A Coast to Coast Christmas - Phase One WDW - Page 13 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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When we stayed at the GF during the holidays one year I thought it was so lovley to hand out those chestnuts and the hot apple cider when we walked in. Until I gagged on a big Ol' " ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THOSE FLIPPIN NUTS!!!" Skank, gross, stink, stank, stunk
That CM's face is saying it all.
Great update though.
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Originally Posted by rosanna
I tried roasted chestnuts one time (and one time ONLY). The first winter I lived in England, they were selling them on every corner and it is true...they smell delish. However, one bite was all it took to realize this was not something humans were meant to consume. I know they call the inside of a nut the "meat", but chestnuts actually taste like meat...warm, mushy, nasty meat. Run away and get some nice cinnamon glazed almonds instead.
I am loving your TR and have decided that I must become the 5th member of the group. Maybe you should have a contest or hold auditions. Let me warm up: mememememememe!
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Originally Posted by Fortissimo
Is it weird that I want to try roasted chestnuts now? But only if they are at WDW.
More please!
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Originally Posted by HollyH
Me too !
Loving this TR! I really, really, really need to get to WDW for the holidays some time.
I don't think you're weird at all! I'm the same way. In fact, I have to try Beverly again every once in a while, when I "forget" exactly what it tastes like.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LLaffinPlace
Oh, Sharon! Are you waiting for Jill to catch up so y'all can do this in tandem?
New rule: The ONLY people allowed to hassle me about posting updates are PPers who always complete TRs in a timely manner! Sheesh! So... just chezp!
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
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Day Three – Saturday, December 3 They want us to ride without them, honest!
I was up first again at around 6:15. Everyone was still asleep when I got in the shower (you’d think it might be challenging for 4 women to share a bathroom, but we were just fine). While everyone else got ready, I caught up my notes. Then we all went to the lounge for breakfast.
We met up with the guys at the bus stop and had a bit of a wait for a Studios bus. We were shooting for park opening, but we were a bit late. Karen offered to run ahead and get us TSMM FPs. Eileen had to stop and buy new socks because hers had the elastic give out on her. The rest of us headed toward my beloved Tower. The group was so mean and made me just stand there and look at it while we waited for everyone (I forgot to mention Bob had stopped to go to the bathroom). After Bob had rejoined us, I couldn’t take it anymore and I had to ride. I figured when the rest of the group caught up, we’d just have to ride again. The rest of the group thought we should wait (pfft!), but I told them that they wanted us to ride. I mean, everyone wants me to be able to ride my favorite ride, right?
Eileen and Karen had the nerve to be upset that I ditch… decided to ride my favorite ride ever. The only way I could appease them was to agree to ride it with them. There’s just no pleasing some people! It’s a good thing I’m so generous.
For our second ride, we had a funny ride photo setup, but the people sitting in front of me and Jill put up their hands and blocked our faces. Too bad! We went over to ride RNRC next. The standby was 20 minutes. It’s been a very long time since I waited in the standby line (I have just walked right through it not long ago).
RNRC was fun! We were near the front, which is a good thing. But you bounce around an awful lot. Too many times in a row on that one and I end up with a headache!
Next on the agenda was Star Tours. There was only a 10 minute standby. Sweet! It was fun to sit next to Karen, because we got most of her favorite scenes and she would geek out each time. Awesome!
When we got back to Earth from wherever the heck we went on Star Tours, we found Joan and her family. They were just about to ride Star Tours, but some members of our group were not up to another ride right away, so we decided to go see the Beauty & the Beast show.
Before seeing the show, Eileen and Larry went off together and the rest of us picked up FPs for B&TB. Eileen offered to give me her FP because she was feeling a little out-of-sorts after Star Tours. Eileen, don’t tell the others, but you’re totally my fav!
I don’t often watch the B&TB show because I find it too condensed. It bugs me that Belle’s father isn’t in the show – not even a mention of him! And I miss LeFou, too! Anyway, I do enjoy the show when I take the time to see it (even if I get a little miffed).
After the show, we crossed the park again so Karen could do some shopping in the Muppet Store. Personally, I was disappointed in the tiny little section of the store that has actual Muppet merchandise, particularly because the movie just came out (which I still have not had time to see ).
I spotted Santa sneaking around!
Joan found us in the gift shop and after purchases were made, we walked over and did the Great Movie Ride. I think this ride would probably be the best choice of any ride for a refurb, but even if they update the preshow movie, I’d be happy.
Joan ventured out to get something to eat and Eileen returned to the WL because she still hadn’t recovered from ST. The rest of us went to use the TOT FPs. Yay! I had an extra FP to use, so the others did some shopping and visited the Lost & Found (Karen lost her sunglasses somewhere between TOT and Star Tours). I arranged to meet them at Guest Services and I went for a solo drop, my 4th of the day. Not bad! And I got to skip ahead of a large number of people when they needed a single traveler. Even better!
