More questions about Seattle and the state of Oregon - Page 2 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
Oh my gosh Chris, that sounds like alot of fun and so unusual. I gotta google it and find out more about that underground tour. I love that idea. Not many people from my area can say that they did that LOL. Also where they make the airplanes sounds like so much fun too.
That area near the Pier or somethign where they have the seafood. Where is that in Seattle???????? I want to google that and find out more.
That area near the Pier or somethign where they have the seafood. Where is that in Seattle???????? I want to google that and find out more.
Are you talking about the Pike Place Market? (where they toss the fish fresh off the boat?) Or are you meaning seafood to eat? If you want to eat seafood, the Waterfront has Ivar's, The Crab Pot, Elliott's Oyster House. Ivar's is actually just a few blocks away from the Underground Tour start, too.
Here's the info on the Underground Tour, while I am thinking about it: UNDERGROUND TOUR
Wow, that looks like fun. I think my daughter who will be 6.5 yrs at the time could handle it since she kept up and walked the whole time at WDW with no complaints ("just give me sugar mom and I will keep going" she tells me LOL). I want to do that and it really isn't too pricey either.
The fish catching. I've seen that on tv. Is there a place to walk around down there too? I've heard of some of those resturants-the Crab Pot I believe from books. See, romance novels can bring tourism to places tooo
O.k, I have just looked up both of those places...the Market and the Waterfront and I can't wait to go. They both look sooo good but the Market Place looks like a place you could spend a day or two alone. My kids would love to see the fish being thrown too. I can't believe there is so much to do there. Me and dh missed out sooo much on our honeymoon...darn. I should have researched more back then. I CANNOT wait to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Definitly, we are looking at 2.5 wks atleast. WoW.
Isn't Seattle considered a "green city" and promotes transportation and bikes? Maybe we could find a hotel near the Pier and the Market place and forget the car for abit. Hmmm, will have to research that idea tooo.
Thankyou everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last edited by Starbright; 07-22-2011 at 05:32 PM..
I agree with what Sarah said about the weather. The first trip we did to Seattle, the weather was gray and cloudy and misty most of the time-it was warm, but not hot. My DD really disliked Seattle in part because of the dullness. This was in late July.
We went back a couple of years later and stayed near Snoqualmie Falls and I warned everyone about the weather being dull. We had the most beautiful week you could imagine-70-80, sunny, barely any clouds. It made a huge difference in our enjoyment. This time was in mid-late August.
Hi! I live on the Kitsap Peninsula in WA. Which is on the West Side of the Puget Sound across from Seattle.
Debbie Macomber lives in Port Orchard, WA which is located near Bremerton,, which is home to the Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard. You can tour the USS Turner Joy which is very close to the Ferry Terminal (Seattle-Bremerton Ferry..there are many ferry routes on the Puget Sound).
There are lots of cool old Forts along the coastal areas that kids love to explore. The 101 is a easy drive and very scenic. It takes you through Forks as well for all you Twilight Fans
We also frequently go Seattle just to wander the waterfront, Pike Place Market, and to go to the Pacific Science Center. Pioneer Square is also cool, and is where you can find the underground Tour you hear mentioned here. It is incredibly hilarious and informative. Even I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned many things they did not teach me in my mandatory Washington State History class in High School
I really think you will find a lot to do and interest your kids. I have managed to keep my kids entertained and we still haven't seen it all
__________________
Karen and kids are Counting down to Christmas with Mickey!
Hi! I live on the Kitsap Peninsula in WA. Which is on the West Side of the Puget Sound across from Seattle.
Debbie Macomber lives in Port Orchard, WA which is located near Bremerton,, which is home to the Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard. You can tour the USS Turner Joy which is very close to the Ferry Terminal (Seattle-Bremerton Ferry..there are many ferry routes on the Puget Sound). find the underground Tour you hear mentioned here. It is incredibly hilarious and informative. Even I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned many things they did not teach me in my mandatory Washington State History class in High School
I really think you will find a lot to do and interest your kids. I have managed to keep my kids entertained and we still haven't seen it all
Wow, thankyou Are the places that Debbie Macomber mentions in her book from the Seattle area pretty exact? or does she embellish abit? I will have to go through some of her books to find the places, but there are amazing spots and it made me want to vacation in the area
Would the underground tour be appropriate for a 6 and 10 yr old? My dh wonders about it but I am kinda curious about it.
You travel the 101. Is it really insane during the summer mths?
Thankyou so much!!!! Everyone here is sooooo wonderful and you do learn so much!!!!!!!!! I gottta look for a book or google the area again. Wish I could go now......
We are headed to Oregon the 8th of September....flying into Portland going to Cannon Beach and Astoria for two days, then down through the wine country to Bend where we will spend 3 nights, another night @ the ski lodge @ Mt Hood then back to Portland. Cant wait!!!
