We’re Going to South Dakota…I think, I hope, I pray - Page 15 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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Looks like you enjoyed the mini golf and great going with all the coupons!
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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!
We got to the stables and checked in. Palmer Gulch is a large KOA with a lodge, cabins and lots for RV and tent camping. So there were a lot of people milling around.
We had a short instructional session with one of the guides where they assigned up horses. Then it was time to saddle up.
My horse Prince, was acting a bit feisty, which I was worried about. I have only gone horseback riding once before, back in my early 20s and I had a tough time getting the horse to follow along. Then the guide kept yelling at me so that did not make my first experience very pleasurable.
Since Prince was acting up, they decided to put us at the end of the group. Prince kept on wanting to eat the grass, so I kept having to pull his head back up and try to catch up the rest of our group. Titus (Gary horse) noticed that Prince was eating, so after a while he was trying to sneak a snack as well.
Nik told us that the guide mentioned that Prince and Titus were newer horses to the stables and were still adjusting to the trail ride routine.
Soon we were dismounting and heading to the chuck wagon dinner. If you didn’t do the horseback ride, they brought you out on a horse drawn covered wagon. During the ride the horses were kicking up a lot of dust. Both Nik and I arrived at the chuck wagon dinner sneezing. We started to wonder if Nik might have a horse allergy as he is already allergic to cats.
While they got dinner prepared we were entertained by a guitar-playing singer and a comedian.
Then they rang the dinner bell—Come and get it!
The dinner menu per the website: Steak- Locally grown ball tip sirloin beef steak, hot dogs available for the kids if they desire.Sides- Clayton’s secret recipe slow cooked baked beans. Dutch oven sides include fresh sliced fire-fried potatoes with bacon, onion, bell peppers and seasonings. Dessert- Dutch-Oven peach or pear cobbler Beverages-Boiled coffee, ice tea, or lemonade
Everything tasted very good. I especially liked the potatoes.
The birthday boy getting ready to dig in to his vittles.
There was a pear & peach cobbler for dessert, which Nikolas enjoyed.
Here are the professional pictures taken. I didn’t realize that you needed to pick them up the next day at the stables. Since we were leaving first thing in the morning, I sent an email and they got me in touch with the photography company. I was able to give them the names of the horses, what we looked like and what we were wearing. They were able to find our photos and I was able to order them and have them shipped.
Nik on Stormy. This was his first time riding and he really enjoyed it despite the sneezing that started afterward.
Gary on Titus
Me on my Prince
We stopped at the grocery store on the way back to the hotel and I got some Benadryl for me and Nik. Which knocked us both out. Nik woke up feeling fine—I didn’t make out as good.Save
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Raelynn
Last edited by Poobah7206; 10-01-2017 at 10:12 AM..
Looks like a good time riding the horses on the trails. Too bad for all the dust which wasn't good for you and Nik! I did this at Fort Wilderness a few years ago and enjoyed it. Dinner looked good as well.
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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!
Great shots of you all on the horses! Sorry your horse wanted to munch all the way up there. I'd have been so scared, I'd probably have let them do that!
July 2,2017-As I mentioned previously, when we woke up Nik was feeling better, but I was still congested. I was also feeling the effects of the horseback ride and was worried how uncomfortable I was going to be in the car all day.
We showered, packed up, had breakfast and checked out of the hotel. We drove without incident to the Drury Inn in West Des Moines. We arrived in time for the 5:30 kick back, so that was our dinner. Gary & I lingered with our cocktails and Nik went back to the room to hang.
We woke up early the next morning, had breakfast and continued on to home.
I'm so glad this trip happened with all the road blocks that seemed to threaten to derail it. We are taking a vacation fast for the next four years as Nik started high school this fall. We have some debt we need to take care of with the vet bills and the new engine on the car plus getting ready for college.
Thanks to all who read along--I look forward to reading about your next adventure!
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!
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.
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.
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I did this at Fort Wilderness a few years ago and enjoyed it. Dinner looked good as well.
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