When I found the rest of the group, they were talking to Linda again! It was so funny how we kept running into her and her DH! After a quick chat, we said goodbye (though not for the last time) and walked to the boat dock. We got off at the YC, to check out their holiday décor.
We checked in for lunch at Beaches and Cream and then found a table to wait. I noticed my fellow CLQ’ers at the podium talking to someone and then I recognized her. It was Brandy (brandy_mel)! They were planning to eat at B&C as well. We had fun chatting with them and met Brandy’s DH, Shane. What nice people! But that’s not unusual with PassPorters! We got a photo together, and I thought I'd asked someone to use my camera to take one, but alas, I don't have one. We'll have to wait for someone else to post it.
When our table was ready, we got seated and discovered our server was Delores, Cheryl and Mark’s favorite. We know why you guys like her so much, she was fun! We had a fancy dinner that night, so Jill and I decided to split a cheeseburger (and Delores jokingly told me that wasn’t allowed on Saturdays ).
For dessert, Karen, Jill and I split the No Way Jose. Those things are so freakin’ yummy! I wish I had one right now! Those things are humongous though, especially if you eat food before you tackle it. The three of us couldn’t even finish it (and Larry even tried a taste or two).
After lunch, we caught a bus to the MK and then another to the WL. On that bus, we met a man who matched our Larry pun for pun. It was cute and corny to watch them try to one-up each other. Then we headed to our rooms to get ready for our big night at Citricos!
Up Next: How to dine at Citricos while wearing a tree on your head
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
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I meant Cheryl is the only one allowed to say anything. This board is FULL of slackers.
I knew exactly what you meant. I aspire to be like Cheryl one day since she puts the rest of us to shame with her mad TR updating skills.
Anyway, poor Eileen seemd to be out for the count after ST. Good to hear you were able to ride ToT a few times this day, and I can't wait to hear all about Citricos. That's one of the restaurants I've never dined at before.
What a fun day at DHS! Woohoo for four drops on ToT! I never even thought about Belle's father not being mentioned in the show...that is weird that they leave that part of the story totally out. Can't wait to hear about your dinner!
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I feel a little better knowing that I'm not the only one that was effected by Star Tours. But, I'm sorry it totally took out Eileen. Can't wait to hear about Citrico's.
I love your Imagineering T-shirt! Did you get that on Backstage Magic? Poor Eileen! Star Tours is definitely a no-go for me. I don't want to risk feeling bad for a whole day. Sadly, my last ride on ToT, which I used to LOVE, did me in for the day. I love your angel/devil smiley!
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We DID do well sharing a bathroom! I wasn't surprised, but it was a bonus...
And it wasn't that Star Wars made me sick (though, at first, I thought it was why I was feeling off), but more that I was actually coming down with something. With each day, I felt worse and worse, and wasn't able to have as much fun as the rest of you. To top it off, not only did I come home sick, but I STAYED sick. I'm only just now feeling back to "normal."
Or I was still just mad at you for going on TOT without Karen and me.
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Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
Quote:
Originally Posted by honeybee723
I think that rule will apply to more than half of us on here!!!
I meant Cheryl is the only one allowed to say anything. This board is FULL of slackers.
Dude! There was like ONE trip report where I was slow and finally tapered off to nothing. But all of the others were finished and in a somewhat timely fashion. I'm not *Karen*...
I had no idea you could get a FP for BaTB?? Geez, I get so much knowledge here, it amazes me.
I am soooo looking forward to how well you ladies dine fancy with your tree hats. Which I adore btw!!!
I won't mention a thing anymore to anyone about slacking on updates
Never been to the Beauty and the Beast show. Maybe I'll have to check that out next trip. Can't wait to hear about Citrico's. We had a fabulous dinner there! BTW - I'm no slacker - I finished my TR!
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But only if they are at WDW. 
After Bob had rejoined us, I couldn’t take it anymore and I had to ride. I figured when the rest of the group caught up, we’d just have to ride again. 
The rest of the group thought we should wait (pfft!), but I told them that they wanted us to ride. I mean, everyone wants me to be able to ride my favorite ride, right? 
There’s just no pleasing some people! 
Too bad! We went over to ride RNRC next. The standby was 20 minutes. It’s been a very long time since I waited in the standby line (I have just walked right through it not long ago).
and the rest of us picked up FPs for B&TB. Eileen offered to give me her FP because she was feeling a little out-of-sorts after Star Tours. Eileen, don’t tell the others, but you’re totally my fav! 
).
I had an extra FP to use, so the others did some shopping and visited the Lost & Found (Karen lost her sunglasses somewhere between TOT and Star Tours). I arranged to meet them at Guest Services and I went for a solo drop, my 4th of the day. 
Not bad! And I got to skip ahead of a large number of people when they needed a single traveler. Even better!
Those things are humongous though, especially if you eat food before you tackle it. The three of us couldn’t even finish it (and Larry even tried a taste or two).
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