Oh the Places We Go, The People We See Updated 11/03/2013 - Page 25 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We decided Claire needed a picture with the flamingoes.
We enjoyed just watching them run around freely.
We then walked over and took a look at the leopard.
I think he thought we looked like a tasty snack.
We followed the peacocks around a bit. I wanted a full plumage picture …. I never was lucky enough to get one.
Geoff however, was very lucky.
I was able to capture a few flowers here and there.
We found some bobcat looking cats. Here kitty kitty!
Claire’s goal was to go see King Julian again, so we were heading that way.
Hail King Julian!
We made our way back just in time for the Marching Flamingo show. Mom was worried that we were going to miss it, but Claire and I got back just as they were bringing them in. No worries!
Now these are trained flamingoes. They are trained to march around and some have been marching for like 35 years. Now I am really not sure I would classify this as trained marching in my book. Now they were smart enough to know it was show time and all gathered in the ring, but as for synchronized marching, it really wasn’t that. It was more of the flamingoes running one way and then on cue running the other way. And some were defiant and refused to go along with the pack.
It was still really fun and neat to watch and kind of funny too.
Well hello there. This guy was a bit curious with us.
While they were marching around, there was a lady on a microphone announcing things and facts about the flamingoes. I believe these guys were fed special to get that extra pink color, and I have to admit, they were beautiful.
They then call out for volunteers from each section to come out and let the flamingoes run around them. Claire and Alexis went out, though I think Alexis was a bit reluctant. Abby was not about to be left sitting in the stands and charged right out. Jude also made his way out too. This was going to be fun!
Abby and Alexis look like they now are not sure what they got themselves into.
“Aunt Bop Bop (that’s what my nieces call me), Don’t take pictures!”
“Aunt Bop Bop, I said NO pictures!”
Um, too bad Abby, it’s what I do!
Claire notices one coming their way.
The kids from the other section were freaking out over them getting so close. It was so funny. The lady kept announcing that they were only like 30 lbs and not mean and heck, they are pink for God sakes!
And then one got too close!
Abby was NOT having any of that! And soon we heard an announcement …”Do not touch the flamingoes!”
Look at the look she is giving them now. And Jude is starting to get slightly freaked as well.
OK, buddy, I told you NOT to come by me!
And then Abby grabbed that guy by his neck and gave him a HUGE shove! Oh my Word. I felt bad for the flamingo, but it was so hilarious! We were dying with laughter and we talk about it ALL the time. That flamingo probably told his buddies that he has been marching for 30 years and NO ONE has ever grabbed him by the neck before.
She’s really giving them the glare too.
That was enough. She had it and came back to sit with us.
Oh dear - I probably shouldn't laugh about Abby's move, but I did! What beautiful photos, especially of the marching flamingos. I had no idea they did that.
Oh my goodness, that Abby is something else!! I think I might have been freaked out with all those flamingos running at me, too!
It was so funny and so wrong, but how could you not laugh. I am not sure I would love them all around me either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Oh dear - I probably shouldn't laugh about Abby's move, but I did! What beautiful photos, especially of the marching flamingos. I had no idea they did that.
I know, we were alughing over and over as they were announcing NOT to touch the flamingos. Abby sure didn't care, he got to close to her. She was thinking, do NOT touch the humans!
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Great update ! I think this is the first trip report I've read where the activity wasn't Atlantis or just staying on board. This is a great excursion for a multi generation group. I love the birds. The flamingo encounter is very funny. They are a very interesting colour.
Great update ! I think this is the first trip report I've read where the activity wasn't Atlantis or just staying on board. This is a great excursion for a multi generation group. I love the birds. The flamingo encounter is very funny. They are a very interesting colour.
Last time we did the blue lagoon dolphin encounter and that was fun. About 10 years ago My husband and I cruised there and we gourde Atlantis a bit. We also did a pirate tour and a city tour as well. I think next trip we may hit Atlantis again as Claire hasn't been there yet.
Awesome pictures. Especially love all the details of the ship.
I LOL at Abby grabbing the flamingo - kind of reminded my of the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland when they play crouquet.
Great idea for an excursion. Abby is a character. (Very cute Charater)
She sure is. She is hilarious and I laugh at her all the time, but Gail gets mad at us for doing so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhToodles!
Awesome pictures. Especially love all the details of the ship.
I LOL at Abby grabbing the flamingo - kind of reminded my of the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland when they play crouquet.
It does....and ironically the kids dressed up in Alice in Wonderland outfits that night. Alexis was the Queen of Hearts. Abby was Alice, but sadly it was shortlived and I never got a picture of her in her dress.
Alexis isn’t all that keen on the flamingoes either.
Claire was safely in between her 2 cousins, so no worries for her.
The kids then were allowed to sit back down and the flamingos ran around a few more times.
One of the rebels.
See the 2 fighting on the right side? I was laughing and we were putting words in their mouths. “Did you see that girl grab my neck? I have been marching for over 30 years and NO ONE has ever grabbed my neck! I can’t believe she did such a thing”.
“I am filing a claim with workman’s comp!”
“I have never had my feathers in such a ruffle”.
“Let’s get out of here”.
That really was a fun thing to see. Not something I would want to do every trip, but I good thing to try at least once. The flamingoes are beautiful too.
After the show we did a little more looking around.
With our tickets, we could get a free drink or snack, so we headed over to the snack bar and each got a pop. Well the rest of the family pretty much got bottle waters, but Claire and I got pops. When we got on the bus, the family noticed that the label said Bahamian water and they refused to drink it. They said after seeing the disgusting green water there, there was no way they would take a chance of drinking it. I am sure it was fine, but I wasn’t going to be the guinea pig on that one either.
We next headed towards Fort Charlotte.
We had the option of staying on the bus or getting off and taking a quick look around. I believe this is when Aunt Mary said she was getting off to stretch and Abby comes darting down the bus aisle and says “I’m going with Murry”. We all laughed and said, “Um Murry, you have someone joining you”. I think about half the bus got off, and Claire and I did as well. I took a few pictures. It was really neat to see, but sad to see the graffiti on the buildings. You can see the ship from here too.
My beloved lighthouse
I love this picture.
I took a lot of pictures with the ship in the distance.
Dad, Rob and Alexis had walked up towards the Fort, but came right back down.
Claire and I went up there next. Now to actually go in the Fort it cost money. I think it was only like a dollar or 2, but since we had limited time there, I didn’t want to hold everyone else up by going in. I would probably get carried away with pictures inside and not pay attention to time. I believe Skip and I toured this Fort many years ago too.
The Gardens look like a really nice place. That is too funny about that poor little flamingo - never saw that coming I'm sure. Kids do the darnest things sometimes don't they?
The Gardens look like a really nice place. That is too funny about that poor little flamingo - never saw that coming I'm sure. Kids do the darnest things sometimes don't they?
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What beautiful photos, especially of the marching flamingos. I had no idea they did that. 
They are a very interesting colour.
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