Goin' Down the Bayou ~ The TR (November 1-10, 2012) - Page 16 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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.
We did Coral Reef back in 2005 and DH liked his meal and thought it was a cool restaurant, but at the end while waiting to settle up the check he suddenly got very hot. He excused himself to go out of the building to get some air. He said he just felt so stuffy, like he couldn't breathe, and got hot in there.
Because of this he has decided he will never go back. He is convinced it's because the restaurant is hot and stuffy and that will happen if he were to go again.
Oh well, in a way it's probably a good idea as we have a hard enough time fitting in all the meals we want as it is.
Glad you enjoyed it though. Sounds like Epcot was crowded this day.
Can't wait to hear about the rest of your day!
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.
Lunch sounded great. We have eaten there once and I remember the food being delicious, but the service a little lacking. I have been wanting to give it a try again.
I can't believe Nemo had an hour wait!
I wonder why Epcot was so crowded on that day? I know it was Food and Wine, but on a Monday things aren't usually so busy. Good idea to go with an Agent P mission!
It was so strange, Laurie! I don't know where all of those people came from You'll see in my next update that FW was really not crowded at all that afternoon, which is where I expect to see the crowds for F&WF.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OCEANGRLLG
Finally gettin back on the boards and findin all these TR's that I have missed. I am now caught up on yours!!! Coral Reef is a must do for us! Love it!!!
Glad you're back, Kim! I'm so glad we gave Coral Reef another try, we were pleasantly surprised
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
I'm glad you had a great meal at Coral Reef - we've eaten there twice now and haven't been impressed, so I'm pleased to know others have had better experiences than us.
I was really hesitant about trying it again after our lousy time years ago, but Kaeli really wanted to try it. I'm glad we did!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
Sometimes a late start can be so relaxing! Wild that Epcot was so crowded this day.
It was nice to have a slow, relaxing morning
Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchdisneyfamily
I'm glad you had a good meal at Coral Reef. It sure sounds yummy! My husband wants to eat there in the worst way. It just hasn't made to cut yet.
Hope your husband gets a chance to try the Coral Reef!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR
You know Epcot is super crowded when the Nemo ride has a line that goes outside the building.
Lunch sounded great. I'd like to eat there someday.
It was crazy! I like the Nemo ride, but not enough to wait in a line that's an hour long
Quote:
Originally Posted by shazza
Agree - lunch sounds like it was a good pick. I like how kids always find Club Cool so entertaining.
Kids are funny, aren't they? My girls' two favorite things at Epcot are Club Cool and the coloring at the Kidcot stations. Drinking soda and coloring, can't we do that at home?
Quote:
Originally Posted by OneLittleSpark
We did Coral Reef back in 2005 and DH liked his meal and thought it was a cool restaurant, but at the end while waiting to settle up the check he suddenly got very hot. He excused himself to go out of the building to get some air. He said he just felt so stuffy, like he couldn't breathe, and got hot in there.
Because of this he has decided he will never go back. He is convinced it's because the restaurant is hot and stuffy and that will happen if he were to go again.
Oh well, in a way it's probably a good idea as we have a hard enough time fitting in all the meals we want as it is.
Glad you enjoyed it though. Sounds like Epcot was crowded this day.
Can't wait to hear about the rest of your day!
Funny story about your hubby
Those crowds before lunch must have been a fluke, because the rest of the day was fine, thankfully
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneydreamer33
Lunch sounded great. We have eaten there once and I remember the food being delicious, but the service a little lacking. I have been wanting to give it a try again.
I can't believe Nemo had an hour wait!
That was our problem last time, we had horrible service and just ok food. This time though, everything was delicious and we had a very attentive server
I couldn't believe that line outside of Nemo, usually this time of year we walk right on!
The girls had a lot of fun completing our mission for Agent P in Mexico, but decided when they were done that they did not want to try another mission. So, we returned our F.O.N.E. and hopped on a boat for a ride through the Gran Fiesta Tour.
On the way out, we stopped at the Kidcot station to start coloring some Duffys. Since our last trip, they’ve also added an Agent P on a stick, so, of course they chose one of each to color. After a little nudging, we finally got the girls to put down their markers and headed off to Norway (but not before stopping for a Fiesta Margarita for Chris and I).
We browsed our way through Norway and China, stopping at the Kidcot stations along the way.
