Cruising for Practically Free…Yep..I said Free! - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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
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Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
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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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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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We typically fly out of Columbus, which is about 2 ˝ hours away. The flights tend to be cheaper and direct and my sister lives there, so arriving the night before doesn’t cost us anything.
Mom had to work, so we planned to leave after she got done. I believe she only worked a partial day and then went home to change and load her car. She then picked Claire and I up and we loaded our belongings in (crammed pack!) and started our journey to my sister’s house. There was no need to get there too early as my sister was also working.
Once we arrived, we said our hellos and then headed right back out to go eat dinner. We had decided on Matt the Miller’s, which has some great food and options that Claire would eat (she is sooo picky).
Service was slow tonight, but we were not in any hurry.
Claire went with a steak……her favorite food.
It was very good and we had a nice time. Mom insisted on paying. She said since I paid for all the extras for the trip she was going to be paying for many meals. No use arguing as I know I won’t win.
After dinner, we stopped off at Graeter’s for ice –cream. This stuff is like the best ice-cream ever! Each trip to Columbus we do try to fit it in if possible.
Of course I texted that pic to my other sister who is obsessed with ice-cream and Graeter’s. That’s just the thing big sister’s do…right? Hahaha.
We then headed back to Amanda’s and hung out for the evening and then went to bed. I had to do some last minute work, so I had brought my laptop, however, I did not want to bring it to Florida with me. I hadn’t thought about it, but we were driving to the airport and leaving Mom’s car there. I didn’t want to leave it in the car for the week and leaving it at Amanda’s would mean I couldn’t easily pick it up when we got back as she would be working. In the end, she said she would bring it to her work as it is closer to the airport and we could just stop there after we got back. We left some other things too then…like the clothes we had worn down that day. Why bring dirty laundry with us…right?
Claire and I slept in the spare room and I never sleep well before a trip and this was no exception. Oh well…no need to fight it!
I like your penny pinching ways Jenn and I do several sites with online surveys and such to earn gift cards towards trips. Every little bits helps and then you feel like your trip isn't so costly in the end! Can't wait to see what your view from Deck 10 looked like!
I'm impressed and inspired about your money-saving ways. When I was unemployed several years ago I did those for a while. Then life got in the way, but I think I'll look back into it.
Hope the day goes well on your poor sleep - usually thats me too but the adrenaline keeps me going.
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Don't let your heart be filled with sorrow, for all you know, tomorrow, the dream that you wish will come true.
I like your penny pinching ways Jenn and I do several sites with online surveys and such to earn gift cards towards trips. Every little bits helps and then you feel like your trip isn't so costly in the end! Can't wait to see what your view from Deck 10 looked like!
You are so right. I love free money.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
I hear you about never sleeping well the night before a trip - that's us too!
I seem to be getting worse over the years....I should be better at it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pamcarey
Great job with all of the savings for this trip! You gotta love almost free!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Yes! I have done a few trips in the past where the majority of it ..or at least half was paid this way and I always feel like a champ!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lumieregirl
I'm impressed and inspired about your money-saving ways. When I was unemployed several years ago I did those for a while. Then life got in the way, but I think I'll look back into it.
Hope the day goes well on your poor sleep - usually thats me too but the adrenaline keeps me going.
I started doing some years ago after Claire was born to earn a little money, but I never got into it enough to make much then. The one site I loved I think is now no longer. LOL. But it got weird with too many people and offers got harder to do and get so I bowed out of that one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR
I saw the photos you posted on Facebook. It looked like a great trip. Glad I can now read all the details.
I am still working on editing but close to done!!! I have been lazy this summer. I still have pictures from Claire's March class trip I never finished.
We had to get up at the crack of dawn as our flight was leaving at 6:55 AM. Now Columbus Airport is small, so it doesn’t usually take too long to get through security. And at the wee hours of the morning, the traffic is not an issue. It literally takes 10-15 minutes to get to the airport at that hour.
We decided on a time to leave and then got up and did a quick freshening up for the day and headed out. No need to be too pretty. We would be spending the day outside in Florida…in 100 degree weather. Actually not much different than home, but at home we don’t spend all day outside.
I dropped Mom, Claire, and the bags off and we checked those right in curb side and then I headed off to the Green parking lot….AKA..cheap parking lot. We always park there and it’s only like $7 a day and not too hard to find, though I almost always pass it first then have to turn around. LOL.
