The trip of many changes... TRIP REPORT UPDATED 2/25 - Page 19 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I like the new security check system, so nice to have it done at the ticket and transportation area, it just made arriving at Magic Kingdom easier. Great photo pass shots.
Provided you don't have long lines for security... we saw the lines on the last day of our trip and they were absolutely crazy!
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So amazing that you got your room that early and the location was awesome! I did not expect Wilderness Lodge rooms to be so beautiful inside, very nice! New way to check in at MK was much less hassle, how nice. Loved the Tink photo, Mark could be an actor.
So amazing that you got your room that early and the location was awesome! I did not expect Wilderness Lodge rooms to be so beautiful inside, very nice!
I had an idea of what they'd be like because we'd been fortunate enough to see the model rooms on our previous vacations, but they were even nicer in reality.
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New way to check in at MK was much less hassle, how nice. Loved the Tink photo, Mark could be an actor.
I like the openess of the park before the entrance as much more inviting without everyone so bunched in for security. Some great PP photos of the two of you and you're getting your moneys worth with this package!
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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!
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I love the security changes to Magic Kingdom and that fact that now the front of the park is as visible as I remember the first time I came in 1980. You all got so many terrific PP photos this morning, and more great borders.
I like the openess of the park before the entrance as much more inviting without everyone so bunched in for security.
Isn't it a huge improvement? I couldn't help but think this is how I vaguely remember the Magic Kingdom entrance looking like from many, many years ago. It's nice to return to that.
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Some great PP photos of the two of you and you're getting your moneys worth with this package!
We got great value for money, as we got it free, being Annual Passholders!
I love the security changes to Magic Kingdom and that fact that now the front of the park is as visible as I remember the first time I came in 1980.
You see, I was just saying in response to Dave's comment that it's many, many years since I remember it being like that...
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You all got so many terrific PP photos this morning, and more great borders.
It's funny you say that, as I think the selection of borders has deteriorated in recent years. I find the selection a bit dull now and find myself going for the same ones all the time.....
Friday 12 January – part three: I didn’t know Gaston’s Tavern did these!
We headed first for Winnie the Pooh, as I didn’t have a Fastpass+ for it and we were literally walk-ons, although there were still quite a lot of people heading that way. Mind you, you should’ve have seen how many people headed to the Seven Dwarves Mine Train. I guess it’s no different to going to Pandora…
When we got off there, we were both getting hungry. I tried the My Disney Experience app, but helpfully it shows you every single place to eat, not those that are open at the time you’re asking it. Not sensible Disney! I asked someone and she started to explain how to get to Gaston’s Tavern, so I just cut it and said “so Gaston’s Tavern is open then?” and she stopped and said I think I can find my own way there…
We headed that way and look how quiet it was…
We went inside and I was delighted to find these on the menu…
Mark had some hummus and chips and a chocolate croissant – nice combination!
We asked if we could have some hot water, as we had our teabags with us and the guy told us he couldn’t. When he went to take our money, he passed over some hot water with a tea bag on top and said “of course here’s the tea you ordered.” Nice! Even better, the whole lot came to $15 and the macarons on their own were $13. Me thinks we got some freebies here… I’ll just chalk it down to Disney magic…
As it was so quiet in here, we were able to easily grab some photos in here…
Mark tried out being Gaston!
When we came out of there, we went on Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Neither of us could remember the last time we did this and we didn’t remember all this detail in the queue…
We both came off saying the ride was much better than we remembered.
I cannot take Ursula seriously now, after seeing the photos of her with her head hanging off on Facebook not long after we got back!
Thank you to those who've messaged me - somehow this trip report managed to lock itself after I posted my update. I have no idea how! Anyway, it should be unlocked now....
Oh wow! What a great start to your MK day at Gaston's! No crowds and then that Disney magic.
I spend a lot of time looking at the Mermaid queue too, and get passed by other people. It's really so cute!
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Tanya
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Breakfast looked yummy - and great to get a deal! The question, though - did you use the teabag he gave you, or your own? Just wondering if Disney tea meets British standards....
So happy you were able to get a room so early and right off the lobby!
Easy ride over and into MK. I am not sure how I feel about the new opening process. I really loved doing an early ADR at CP and having an empty Main Street for pics.
How sweet of the CM to help you out a bit with your breakfast and tea! I LOVE the cinnamon roll there!
I saw that on FB too! Very creepy!
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I asked someone and she started to explain how to get to Gaston’s Tavern, so I just cut it and said “so Gaston’s Tavern is open then?” and she stopped and said 
I think I can find my own way there… 
I’ll just chalk it down to Disney magic… 
Anyway, it should be unlocked now....
Liz 
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