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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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So much fun in spite of the meltdown (been there, done that ) That wave sounds very scary. I've been bowled over by large waves before and just prayed the whole time that I didn't break my neck!
Too funny: "AJ is in that awkward age where he can't do anything that involves speaking." When does this age end? lol
BTW, mental note made: bacon wrapped meatloaf WPE
What beautiful family photos! Looks like you had a fabulous day at the water park. Sorry that you didn't feel well after DQ. My husband got so sick after doing one of those virtual reality games... hasn't been back since! Don't sweat the meltdown. I'd venture to guess that most of us have had a Disney meltdown at one time or another. (At least I have!)
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Looked like some fun for everyone at TL! I had the same experience in the wave pool there as well! Sorry to hear you weren't feeling all that well.
__________________
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!
Okay, all caught up. Sounds like TL was fun. I've never done one of the water parks so I'm always interested in other people's impressions.
As for your meltdown...we all have them once in a while. I'm not saying that I stomped my foot outside Pooh's Adventure or anything (and I was 36) but it happens to the best of us.
What a fun day you had at TL (with the exception of The Wave Pool)! We love Wolfgang Puck Express for counter service meals! It's our favorite place for a quick meal We've all had meltdowns at one point or another at WDW
Sounds like a fun day at TL. Glad you enjoyed Crush n Gusher, we finally got my oldest to try it. She claimed to hate it all the way down but actually said she would probably ride it again so I guess I can add another ride to her to-do list...lol
The waves definitely can get you, I once lost my little one during a wave, she was fine but the panic during those seconds until I saw her and my niece was enough for me to have had enough of the wave pool that day.
Dinner looked delicious, sorry your were feeling out of sorts after the ride at DQ and then the kids at the candy store (I think we have all been there) hoping a good nights sleep has you feeling better in the morning.
Wolfgang's is yummy food but I always gravitate toward the Earl of Sandwich. Love that place.
My 6 year old daughter is a fish. In TL she loves the wave pool, and just like at BB she prefers to swim close to the rope and ride out the waves there. That scares the **** out of me as I hate being in water where I cannot touch the bottom easily. I smooth 12 foot deep pool? No problem, I can see the bottom, get down and back up easily. I don't like being at the mercy of the waves and I don't like that if she got in trouble that I am not in a good position to help her without being in trouble myself. I almost drowned when I was 7 so I know this is a mental issue (at least a little bit) but she has no such trepidations. It might go without saying that we have to have a chat about staying at least halfway back with me so that if she needs help I can be there to help her and have good footing.
The fall before we were at BB and she wanted to do the biggest drop slide. I was hoping all the way up that she would chicken out, so that I could gracefully do the same. but nope..... she crosses her legs and crosses her arms across her chest and ZIIIP!! flys off the edge and disappears. Well, crud. I can't have my 5 year old daughter show me up! So off I went. Of course, was great fun. I felt like I was about 5 feet away from the sluice going down, but it was probably one or two inches. lol (One week from Friday and we are back baby!!!)
I read all of your PTR and I am up to date with your TR! Now waiting patiently for the next chapter of it! I must tell you that you write beautifully! I really felt as if I was with you on your trip. You have a lovely family and I can see how proud you are of them!
Before I start, I want to thank you all for being so understanding on the whole meltdown incident. As I said, it wasn't my proudest moment. It just goes to show you that even adults can lose it sometimes. It also makes us understand better when we see kids having a meltdown.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SharonK0527
Sorry about the meltdown but trust me, we've all had them Sounds like you all had a fun day though! We love Typhoon Lagoon. I get a little nervous in the wave pool because I don't like being swept off my feet by the giant waves. I love Crush n Gusher! Great ride! Your dinner at DD looked delicious Can't wait for the next update!
Overall, we had fun at TL. The kids loved it but they are part fish so...
Quote:
Originally Posted by DMA
Great day at TL! I love all the pictures! When DH and I did Blizzard Beach last year we didn't bring a camera because we didn't want to leave it laying around, and there were no PP photographers in sight! So no pics for us! But I'm glad to see that with the magic bands you were able to get lots of pics!
I only brought my cellphone so I took a handful of pictures with it. I loved that there were lots of PP photographers around the park.
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneydreamer33
What fun at the water park! We had it on our list, but the budget this trip ended up getting squeezed so it was cut out! It looks like so much fun! Good for you for trying C&G!
Sorry you had a melt down at the candy store. Sometimes the heat and exhaustion will just do that to us moms.
