A Marriage Proposal, a Little Gustav and a Whole Lot of Magic! TR - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
A Marriage Proposal, a Little Gustav and a Whole Lot of Magic! TR
I can't believe we have been home for 9 days already! How I wish we could go back and do the whole vacation all over again.....but this is my solution, to write a Trip Report and relive all the wonderful, and some not so amazing, memories!
Who's involved:
Me: Karyn - grad school student who needed to get away from any sort of school activity.
DBF: Craig - also a grad school student who also needed to get away from any sort of school activity.
We thought - where is the best place to go and get away from it all? Disney of course! Both Craig and I are avid Disney fans and once we decided on the destination, we couldn't wait to get down there!
The dates: August 24th through August 30th
The place: Port Orleans French Quarter
I'll get to the proposal soon, but not quite yet!
Sunday, August 24th
Day One, Part One:
Craig and I wake up at 4:45 am and grabbed all our luggage to put in the car. My amazing parents drive us to Logan airport in Boston for our 8:30 am flight on Jet Blue (parents who wake up that early on a Sunday really deserve a prize!). In the airport we sit next to a quite family (mother, father, DS around 22 and DS around 17) who also arrived ridiculously early, so we figured they must be Disney fanatics as well! As the minutes tick by I'm growing more and more anxious about our trip...the family next to us probably thought this was my first time (little did they know that it was my 5th or so trip!). Craig just laughed at me because I was so ridiculously giddy. As we board the plane the family we had been sitting next to were still right behind us and ended up sitting next to us for the whole trip. The mom (I never got her name!) was awesome. We talked and joked the whole way down and it made the trip much more enjoyable. The plane took off on time and landed a few minutes early! That certainly never happened to me before!
All my fears about DME were soon extinguished. Although the line was EXTREMELY long, it went very quickly. To my surprise everyone had all their documents out and were prepared when they stepped up to the CM. Once we were checked in and found the red carpet (kinda silly we had to actually ask directions to the carpet....), we were in one of the shortest lines to the resort. I figured we just missed our bus and would have to wait there for awhile....so I took a picture - our first in Orlando!
To my shock - we were on the next bus out of the airport! I thought for sure we would be sitting there for awhile....what a great surprise! We got to POFQ around 12:00, we were checked in by 12:15 and were on a bus to HS by 12:30 - I never thought we would be out of there so quickly! Our room wasn't ready yet, and we didn't get the building that we requested, but at this point I didn't care, I just wanted to get to the park and keep the giddyness going!
I was never a fan of HS, but I think that's because of the sequence I would see the parks. Going to HS first was a smart move. For the first time I actually had a great time there. After lunch, our first stop was the backlot tour. We were actually chosen to be the actors in the show ! I was the captain of the ship and Craig had to be the goofy guy falling around on the deck. Unfortunately, neither one of us could hear our cues ....so I don't think we did that great, but we'll never know because we didn't see the end video (I think they should have some way for the actors to see what we looked like!). On the way to Rockin' Roller Coaster a guy approached me....I was a little taken aback since he was very tall (I'm 5'10 so I'm talking 6'7 tall!) but he gave us his fastpasses! What a nice man Just kept the great day going. I had never ridden RR, WOW did it take my breath away! My face was sheer terror in the picture they took....I never have issues with roller coasters or anything, but the take off was pretty intense (I loved it in later rides though ). Next up was ToT. We met a man from Shanghai who was at Disney alone and had a great conversation with him while waiting. ToT definitley changed since the last time I rode - that new random computer chip they had made it so much more fun! We thought the ride was over....but were shot right back up for a couple more dips....so much fun! Then we stood in line for Toy Story Mania - it was an hour wait, and honestly I thought, why bother?! I wasn't thinking it would be that great, neither did Craig. We almost skipped it but we hung in there. Such a fun ride! Another shocker! I'm usually not a fan of these types of rides, but it was spectacular!
Around this time we decided to head over and get a great seat for Fantasmic! It was already packed, which shocked me, but we still found excellent seats. Craig called the number we received during check in to find out what room we would be staying at. When he called, the woman he spoke with said she didn't see our reservation . He repeated our information numerous times and she kept saying there was nothing in the system . Finally after the 5th or so time he spelt our names she found it - PHEW! Minor heartattack moment, although we had our park tickets so they obviously had all our info, but we were too tired to think clearly.
