Goin' Down the Bayou, a PTR ~ November 1-10 - Page 3 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
I just love how you went from almost not going at all, to now going, staying On property AND for 9 lovely nights!!!!!!!! That is a terrific start!!
We had similar issues with our flights for Sep, ours was more of the flight times, but we had to add another day as well..................whoopsie
It's amazing how the Disney planning is always going on even before we leave the Disney Bubble. Awesome for scoring such a great deal at POR, we have never stayed there either, I am so hooked on the Poly, but have also read great things about it. And what way to make it even more magical than staying on property is having your friend their too. I am also having the same dilemma with airfare, the prices on Friday 11/9 are insane and I have also checked the option of leaving the 8th, it is also a lot cheaper for us, even with the extra night.
I have to be honest, that sometimes I am plotting a new trip in my mind before we even leave on the one we are planning I just can't help myself! Airfare prices are just crazy right now, but of course with doing the Disney math I can justify spending the money we saved by flying in early on another night at the hotel!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Linnynad
I just love how you went from almost not going at all, to now going, staying On property AND for 9 lovely nights!!!!!!!! That is a terrific start!!
We had similar issues with our flights for Sep, ours was more of the flight times, but we had to add another day as well..................whoopsie
Can't wait to talk FOOD!!
Go big, or go home, right? I did forget to mention in my earlier post that we had also gotten a good surprise when we did our taxes in January and we were going to get a bigger refund than expected, so that extra cash really did help in making our decision to go a lot easier!
And, hey, getting a cheaper flight and adding an extra night in Disney, works for me!
A little late, but I am joining in. We are also going to WDW in November, but will be arriving on the day you leave. We are also from NJ (we live by the Shore), but decided to avoid Jersey week by going a week later.
We love POR although we have not stayed in the renovated rooms yet. You will love the beautiful landscaping and the boat to DTD.
Looking forward to your next update about food!
Congrats on booking POR! I've stayed twice now in the mansions section, the first time in the Magnolia Bend section. It is beautiful! I'm sure you'll love it!
Congrats on the flights and extra day too!
we will be in the world the same time as you are. we will be in the world from oct 27th to nov 10th we are staying at art of animation
__________________
Heather - "I'm Tinkerbell's biggest fan!"
WDW - August 1997 Off Property
WDW - January 2005 AKL
WDW - May 2006 Pop Century
WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
WDW- sept 2013 port Orleans riverside
WDW- july 2015 beach club
Congrats on getting a good deal. I'm considering the Auto train for my next visit to the world in a few years - no real planning at this point. Wow 9 nights that is a nice visit. how many actual school days will the kids miss?
A little late, but I am joining in. We are also going to WDW in November, but will be arriving on the day you leave. We are also from NJ (we live by the Shore), but decided to avoid Jersey week by going a week later.
We love POR although we have not stayed in the renovated rooms yet. You will love the beautiful landscaping and the boat to DTD.
Looking forward to your next update about food!
November is my favorite time to go, have you been in November before? Hope you have a great trip! We are so excited about POR!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lazanya
Congrats on booking POR! I've stayed twice now in the mansions section, the first time in the Magnolia Bend section. It is beautiful! I'm sure you'll love it!
Congrats on the flights and extra day too!
Thanks! I'm so excited
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR
Your planning went just like mine. First, excited about going, then not going, then going & staying on-site. Glad you were able to get a good deal!
It always ends up like that. We get home and I say we are going to hold off on another trip for a couple of years, but I always change my mind. DH has a lot to do with that though, his dad passed away young and he doesn't like to put things off since you don't know what the future holds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Woo-hoo! What a little (a lot!) of planning will do. A nice, long, on-site trip coming up!
Yes, a nice, long trip! It will be wonderful I'm thinking that we might not ever go back to the Marriot VC after this though!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Congrats on POR!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by taylan1
Congratulations on POR! You will love it there. It is a beautiful resort and I love their food court there.
Thank you! I can't wait to see POR in person!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
Congrats on POR!
Thanks, Cam!
Quote:
Originally Posted by bsblady01
we will be in the world the same time as you are. we will be in the world from oct 27th to nov 10th we are staying at art of animation
Hope you have a great trip!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mommapants
Congrats on getting a good deal. I'm considering the Auto train for my next visit to the world in a few years - no real planning at this point. Wow 9 nights that is a nice visit. how many actual school days will the kids miss?
