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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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
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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.
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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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So I just found out that I will be taking a Alaska Disney cruise next July!!! Yippee
I was wondering if you all could give me some ins and outs on the hotels near the port. Also we will have 1 1/2 days to explore Vancouver so any suggestions would be great.
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DisneyDeva
1989+1993 Carribbean Beach,1996 ASS+Dixie Landings,1998 DL,2000 CB Hurricaine Floyd!!,2001 DL,2003 CS,2004 WL,2005 POR,2006 seven night eastern carb. disney cruise!!!,2006 Halloween Liki Tiki,May 2007 off site Orange Lake,May 2007 AKL,Sept 2007 CS,Oct 2008 Halloween ASM,May 2009 PC+ a seven night eastern carb. cruise,Feb 2010 GCV,BCV + BLT Sept 2011; OKW 8/12;Kindani 9/13: POR 3/13; Jambo Club Level & SS 6/14; Poly studio 8/15, GF villa July 2016;Blt + AKK June 2018
Last edited by Belle*; 09-08-2015 at 11:10 AM..
Reason: newsletter09102015
We stayed at the Pan Pacific, which is right at the cruise terminal. It's a little pricey, but you can find deals if you look hard. And in my opinion, the convenience made the cost worth it. I have a TR going on right now that talks about the hotel,mad well as things to do in Vancouver. Feel free to check it out (link is in my signature).
You'll Vancouver and Alaska!!
We stayed at the Ramada Limited Downtown, it's in the Gaslight district. The hotel itself was nice, the rooms were clean and a good size. The neighborhood was okay. The price was excellent.
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We've stayed twice at the Pan Pacific now and, although it is pricey, to us it's well worth it for the convenience of being right there at the cruise terminal. We called bell services for our luggage and the next time we saw it was on the Wonder.
I too stayed at the Pan Pacific and thought it was worth the money. The location is great to be able to walk to a lot of attractions nearby. Also our room faced the water and it was great the morning we got on the ship to watch it sail into the dock.
We also stayed at the Pan Pacific. It is a beautiful hotel, well located, and deals can be found. We got a "buy one room get one half price" package (we were traveling with another family) that included daily breakfast at their buffet. That buffet was pricey and we never would have chosen it had we have to pay OOP, but it was excellent.
Lots to do in Vancouver. We did the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Stanley Park and Granville Island. Tip: if you are considering a whale watch and want to see Orcas, Vancouver might be a better choice than on the cruise. We chose Wild Whales Vancouver out of Granville Island. There is a local pod of Orca in the Vancouver area and they keep pretty good tabs on them. You're most likely to see humpback whales in Alaska.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn on Breoadway. It was not far from the subway which we took to the port. I won't lie that we had some envy when we saw the Pan Pacific, but I did not take the time to look hard for a deal there. The Holiday Inn price was right and it was clean and comfortable.
We did Grouse Mountain, hop on hop off bus (included route to Grandville Island) and biking around Stanley park. Enjoyed all of these things.
We stayed at the Westin on the waterfront, and were able to walk to the pier. Granted, we looked like gypsies dragging all our stuff, but walk we did! We visited the aquarium, and Whistler. Whistler was well, well worth the drive.
We stayed at the Pan Pacific and will do so again in 2018. So convenient, car rental return in the parking garage, bellman to take our luggage down. We took the taste of Vancouver Tour it meets in front of the hotel, it was a great way to see the gaslight area.
We also stayed at Pan Pacific. Loved the location and actually found a decent price. We spent the day up at Grouse Mountain using the free bus transportation from Pan Pacific. We took the cable cars up the mountain, watched a cool lumberjack show, check out bird show, and bears, etc. Great views from up there. They also have a few restaurants/cafes up there. It was a great day, although I wish we actually had more time in Vancouver since I wanted to see other areas too.
Vancouver is my Canadian hometown - grew up 45 minutes south, just over the US border. The Pan Pacific is my favorite hotel to use for cruises, you stay in the hotel, take a short elevator ride down to the cruise terminal. Ask for a room on the north side of the hotel to see cruise ships, freighters, lights on Grouse Mountain, sea planes landing on Burrard Inlet. I would also recommend the Hotel Vancouver, Rosedale on Robson, Westin Bayshore, Fairmont Waterfront. I wouldn't stay in the area west of the cruise terminal. Its a high-crime, high-drug, rent-a-room-by-the-hour district..... I love the Kitsilano area, there is a fantastic museum out at UBC, the planetarium is amazing. Try at eat at Vij's for great Indian food
Have a great day!
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Julia Elzie
Travel Consultant
Magical Moments Vacations
E-mail: jelzie@mmvagent.com
We did the whole pre cruise thing through DCL in '11 and I believe it was the Pan Pacific. Amazing! We did the on hop off deal around Vancouver with the the day at Capillano Suspension bridge. Great couple of days. Granville Island was really amazing and we loved the day at the suspension bridge. Vancouver is really a great city but if we were to go again, I think I'd like to get up to Whistler for a day to see the Olympics stuff that has been converted to summer/tourist activities or for a stretch get to Tofino, Island. I saw it on the Travel Channel a few years ago and it's on my places to see at some point list.
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We Luv WDW
Last edited by modisney; 02-03-2016 at 08:18 PM..
Reason: typo
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We were there in July and stayed at the Blue Horizon hotel. The neighborhood was good and the price was great. It was several blocks from the cruise terminal. You can walk there easily without luggage, but we took a taxi on the day we embarked.
We stayed at the Pan Pacific. Went to Capilano suspension bridge, took a trolley tour, and we rented a car and went out to Butchart Gardens for the day.
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