FIRSTS, BIRTHS, and GIRTHS…A September 2013 PTR - Page 21 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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Looks like you've got some great loot! I love the kindle cover you got. I don't have a kindle, but I really like that cover. Did they have other covers/bags in a similar pattern?
Thanks! I love the Kindle cover too...it's way cute! Unfortunately, I think this is the only item they have in this pattern. I was actually looking for a wallet option in this pattern and couldn't find anything.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhToodles!
Love all the Disney loot!
And yes, you did have a busy weekend!
WOW! I can't believe I got this behind on this PTR but I am finally caught up. I love all of the disney purchases and congrats on the new camera and the weight loss. I am actually down 26 puounds from September. It's a rough thing but I have cut out all soda's we don't eat out much moved everything over to whole grain or wheat.
WOW! I can't believe I got this behind on this PTR but I am finally caught up. I love all of the disney purchases and congrats on the new camera and the weight loss. I am actually down 26 puounds from September. It's a rough thing but I have cut out all soda's we don't eat out much moved everything over to whole grain or wheat.
Thank you, thank you! Congratulations on your weight loss and new diet choices as well! That's fantastic! I like to compare my weight loss to picking up my DD and then putting her back down...there was my weight loss! I can't believe I was carrying that much extra weight around! No wonder I was tired all the time...it was like carrying DD around all day!
Whew! What a whirlwind, crazy week! Between work and home, boy are we busy lately...it's that time of year I guess! Sorry I'm delayed in posting this from last Friday...but I have good reason, which I will explain later...
Dinner and a Movie - June 7 - Pocahontas
Dinner: This was another travel movie night, so dinner was not included.
(Thank you Google)
Unfortunately, this is not one of my favorite Disney movies; I still like it and enjoy it, but it's not on my top ten list. I'm pretty sure DD loved it as I kept hearing giggling in the back seat as she watched with her head phones on. For me, I actually like the animal characters more than the human characters in this movie. They are just too cute!
Now...tonight's movie IS on my top ten list; either that or I'm just excited about the food we plan to eat for dinner while watching it!
So moving on to my explanation for why my post is late...ARTS AND CRAFTS! No seriously, lots of creativity, some cutting, a little laminating going on...I finished my touring cards! I created the format in Excel (very basic look), printed them and cut them down to size. Then, I taped the notes to 5" x 8" unruled index cards and used the self laminating sheets to cover and protect them. I'm pretty pleased how they turned out and happy they will fit nicely in the bag I plan to carry....AND THEY ARE WATERPROOF! Wanna see some pics? If not...too bad...I'm gonna show you anyway...
(This is the travel guide to assist those staying on property and flying)
(I researched various DSLR camera settings for myself and DSFiL for quick reference)
(MK Day 1 - Cropped to Hide ADR # - I used Touring Plans to Create This...)
I struggled for a while about how I wanted to reveal the trip to DD. I knew I couldn't do something that required reading because she can't read yet and I didn't want to be one of those parents who took video of their child's surprise and it star the parent and their involvement. This had to be about DD and created for her level. So I had to get basic; the wording is really a memento for me and the rest of our group. I'm pretty confident that DD will understand that it looks like a ticket and I selected a photo (again, thank you Google) that she connects to Disney World. I just hope she can put two and two together. I found a website that lets you create and print these for FREE! You use a template and then print as many as you need! I'm not sure if I can post the website address; if a moderator gives me the okay then I will. Or you can just PM me.
My plan is to wait until the morning of the trip to reveal this to her...she's actually a pretty good morning person, especially if she knows there is a surprise waiting for her in the living room. After she's dressed, we will send her off to the living room to find her travel back pack filled with goodies for the plane ride. I will attach balloons to her bag and tie the tickets to the balloons. I will attach two extras for DMiL and DSFiL and see if she would like to "invite" them to come with us (we are all riding to the airport together). I also made additional tickets for the rest of our traveling party; which I will disperse this Father's Day when I see most of them. When we meet the rest of the group at the airport, they can pull out their tickets so she understands that they get to go too! I think this is the best way to space out the "surprise of additional travelers" so it isn't too overwhelming all at once. I want to be careful about the stimulation so she doesn't act out, but I know this is going to be a learning experience for all of us since this is our first trip to Disney together, and DD's first plane ride.
I wanted to order the welcome/birthday gifts from Disney Florist today, but apparently if you order online, you have to be at 60 days out from the next delivery date...poo. I'll just note my calendar the same date I can do online check in!
I love those sheets you made. Might have to steal some of those ideas for our trip! Especially the camera tips. Hope you don't mind.
I also really like the ticket idea. Our trip isn't a surprise for our kids, but I've been wondering if/when I should do a countdown for them. They don't really "get it" and a countdown might just make them think we are going NOW. Maybe giving them tickets the morning of would be a nice way to say "today's the day". I hope you get the reaction to your surprise you are looking for!
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and thanks for joining in on the fun! 
We get a little goofy in here sometimes...
I'm pretty sure DD loved it as I kept hearing giggling in the back seat as she watched with her head phones on. For me, I actually like the animal characters more than the human characters in this movie. They are just too cute!
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
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