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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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There are other changes as well.
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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.
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So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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YAY for a great night. We learned on our last visit that going to the park at night is a great thing! We would go in the morning and then take a break mid day, head back for dinner and then stay until closing and it was so much nicer (and cooler). I'll have to remember visiting the princesses during the parade so hopefully we can scoot right in (well, maybe not right in, but quicker than our usual 1 hour wait). Thanks for the heads up on being able to get the FP's for both the princess and Mickey M&G at the same time. Since we are not doing CM's this year, we will definitely need to stand in line to see Mickey...we can't go to Disney and not see him! I love the Buzz ride, but stink at playing the game. I can never hit those targets for some reason...way to go Abby for getting the high score! Oh, and I loved your acronym for CRT...too cute. We love Cosmic Rays b/c it has something for everyone, but it is always crowded when we go and it does not make it easy to have to stand in one long line, then go to another long line to stand yet again to get everyones food. Glad you caught it at a down time and was able to get your food quickly! So glad that Abby was able to get to ride IASW so many times especially since she did not get to on your last trip. I love that you were able to get back to tradition and have that as your final ride! I always hate packing up, but unfortunately it always has to be done! Hope that all goes well and that you are able to board quickly even though you called later than you had intended. OH....I am always amazed that we have never ridden on COP with our girls. I was a little girl when I last went on that show. Since you go to sleep most of the time on it...I'm guessing it is boring??? I just can't remember, and I don't know why we have always managed to not do that show. I think it is one of the few, if not the only ride my dd's have not done. Should we keep skipping it? LOL
Lenny's been saying that for a while - go in the park, leave to rest and then go back but I'm sorry, that just doesn't work with 2 people who want to sleep in and I tell him that. There's no way I'm going to get into a park at 11 or 12 or 1 to leave at 3 or 4 for a rest to go back for 6 or 7. I don't go in the summer to spend "half" days in the parks. If I wanted shorter hours I would attempt to go during the year when the park closes real early. I go during summer so we can have the most hours to get things done (and it's easier going that time working at a school).
I was surpised at being able to get the FP's at one time. I don't remember if that was ever mentioned in any of the various articles out about the FP capability with the M&G. But whether you go during a parade or not, definitely get the FP's because there's always plenty of shopping you can do to wait out the time
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who doesn't do well at Buzz. We like Cosmic Ray's because of the variety as well. Luckily none of us are overly fussy so when it's busy, we'll just pick from one counter and be happy with whatever we get. And I'm glad too we could ride IASW before leaving. Last year it was just so strange not to be able to and it just didn't seem like the trip was over because of it.
Packing went well and as for coming home, you'll have to stay tuned. I'll post that at some time (probably tomorrow morning if I can) because my lips are sealed as to what happened.
Now to your CoP comment. Believe it or not, no I don't find it boring. It's just a matter of we do so much during the day and the heat just wipes you out that once I sit down in the nice cool theater, exhaustion comes over me and I fall asleep. I don't care how interesting something is, if you're pooped, you're gonna go out . And we've ridden this at all different times during the day - and it still doesn't matter. I can go out like a light. I've also done it in the movie at One Man's Dream, MuppetVision 3D, the movie in France at Epcot, I even did it on IASW this year (I don't remember when I did it, I just know I did) and I'm sure there's a few other places I have done it in. Like I said, when exhaustion comes over you, nothing will keep you awake.
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All caught up Darlene - what a wonderful day in MK. Abby sound like me when I was little. Although I don't remember my parents tell me IASW was my favorite and wanted to ride it over and over again. I really like the new siggie pic too.
Do you find the headphones really help? My son isn't crazy about the loud noises so was thinking about the head phones - honestly some of the shows are so loud I think they could wake the dead.
Sounds like a great last day. I really enjoyed your TR
Thanks Jim. We did have a great day and I'm glad you've enjoyed my TR. I do have a couple last installments to do - coming home and a couple of summaries (one for DDP versus OOP and then a general summary)
Quote:
Originally Posted by mommapants
All caught up Darlene - what a wonderful day in MK. Abby sound like me when I was little. Although I don't remember my parents tell me IASW was my favorite and wanted to ride it over and over again. I really like the new siggie pic too.
