Another August Adventure with a shot of Testosterone...TR Completed 2/19 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
Another fabulous start to the day....glad you could snag front row at Soarin' and enjoy some of the calmer (read my speed) attractions in FW. . Love the photos especially the framed photo of the boys up front, girls in the back, and a beautiful SE in the far background. Nice that everyone could enjoy WS browsing, exploring the pavilions, and escaping the heat/humidity/rains.
Danielle
__________________
~Shoot for the moon, if you miss, you will land among the stars~
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.
You all did a good job of exploring Future World before heading into the World Showcase. We really enjoy the Cantina, too. And wandering through the WS is always interesting.
Pictures from the little photo shoot are great! Yeah, it's tough because there really are no formal lines for the photographers. I must admit that I have inadvertantly line jumped, not realizing someone was already in line. But my DH is usually on the ball and realizes what is about to happen. And then of course I apologize and step back. Those people were just plain rude.
I love to browse in the shop in China! There is so much to see!
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.
Sorry - had to get caught up!!! You sound like me with the lack of sleep before a trip!! And as excited as I am to head to WDW I also get super stressed out before leaving
Love how much fun the boys are having and being so responsible wanting to pay you as they go!
We were on EE once during one of those monsoons.....the rain hurt it was coming down so hard!
Your relaxing evening sounded great!
That is me, no matter how much we travel that night before is so stressful, my stomach is in knots, I usually do not even eat much on the plane, once I am on the DME I am nice and relaxed.
The rain definitely hurt but it really made the ride super fun (the only time you will here me say the rain is fun, I normally detest the rain unless I am watching it from my window....LOL)
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Looks like a great time at Epcot, except for the miserable woman line jumping for the photos - unbelievable! At least karma was on your side, with you getting a great photoshoot for being so understanding.
It was a super fun photo shoot, you know it is hard when there is a crowd to know if someone is waiting or just standing there and I really did not have a problem letting her go first, but she could have been nice and say thanks at least.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Love all the photos from today, especially your private photo shoot in FW. What was up with that woman? Glad the good karma paid you back instantly. The boys even went along with browsing in the shops! What a well-mannered and harmonious group!
Never had a problem getting them into a store, now getting them out was another story
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenny
I knew Soarin' would be a hit!
I probably would have tried to avert conflict and do the same as you with the line jumpers. You taught your kids a lesson in life there(one I'm sure they already knew). Even though you were steaming on the inside, your courtesy gave you a nice reward. That being said... I HATE rude people and line jumpers!
We love Soarin so I am glad everyone else did. Very true Kenny, there was no reason to lower myself to her level, it was a five minute wait, it was easier to let her take her picture and move on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneydreamer33
Great start to Epcot. Love the photo shoot. I have always hated standing in line for the PP photographers because there isn't designated lines for them. We have had people cut in front of us on several occasions and I think it is because of this. She definitely could have said Thank you! Love that the boys are really enjoying themselves.
I agree sometimes it can get confusing to know if someone is actually waiting or not. In this instance there was no once else there. We were standing there right near the umbrella waiting for him to finish with the group in front of us. Karma paid off however, and the photographer was so fun to talk with, he was really a great CM.
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneydani
Another fabulous start to the day....glad you could snag front row at Soarin' and enjoy some of the calmer (read my speed) attractions in FW. . Love the photos especially the framed photo of the boys up front, girls in the back, and a beautiful SE in the far background. Nice that everyone could enjoy WS browsing, exploring the pavilions, and escaping the heat/humidity/rains.
Danielle
I think out of all places the WS is the easiest to navigate the rain as there is always somewhere to wander
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
You all did a good job of exploring Future World before heading into the World Showcase. We really enjoy the Cantina, too. And wandering through the WS is always interesting.
We love the Cantina always have...so much so we ended up there again later in the trip.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DMA
Pictures from the little photo shoot are great! Yeah, it's tough because there really are no formal lines for the photographers. I must admit that I have inadvertantly line jumped, not realizing someone was already in line. But my DH is usually on the ball and realizes what is about to happen. And then of course I apologize and step back. Those people were just plain rude.
I love to browse in the shop in China! There is so much to see!
China is one of my favorite, Morocco is my favorite but Mexico and China are close seconds.
Sorry for the delay folks, I was so proud of myself that I was updating every evening. Have a project for work that I am finishing but should have another update tomorrow.
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.
What - How did I miss this? I just found your PTR/TR and going back to the beginning to catch up
...All caught up. It sounds like you are all having a great time. With that many kids it is nice they are all getting along. Love that EE ride - what a memory you made
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.
