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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Sorry about your ankle. I know what you mean about just being left to yourself and how it makes you feel better. It takes a gem of a husband to know when to be quiet!
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Sorry your ankle was really bothering you today. I can only imagine how grumpy you were feeling from being tired and hot. I know I get the same way after spending a lot of time outside on hot day!
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So sorry about your ankle. I've had problems like that in the past and I know how miserable it can be. What a trooper you were there, carrying on and making the best of it.
My ankle was being a problem on this trip, but I was determined to not let it ruin my vacation. I feel like this TR is all about my ankle or me being tired or not feeling well, but it was a big part of the trip, so I don't know how to get around it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DMA
Sorry about your ankle. I know what you mean about just being left to yourself and how it makes you feel better. It takes a gem of a husband to know when to be quiet!
It sure does!
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMB733
Sorry your ankle was really bothering you today. I can only imagine how grumpy you were feeling from being tired and hot. I know I get the same way after spending a lot of time outside on hot day!
Yes, it was a long day. It was good to put my feet up back at the hotel!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coop
I can't wait to hear how this PP meet went! LOL! Sorry your ankle wasn't doing well.
I don't know if I should tell you how the meet went! *loud whisper* It's a secret! Haha, you know we loved it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Well you certainly hot quite a bit done even though you were in pain!!
I guess we did! It didn't seem like it at the time, but I think that was just my frustration over our slow pace.
Day 10 - Mini Golf and a Wonderful PassPorter Meet With Tracy and Chuck!
Fair warning: No pics today except from O'hana!
I don't know what time we woke up today, as all I wrote down in my notes was "slept late today." I am thinking from the state of my notes that I forgot to take notes until late in the afternoon, because instead of my usual detailed notes, I've got quick bullets.
At any rate, the next thing I mention is getting burritos for lunch. I don't have it written down where this occurred, but I am assuming that it was in the food court at Pop Century. (Shame on me for taking shoddy notes!)
I think we just sat and talked for a while. Actually, I remember the topic of conversation was renting a wheelchair for me. David wanted me to start renting wheelchairs in the parks (scooters were out of our budget) and I was arguing with him because I didn't want people to think I was a lazy pregnant lady who just didn't want to walk. (I care way too much about what complete strangers think of me, it's actually very ridiculous!) We didn't come to any decision, but headed toward the buses at 3:00, because we were planning on doing the mini-golf courses over by Blizzard Beach.
We had a ton of fun on these courses. David beat me on the Summerland Course, and I beat him on the Winter. We cracked up at the snow castle in the Winter course, because both of us kept hitting our ball into the bushes on either side of the ramp. Just telling the story, it doesn't seem funny, but when you're out on the mini-golf courses having a good time, and you keep both having the same problem (we're talking three or four or five times in a row) you get the giggles.
After all of the pain and discomfort of this trip, just giggling over nothing in particular did me a world of good. It felt so nice to be silly. My ankle was still bothering me, but laughing and joking and just playing mini-golf with my husband cheered me up immensely. Sometimes the little things that you don't think are going to be a big part of your vacation at all become your favorite moments. How silly is that?
Oh, I forgot! After we finished the Summer course, we had (obviously) decided to play the Winter course as well. David went to use the restroom while I went to pay for our second round of golf. There was some sort of computer problem (I think I remember he was a CM in training and had somehow locked himself out of his computer and his trainer had gone to use the restroom, lol), and I ended up getting a free round of golf. I tried to insist on paying (I've been a trainee before, I know it's tough), but he insisted on giving it to me for free because he couldn't log into his register and didn't want me to have to wait. So random CM for our free round of mini-golf!
After our episode of giggles, when we were done with the course, we headed back to the buses so we could freshen up before our meet with Coop and Chuck.
