Forums Closed
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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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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.
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08-17-2003, 06:10 PM
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#16
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,478
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Quote:
Originally posted by PS - I LUV WDW:
crashed by 9:00 with visions of pineapples in my head.
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<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Pam, that is so funny! Looking forward to more.
[img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]
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08-17-2003, 09:55 PM
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#17
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Community Rank: Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Posts: 27,691
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
See, this is my problem for not hanging out more on the upper sections of these boards. I didn't have any idea you had just gotten back from Hawaii, Pam!! Geez. You little world traveler, you. And first class? Whoo hoo. I'll be checking to read more!! [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img]
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08-18-2003, 05:19 AM
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#18
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Community Rank: Trailblazer
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA , USA
Posts: 5,943
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Wow - first class - excellent! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Can't wait to hear more!!!
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08-18-2003, 04:15 PM
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#19
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Community Rank: Trekker
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Near Seattle, WA
Posts: 1,183
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Pam:
Awesome idea to go to Hawaii for your 40th! WOW - First Class! [img]graemlins/ukid.gif[/img] The closest I ever got to that was Business Class because I gave up my seat so that a couple could sit together...it was very nice, so I can't imagine what First Class is like!
Tina [img]graemlins/usa.gif[/img]
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08-18-2003, 06:41 PM
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#20
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Community Rank: Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Florida Big Bend
Posts: 17,133
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Great start Pam. Good idea to stay close to the Airport with the infamous Boston traffic, etc.!
Hope Kaylee was ok on her own for the first time?
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08-19-2003, 09:29 AM
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#21
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Community Rank: Jetsetter
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 2,873
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Sounds like the trip got off to a great start. Can't wait to see how the other half lives i.e. those who fly first class. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
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08-19-2003, 05:34 PM
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#22
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Community Rank: Trekker
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 1,574
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Cast: Pam, 39/40, Planner of trip to Hawaii, 5th trip
Brian, 44, Husband of the planner, 5th trip
Barbara, 59, Mother of the planner, 6th trip
Dick, 61, Father of the planner, 6th trip
Dates: July 17th thru August 2nd
Friday July 18th - Travel day… First class here we come!
After a good night’s sleep, we both woke up at our normal 5:15! Hey wait a minute aren’t we on vacation? We were both showered, dressed and finished re-packing the few things we had taken out before the 6:15 wake-up call. Met Mom and Dad downstairs at the hotel’s restaurant for breakfast. The room rate we had booked also included a $25 voucher for use at the restaurant. We all decided to order the $12.95 buffet. There was so much to choose from! The funniest thing (and also must be expensive!) is that a lot of the condiments were in individual bottles! Ketchup, maple syrup, Tabasco, jellies, you name it. Once we were all full, we headed to get our luggage and check out. Decided to take advantage of the hotel’s van to get to our terminal instead of looking like the Griswald’s on vacation trying to walk there (which is possible).
No line at Delta. Got checked in all the way thru to Honolulu; Brian brought his clubs to where they needed to go and then watched while they inspected them before we all headed for the non-existent line at security. My dad and I each handed them a bag of film to be hand checked, our bag contained 32 rolls of film [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] They told us that anything under 800 speed would be fine but when we told them we would be going thru 5 or 6 security x-rays, they quickly agreed with us for the hand check. Arrived at the gate with oodles of time to spare. They started boarding our 10:15 flight at 9:45. First class first!!!! Yahoo, this is what we have been looking forward to. We have never flown first class although my parents have. As soon as we were seated we were asked what we would like for a beverage while waiting for take-off. Wow also a real glass! We were also asked what selection we would like for lunch. By the time she got to us though she only had one each left so we told her that was fine with us and we would figure out who wanted what when it came.
The flight left a few minutes late as the pilot came on to tell us they were trying to alter our route to avoid some thunderstorm areas. Soon we were on our way. Not long after getting the ‘safe to move about the cabin’ signal, the flight attendant once again came around asking us what we would like to drink. She then came around with a basket with bags of pretzels, trail mix or biscotti cookies. Yummy! [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img] We all watched the movie ‘Down with Love’ which was cute and helped to pass the time as did eating lunch.
