A DREAM is a wish your heart makes – a First-time Cruise pre-trip report complete On the cruise ! - Page 6 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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.
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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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Can't help you much on this one, as I've stayed on-board and have never been to Nassau. I agree with you that the last one doesn't seem to be right for the boys at this age. I'm wondering, too, if the Atlantis one might not be so great-- will the boys see all the pools and then beg and plead to go there? I'm not sure how it's set up and if you can see the aquarium areas without seeing the alluring pool! Knowing how much they love the zoo, the first one sounds good-- maybe they'd nap during the boring bus ride part!
Very good point Laurie. I did this excursion one year with my mom, and while it is a very cool aquarium (the Manta Rays are there for heaven's sake), a lot of what you see can be seen at every other aquarium in the States. Plus, in order to access certain areas of The Dig (the aquarium), you will need to pass pools, water slides, and beaches. And yes, they are very tempting...even to adults.
I've told Kelly that we're probably not getting off the ship when we dock in the Bahamas....been there enough times. Last time we were there, Hope was only 10 months old and we stayed on the ship. The pools are quieter and I feel like we were able to enjoy the ship a lot more than if we tried to do that on a sea day.
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Duh... I did start reading this from my phone a few weeks ago and never posted, tehn I forgot about it.
OK, so you know my thoughts on Nassau already. I think you in the end would be really disappointed in any of those tours. IF this were a longer sailing, I would go for one, but I felt like on the 4 night we missed so much of all that lovely ship had to offer.......and we didn't get off in Nassua
Kelly, you might want to check out Jen's TR " Oh the places we go, the people we see" She went to the "Flamingo Experience" place, I thought it looked interesting but I'm a sucker for gardens and birds.
For a four day cruise I would stay on board.
We did the walking tour from PP the first time we were there, and we liked it, but I think the kids would find it boring.
The Dig is pretty cool, and depending how you enter, you can avoid the pools. Aside for the enormous mantas, though, there isn't anything you can't see in any aquarium.
We did the Atlantis tour in 2007 and we were told we could stay after and enjoy the pool and everything a few people from our group did but we decided to head back the ship and ended up walking around town for a little while. When we finally made it back we went swimming in a very empty pool.
I have no experience on Nassau as we did the Western Caribbean. But, we didn't get off the ship in Grand Cayman because Brenda was not feeling well. I explored the ship a bit and we just relaxed that day. I do regret not being able to get off the ship there and at least see a bit of GC, but that's just the way it goes sometimes. On the other hand, we came back to the ship early on Castaway Cay day and had the ship practically to ourselves and we really enjoyed that. So, I guess what I am saying is, if you feel comfortable with it, get off on your own for an hour or so and then go back to the ship.
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just caught up!
I vote to stay on the ship. Nassau is going to be crowded and I think the boys would much rather swim in the pool or ride the Aqua Duck
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We didn't get off at Nassau either on our 4 night. We took advantage of the pool and my parents went to the spa and saw a movie. You'll figure it out once you were there! Can't wait to see what's on the menu for Toy Story 3
I still haven’t made a decision on an excursion for Nassau, but will make up my mind in the next week as our 75 days out date (July 30) is fast approaching. Since Melissa has cruised before she was able to book things at 90 days out and she booked Palo Brunch on our first day which is an at sea day. I’m SO excited. Currently Melissa’s DH is holding my spot since I haven’t cruised before but they said as long as the number of people don’t change we can switch the names onboard. Thanks Melissa for securing that ressie!!
Last week I bought myself an early birthday present – a waterproof camera! Target had them on sale and with my RedCard 5% off I had to do it. We took a couple test shots inside and it seems decent enough, but I’m eager to try it in the water which I’m sure we’ll get around to with my in-laws having a pool. It’s a Panasonic Lumix TS20 16.1 mp Tough Waterproof camera. It’s supposed to be waterproof up to 16ft, shockproof from 5ft, dustproof, and freezeproof to 14⁰F. Should be perfect for the pools, aquaduck & beach.
Taken with the Lumix
Yesterday I went to Michael’s and they had all the summer stuff 70% off plus I had a coupon for 25% off entire purchase so I bought the boys some sand toys for CC.
I got all of this for like $5.
Last week we had a Toy Story 3 themed dinner & a movie. The menu consisted of Evil Dr Porkchops, Peas in a Pod, Mr & Mrs Loaded Potatoes, Rootin’ Tootin’ Root Beer, and Lotso’s Strawberry Landfill Sundaes. I’m pretty proud of the menu. This week is Dumbo and I even got some fun plates this time!
And the best news I got yesterday was that DCL is making the ships festive for the Holidays! We’ll get to experience even more Halloween fun, which is awesome because it’s my favorite Holiday. Now I can pack even more costumes!
Highlights of the Halloween fun are:
• Special Halloween décor – including a massive pumpkin tree in the atrium that sprouts overnight!
• Kids will love trick or treating with their favorite Disney characters and marching in the Costume parade
• Adults can enter a costume contest and dance the night away with a villainous take over in Evolution Night Club
• The whole family can enjoy a Mousequerade deck party and scream along with Jack and Sally at the Nightmare Before Christmas Sing and Scream show!
I SO want to meet Jack & Sally!
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