8 Days Without the Kiddos – June 2014 Trip Report COMPLETED - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
8 Days Without the Kiddos – June 2014 Trip Report COMPLETED
8 Days Without the Kiddos – June 2014 Trip Report
COMPLETED TRIP REPORT
This was the trip of a lifetime for the wife and me. At the end of July we celebrate our 15th Wedding Anniversary. We had not had much time alone since our firstborn came along 8 years ago. The wife finally caved and agreed to a “Mommy and Daddy Only Trip” to celebrate.
If you decide to tag along on this trip you will get to read and see our adventures as we enjoy 8-nights together at Walt Disney World. Lots of fun, food and wondering what the kiddos are doing “right now.” Plus tons of pics.
The Cast:
Me (Heath) – I am 37 and a middle school business teacher as well as a Southern Baptist pastor. I am the "Disney nut" in the family. I am also the extreme planner. I chose all the details and made ALL the decisions - well most anyway . That works for us. I doubt she knows the Passporter Discussion Boards even exists; can you imagine such a person?
My Wife (Candi) – She is also 37 and is a full-time mommy to our three little loves, Jaron (8) , Clayton (5) and Ella (3). Jaron is our know-it-all, Clayton is the superhero complete with self-included sound effects and Ella is daddy's little princess. Candi does love Disney, but she loves to be surprised and is very flexible. She also trusts me with the planning based on previous experiences. She seems to think there are more important things to use your extra time for besides planning a trip - lol. She is in on some of the big decisions like plane tickets and some limited dining, but for the most part -- every day will be a surprise for her. She will not know where we are headed or what we will do each day.
Trip Details:
Date: June 8-16, 2014
Resort: Saratoga Springs & All Star Music
Pre-Trip Report: Concessions of a Disney Addict
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.
This day did not start under the best of circumstances. Yesterday (Thursday) we had a freak wind storm with 70-80 mph winds. When I got home from school there was a tree laying across our fence, where it will stay until we return unless someone from somewhere comes and cuts it up-let's cross our fingers and pray. That also means that our last night of packing was done with no electricity. Also, as of this morning, our van is still in the shop having repairs made so we can leave.
June 6 - Well, this morning I got up and went to school. Seemed a waste of time. We bused kids to school, handed out report cards and put them back on the bus by 8:30 am to go home for the last day of school. Teachers were able to leave just after them, so I got back home by 9:00 am to pack up. Candi was getting the kids dressed, so I walked up to the service station in town to check on the van. He did not have it fixed, but said the problem would be okay until we returned home. That was the case, as long as we kept the speed under 75 mph we had no real problems.
So I drove the van home and we started to get things packed. This was interesting, as there was still no electricity in my town. We just made the best of it and finally got on the road about 10:30 am. Today we would be headed to Marseilles, Illinois where the kids would stay with their grandparents for the next week. This is a 9-hour trip, so we were well stocked with pillows and technology devices
We stopped in about an 45 minutes for the first bathroom break, and also had lunch. Of course we had McDonald's. What else do you have on a long road trip.
Once back on the road the kids were well entertained with games and movies. Candi was reading something she downloaded on her phone. I think is was one of books in the “Mortal Instruments” series, but I am not sure. It was a long book and kept her occupied throughout the trip. She loves those “teen” books, and refused to tell me the name. Her exact words were, “I don’t need you blabbing to the whole world what I was reading.” Oh well. I had headphones in listening to Disney Podcast after podcast. Who knows which of the 15 podcasts I listened to. If you followed by PTR (CLICK HERE FOR PTR) you will remember that is all I listen to in the car, so it could have been the DisUnplugged, PassPorter Moms, Be Our Guest -- but who knows?
We did stop at a family bakery in southern Missouri for a fun treat. Everything was yummy, and provided a needed bathroom break.
Most of the rest of the trip up to Mimi & Bumpa’s house was uneventful. The kids were okay, but that is as much as you can ask for on a 9-hour trip, right? We did have Taco Bell for dinner somewhere in Illinois. We ordered the family pack of crunchy tacos and bean burritos. A favorite of my kids.
We spent the night with the grandparents (in-laws). My kids do not get to see them, or their Aunt Tara very often. So this would be a good week for them.
As a side note here, so you do not think we are terrible parents. This would be a vacation for our kids too. Though I will not talk much about their adventures, as we were not there, they would have a good time. They visited Lego Discovery Center and the Brookfield Zoo, both located near Chicago. They also went to a Children’s Museum in Bloomington, a carnival, and lots of parks in the area. They did have a good time. We are also planning a short “Family” vacation later in the summer - maybe to Branson, Missouri and Silver Dollar City, which is a family favorite.
Back to the trip report - My inlaws do have a small house, especially when you add five people. So we stretched out wherever we could find a place. Bed for me and my baby Ella would be an air mattress in the living room.
June 7 - Sleep was as good as could be expected. We tried to sleep in a little that morning. It was a pretty lazy day watching tv and just hanging out. We would spend this time with the kids before the in laws took us to our hotel in Chicago. I did not get a chance to get a haircut prior to leaving, so I did have to run to the local Wal-Mart and get one. I know, sounds strange, but the Smart Style in the Ottawa, Illinois Wal-Mart did a pretty good job.
About 4:00 pm Candi’s parents drove us to our hotel for the night. It was a Super 8 at the Chicago O’hare Airport. Our original plan was to go up early this morning with the kids and swim in the hotel pool with the kids, then they would come back with their grandparents. But we decided that might be too dramatic of a departure. We didn't want to leave anyone starting the week with tears. I think it was a good decision.
I hate big city traffic, and Chicago is awful. Even on a Saturday afternoon it was a crawl, and we spent a fortune in tolls getting to the hotel. The room turned out to be pretty nice. I booked it for only $53 on Priceline. They had a free shuttle to the airport in the morning, so we would not have to worry about parking -- or even knowing how to get to the airport for that matter. This too was a good decision.
We ordered in pizza and wings for dinner from Sharpino's Pizza. It was yummy. So with bellies full, we turned in about 10 pm, as we had an early 6:00 am flight in the morning. The airport shuttle would pick us up at 4:45 am, ouch! Candi seemed to be in sleepy land in just a few minutes. I on the other hand was hyped up on anticipation. I do not think I slept more than two-hours all night.
Up Next: PART 1 - Fight & Saratoga Springs Resort
Back to Daily Play-By-Play Table Contents CLICK HERE
.
__________________
Click Here or on the picture above to read by personal travel blog.
What a great start! 8 adult days alone with the spouse? Sounds heavenly! Can't wait to read more!
__________________
The Fun, Old-Fashioned Family Vacation, 3.0 http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...ml#post4472933
Ch-Ch-Changes July 2015
[URL="http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/sharing-adventure-disney-world-trip-reports/288847-ch-ch-changes-ptr-july-16-24-a.html"]
sounds like fun for everyone. waiting to hear more. (I'm with you on the big city traffic. when we drive to WDW we have to avoid as many cities as possible)
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
sounds like fun for everyone. waiting to hear more. (I'm with you on the big city traffic. when we drive to WDW we have to avoid as many cities as possible)
When we go back to WDW next summer with the 3 kids and aunt in tow, we will drive. I hope we can miss as much traffice as possible,
__________________
Click Here or on the picture above to read by personal travel blog.
About This Page: 
. That works for us. I doubt she knows the Passporter Discussion Boards even exists; can you imagine such a person?
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Parlor Panther in 'stalking mode'
I've ordered them whenever I've stayed over in Chicago for a flight.
~ Jenn 
"Wish upon a Star, and it just might come true"
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
Linear Mode
