Have Pen, Will Travel: A Solo Trip Report--Includes Dining and CSR Reviews and Photos! - Page 18 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Great idea on ordering an appetizer and a Cobb Salad at the Brown Derby! We stopped for lunch (LOVED the quiet and calm as a break from the park) and ordered Cobb Salads... would have been fun to try another app as well. The one you ordered looks delish. Only thing was that our server seemed a bit huffy about us only ordering the salads... said it was really not intended to be a meal. I thought it was plenty of food for lunch.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
About the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground. . . we (meaning 6 kids-at-heart adults) explored the playground. Some of us even got soaking wet by the water blaster and two of us went through the climbing cargo thingy. In fact, cast members warmly greeted us as we walked in.
It was cool to be miniaturized, and wonderful photo ops
How did I get 20 pages behind???? I love your TR!!!! I love all the pictures and your writing style! Okay, I took notes so I could comment, sorry I got so far behind!
- Great review of Kona! We ate there last year and will most def return.
- I totally agree with your description of Mickey's Philharmagic- we finally saw it last month-LOVE IT!! -How did I miss that one before?
- Soarin' - sorry you didn't get to use your FPs (and about your friend..)-NOT fun!!... so glad you were able to resume your solo adventure!!
- your are beautiful....i really love the one of the monorail!
- Single Rider Lines ROCK!!! My DH doesn't enjoy the wilder rides like I do....I tried the SRL for the first time last month- )Oh...and how nice of you to ride with that girl on TSMM--magical momemt for her...)
- Great lunch @ Les Chefs....I fell in love with France & Les Chefs...always enjoy reading others experiences there as well.
- Your meal @ Y&Y looks/sounds ...we tried the CS for the first time.......I've been looking over the menu, and after reading your report...I may just have to try TS there!!! Oh...and the saying inside your fortune cookie....
- FotLK......AWESOME!!!!! One of our favorites too...have to see it every trip!
- The cupcake @ Starring Rolls.....looks A-M-A-Z-I-N-G~~~ We had planned to stop by SR, but never made it....we'll have to fix that next time!! We aren't big on breakfast.....but cupcakes for breakfast...
- Your lunch at HBD looks/sounds wonderful!! We do the DP and it's condidered a 2 TS meal.....Gotta figure out a way to eat there...I'd like to just get some of the appetizers & I really want to try the Grapefruit Cake!!!!!!
Okay....all caught up! GREAT TR!!!! Can't wait to read more!!
first, in regards to my epcot pic--the one with the monorail--thanks for the compliment...but you don't want to know how long i stood there waiting for that shot! they had a 'tron' covering thing over some of the monorails, and i didn't like how that looked, so i didn't just wait for any old monorail to come by, i waited for a 'normal' one to come by! and i have three more pics, with the same monorail in different positions! ha!
also, if you do brown derby on the dining plan, you'll have to tell me how that was, because i can't imagine eating that much food! even the appetizer would have been enough for me, without the salad--and the salad counts as an appetizer. i have no idea how i'd do an app, an entree and a dessert! but i can tell you, from the selection and the prices, it is completely worth 2 TS credits. for sure. my lunch--without alcohol--was $30.56. which reminds me...i forgot to post the cost breakdown for my last few meals!
I agree with all your comments about HBD. This is one restaurant I can't leave off the list every trip. I love the food and the atmosphere. The tables are also set up perfectly for solo diners, with all the two-tops along the railing. You're never squeezed in between other tables.
greetings all! i just realized i've been forgetting to post the costs for my meals along with the reviews. instead of going back and editing everything, i'll do a cost breakdown at the end. add that to my 'final thoughts' that i'm already working on, and this is one seriously long trip report!
The Brown Derby dining experience sounds like it was wonderful! Luke has bought us this cool little iPhone thingy, kind of an external battery, that you charge and then it will recharge youf phone, not fully, but gives you a few additional hours. We can neither one remember it's official name. I pack it in my backpack and then it's handy in the parks. He got it at monoprice.com. They carry loads of techno stuff for around 75% off.
The Brown Derby dining experience sounds like it was wonderful! Luke has bought us this cool little iPhone thingy, kind of an external battery, that you charge and then it will recharge youf phone, not fully, but gives you a few additional hours. We can neither one remember it's official name. I pack it in my backpack and then it's handy in the parks. He got it at monoprice.com. They carry loads of techno stuff for around 75% off.
Another great update! My aunt and uncles wedding reception was at the Brown Derby when I was 9, but I've not eaten there as an adult...now I am...hungry! Maybe we'll hit it up in 2012!
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I want to hear the awesome CM story! I have many of my own, so I love to hear how CMs have touched the lives of other families!
Oh, my iPhone won't keep a charge, either! How frustrating to have to interrupt your park time to charge your phone! But I'm guessing a little rest did you a lot of good!
I am so glad I am reading your posts just before my lunch break because after the pics of the cupcake and goat cheese/cremini mushroom thingy, I am STARVING!!!
I pulled a coworker over to see the cupcake and I can't repeat what he said. Yeah, that's on my list to do. The BD was the second Disney restaurant I went to as an adult. (coral reef 1st). Excellent!!
Love the pic in the R2D2 Earhat!! Most enjoyable!
To help with the dying battery issue, pick up a Zagg Sparq. We had it on our last trip and it saved me daily. I had the same problem, my battery was kaput by noon! I just bought a Galaxy Tab for my upcoming trip and it will help charge that as well.
I am so glad I am reading your posts just before my lunch break because after the pics of the cupcake and goat cheese/cremini mushroom thingy, I am STARVING!!!
I pulled a coworker over to see the cupcake and I can't repeat what he said. Yeah, that's on my list to do. The BD was the second Disney restaurant I went to as an adult. (coral reef 1st). Excellent!!
Love the pic in the R2D2 Earhat!! Most enjoyable!
To help with the dying battery issue, pick up a Zagg Sparq. We had it on our last trip and it saved me daily. I had the same problem, my battery was kaput by noon! I just bought a Galaxy Tab for my upcoming trip and it will help charge that as well.
how did you like coral reef? i just canceled our reservation and made one at via napoli instead, based only on the garlic smell eminating from coral reef on my last trip. i'm kind of bummed about canceling it, as i thought my mom would have liked the setting.
i checked out the zagg sparg thing--interesting name! it's a little pricey, but i guess it would be worth it to not have a dead phone by 1:00 in the afternoon! i really liked those solar bags, though...too bad they are beyond pricey! but they are so cute...here, i'll link them...
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I love your TR!!!! I love all the pictures and your writing style! Okay, I took notes so I could comment, sorry I got so far behind!
)-NOT fun!!... so glad you were able to resume your solo adventure!! 
are beautiful....i really love the one of the monorail!
)Oh...and how nice of you to ride with that girl on TSMM--magical momemt for her...
)
We had planned to stop by SR, but never made it....we'll have to fix that next time!! We aren't big on breakfast.....but cupcakes for breakfast...
Susan
they had a 'tron' covering thing over some of the monorails, and i didn't like how that looked, so i didn't just wait for any old monorail to come by, i waited for a 'normal' one to come by! and i have three more pics, with the same monorail in different positions! ha! 
Luke has bought us this cool little iPhone thingy, kind of an external battery, that you charge and then it will recharge youf phone, not fully, but gives you a few additional hours. We can neither one remember it's official name. I pack it in my backpack and then it's handy in the parks. He got it at monoprice.com. They carry loads of techno stuff for around 75% off.
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