My recent trip and my thoughts - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
PassPorter.com
Award-winning travel guidebooks

   guidebooks   |   news   |   podcasts   |   boards   |   blog   |   worksheets   |   photos   |   articles   |   updates   |   register   |   follow us on


Forums Closed
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!

Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!

Go Back   PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums > PassPorter's Florida Destinations Beyond Walt Disney World > Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure
Register


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.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-13-2011, 04:17 PM   #16
GoofyMe:)
Community Rank: Tourist
 
GoofyMe:)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Wisconsin
Concierge Level: 7
Posts: 24

Post Thanks / Like
Thanks for sharing, we will be visiting in Sept...can hardly wait
__________________
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsWDW in 2004, 2009, 2010, 2012 Disney Dream 2011
GoofyMe:) is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2011, 05:25 PM   #17
cindybelle
Goofy Groupie
 
cindybelle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: St. Louis MO
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 1,803

Post Thanks / Like
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmymac View Post
I'm glad you had such a good time. We always Include US / IOA as well as Seaworld in each of our WDW trips. I never understood folks who never try US because it's 'not Disney.' All three parks are great


Well, I am a huge HP fan (read the books three times, have listened to Jim Dale read them to me at least twice, and of course have seen all the movies). My problem is that no matter how long I stay at WDW, I never run out of things to do on site. I've got a friend who's eager to see HP and so I may finally get to US-Orlando later this year. (It's a lot better than US in California, right? Even my non-Disney boyfriend Rick was disappointed with US in California when we were there in 2006 -- he said, "Disney is WAY better." And it IS.)
__________________
My Previous TripsWDW March 1975 (first visit when I turned 20. Space Mountain was brand new--what a blast!), 1979, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1995, 1999 (solo/Herzogs), 2005 (Disneyland's and my 50th bdays -- four of us acted like 5-year-olds! - CSR/AKL), Dec. 2005 chick trip (CSR), solo Feb 2009, Passporters May 2009 (ASMo), Feb 2010 Solo/Sheri (BW), Oct 2010 MNSSHP (Poly), Dec 2010 MVMCP (WL), Mar 2011 GF, Dec 2011 WL, Feb 2012 AKL/BC, Nov 2012 AKL/PC Dreams Take Flight, Apr 2013 w/Sheri & Nora, Nov 2013 w/Sheri & Dreams Take Flight, Feb 2014 Sheri, May 2014 Nora, June 2014 SHRM & Sheri, Nov 2014 Dreams Take Flight w/Sheri & Diane, Dec 2014 Nora, Feb 2015 Sheri, Nov 2015 Dreams Take Flight w/Sheri, Dec 2015 weekend w/Nora ---- Disneyland June 2006
cindybelle is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2011, 09:33 AM   #18
GoofyMom
Wannabe Snowbird
PassPorter's Club Passholder


What's this?

Community Rank:
Legend Extraordinaire
 
GoofyMom's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Concierge Level: 7
Posts: 34,137

Post Thanks / Like
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmymac View Post
I'm glad you had such a good time. We always Include US / IOA as well as Seaworld in each of our WDW trips. I never understood folks who never try US because it's 'not Disney.' All three parks are great
Ah, my pet peeve. It's ok to love both (and SeaWorld too). I love that Harry Potter is drawing people in to give US a chance, although a lot of people go in with that preconceived Dark Side male bovine defecation. The mind is like a parachute - it works best when it's open.

That's why I loved reading this quickie trip report. Look! People really can have fun at Universal.

Quote:
Originally Posted by cindybelle View Post


Well, I am a huge HP fan (read the books three times, have listened to Jim Dale read them to me at least twice, and of course have seen all the movies). My problem is that no matter how long I stay at WDW, I never run out of things to do on site. I've got a friend who's eager to see HP and so I may finally get to US-Orlando later this year. (It's a lot better than US in California, right? Even my non-Disney boyfriend Rick was disappointed with US in California when we were there in 2006 -- he said, "Disney is WAY better." And it IS.)
Yes, Universal Orlando (awesome) is better than US California (really lame in 2000). And I agree, if you go to WDW you could find stuff to do for weeks which makes it hard to find time to go to US. I combat that by sometimes not buying tickets to WDW and just make US my vacation destination. Yep. You can do that. Although this last trip I insisted on staying at Coronado Springs because I wanted the little bit of Disney touches like the resort music when I was there. And that totally worked for me.

I hope that others will write TRs (hint hint) about how much fun they had at US. (That reminds me... I have to finish my TR )
GoofyMom is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2011, 10:47 AM   #19
Horatio
Community Rank: Sightseer
 
Horatio's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: OKC, OK
Concierge Level: 7
Posts: 66

Post Thanks / Like
Glad you had fun! We did too!

Quote:
Originally Posted by GoofyMom View Post
Ah, my pet peeve. It's ok to love both (and SeaWorld too). I love that Harry Potter is drawing people in to give US a chance, although a lot of people go in with that preconceived Dark Side male bovine defecation. The mind is like a parachute - it works best when it's open.

That's why I loved reading this quickie trip report. Look! People really can have fun at Universal.



Yes, Universal Orlando (awesome) is better than US California (really lame in 2000). And I agree, if you go to WDW you could find stuff to do for weeks which makes it hard to find time to go to US. I combat that by sometimes not buying tickets to WDW and just make US my vacation destination. Yep. You can do that. Although this last trip I insisted on staying at Coronado Springs because I wanted the little bit of Disney touches like the resort music when I was there. And that totally worked for me.

