Don't Stop - part one of Disney trip COMPLETED - Page 35 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Oh that photo of you and Wendy is fab! I love the baby animal pictures too! I have to say that I love Sanaa and we think it is hands down the best single credit restaurant on Disney property. Did you know that most of the waitstaff was recruited from the signature restaurants? Our waiter told us that in June--he had come from Citricos and was top notch--easily the best service I've ever had at Disney! (especially after our disappearing waitress at CG)
Our server mentioned something about that to us. It is such a great place to eat.
It really sounds like you're having a nice time, Cheryl. I love your pictures from MVMCP. Sorry you were too tired to stay for the parade. We missed you!
Finally catching up, Cheryl! Looks like you had a fabulous time at the Christmas Party surrounded by all those PP friends. And those FP shots are outstanding! Love all of those hats Mark is sporting. Glad you fancied Bay Lake Towers. I hope to try that DVC property soon. What fun to have a reunion with your best buddy! Your pictures of AKV have me yearning for my favorite place on Earth. I do love those savannahs... I could spend hours viewing the animals from our balcony... and usually do! More soon, please!
Saturday 12 December – part four: where’s the pool?
After a while, I decided to head out to take a look at the pool. On the way to the lobby, I found this little alcove area:
Sanaa The lobby
It took me a while to find my way to it and I found it very odd that you had to go through the lobby and out of the front doors and then walk over to the pool and water play area. Not something I would want to do in my swim wear.
It’s not a bad area when you get there, but I just found its location very, very odd. I don’t know what Disney were thinking when they came up with this idea. I appreciate that they were trying to ensure that there were as many rooms as possible with savannah views, but to me, this didn’t work.
Back outside the lobby again
I wandered back to the room and found that my room key wouldn’t work. Closer inspection told me that I had picked up my Bay Lake Tower room key and left the Kidani Village one in the room. Not wanting to wake Mark up, I went back to the lobby (thank goodness I had asked for a room near the lobby!) and got a new key cut before heading back.
Although I adored our room, I was starting to feel a bit isolated at Kidani Village generally. It’s only got one restaurant and bar, which isn’t exactly friendly to pop into to get a drink, at least not in the way you can visit a pool bar for example. There’s a pool that’s some way away from the lobby and you have to walk through the lobby to get to it and the shop is a lot smaller than at Jambo House. I was just feeling a bit out of it here and was beginning to feel that maybe Jambo House was a better choice to stay in.
Once back in the room, I got some more great animal action on the savannah outside:
Eventually Wendy and Ben texted to say that they were on their way to see us. We took some photos out on our balcony...
Next: “I have to pick people up at the next stop.”
Great pictures of the savannah, Cheryl. I agree 100% with you that the location of the pool area at Kidani is horrible! Totally out of the way I loved the design of the pool area itself - but it's quite a trek to get there, as no matter which room you get, I'm pretty sure you always have to go through the lobby first.
Also, I agree that you feel a little bit isolated at Kidani. A counter-service restaurant as well a separate bar would be great. And since the resort is so big, I'm sure it'd pay off, too.
Overall, though, I still absolutely adore Kidani. The villas are beautiful and at least for part of a trip to WDW, I don't mind spending time at a nice and calm resort.
Next: “I have to pick people up at the next stop.”
This is my second favorite picture of you...............
And that is a nice way to say what is about to happen! Much nicer than what I said.
Love that update. As I think back, I wish I had spent yet more time with you while Mark was resting. But I know he wasn't feeling well and I was beginning to feel the affects of traveling, meds and the drink, so I went back for what I thought would be a quick nap! Two hours I was out for the count!!
the pictures of the savanna. I wasn't really bothered by the location of the pool; I kind of liked it even because it was separated. I wear a pool cover up so I didn't feel awkward going through the lobby. But I can see how that might be a problem. I do wish the gift shop was much bigger.
There is no quick service at Kidani ?
Is there a place to get grocery type supplies?
You can get a small selection of grocery type items at Johari Treasures off the lobby, but to be honest, they don't have a big selection - nowhere near what we're used to at the other DVC resorts.
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Aimee
I don’t know what Disney were thinking when they came up with this idea. I appreciate that they were trying to ensure that there were as many rooms as possible with savannah views, but to me, this didn’t work. 
I loved the design of the pool area itself - but it's quite a trek to get there, as no matter which room you get, I'm pretty sure you always have to go through the lobby first. 
the pictures of the savanna. I wasn't really bothered by the location of the pool; I kind of liked it even because it was separated. I wear a pool cover up so I didn't feel awkward going through the lobby. But I can see how that might be a problem. I do wish the gift shop was much bigger.
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