The trip of many changes... TRIP REPORT UPDATED 2/25 - Page 28 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 absolutely loved your pictures with the characters at Crystal Plaza! You can tell from your faces what a fun time was had by all.
Oh we had such a ball there!
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Sorry the food selection wasn't as good this time and that it was too cold in the restaurant. We found that same issue in The Plaza when we ate there for the first time a couple of years ago which ruined our meal experience. When the temps are cooler outside, I don't understand why Disney has to pump up the air conditioning that much.
No, I don't get that either. In the summer months, go for it, but when it's cooler, not so much Disney.... please?
I would think the resorts don't have the final say on the security issue. If the Disney higher ups in management want security at the resorts, it will happen. I guess they're just not pursuing it hard right now.
That's probably true... I can see from Disney's point of view that lines for security at least mean there aren't lines in the park, but I would've thought they'd have wanted people in the park quickly, so they're spending money there...
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Your meals at Crystal Palace are always the best! So glad you guys have fun with those characters. The rubbing is a little odd from Eeyore, hmmm...... (I once had Buzz get a little touchy feely on my back, that was weird enough that I stepped away from him)
As I say, donkeys do rub a lot... my late adopted donkey Gareth had a best friend Benji and he would do it all the time... but it was a bit weird..
What wonderful character interactions at Crystal Palace. I understand what you mean about the air conditioning. I was raised in the South and appreciate AC, but it can get so very cold, especially when they crank it up for crowded places. I hate being right under a vent.
I really like the boat trip between Fort Wilderness and MK, it is so relaxing. Loved your photos of the sun and shadow on MK when you arrived, very dramatic. Great photos with the characters at CP, looks like you had a great time with them.
Great pics of the new cabins at WL.
Glad you got to see Eeyore, but sad the food wasn't what it should be. I have only had breakfast at CP and really enjoyed it.
Very strange with the security in that the resorts don't want to do it! Also odd with the light bulbs at times not being replaced for weeks and sounds more like our federal government at work rather than Disney!
Great time at the CP but sorry to hear the buffet isn't what it used to be there! Too funny with Mark and his interactions with Pooh, Tigger and Piglet! Just too funny and classic! Wish I could have seen that.
Just wondering if the CP "red flags" your ADR knowing Mark will be there to traumatize the characters and especially Piglet on most occasions? Perhaps, a warning goes out when Mark arrives?
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
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I always look forward to your CP meal experiences and this one surely did not disappoint!! Your love for Eeyore is clear even in pictures and Mark really knows how to push buttons!!
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Great time at the CP but sorry to hear the buffet isn't what it used to be there! Too funny with Mark and his interactions with Pooh, Tigger and Piglet! Just too funny and classic! Wish I could have seen that.
It was very funny!
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Just wondering if the CP "red flags" your ADR knowing Mark will be there to traumatize the characters and especially Piglet on most occasions? Perhaps, a warning goes out when Mark arrives?
I always look forward to your CP meal experiences and this one surely did not disappoint!! Your love for Eeyore is clear even in pictures and Mark really knows how to push buttons!!
Friday 12 January – part ten: we haven’t done this in some time…
We headed outside, found Ginger and then tried to decide what to do while we waited for our Fastpasses to ripen for Pirates.
We opted for the Country Bear Jamboree, which I don’t think Ginger had done in 20+ years. We hadn’t done in some time either and I don’t know why, as we all laughed so much during it. The audience all really got into it as well, which helped. It’s one of those things that’s easy to walk past, but actually it’s well worth doing.
When we came out of there, we saw Clarabelle being walked along. I missed her, I was so in shock, but managed to get these guys…
We couldn’t work out what was going on, as they weren’t listed for any kind of character meet and greet.
We headed next for Pirates and got on a few minutes early. I think the Fastpass system will let you on maybe five minutes early, although I don’t know for sure, as I know we were a couple of minutes early for Ginger’s time and she had no problem.
We were worried when we got to the boat that we’d get soaked, as we were in the back, but no such problem. The mist effect at the start wasn’t working, which was a shame, but everything else was. And they’re still yelling about wanting the redhead, so did I miss something with that? They were supposed to be changing that, weren’t they?
When we came off there, we made our way towards the castle. I was prepared to grab a spot on the outside area of the hub, but Ginger was having none of them and confidently strolled off into the hub. By now, it was 7:15pm, and I figured we didn’t have any chance, but we found plenty of space and planted ourselves down.
I really the fact they have the Once Upon A Time show at 7:30pm, as it makes waiting for the fireworks so much easier. We stood up to watch it, as the people in front were, but there were people sitting next to us who were yelling at the people at the front to sit down. Well, in fairness, they were standing up the whole time, so what did you expect? We had a pretty good view and I was pleased with the shots I was able to get.
We loved "Once upon a time" as well! We thought it was very well done.
I wondered about the scene with the redhead in pirates as well. But I just recently read somewhere that it will be changed soon.
It been a while since we've seen country bear jamboree too. Might have to include it next time!
Closure dates for the refurb of Pirates this year : February 26 to March 18. I assume this is when the Redhead gets her own back!
We LOVE the Country Bear Jamboree, it is so un-politically correct! I think Blood on the Saddle is my favourite song in there, it's so funny.
Wishes was beautiful, it used to make me cry - but Happily Ever After managed to make me sob last year, although to be fair I may have been a bit over-tired on the night we saw it! I hope you liked it. Illuminations will always be my favourite, but this one is a close second ......
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Silvercat
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You can tell from your faces what a fun time was had by all.
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Alaskan Mom aka Bonnie
Liz 
Too funny with Mark and his interactions with Pooh, Tigger and Piglet! 
Just too funny and classic! 
Wish I could have seen that.
Perhaps, a warning goes out when Mark arrives? 
We hadn’t done in some time either and I don’t know why, as we all laughed so much during it. The audience all really got into it as well, which helped. It’s one of those things that’s easy to walk past, but actually it’s well worth doing. 
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