We arrived in Germany and the rain had stopped so we removed the ponchos, stored them in Hugo's bag and wandered around the pavilion. Germany happens to be Angel's favorite pavilion so we spent quite some time here.
Everyone went in different directions, the boys to get a beer, Jasmine accompanied them. Angel and Alexa went to wander the stores and get their passports done and I went to smell the caramel
I did not purchase anything (at least today) but I just love the smells in that store. I then wandered around outside taking pictures.
There was a photographer wandering Germany, no one wanted their pictures taken so we took advantage.
I went into the store to find the girls and they were having a ball wandering the store and of course trying on hats.
As we walked towards Italy we saw Louis (our favorite photographer from the past 4 trips on the bridge so the kids went over to get their pictures taken. I guess since they were in the "land of love" Louis wanted to get some romantic shots of the couple.
Of course he did not leave out the best friends either
While we were in Italy the rain started to come down again. We donned the ponchos and wandered the pavilion for a bit but it was time for dinner so we passed over the next few pavilions as we knew we would have time to visit later or on Thursday and we headed over to the UK. The girls went to get their passports done as we had some time and Jasmine and the boys wandered through the stores.
I checked us in at Rose & Crown and we tried to find a place to wait and stay dry. Soon we were led to a table outside.
Now Angel has a severe allergy to shellfish, for a long time they kept her away from all fish but over the past few years they let her start trying a few types of fish to see how she did. She got to try salmon (which she did not like) and fish sticks (which she does like) so she had been begging me to try the Fish and Chips. I spoke to the chef and he said it would not be a problem to make her Fish and Chips so she was in heaven. I still wondered how she would actually like it...her first bite she made a face, I asked her do you like it? She said yes. I thought maybe she is just humoring me as she kept telling me she would love it. Guess she must have loved it as she ate it all
Jasmine wanted Bangers and Mash which I told her would be a great choice because I wanted that too but could not decide between that and the Steak with Yorkshire Pudding. When we got there however she thought maybe she would have the Salmon or the Chicken but in the end she had the Bangers and Mash, she liked the accompaniments but the sausage she said was too much like breakfast sausage.
I shared my steak with her and she shared her Bangers with me (which by the way I loved) and we both were very full when we were done.
The boys both ordered the Steak and Fried Fish which they both loved, they enjoyed a beer as well from the pub.
We were too full for dessert and nothing really called out to us so we settled the bill and decided on the evening plans.
The total for dinner was $189.01 which included a nice TIW savings of $34.88.
Now Angel and Alexa asked if it would be ok if they wandered for an hour or so around the World Showcase on their own, I told them I wanted to watch Illuminations from Mexico so that they should meet me there at 8 PM (which gave them about 1 1/2 hours) and I thought that was more than enough time for them to wander.
I wanted to see the American Adventure so Jasmine, the boys and I headed in that direction. We stopped off in France as I needed a dessert now
The American Adventure is one of my favorite attractions in the World Showcase and it is a must do for us, the boys enjoyed, or they enjoyed the comfy seats.
We took a slow stroll over to Mexico, the rain had stopped and the sky was so beautiful, I love Epcot as the sun is going down.
My photos
Jasmine's Photos
Soon I got a call from the girls, they were in Mexico where were we? I told them it was not 8 PM yet , at least they were punctual and followed the rules.
We found a spot by the fence near Mexico, sat down and I went to get to a few pictures and get myself a FAB. A nice Strawberry Margarita.
So the kids have been playing a card game called 31, it is really fun and we had time so Angel and Hugo ran over to Mouse Gears, bought a deck of cards and we all played until it was time for Illuminations.
It was such a fun way to pass the time, as we played I was nice enough to share my Margarita with Jasmine.
The lights dimmed and Illuminations began, I can never tire of this show, I could watch it over and over and it brings tears to my eyes each and every time. None of us even took photos, we just stood there enjoying. Hugo said Illuminations was one of his favorites and Leeor loved it. He really thought it was amazing. While he said that Wishes was cute, this was his favorite.
We headed out we had about a 10 minute wait and soon we were back at the resort. Even with the rain here and there this happened to be one of my favorite days on the trip.
What a wonderful evening! The pictures of the sky are just beautiful!
We have had Louis take our picture several times as well. Such a nice man! But it's funny that both times we had issues. The first time, after a wonderful photo shoot of my DDs and me, he inadvertantly kept our PP card and we didn't realize it until the next day. Luckily, the photo center was able to retrieve all our pictures. The second time...the following year, Louis took some romantic pics of DH and I and they never showed up on our account. I had PP do a search when we returned home, but no luck! I was very disappointed.