Arrived in Salt Lake City on time. Walked around a bit to stretch, although after the wider seats and more leg room in first class, we didn’t need to as much as on coach flights. Next flight to San Francisco loaded on time. Again we got served beverages before leaving the ground! I somehow managed to snooze for a good part of the flight. We landed in San Fran and had a 2:20 layover before heading out again (the only disadvantage to turning in our frequent flier miles was they wouldn’t let us use them on only a one stop flight). Mom and Dad went for a fast food dinner while Brian and I went to ‘The Hangar’ for a burger and grilled chicken sandwich($25.19). Had to go back thru security and once again have all of the film checked. Glad to see Logan isn’t the only airport that has food on the outside of security. Flight left on time (6:10 PDT – 9:10 PM to us!). We all watched the movie ‘Bringing down the House’ – very entertaining. I then tried to snooze some more while Brian and my mother found the games on the personal entertainment units that were in first class for this segment (I have no idea what my father was doing).
Arrived in Honolulu a ½ hour early! ALOHA! Walked the long walk to the baggage area and soon all of our pieces of luggage were accounted for. Of course the only thing Brian really cared about seeing were his golf clubs! Mom had called the Best Western to have a van come pick us up. We really had no choice but to stay on Oahu for the first night as all of the inter-island flights had already stopped for the night. This hotel was close to the airport and had a better (more on that later) rating than the other close one. Arrived at the hotel after about a 3 minute ride and checked in. Again we are not on the same floor but who cares. We say our goodnights and head to our rooms.
Getting off on our floor, I quickly realized that there are a ton of teenagers out and about. I try not to think too much off it and we get in our room. We try to get the air conditioning to come on more, with no success, when I hear knocking. Nope, not on our door but the one across from us. More teenagers, laughing, joking, running up and down the hall, leaving their doors open….. Okay, this is not going to work, we are two very tired and exhausted people who just want to sleep. Back down to the front desk where we run into my mother. Seems they didn’t give them a room with a king bed so they are moving. I check that it is not to the floor we are on. We then go to the desk and tell them that this floor is totally unacceptable and they look at each other and say ‘Oh that’s the Adventurer’s club’. I don’t care if it is a party for the President, we want to move. There are no more king rooms left so we ask for any non-smoking room. Get our new keys and go back to the first room to drag all of our luggage down two floors to our new two double bed room. Managed to find our toothbrushes and then crashed at 9:15 Hawaiian time – 3:15 Saturday morning our time!!!! We've now been up for 22 hours [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
Saturday 7/19/03 --- A Maui Wal-Mart and where did that beach come from?
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08-19-2003, 05:48 PM
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#23
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Community Rank: Legend
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,365
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
That is some 22 hours! Thanks for the update. [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]
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08-19-2003, 06:16 PM
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#24
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Community Rank: Legend
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: North Central Ohio
Posts: 21,629
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Looking forward to the next installment! I'm thinking that our next vacation might be to Hawaii, so I want to read all about it!! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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08-19-2003, 07:04 PM
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#25
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Community Rank: Trailblazer
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA , USA
Posts: 5,943
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Biscotti sounds like a good reason to fly first class to me! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Wow, what a long day! Glad you were able to get that room changed!
Didn't know there was a Walmart in Hawaii - looking forward to more! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
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08-19-2003, 07:16 PM
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#26
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Community Rank: Trekker
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Near Seattle, WA
Posts: 1,183
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Yay, Pam! You're doing great! Can't wait to hear about your description of the beach!
Tina [img]graemlins/usa.gif[/img]
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08-19-2003, 09:54 PM
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#27
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RED SOX NATION!!
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Connecticut
Concierge Level: 9
Posts: 136,854
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
How great you got to fly first class!! That's what we've saved up all our miles for too, just haven't taken the trip yet!! Great start to your report, and can't wait to hear all about Hawaii [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]
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08-20-2003, 08:55 AM
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#28
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Community Rank: Jetsetter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 2,734
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Sorry about your hotel troubles, but it sounds like you had a great flight! Can't wait to hear about Wal-Mart (and the rest of your trip too)!
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08-20-2003, 10:21 AM
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#29
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Community Rank: Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Posts: 27,691
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Very cool, Pam. I'm really enjoying reading this.
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08-21-2003, 01:30 PM
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#30
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Community Rank: Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Florida Big Bend
Posts: 17,133
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Re: Turning 40 in our 50th state - Hawaii Day one posted
Wow that's some travel day!! - We saw the same movie on our Delta flight to San Jose!!
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