25 Days on the Disney Magic to Europe - Page 2 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Sorry this was delayed. Thought I was having trouble with my computer, but it turns out that the brand new all-ship wireless network has a few bugs. It worked fine in the calm of the Caribbean, but once we hit the heavier waves of the Atlantic, the jiggling cables cause the wireless hubs to drop out every 30 seconds or so!
So... I'm having to write these on the benches outside the Buena Vista Theater instead of the comfort of my cabin. Ah well, they seem to be working on things daily, so perhaps all will be well soon.
And to answer one of the questions posed, there are about 1900 passengers aboard. Other guests are convinced that the demand for space just wasn't there, but word I've got from those in positions to know suggest the reduced passenger load is related to the limited refrigerator capacity and the fact you can't get fresh food in the middle of the Atlantic. Choose your own answer.
This morning we discover that Lumiere's is serving brunch each day at sea. Great!
This morning we discover that Lumiere's definition of "brunch" is to print the breakfast and lunch menus on the same page. Less great!
An interesting lecture series by a professor of history begins with a discussion of the history and geography of the Atlantic Ocean. Not terribly coherent, yet interesting. He ends with an announcement of a series of "discussions" to which the assembled throng in the Walt Disney Theater is invited ... at the Cove Cafe! Fortunately, only 15 of us show up, so we fit without upsetting the Captain. We discover that we're pretty well agreed about what's wrong with the country and the world, but none of us has much of a clue about how to cure things. It's a nice change from politics as usual where it's often just the opposite.
Tonight's show is a ventriloquist. He's no Taylor Mason, but he's not bad. We look forward to his "adult" show tomorrow.
We're starting to get into this relaxation thing and out of our hectic routine. A little. Maybe it's just being tired from losing an hour of sleep last night. It's going to happen again for the next four nights, so we had best get used to 23-hour days for a while.
Today begins with brunch at Palo. Outstanding, as usual. Our server is Sylvester from Mumbai, India. We've had him before, and by the end of the meal he remembers us too. Bite *this*, Lumiere's!
Mornings at sea include a culinary demonstration by Christine, the Executive Chef of Epcot. An interesting character, and she seems only to know recepies that include potatos. (Yes, she is German. How did you guess?) Among the various items she let leak are two *potential* new kiosks for this year's Food & Wine Festival: Peru and the Dominican Republic. Tastings aren't complete, and these choices are still subject to change, but they do sound like interesting additions to the program.
Today's discussion series continued with only five in attendance. In addition to the professor, SWMBO, and I there is a lady from Canada who is quite knowledgable about US politics, and a Kentucky man who is not.
Dinner tonight is the "French" menu at Lumiere's complete with dancing Beast. I consume my annual quota of snails.
We stay up to watch the ventriloquist's "adult" show. It's good, but it's followed by '80s night in the bar. Maybe it's just me, but there strikes me as something profoundly Wrong about a Disney show that features music from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". You too?
Tomorrow I get to see what's involved in a "spa" haircut. Now I'm not one of those "metrosexuals", I'm they kind of guy who wanders in to the Harmony Barber Shop and waits his turn. We'll see just how much shampoo and fru-fru they try to get.
Set the clocks ahead again. Gonna wear out the stem on my watch with all this time changing.
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.
Thanks for posting your trip Bruce! What a dream to spend 25 days on the Magic!
Just curious, how are the seas out there? Is it rough or calm sailing so far?
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DVC Member BWV- 6/08
WDW -lost count!
Disneyland 2X
Disney Magic 11/04 Eastern
Disney Magic 12/06 Western, 08/15/09
Disney Wonder 01/08, 02/09, 08/10
Disney Dream B2B 08/11
More wonderful updates - so there's a chance that I'll be able to have wireless access in our room when we join you next week? I'm so pleased to hear that they're doing that, that would be so cool!
Thanks for the update, please keep them coming they are making my countdown more bearable
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Isabel Happy Scaring
Trips to DL Many as a kid
12/00 1st family trip POFQ
04/04 2nd family trip The Dolphin
03/05 3rd family trip The Dolphin & Magic
12/06 4th family trip Xmas Magic & the Dolphin
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.
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Sorry you didn't like Lumiere's definition of brunch (who would 
)!
DVC Member BWV- 6/08
Thanks for posting!
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