My Best Trip Ever! A Disney Trip 10 Years in the Making - Page 18 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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.
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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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I just purchased tickets for Beauty and Beast (stage show) for Philly in June. I saw the show years ago in NY but Evan has never seen it - so cool.
AND just PIF our weekend Disney Cruise out of NY also for June - very excited as this will be my first cruise.
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Sorry the Halloween Party started out rough, but sounds like you made the most of it, especially with the rain! Glad you and Evan had a great time, and ended up with a bag full of candy!!
That candy did not make it home
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Sounds like the night ended on a high note after a rough start! Great pictures!
Thanks Marnie - it was fun
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Originally Posted by cubfancolleen
Glad Evan ended up with a bag full of goodies! Sounds like the two of you made the most of the party!
I had a good time and Evan did too
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Originally Posted by rhinohunter
Sorry for all of the cancelations at MNSSHP. I know you were very disappointed. Evan sure had a good time with the characters and at the dance.
Missing the headless horseman was a big one - but always give me a reason to go back
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Originally Posted by chezp
Sounds like you made the most of the party, despite the weather.
it wasn't a very nice night but the rain I'm sure kept the crowds away
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Originally Posted by lauriep
Kudos to you for sticking it out at the party! It really paid off, with the grumpy "adults" making peace and Evan having such a great time. I love his dancing style!
I was very happy when the grumpy "adults" actually started to act like adults
Quote:
Originally Posted by honeybee723
I have never, in all the years I've been going to Disney, had my picture taken with Tarzan! So jealous....I mean, look at those muscly arms. Anyway, I'm glad you made the best of the rainy party. It sounds like Evan had a great time, and that's really the most important thing right?
That CM must be so sore by the end of the day with all the squating he does.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
So sorry about the rain on the party, but it sounds like you two enjoyed MNSSHP in spite of it!
We did
Quote:
Originally Posted by JKnott17
Sorry about the rain, but it sounds like you made the most of the party anyway!
Yes we did - didn't havea choice not too!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jessie092408
It sounds like you had a ton of fun despite the rain. I'm jealous that you got to ride Peter Pan so many times. I really like that ride. I can't believe that we missed it on our first trip.
We get a few more turns on PP before our journey ends.
Today was a day we really didn’t have too much planned. We had a character breakfast and I was taking Evan to Gatorland but that was it. It was more of a “do what you like sort of day”
Breakfast this morning was at the Cape May Café. Christine decided not to come. I don’t know if it was a money thing or she wasn’t ready to make nice with Steve since they had only just apologized the night before or if she just wanted time alone. She was beginning to get the feel for where things were and the bus system so I think she liked having her own freedom. I think her boys were REALLY exhausted so they spent the day sleeping and swimming.
The rest of us headed over to the Beach Club (ahh someday I hope to stay here). We had a short wait but very soon we were seated and the characters came around quickly.
sorry this is so blurry - my auto focus must have been off because all the
Donald shots were blurry...
Evan had this idea that he would draw each character a picture but only had like 2
minutes between character visits to do something but he signed his name and each character would hug him and make a fuss like it was the greatest gift they ever received.
We had a really great table with the buffet right behind us. The meal was pretty uneventful and soon we were heading out. Today I was going to take Evan to Gatorland but wasn’t sure who, if anyone, would come with.
Turns out Mom and Eric came – which is pretty typical. Eric comes with Evan and me a lot of places. I had the directions to the place all set and it was easy-peasy finding it. It took about 20 minutes to get there after we got off Disney property so all told about 30 minutes.
The park was small but nice. I can’t recommend this place enough. If you’ve got a gator fan in your group it is really nice. I was surprised that there were so many gators. I mean I know it’s Gatorland and all but I was expecting there to be a few in a cage and then wander around and find some more but no – they were everywhere.
When you first enter there is a broadwalk type thing, it allows you to walk a few feet above the water(lake) and there where alligators all in the water and then a few holding pens with different types/sizes/sex of gators and then you come to the main area.
This main area had the shows, bathrooms and snack bar and then opened up to the swamp. As we arrived the wresting show was about to start. We had gotten the package where the boys could sit on a gator and have there picture taken and also get to feed the alligators and ride the train. As we arrived at the theater the gator was out that you could sit on for a photo. Evan and Eric both said they wanted to do it and we got in line. The guy hole punches their tickets and they enter the pen then they both freak out and don’t want to do it. I tried to calm their fears but they were having none of it. Well maybe after the show? But I was nervous as they had already punched the ticket.
We sat and watched the wrestling show and it was fun and educational. Of course I can’t remember any of the stuff now. I think Eric was thinking that the handler and the alligator where actually going to wrestle like WWE style because he kept asking “When is the wresting show” and we kept saying “this IS the wrestling show”
putting the aligator to sleep
holding its jaw shut with his chin
now holding it open (top jaw) with in chin - crazy!!!
Oh wait I do remember something…The handler was sitting on the back of this gator and he was talking to the audience. He asked the audience “what is the most dangerous part of the alligator?” Several people yelled out from the audience “mouth” or “tail”. Then he said who thinks it is his mouth? Several hands went up. Then “who thinks his tail?” Several other hands go up.
Handler – “OK whoever has their hands up (tail), look at my position – look at what I’m holding…
so that blows that old wives tale out of the water.
After the wrestling show there was another chance to sit on the gator to get your photo taken. The boys were both nervous but got in line again. Evan kept saying he didn’t want to get bit. I tried to tell him the gator’s mouth was taped shut and couldn’t bite him. Then a few little and I mean little girls went. They must have been 3. And when I pointed out that nothing happened to the girls then he was willing to give it a try. Fortunately the same guy was hole punching tickets so we didn’t have an issue with our already punched stub.
They both got on and I think the photo speaks for itself.
Look how Evan is, sitting on a gator!! Love it! Friends of ours went there after our cruise (we got back on the ship & cruised again, so couldn't join them ). Their kids loved Gatorland.
Sorry about the rain but it sounds like you and Evan had a wonderful time anyway...glad that everyone made some sort of peace, hopefully that will make the rest of the trip easier.
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Great pictures! 
I really like that ride. I can't believe that we missed it on our first trip.
Evan is, sitting on a gator!! Love it! Friends of ours went there after our cruise (we got back on the ship & cruised again, so couldn't join them 
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