A Christmas Ship Comes Sailing In (A Cam and Luke TR) Completed 2/16 - Page 12 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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
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.
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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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Catching up on both of your trip reports! Can't wait to hear about the cruise. When we drive down from Chicago we take the same route that you did. It's interesting because on that drive you can definitely see firsthand the differences in the way people live in this country. Some of the places we stop, as you described with Tifton, are depressing because you can tell the areas are not doing well. It's quite sad. On the bright side of things, I do love driving south and watching the temperature indicator on the car go up. Although it's not as much fun coming home and seeing it move the opposite direction .
Can't wait to read more!
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15 total family trips with stays at the Poly, AKL, Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club, Swan, Dolphin, POFQ, Pop Century, All Star Music, Movies & Sports, and Coronado Springs.
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We love OKW!!! It is big - but we always try to get near the Hospitality House and then we get off at the first bus stop and walk. It was always faster than riding through.
The other time we stayed at OKW we were in a building right across from the Hospitality House and we loved that. I'm not sure what Luke marked as our preferences when he did the online check in, but really for two nights, our room was in an okay location.
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Originally Posted by stubekis
Catching up on both of your trip reports! Can't wait to hear about the cruise. When we drive down from Chicago we take the same route that you did. It's interesting because on that drive you can definitely see firsthand the differences in the way people live in this country. Some of the places we stop, as you described with Tifton, are depressing because you can tell the areas are not doing well. It's quite sad. On the bright side of things, I do love driving south and watching the temperature indicator on the car go up. Although it's not as much fun coming home and seeing it move the opposite direction .
Can't wait to read more!
I agree with watching the temperature go up. At one point it took a 10 degree jump. We went from 35 degrees when we left home to 63 by southern Tennessee. Very cool!
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We had a FastPass+ for Spaceship Earth at 7:55 – 8:55, but the attraction only had a 10 minute standby wait, so we decided to go ahead and ride now. That way we’d be to the World Showcase earlier. After our history time travel adventure, we moved on to Mission: Space, which was our first FP+. By the time we rocketed in to space and returned to Earth, our FP+ window for Test Track had opened. Luke needed a quick bio break before TT, so I took photos.
Cool Christmas tree inside the TT building.
Luke designed a very powerful car, but that was to enough to bring us the overall win. Fun to ride as it was getting dark. In the shop at the end, we purchased two antenna toppers, a Dumbo and a Buzz and Chrome Mickey Head bolt covers for the license plate.
Before heading to the World Showcase, I wanted to do a little shopping at Mouse Gear. I made no purchases, but found a few things I would leave thinking about. As we walked toward WS, we discovered a PP photographer taking photos with the Goofy and Donald topiaries.
Then I had to get photos of the Epcot Christmas tree.
Once we entered the World Showcase, we turned left toward Mexico, stopping first at Norway to check out The Puffin Roost. I found a fleece half-zip top by Helly Hansen that I really liked, but since our May trip, we have discovered a website that carries some Helly Hansen for incredibly low prices. I actually forgot about the top once we were back home and getting ready for the holidays. Thank goodness I didn’t purchase it as Luke had already gotten it for me from that website. We also went in to Kringala to get something sweet. We ended up splitting a Norwegian Club sandwich and a cinnamon bun. The only thing I liked to see for this place is a way to move metal chairs on concrete without making such horrible noises. Bio break here before leaving the pavilion.
Next stop was Glaskuegel in Germany for a glass of Riesling to share. We also wanted to check out the Christmas decorations at the train layout.
As we slowly walked, we were suddenly stopped at the American Pavilion for the Candlelight Processional choir to cross to the theater.
(iPhone photo to share on FB -- sorry it's so blurry)
We didn’t think we’d see this on this trip, but found a standing spot from which to watch. I knew there was showing this night, but since we weren’t sure when we’d get in I didn’t book the dinner package. There was a very fidgety lady in front of me who danced and twirled her empty clear beverage cup in my line of sight through much of the show. Luke finally tapped her on the shoulder asking her to keep her cup down so we could see. At that point she hugged it to her chest where she squeezed it rhythmically, though not to the beat of the music. In fact, all her dance moves seemed to be to her own beat rather than any song that was sung. Whoopi Goldberg did an excellent job of the reading and the choir and singers were phenomenal. One of these days we’ll be back for the holiday and do the dinner package in order to have a seat.
