My "first" trip to WDW!! (1/25-2/1) - Page 16 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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After Donald, we were done with our paparazzi-ing, and there was still time before the parade, so we decided to do wander around a bit and hit the Maharaja Jungle Trek. Yah it was a bit of a ways away, but we hit up the Discovery Island Trails on the way, which was an amazing experience. I seriously think I could have just stayed there all day admiring the tree. I really love the outdoors and everything, so AK was definitely one of my favourite parks. There’s more to “see” I think then to do there (not that there’s not enough to “do” there to last you a week, but the natural beauty is everywhere). So we took lots of pictures and just enjoyed being in outside in the sun. As we headed towards Maharaja, we noticed Kali River Rapids was running, it had been under refurbishment that month and wasn’t suppose to open until Monday (hence why we were planning another morning at AK!). We debated going on it then, but we decided against it and to wait for Monday (in the end, we got to ride it, but we should have ridden in there... find out in a later segment!).
We entered the Maharaja Trek, and first came upon the Komodo Dragon. We learned that it was the first time in a few days it had been out because it doesn’t come out unless it’s about 70. So we were lucky to see him (or her... I didn’t ask! ). We continued walking, observing all the trees and wildlife around us. It was a beautiful afternoon like I mentioned before, and this was a great place to spend it! Next up, we hit the tigers! Despite it being warm and the middle of the day, they were pretty active, although far away from the window, so no close ups! We stood there for a while watching the tigers, before moving on! I loved the Tibetan Prayer Flags, I remember being in High School and a classmate bringing some in and just being amazed by them. We headed on towards the bird section, we took one of the guide maps to help us identify the birds, but we never looked at it! LOL! It wasn’t that busy in the Trek, so it was very peaceful to just sit (okay stand) and watch. I think it was here we saw the bird that flies over Mt Everest (the real one, not the Disney one!).
We left the Trek, and we saw all the monkeys swinging on the little jungle gym thing they had built, so we had to stay and watch for a bit. I loved how they would swing, it’s something you think of in documentaries so to see it right in front of your face is pretty cool! They looked like they were having a blast too! Can’t say I blame them, that jungle gym was pretty awesome and a definite source of entertainment for the monkeys!
Leaving Camp Minnie-Mickey, the gang taking a break!
Going on an adventure!
Tree Of Life Up Close!
I think that's a squirrel!
Kimodo Dragon, finally out and enjoying the weather!
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Hey everyone!!! No update right now... just wanted to say thanks for reading, and I will hopefully be updating in a day or two! I won't be able to update this weekend as I'm headed off to camp with my Girl Guide Unit!
I had an AMAZING weekend (aka GLEEKEND) in Toronto, the Glee concert was unbelievable! I wish I could have gone to another show, haha! I didn't get to go to the Disney store though LOL! Was going to hit it on the way home, but it would of involved backtracking and we were just not in the mood.
Hey everyone!
No I haven't forgotten about this trip report! The end of the school year was just insane (I won't get too much into details, but basically the mother of the child I work with all year got even meaner and crazier than she had been all year and it was just draining.), but school is over now, and despite this meaning unemployement, I am enjoying summer to the fullest!! Anyway I have a lot more free time and have been working a lot on the TR, so updates will be more frequent now I promise! I will try for every 2nd day!
By now it was almost time for the parade, but my tummy was rumbling so we decided to stop for a snack. Since it was pretty warm out, I decided I wanted ice cream! So we stopped at a little cart, where I was really torn between the Mickey bar and the Mickey ice Cream Sandwich (I always have craving for Ice Cream Sandwiches and we never have any in the house!). The CM helped me out and said I needed to go with the classic; so I had a Mickey Bar! YUMMY!! I ate it as we walked towards Africa... We found a good little spot, sort of right near Tusker House, right before the bridge, right sort of on the border of the tape they put down. There was a CM there making sure people stayed behind the line, but he was so funny because he pretended to take it so seriously (like if your toe was passed the line he gave you a dirty look, but you could tell it was just to be playful.) It made for a fun wait for the parade.
Anyway we were right near the beginning of the parade so we didn’t have to wait too long for the parade to start! It was actually the first full parade this trip (as we skipped the DHS one and only saw part of the MK one), and it did not disappoint. I love all of the floats and characters interactions. It’s such a bright and sunny parade I think it could put anyone into a good mood. I was really impressed with all the details and hard work that must go into the parade. I definitely gave it two thumbs way up! I got lots of great pictures from the parade and can’t wait to start on that scrapbook page (still no printer though, other expenses have come up.).
Once the parade was over we decided to call it a day and head on back to the hotel for some R&R before supper. We joined the mass exodus behind the parade and slowly made out way towards the exit. It was organize though and we weren’t really in a hurry. We stopped to look around the Oasis too before leaving, as we did not do so on our way in. We didn’t have to wait long for a bus and before we knew it we were back at All-Star Sports. We first stopped off at the gift shop (which luckily is right by the buses, it’s actually quicker to cut through the gift shop!), and picked up our DTD purchases from the day before. We brought them all back to our room, and we kind of wondered “Hmm... how is all this going to make it all back home?” LOL!.
We all took a little rest, I watched some of the US Figure Skating Championships on TV while I texted my best friends. I just caught the last 30mins or so of the broadcast and after that I wanted to do something, as I was still full of energy. So I did what I love most; go swimming!!! I can now say I have been swimming outside in January! LOL. I took a few pictures with my underwater camera, although I had to send my dad back for the memory card and he couldn’t find it and got a bit grumpy, especially when he got back and had forgot his hat. Luckily I had saved a chair in the shade so he was okay. I didn’t stay that long because the sun was setting and it was getting cooler. Then they closed the pool for some quick maintenance, so I took that as my cue to dry off and get ready for supper.
Hey look, we match again! LOL! Me and my Mickey Bar!
These are all from the parade! Posing for the camera!
Such colourful floats!
Timon doing the Robot?
Donald on one of his boats!
The End! Mickey himself! (He waved right at me too!)
Back at the hotel, a eye level view from the pool
Self-portrait in the pool (notice the hair, lol! It's about to go curly!)
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). We continued walking, observing all the trees and wildlife around us. It was a beautiful afternoon like I mentioned before, and this was a great place to spend it! Next up, we hit the tigers! Despite it being warm and the middle of the day, they were pretty active, although far away from the window, so no close ups! We stood there for a while watching the tigers, before moving on! I loved the Tibetan Prayer Flags, I remember being in High School and a classmate bringing some in and just being amazed by them. We headed on towards the bird section, we took one of the guide maps to help us identify the birds, but we never looked at it! LOL! It wasn’t that busy in the Trek, so it was very peaceful to just sit (okay stand) and watch. I think it was here we saw the bird that flies over Mt Everest (the real one, not the Disney one!). 
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there's so much to see there. 
LOL! Was going to hit it on the way home, but it would of involved backtracking and we were just not in the mood.
!
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