A Coast to Coast Christmas - Phase One WDW - Page 20 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Day Four – Sunday, December 3 An impromptu PassPorter meet
I was up fairly early, so I took some time to catch up my notes before getting ready. Once everyone was dressed, we headed to the lounge to get breakfast. This was our sleep in morning, so it was a leisurely breakfast.
It was around 11:00 when we headed downstairs. We knew Bob and Larry had a lunch ADR at the WCC with Wendy (Wendyismyname), so we decided to surprise her and walked over. We were surprised ourselves when we spotted Linda and her DH again. Once we found Wendy and her DD Carly, it was a big ole PPer meet right there in the WL lobby! We chatted for a while. I was so busy talking that I failed to take any photos, but maybe Linda will share some of the ones Pete took.
After the meet, the CLQ headed to the bus stop, and then to AK. I had to get a few more photos of the TOL.
We also stopped for a Photopass picture in front of the Tree of Life.
We walked over to Camp Minnie Mickey and I got some photos of the character trees. I love these!
We decided to wait in Mickey’s line first, and I love how cute he is in his little holiday sweater!
We all wanted snacks, so we got them. I decided it had been too long since I’ve had a funnel cake (seriously, it’d been years) so I got one, covered with strawberries and whipped cream. I was making up for lost time. The CM made a hidden Mickey out of whipped cream for me!
After snacking, we went to watch FOTLK. I love this show so much!
After the show, we were ready for some more character interaction. Karen had given me an awesome coupon book for my birthday and I was ready to cash one of them in. She would wait in the line for me, so the rest of the CLQ got on the line and I found a comfortable bench and settled in for a bit of people watching. Awesome!
When they were close to the front of the line, they called me over and I got some quality time with Goofy on my own.
This even makes me go “awwww”
I told him he was my favorite, and then he hugged me and wouldn’t let go. Of course, the whole time, he’s pretending that I’m the one not letting go.
He did finally release me so we could get proper photos.
We waited in line to see Minnie Mouse next. We were next in line when Minnie went off to check on her cookies she had baking. She didn’t bring us back any, even after I asked. Anyway, this led to some laughter that even Minnie doesn’t want to spend time with poor Karen. If Eileen were writing a TR like she said she would, there would be some funny photos to go with it. But she’s not. So no fun photos for you!
Well, okay, I have some photos that are less funny but still fun.
Then we went in search of kangaroos. More specifically, we went in search of the secret path near the kangaroos, which Karen had never experienced. I thought I knew where it was, and I was right. I am so smrt!
This new path has an excellent view of the Tree of Life, so I got some photos I don’t already have 3 different angles of.
We stopped next to pick up the AP calendars at the gift shop. It took a little back and forth (none of the CMs said what they should have) but we found it in the end. Then we headed out of the park, having accomplished everything we needed to.
We decided to get a Photopass photo in front of the Christmas tree.
And we got a little surprise gift.
You can tell we were surprised by the looks on our faces
This is totally cracking me up.
Okay, where was I? Right, we were done, so we walked to the bus stop. We almost missed a bus, but it took longer to load because of a passenger with a scooter. We had a passenger in a wheelchair or scooter on nearly every bus ride!
Up Next: TBSAALTA
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
Great photos at AK - especially that last one with Stitch! You guys are too cute.
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Tanya
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LOTS of great photos! Love the one of you and Goofy reaching towards each other, and a lot of the group ones are wonderful. I love the kangaroo trail. There's a really pretty waterfall on that route and just before you get to the Africa end of the trail you get to see "Bruce", the giant catfish!
Wait, I'm confused, was this the super special surprise? Or is that still to come?
Nope -- that's still to come. The alphabet soup of TSblalalalala happens later this "day!"
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
It was around 11:00 when we headed downstairs. We knew Bob and Larry had a lunch ADR at the WCC with Wendy (Wendyismyname), so we decided to surprise her and walked over. We were surprised ourselves when we spotted Linda and her DH again. Once we found Wendy and her DD Carly, it was a big ole PPer meet right there in the WL lobby! We chatted for a while. I was so busy talking that I failed to take any photos, but maybe Linda will share some of the ones Pete took.
I love these people!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
We all wanted snacks, so we got them.
Not *all* of us. I only got a soda.
And a rock...
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
I told him he was my favorite, and then he hugged me and wouldn’t let go. Of course, the whole time, he’s pretending that I’m the one not letting go.
Yeah... it was obvious HE was the one holding on. Obvious. Ob-VEE-ous.
That's why he used sign language to get Jill and me to peel you off of him.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
We waited in line to see Minnie Mouse next. We were next in line when Minnie went off to check on her cookies she had baking. She didn’t bring us back any, even after I asked. Anyway, this led to some laughter that even Minnie doesn’t want to spend time with poor Karen. If Eileen were writing a TR like she said she would, there would be some funny photos to go with it. But she’s not. So no fun photos for you!
I'm gonna write my TR inside Jill's TR, because she's my favorite... (and she has the cute photos of Karen.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
Then we went in search of kangaroos. More specifically, we went in search of the secret path near the kangaroos, which Karen had never experienced. I thought I knew where it was, and I was right. I am so smrt!
That was TOTALLY worth finding. I loved the cool angles and animals we got to see from that vantage point!
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
We stopped next to pick up the AP calendars at the gift shop. It took a little back and forth (none of the CMs said what they should have) but we found it in the end.
And by "we," she means them. Not me.
Once again, I got a rock.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
You can tell we were surprised by the looks on our faces
I love this! Each face makes me laugh a little harder!
That was a very relaxing afternoon! Did we really not do any rides at all?! Shocking!
I was just thinking the same thing! Can you only find it in a few places at WDW?
No, it's widely available. The winery is Caymus, thus Caymus Conundrum. A blend of nine white varietals, I believe. The closest wine to it as far as I know is the Sokol Blosser Evolution. But because the amounts blended differ, you will find different aspects stand out in the two blends. It was a CM at Flying Fish Cafe who brought me a glass of the Evolution after I ordered the Conundrum who gave me my first opportunity to do a comparison tasting.
Sounds like a great morning at AK! Lots of great photos, but I especially love the one of you and Goofy holding out your ears and the Stitch one. Everyone's "surprised faces" are hilarious!
I didn't know about the kangaroo trail. I guess I need to travel with smarty-cakes like you!
I must try this Conundrum everyone talks about.
Great input Karen! What a fabulous meal!
Conundrum is very good! I had my first taste at Yachtsman's last November. DH saw that I liked it so much (and I usually drink red wine) that he had 3 bottles shipped for Christmas. He had to order online because we can't find a place locally that carries it. But it's worth it!
Bob & I had some things to do to prepare for the TBSAALTA, which I gather will shortly be revealed here.
Once we took care of those items (and I'll fill you in later), we made our way to the WL Lobby, as mentioned earlier, for an impromptu Passporter reunion.
Bob & I joined Joan and family and Wendy and Carlee for lunch at the Whispering Canyon Cafe. This was fun and tasty as usual. I hope Joan got some good pictures because she would not be happy with me if I posted mine.
Of particular note was the Cheddar Cheese Soup, which was not only tasty, it had a particularly interesting garnish:
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forgot? Hmm...
The CM made a hidden Mickey out of whipped cream for me!
Anyway, this led to some laughter that even Minnie doesn’t want to spend time with poor Karen. If Eileen were writing a TR like she said she would, there would be some funny photos to go with it. But she’s not. So no fun photos for you! 
PassPorter Guide Author
What a fun time with the characters and, like you, I 
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