’s!!! And if the stand by happens (thinking FAT chance ) to be short….we will still grab FP’s (so we can ride again sillies !!!) for a 2nd ride!
Then we can stroll around DHS, taking in the Star Wars stuff, hopefully seeing Beauty & The Beast, Rock ‘n Roll Roller Coaster (which actually ~ we might send Lisa #3 running to get the TSM FP’s, while Lisa #1 & I go ride R&RC!); Great Movie Ride; Walt’s Dream, Characters, and more Characters! And then end the night there with Fantasmic!
Dinner this evening will be a counter service (maybe Backlot Express?) somewhere in the park.
After Fantasmic – if we have the energy and want to, we can head back to Epcot (via boat) for evening magic hours (open till Midnight!).
Of course, again, need to stop at every photopass photographer along the way!
Saturday 5/21/11:
Wow…….we are getting up EARLY!!!! We have a breakfast ressie @ Chef Mickey’s at Contemporary at 7:45am (with Lisa #1’s family) where we will see Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip & Dale (the site says Chip & Dale, but I thought it was Goofy?).
After breakfast we will take the monorail (or it might be quicker to walk) over to MK and hopefully we can get to MK for Rope Drop! And just as a warning…..I will cry ! Do it every darn time!
Then we are going to explore MK with the family for the morning time – riding Splash Mountain with them, making sure we get in some other fun rides!!!
Don’t forget those Photopass Photographers!!!!
Then when we are ready to say good bye to the family (noonish?) – we will head over to Epcot, so that we can explore World Showcase and hopefully find some characters and sip a few adult beverages along the way (BUT being CAREFUL to NOT get plastered and ruin the rest of our night!! Taking note from Elbodans experience! We can share a drink to test it out!!! )
We have dinner ressies at Coral Reef this evening at 5:40pm where we will dine amongst lots of fishies, sharks, rays, and sea turtles!! And the desert here is sooooooo Yummy!!!
Oh yeah ~ more Photopass Photographers!!!
After dinner, we can either continue our trek around WS & FW or we can head back over to MK which is open till 11pm.
Sunday 5/22/11:
We have NO ressies for today (except for our flight).
We can go back to wherever we missed something…..if we want to go back to AK for another safari ride or spend the first part in MK, then head to Epcot again – who the heck knows ~ find some more Photopass Photographers!
We will probably have to be back at the Boardwalk for 5ish for the Magical Express (our flight is at 8:10pm).
Yes – there is a lot of Photopass mentioned here……….you see, the 3 of us Lisa’s are avid scrapbookers………we usually go to a weekend scrapbooking retreat together twice a year – and we gave up going this spring to allow this trip to happen (not to mention it fell on Lisa #1’s sons birthday – and the weekend before my DH’s surgery) so getting LOTS of photos is a MUST for us!!!
So with all this being said……….PLEASE feel free to suggest/comment………..
The biggest thing that I am worried about is transportation……found out that Boardwalk (I haven’t stayed there since 2003…..and we had a rental) shares the same bus as Beach Club, Swan & Dolphin….so that could be a ROYAL pain in the arse! But one thought on that is that when we visit AK & MK, we can take the boat to DHS (or walk) and then get the bus directly to the park from there (but we can’t do that on our early ressie mornings – cause those parks won’t be open yet) – so the bus/boat time will be our nap time!!!
Oh yeah – and Lisa#1 is having a hissy fit that we are NOT having breakfast with Alice & Mad Hater –we might to add that on Sunday? It shouldn’t take us long to pack up and get out of room.
Ok – and can I just say ………I am STRESSING about fitting all my lovely stuff into 1 Carry on!!! (The girls are adamant about only bringing carry ons to avoid luggage lines! I have NEVER done this – and I am a known Over-Packer!!!) And I am patiently waiting for my Mickey carry on suitcase to come – and really hope that my bubble is NOT burst by me not liking it!!! I want to start packing!!!
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Last edited by lfredsbo; 04-04-2011 at 11:42 AM..
Reason: adding photo/text color!
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at a PTR! It will be my 15th trip to WDW since my first one in 2003! I will be returning again 6 weeks later with my family (pending all goes well with DH who is having some health issues…..but he is insisting that we will make it for our trip – and insisted on me keeping this trip intact – as it was in the making for quite some time – we have plenty of family around to help if need be…..but anyway – I will be doing 2 PTR’s at the same time!!!)
) Oh – and she is a member of here…..however, has not been on in Forever…so hoping she will jump on and add to this PTR!!!
!!! I have an annual pass, but the girls will each only have a 4 day hopper, so we plan to open and close parks each day!
)
from somewhere in there (also gonna check to see how late their pool bar is open) and pick a spot on the beach and watch Wishes Fireworks from the Beach (hoping the music is piped in?)!!! 
we see! 
) to be short….we will still grab FP’s (so we can ride again sillies 
!!!) for a 2nd ride!
! Do it every darn time!
that we are NOT having breakfast with Alice & Mad Hater –we might to add that on Sunday? It shouldn’t take us long to pack up and get out of room.
about fitting all my lovely stuff into 1 Carry on!!! 
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