Possible "Almost Free" Spring Break Trip to DL (and other places...) - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
PassPorter.com
Award-winning travel guidebooks

   guidebooks   |   news   |   podcasts   |   boards   |   blog   |   worksheets   |   photos   |   articles   |   updates   |   register   |   follow us on


Forums Closed
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!

Go Back   PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums > PassPorter Universe: General Trip Planning and Discussion > Globetrotting: General Trip Reports
Register


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.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-18-2016, 11:14 AM   #1
KimmyAnn1147
Community Rank: Globetrotter
 
KimmyAnn1147's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,987

Post Thanks / Like
Possible "Almost Free" Spring Break Trip to DL (and other places...)

I'm trying to take a Spring Break road trip with DS (7), his buddy (8) and buddy's mom. DH is going to be against it due to cost, but I'm working on making the trip almost free... Wish me luck!!!!

DF's family is in Phoenix and she'd like to visit them for spring break. She's looking at flying Allegiant. I'm working to talk her into road tripping down with me and then flying back . The route would take us to:

Leave Oregon on Saturday, March 19th
Reno (night 1)
Vegas (nights 2 and 3)
Anaheim (nights 4 and 5)
Phoenix (nights 6 and 7)

Then we would leave them in Phoenix and drive home, staying one night in Reno or Bakersfield on the way back.

This would put us in the parks on Wednesday. DF has a CM friend that she thinks can get us in without paying.

This might be stupid, and probably is, but I'm going to see about pricing it.
__________________
Themed environment junkie

My Countdown Counting down to: Challengers Meet at WDW
Did it happen?
My Previous TripsDisneyland 1985 (age 8); Disneyland 1991 (age 13); Disneyland 1998 x 3; WDW 1999; Disneyland Paris 2007; Disneyland 2013; WDW 2014; Disneyland 2015; DL Hong Kong 2016; DL Shanghai 2016 (!), Disneyland 2016
KimmyAnn1147 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 11:31 AM   #2
KimmyAnn1147
Community Rank: Globetrotter
 
KimmyAnn1147's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,987

Post Thanks / Like
So, the ways this trip becomes "almost free" are:

1. I can drive my mom's Prius to save on gas.
2. I'll be splitting gas and hotel with my DF for the bulk of the trip.
3. CM free entrance to DL
__________________
Themed environment junkie

My Countdown Counting down to: Challengers Meet at WDW
Did it happen?
My Previous TripsDisneyland 1985 (age 8); Disneyland 1991 (age 13); Disneyland 1998 x 3; WDW 1999; Disneyland Paris 2007; Disneyland 2013; WDW 2014; Disneyland 2015; DL Hong Kong 2016; DL Shanghai 2016 (!), Disneyland 2016
KimmyAnn1147 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 12:18 PM   #3
GingerJ
PassPorter Guide Author

PassPorter Guide

Community Rank: Navigator
 
GingerJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Ohio & Florida
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 6,129

Post Thanks / Like
Jelly! Sounds like a fun road trip, if you can swing it.
__________________
GingerJ, Co-Author, PassPorter's Disneyland Resort and Southern California Attractions LIVE! Guide
& Guide for the Collecting, Scrapbooking, and More!, DL: Southern California Attractions, Technical Support, Using Your PassPorter, and Using Disney Tech forums
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsWDW visits: 1977, 1985, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 3-2014, 9-2014, 11-2015 (birthday trip), 5-2016, 2-2017, 3-2017 x2, 6-2017, 8-2017, 10-2017x2, 11-2017x2, 12-2017. DISNEYLAND(no kids): 1984, 1993, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 6-2014 (DS19 & me!), 8-2014 (solo), 12-2015 (solo), 9-2016
GingerJ is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 01:13 PM   #4
chezp
PassPorter Message Board Manager
PassPorter Guide Author

