Escaping The Brutal Northeast For Sunny, Warm Florida and Fun! Completed 7/12 - Page 5 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
Just found this and have caught up. Your plans look great. We were at WDW at the same time as you. Looking forward to reading your adventure.
Glad you found this! You won't fall too far behind, as it's tough to find time to do my updates during the week unfortunately! I'm sure, this weekend it will happen. Work, just happens to get in the way of my TR! Too bad, we didn't cross paths down in WDW!
__________________
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!
Well, a month had passed since, I last did any of the planning for my Spring trip as I got the major stuff out of the way rather quickly (most ADRs, resort and flights). I was going over all of my plans and beginning to write out my daily itinerary, when I realized something! I had forgotten to make my Magical Express reservations! OOPS! Well, there was still about 4 ½ months until my trip, so plenty of time to do this. Usually, when I call to make my resort reservations, they usually ask this but I don’t recall the CM in reservations ever mentioning this.
I called Disney’s Magical Express and made my two reservations for Saturday, March 29 and Friday, April 4. I told the CM that I would need an extra ME tag. This would be for my golf bag. So, now this was all set!
November 17
Over the last couple of days I planned out my daily itinerary for the trip. I’m sure once I get down to WDW this will change a bit as it always does as things come up and usually a few minor schedule conflicts.
Tentative Trip Itinerary
Saturday, March 29
Should be at my resort by 11 am as my flight arrives at about 9:15 am, but will depend on how many prior stops on Magical Express there will be prior to Riverside.
The plan is for Hollywood Studios, once I’m checked in, so hoping to get there around noon or so. Spend a few hours there. I may decide to take the bus to Epcot and walk to the Beach Club and have lunch at Beaches and Cream, since I never have ate there before. It could be a bit tight on the schedule trying to do this, so we’ll see. Then take the boat or walk to Studios.
Arrive back at Riverside around 3:30 or 4 pm and unpack a bit as my bags should be there. Most of it will be setting up my golf bag with golf supplies etc. with the three rounds I plan to play.
Take bus to Epcot by 5 pm for ADR in France and Illuminations if I’m not too tired as I will have been up since 3:30 am.
Return to Riverside and call it a night or catch a bit of Bob Jackson’s show at the River Roost Lounge.
Sunday, March 30
I plan to play golf this morning around 10 am. Haven’t made the golf reservations yet as you can’t do that until 90 days out from the day you want to play and not when your trip begins. I can begin these around end of December or early January.
Breakfast at Boatwright’s Dining Hall and back to my room a bit before heading out by taxi to the golf course. Transportation is free to the Disney courses for resort guests!
After the round, I’m hoping to return back to Riverside around 3 pm and then to the Magic Kingdom for a few hours before my ADR at BOG. I may even, go to the Grand Floridian before dinner and to Mizner’s for a drink before my ADR, which isn’t until 7:30 pm. I should have some time.
After dinner, a little more time in the MK and/or back to Mizner’s. Love this lounge as it’s one of Disney’s best with the band playing behind the bar. Then back to Riverside.
Monday, March 31
Another round of golf today around 10 am. Would like to spend some time in the Animal Kingdom today, but may be tough, depending when I get back from the golf course. I also have an ADR at 7:45 pm at the California Grill, so it may be a repeat visit to the Magic Kingdom.
Wishes is at 10 pm this time of year usually, so I may miss it, unless I walk over to the MK afterwards, which may be too hectic at that time or could go back to Mizner’s and perhaps watch Wishes from the deck outside the lounge. The latter seems like a better plan. Will probably take a taxi from the GF to Riverside, instead of taking the monorail to the MK and a bus back as I may have a bit of a wait for a bus.
Tuesday, April 1
Today is a free day in the parks. I plan on spending a lot of time at Epcot today. I may be out a bit late the night before, so hoping to get to Epcot between 10-11 am. I have an early ADR at 5:30 pm at Victoria & Albert’s-Queen Victoria’s Room, so I will need to be back at Riverside by 4 pm at the latest. I'm looking so forward to this dining experience again!
After dinner, which runs about three hours, I may return to Riverside as they are very generous with the wine during this meal. We’ll see!
Wednesday, April 2
I will play my third and final round of golf this morning around 10 am. Will have breakfast prior to leaving for the course at Boatwright’s. Depending on when I return from the course, I may go to one of the parks for a while or spend a few hours before dinner in Downtown Disney as that is where my ADR is tonight at 7:15 pm at Paradiso 37. I may pack up my golf back before going out as I won’t be needing it for the rest of the trip. Plan on taking the boat from Riverside there as it’s so enjoyable!
