The Don’t Postpone Your Joy and Birthday Celebrations Mousefest Trip - UPDATED 12/31 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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.
Awesome start, Joan! It was so great spending time with you and the rest ofthe gang. And by the way... LOVED those tiaras! (I have to admit I was a wee bit jealous... they were a fabbo fashion statement... and I definitely have a little princess in me!) Can't wait to hear about your adventures.
We pulled into Shades of Green, which is next to the Disney Golf course and the Polynesian. Also not too far from TTA. We were already checked in via Mary Jean, who handed out room cards to us. We parked in their covered parking lot, and hauled our suitcases up to our room, 332, with a nice pool view. Adult pool, not the Mickey Pool.
We got things unpacked, and decided to head out to MK for our first park of the day. I plug in my cell phone to charge it up, but know I won’t be able to contact anyone. It was about 1:00 at this point. And temps were hovering in the high 50’s low 60’s, but the good news is the rain was slowing down and sun was peaking out. So I changed into Capri pants and we headed down to the hotel ticket office and gift shop to have a look see. Tickets purchased, we followed Mary Jean to the bus area.
Okay Passporters, here’s the kicker. Mary Jean and Dbil Dennis stayed there last year before and after a Carnival cruise. BUT NEVER ENTERED THE PARKS. Incredulous! Only you all would understand my angst at this. They did go to DTD, but only went to Earl of Sandwich to eat. No Pleasure Island, No Adventurer’s Club, not even Disney Quest. Okay, I’m over it now. So I have a Disney Virgin on my hands. First up, a bus ride and then a ride on the monorail.
As soon as we got off the monorail, the CM greeted us with a “Welcome Princesses”, the first of many royal greetings we received. And some stickers! So we enter MK and get FP’s for Buzz and then went to see Carousel of Progress while we wait for Buzz. I missed this the last time and Louise has not seen it since 1979. I love it for it’s corniness. We sing the song all the way through. After Carousel, we use our ripe FP and have some fun. We kick it up a notch for get in line for Space Mountain. Nothing like a wild ride to initiate the uninitiated! And, our crowns stayed in place! Mary Jean kept reading the warning signs about who should not ride and she kept asking me to reassure her that she would not have a heart attack or stroke out on this. C’mon, it’s safe! It’s fun. You’ll wet your pants and get your back adjusted at the same time!
After the excitement of Tomorrowland, we head to rides I HAVE NEVER EVER BEEN ON. This includes Dumbo
and Alladin’s Magic Carpets.
Okay, next up was IASW
since Disney Virgin Mary Jean needed to do this at least once in her lifetime. However, now that she’s experienced Mousefest, and met the CLT-1 +1, and Bob and Larry, she’s a total convert now and is planning her next visit. Job done.
Next we headed to Haunted Mansion, which I had not seen refurbed, so it was great.
At this point I realized I needed to adjust my camera as it was taking huge pixel photos. Only I’m having to much fun to make adjustments right away so I stopped taking photos till we were on the monorail later.
We decided we needed a snack, since we’d only had the Peppermint White Chocolate Mochas and a scone all day, so we went in search of Aloha Isle for a Dole Whip Float. If it can’t be a FAB, an FB will do in a pinch. Mary Jean lived in Hawaii for three years and we visited the Dole Plantation when we visited for two weeks in 2002. Just as good at MK as it was in Hawaii, except for possibly the temperature!
Okay people, I came for sunshine and warmth, and I’m not feeling the weather love here. I had to buy a sweatshirt after we ride Pirates because I was starting to get cold as the sun was setting. Florida, land where I was in June, 2005, when it was 100 freakin degrees and my shoes melted. I think it was hovering in the mid 50’s at this point and I was drinking a FB! And I left my gloves in the room, cause I thought we would not need them in Florida! I kept thinking Eileen must be loving this temperature since she doesn't need the cooling commode treatment.
At this point it's nearing 6:00 and the park is closing early for MVMCP, and we want to nosh over at Epcot, we bid adieu to a lovely and successful first park of the day. We hopped the monorail over to Epcot in search of a FAB and some dinner.
Up Next: Joan begins her quest for FAB's, and we realize the Power of the Tiara. And FAB's.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
Love hearing about your adventures before we met up! And you're right - Thursday was COLD. However this girl from Chicago refused to take her Flip Flops off - I was in Florida for pete's sake. Any way - blue toes don't look too bad with red polish.
Love hearing about your adventures before we met up! And you're right - Thursday was COLD. However this girl from Chicago refused to take her Flip Flops off - I was in Florida for pete's sake. Any way - blue toes don't look too bad with red polish.
Oh that is going to be metioned in a future post. You are my hero!