Do you find the headphones really help? My son isn't crazy about the loud noises so was thinking about the head phones - honestly some of the shows are so loud I think they could wake the dead.
Thanks - we did have a wonderful day. And I think whever anyone reads a TR, me included, we see bits of ourselves either at the age we are now or when we were younger, KWIM?
For Abby, yes the headphones are a HUGE help. We got them from Home Depot so they're noise reduction headphones - and I agree with some of the shows being so loud. The fireworks and parade are a given but Abby also wears them in Philharmagic and in Universe of Energy in Epcot. She wore them on BTM this year and I'm sure there's some other places where she puts them on but I can't think of them right now. And sometimes, for Abby, it may not even be a matter of something being loud, it may just be the sensation of them on her head is a comfort to her
Darlene,
I'm loving the TR. I completely agree about trying to get the family going. My DH wants to be sleep in...come back to the room and never wants to stay late. He's only got to see Wishes once in the park...our last trip we went back after a dinner at O'Hanas to see it. And when Puzzlewoman and Wolfhunt stayed at BLT we saw it from the top deck viewpoint was very weird to realize how far the fireworks are actually from the park. I'm impatiently waiting to see how your flight home was
Phew I got about 6 or 7 pages behind... but I loved reading it all! Your photos are fantastic - especially for the ones you didn't use a flash on! VERY impressive! I'm sad that your TR is ending... but I'm still looking forward to some more updates plus maybe a recap??
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Darlene,
I'm loving the TR. I completely agree about trying to get the family going. My DH wants to be sleep in...come back to the room and never wants to stay late. He's only got to see Wishes once in the park...our last trip we went back after a dinner at O'Hanas to see it. And when Puzzlewoman and Wolfhunt stayed at BLT we saw it from the top deck viewpoint was very weird to realize how far the fireworks are actually from the park. I'm impatiently waiting to see how your flight home was
Thanks Cheeser, I'm glad you enjoy me TR. I'm glad to see there's more than just my hubby who's kind of a downer for getting up and going (or staying late). Yeah, I don't know how far away from the park the fireworks are but it's weird how you don't realize it IN the park - just out of the park. And they're not directly over the castle either which we didn't realize until we saw them at the Poly last year.
I know lots of people besides you are impatient to find out the rest of the story but you'll have to wait until tomorrow. I did my posting today already
Phew I got about 6 or 7 pages behind... but I loved reading it all! Your photos are fantastic - especially for the ones you didn't use a flash on! VERY impressive! I'm sad that your TR is ending... but I'm still looking forward to some more updates plus maybe a recap??
Sorry you fell behind but so glad you enjoyed it enought to catch up. I was even impressed with some of the photos I got because normally I just point and shoot and hope for the best. Well I did do that this year too but I used an auto setting and the camera did all the work. It was sad when the trip ended and it's sad for me again because now the TR is ending too but yes, I do have some more updates. I have our trip home and a couple of summaries for everyone to read.
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I'm so sad that this trip report is almost over. You write so honest, it's not all flowers and sunshine, you put in the ups and downs. Although, if I had to do IASW as much as Abby wants to, my trip report would read something like this...."then, the next day, the headline in the paper was Woman Banned From Disney After Losing It On Ride". Or something about murder, you know. On our upcoming trip, it's just going to be me and the boy, so I'm curious as to what he will want to do over and over and over again.
Sounds like a great evening at MK! What a nice way to end your trip!
Thanks Kathy, it was a great evening at MK. That night certainly ended our trip on a much nicer note than what we started with (Lenny being grumpy about the type of car we got)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shawnam1868
I'm so sad that this trip report is almost over. You write so honest, it's not all flowers and sunshine, you put in the ups and downs. Although, if I had to do IASW as much as Abby wants to, my trip report would read something like this...."then, the next day, the headline in the paper was Woman Banned From Disney After Losing It On Ride". Or something about murder, you know. On our upcoming trip, it's just going to be me and the boy, so I'm curious as to what he will want to do over and over and over again.
