A Spring Adventure: Wilderness, Flowers, and the Force (with Cam and Luke) PTR Updated 5/22 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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I remember your telling that story about how you and Luke found each other before and loved hearing it again. True love and true friendship. I'm looking forward to all of the topiary photos. I find them difficult to photograph well. If it's too sunny, you can't see the detail, and the sun needs to be hitting from the right direction, too. I only use the auto setting on my point-and-shoot, so I'm sure you'll be able to do much better.
I'm actually a little nervous about getting the settings just right, so I'm hoping it warms up and the sun starts shining here so I can get some practice in before we go.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jandsdennis
Well I just finished reading 20 pages and am completely caught up. Loving all the special stories. Makes you feel like you are part of the family. Hopefully one day our paths will cross at the F&W, as that is normally when we travel. May need to rethink that though after readinf your TR on F&GF.
My family lovingly calls me the story teller. If they want to remember some event, they usually ask me to retell it. Comparing your countdown to ours for the fall, I think we'll just miss each other as you have 202 days left while we have 217 before AKL for F&WF.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
What a lovely story. Wow, 99 topiaries - I never knew how many there were. You learn something every day!
I was really surprised to read the topiary count. Wow! I'll be sharing more of the facts that Koma included. I just love details.
Your reservations look fantastic as usual Artist Point is my favorite signature restaurant thus far, and I just know you're going to it!!!
I think it's funny how people just don't understand that we would wake up in the middle of the night to take a phone call and talk Disney!! It must have been so much fun being able to help them plan their trip!!!
You are absolutely going to love the topiary displays at F&GF. I've been a couple times, but I absolutely can't wait to see your photos when you get back!! So excited for you!!!
I think Artist Point is going to be a perfect start to our trip. I'm waiting now for our flowers to begin blooming here, so I get a bit of photography practice in before the trip.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
All caught up (again) I'll join the "Can't wait to hear about Artist Pointe" crowd -- I really think that my BF would love it there.
What a wonderful story about you and Luke !!
OOOooooo pictures!! You take sure beautiful ones, I cannot wait to see the ones of the flowers!
I keep reminding myself in hopes that I won't forget -- "Take lots of pictures of Artist Point, both food and restaurant."
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Originally Posted by disneydreamer33
I am so happy you are getting back to WL and getting to see the FG&F and still getting to see SWW.
I love the makeover of Stefanie's bathroom. Love the theme!
Glad you were able to share your wealth of Disney knowledge to help the family plan their spring break trip.
Glad you are getting to eat at Artist Point!
I am still so bummed about missing you and Luke in May. The girls and I were so upset about cancelling our May trip. But we are also so bummed about not getting to meet you and Luke! But we are counting down to Oct and so excited to see you guys, hopefully our plans will coincide somewhere for a meet. I will definitely work it out so that they will! I booked out trip Sat, so it is official!!! We are staying at POFQ.
WooHoo! You've book the fall trip! We WILL make sure to meet up.
they need an emoticon with track shoes so I can how running hard to catch up. I swear i was only off the internet for a couple of days...loving the new TR. wishing i was going.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
they need an emoticon with track shoes so I can how running hard to catch up. I swear i was only off the internet for a couple of days...loving the new TR. wishing i was going.
can't wait to see your wonderful photos.
That would be a cool emoticon!
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMB733
What a wonderful story about you and Luke and how special the Muppets are to you. I can't wait to see all the pictures!!
What besides topiaries might catch our eye? Of course, a big draw for us to the Flower & Garden Festival is the Flowers. I love color, especially in spring when everything is reborn. I am anxious to get my very own photographs of the flowers along the banks of the Future World lakes with the monorail overhead. I’ve been checking out the newest papers and die cuts at scrapyourtrip.com made especially for the F&GF. So I hope I get some great flower photos. According to Eric Darden, again quoted in Koma’s article, more flowers have been used than ever before. Specifically, about 70,000 bedding plants. That makes the 20 or so I plant each spring/summer seem pretty puny. There will also be a new Gardener’s Palette are near Universe of Energy, designed as a gardener’s garden. Koma says the point of this garden is to showcase a unique way to use color. She also mentions floating mini-gardens, which I think I’ve seen photos of before. But I did not realize there will 220 of them. My camera is definitely going to get a work out at Epcot this trip.
The flowers along the lake really are always spectacular, and the floating gardens as well. With the hard winter we've all had, this will be exciting to see!
I remember when the F&GF used to extend till' the end of May. I had the chance to see those beautiful flowers on two occasions: 2006 and 2008. I loved how Epcot looked, so colorful. Someday, I'll be able to go during the festival and see it that way again.
I am so sad to be missing out on the F&GF. I will make it one day! I am so looking forward to all of your pictures, though. You take such wonderful ones, so I am sure these will be breathtaking and make me feel like I was right there with you.
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I love to hear others' stories, too. 
Wow, 99 topiaries - I never knew how many there were. You learn something every day! 
I'm waiting now for our flowers to begin blooming here, so I get a bit of photography practice in before the trip. 
Parlor Panther in 'stalking mode'
That makes the 20 or so I plant each spring/summer seem pretty puny. 
Liz 
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