Ships, castles and spas – passing through southern England and Wales COMPLETED - Page 8 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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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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Thursday 11 June – part six: entering the “Gallifrey Museum”
We headed back to the car, and made our way of Cardiff, getting a bit lost on the way over to the Doctor Who Experience. The road and postcode weren’t recognised by our GPS, so that was fun, and it was very badly signed, but eventually, after a few false starts, we made it into the right area. This is the BBC’s building…
… and here’s the Doctor Who Experience!
We parked up, and made our way over, getting some photos on the way…
Look, here’s the TARDIS!
We headed inside, early for our 12:30pm start, so I took the opportunity to photograph the various artefacts they had in the lobby: A LEGO Dalek – now how cool is that? We both thought this shot from the work to build the Doctor Who Experience was very neat – the head belongs to a Cyberman, one of the main villains on the show Exterminate wallpaper!
Then we headed upstairs to the shop. Of course you spill out here when you’re done with the experience, but I figured while it was quiet, I’d get my shopping done. I got a T-shirt, two DVD boxsets, another DVD and about five fridge magnets, so quite a lot of money was spent in there!
Finally, we were allowed to line up, and we were first in line. We’d already seen a note saying that our tour, the 12:30pm one, was sold out, so I was very relieved we’d pre-booked. There were some more things to see as you made your way through the line…
We had about 10 minutes to wait before we could go in, and just before we did, we got the warnings. First off, there’s no photography as you go through the “Gallifrey Museum”, as they call it. They tell you that there’ll be smoke effects, moving floors and something else I can’t remember now – maybe flashing lights. I was really disappointed at first, but they do explain that the reason they say no photography is that they want to keep the surprises for future visiting fans, which I can understand, and in fairness, it would be hard to get decent photos. In the spirit of that, I won’t tell you everything that happens, but I’ll give you an idea.
You first enter the museum and that’s where you meet your “museum curator”, who then guides you through the rest of it. Ours was very into the part – I thought she was great, but Mark thought she was a little over the top, so I guess it depends on your personal perspective.
The first room allows you to learn more about the Doctor. For fans, it’s a fun re-cap, where I was personally naming many of the stories where the excerpts came from, and for those who are perhaps more casual viewers, it’s a good introduction. The story also starts here, with the latest Doctor Peter Capaldi drawing you in immediately.
You then go next door, and I don’t think I’m giving too much away here… into the TARDIS console room! They encourage younger members of the family to go on the front row right by the console, but as we only had about three or four in our group, a lot of the bigger kids (us included! ) headed that way too, and you get to fly the TARDIS – this is where the moving floors come in. It was so cool!
The next scene takes you to meet the Daleks, and that was very, very neat. We just about managed to escape extermination…
Then we had to ensure we didn’t blink, as we made our way past the Weeping Angels, and all I’ll say is look out for all the details – and you’ll see some very neat things.
The final scene is in 3D, and the effects were excellent, particularly the Dalek. Once we were done, and had saved the universe, we handed back our 3D glasses, and the pendants we’d worn the whole way around. I thought those were very neat, as some bits are pretty dark – hang on, that might be the last warning they gave… I think it was, that it would be dark and scary at points and for kids that are scared of the dark, generally in the darkest bits, the pendants are lit up. It’s a nice touch.
Next: stepping inside the TARDIS console room… and other delights!
My nephew and I would love that place. He has a Tardis decal on his car. We could spend some serious money in that store. I can't wait to read more.
Liz
My nephew and I would love that place. He has a Tardis decal on his car.
Oh wow - how cool!
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We could spend some serious money in that store.
I am so glad I bought what I did, as I've been enjoying the DVDs over the last week or so. It's wonderful to relive some of the stories I enjoyed from the 1980s and to see some I hadn't seen before from the 1960s.
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Today's update is appropriate since I'm wearing my Bowties are cool socks! I would have totally gone broke in that shop. Getting to fly the TARDIS sounds like so much fun. I can't wait to hear more!
Your experience at the castle was amazing and how cool to see the regiment there in practice! The views from the castle were something else! That was a nice tour you took of the castle and can't believe the work that went into the various rooms as there is so much detail!
The Doctor Who Experience is off to a nice start and seems you enjoyed the TARDIS ride quite a bit. It seems they have done a great job with the theming here! You had a big score in the gift shop!
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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!
Today's update is appropriate since I'm wearing my Bowties are cool socks!
There were quite a few "bowties are cool" items in there!
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I would have totally gone broke in that shop. Getting to fly the TARDIS sounds like so much fun. I can't wait to hear more!
It was the best! I just wish we'd been there for the walking or TARDIS tours they do from time to time. The walking tours take you around the locations used for Doctor Who in Cardiff and the TARDIS tours take you on to the set of the TARDIS when they're not filmed. How cool would that be?
Your experience at the castle was amazing and how cool to see the regiment there in practice! The views from the castle were something else! That was a nice tour you took of the castle and can't believe the work that went into the various rooms as there is so much detail!
I know - it's not just the work either, it's the money that it must've cost too.
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The Doctor Who Experience is off to a nice start and seems you enjoyed the TARDIS ride quite a bit. It seems they have done a great job with the theming here! You had a big score in the gift shop!
They had some wonderful theming. I have to say it did cross my mind that maybe they had been to Disney for ideas?
The Doctor Who Experience is so cool so far! I love all the artifacts they have displayed throughout. I could tell even without photos that the museum was exceptional well done by your descriptions.
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It's amazing how much longevity this show has had on British TV, going back some 50 years! Don't know much about this show being in the US, but on IMDB it says it ran through 1989. For some reason, I thought they were still filming new episodes.
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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!
The Doctor Who Experience is so cool so far! I love all the artifacts they have displayed throughout. I could tell even without photos that the museum was exceptional well done by your descriptions.
It was amazing and, while I understand why they don't allow photos, I wish there were some opportunities - maybe they take photos of your group in the TARDIS and then you can buy them? That would be cool.....
It's amazing how much longevity this show has had on British TV, going back some 50 years! Don't know much about this show being in the US, but on IMDB it says it ran through 1989. For some reason, I thought they were still filming new episodes.
It ran as what we call now "the classic series" from 1963 to 1989, then it came back in 2005 with the current series. During the time it was off the TV, there were audio stories and books, so it really did carry on during the whole 16 years off air.
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There were some more things to see as you made your way through the line… 
I was really disappointed at first, but they do explain that the reason they say no photography is that they want to keep the surprises for future visiting fans, which I can understand, and in fairness, it would be hard to get decent photos. In the spirit of that, I won’t tell you everything that happens, but I’ll give you an idea. 
The views from the castle were something else! 
That was a nice tour you took of the castle and can't believe the work that went into the various rooms as there is so much detail! 
Don't know much about this show being in the US, but on IMDB it says it ran through 1989. For some reason, I thought they were still filming new episodes. 
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