After dinner, will explore more of DTD and then take the boat back to Riverside and go see a bit of Bob Jackson’s show at River Roost as it’s Wednesday.
Thursday, April 3
Today is another free day in the parks. Will probably go to the Magic Kingdom as I plan on making an ADR for lunch at either the Plaza or Liberty Tree Tavern. Seems that the Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios may get shortchanged on this trip a bit! But I always return, so I can make up for this!
I will probably need to get back to Riverside by 3:30 pm or 4 pm at the latest to pack for the trip home and call WDW Baggage Services to pay for my extra bag for the return flight home.
I have an ADR at Jiko at 7:30 pm, so I’m hoping to spend some time in the Animal Kingdom before taking the bus to Jambo House for dinner. Will definitely, go to Victoria Falls Lounge prior to dinner as this is another one of my favorite lounges in Disney. Will probably explore the resort a bit before and after dinner and then return to Riverside or possibly the Boardwalk.
Friday, April 4
Today is time to go home, but not before spending more time in Disney and making the most of my vacation. After, a little breakfast at Boatwrights, I will call bell services and have my bags picked up for resort airline check in. Then it will be off to Epcot for a few hours and my lunch ADR there.
My flight isn’t until around 8:30 pm, but will need to return to Riverside by 5 pm. Then, Magical Express will pick me up at the resort and to Orlando International Airport for the flight home. I should be back to my condo at about 12:30 am.
So those are my tentative plans and I know I will be changing and tweaking them a bit over the next few months. Looks like a good plan!
November, 22
Received my Magical Express booklet with one of two bag tags. I always wonder why they can’t send the two bag tags together? It would be less costly for them. I checked the booklet and my flight information was accurate. There have been times in the past, when it wasn’t!
November, 25
Received my second Magical Express tag in the mail today!
NEXT: Hope This Works!
__________________
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!
Great update Dave. I agree that Victoria Falls Lounge is so nice. I haven't been to Mizner's in a dog's age! I would like to return though. Plaza Rest. is on my list for my next trip as well....
Thank goodness you remembered DME! Your pre-trip plans looked good, too.
I had plenty of time to do it, but couldn't believe I forgot this! The plans are shaping up!
__________________
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!
Great plans, Dave! It's so great when you know you'll be back and don't stress about fitting everything in. I think the lounges at WDW are a wonderful place to relax. I don't even drink, but I think Victoria Falls and Mizners are wonderful spots. My favorite lounge, though, is the Belle Vue Room at BW.
Great update Dave. I agree that Victoria Falls Lounge is so nice. I haven't been to Mizner's in a dog's age! I would like to return though. Plaza Rest. is on my list for my next trip as well....
One thing I like about Victoria Falls is the sounds and smells you get from Boma below! Mizner's is always a must for me on any WDW trip!
__________________
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!
Glad you like them, but there will be some tweaking over the next few months prior to my trip!
__________________
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!
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.
Great ADRs and not too bad of a deal on the flights. And awesome that your seat choices were still available!
Glad you didn't completely forget the Magical Express reservations. (Also thanks for the reminder - I have to book my airport transport today )
I agree that your tentative plans look great. Curious to see how they change by the time your trip comes around.
Flight prices weren't bad, being just a few weeks prior to Easter! I was quite happy with my seating to say the least as I couldn't have a better one!
Glad I remembered the DME and as I a reminder to you! Getting a bit close on your part at 19 days out! I hope all goes well with this for you!
Plans are going well, but you'll see some modifications as the trip nears!
__________________
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!
Glad you remembered you DME before it was too late.
Your plans look great!!!
I still had about 4 1/2 months for booking DME, but I've never forgotten this in the past! Usually, when booking your resort the CM asks you about this and that didn't happen! Just happened to think of it one day! My plans are shaping up so far!
__________________
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!
Great plans, Dave! It's so great when you know you'll be back and don't stress about fitting everything in. I think the lounges at WDW are a wonderful place to relax. I don't even drink, but I think Victoria Falls and Mizners are wonderful spots. My favorite lounge, though, is the Belle Vue Room at BW.
There have been times, when I try to fit too much in with golf, parks, dining etc. Gets to be a bit much at times and better to take it at a more leisurely pace as I know I'll be back soon!
The lounges at Disney are great and I'd say Belle Vue and Mizner's are my top ones followed by Victoria Falls! You just can't beat these for the atmosphere and having a personable, accommodating and friendly bartender at these lounges! The regular bartenders at Belle Vue and Mizner's remember me from year to year and always get a nice welcome from them. Even though, I may visit the lounge only once or twice a year!
__________________
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!