The Surviving Deployment Trip Report, Updated 10/18 COMPLETE!! - Page 33 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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.
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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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What fun with all the various Alice characters. I love the photo of Victoria kissing the White Rabbit. And how cool to be able to lie down in the stretching room - that is so neat!
You all had an excellent time at the party!!! And how cool that you'll be going back!
I absolutely love the photo you got of the castle at night with all the different lighting. I don't think I've ever seen a photo like that before.
And I'm so glad Victoria had such a good time. Not only is she a talented artist, I think I'm seeing a bit of an actress shining through there. She'd be a great WDW character!
And Kevin's face! I had to ask him about THAT one and he said, "It was dark and I was making faces for Cory while she was taking the photo." Crazy man.
Love all the photos with the characters. And Victoria's sketches are just amazing!!!! Your report just cements my desire to make it to MNSSHP next year!!!!
__________________
Betty Sue
Affiliated with CruisingCo.Com/MouseEarVacations.com
Disney Destination Specialist/ BettySueS@cruisingco.com August '09 Trip
And I'm so glad Victoria had such a good time. Not only is she a talented artist, I think I'm seeing a bit of an actress shining through there. She'd be a great WDW character!
And Kevin's face! I had to ask him about THAT one and he said, "It was dark and I was making faces for Cory while she was taking the photo." Crazy man.
Actually, Victoria and I act together. We have a lot of fun on the stage. We haven't done anything in a while since we moved to TX, and we miss it. She's been Marta in The Sound of Music, Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, the Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol, Minnie Fay in The Matchmaker, Beth in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and more. I've been in over 40 shows myself. (full tuition theatre scholarship to college)
Anyway, I'm glad your DH enjoyed making faces, and I'm so glad I got one in my picture.
Just got all caught up with your trip report. Looks like you had a fantastic time at the Halloween party. I love all the character interaction that you had. Plus Victoria's sketch book is amazing. What a great memories she has in there.
September 16, 2009 - Day 3, Part 1
It's so nice to sleep in after a long day before. I woke up at 9:40 a.m., and Victoria woke up at 10. We showered and got ready for our day at DTD. We left our room at 11:10 a.m. I hadn't gotten a good picture of Tramp yet, so I made sure I did that.
We had to wait a while for a bus, and then had to stand on the way to DTD. Chivalry is dead. A woman ended up giving up her seat for an elderly woman. What's wrong with the men? Why can't these young men rise and give up their seat for a lady - especially an elderly lady? I don't mind standing on the bus, but the elderly shouldn't have to. Off my soap box now...
We didn't get to DTD until noon! It took us 45 minutes to get there. We wanted to eat at WGPExpress again. There was a huge line, and very little seating, and I wasn't about to sit outside in the heat and humidity. When I saw an indoors two-top table open up, I told Victoria to tell me what she wanted and grab the table. She did. I ordered for us.
I got the Chicken Tortilla Foccacia Melt - Spicy all-natural chicken, onions, sautéed red and yellow peppers and oven-roasted tomatoes tossed with tortilla sauce, topped with mozzarella, rolled in a warm, all-natural garlic focaccia bread. Served with a side of sour cream slaw and tortilla chips, creme brulee and a soda. Victoria got the California Turkey Hero - house roasted all natural turkey breast layered with sun-dried tomato and artichoke heart salad, organic spinach and butter lettuce, a brownie and a soda.
I loved my food. It was wonderful. I noticed Victoria nibbling hers. She didn't like it. Geez! What mom's will do for their children. I gave her my food, and I took hers. I didn't care for hers either, but I made do. I basically ate the turkey out of the sandwich. There was something about the sauce that didn't suit us. Oh well. The pictures are pretty!
My tasty treat....
And Victoria's not so tasty....er....treat...
We left WGP and shopped. We went to Once Upon a Toy. I love this store. It is themed so well.
I love the Life spinner on the ceiling.
I took this next picture because I love the Buzz Lightyear doll on the shelf.
The train moving along the track in the store is such a nice touch. Walt would be proud.
We soon found something we had to have for Michael the Bear - Mickey ears! They are so cute! I made my purchase and we made our way out of the store.
Michael now has his Mickey ears on. Cute! We had to pose him with Buzz since Buzz is his favorite.
My new favorite store...
We shopped some more.
We hit every store. I specifically wanted to go into Arribas because we bought Victoria a Tinker Bell from the same store in Disneyland and during our move, the packers didn't pack Miss Bell very well and both of her wings broke off. I was pretty upset about that because it was a birthday present for her and had Disneyland etched on the little cube Tink was sitting on. So, I asked the CM there if they could fix it. He recommended UV glue. I still haven't bought any, but I'm glad to know it will be so easy to fix.
Once we got to Basin, we had to hurry through because lunch was getting to my tummy. Uh oh! I needed to find a restroom. Victoria wanted to buy some soap in Basin, but I told her I could make the same soap for a lot less. I make my own soap, you see. It takes 30 days to cure since I use lye. I it, and so does my DH.
On the way to find a restroom, we saw a concert going on. It was a group of young people from Norway. We decided to watch a little, and the concert ended. I did get a picture of them bowing.