Well, now, here's the kicker! For the last 7+ years our district (Edison) has been closed for the entire week of election day, so with our plan of leaving after school on Thursday the girls would have only missed school on Friday 11/2. The 2012-2013 school calendar was approved and released back in March and guess what? They took the full week away from us! At that point I hadn't booked our airfare, and considered changing our plans, but ultimately decided against that. So, they are going to miss 3 1/2 days now (Election day is a half day and school is closed on Thurs/Fri for the teachers convention). Still not bad for a 9 night trip!
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.
Ok, so let’s talk food! Like many of you, I’m sure, it’s a big part of our Disney trips, but if you read my last PTR/TR you’ll know that we don’t usually make a ton of ADRs. Well, things are about to change! Staying off property we were never able to take advantage of the DP, but now add that to the list of perks we can use! I’m hoping that things end up like last year and they extend the Fall Free Dining offer through December. I don’t know if my TA has some insider info or not, but she seems VERY confident that they will. Fingers crossed! I made my dining plans based on us having free dining, so we’ve got lots of TS meals booked. I still have not decided what we are going to do should we not get free dining, whether we pay OOP for everything or just pay for the DP . All I know is that it is going to be really hard deciding which meals need to go , since if we are going to go OOP I will not keep all of the TS meals I booked.
Now, my original 180 day mark was Sunday, 5/6, which was perfect. I could get up early, get everything booked and head back to bed for a lazy Sunday morning. Well, adding the extra night pushed the mark back a day to Saturday, 5/5, which was Kaeli’s First Holy Communion day. I contemplated just letting the TA make my ADRs, but honestly I just had a really hard time giving up the control , so I made a plan to get myself up early and shower before logging on to the computer at 6AM. I would have plenty of time to get the reservations made, get myself dressed and get Kaeli ready to head over to church at 8:45. Perfect! Until the online system would not recognize my confirmation number . I knew I would be cutting it close to getting ready on time if I had to wait until the phone lines opened up at 7, and then who knows if I would be on hold for a while, and I started to panic (and regretting my decision to not let my TA handle this!). I went upstairs and started getting dressed, and then I woke Chris to tell him that I needed some help. I printed out a list of everything I wanted and shortly before 7 he was on the line with Disney Dining . I hovered for a few minutes, but then realized that was silly and I needed to go get ready! About a half an hour later Chris came back upstairs, happy to tell me that he had gotten every single meal I had requested
So, here’s what we’ve got:
Friday 11/2 – Dinner at Chef Mickey’s as requested by the girls (a first for us, we’ve only ever done breakfast here)
Saturday 11/3 – Lunch at Mama Melrose (another first!)
Sunday 11/4 – An early breakfast (8:05am-for that early park entry) at CRT, a special request of Kaeli’s
- Dinner at Crystal Palace
Monday 11/5 – Lunch at Coral Reef, another request of the girls
Tuesday 11/6 – Tusker House Breakfast (yet another first!)
Wednesday 11/7 – CMC Seafood Buffet, as chosen by Chris. When he saw the menu he wanted to know why it was never an option before. He LOVES seafood!
Thursday 11/8 – Dinner at Garden Grill (this meal will be shared with my friend, her DH and DD)
Friday 11/9 – no ADRs, we'll just hit whatever CS places that suits us
Saturday 11/10 – Lunch at TRex, another request of the girls.
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
,
Holly: 
At that point I hadn't booked our airfare, and considered changing our plans, but ultimately decided against that. So, they are going to miss 3 1/2 days now (Election day is a half day and school is closed on Thurs/Fri for the teachers convention). Still not bad for a 9 night trip!
. All I know is that it is going to be really hard deciding which meals need to go 
, since if we are going to go OOP I will not keep all of the TS meals I booked. 
, so I made a plan to get myself up early and shower before logging on to the computer at 6AM. I would have plenty of time to get the reservations made, get myself dressed and get Kaeli ready to head over to church at 8:45. Perfect! Until the online system would not recognize my confirmation number 
. I knew I would be cutting it close to getting ready on time if I had to wait until the phone lines opened up at 7, and then who knows if I would be on hold for a while, and I started to panic (and regretting my decision to not let my TA handle this!). I went upstairs and started getting dressed, and then I woke Chris to tell him that I needed some help. I printed out a list of everything I wanted and shortly before 7 he was on the line with Disney Dining 
Linear Mode
