Sarilas' O-fficial Pre-Trip Report -1/2009 (a.k.a. Vacation, Take TWO!) - Page 10 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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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.
In 'new news' news... I transferred all my reservations over to Mouse Fan travel today! Michelle has been great working with me and she's going to help me out and take over from here... I'm very excited to have her helping me!
...and I paid our $200 deposit fee so we're O-FICIAL! I've been debating about putting two of our table service credits toward the already paid for Cinderella's Royal Table but I think I'll leave it alone (as in paid for); it'll give us more table credits to play with and what the heck... it's already paid for so I won't really miss the moolah!
I'm also working on another count down calendar; this one is for the younger two of our brood as they're slightly less understanding of the regular style calendar. I liberated some Mickey head paint samples this weekend and plan on making a countdown the girls can pull Mickey's from each morning to visually see the days decreasing! I'll probably start it around the 50 day mark, as starting it around the 150 day mark just seems cruel to a 3 year old!
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Well I don't know what was up yesterday but I had a heck of a time trying to get on the board! I kept getting a message about the server timing out?
Nonetheless, here I am, here we are and here's a PTR update!
First of all, I don't THINK I posted that we received our customized park maps some time ago! We ordered one for each of the four main parks, customized with where we'll be eating, where we'd LIKE to be eating and our top ride choices- they're just too cute and the kids LOVE them!
Now, a couple (few?) weeks ago I hit up Macy's for some back to school shopping for the older kids (they wear uniforms to school) but I came across this $26 swimsuit in Anastasia's size (3T) that I could NOT pass up... because it was marked down to $3!
She looks SO cute in yellow...
Then this past weekend, after Anastasia's not-a-birthday party ( ) my DH and I ran away from home for a little shopping time. He needed school supplies (art school) from Michael's where I found these bargains!
There are some clear Mickey head bubble scrapbooking stickers, an embroidered 'Disney' scrapbooking sticker, an Evil Queen counted cross stitch, some fusible inkjet sheets (for t-shirts or bags or whatever), a Tink diary with a lock (for Tatiana) and a holographic princess notebook for Anastasia... almost everything was in the $1 range and they'll make great 'Tink' gifts!
I also bought a Mickey head paper punch which is in use so it didn't get photographed... (Stay tuned for a picture of the FINISHED 50 day countdown calendar!)
Then I forced DH to let me run through the dollar store (luckily there's a guitar store next door) where I scored these:
Four magic towels (one for each munchkin), some carabineer clips (for the laminated park maps which will be strapped to the stroller... all of which I have yet to make!), and the first of many glow bracelets (when I left the store I wondered WHY I only bought one pack, but hey, they're there all the time so no worries!).
I can't believe it but school started here in Nashville last week! It's a busy time in these parts as this is also my husband's last week of school before a little 2 week break and last weekend was my daughter's birthday ! (Three years old going on 16!) She truly did have an un-birthday party - she refused to say she was 3 and wouldn't let anyone sing or wish her a happy birthday! She didn't even want to open presents! She does not like to be the center of attention so we had a 'party' that centered around her, without her knowledge. It really WAS a riot, and of course NOW she talks of nothing more than having another birthday party. Go figure!
Here was her cake:
And just one of her blowing bubbles and NOT making herself the center of attention.
Ah, to be three...
But back into the Disney frame of mind!...
144 days and counting!
That sounds like an eternity! But I realize it's going to fly by and the next thing you know I'll have started my actual TR!
First thing's first: Here's the newest addition to our countdown family... the Mickey head countdown calendar!
Under each day is a picture of a Disney character (no stickers- I printed each one out from clip art, then cut them out and pasted them down so tons of different characters are represented). Special days are also marked, such as Christmas and Walt's birthday! (The numbers on the Mickey heads ARE stickers, I should clarify that.)
Designed for toddler half of my children, this calendar starts at the 50 day mark... which means I can't actually put it into use until the Friday before Thanksgiving but that's okay - it gives me a mini- countdown to look forward to! (Now to then!) It's currently hidden behind our ever growing box 'o Disney stuff, until the time I can put it up and start letting the little girls have at it!
Here's one of Stasia from a birthday party we went to on Sunday (Disney Princess party, thank God Stasia's favorite character was represented!)
And one of my only boy-child when we were out at sushi... how can he possibly be turning 13 next month?!
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Sounds like everything is coming together.
I can totally relate to not being able to believe your son is turning 13! Wow, a teenager...........I'm still in disbelief that I have an eleven year old!
Great update! Too funny how Anastasia didn't want to be the center of attention and now that's all she talks about! Kids! I absolutely your countdown calendar!! It came out awesome!! Can't wait to hear more
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) my DH and I ran away from home for a little shopping time. He needed school supplies (art school) from Michael's where I found these bargains! 
I absolutely 
your countdown calendar!! It came out awesome!! Can't wait to hear more
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