Forums Closed
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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!
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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.
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02-22-2006, 04:49 PM
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#1
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Philadelphia suburbs, PA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 5,262
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Discovery Cove
Do any of you have any first hand experience at Discovery Cove? I was wondering if it's worth the money. It sounds like a lot of fun, but it's also pretty pricey.
DH and I are thinking of going to Florida for a few days, and I think that I'd like to drive up (from Naples) to go Discovery Cove for a day.
I did a search, but couldn't find a lot of details . . . so, tell me about your experience.
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02-23-2006, 05:14 PM
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#2
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Philadelphia suburbs, PA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 5,262
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Re: Discovery Cove
No one has been to Discovery Cove?
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02-23-2006, 07:32 PM
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#3
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Community Rank: Jetsetter 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 2,929
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Re: Discovery Cove
I've been [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zwavin.gif[/img]! I loved it, and thought it was worth the money. I had a hard time justifying spending that much money, until we got there. It was a wonderful experience [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img]. We didn't do the dolphin part (again I was trying to save money), but it is something we plan on doing in the future. I highly recommend Discovery Cove.
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02-23-2006, 08:14 PM
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#4
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Northern NV
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 12,516
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Re: Discovery Cove
We had the best day at Discovery Cove! It is pricey, but well worth every penny. The dolphin experience was the highlight of our day. We talk about "our" dolphin Tyler often. The food was even good. If you have any specific questions, just ask. I'd be happy to help you.
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02-24-2006, 09:54 AM
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#5
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Philadelphia suburbs, PA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 5,262
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Re: Discovery Cove
Thanks ladies! Tink and Co., I read your trip report from when you went, it sounds so amazing. Actually, your whole trip sounded amazing, it was a really nice way to honor your mother.
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02-24-2006, 02:17 PM
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#6
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Community Rank: Sightseer 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 66
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Re: Discovery Cove
Hope it's not too late to put my two cents in. My DD (age 10) and I went last July and by far it was the best time of our entire trip. We did a lot of Disney stuff and other things, too, but Discovery Cove is what we talk about most often. Like the others said, it is pricey, but I've never regretted spending the money. We did a birthday package and that was well worth the money, also. Just be prepared to spend a lot on pix. The ones they take of you with your dolphin are so adorable that it's impossible to just choose one!
I'd like to make it back to Orlando next summer, but I have to be sure to budget for another visit to Discovery Cove. I notice they now offer a free breakfast, as well. Be sure to take an underwater camera. I got some of my best vacation pix there, and I took a ton!!
[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/Flash.gif[/img]
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02-25-2006, 09:18 PM
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#7
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Community Rank: Explorer 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: new york
Posts: 9,202
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Re: Discovery Cove
is their an age limit on this becasue we where thinking about doing this on out trip next may I will be 17 and my two younger sisters will be 13 and 10 at the time of our trip we will turn 18 14 and 11 when we return home. do they have a family package their will be four of us on this trip my mom my sisters and I. this sounds like it would be alot of fun to do as a family.
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02-26-2006, 04:03 PM
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#8
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 12,270
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Re: Discovery Cove
We absolutely loved our DC experience!! We did it back on our honeymoon and did the Dolphin Experience. It was great! We arrived around 9am and first we had our complimentary photo taken, then they gave us our lanyard thing that you could charge items to. Then you were told your Dolphin experience time and which cabana to come back to at that time. After that you were shown your locker, got a wetsuit and your bag of snorkel gear (that you get to keep). We went in the lazy river area first b/c that water was warmer (it was the end of Nov.) and for me to get used to being underwater with the snorkel (I have panic issues [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img]) Once I got used to it we moved over to the other pond which had tropical fish, rays, and more (a coral reef basically). The water was cooler, it's a set temp,. but it was so cool to swim right beside the fish. I was the nerd who was convinced I could touch one [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]
We kept an eye on our time and headed over for our dolphin encounter. That was undescribable for me. What an experience!! We purchased the video to remember it all.
They also have an aviary, you can feed the birds right out of your hand. The ray lagoon was one of my favorite things as well. We spent a lot of time just hanging out in there with the rays swimming around us and petting them. (y'all know I [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] the rays)
You also have lunch included in your price. And the park is limited 1000 people per day so it feels like there's nobody around (we had just come from WDW). So book early!
Have you checked out the website?? Discovery Cove
I so want to go back there one day when money isn't as much of an issue. I want to do the trainer for a day so I can feed the rays [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img]
I will scan my DC pics later today so you can see some of them (we bought a waterproof camera while we were there). |
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02-26-2006, 05:40 PM
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#9
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Community Rank: Trailblazer 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: South East London
Posts: 5,164
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Re: Discovery Cove
Hubby and I had an awesome day at Discovery Cove, it was out of this world. It was like being in a tropical paradise and we both loved it. We spent the day swimming, sunbathing and snorkelling. The dolphin swim was amazing, it was such an experience and it's definitely worth the money. I loved the fact that we could make a day of it. The food was excellent too. I would love to do this again one day, I'm sure you will have a wonderful time [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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Sponsored links
Check out the many e-books by PassPorter. The e-books are free to download if you have a PassPorter's Club pass.
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02-26-2006, 08:23 PM
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#10
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 12,270
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Re: Discovery Cove
Okay here are some of the pictures I scanned. They aren't great, but they show some of the things you can do.
Snorkeling in the reef
Our Dolphin experience
More snorkeling with the rays
Can you find Nemo? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] |
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02-26-2006, 08:38 PM
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#11
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Dopey's biggest fan!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: China Spring, TX
Concierge Level: 9
Posts: 26,975
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Re: Discovery Cove
[ QUOTE ]
Our Dolphin experience
[/ QUOTE ]
Can I just say that I [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] that pic of you two?! Too sweet! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] |
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02-26-2006, 08:44 PM
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#12
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Community Rank: Legend 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Kissimmee, Fl
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 25,061
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Re: Discovery Cove
Love the pics Melissa!!
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Sponsored links
 | | 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. |
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02-26-2006, 08:54 PM
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#13
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Batman's Gal/Mickey's Pal
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Owensboro, KY USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 95,254
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Re: Discovery Cove
That looks like so much fun! Thanks for including the pictures. This is something I'd love to try, but I also have issues with snorkeling.
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02-27-2006, 12:21 PM
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#14
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Philadelphia suburbs, PA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 5,262
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Re: Discovery Cove
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Our Dolphin experience
[/ QUOTE ]
Can I just say that I [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] that pic of you two?! Too sweet! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
[/ QUOTE ]
I love that pic of you guys too. The pure joy and happiness in both of your faces is just too sweet. |
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02-27-2006, 01:48 PM
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#15
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Facebook Addict
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Philadelphia
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 39,682
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Re: Discovery Cove
Cool pictures!
From what I've been told by a close friend of mine, it is a great time.
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Sponsored links
| | 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. |
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