I found a spot…wow the lot seemed really full, but luckily it was right by a shuttle pick up station. I saw one coming around, but I just couldn’t get parked and out fast enough so I had to wait for the next one.
I took a quick (blurry) picture so I would remember where to go next week when we got home.
I met up with Mom and Claire and we headed to the TSA precheck line. Mom has TSA precheck and Claire and I both now have global entry, which includes TSA precheck. The line was actually kind of long and regular security looked shorter, but when all was said and done, our line moved faster. Plus we don’t have to strip down or take shoes off.
We headed to our gate and had a little time for bathroom breaks and reading some emails on our phones and getting a little extra charge on the electronics and then it was time to line up.
We all had early bird check in and it was kind of funny…..I bought it for Claire and I right away. Mom didn’t get her flights till later, and then added the EB even later than that. Technically, the sooner you get it, the better number you get. Mom’s number was better than ours and only a few people ahead of us. Who knows how that happened?
I will skip over the flight as I didn’t take early pictures (Claire was by the window), and it was uneventful other than people racing to the bathroom. Is it just me? I try not to go to the bathroom if possible on a shorter flight, but sometimes I need to…but what amazes me is how many people are going as soon as the seat belt sign is off (or even before) and my Mom is one of them. Many times it’s only ˝ into the flight. Oh well, I guess people love airplane bathrooms….me not so much.
I believe we landed pretty much on time and made our way to get our luggage. Woooohooo! We are in Florida!
One of my bags was the first one off and on the carousel. Wow! Mom was having a little bit of issues handling her bags…she packed 2 big ones that she checked. Claire and I each had a big one and a carry on size. I think we ended up giving Mom one of the carry on sized ones and taking one of her big ones to make it easier.
We headed off to Alamo, which had a big line, but I decided to try the kiosk to check in and it worked like a charm and we were off to the parking garage.
When we arrived at the garage we were told we could pick any vehicle in a particular row. I typically am told this at MCO and usually it’s an upgrade and sure enough, there were several mini vans to choose from so we got one…which worked out fabulous for us.
We struggled a bit trying to figure out how to get the 3rd row of seats down and only got them partially down, but it worked well enough.
We were officially on vacation now and headed off to our first stop!
We took off and headed towards Disney World. The one thing I like about Alamo is that you can breeze through the toll stations and it just adds it to your account. Most rental companies that allow this have a daily fee…Alamo does too, but only on the days you use it, so that makes it nice. I despise stopping for tolls.
We chose Hollywood Studios today so that we could see the new Toy Story Land! I knew it would be crowded and hot and we did not plan to stay the whole day, but I thought it would be nice to see it first hand!
My special ticket had to be picked up at Guest Services and there was a LONG line. Really? Why do all these people need Guest Services??? I waited and Mom and Claire found some shade. One CM came up to me and said she couldn’t help me with her tablet and I would have to go to the window…finally another did come and she was able to help me. I got the ticket in hand and quickly added it to my MDE and then went on to pick fastpasses. Sadly, with my ticket I couldn’t do it ahead of time….but again, this trip was booked so last minute that that didn’t really make a difference.
As we passed by Slinky Dog Dash it said 70 minutes….my mom said “who in their right might mind would wait 70 minutes?” I replied with “I’m surprised it’s not longer and was just thinking it was doable” And Claire agreed.
Our food came out and we went to look for a spot. Mom wanted shade and a seat and really neither were available.
We did find a standing table, but not much shade.
And they were cold…not luke warm…but cold. The sandwich was just ok but I doubt I would ever get it again. Mom only ate half of her half. It wasn’t filling, but enough to tie us over till later.
70 minutes wait. Yep, sounds doable to me as well. Looks like a beautiful Florida day-----Just toooooo hot. Lunch looked interesting and too small for sharing.
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I would agree that 70 minutes sound doable for a brand new ride on a trip where you couldn't book FP+'s in advance. The menu at Woody's Lunch Box looked very underwhelming. Nothing that I would want on there.
Great start. Thanks for the info on Toy Story Land. DH and I will be there late Nov/early Dec and the pictures are great info. Hopefully it will be cooler for our trip than what you experienced!
I'm not sure I could have waited 70 minutes with no shade cover but I guess that doesn't seem that long for such a new attraction. I haven't heard very good reviews about that food stand and they definitely need more shaded seating in that area!
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Can't wait to see what your view from Deck 10 looked like!
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