Believe it or not, I'm sad it's coming to an end as well. It's like my trip has ended twice . I'm glad you like the way I write my TR - I can't do it any other way. I'll purposely leave out the contents of an arguement (lets face it, nobody wants a blow by blow account of that - including me) but as for the rest, there would be no flow to it if I started leaving out the downs that happened and I can't stand choppy stories (including my own) so in is where they have to be. Besides, while it's not exactly easy to include the downs, knowing I'm among friends that have BTDT and can understand us, the emotions, all of it, it makes it easier to put it in, KWIM? If I didn't have the friendships that I do or the understanding of the people here, I probably would never have written that first TR way back when let alone this one.
Now as for you, you're too funny but I can see where you're coming from. If I didn't like the ride, I'd probably be exactly like you "woman loses it on ride" but if the repeat is something we like too (what's your favorite ride you could do over and over?), it's so easy to go on it time and again. You're going to have to come home though and let us know what that repeat ride turns out to be (hope for your sake - and everyone else's - it's not IASW )
What a great last day at MK! So happy that Abby got to ride IASW so many times. We made up for it being closed in October on our June trip this year. I think we rode it 4 or 5 times. LOL I too like to spend the whole day from open to close but sometimes it is just not possible with my son so we go with the flow. He (in the past) has not liked fireworks at all and will not where headphones( let alone a hat) so we have avoided fireworks like the plague. However on our last trip he actually watched illumations and was fine with it, so there is hope for the future. I am sorry that your TR is coming to an end, I so enjoy them even with the arguements ( that's life) and so on. Too bad the scooter had issues again, bad luck there. I hope your plane ride home is just as smooth as the one down. Waiting for more.
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Got all caught up (I was only on page 18 when I started reading today!!!) and I'm so sad that your TR is already ending.
I appreciate that you give us the good as well as the not so fun times. Like others have already said, it helps us to realize when that happens on our trips that we aren't the only one dealing with those issues.
I love the pictures of Abby trying to pull the sword out of the stone! Too cute and she looks so determined.
Hope that your flight home was as easy as your flight to Orlando!
Lenny's been saying that for a while - go in the park, leave to rest and then go back but I'm sorry, that just doesn't work with 2 people who want to sleep in and I tell him that. There's no way I'm going to get into a park at 11 or 12 or 1 to leave at 3 or 4 for a rest to go back for 6 or 7. I don't go in the summer to spend "half" days in the parks. If I wanted shorter hours I would attempt to go during the year when the park closes real early. I go during summer so we can have the most hours to get things done (and it's easier going that time working at a school).
I was surpised at being able to get the FP's at one time. I don't remember if that was ever mentioned in any of the various articles out about the FP capability with the M&G. But whether you go during a parade or not, definitely get the FP's because there's always plenty of shopping you can do to wait out the time
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who doesn't do well at Buzz. We like Cosmic Ray's because of the variety as well. Luckily none of us are overly fussy so when it's busy, we'll just pick from one counter and be happy with whatever we get. And I'm glad too we could ride IASW before leaving. Last year it was just so strange not to be able to and it just didn't seem like the trip was over because of it.
Packing went well and as for coming home, you'll have to stay tuned. I'll post that at some time (probably tomorrow morning if I can) because my lips are sealed as to what happened.
Now to your CoP comment. Believe it or not, no I don't find it boring. It's just a matter of we do so much during the day and the heat just wipes you out that once I sit down in the nice cool theater, exhaustion comes over me and I fall asleep. I don't care how interesting something is, if you're pooped, you're gonna go out . And we've ridden this at all different times during the day - and it still doesn't matter. I can go out like a light. I've also done it in the movie at One Man's Dream, MuppetVision 3D, the movie in France at Epcot, I even did it on IASW this year (I don't remember when I did it, I just know I did) and I'm sure there's a few other places I have done it in. Like I said, when exhaustion comes over you, nothing will keep you awake.
I agree with you! Luckily for us, my entire family are early risers (even my dd's). So we are all up at the break of dawn and ready to go. We are usually only at the resort for a couple of hours usually mid afternoon. We did not do that our first trip, but have on the rest and we can all tell a difference! And we don't do it at parks that close early like AK if we are only going there for one day.
We have one picky eater in my family....my youngest dd so sometimes we do have to wait in additional lines for her, unfortunately.
Glad to hear about COP. Maybe we will get to try it this upcoming trip. I agree, when you are tired, you are tired and it doesn't matter what is going on.
Enjoying your TR and will stay tuned to see what happens at the airport!