Passing through the Panama Canal - a Passporter's Tale **Updated 8/21** - Page 27 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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another great update! Aruba looks beautiful. Too bad they wouldn't let you dive down deeper. Great underwater shots, especially from a disposable. Thanks for sharing
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Great updates and photos!! It's neat to be able to put photos to the live updates that you had during the actual cruise. I'm trying to figure out who Patrick is supposed to remind me of. I think I have an idea, but I'm afraid to say in case I'm wrong! The snorkeling and kayaking sounds like it was a lot of fun! Can't wait to hear more
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.
Terri I just got caught up with your whole report in one go. Bravo on your updates so far. It was so funny as I was reading your live updates I was really getting into it, to the point where I was seriously bummed out when it ended. Then, I almost cried when I saw the note from Mickey on your "Mickey Dreams" night. I must be hormonal today! I have to disagree with you about something, though, you and Leslie both look fabulous in your swimsuits and sarongs. They were both very flattering! And, I would laugh and laugh if I saw that I was assigned to the old school bus because that's exactly what would happen to me. Can't wait to read more!
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After the lounging by the pool was over (it was windy and cool) - I headed back to the room to get dressed for dinner and the show. I stayed up on deck as we sailed out of port - took photos and talked to a gentleman I'd met on board named Mike.
After the ship sailed far enough away - I excused myself from my chat with Mike and headed down to get ready for dinner. We ended up in Shutters again going through photos and taking more photos - this time with JACK SPARROW!!!
We ended up above the Atrium having pictures taken with Jack....
Then we headed down to dinner and came across John, our head server (and the sweetest person!) with another server outside Lumieres!
Lesley also danced with Timon -
We headed down to dinner - tonight was the Tropicalifragilistic menu (say that 3 times fast).
We saw miss Minnie on the menu cover and thought of Eileen!
I started with the shrimp and pineapple.
My second course was a shrimp salad - this one I didn't like since the shrimp tasted very fishy
Then I had the grilled Bahamian snapper
And the dessert course was vanilla bean ice cream with caramel (nothing jumped out at me on the menu!)
While my snapper was really good - we were all very jealous of Petra's dish - I forget what it was called on the menu - but that is what I SHOULD have gotten -
After all the meals were served - Minnie came in and led us all in the limbo - and Lesley and I got in on the action - as you can see... she was much more stylish than I. Gabriella grabbed my camera and got a nice embarrassing photo of me....
Sing it with me now "Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!!!"
After we finished dinner - we headed up to the deck party - I stayed up on Deck 10 since I wasn't actually feeling all that hot.... no irony there - right? Lesley went down to explore and I headed back to the room before she returned. I had a headache and needed some sleep.
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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Great updates, Terri. And great photos and video! After I turned 21 I said I would not wish my life away anymore... but, right now I'm wanting October to hurry up and get here!
How did I miss this update last night? The water in Aruba looks so blue!! It looks so calm, yet your video made it sound so windy. Sounds like a great time on the ship! This photo made me I it!! You look like you are having the time of your life!! More please
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The snorkeling and kayaking sounds like it was a lot of fun! Can't wait to hear more
Looks like a great time 
It was so funny as I was reading your live updates I was really getting into it, to the point where I was seriously bummed out when it ended. Then, I almost cried when I saw the note from Mickey on your "Mickey Dreams" night. I must be hormonal today! 
I have to disagree with you about something, though, you and Leslie both look fabulous in your swimsuits and sarongs. They were both very flattering! 
And, I would laugh and laugh if I saw that I was assigned to the old school bus because that's exactly what would happen to me. 
PassPorter Guide Author
Love the pics!! More please 
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