First Ever Disneyland Trip Updated 10/13 - Page 10 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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
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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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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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The good thing is that I found that most CMs will ask if you are an annual pass holder (so they can give you the AP discount). That's a good reminder to say "No, but I'm a DVC member." 😀
I, too, was worried about being overwhelmed at LAX but while it is huge, it seems compartmentalized -at least the SW area is. That made it much more manageable. I only flew out of LAX, though, so I can't speak to baggage claim.
Good to know about LAX being compartmentalized. Luke is wonderful at keeping his head in the midst of chaos, so I'll just hang on to him. I get overwhelmed and my brain slows way down on me.
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Originally Posted by chezp
Good grief, you are having fun with that site, aren't you?
I'm might have some other choice words than fun for what DL site is.
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Originally Posted by lauriep
You're right that glitches are par for the course with Disney on-line planning! You seem to have won the battle, though, and your plans are looking great. I've flown in and out of both John Wayne and LAX and yes, LAX is HUGE, and I prefer a smaller airport, but I didn't find LAX difficult to navigate at all. From Cheryl's experiences, though, I think we can be glad we don't have to go through customs there!
Well, I've done pretty good. I still need those two show dining packages. I so glad to here that you have felt okay at LAX. I can't imagine going through customs after reading about Cheryl's experience.
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I'm a little late to the PTR but I'm SO SO excited for this one!! I have used the Disneyland Express through gray lines for both of my trips to DLR through LAX. Both times was enjoyable and ALMOST felt like the Magical Express in WDW without the fun video. I have only seen the outside of the Grand Californian but I would LOVE to stay there one day. The pictures are breathtaking!! If you find yourself looking for another restaurant if something falls through the Catal restaurant in DTD is outstanding!! It is still the best meal I have ever had anywhere! I'm so excited to hear more about your plans!! I'm a 15 time WDW veteran but I LOVE DLR just as much and for different reasons and would love to go back soon!
Luke actually is getting excited now about the Disneyland Express, especially since he has seen how excited it made me to ride in a Disney bus. Thanks for the restaurant recommendation. I just know Luke and I are going to DLR for what makes it the original park.
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Originally Posted by taylan1
Oh my! The frustrations with booking Disneyland dining sound aggravating. I am not looking forward to that when we go. Glad you were able to get some of the plans settled though and congrats on the flight savings. I have only flown in to LAX once and then flew out again to San Diego so I can't tell you a whole lot about the airport there. I know that sounds strange but this was quite some time ago and my Mom worked for Delta then and she wanted to see the new look of the LAX airport. So we flew in there and then to our final destination of San Diego. What we did see was very open and had lots of signage so hopefully you will be able to navigate it easily.
I honestly feel like my frustration mainly comes from familiarity with WDW planning, which is much more intense. I'm used to getting on the website and getting things done. That's not always happening right now. Thank goodness for good signage. I know it seems weird, since I love going to WDW, but crowds make me anxious, more so in airports than anywhere else.
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Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
Glad you got your reservations almost done! Storytellers Cafe is a fun character meal! Actually, you've got some great meals planned - many of them I'll be doing myself on my upcoming trip.
We were hoping that by saving the character meal until last that we have a happy send off. Most of our choices I gleaned from others' TRs here because I trust you all.
Still no luck on the WoC or Fantasmic dinner dining packages. I didn’t even get on my computer until late this afternoon, something like 3:00 PM. The first thing I did was to check the DL website. When I told Luke no new dates had opened up, I discovered that he had checked earlier in the day. So hopefully, with both of us checking daily, we’ll eventually be successful.
Special Fun:
One of the highlights of our fall WDW trip is attending Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. As soon as tickets are available, we are calling or online. I may be giving up the Food & Wine Festival, but not a Halloween party. No way! The dates came out for the MNSSHP, and I was initially puzzled as I couldn’t find any information concerning Mickey’s Halloween Party tickets at Disneyland. Finally, my research uncovered that these dates and tickets are released a little later. Okay, I can handle that. But usually I have these before we leave for the May trip. Eventually, the dates were released, and we discussed which day of the two available for us would work the best. One option was Wednesday, October 7, our first full day at DLR while the other option was Friday, October 9. It didn’t take us long to decide because we figure that a Friday night will be much busier than a Wednesday. With the date decided, we just had to wait for the ticket window to open. About a week before we could order, we both received a DVC e-mail that let us know that discount tickets could be bought on July 22, but the order had to be called in in order to receive the DVC discount. So early on the morning of July 22, I got on the phone while Luke did yardwork. I could never get beyond a busy signal. When Luke came in, he took over as I needed to get ready for my volunteer job that afternoon. About 20 minutes after he first starting calling, the automated system picked up the call. For the next hour and a half, Luke listened to Disney music while on hold. Finally, as I finished up my lunch, a Cast Member answered. From that point on the process was pretty easy and quick, and we had two tickets to Mickey’s Halloween Party on October 7. Luke stayed on the line afterwards to complete the survey, noting our frustration with the time it took for a real, live person to answer the phone. A little over a week later, two tickets arrived via snail mail and are now safely tucked away in my DLR PassPorter because if we lose them, too bad, no party for us. One has Mickey on it and the other Olaf. Both have Disneyland 60th on them as well. So cute! Unless something else comes along that we like better, we’ll be a couple of pirates again this year. The Halloween parade has been suspended this year in lieu of the new parade created for the 60th anniversary – Paint the Night. I can’t wait!
That was crazy about booking the party. No one has time for that nonsense! I am glad you were about to get tickets after all of that. I am so glad you will be able to see the Paint the Night parade!
Good grief, I can't believe you were on the phone that long to get tickets to the Halloween Party! Nothing seems to have been easy for you as far as planning for Disneyland goes.... but I'm glad you were successful in the end.
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Oh my! What a pain, waiting on the phone! I'm glad you were able to get tickets finally! Hoping you can get reservations for the dinner packages you want soon.
Congrats on receiving your MNSSHP tickets!!! Sounds like an extremely frustrating experience to order them but so glad that you were able to get through on the phone for the discount! Every discount helps
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I love the Halloween Party at Disneyland! My sister and I had so much fun. I just realized that you and Luke are actually going to be visiting at the same time that my sister and her family are going to be there!
I can't believe these planning woes! It doesn't have me considering a DL trip at this time with all the problems you're having with this! I hope things improve shortly!
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Thanks for the restaurant recommendation. I just know Luke and I are going to DLR for what makes it the original park. 
We feel very fortunate about our flight expenses. 
When Luke came in, he took over as I needed to get ready for my volunteer job that afternoon. About 20 minutes after he first starting calling, the automated system picked up the call. For the next hour and a half, Luke listened to Disney music while on hold. Finally, as I finished up my lunch, a Cast Member answered. From that point on the process was pretty easy and quick, and we had two tickets to Mickey’s Halloween Party on October 7. 
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Nothing seems to have been easy for you as far as planning for Disneyland goes.... but I'm glad you were successful in the end. 
It doesn't have me considering a DL trip at this time with all the problems you're having with this! 
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