Trip Report "Dreams Really Can Come True" 6/1/09-6/8/09 - COMPLETED 7/19 - Page 22 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Sorry you had to cancel Tokyo Dining. But at least you got some food in your bellies and were able to get a nap in. Great pictures of Illuminations from your iPhone.
Your phone takes better pics than my camera!! How sad is that? Perhaps I need to upgrade my phone instead of my camera Totally lovin your TR. Hurry back with more.
I just read your whole TR in one sitting (so much for doing laundry).
First of all your boys are too cute and the picture of them holding hands while sleeping made me say awwwww out loud.
Second your enthusiasm and excitement is contagious.
Third I can't wait to read more!
Sorry you had to cancel Tokyo Dining. But at least you got some food in your bellies and were able to get a nap in. Great pictures of Illuminations from your iPhone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArielsMomto2
Your phone takes better pics than my camera!! How sad is that? Perhaps I need to upgrade my phone instead of my camera Totally lovin your TR. Hurry back with more.
Yeah - my iphone ended up being my back up camera!
Quote:
Originally Posted by yo ho yo ho
I just wanted to say hello and to tell you how much I'm enjoying reading your trip report! I'm only on page four but, I'm so hooked. I see you're back from the trip -- I hope you had a wonderful time!!
Thanks - more to come!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Starla4436
I just read your whole TR in one sitting (so much for doing laundry).
First of all your boys are too cute and the picture of them holding hands while sleeping made me say awwwww out loud.
Second your enthusiasm and excitement is contagious.
Third I can't wait to read more!
(I’m starting to forget details about the trip, like snacks and stuff, so I can’t remember what we had for breakfast this morning. Maybe some snacks or leftover dessert from yesterday? )
The Plan: Arrive 30 min early, get fps for Expedition Everest, TriceraTop Spin and Primeval Whirl in Dinoland, Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids, Maharaja Jungle Trek, ride EE, get fps for Kilimanjaro Safaris, lunch, Pangani Forest Trail, ride KS, see Festival of the Lion King, meet characters at Camp Minnie-Mickey, see It’s Tough to be a Bug, the Boneyard, then finally, the Jammin’ Jungle Parade. Goodnight Kiss at park closing, ADR for Boma at 7:30pm. Whew! No, of course it didn’t happen that way…
What really happened:
We were a little worried about the weather that was supposed to roll in that afternoon. Rain would have been okay, but on the news, they were talking about thunderstorms. The real plan was to get as many rides in as we could before the afternoon, then if there was time, do some sightseeing, before the storm. For now, it was clear skies and hot. We missed the opening ceremony, as we arrived at the bus stop right at 9am. By now, I wasn’t even worried about the touring plans. We stopped for a stroller and went on into the park. I forgot in earlier posts to mention the bag check. I think I read somewhere that the female officers check bags more thoroughly than their male counterparts. I have to say this may be true, at least some of the time. I just remembered, because I had my big camera bag for my 35mm that day.
Looking back at the video, there were a lot of people there already. It seemed to thin out a little as we went further into the park. We got to Expedition Everest at about 9:15, and our fastpasses were for 10:10, not too shabby. We decided to do Dinoland later so that we could ride the Safari. It was hot and humid already but we had our camelbaks and Gatorade, so it was okay. I knew that AK was supposed to be hot anyway, but it was pretty sticky, even before 10am. We walked over to Africa, halfway taking in the sites.
I wish I would have gotten more pictures of the Tree. I kept telling myself that I had plenty of time. Sigh. (I’m so glad we took video. He was able to zoom in on parts of the tree that we couldn’t see, like the killer whale, the moray eel, and the lion. I wish we weren’t in such a hurry )
We met some friends along the way:
DS7 picked out The Jungle Book as part of his summer reading when we got home – I was shocked! (He also picked Peter Pan. It was a set at BJs Warehouse. Yay Disney!)
The boys wanted to spend more time here, but the safari was waiting.
The wait for KS was about 20 minutes. I didn’t remember this from before, but there are TVs mounted above you as you stand in the queue. They show some of the animals and some conservationists speaking about the safari. Also, you park your stroller after you get in line. There is a place about a quarter of the way through. We had to get out of line to park, but then a CM put us in a different line and said to us, “Tell ‘em Frankie sent you.” I didn’t know what he was talking about until we got to the end and found out Frankie had put us in the fastpass line. When the CM asked for our fps, we said, “Frankie sent us”, and the CM was like “okay” and let us through. (Go Frankie! Gosh, I hope that was his name…)
I love the Safari! I remember it from my first trip and we had a game driver who was actually African. It really made the safari authentic. This time we had a cheery, fast-talking American young lady, named Vicky. While she was a great tour guide, it sort of detracted from the experience a little. It was still lots of fun. This time, there were pictures of the animals on the safari posted above your head so you know what the names are.
This white rhino walked right in front of our truck!
The driver had slowed down and it just walked across the track. Beautiful! Right afterwards, we saw some very large white eggs nestled in the bank. I asked DS4 what kind of eggs they were and a little boy in front of us called out, “Rhino eggs!” It was so cute and we all cracked up.
We finished the safari safe and sound, then it was time for Expedition Everest!
Another great update! I agree with you that we're some times just in too much of a hurry to enjoy things like the Tree of Life. I wonder if that's the same rhino to crossed in front of our truck last summer.
Great update. I agree, AK can be so hot! I hope you didn't encounter any thunderstorms that day. I have experienced that type of weather at AK and it's not pretty!
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Another great update! I agree with you that we're some times just in too much of a hurry to enjoy things like the Tree of Life. I wonder if that's the same rhino to crossed in front of our truck last summer.
"3-2-1 release the rhino. Roger - releasing the rhino."
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I just got a chance to catch up on some of your posts, what a great trip you are all having. I think we have all experienced the plans that are nothing like what we planned, but I do find that many times those uplanned changes are the best memories of the trip. Glad you are taking them in stride (even dinner at Tokyo Dining ) and having the time of your life.
Rhino eggs! Animal Kingdom is certainly a park that's best appreciated at a slow pace. So much to take in.
So true! It's such a lush and detailed place - I really regret having to rush through it. I brought 6 rolls of film just for this park alone, but I only used 4. I also had a separate 2G memory card for AK - didn't touch it.
I'll know next time...
Sorry you didn't have enough time at AK - I feel the same way. I'm hoping to spend more time there in December when I won't have the heat to deal with.
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Totally lovin your TR. Hurry back with more.
It was a good show and all my boys got to be a parade. 
)
We stopped for a stroller and went on into the park. I forgot in earlier posts to mention the bag check. I think I read somewhere that the female officers check bags more thoroughly than their male counterparts. I have to say this may be true, at least some of the time. I just remembered, because I had my big camera bag for my 35mm that day.
)
Gosh, I hope that was his name…)
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Animal Kingdom is certainly a park that's best appreciated at a slow pace. So much to take in.
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