Yes, I was proud to have conquered my fears and at least try a slide.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
Looks like you all had quite a bit of fun at Typhoon Lagoon! I like how they now have roving PhotoPass photographers there so you can get some photos all together.
I like that too. PP photographers at the wave pool or the lazy river. Otherwise, I think you wouldn't be able get any family pics.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JKnott17
Wow, what a fun day! I love all of the Photopass pics you got at the waterpark! I was only in TL once, way back when I was in Disney for my senior trip in high school. I remember that wave pool and those crazy waves! One caught me by surprise, I went under and spun around a bit, and then finally the wave slammed me down on the concrete really hard. I thought I had broken my foot, it hurt so bad! Thankfully it was just scraped up and bruised, but that was all it took for me to stay away from that pool for the rest of the day!
Yeah, I won't be returning to that way pool anytime soon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMB733
Sounds like you had a fun day at Typhoon Lagoon. I love how they have a Photopass photographer and I love your sassy Minnie picture. I hear you about the wave pool. The same thing happened to me! I thought I was going to drown!
I love that sassy Minnie pic too!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
All I've ever done at TL is the lazy river, and from the sounds of it, that's all I'd care to do! Looks like your family had a blast, though, and the MM photos are great.
LOL! From now on I think I'll stick to the lazy river too, that is if I ever go back to a waterpark.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
What a great day you had at TL! Love the pictures! Sorry about the meltdown and not feeling good!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by goofyboysmama
So much fun in spite of the meltdown (been there, done that ) That wave sounds very scary. I've been bowled over by large waves before and just prayed the whole time that I didn't break my neck!
Too funny: "AJ is in that awkward age where he can't do anything that involves speaking." When does this age end? lol
BTW, mental note made: bacon wrapped meatloaf WPE
I think that mute stage ends when they get married... Nope, then they'll get the wife to do their talking. LOL!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mousestruck
What beautiful family photos! Looks like you had a fabulous day at the water park. Sorry that you didn't feel well after DQ. My husband got so sick after doing one of those virtual reality games... hasn't been back since! Don't sweat the meltdown. I'd venture to guess that most of us have had a Disney meltdown at one time or another. (At least I have!)
That virtual game did me in. I felt so sick afterwards. Very yucky felling. I don't think I'll be rushing to get back to DQ.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperDave
Looked like some fun for everyone at TL! I had the same experience in the wave pool there as well! Sorry to hear you weren't feeling all that well.
Wave pool = scary I'll stick to the lazy river.
Quote:
Originally Posted by shazza
Those are some of the nicest water park photos I've seen. The photographers did a nice job capturing your family fun!
Thanks! I think the photographers did an awesome job.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mojjo
Okay, all caught up. Sounds like TL was fun. I've never done one of the water parks so I'm always interested in other people's impressions.
As for your meltdown...we all have them once in a while. I'm not saying that I stomped my foot outside Pooh's Adventure or anything (and I was 36) but it happens to the best of us.
No judgment here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lindawdw
What a fun day you had at TL (with the exception of The Wave Pool)! We love Wolfgang Puck Express for counter service meals! It's our favorite place for a quick meal We've all had meltdowns at one point or another at WDW
Oh my word, I just loved WPE! I think it's a great CS, I think maybe the best in all WDW.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
Sounds like a fun day at TL. Glad you enjoyed Crush n Gusher, we finally got my oldest to try it. She claimed to hate it all the way down but actually said she would probably ride it again so I guess I can add another ride to her to-do list...lol
The waves definitely can get you, I once lost my little one during a wave, she was fine but the panic during those seconds until I saw her and my niece was enough for me to have had enough of the wave pool that day.
Dinner looked delicious, sorry your were feeling out of sorts after the ride at DQ and then the kids at the candy store (I think we have all been there) hoping a good nights sleep has you feeling better in the morning.
I was scared for me but when I resurfaced I panicked because I didn't see Adriel right away. A thousand thoughts go through your mind a moment like that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timon-HakunaMatata
Wolfgang's is yummy food but I always gravitate toward the Earl of Sandwich. Love that place.
My 6 year old daughter is a fish. In TL she loves the wave pool, and just like at BB she prefers to swim close to the rope and ride out the waves there. That scares the **** out of me as I hate being in water where I cannot touch the bottom easily. I smooth 12 foot deep pool? No problem, I can see the bottom, get down and back up easily. I don't like being at the mercy of the waves and I don't like that if she got in trouble that I am not in a good position to help her without being in trouble myself. I almost drowned when I was 7 so I know this is a mental issue (at least a little bit) but she has no such trepidations. It might go without saying that we have to have a chat about staying at least halfway back with me so that if she needs help I can be there to help her and have good footing.
