A bit bummed but we are still going.... - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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
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.
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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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Hey, your still going to Disney and that is all that matters!!! I agree with a previous post that I would stay in a tent as well. Who knows...maybe you'll have a bit of extra money in a few months and then can upgrade then!!!! Good Luck!!
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We've already stayed at AS Movies and AS Sports and will be at AS Music in August. The values are great and when that is all I can afford I'd much rather be there than not be at WDW at all.
we have stayed in 3 of the 4 values (Music with 2 kids then Movies with 2 kids then Pop 2 or 3 times with 2 kids and anunder 3 kid) we never had a problem with them. We only stopped staying in them because the 3rd kid turned 3 so we had to move to Port Orleans Riverside. I did like POR just as well. but they didn;t seem any different. Maybe it didn;t seem like any more room because we had the trudle bed out so we lost the extra space?
We'll be trying a value (ASMo) for the first time this Christmas too! We're taking somewhat of an extended vacation, and that was the way we could pull it off. I asked a while back about the beds, and everyone wrote back that they were fine. We're used to staying at POR, and we like their beds.
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Looking forward to another Christmas with The Mouse!!
I can completely understand how you are feeling. We are a family of 5 and received a 40% off pin code. We had every intention of booking savanna view at AKL. I (with great excitement) contacted our TA to book. She emailed me back informing me that AKL no longer had "regular" rooms that sleep 5 . We would have either had to upgrade to a villa or do 2 connecting rooms. Even at the 40% off, both of those options were more than we wanted to spend. We ended up booking the ASMu fam suite. At first I felt just like you. I was very let down because I also had envisioned myself and our girls waking up to animals on the savanna. But since that time, I have been reading great reviews of the fam suites and ASMu. And, like the others said... at least we are going. The other thing we decided to do was to have our "first night in Disney" meal at Boma and then explore the resort and check out the savanna. So now I'm 100% happy with our decision, and we will still get a taste of AKL magic.
We had a lot of changes last year for our June trip - started at the Poly with 5 ended up at the ASMo with 3 (with many changes inbetween ). I was really bummed too as not only did we change resorts but we ended up going two months later then we were supposed too.
Anyway, all I have to say is we loved the ASMo resort, the kids really had fun, they loved the pool, the arcade was great, even with tons of tour groups we never felt overcrowded. We always had a table at the food court. We had no problems with the buses (except one midday bus to DTD) and once coming from a park at closing but even then we jumped on an ASM bus and we were on our way.
We did not find the beds uncomfortable at all, granted we were exhausted but they were comfortable and we slept fine.
I think you will have a great time no matter where you stay....you will be at Disney.
We stayed at All Star Sports last September, and just returned from CBR yesterday.
The only advantage I saw to the moderate is that the grounds are themed more appealing to my husband and I. As far as the rooms go, they are a wee bit bigger...but, honestly, our room at CBR was pretty gross. Our room at Sports was MUCH cleaner. And your kids will probably be thrilled with the theming at ASM.
So, in my opinion, if most of your time is spent in the parks and you have small children (like I know you do!), I think the value's are the most efficient use of funds and practical. If we had scheduled more off days to enjoy the grounds of CBR, I might feel differently, but we really only spent one day and I don't think the price difference was worth it.
If I had gotten our room at CBR at an off-Disney location I would've been disgusted...but I was just happy to be at Disney and let a lot slide (plus, like I said, we weren't there much). Even my husband, who after 15 years in the military and multiple deployments to Iraq & Afghanistan has put up with some pretty make-shift conditions thought it was bad. He would get out of the shower and place towels down as much as he could because the floor was so gross (and this is sooooo not typical of him).
Maybe our room was an exception to the norm, but just because you're paying more doesn't always mean you get that much more out of it. Plus, the kiddie pirate pool was wonderful...but, most parents are hip with letting their kids aged 10 and up run rampant and push the little kids out of the way. It was sooo busy with no other alternative (meaning a normal kid pool) that we really didn't get to use it as much as I would've liked.