When I stepped up on the bus steps, David was right behind me (I know, because he actually had his hand on my waist to make sure I didn't trip with my ankle being bad and everything). Before he could step up behind me, however, this extremely rude woman literally pushed him aside so that she could get on the bus. It surprised him so much that he didn't say anything, and I didn't notice that anything had happened until I was already seated and he wasn't behind me. Since we were separated on the bus ride, he couldn't tell me what happened until we got back to the resort.
That lady is kind of lucky I didn't know, because I probably would have given her a piece of my mind. I can't believe the nerve of some people! And the other thing was, her husband was waiting at the back of the line like he should have been, and she yelled at him on the bus for not "coming with her" like she told him to when she cut in front of all the people patiently waiting. His face was all red and he looked mortified. Poor guy.
Anyway, moving past that little bit of ugliness.
After we freshened up and changed clothes, we hopped on a bus to MK, and then had to wait for a bit to catch a boat to the Polynesian. I texted Tracy to let them know we were nearly there, and she texted me back to let me know they were waiting in the gift shop. Of course, I started fretting to David that they were having to wait for us, but there was nothing we could do to make the boat get there faster, so he managed to keep me calm.
David and I were blown away by this resort. How cool! We were both pointing out cool stuff on the way into the lobby and talking about how we would have to look around more some time when we weren't in a hurry.
Inside, we found the BouTiki Gift shop on the first floor, but no Tracy or Chuck. I texted them to tell them we were in a gift shop, but that there must be more than one, so we would meet them at the restaurant. (I had to ask concierge how to get to the restaurant though, I was completely lost!)
We made our way upstairs. (Strangest thing ever - my ankle never hurt going up the stairs...I think it must have used different muscles or something. I joked with David that I wanted to walk up the stairs all day long!) At the top of the stairs I noticed another gift shop and decided we'd better wander over there just in case Tracy and Chuck were still there.
We all spotted each other at just about the same time. Tracy gave me a big hug, and Chuck and David shook hands.
We checked in at O'hana and sat down in the waiting area. Chuck and Tracy had brought an adorable gift for Briana (wrapped in the funnies ), and I was very surprised and touched. I also felt bad that we hadn't brought anything for Tracy and Chuck. Anyway, they had brought us a cute onesie, a bib, and a little burp cloth (lol, that makes it sound so inelegant, but I don't know what else to call it), all with Briana's name and a Minnie Mouse head on them. SO cute! Thank you so much again Tracy and Chuck!
When we were about to be seated, we walked past a line of hostesses, and every single one of them went "AWWWWW" when they saw the First Visit Pin on my belly. They all said that they had never seen anyone do that before. It made me happy. Haha, call it a side effect of being a middle child, but I love getting attention like that, even though I am shy about it, it always makes me happy because I feel important. I kind of basked in the attention when I was pregnant.
Anyway, moving past my ego (), we had a wonderful dinner with great food. But the company made the food a mere afterthought. Tracy and Chuck were both so sweet and fun to talk to. Our dinner ended up stretching out for three hours! I felt like we had known them forever, and I probably talked way too much, but they were just so easy to talk to!
Midway through our meal, a waitress came over who was obviously pregnant. She said that the hostesses had told her that she had to come check out my belly and pin. It was fun to chat with her for a moment. I didn't note her name or due date though, so I can't share.
One of the waitresses took group pics for all of us, and of course we got our dessert. (Can I just say the bread pudding there - while not matching IMHO the bread pudding from Raglan Road - was still a pregnant womans dream? I think I ate more than everyone else at the table put together.
Just as I was really starting to worry that we were keeping them too late (and I was getting a bit tired myself), Chuck said that we were getting the evil "move it along" eye from our waitresses. So we said goodbye and made our way downstairs after more hugs and thank yous and all the wonderful things that go along with meeting good people and enjoying their company.
And then we ran into them downstairs outside of the restrooms and I had to laugh. All those goodbyes just to run into each other again! But we said quick goodbyes again and headed in separate directions...probably mainly because David and I didn't really know where we were going, and they probably did.