Community Rank:
Legend VIP
 
chezp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 190,285

Post Thanks / Like
I hope the trip works out!
__________________

Relaxing on board the Magic. The trip report for our back-to-back cruises on the Disney Magic has started!
My Countdown Counting down to: 2019
Happy New Year!
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous Trips21 trips to WDW, 6 to Disneyland in California, 9 to Disneyland Paris, 1 to Hong Kong Disneyland, 1 to Tokyo Disney, 1 to Aulani, 1 to Hilton Head, 2 to Vero Beach and 13 Disney cruises on the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy
chezp is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 02:27 PM   #5
KimmyAnn1147
Community Rank: Globetrotter
 
KimmyAnn1147's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,987

Post Thanks / Like
Quote:
Originally Posted by GingerJ View Post
Jelly! Sounds like a fun road trip, if you can swing it.
DH is already dead against this. Sadly, so is DS, as he doesn't actually enjoy pulling 8-10 hr days in the car.

I'm not giving up hope, though.
__________________
Themed environment junkie

My Countdown Counting down to: Challengers Meet at WDW
Did it happen?
My Previous TripsDisneyland 1985 (age 8); Disneyland 1991 (age 13); Disneyland 1998 x 3; WDW 1999; Disneyland Paris 2007; Disneyland 2013; WDW 2014; Disneyland 2015; DL Hong Kong 2016; DL Shanghai 2016 (!), Disneyland 2016
KimmyAnn1147 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 02:27 PM   #6
KimmyAnn1147
Community Rank: Globetrotter
 
KimmyAnn1147's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,987

Post Thanks / Like
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp View Post
I hope the trip works out!
Thanks, Chez. Me too!
__________________
Themed environment junkie

My Countdown Counting down to: Challengers Meet at WDW
Did it happen?
My Previous TripsDisneyland 1985 (age 8); Disneyland 1991 (age 13); Disneyland 1998 x 3; WDW 1999; Disneyland Paris 2007; Disneyland 2013; WDW 2014; Disneyland 2015; DL Hong Kong 2016; DL Shanghai 2016 (!), Disneyland 2016
KimmyAnn1147 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 02:58 PM   #7
MayraLR
Community Rank: Explorer
 
MayraLR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Puerto Rico.
Concierge Level: 10
Posts: 12,253

Post Thanks / Like
__________________

My 2017 trip - Home is Where the Mouse Is COMPLETE
My Countdown Counting down to: Sailing through the Caribbean on the Freedom
Relaxing on my cruise
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsMay 2006 - WDW / offsite; May 2008 - WDW, SW, US, IOA / offsite; May 2011 - WDW / off-site; June 2012 - WDW / POR; June 2014 - WDW / AKL ~ Kidani Village; June 2017 - WDW / POR
MayraLR is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 03:00 PM   #8
KimmyAnn1147
Community Rank: Globetrotter
 
KimmyAnn1147's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,987

Post Thanks / Like
Leg 1 - Eugene to Reno
Hrs: 8 (leave by 5am, arrive about 1pm)
Gas (Prius): $19
Hotel: $50
My share: $35

Leg 2-Reno to Las Vegas
Hrs: 8 (leave by 10 am, arrive before dinner, free day follows)
Gas: $20
Hotel (2 nights): $140 (this is a $50 hotel + estimated $20 resort fee)
My Share: $80

Leg 3-Las Vegas to Anaheim
Hrs:4 (leave by 10 am, arrive whenever. May take stop-offs. Basically, an easy drive. Followed by no-drive day.)
Gas: $12
Camp site (2 nights): $64
My Share: $38

Leg 4-Anaheim to Phoenix
hrs: 5.5 (leave by 10am, arrive by dinner with stop-offs. Followed by no-drive day)
gas: $15
hotel (2 nights): Free-stay with friend's sister
My share: $7

Leg 5: Phoenix to Fresno
Hrs: 9 (leave by 4am, arrive by dinner.)
gas: $26
Lodging: free-stay with mom's BFF
My share: $26 (unless friend gives me $ for return trip )

Leg 6: Fresno to Eugene
Hrs: 10 (leave by 4am, arrive by dinner)
Gas: $28
Lodging: none
My Share: $28 unless friend helps

