Making Lemonade out of Mousefest **Updated 2/18** COMPLETE - Page 4 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Alrighty everybody I'm back! Thank you for your patience and well wishes. I just talked to Brandon, he had to buy a new cell phone when he got to St Thomas, but he's fine and getting ready to go look for an apartment.
On with the SHOW!
"And I in my kerchief and Stitch in his cap had just settled down for a long winter's nap!"
(Okay okay so I changed the words a little . . . again . . . I've been sleeping with my Winter time Stitch . . . he wears a cap!)
I have started my spreadsheet. In fact, I think I've finished it . . . almost maybe or not. I have TWO naps scheduled into my 6 busy days. I might try and squeeze in a third, but there's just too much to do on Saturday. I spent some down time at work the other day making a list of my MUST dos and a list of the attractions I have never done. So instead of napping I'll be watching lots of shows. The vast majority of the things I've never been to seem to be sit down shows. I'm going to try and do at least a couple of the never dones . . . I've marked the ones I want to do this trip with a star. So without further adieu here are the lists!
Magic Kingdom Must Dos: /Never Done: Haunted Mansion /LS Riverboat
Splash Mountain /Tom Sawyer's Island*
Big Thunder /Country Bear Jamboree
Pirates /Aladdin's Carpets
Philharmagic /Dumbo*
Peter Pan /Cinderella's Carosel
Buzz Lightyear /Astro Orbiter
/Monster's Inc Laugh Floor*
/Stitch's Great Escape*
/Goofy's Barnstormer
EPCOT
Must Do: /Never Done: Soarin /Circle of Life
Living with the Land /Honey I Shrunk the *
Mission Space /Reflections of China
Imagination /American Adventure*
Maelstrom /Impressions of France
Illuminations/ O Canada
DHS (this list of Nevers is LONG! I don't think I spend enough time here)
Must Do: /Never Done: Tower of Terror/ Indiana Jones
Toy Story Mania /Lights Motor Action
Rockin Roller Coaster/ Magic of Animation*
/Journey into Narnia
/One Man's Dream*
/Beauty and the Beast*
Animal Kingdom
Must Do: /Never Done: Expedition Everest/ Rafiki's Planet Watch*
Kali River Rapids /Flights of Wonder
Dinosaur /Finding Nemo*
Kilimanjaro Safari /Triceratop Spin
Festival of the Lion King
(OKAY I had two nice columns but the formatting monster keeps taking out my "extra" spaces between words . . . I hope it still makes sense)
So we'll see what I actually accomplish in between Mousefest meets.
I've actually decided to attend far fewer meets than I thought I would initially, because I really want to be able to spend some time exploring the parks on my own.
Up next . . . A Clatter . . . how about a margarita instead?
Looks like Brandon had a safe trip. Wishing him good luck on finding a place to live quickly. Your plans for Mousefest are well laid out and very very busy. Hope you will be able to get some of the "never dones" done this trip. I understand why you are not planning on doing a lot of the Mousefest events.
Great update! Glad you got Brandon off okay and that he arrived safely! Your plans look awesome - the lists!! You've got quite a few on there that I just know you will fall in love with. Looking forward to more
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
There isn't really anything the matter . . . although there has been some Clatter . . . I've made some changes . . . aren't we surprised! I also think I've finished my list of Mousefest Meets!
I have added lunch at Crystal Palace on my last day! I haven't eaten at the CP since I was a child and it was cafeteria style. Anyone else remember those days?
I'm working on adding in one more sit down meal, but I don't know where yet.
On the first day of Mousefest my flight gets in at 11:15. I don't think I'm going to make it to the MF kick off. I have to catch DME and get checked in and pick up my Owners Locker from Bell Services.
I am going to try and make it to Mike Scopa's Dole Whip meet at 3pm, but first I have to trade in my exchange certificate for an AP and start racking up those Photopass Pics on Main Street!
Then I'll be heading out to the Columbia Harbor House dinner and having fun at MVMCP! I'll be at the fireworks and parade meets for sure.
Day 2 was the hardest day for me to deal with. I decided to ditch out on AK in the am unless I wake up and feel amazing. I'm working a ton and I know I'm going to need to get some rest. I'm planning on just going right to DHS for my 11:30 lunch reservation at HBD.
In the afternoon I'm going to walk over to the DVC Merry Mixer and try and catch Beauty and the Beast. Then I'll be in Epcot at Italy for the Passporter meet!
Day 3 was by far the easiest to organize. I am going directly to DHS when they open for FP for TSMM and hopefully a ride on the TOT and RNRR before I walk over to the Beach Club for the MMM!
After the MMM its back to Saratoga Springs to pick up the goodies for my Margarita Meet! Margaritas are at 4 everyone . . .FOUR!
Then its on to the PP dinner at the lagoon meet at 5. Some wandering and such and then the Illuminations meet at 8.
Day 4 should be lots of fun. Im getting up to be at the MK for the Mini Mouse Adventure with Disnoid! After that I'll be at the ornament exchange! In the evening I'm going back to DHS to see Fantasmic and hang out at EMHs
I don't have any meets planned for Monday. I won't be at the PP good bye party because I really want to see Spectro Magic and regular Wishes.
So thats my week. I tried not to plan too much, because this is my vacation and its also my first solo trip. Now back to the spread sheet. I need to figure out that extra meal!
First, and congrats to Brandon! I think I forgot to mention that last time. Second, it sounds like you've got some fun times ahead of you! I'm looking forward to meeting you!
__________________
Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
Like the changes, Heather! Looking forward to the possibility of some live updates!!
I'll be working on it! Just a few more days now. Have to get through all those days of work and get packed!
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrincessSharon
First, and congrats to Brandon! I think I forgot to mention that last time. Second, it sounds like you've got some fun times ahead of you! I'm looking forward to meeting you!
I'm excited to meet you too and all of the other PP traveling next week!
Please keep your hands and arms inside the ride vehicle. This is NOT a real trip update, but for those of you who have been following the saga this is a LIFE update. Please refrain from flash photography as it may adversely affect the writer.
Brandon is doing fine in St. Thomas. He has found an apartment and start his orientation today, which I guess slots him for actually starting work at the Ritz on Thursday or Friday. He'll be working as a Cook II in the fine dining restaurant.
As for me, I applied for some positions down there, but they are once again in a hiring freeze, as I believe quite a bit of our company is now. Plus, I've been working so much that I don't know how they would cover my shifts if they can't hire anybody. So I'm staying put for awhile.
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the lists!! You've got quite a few on there that I just know you will fall in love with. Looking forward to more
and congrats to Brandon! I think I forgot to mention that last time. Second, it sounds like you've got some fun times ahead of you! I'm looking forward to meeting you!
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