Me, Muffin and WDW for Xmas stuff!! PTR - Page 19 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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View Poll Results: Notice that I have been quiet for two whole days! Why do you think this is?!
You have been very busy delivering babies!
10
19.23%
You have once again completely changed things around!
So nice to hear you had a fun time at the falls!
i can't believe how lucky you are!
Thanks, Donna!! It was a terrific trip!!
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Originally Posted by lauriep
They're going to start bolting the doors at the casinos when they see you two coming! Your luck is just wild!
Thanks, Laurie!
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Originally Posted by Cam22
You have had quite a bit going on. Congrats on another haul at the casino!
Thanks, Cam!
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubfancolleen
More winnings?!?! I'm going to have to meet you at some casino and let you win me some cash!!
Anytime, Colleen! Thanks!
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Originally Posted by chezp
Wow, your luck at the casino is just unbelievable!
Thanks, Cheryl! It has been unbelievable!!
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Congrats on the winnings!
Thanks, Marnie!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lindawdw
Your trip to Niagara Falls sounded wonderful and Congrats on your lucky winnings!!! More money for WDW
Thanks, Linda!!
The best part about this win is that I don't have to pay taxes on it!! When the casino guy came over to my machine, I automatically gave him my driver's license and he promptly reminded me that I was in Canada and that I didn't owe a penny in taxes!!
On to Disney stuff!!
All of our fastpass selections have been made and we had no problems getting anything we wanted. That being said, I couldn't believe how many attractions were not available! I have never run into FP's not being available 60 days out before! Does this mean that it will be absolutely mobbed this week?!?!?!
Regardless, we are both getting very excited!! So here are our final plans for Day One, November 30th!!
We arrive at MCO at 12:20PM and will hopefully be at AKL by 2:00PM. If our room is ready, we will go there first and unpack. If not, we'll take off for AK. You guys have no idea how much I am looking forward to enjoying this park on this trip!! It is my absolute favorite and we don't spend much time here in the summer. We have FP's for:
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
DINOSAUR
We plan to stay until the park closes at 5:00PM and then heading back to AKL for the evening to enjoy the resort. We will, of course, get a drink at Victoria Falls and then head over to Sanaa for dinner at 7:30PM. This is a new choice for us and we are very much looking forward to eating here!!
Depending on how we feel, we may head back to the room after dinner or we may head to Disney Springs for some Christmas shopping. We are renting a car for this trip so that will make things a little more flexible for getting around.
Also, I am very proud of myself for sticking with no dining plan this time. This will be the first time in several trips we are not doing a plan, but we have an AP and Tables in Wonderland, so we will see how it pans out!
Next: Day 2, December 1st!!
P.S. I won so much money this year that I paid off this trip and next year's trip (which is no longer a Copenhagen cruise )
Tables in Wonderland worked out great for us! Hopefully you will find that it works out for you as well.
Renting a car for a stay at AKL is a good idea. If and when we stay there we will probably do the same thing.
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Tables in Wonderland worked out great for us! Hopefully you will find that it works out for you as well.
Renting a car for a stay at AKL is a good idea. If and when we stay there we will probably do the same thing.
I will certainly be keeping my receipts and comparing the savings, Donna. We are only renting a car because we'll only be there for four nights. The last time we stayed at AKL, we used Disney transportation, which was fine for the most part. However! It did take a while to get anywhere except AK and we have lots we want to see!!
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Originally Posted by cubfancolleen
Way to slip in the fact that you've made a trip change, there at the end!
Plans sound good. Make sure to have bread service at Sanaa!!
Thanks, Colleen!! We will certainly have the bread service!! Stay tuned for next year's revised plans.
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Originally Posted by Cam22
Can't wait to learn what trip is replacing Copenhagen!
Coming up soon!
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Originally Posted by chezp
Now you're absolutely sure that these are the final plans for day one? Sorry, I couldn't resist...
Ok, so where are your travels taking you to next year then? Can't wait to find out!
I'm pretty sure, Cheryl! We'll see where life takes us. I promise to reveal next year's plans after I post my itinerary for this trip!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lindawdw
Always nice to not have to pay taxes Your plans sound great and I'm looking forward to hear what is replacing the Copenhagen trip for next year!
Thanks, Linda! It sure is! I your sig pic by the way!! I will let you guys know about next year soon!!
We originally thought that we would park hop again for this trip, but being that it is a little shorter with earlier closings, we decided to just spend a full day at each park-unless! We feel like going somewhere else! Today will be our longest day with MVMCP scheduled for tonight. We plan to get up early and hit the Mara for breakfast. Then drive over to MK for park opening.
Our FP's are for:
Space Mountain
Pirates of the Caribbean
Peter Pan's Flight
We didn't make our FP's until later in the afternoon for two reasons.
1. We will have the morning open just in case we change our plans to another park.
2. We are eating lunch at The Crystal Palace at 1:00PM. This way, no matter what we decide to do in the morning, we'll have some cool stuff to do after lunch.
We figure we will have a nice lunch and then just eat snacks and such at MVMCP.
In all honesty, I am not that committed to the Crystal Palace this time around. (Don't throw darts, Cheryl!) We ate there twice this summer and while it was good, we are a little Crystal Palaced out. We may visit Epcot this morning and have lunch there before heading to MK.
So! Obviously, my plans for this day are still a bit wishy washy. I know you are all surprised! I keep checking the dining availability to see if something will pop out at me that makes me know what to do here, but it hasn't happened yet.
We are very much looking forward to MVMCP!! Yes, we know it will be crowded and that there will be lines for attractions and character meets. We still love the festive atmosphere and the hot chocolate and cookies and the parade, so even if we just do that stuff, we'll be happy!
Seems like some nice plans as long as you keep them! You've been awfully lucky at the casinos this year! Wish I had this luck in AC this week!
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
How shocking that you aren't totally sure about this day's plans. I love MVMCP just for the parade, fireworks, and, of course, the hot chocolate and cookies on Main Street as the snow falls.
Seems like some nice plans as long as you keep them! You've been awfully lucky at the casinos this year! Wish I had this luck in AC this week!
Thanks, Dave!! Stay tuned to see what happens with my plans........
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
You can be Crystal Palaced out? Oh come on now, it's about the only place you're going to see Eeyore now - that's surely enough reason to go?
. I knew you would respond in kind!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
How shocking that you aren't totally sure about this day's plans. I love MVMCP just for the parade, fireworks, and, of course, the hot chocolate and cookies on Main Street as the snow falls.