Christmas Is Comin' Early Dec 11- 19th 09 PTR~~Updated 12/06 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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OK.... where to eat. It is tough to get a ressie this time! Also, this time I am letting our TA get the ressies based on my recommendations since I just don't have time to schedule them what with taking the kids back and forth to school, swim, pom and dance... you know how it goes. But, I have to admit (and I KNOW all of you will understand!) I am having a tough time letting go of the control! It's making me a little I gave our TA what days I wanted based on what park we wanted to go on what days and given our trip is kinda last minute we have to go with the flow. OK, breathe, breathe!
So what ADRs do I REALLY want? Donald's breakfast at Tusker House A princess meal (anywhere) Boma or Jiko Garden grill or some equally good restaurant in Epcot CP (our family's fave) Tony's Town Square
And other than that I am pretty flexible. So, here is what we have so far:
Mon. Dec. 14 Garden Grill 3:55pm Fri. Dec. 18 1900 Park Fare with Cinderella 7:35pm
The meals are all at off times so I'm not thrilled about it...but I am trying to keep an open mind! If I have to eat at 4:00 for our parents, then they'll have to eat at 7 or 7:30 for us, right?! And, we have to go with what's available. *sigh* So, we'll see how it all shakes out.
Oh, and we are doing MVMCP and CP! Thanks to everyone's suggestions on this board! Garden Grill is the CP meal. I am happy about that one. Now we need to plan something special for Alex's homecoming day and hope the ADR gods will smile on us!
Up next: finalizing our ADRs and pre packing purchases!
__________________
Deb
Last edited by debrabrown; 10-08-2009 at 03:13 PM..
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Your choices look great! We love CP and Garden Grill! And on our last trip we did MVMCP which was a lot of fun!
We were a little disappointed by the MNSSHP but the resort lost our costumes and we went on our first night and weren't accustomed to the park in the dark yet... so this year we are waiting for a few nights into our trip to go. The pictures I've seen have me really excited!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMB733
Your Dining choices look great!
Thanks! GG is new to us but I have read good reviews here!
The ADR waiting game and the secret is out of the bag
OK, I confess. We told the kids! We just could not wait! We had such a great weekend with them and were all snuggled in last Saturday eating pizza and watching a movie (can't recall which one) we told them. Alex was just kinda shocked and like but Abby was jumping up and down. They are excited! Ken really didn;t want to wait as he wanted the kiddos to have something to look forward to. What can I say?! It will by fun to dream along with the kids and count down now!
One good note is we will be back in time for the school's holiday concert which will be nice. One less thing to miss.
As fasr as the ADRs go... still in the works which is driving a controlling mad planner like me NUTS! I hope they can be nailed down ASAP. I'm feeling like I am not liking not being in the driver's seat on this on and keep telling myself she is a Disney planner and all will be fine!
As for our purchases...grandpa is giving the kids (and Ken!) a bunch of pins (will show you when we get them from him!) and I bought a couple of fleece jackets for me and the kids (need to take pictures of!). Otherwise, we live in a 4 season state so we should be prepared!
I totally understand letting the kids know. I've never been good at keeping our trips a secret from Stefanie. Great dining choices, too! You've got quite a few our family favorites.!
OK, so I could not let the ADR thing go. I didn't feel settled and like I had a SOLID plan. Something was not quite right.
My TA emailed me with the following ADRS.
Fri., Dec 11th - arrive at airport at 1:15 - day open
- thinking maybe DHS to see the Osborne lights since MK closes at 7
Sat., Dec 12 - Gotta be MK!
- ADR at CP for 1:15 (MK closes at 11)
Sun., Dec 13 - OPEN
Mon., Dec 14 - Epcot (we are usually one day Epcot goers)
ADR GG and CP at 6:45
Tues., Dec 15 - ???
- ADR 9:05 Lilo and Stitch
*** now this is our son's special day - his homecoming day in adoption terminology so I'm not sure where he would want to go .... loves the safari at AK and is excited about Star Wars at DHS which we have no plans for as of yet in this itinerary
Wed., Dec 16- park open
ADR 6:40 WCC (want to see the decorations)
Thurs., Dec 17 -
ADR 4:45 San Angel Inn
Fri., Dec 18 - open
ADR 7:35 Park Fare with Cindy
Sat., Dec 19 - 6:30 departure time so will head to MK probably
After several unsuccessful attempts at booking ADRs online and having CMs tell me they could not find my resse and I wouldn't be able to book ADRs online because I had gone through a TA ... guess what? I WAS able to book online last night! What the heck?
So here are my changes:
Sun., Dec 13 - head back to MK
- ADR at Tony's for 12:30
Tues, Dec 15 - thinking of making this a DHS 1/2 day with CS there for lunch and dinner
**suggestions of CS at DHS please!****
Wed., Dec 16- AK
ADR 12:20 Tusker House
** what time do we need to leave AK for Wilderness Lodge?***
Thurs., Dec 17 - DHS now instead of Epcot
figuring we probably would not do Epcot 2 days, I made an ADR for Sci Fi at 4:40 since I could not book any other restaurant at DHS and I figured the kids would probably want to do DHS again due to Star Wars, Beauty and the Beast show, Little Mermaid, HISTK - all things we have never done before!
Fri, Dec 18th - park open!
now the last question is what day to do MVMCP? I'm leaning toward Sunday since that is our 2nd full MK day - then we can hit the other parks and hit MK either the last full day of our trip or the morning of our departure. Or should we go on the Tues, the 15th since that is Alex's homecoming day and we'll be right at the Poly??
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Deb
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Maybe we'll see you there, as your trip coincides with the PassPorter gathering at WDW. 
What great reasons to celebrate too!
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
Also, this time I am letting our TA get the ressies based on my recommendations since I just don't have time to schedule them what with taking the kids back and forth to school, swim, pom and dance... you know how it goes. 
But, I have to admit (and I KNOW all of you will understand!) I am having a tough time letting go of the control! 
It's making me a little 
I gave our TA what days I wanted based on what park we wanted to go on what days and given our trip is kinda last minute we have to go with the flow. OK, breathe, breathe! 
So, here is what we have so far:
Thanks to everyone's suggestions on this board! Garden Grill is the CP meal. 
I am happy about that one. Now we need to plan something special for Alex's homecoming day and hope the ADR gods will smile on us! 
PassPorter Guide Author
but Abby was jumping up and down. They are excited! 
I hope they can be nailed down ASAP. I'm feeling like I am not liking not being in the driver's seat on this on and keep telling myself she is a Disney planner and all will be fine! 
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