Eventually, we found our way to the monorail and took it back to the Magic Kingdom. From there, we caught a bus to AoA because the line was much shorter than Pop Centuries line, and I figured we could just walk back across the Generation Gap Bridge.
As we were getting on the very crowded bus, I knew we weren't going to find a seat, but headed (like a good little Disney Bus Rider) all the way to the back of the bus so more people could get on behind us. An older woman at the back of the bus happened to spot my pregnant belly and announced to the crowd at the back of the bus that I needed a seat, and would someone please stand up for me. A gentleman seated near her quickly offered me his place. Normally, I would have said I was okay and just stood, but my ankle really was bothering me, so I thanked him profusely and went ahead and took his place. It gives me hope for the world when stuff like that happens. There is still kindness out there!
We walked (well, David walked, I limped, lol) back to our room. We got there just after 11:00, and I fell straight to sleep. It had been a good and relaxing day, but I was still exhausted.
Coming up next: A canceled breakfast ressie, an unfulfilled pregnancy craving, and a trip to DTD.
Your Washington state weather joke was not lost on me!! It always cracks me up when people in WDW or anywhere for that matter pull out umbrellas or ponchos when its sprinkling...I'm so used to rain like that I barely notice it! Glad I'm not the only one. (:
I love Briana's gift from Coop and Chuck. What a great day taking it a bit easier - and dinner sounds wonderful with some great company.
It truly was great! And I loved their gift. Bri still uses the bib and burb cloth, but sadly she outgrew the onesie just this last week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneyfreeeak
Your Washington state weather joke was not lost on me!! It always cracks me up when people in WDW or anywhere for that matter pull out umbrellas or ponchos when its sprinkling...I'm so used to rain like that I barely notice it! Glad I'm not the only one. (:
Yay! I'm glad someone understood, I don't feel nuts now. It DOES crack me up when people pull out umbrellas at the first drop of rain. Unless those drops are huge and soaking you immediately, why bother? You won't melt!
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Sounds like a great evening with Coop & Chuck! If you ever need a wheelchair - you can get one for free at your resort. You have to leave a deposit - but you get it back. We had to get one for my sister during a trip - and they gave it to us - we used it the whole trip and returned it the last day.
We had a great time too! And the gift was our pleasure - no need to feel bad or reciprocate. It was a GIFT. A friend I work with makes them and after you told me about being pregnant and I knew we had a meet - that was it! Thank you for letting us "crash" your O'Hana reservation! I thought we should've ordered more bread pudding though! LOL! I told Chuck that on our next trip, we need to try Raglan Road (and their bread pudding).
I'm caught back up! I hate that your ankle was still causing you so much trouble. That chocolate cake at Yak and Yeti looks delicious, but I totally get what you mean about something to sweet when you want real food. Mini-golf sounds like it was loads of fun again. Your dinner with Tracy and Chuck seems like a wonderfully delicious and relaxing way to finish off an evening. , Tracy and Chuck on the cute little Disney stuff for Briana.
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LOL! Sorry your ankle wasn't doing well.
I've had problems like that in the past and I know how miserable it can be. What a trooper you were there, carrying on and making the best of it.
I feel like this TR is all about my ankle or me being tired or not feeling well, but it was a big part of the trip, so I don't know how to get around it. 
Haha, you know we loved it!
random CM for our free round of mini-golf!
I can't believe the nerve of some people! And the other thing was, her husband was waiting at the back of the line like he should have been, and she yelled at him on the bus for not "coming with her" like she told him to when she cut in front of all the people patiently waiting. His face was all red and he looked mortified. Poor guy.
Anyway, they had brought us a cute onesie, a bib, and a little burp cloth (lol, that makes it sound so inelegant, but I don't know what else to call it), all with Briana's name and a Minnie Mouse head on them. SO cute! Thank you so much again Tracy and Chuck!
It was fun to chat with her for a moment. I didn't note her name or due date though, so I can't share. 
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