Not the tallest redwoods but try Sequoia National Park for huge and fat. Possibly you might have seen old pictures of a live standing redwood that had a road through the center of the tree with an old car driving through it {closed now from driving through) and a fallen thick redwood that had fell, hollowed out, you walk upright through it, resembles a dining car and much longer than a house. Now you are talking Sequoia Redwoods.
In the Bing images (below) the tree I mentioned with the road through it is not the one with the car going through it. Browse further down you to see the live redwood standing with horse riders.
All of the responses here are so detailed! I just wanted to let you know what my kids (11 & 9) like to do. We lived in Seattle for 2 1/2 years and are now back in Portland.
Seattle:
I love Pike Place Market, but my kids get bored after about 1/2 hour there. While I appreciate all the food, flowers, and souvenirs - they just want to walk straight through. The flying fish are fun, but just know there is always a crowd of people surrounding the area. And my 11 year old was grossed out when "fish water" landed on her. Because she's 11. And a girl.
What they DO like is right downstairs and around the corner in Post Alley. The "gum wall" is where people chew their gum and stick it on the wall making a beautiful display of colors and shapes. Make sure you have gum on hand for your kids. "Fish water" is gross, but apparently other people's chewed gum is okay.
Also in the basement of Pike Place is a magic shop and a comic book shop. We always have to bribe them with those 2 stores if they can make it through the rest.
The Seattle Aquarium is right on the waterfront.
One very fun thing to do is to take the ferry to Bainbridge Island. You can walk or drive - but we like to walk on. On Bainbridge, the main street is 2 blocks up from the ferry terminal. There are fun shops, good restaurants, and awesome ice cream at Mora.
Another fun thing for them is Experience Music Project/Sci Fi Museum. If you are staying downtown, take the monorail over to Seattle Center (where the Space Needle is). There is also the Pacific Science Museum and the Children's Museum (which my girls are a little old for now).
Portland:
Washington Park so many things to do - but my kids love the Oregon Zoo (In my opinion is SO much better than Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo.) and the hiking trails. There is a Children's Museum in the Park and a huge playground by the Rose Gardens as well.
On the east side of the river is OMSI - our science museum.
Another fun thing to do is to take the sky tram from the waterfront to OHSU at the top of Marquam Hill. The views are spectacular and the kids like being in the tram. You are only paying for the view, though. Not much to do at the hospital when you arrive.
Those are my suggestions for downtown things. I'd have a ton more for suburban activities!
Andee: I would love to hear some more suggestions for places outside of Seattle as well. Was thinking of going to the Airplane assembly plant too.
Have you heard what the Homewood Suites is like near/in downtown? I love Home hotels. If there is a better hotel, could you suggest it? Sometimes locals know more about hotels more so than us visitors. We don't necessarily need a pool although it is nice. But near the attractions or near an friendly transportation (not used to LRT etc..don't even know what you call the trains)
We are also looking at staying in the Seattle area for a wk, then going down along the Oregon coast line for a wk. I gotta see some covered bridges too.
Then head over to the Sequoia trees and then over to San Fransisco and stay only 2 nights there (very expensive so only doing 2 nights there) before we leave.
Thanks Papa Mouse for the links. I am using them.
Juli: let me know how your trip goes.
Thanks again everyone!!! This is going to be sooo much fun!!!!!
Starbright - While I've never stayed at the Homewood Suites, it looks like the location on Pine street is ideal. Recently we were in Seattle visiting and stayed at the Grand Hyatt one block down. It is walking distance to Pike Place and the waterfront. Westlake Center is just 3 or 4 blocks down so you can get on the monorail there to go to Seattle Center for the other fun stuff.
Someone mentioned in an earlier post about the Duck Tour. I've been on Duck Tours all over the country and Seattle's is by far the best. If I only had one day downtown, that's what I'd do. The kids have so much fun and it really is educational. Love, love, love it!
I can't tell you personally about the Boeing tour. Yes, we only lived 10 minutes away. It was always one of those things we were going to do - but life kept getting in the way. I have heard from guests that have visited us that it is remarkable.
The Oregon Coast is beautiful. Did you say what month you were going to travel? Someone mentioned Seaside. That place is definitely a big hit with kids. My favorite would have to be Newport. The aquarium there is pretty cool.
Are you coming into downtown Portland at all? If you are interested, I've written some articles for Passporter on Seattle and Portland. Those may give you some ideas.
Wow, thankyou for the info Andee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are planning a 3 wk frame of time for touring. Figure that we will go once more so should see all that we can. I wasn't going to look twice at the Duck until you told me more about it. I looked up the prices and they aren't too bad, so will definitly want to try it out. I am looking at a few hotels but I am still leaning towards Homewood-gotta see if any can match the free light supper and breakfast each day. We stayed in a Homewood Suite in Orlando and LOVED it.
Do you have any suggestions for the Oregon Coast?????? Do you have any suggestions where to stay in Newport or Seaside???? or even Lincoln if needed??? I have done a brief googling but haven't found anything yet, but again it was brief and not too detailed.
Great article!!!!!!!!! You write really well and it makes a person want to go!!