Have you looked into Shades of Green? We went over there for a few hours to scout it out for future trips and were very pleased. It seemed a lot cleaner, definitely themed more simply, but if you want a bigger room (I think they even have a handful of suites) this could be a good alternative. I think our next trip we'll be there or possibly an All Star Vacation home.
Sorry you had to change your plans but I am happy that you still get to go! We have stayed in the values a couple of times in the past and it in no way made our trip any less fun or special. Have a great time!
I am so happy you still can go. You will have an amsome time.
I completely understand the feeling of let down with not being able to do your original plan.
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My boys:
My husband:www.totalbullgrit.com-- a Southern good ol' boy, dad, and geek.
Melissa
I too hate spending "Disney money" on things like tires (we just moved so I am spending a lot of $$$ on stuff like that - outlet covers, anyone?)! Argh! But I am glad that you were able to work it out to still go on your trip! A night spent at a value resort is still a night spent at WDW, and the theming at the All-Stars is terrific. You'll have a great time!
We stayed at All Star Sports last September, and just returned from CBR yesterday.
The only advantage I saw to the moderate is that the grounds are themed more appealing to my husband and I. As far as the rooms go, they are a wee bit bigger...but, honestly, our room at CBR was pretty gross. Our room at Sports was MUCH cleaner. And your kids will probably be thrilled with the theming at ASM.
So, in my opinion, if most of your time is spent in the parks and you have small children (like I know you do!), I think the value's are the most efficient use of funds and practical. If we had scheduled more off days to enjoy the grounds of CBR, I might feel differently, but we really only spent one day and I don't think the price difference was worth it.
If I had gotten our room at CBR at an off-Disney location I would've been disgusted...but I was just happy to be at Disney and let a lot slide (plus, like I said, we weren't there much). Even my husband, who after 15 years in the military and multiple deployments to Iraq & Afghanistan has put up with some pretty make-shift conditions thought it was bad. He would get out of the shower and place towels down as much as he could because the floor was so gross (and this is sooooo not typical of him).
Maybe our room was an exception to the norm, but just because you're paying more doesn't always mean you get that much more out of it. Plus, the kiddie pirate pool was wonderful...but, most parents are hip with letting their kids aged 10 and up run rampant and push the little kids out of the way. It was sooo busy with no other alternative (meaning a normal kid pool) that we really didn't get to use it as much as I would've liked.
Have you looked into Shades of Green? We went over there for a few hours to scout it out for future trips and were very pleased. It seemed a lot cleaner, definitely themed more simply, but if you want a bigger room (I think they even have a handful of suites) this could be a good alternative. I think our next trip we'll be there or possibly an All Star Vacation home.
Sorry your room at CBR was gross. We stayed there for 10 days, and our room was fantastic. Our mousekeeper did a great job of keeping it clean.
Sorry about having to cancel AKL, but you're going to WDW, yay!! Maybe another trip you'll get to stay at AKL!
DH and I have stayed at Pop, Movies and Sports and had no problem with any of them. I agree that I would stay at any value if it meant it was the only way to afford my trip.
Have fun with the rest of your plans and arrangements.
just remember you are still going to disney world.
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Heather - "I'm Tinkerbell's biggest fan!"
WDW - August 1997 Off Property
WDW - January 2005 AKL
WDW - May 2006 Pop Century
WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
WDW- sept 2013 port Orleans riverside
WDW- july 2015 beach club
The beds at the value resorts are just fine! And I agree with others - try to stop at the AKL just for a visit. Grab a bite to eat. Walk out to the savanna and watch the animals. I doing that even though I'm not staying there.
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. We would have either had to upgrade to a villa or do 2 connecting rooms. 
Even at the 40% off, both of those options were more than we wanted to spend. 
We ended up booking the ASMu fam suite. At first I felt just like you. I was very let down because I also had envisioned myself and our girls waking up to animals on the savanna. But since that time, I have been reading great reviews of the fam suites and ASMu. And, like the others said... at least we are going. The other thing we decided to do was to have our "first night in Disney" meal at Boma and then explore the resort and check out the savanna. So now I'm 100% happy with our decision, and we will still get a taste of AKL magic.
ANGIE
you're feeling down!
doing that even though I'm not staying there.
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