For some time I had been sending texts back and forth to Stephanie Evans. She and her DH had found Tom and Lesley at Rose & Crown, and we were headed that way until we stopped for the CP. Now I learned that they were all in Italy, but we’d already traveled to Japan to view Illuminations from the balcony of Teppan Edo. Then both Larry and Lesley sent messages for us to join them. Luke had gone to the restroom, so I had to wait for him to get back. We hoped to pass Stephanie as they were headed out of the park, but we be walking from Italy toward Japan. No such luck, but we did find Lesley, Tom, Larry and Bob plus Bob’s sister and her DH. Illuminations began about 10 minutes later. The holiday tag is spectacular set to “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” Breathtaking and impossible to describe in detail! And I didn’t take a single photo. Lesley and I stayed close through the whole show as I alternately cried and laughed with joy. Just wish my Disney buddy Stefanie had seen it with me. I ordered a PhotoPass picture of Illuminations and discovered last night that I got a super deal on it at $3.95. I also purchased a few 4 x 6 photos taken of us. I haven’t scanned these yet as we just got a new printer a little while ago, and I need to figure out the scanning again.
Afterwards we talked for a little while before Bob and Larry and crew had to leave. We needed to head back as we wanted an early start tomorrow to get in MK, AKL, and DHS. We ended up walking with Lesley and Tom to the front and then on to the bus stops with Lesley and I talking the whole time. We did have to stop at one point as the draw bridge was up to move the globe backstage.
Once we returned to OKW, I unpacked, got ready for bed, took some notes and turned in by 12:30, very tired and not as early as I had hoped. But we’re at WDW and that seems to be the norm for us.
Christmas CD Challenge = 10 NEXT: Would you consider sitting at the table with me for a bit?
What a great evening and I'm so glad you got to meet up with some fellow PassPorters, even if you didn't get to see everyone. And how cool to unexpectedly be able to watch the Candlelight Processional as well!
Sounds like you had a wonderful day and evening in Epcot. How great that you got to meet up with more PP friends too The Holiday ending to Illuminations is so moving that I could see how the tears just came upon you! Looking forward to seeing your pictures once you figure out the scanning Happy New Year to you and Luke!
A special night at Epcot. The Holiday tag for Illuminations is breathtaking. So sorry about your poor feet! You're a trooper for doing all that walking.
and to think, I thought I was the only person on these boards whose hip/knees bothered them to stand for long periods, even if it was to watch fireworks or Illuminations!
So glad you got to see the Candlelight Processional. I had the dinner package for it the next night, again with Whoopi Goldberg, and she was wonderful.
I, too, loved and cried through the Christmas tag on Illuminations.
What a great evening and I'm so glad you got to meet up with some fellow PassPorters, even if you didn't get to see everyone. And how cool to unexpectedly be able to watch the Candlelight Processional as well!
Those were two very special surprises for us. Stumbling literally onto the Candlelight Processional about to begin, and then to find out that Lesley and Tom plus Bob and Larry were there and we were able to join them for viewing Illuminations, our one must do this night. Perfect to the night!
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Originally Posted by lindawdw
Sounds like you had a wonderful day and evening in Epcot. How great that you got to meet up with more PP friends too The Holiday ending to Illuminations is so moving that I could see how the tears just came upon you! Looking forward to seeing your pictures once you figure out the scanning Happy New Year to you and Luke!
After listening to all the beautiful Christmas music at the Candlelight Processional and then listening to "Let There Be Peace on Earth" during the fireworks tag, my heart was full!
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Originally Posted by xwewhisper
What a smooth evening at Epcot! Sounds like you managed to do everything you had hoped!
We accomplished our one must do, Illuminations, and had so much other fun along the way.
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