Fantasmic wasn't around the last time I visited and I was so excited for it. However, in the distance, lightning and thunder were rolling! I was afraid they were going to stop the show. Then it started to rain a bit. Now I was really worried. It was the ONLY day in our trip we could have seen the show because our ADR's would have interfered on all the other days. But no worries! Right around show time, the sky cleared and the show started as scheduled . What a great show! I'm so happy I saw it
By this point I'm exhausted! After being up at 4:45, I thought lets just head back to our room, get settled and pass out! We had been planning on going to the MK because of EMH, but I was beat. Craig said, lets head over there and see if we can watch the fireworks, you never know if we won't be able to see them later because of rain etc. Because we were religiously watching the NHC I knew he was right, there was a ton of storm activity around and so over to the MK we went.
Great start. Glad you got to see Fantasmic. Isn't it wonderful? I can't wait to hear about the proposal as my DH proposed to me at MK in 1997. I can't take the suspense? Come back soon.
DBF and I were in that show last time too. I was the captain, he was in the little boat. I was kind of bummed he volunteered us since I was in this show the only time I'd been at DHS before - I was the captain then too, my now ex was in the same little boat DBF was in. I was so nervous doing this, I'm sure you can understand. They give so many directions - pick up the phone at this point, steer your wheel when this happens, scan the sky with your fake binoculars at some other sign. The whole walk up to the boat I was repeating my instructions to myself so I wouldn't forget a step. I agree, I wish you could see your tape somehow. Just once I'd like to actually see what it looks like from the seats. Sounds like you guys are off to a great start!
What a great start...what a busy day you had, glad you got to enjoy DHS and see Fantasmic. Glad you decided to go enjoy the fireworks...this way in case the weather did play havoc you would still get to have a night to enjoy them...
WDW - August 1997 Off Property
WDW - January 2005 AKL
WDW - May 2006 Pop Century
WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
WDW- sept 2013 port Orleans riverside
WDW- july 2015 beach club
I was so nervous doing this, I'm sure you can understand. They give so many directions - pick up the phone at this point, steer your wheel when this happens, scan the sky with your fake binoculars at some other sign. The whole walk up to the boat I was repeating my instructions to myself so I wouldn't forget a step. I agree, I wish you could see your tape somehow. Just once I'd like to actually see what it looks like from the seats.
I'm glad you agree! I was repeating all the instructions too....but the CM said, you'll hear us don't worry....uh huh, suuure! Haha, maybe we should just get our hearing checked ....either way I managed to drop every single prop! I'm a klutz what can I say
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
What a great start...what a busy day you had, glad you got to enjoy DHS and see Fantasmic. Glad you decided to go enjoy the fireworks...this way in case the weather did play havoc you would still get to have a night to enjoy them...
It certainly was a busy day! I thought we were a bit crazy to be honest, but in the end it was a great decision.
Quote:
Originally Posted by smilechaser
I can't wait to hear more! A Disney proposal....how incredibly romantic!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lissybri
I can't wait to hear about the proposal as my DH proposed to me at MK in 1997. I can't take the suspense? Come back soon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfth
Oh, you can't stop there....more!!! More! More!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneydani
That is just way too much of a teaser, Karyn!
It wasn't even my plan to create the suspense! I have to wait until my photopass cd arrives. It was supposed to arrive today, but TS Hanna got in the way, hopefully it will be safe and sound in my hands tomorrow ...
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
About This Page: 
), we were in one of the shortest lines to the resort. I figured we just missed our bus and would have to wait there for awhile....so I took a picture - our first in Orlando! 
! I was the captain of the ship and Craig had to be the goofy guy falling around on the deck. Unfortunately, neither one of us could hear our cues 
....so I don't think we did that great, but we'll never know because we didn't see the end video (I think they should have some way for the actors to see what we looked like!). On the way to Rockin' Roller Coaster a guy approached me....I was a little taken aback since he was very tall (I'm 5'10 so I'm talking 6'7 tall!) but he gave us his fastpasses! What a nice man 
Just kept the great day going. I had never ridden RR, WOW did it take my breath away! My face was sheer terror in the picture they took....I never have issues with roller coasters or anything, but the take off was pretty intense (I loved it in later rides though 
. He repeated our information numerous times and she kept saying there was nothing in the system 
. Finally after the 5th or so time he spelt our names she found it - PHEW! Minor heartattack moment, although we had our park tickets so they obviously had all our info, but we were too tired to think clearly. 
. What a great show! I'm so happy I saw it 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
![[SIGPIC]](signaturepics/sigpic27594_7.gif)
....either way I managed to drop every single prop! I'm a klutz what can I say 
Linear Mode
