A Day out with Thomas and Dutch Wonderland COMPLETED 7/26 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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!
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Well, I have about a week to go. Normally I’d be getting into “full vacation mode”, but since this is just a long weekend there isn’t really a lot of planning or packing or shopping to do before hand. I am however looking forward to the time away.
I’ve been having some trouble with Evan and his daycare and have actually pulled him out of it a month early. I’ve been scrambling to find sitters for him for the month of June. My sister-in-law watches him in July and August but now I have to cover June as well. At this point I have most days filled . I would have loved to have spent the whole month home with him but I just don’t have that much vacation time and can’t do it without pay.
With all the running around I’ve done the past week it will be nice to just kick back with him and take a ride on Thomas and just not have to think about finding a new day care.
Isn’t that what vacations are all about – taking a break from the “everyday”.
This will be my last post until I start the actual trip report – thanks for checking in and looking forward to updating you all about the weekend.
Send some pixies our way for safe travels and in the hunt for the new day care.
Holly, welcome to the boards, and I love the siggie pic of you & Evan. We haven't been to Dutch Wonderland yet, however I can't wait to read all about your trip there! Hope you have a wonderful time, and safe travels.
Holly, welcome to the boards, and I love the siggie pic of you & Evan. We haven't been to Dutch Wonderland yet, however I can't wait to read all about your trip there! Hope you have a wonderful time, and safe travels.
Thanks Becki. Only one day left. I packed last night so I'm pretty much set - except for Evan's Nighttime entourage (doggie, tiger, pillow pet and flashlight). I am SOOOOOOOO looking forward to this weekend. The weather should be nice. I'm hoping to take lots of pictures for my first TR. Congrats to the Blackhawks but my heart breaks for the Flyers (and the Phils - OMG what is up with them lately)
Holly
Thanks Holly, but you know your belovedFlyersplayed their hearts out and were a wonderful opponent for the Blackhawks, and they were playing much better than we were(I swear Chicago had some sloppy defense most of the tim. And Antii Neimi or Goalie looked like he was a sleep at the net for one of the Flyers easy goals they scored on us). Think of it on a plus side Jeremy Roenick got to commentate for two teams he played for play against each other in a Stanley Cup too. They'll win it soon, since you know the Flyers have always beem one of the best NHL Teams in the league!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and how awesome time at Dutch Wonderland. Can't wait to read all about it and see your pictures when you get back!
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I’ve gotten back from the weekend trip and although I’m tired, we had a really great time. I’m working on the TR and downloading photos so hope to have the 1st installment ready to go later today or tomorrow.
It’s so weird. This is the first trip I’ve taken with the thought that I was going to do a trip report so I took photos of things I normally wouldn’t and made mental notes of things and just looked at things differently. You all know what I mean? I think this was a good learning experience for me and hopefully my trip reporting skills will get better over time.
So I spent Thursday night packing. I’m one of those people who actually like packing. I’m a little bit of a type “A” personality so organizing outfits and packing them in to neat piles in a suitcase and making lists is all right up my alley. Beside that I love thinking about what I’ll be doing each day as I organize everything. Now this was just a short weekend trip so I didn’t have to worry about too many clothes or doing any laundry mid trip. My problem however, is that I always over pack. No matter how hard I try to keep things to a minimum, I always go overboard. So since we were driving, I felt I had unlimited space and was going to take full advantage of that.
Now as I said I am an over packer and always have been. But now I’m packing for two so it can get tricky. The problem with this is the second one I’m packing for is a 3 year old and a not yet potty-trained 3 year old. So along with the clothes I have to bring diapers, wipes, a potty seat, step stool, snacks and don’t forget the toys. I brought toys for the car (a book, a pillow and a lightning McQueen car and his Wiggles CD); toys for the room (monster trucks, books, bubbles, DVD’s); toys for the pool (water bombs); toys for bath time (cup and small elephant); and lastly toys to take to a restaurant (coloring book, crayons, stickers, match box car). To top it all off I had to bring 2 of everything as my 4 year old nephew is coming with us. Plus everything has to match because little 3 and 4 year-olds can’t have one red car and one blue car as they will both want the same one and someone will end up in tears.
So you can see by my photos. I don’t pack very light.
-- remember this was just for 2 nights --
In all honesty I got all my stuff into one suitcase. The extra bags are the toys, snacks, diaper and what not that I needed to bring (there may be a few wine coolers in the bag too , Hey Momma needs a toy too – I’m just saying… ).
So with all that hassle done on Thursday night, Friday night was spent cleaning up the house. I usually go crazy the night before a vacation cleaning so that when I come home the house is nice and clean. Plus I always tell people I can’t leave the house a mess because if , God Forbid, something happened to me and someone had to come into my house, I wouldn’t want them to think I actually live like that! Which I do, I just don’t want them to think it. You all know what I mean don’t you? Just call it my type “A” personality kicking in again.
After the house was picked up and laundry all done I grabbed a shower and cleaned up and gave myself a pedicure – OMG not like I needed that or anything. Then I crawled into bed round 1am, set the alarm for 6am and it was off to dreamland . Hopefully, Evan will not invade my bed tonight as he had done all week.
-- I just had to post this one photo as Evan was very proud of the cake he baked --
Up next: “you better take a nap or you will be tired”
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Great start Holly. I completely understand the overpacking bit, especially the toys, and identical toys at that (be happy you weren't havinng to do this for twins and then your own). I completely understand and appreciate the havig to pack more diapers and wipes needed for a non-potty trained little fella. Not only the case here, but itwas the same when my brother was the same age(and man did that kiddo. Not. Want to get potty trained). Super cute picture of Evan and his cake! Great job. Evan. It looks yummy! More please Holly.
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and have actually pulled him out of it a month early. I’ve been scrambling to find sitters for him for the month of June. My sister-in-law watches him in July and August but now I have to cover June as well. At this point I have most days filled 
. I would have loved to have spent the whole month home with him but I just don’t have that much vacation time and can’t do it without pay.
Holly: 
Good luck with daycare and safe travels! 
PassPorter Guide Author
. My problem however, is that I always over pack. No matter how hard I try to keep things to a minimum, I always go overboard. So since we were driving, I felt I had unlimited space and was going to take full advantage of that.
3 year old. So along with the clothes I have to bring diapers, wipes, a potty seat, step stool, snacks and don’t forget the toys. I brought toys for the car (a book, a pillow and a lightning McQueen car and his Wiggles CD); toys for the room (monster trucks, books, bubbles, DVD’s); toys for the pool (water bombs); toys for bath time (cup and small elephant); and lastly toys to take to a restaurant (coloring book, crayons, stickers, match box car). To top it all off I had to bring 2 of everything as my 4 year old nephew is coming with us. Plus everything has to match because little 3 and 4 year-olds can’t have 
one red car and one blue car as they will both want the same one and someone will end up in tears.
, Hey Momma needs a toy too – I’m just saying… 
).
. Hopefully, Evan will not invade my bed tonight as he had done all week. 
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