'Ummm, no Mom, you ARE NOT going without me'.....a pre-trip report - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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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Great start. I'm glad your MIL got to go with you. My MIL and I went to DW many times. It was one of her favorite places. You'll love Disney at Christmas. It's so magical.
Liz
Here I am again with another chapter in the continuing saga of my trip planning! So, we're all booked and the holidays are upon us! Thanksgiving was at my home, as is traditional since we got our new house 4 years ago. Betty and I were a flurry of excitement b/c by now the holiday festivities at WDW were in full swing, so we could really 'see' what was awaiting us via posts here at the PP boards and on tv! Since she doesn't do much on the PP board, I would send her links and such to things that I thought would interest her. We also decided we wanted to do the Segway thing. YAY!! During Christmas time, we went to Branson because Brandon plays in youth symphony and they were the openers for a couple of venues. So, Jeff and I and Jack and Betty all went down to see them. It was a great weekend and Jack and Betty got me the cutest Mickey figurine for Christmas! More discussions ensued about our vacation, too! Ok, fast forward to Feb! Or maybe it was late January! LOL! I don't exactly remember! Anyway, I received a PIN code via snail mail. I opened it up and was astonished to see that it went as far as Nov and Dec! Of course, I hopped my happy self right on the phone to call and adjust my ressie! Unfortunately, GF was NOT included. But gosh, a girl just can't let a great deal like 40% off pass her by, so I promptly changed our ressie from a garden view room at GF to a garden view room at Poly! Yes, I was just the tiniest bit sad, but really, how can you be upset when you are staying at Poly? It was my second choice anyway and Betty's first choice! So YAY!!! The discount saved us a nice chunk of change! I happily called Betty and shared the news with her! She was thrilled and said she was happier b/c she was nervous that GF was going to be a bit too fancy for her. So all was well in my world! B/C I was super excited, I told the boys about the change. Justin was ok, but still kind of bummed. Brandon, however, was pretty annoyed b/c Poly has been the resort he's dreamed of staying at ever since he and I wandered around there a few trips back. He just fell in love with it. So, he was pretty annoyed and called me a rat (jokingly, of course!). Well, then a few days later I was playing around on the computer and discovered that we could upgrade to either Club Level or MK View for only about $100 more a piece! And it was still significantly less that GF! Since I'd never stayed at either, I posted the question on here as to which option would give me the most bang for my buck! CL was the overwhelming winner! So, with a great deal of excitement, I called Disney again and upgraded us to Garden View Club Level!! Ok, so now any sadness I had about not staying at GF is COMPLETELY gone!! Let's face it, even with a discount, I could NOT have afforded CL at GF! So WOOHOO!!! This is AMAZING!! What an adventure this will be!
During all this, my friend whom I met through these boards started chatting with me about his possibly going during our same time frame! He was also there during our same time frame on our last trip (June 2010), and while we never actually met up, we had a ball texting back and forth about our adventures! This time we were determined to actually meet up for some meals and hang out if he got to go! So, I started getting him some rate quotes and such and helping him plan just added a whole other facet of excitement to my own planning! By March, he was booked as well!!
UP NEXT: An offer they can't refuse.........or will they?????
I'm back again!! A week or so after I booked my friend's trip, he called me sharing that he had spoken to someone at Disney and had a PIN code attached to his name! YAY!! So I called to adjust his ressie. They told me NO PIN CODE ATTACHED! I called my friend back, told him what I was told. He called again ad got a PIN #! VERY WEIRD! So, in the end, he was booked with the same discount I was! WOOHOO!! He and I were cyber happy dancing! Good day!
In the meantime, Brandon was practically begging for me to take him with us. I told him no, that wasn't the plan. He begged more. Called me a rat again multiple times. So, I finally made him an offer. If he could get straight A's (I would allow 1 B in math since he struggles with it and always has), I would allow him to go. Of course, the same offer was made to Justin as well. Brandon's hopes were up and Justin didn't seem too concerned (his grades are always very good). They both worked very hard, but it became evident that Brandon was just a little off of his goal of a B in Geometry. He had a C+. It was awful, but I knew I couldn't give in b/c that wasn't the bargain. Justin, on the other hand, was right on track, and it was evident he would reach the goal. So, YAY! I was very proud of him! Then one afternoon, out of the blue, Justin asked if he HAD to go with us or if he could get something else instead. SOMETHING ELSE?? OTHER THAN WDW??? Who are you?? I was shocked, but, of course, he had worked hard, so yes, of course he could have something else. He asked if he could get a new, NICE bike. By nice, I mean, not like a Walmart or Target bike (not that there is anything wrong with those, it just isn't what he wanted). My BIL owns a bike shop and does custom bikes. They generally run anywhere from $300 (very low end) to well over $1000. Luckily, we get them at cost (1/2 price) since Jeremy owns the shop. Justin called Jeremy, we started doing some looking, and as soon as I knew for sure his grades were good enough, we ordered the bike. Brandon was bummed. Very, very bummed. He had tried really hard, but it wouldn't be fair for me to let him go anyway. So, I held firm. Then one day Brandon came in and informed me that he was applying for jobs and would pay his own way. Really? Seriously?? Well, ok then! And, true to his word, he got a job at the swimming pool as a life guard! He called Betty and told her he was joining us and paying his own way! I have to say, I was impressed! And pretty proud of him! He started at the pool in early May (doing training and such). Since historically, he's a man of his word, I felt comfortable adding him to the reservation. It is now Pew Family: Party of 3!! Of course, the stipulation has always been that if his grades aren't good this year prior to our leaving, I WILL take him off the reservation and make him stay home b/c I cannot justify taking him out of school for a week if his grades aren't acceptable. I also told him if that happens, his $ that isn't refunded will be lost. He was completely ok with the deal and super excited to plan with us! We celebrated by watching the WDW vacation dvd! Then I started looking at airfare. This is really and truly the WORST part of planning for me. I absolutely HATE booking airfare. It makes me nauseous to look at those prices! And even more so to pay them! But since we live too far away to drive in the time frame we have to work with, flying is our only viable option.
Up next: Airfare woes...... And I have to let the whole family (including the in laws down.......
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Of course, I hopped my happy self right on the phone to call and adjust my ressie! Unfortunately, GF was NOT included.
But gosh, a girl just can't let a great deal like 40% off pass her by, so I promptly changed our ressie from a garden view room at GF to a garden view room at Poly! Yes, I was just the tiniest bit sad, but really, how can you be upset when you are staying at Poly? It was my second choice anyway and Betty's first choice! So YAY!!! The discount saved us a nice chunk of change! I happily called Betty and shared the news with her! She was thrilled and said she was happier b/c she was nervous that GF was going to be a bit too fancy for her. So all was well in my world! B/C I was super excited, I told the boys about the change. Justin was ok, but still kind of bummed. Brandon, however, was pretty annoyed b/c Poly has been the resort he's dreamed of staying at ever since he and I wandered around there a few trips back. He just fell in love with it. So, he was pretty annoyed and called me a rat (jokingly, of course!). Well, then a few days later I was playing around on the computer and discovered that we could upgrade to either Club Level or MK View for only about $100 more a piece! And it was still significantly less that GF! Since I'd never stayed at either, I posted the question on here as to which option would give me the most bang for my buck! CL was the overwhelming winner! So, with a great deal of excitement, I called Disney again and upgraded us to Garden View Club Level!! Ok, so now any sadness I had about not staying at GF is COMPLETELY gone!! Let's face it, even with a discount, I could NOT have afforded CL at GF! So WOOHOO!!! This is AMAZING!! What an adventure this will be!
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