Total personal gas and lodging costs: $203

OK, good to know. All of this. It means 4 days of 8+ hrs driving in an 8 day period, which is rough on kids. But I'm still game! Next step is for DF to tell me if she can get us day-passes to the parks, and for her to think about whether she would really want to do it. If that's a go, we'll have to decide quick, since she needs to book plane tickets regardless.
__________________
Themed environment junkie

My Countdown Counting down to: Challengers Meet at WDW
Did it happen?
My Previous TripsDisneyland 1985 (age 8); Disneyland 1991 (age 13); Disneyland 1998 x 3; WDW 1999; Disneyland Paris 2007; Disneyland 2013; WDW 2014; Disneyland 2015; DL Hong Kong 2016; DL Shanghai 2016 (!), Disneyland 2016
KimmyAnn1147 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 03:01 PM   #9
KimmyAnn1147
Community Rank: Globetrotter
 
KimmyAnn1147's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,987

Post Thanks / Like
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR View Post
Thanks!
__________________
Themed environment junkie

My Countdown Counting down to: Challengers Meet at WDW
Did it happen?
My Previous TripsDisneyland 1985 (age 8); Disneyland 1991 (age 13); Disneyland 1998 x 3; WDW 1999; Disneyland Paris 2007; Disneyland 2013; WDW 2014; Disneyland 2015; DL Hong Kong 2016; DL Shanghai 2016 (!), Disneyland 2016
KimmyAnn1147 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 03:07 PM   #10
chezp
PassPorter Message Board Manager
PassPorter Guide Author

Community Rank:
Legend VIP
 
chezp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 190,285

Post Thanks / Like
Looks doable to me.... although you're right, some of those long days in the car will be tough for the kids, but worth it given the destination.
__________________

Relaxing on board the Magic. The trip report for our back-to-back cruises on the Disney Magic has started!
My Countdown Counting down to: 2019
Happy New Year!
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous Trips21 trips to WDW, 6 to Disneyland in California, 9 to Disneyland Paris, 1 to Hong Kong Disneyland, 1 to Tokyo Disney, 1 to Aulani, 1 to Hilton Head, 2 to Vero Beach and 13 Disney cruises on the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy
chezp is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 07:14 PM   #11
Cam22
Batman's Gal/Mickey's Pal
PassPorter's Club Passholder


What's this?

PassPorter Guide

Community Rank:
Legend VIP
 
Cam22's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Owensboro, KY USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 95,254

Post Thanks / Like
Sounds like it could be a wonderful trip! getting it to work out!
__________________
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsAKL Jambo April/May 2017--SSR/OKW Sept/Oct 2016 --AKL Kidani May 2016 -- Polynesian Village Resort May 2015 -- OKW/Magic December 2014 -- AKL Jambo House October 2014 -- VWL May 2014--SSR October 2013--AKL/Kidani June 2013--CBR October 2012--BWI June 2012--AKV Jambo House/Kidani Village June 2011 -- November 2010 Beach Club -- June 2010 Beach Club -- October 2009 CBR and Gaylord Palms -- June 2009 AKV/Kidani Village -- June 2008 VWL --June 2007 OKW--June 2006 Disney Wonder/SSR -- June 2005 SSR -- June 2004 VWL -- June 2003 AKL -- August 1997 Off Property -- March 1980 Cocoa Beach
Cam22 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2016, 01:13 PM   #12
Huntermom
Community Rank: Explorer
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Northern New England
Posts: 12,249

Post Thanks / Like
I know you love to travel, but that's a lot of time in the car, especially for your son. And some of those legs are pretty boring to drive. I would probably save your money and use it for your Asia adventure.
__________________

Charlie
Huntermom is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Reply



Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump














Please login or register to hide these ads -- it's free and easy!

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:38 PM.

-->

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Feedback Buttons provided by Advanced Post Thanks / Like v3.4.0 Patch Level 1 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
(c) 1998-2017 PassPorter Travel Press/MediaMarx, Inc.
Celebrating 19 Years of Making Dreams Come True
Ad Management plugin by RedTyger