Faith, Trust and a Little Pixie Dust - Page 27 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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'm sorry the surprise didn't go as planned. I have heard that happen over and over. I think the kids are just not sure on how to react. And it is still far enough away to not get overly excited. I've seen reveal videos where kids cry about, or just go off and watch TV and totally ignore the parents....but then go and have wonderful vacations.
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Sorry it wasn't as you pictured! At least you can plan out loud now!
I still think they were too shocked to react.
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Originally Posted by Wendyismyname
Well we were all excited for you!!
I was very excited too! But at least they're happy.
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Originally Posted by JKnott17
Loved the gift bags for the reveal, sorry you didn't get the reaction from the boys that you wanted It sounded a lot like the reaction I got from my girls in November. I think the shock was just too much for them, and they were just really confused. But, even though they didn't react the way you had hoped, I'm sure it was fun and worth all of your hard work!
It was definitely worth the hard work and we made our babies happy.
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Originally Posted by hockey mom 5
Glad that the boys eventually got excited. It's those commercials that make us think the kids will go wild, jumping up and down . You did get a better reaction than my niece and nephew. She cried (not happy tears), because she was worried about how much money it cost (she was 4 ). He was just bothered that he had to look away from his video game and 'died.'
That last sentence is just hilarious! When I read it I burst out with laughter.
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Originally Posted by shnewell
LOL, it is funny how different kids react differently. My boys just refused to believe us when we told them we were taking them to DLR for the weekend in February. But once we actually got there, they were so excited and kept saying, "I can't believe we're actually here!" That was the payoff for all the secret-keeping that we did -- it just took a while for it to sink in for them!
Now my kids are super excited. Wish they had that same level of excitement when we told them.
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Originally Posted by tinkerbell_3
Congrats!
Thanks!
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Originally Posted by Annabel
and at least you don't have to plan in secret anymore
Yes, now I can talk Disney non-stop (which I have been doing).
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Originally Posted by jenseib
I'm sorry the surprise didn't go as planned. I have heard that happen over and over. I think the kids are just not sure on how to react. And it is still far enough away to not get overly excited. I've seen reveal videos where kids cry about, or just go off and watch TV and totally ignore the parents....but then go and have wonderful vacations.
I'm pretty sure we'll have a blast!
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Originally Posted by lazanya
I'm sorry the reveal didn't go as planned.
Me too!
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Originally Posted by KMB733
Sorry it wasn't the reaction you were hoping for. Maybe now that the secret is out, the boys will get excited that you can talk about plans and stuff.
Ever since I told them, they've talking about the trip non-stop. I told them about our plans and they are pretty excited.
Last night we told my sil (Arben’s sister). The first thing out of her mouth was, how much did it cost us. After Arben told her, her jaw dropped to the floor. Then she told her son that uncle Arben was a millionaire. There you have it, that’s my sil for you guys. Isn’t she “great”. We also told my mil and she was happy for the kids. I still have to tell my parents and I would’ve yesterday when I stopped by for a bit but Arben is dead set on wanting to be present when we tell them. So that’ll have to wait.
Nothing trip related today. We prepared the house for company later in the night. We’ll be watching the big boxing event tonight at my house. Sorry for those Mayweather fans, but I’m puertorican so I’m rooting for our guy Cotto. Go Cotto!
50 days to go
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” ~ Walt Disney
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
Sorry their initial reactions weren't what you had hoped, but it sounds like they are excited about the trip. They were probably just in silent shock after you told them. And as for your SIL I would have told her it was NONE of her business how much the trip cost. My sister keeps asking me about that kind of stuff, but I have quit telling her because she always acts like it's a big deal.
I'm sorry the reactions weren't as expected, but I'm glad they're excited now! Only 50 more days! Now you can all share in the excitement together!
Yes, the trip is getting closer!
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Originally Posted by wdwlovers
Glad to hear they were excited, even if it was later than you anticipated with the surprise. Not too much longer now!
They are very happy kids now!
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Originally Posted by stardust190
Sorry their initial reactions weren't what you had hoped, but it sounds like they are excited about the trip. They were probably just in silent shock after you told them. And as for your SIL I would have told her it was NONE of her business how much the trip cost. My sister keeps asking me about that kind of stuff, but I have quit telling her because she always acts like it's a big deal.
She's always asking those type of nosy questions. I hate it. But Arben always answers before I get a chance to say anything. I wonder why? He knows I'm a big mouth when I get mad.
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Now that my kids know, I’m planning to do a countdown calendar for them. Still haven’t come up with an idea. Maybe I’ll just do it like last years countdown. Whatever I come up with, I’ll show you guys pictures.
49 days to go
“A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Sometimes in life it’s the only weapon we’ve got.” ~ Roger Rabbit
I'm glad that the boys are getting excited for the trip, you're going to have a great time! I can't believe your SIL actually asked how much the trip was going to cost you And then to make a comment to her son about his uncle being a "millionaire", it's just not right. Good luck with making a countdown calendar! Definitely show us some pics when you get it done
Just joining but glad I did before you went on your trip!
I am definitely in the planning another trip before my other one is over camp. I'm thinking that is why I have been 4 times in the last 3 years and have another one at the end of this month plus a cruise in Oct. Maybe I should stop..... nah!
Your plans look great and so do your dining choices. It seems as though alot of us are doing low to no planning this year. I feel like I needed it after hard core planning the last 4. I am determined to have one low key and relaxing this time around.
I can relate to "commando Mayra." That's pretty much me when it comes to planning and park touring. My DH calls me "Mr Griswald!"
So glad to hear that you DH's bonus was up from last year. My DMom works for Walgreens as a pharmacist and she has been feeling the effects of their financial belt tightening over the last few years. Hope his bonus is a sign of an upswing for the company.
Way to go on the room savings. That was an awesome deal!
Cute pics of y'all's prior trips. Your boys are such cuties.
Wow! Glad to hear your dad was ok after the machete incident. And so sorry to hear about the loss of your grandmother. for you and your family. I understand the loss as I lost my grandmother Jan 2011. She was the glue to our family and her passing has left a huge whole in all our lives. I am comforted though knowing she is at peace now.
I am also sorry that the reveal didn't go quite as planned. Atleast now everyone will be in on the secret and that anxiety telling the family is over too. The boys will probably be more excited as the day approaches, especially now that they can help get ready.
Sorry the reaction wasn't as expected, but maybe they were just surprised in their own "kid" way, especially given the fact that each of them had an idea or saw something that may have given them an idea. At least they didn't go "Disney....aw man, why do we have to go there"?