I hope that others will write TRs (hint hint) about how much fun they had at US. (That reminds me... I have to finish my TR )
I totally know what you mean! I must admit that I had some of those feelings too before we went. What I thought I would see and what I actually saw were totally different things. I was expecting something like Six Flags Over Texas, but I really saw how wonderful IOA really is! I hadn't been there since I was 6 and didn't remember much, but it was loads of fun!
__________________
Horatio
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsWDW 1997, DLR 1998, DLR 1999, WDW 2000, DLR 2001, WDW 2003, DLR 2004, DCL 2005, DLR 2006, DCL 2007, DCL 2008
Horatio is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2011, 03:57 PM   #20
SharonK0527
Community Rank: Jetsetter
 
SharonK0527's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Arlington Heights, IL
Posts: 2,739

Post Thanks / Like
Thanks for the review! We go to Orlando every year in October to stay at our timeshare and we always do Disney. There was one time about 5 years ago that we did IOA for one day. We decided this year we are going to focus on all of the non-Disney parks that we never go to. We purchased the Orlando Flex Ticket (through Undercover Tourist) so we will be going to IOA, US, Sea World, Aquatica, and Wet n Wild. We tacked on 2 extra days at the end of the trip and will be staying at POFQ and doing 2 days at Disney so we can get our Disney fix while we're there

I'm glad you liked Forbidden Journey - I have been really excited about going on that ride but have read SO many negative reviews about people getting sick or feeling sick after riding it. I am not a huge thrill-ride junkie (won't do Mission:Space Orange side or Tower of Terror) but I do love Expedition Everest and Rock 'n Roller Coaster. Hearing somebody say that they loved FJ gives me hope that I'll be able to go on it and enjoy it!
__________________

Sharon
Magic Kingdom, March 2015
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous Trips3/15 * 11/14 * 3/14 * 10/11 * 10/10 - Summer Bay; 11/08 * 10/07 - Summer Bay & POFQ; 5/07 - CSR & Mystic Dunes; 12/06 - Summer Bay; 9/06 - Oasis Lakes @ The Fountains; 10/05 - Sheraton Safari & Orange Lake; 7/05 - WL & Celebration World; 12/04 - POFQ; 10/03 - GF & AKL; 6 trips from 1974-2002
SharonK0527 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2011, 04:49 PM   #21
007hollie
Community Rank: Sightseer
 
007hollie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: England
Concierge Level: 1
Posts: 84

Post Thanks / Like
I agree Harry Potter in IOA is amazing i am not a fan at all... my parents are.. we spent about 3 hours there in total going on the rides seeing the Wand show, drinking Butter Beer which by the way tastes AMAZING!! looking around the Joke and sweet shop and taking way to many photos, i enjoyed it just as much as my parents and i have only ever seen the first movie.. its definatly worth a visit.
__________________
My Previous TripsFirst Trip to Disney ever - May 1995 Disney Villa's, All Star Music Resort July 2000, Quality Inn Plaza August 2003, Spring Hill Suites Marriott June 2008, Old Key West September 2010 Disney's Saratoga Springs November 2013
007hollie is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2011, 02:55 PM   #22
cindybelle
Goofy Groupie
 
cindybelle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: St. Louis MO
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 1,803

Post Thanks / Like
Best time of day for Harry Potter?

I assumed that I should go to IOA first thing in the morning to see the Harry Potter stuff, but our summer intern (whose family lives in Orlando) says that EVERYBODY goes first thing in the morning, so he actually advised me to wait until after lunch to go to Harry Potter.

Is that your advice? What time of day did you get to Harryland? Thanks.
__________________
My Previous TripsWDW March 1975 (first visit when I turned 20. Space Mountain was brand new--what a blast!), 1979, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1995, 1999 (solo/Herzogs), 2005 (Disneyland's and my 50th bdays -- four of us acted like 5-year-olds! - CSR/AKL), Dec. 2005 chick trip (CSR), solo Feb 2009, Passporters May 2009 (ASMo), Feb 2010 Solo/Sheri (BW), Oct 2010 MNSSHP (Poly), Dec 2010 MVMCP (WL), Mar 2011 GF, Dec 2011 WL, Feb 2012 AKL/BC, Nov 2012 AKL/PC Dreams Take Flight, Apr 2013 w/Sheri & Nora, Nov 2013 w/Sheri & Dreams Take Flight, Feb 2014 Sheri, May 2014 Nora, June 2014 SHRM & Sheri, Nov 2014 Dreams Take Flight w/Sheri & Diane, Dec 2014 Nora, Feb 2015 Sheri, Nov 2015 Dreams Take Flight w/Sheri, Dec 2015 weekend w/Nora ---- Disneyland June 2006
cindybelle is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2011, 06:07 PM   #23
CynBeth
Community Rank: Adventurer
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 753

Post Thanks / Like
Red face

We always do Sea World and Universal on our trips to Disney. One time we even did Busch Gardens. For our upcoming trip in November we are doing KSC which I haven't been to since I was a kid, We will still do SW and Universal but we are doing a 1 day 2 park pass just so we can see WWOHP since we are ride wimps and have never been to IOA but I am trying to be brave to go on FJ.
CynBeth is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Reply




Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump














Please login or register to hide these ads -- it's free and easy!

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:31 AM.

-->

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Feedback Buttons provided by Advanced Post Thanks / Like v3.4.0 Patch Level 1 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
(c) 1998-2017 PassPorter Travel Press/MediaMarx, Inc.
Celebrating 19 Years of Making Dreams Come True
Ad Management plugin by RedTyger