The fall before we were at BB and she wanted to do the biggest drop slide. I was hoping all the way up that she would chicken out, so that I could gracefully do the same. but nope..... she crosses her legs and crosses her arms across her chest and ZIIIP!! flys off the edge and disappears. Well, crud. I can't have my 5 year old daughter show me up! So off I went. Of course, was great fun. I felt like I was about 5 feet away from the sluice going down, but it was probably one or two inches. lol (One week from Friday and we are back baby!!!)
Your daughter is very brave, she puts me to shame.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ladyandthetramp1950
I read all of your PTR and I am up to date with your TR! Now waiting patiently for the next chapter of it! I must tell you that you write beautifully! I really felt as if I was with you on your trip. You have a lovely family and I can see how proud you are of them!
Aww, thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying my TR! Next update is coming right up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lfredsbo
Glad you had a good time at TL - except for the scary adventure in the wave pool - those waves are quite something!! Glad you tried Crush n' Gusher!
sorry about the meltdown.............been there done that
All the time I was going down I remembered Emily tipping over at the bottom of Crush 'n' Gusher. That's all I was thinking.
I woke up at 7:30 and did my morning routine. The rest of the gang woke up and got ready. We had some breakfast and then at 8:30 we headed out. We arrived at Animal Kingdom shortly after.
We headed directly to EE and got to ride with no wait. This was Abniel's first ride and he chose me as his ride buddy. He did fine, in fact he loved it.
As we got to the part with the broken tracks, they weren't there. I was like, what the heck? Anyways... it was a great ride.
AJ is always so calm and collected.
Abniel looks scared to death but he actually enjoyed the ride.
We got off and there was no wait time so we rode again. This time I was all alone.
I was sad to be all alone.
I was keeping an eye out for Heather (ilovedisney247) cause' I knew she worked at that ride but I never saw her.
2 EE rides in a row is enough for me, so we moved on. Kilimanjaro Safari had a 10 minute wait. Loving these short wait times!
I took lots of pictures.
Can you spot the lioness?
We then did the Pangani Exploration Trail.
Arben thought this guy was fake.
FotLK was about to start and we were able to get in with no wait. Then I proceeded to do a big no-no. As I was directed to our section I went to my seats via the wrong way. I was already half way up the stairs so the CM just let me continue. I apologized profusely but I could tell she was annoyed. That teaches us that we have to pay attention.
Sorry for the blurry photo.
I love this show! I was singing, dancing, clapping. My kids were... bored. Especially AJ, who wasn't even watching the show. But that doesn't stop this momma from doing what she likes.
After the show we were kind of hungry. Ok, we were starving. We headed towards Flame Tree BBQ, it was our first time trying it. Abniel and Adriel, again, refused to share. I bought a salad for myself, AJ and Arben got the ribs and chicken combo, and Abniel and Adriel got the ribs combo. The total for our order was $88. The most expensive CS meal EVER. And to be honest, I wasn't impressed with the food. The ribs were kind of dry. I did enjoy the baked beans, which I had a lot of. In the end, with all the leftovers, I could've made an entire combo. I just hate wasting food.
After our meal we took a little wait and people watched.
We walked over to Dinoland USA. The boys wanted to ride Primeval Whirl but the wait was very long.
Abniel and Adriel wanted to ride Kali River Rapids. Whe we got there the wait was 45 minutes. Umm, no thank you. But since they insisted on riding I told them that I would ask the CM in the front of the line if they could go alone. Well, she asked us their age and told me they could go right ahead. That was the first time they'd ever gone on their own. We bid them farewell and off they went, happy as clams.
Since the wait was pretty long, the rest of us (with that I mean I) decided to do Maharajah Jungle Trek.
You can tell I'm intrigued by these ugly creatures.
The boys still weren't out, so we moved to the exit of the ride to wait for them.
The only silly photo of AJ you'll see
I took the time to call my mom and update her on all our fun. From where we were standing we were able to see the boys as they were about to board the raft.
Here are our big boys.
It was time to head back to resort for a while. On our way out we had some photos done.
My boys are such hams - NOT
I have no idea why I look like a bug from It's Tough to be a Bug.
Sounded like a great start to AK! I bet the boys felt like such big boys going by themselves on KRR!
We love FTB, sorry it wasn't so good for you. Hopefully it was just an off day. We always split food because it is a lot!
I love the bats!!!