When we got to the Outpost, I had one thing on my mind, the Beads for Life. I decided on an anklet for myself and Kaeli ended up getting herself a blue bracelet. She was very excited about these, especially since the beads were made from old park maps. Earlier in the school year, one of her projects in art class was to make the same beads out of magazine paper, so she couldn’t wait to bring this bracelet home to share with her art teacher.
We moved on, towards Germany, stopping for a few Photopass pics along the way.
Then it was on to Italy. While Chris and the girls stopped at Kidcot, I did a little browsing in the shop and I’m pretty sure I stopped to get some pennies that we didn’t have in our collection.
By the time we got to Japan, we were all feeling a little hungry, so we got a rainbow Kaki Gori to split. We had never had one before, it was really good. Nice and refreshing on this warm afternoon.
We just sat on a bench relaxing and enjoying our treat, we finished up and headed in to Mitsukoshi to do some shopping. I was hoping that the line for Pick a Pearl wasn’t too crazy because Kaeli and Abby really wanted to have a chance at it. There was quite a crowd around the area, but luckily most of those people were just watching. We got our numbers, and there was only a couple of people ahead of us. We waited our turn, watching as the groups ahead of us all picked their pearls. The family right in front of us had two small children, a girl who looked about 7 and a boy who was 3, maybe 4. The boy was really lucky today, his oyster had not one, but two blue pearls in it!! He was just so excited, and he was so sweet. His mom was holding him through the whole experience, and when he saw that there were two pearls he whispered in her ear that it made him so happy, now he could make her some earrings. Just adorable!
Now, it was our turn, and the girls did a pretty good job choosing the ugliest oysters they could find, hoping to get some beautiful pearls. I’d say that strategy worked, as both of them got some pretty decent sized pearls. Kaeli’s was 8 ½ mm, the biggest of the day so far!
We put our pearls away and headed towards Morocco for another Kidcot stop.
Inside of the pavilion the girls were playing with some of the hand drums and other instruments they have in the shop, when we heard a young girl calling Kaeli’s name. It was one of her friends from school, she had just arrived that day with her family. We knew that they would be here at the same time, but we never made any official plans to meet up, so we were pretty lucky to have this chance meeting.
After chatting for a bit, we went our separate ways, with us heading towards France. Chris and I had one thing on our minds, slushies!
The girls decided that they wanted some Mickey Bars at this point, so we went in search of an ice cream cart. It soon became clear that we would not find one in the WS, so we ended up skipping through the UK and Canada and headed towards FW.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
I love the way you always seem to be just floating around the parks and having a relaxing, nice time, but you end up covering a lot of ground and doing a lot! Wonderful photos of the girls. They each really chose ears that suit them! Love the photo of the three of you sharing the kaki gori. So yummy and cool.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
8&1/2 pearl!!! WooHoo! Lucky girl. Both of them got good sized pearls. Nice strategy with picking the ugliest ones.
Sounded like a fun first part of the day in Epcot.
Plus a chance meeting with her friend from school and family.
Catching up here
Love the early morning at MK. Duffy certainly had a great time that morning
What a great view from breakfast, and it sounded pretty yummy too!
Mule?? Seriously?? How did you not say something? How rude!
Looking at your pictures it just realized I never had a Mickey pretzel
Glad Abby loved SM! Two new coasters this trip!!
Nice NJ guy no wonder we get a bad rap.
We need to get poncho girl and goggle boy together for a pic on Splash
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
He is convinced it's because the restaurant is hot and stuffy and that will happen if he were to go again. 
"Sparky"(My first trip.)
Liz 
You'll see in my next update that FW was really not crowded at all that afternoon, which is where I expect to see the crowds for F&WF.
Nice and refreshing on this warm afternoon. 
We got our numbers, and there was only a couple of people ahead of us. We waited our turn, watching as the groups ahead of us all picked their pearls. The family right in front of us had two small children, a girl who looked about 7 and a boy who was 3, maybe 4. The boy was really lucky today, his oyster had not one, but two blue pearls in it!! He was just so excited, and he was so sweet. His mom was holding him through the whole experience, and when he saw that there were two pearls he whispered in her ear that it made him so happy, now he could make her some earrings. Just adorable!
Deb
Love the pearls! 
PassPorter Guide Author
Linear Mode
