Alaska 2015 - Bears, Bears, Bears, More Bears, and a Mountain - Page 4 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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Oh my goodness, those bear cubs are too adorable - I don't blame you for staying out to photograph them. That would definitely get my vote above dinner!
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I thought the ATV had a breakdown, or got stuck, making you late for dinner. Much better to be kept out on the beach by bear cubs! They look so happy and carefree splashing in the water. You wouldn't have wanted to miss that, and neither would we. This is NOT bear spam! Dinner looks wonderful, too.
More wonderful pictures. I love the puffin shots, and you did, indeed, get a couple of good ones of them in flight. Those bear cubs are so fun to watch.
Sharon, the photos are wonderful! Thanks for sharing such a great mix of stills and action shots. It really feels almost like I'm there watching it with you. The scenery is just gorgeous.
I'm very impressed with this tour operation. They seem very professional, friendly, and accommodating. The meals look so hearty! I love it!
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Huge Disney Fan...Always Have Been...Always Will Be!
Disneyland 60th Anniversary Celebration TR here!
2013 WDW trip here!
2011 trip to Hawaii here!
Signing in for a Shazza report! That always means fabulous pics! I can't believe the charging bear - I would have freaked out!!! Great pics - bears, puffins and FOOD!
Great photos of the bears and cubs! What an experience you had with this! Your lodge looks quite nice as have your meals!
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
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Oh my goodness, those bear cubs are too adorable - I don't blame you for staying out to photograph them. That would definitely get my vote above dinner!
Thanks, Cheryl. The Cubs were over a year old, but still romped around and played with each other.
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Originally Posted by pamcarey
The photos of the bears running in the water were awesome! And I'll take a slice of that carrot cake, please!
That carrot cake was The Best!!!
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Originally Posted by Cam22
Love, Love the bear photos and no way am I tired of looking at them.
Thanks, Cam
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
I thought the ATV had a breakdown, or got stuck, making you late for dinner. Much better to be kept out on the beach by bear cubs! They look so happy and carefree splashing in the water. You wouldn't have wanted to miss that, and neither would we. This is NOT bear spam! Dinner looks wonderful, too.
No breakdowns, thank goodness. Those ATVs (and drivers) are hardy.
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More wonderful pictures. I love the puffin shots, and you did, indeed, get a couple of good ones of them in flight. Those bear cubs are so fun to watch.
Thanks, Pris. You should see the shots young David got - looked like the birds were right there at arm's length. It was fun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dlandmom2
Sharon, the photos are wonderful! Thanks for sharing such a great mix of stills and action shots. It really feels almost like I'm there watching it with you. The scenery is just gorgeous.
I'm very impressed with this tour operation. They seem very professional, friendly, and accommodating. The meals look so hearty! I love it!
Thanks! The folks at the Lodge were wonderful - organized but flexible. The food may look kind of ordinary, but it was really good - especially considering their location in the wilderness.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coop
Signing in for a Shazza report! That always means fabulous pics! I can't believe the charging bear - I would have freaked out!!! Great pics - bears, puffins and FOOD!
Thanks, Tracy! It was a fun trip.
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Originally Posted by cubfancolleen
Loved the puffins! And the latest series of bear shots are wonderful!! Especially like the one with the fish between the Cubs.
We will have some more fish photos as we go forward. Those little Cubs tried, but never could catch their own fish.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperDave
Great photos of the bears and cubs! What an experience you had with this! Your lodge looks quite nice as have your meals!
Thank you, Dave. I would rate this as one of my all time favorite vacations.
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great pics of the cubs! Dinner looks delish!!
Thanks!
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Originally Posted by Huntermom
You make me want to go on a photo tour. Too bad I do not have the same photography skills you do. Maybe I should send my kids.
You know what? You don't need to be a photographer to enjoy a trip like this. We had two non-photographers accompanying family members who enjoyed themselves. And - a little secret - many of my shots were taken with my Panasonic LUMIX point and shoot, not the DSLR. Plus, you can go for only a few days.
Working on the next batch of photos now - sorting, picking, light editing. Hope to have an update later today.
It's about time you found some bears for this bear TR . I had fallen behind but I enjoyed every bit and am now all caught up.
I don't blame you for doing the group tour for this type of thing. To me, it just seems the much safer way to do it anyhow - safety in numbers thinking - and easy too. Things I know (like Disney) I don't mind doing myself but there are some things out there that are just better arranged by others. This IMO is one of those times that is definitely better by others.