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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!
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08-02-2013, 11:10 AM
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#1
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PassPorter Guide
 Community Rank: Globetrotter 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,041
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Feature Article: Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party - A Walt Disney World Dining Review
Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party - A Walt Disney World Dining Review
by Marla Duffy
Every year my family heads down to Walt Disney World for our spring break, and everyone always asks us, "Again? Isn't it always the same thing?"
It never is the "same thing," but each year I try to add something to our itinerary that's different and new. This year it was the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party at Magic Kingdom. I had read about it online and added it to my list of to-do's. What better way to see the Wishes fireworks at the end of the day! So I tried to make reservations, and they weren't being accepted yet. Seems there is no set timeframe that tickets go on sale for this, it's just a matter of checking daily about 30-45 days prior to the day you want. And checking multiple times a day, since in the morning they might not be accepting reservations and in the afternoon they are. So I managed to make reservations for the four of us; me, my husband, and our two kids, ages 14 and 10. I picked one of the days we were planning to be in the Magic Kingdom for the day, but sadly had already made a reservation for Be Our Guest, so we had to go from dinner to dessert. Next time I'll skip the dinner because of the desserts!
We arrived at Tomorrowland Terrace after racing from New Fantasyland hoping to get a front row table. Little did we know that tables are assigned, so regardless of when you arrive, your table has a nice personalized card with your name on it. We were right up front! I had read that if you sit further back, the roof overhead could block your view of the fireworks so I was thrilled we were just near the railing. Great view!
Sadly, I was stuffed from dinner. Next time I vow to not eat dinner that day so I can stuff myself with desserts. All desserts are mini-sized so you could easily sample everything. Even though I was stuffed when I arrived, I sampled a lot! My favorite was the creme brulee in a little coffee cup, and the chocolate mousse was also excellent! My kids loved the make-your-own sundaes and there was plenty of coffee, tea, and soft drinks for thirst quenching. There were cookies, pastries, tarts, fresh fruit, cannolis, tiramisu, cheesecakes, chocolate-covered strawberries ... you imagine it, it was there on the buffet. Yes, the buffet -- meaning you can go back over and over again until you have to be rolled out of there. We had a wonderful view of the castle from where we were, and as an added bonus, got to see the "Magic, Memories and You" show before the fireworks. Although the pictures projected on the castle were hard to make out, other guests were very vocal, so everyone shared what they saw! We also got to enjoy the Main Street Electrical Parade. The last time I saw that parade, I was on my tippy-toes straining to look around those who crowded in front of me, and my kids had to look through the throngs of people, so it was quite nice to get a clear view of the floats.
Another plus was the weather. It was one of those Florida days with brief downpours that soak you, and then the sun comes out. But instead of being down on the ground battling the crowds and the umbrellas, we were under a roof and got to enjoy the fireworks in all our dryness! Also, Disney PhotoPass thought to have a photographer stationed right where we checked in at the podium, and we got some great family shots and some good romantic shots with me and hubby, in the dark, with the castle lit up behind us.
So now that we'd eaten our fill of desserts, and then some, it was time for the fireworks to begin! Combined with the yummy food, and now the unencumbered, dry view of the fireworks, the cost per person, $22-$26 for adults, and $13.99 for kids depending on season, was worth it. The music and audio is piped into the terrace area and if you're lucky you'll get to see Tinker Bell fly right over you. The castle fireworks are wonderful to see from any location, but being in a less crowded area and under cover in case of rain, really added to the experience.
My kids loved it! My 10-year-old can't wait to do it again, andI promised her that next time we'll eat a midday lunch and save our appetites so we can have dessert for dinner that night! My 14-year-old loved the view we had, and that no-one crowded us. I do wonder if when you manage to book your reservation determines your table location - I believe I booked the first day reservations opened up and we had a prime location table. Other guests will mosey up to the railing and station themselves there, which they're not supposed to do, but I can imagine a table all the way in the back doesn't give you a great view.
This event is now added to our yearly planning, at least to do it next year when we head back to Walt Disney World. And next time we'll arrive with more room in our stomachs to enjoy the sugary sweets!
Added to PassPorter's Article Collection on 07-29-2013 09:07 AM
What do you think? Please add your own comments, experiences, or news related to this article in this thread! Reader feedback is welcomed and encouraged.
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