We stopped in McDonald's to borrow their restroom. A CM was attending the restroom and was a bit odd. She would say, "How's everyone doing in here? I want to see feet. No falling in!" Ummmm.....ok. I'm just not used to someone talking to me while I'm trying to do my business, ya know?
We sat at a little booth, and I pulled out our cotton candy from the night before, and we shared a little. I had also brought our refillable mugs. I had put our leftover soda from lunch in them, so we had something to drink, too. We enjoyed the cotton candy.
Victoria thought this touch was cute. It's a piano or organ with hamburgers as the foot pedals.
We left McD's and I grabbed a few pictures of the area. We didn't want to go inside T-Rex because we didn't want to spoil the surprise of that first glimpse of a neat, new place. We like surprises and were fine waiting to go in until we go with Michael.
We heard the Norway group singing again. We went back and sat in the blazing hot sun to listen to them. Sweat poured down my back. Gross. But, this group was really amazing. I took videos. I'll have to upload them to YouTube so you can see them.
We were both stifling hot and sweaty and needed to get indoors. Our ice had melted too fast in our cups. We went to WOD for shopping and to cool off.
I love this picture of Minnie and Mickey.
If you haven't noticed, I love taking pictures, and I love TRs with lots of pictures in them.
We did shop, too. I bought some scrapbook stickers, the Wishes CD, postcards, and each of us a t-shirt for our next trip. The t-shirts have the face of a character on the front, and the rest of their body on the back. I got Mickey for Michael, Goofy for me, and Donald for Victoria. They are so cute. We'll be wearing them in a few weeks. Victoria got some souvenirs for friends and got herself some Haunted Mansion playing cards. They are very cool, and they glow in the dark. My purchase qualified me for the promotionals so I also got the cute WDW tote bag AND the rolling bag.
Unfortunately, I was getting sick. I woke up this morning with a sore throat. I took my Allegra hoping it was allergies. My throat hurt all day and my nose drained down my throat all day. I was sick.
We made our way out of DTD a lot earlier than I had planned. I had to take this picture. You rarely see Quasimodo anywhere.
We went back to Pop. I stopped at Everything Pop for Sudafed PE and Nyquil. ($9 for 8 doses of Nyquil. ) I made more purchases. I bought the Halloween Mickey Ears with the candy corn on top, and Victoria got Tigger and Pooh plushies. Once again, I qualified for the promotional. This time I got the watch for Michael. I think he'll like it. Oh yeah, I got my Disney Visa discount with all of my purchases today.
We went to our room and we found this on our bed.
I took Sudafed. Victoria went to the food court with our mugs and got us drinks and came back with a surprise for me. She had bought a Mickey Hand oven mitt for one of her friends as a souvenir. She knew I was admiring it, too. She came back with a mitt for me, too. She is so sweet and thoughtful.
We turned on the Disney Channel and watched Phineas and Ferb. We love those guys. I was really praying I would start feeling better. I fell asleep at some point and woke up at 7 p.m. We went to the food court for dinner. I didn't take my camera or any pictures. I was not feeling very well. Victoria ordered the nachos again. I don't remember what I got. Victoria got the chocolate cake, and I got the tie dyed cheesecake. I didn't eat it though.
I forgot to mention that our chocolate cakes from the night before survived the backpack and were now on top of our entertainment center. We added Victoria's chocolate cake and my cheesecake to the stash. I knew I didn't need any chocolate.
I took Nyquil, and the Witches of Waverly Place movie was coming on, so we got to see that. It was cute. Then, we went to bed. Ok. I went to bed. I have no clue what Victoria did or when she went to bed. I don't even know when I went to bed. Nyquil does a real number on me, and I was out for the count. I'm not even sure if I got a wake-up call for us. I think I did.
What a great time you had at MNSSHP!! I loved the character interaction you had, especially with the Wonderland crew.
Sorry you weren't feeling good - I hope you felt better after some meds and rest.
I noticed you said you got a discount on all your purchases that day with your Disney Visa. So it's true that it's not just for WoD anymore?
Well, I knew we'd get to the part where you were sick - even though I didn't want you to be. I hope you'll feel better tomorrow, because it is just no fun to be on vacation and be ill.
On the other hand, I love your shopping trip to DTD. I think I want to go shopping with you and Victoria some day - you two know how to get it done!
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And how cool to be able to lie down in the stretching room - that is so neat! 
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We wanted to eat at WGPExpress again. 
There was a huge line, and very little seating, and I wasn't about to sit outside in the heat and humidity. When I saw an indoors two-top table open up, I told Victoria to tell me what she wanted and grab the table. 
I was pretty upset about that because it was a birthday present for her and had Disneyland etched on the little cube Tink was sitting on. So, I asked the CM there if they could fix it. He recommended UV glue. I still haven't bought any, but I'm glad to know it will be so easy to fix.
Uh oh! I needed to find a restroom. Victoria wanted to buy some soap in Basin, but I told her I could make the same soap for a lot less. I make my own soap, you see. It takes 30 days to cure since I use lye. I 
We went to WOD for shopping and to cool off.
I love the Mickey ears for Michael the bear - absolutely adorable. 
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
I think I want to go shopping with you and Victoria some day - you two know how to get it done!
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