Trip Report "Dreams Really Can Come True" 6/1/09-6/8/09 - COMPLETED 7/19 - Page 23 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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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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While walking back over to Asia, we noticed a few people staring into the trees. I knew immediately what it was. DeVine!
She’s so gorgeous and she knows it! DH was really impressed. By this time, he was just thoroughly impressed with Disney. I was so glad that I hadn’t hyped Disney up (too much!) and let him experience it for himself. It was so easy because AK is really remarkable. I think the Imagineers outdid themselves.
DS7 knew EE was coming up next and was starting to get a little nervous. We kept reassuring him, but we didn’t have a lot of time to, because the fp return line was so short. I would’ve liked to stand there a while longer just to soak in the theming – it is really neat. You can almost imagine gearing up for a real expedition. He felt better that there weren’t any loops on it. The ride picture that we bought show what looks like me covering my eyes. I wasn’t! I was trying to hold my glasses on. Seriously! I normally take my glasses off on roller coasters, but I wanted to see the Yeti.
SPOILER ALERT:
I didn’t see the big animatronic Yeti. Instead, we paused at the top of a hill in the cave and there was an actual animation of the Yeti ripping the tracks apart projected onto the back wall. Is this the replacement of the big one?
DS7 hated the ride . He still says it was the worst one. I’m still baffled by this because he is so rough and tumble and even aggressive sometimes, as boys can be. Plus he likes the midway rides at Six Flags and carnivals. Maybe it’s the theming and the darkness. DS4 liked it, but not the “big drop” he says. I wanted to ride it again and do the parent swap, but everyone was hungry and the standby line was 50 minutes, I think.
Inside the shop after the ride:
We ordered our pictures and left, but then had to turn around – DH left the video camera on the ride! It took a few minutes, but we finally got the camera back. (Whew! I'm so glad it happened at Disney!)
So what to eat? Our choices were always based on what was offered for kid’s meals. It was between Pizzafari and Flame Tree Barbeque. It was unanimously Pizzafari – they had A/C!
Pizzafari review:
The theming of this restaurant is excellent! There are colors everywhere with big murals of animals. It’s cool inside with lots of windows, at least where we sat. The main room directly behind the counter was getting full, so we went down the hallway to the next room. (There was a big snake inset into the floor of the hallway.) I don’t know the theme or name of this room:
There are snails on the ceiling! (It was empty when we first got in there.)
Snails are always so cute when they aren’t in your garden eating up everything!
We had pizza of course, DH choosing instead the Chicken Salad with the Apple Blossom for dessert. The kid’s meal pizzas were a decent size. I’m glad they were, because by this time, I think they were getting a little tired of grapes and carrot sticks. They liked the pizza:
My cheese pizza was fine and also decently sized. I remember the crust being chewy and good. It says on the receipt that it came with a salad, but I don’t remember eating one. (Did I even get a salad?! ) The chocolate cake was also okay. DH said his chicken salad was good; it looked like it had about the equivalent of a whole small chicken breast in there sliced up. He liked the apple blossom dessert even better. It was like a mini apple tart, you know when they fold the pie dough up over the apples – yum.
Overall impression: Pizzafari was cool, clean, and wonderfully decorated. We stood in line for a few minutes and then waited again for our food, but not too long. (It must have been after 11:00am. The line was a lot longer when we left.) The food was hot and fresh – it didn’t taste like it had been sitting under a heat lamp. The servings were big and filling. We sat by a window and refreshed ourselves. The Flame Tree Barbeque may have better ratings, but we really needed that break in the air-conditioning. The only negative would be that it was expensive. Our meal came up to $39.11 , which is definitely more than what we pay for pizza night at home. This is why we got the Dining Plan. We would eat there again if we were in the mood for pizza.
When we were hunting for a good spot to sit down, I spied a Darth Tater pin on a CM who was sweeping up. Later, after I had gone to the restroom, I saw him again. I felt weird asking him for the Darth Tater pin while he was cleaning up. I got over it quickly – he wouldn’t be wearing trading pins just because they were neat, right? He was cool and traded the pin. Another CM, who was a very seasoned lady, asked me if I wanted to trade with her. “Sure!” Actually, she didn’t have what we were looking for, but I traded a hidden mickey Mickey head pin with her for DS7’s collection – I didn’t want to make her feel bad. I looked it up later and found out it was the Wilderness Lodge Hidden Mickey – . The Darth Tater was a good score for DS4. He likes Darth Vader and a day full of Star Wars was coming tomorrow.
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.
Oh yes! AK would be easier to savor when it's not 90 degrees and humid!
Great update. Pizzafari is our go to place at AK as DS only eats pizza or hot dogs at DW. I've always found AK to be so hot and humid it takes a little getting used to and I have to do it in small spurts. Can't wait until the time we can go on vacation when its not hot!!!
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Great updates! Sorry you didn't get to spend the time you wanted in AK but can understand with it being hot and humid. I always think about going to Pizzafari and never end up going there. Next time I will have to check it out. Thanks for the review!
Great updates. Glad you got some pins you wanted. We are going to try Pizzafari when we go in Sept. Glad you liked it, makes me feel better about trying it.
I can't wait to see Devine.
ebay was great for pins we ordered a lot of 20 and in the lot we got 7pc set of pirates and a 7 pc set of the muppets in mickey hats we also ordered a lot of 100 and got NO doubles between all 120. it was awesome. (only $156 for all!!)
glad you guys werfe haveing a great time can't wait to read more
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For all the good things in life and happiest moments dreamt Heather B
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Sorry EE didn't seem to be a hit with your boys. Glad you got your video camera back! I've never eaten at Pizzafari (except for the Sunrise Safari buffet, which doesn't count). I'm a total pizza snob, so I don't think I ever will.
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
I think AK is always humid no matter what time of year you go! Flame Tree BBQ is good, but the a/c at pizzafari is great on hot days! We also sat in the back room and it was empty for a while. Nice and quiet and cool!
Can't wait to read more!
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Teresa
Sammy 5 years and Peyton 15 months - September 2013
Sorry EE didn't seem to be a hit with your boys. Glad you got your video camera back! I've never eaten at Pizzafari (except for the Sunrise Safari buffet, which doesn't count). I'm a total pizza snob, so I don't think I ever will.
I don't blame you! I always said I was going to NY just for some Ray's!
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. He still says it was the worst one. I’m still baffled by this because he is so rough and tumble and even aggressive sometimes, as boys can be. Plus he likes the midway rides at Six Flags and carnivals. Maybe it’s the theming and the darkness. DS4 liked it, but not the “big drop” he says. I wanted to ride it again and do the parent swap, but everyone was hungry and the standby line was 50 minutes, I think.
) The chocolate cake was also okay. DH said his chicken salad was good; it looked like it had about the equivalent of a whole small chicken breast in there sliced up. He liked the apple blossom dessert even better. It was like a mini apple tart, you know when they fold the pie dough up over the apples – yum. 
, which is definitely more than what we pay for pizza night at home. This is why we got the Dining Plan. We would eat there again if we were in the mood for pizza.
. The Darth Tater was a good score for DS4. He likes Darth Vader and a day full of Star Wars was coming tomorrow.
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