A Dream is a Wish--Mini-TR [UPDATED WITH PIX posts 316 & 320] - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I know! It was pricy, and bigger than we needed, but my DDad is a sucker for an upgrade. We chose this one because it had a more open floor plan. We're both cooks (not DH or DMom as much) and love to socialize from the kitchen. The only thing this place is missing is bar stools, but we'll make due. Sure feels like a rental palace.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Savings update! We have recovered from the hit we took in December. Today, I am $23.6 to goal!This is not counting what will come from a tax return, as I haven't done my taxes yet. That should bump us up to about %40. I've lost some momentum, but I'm still on my way.
At this point, with the house rented, the trip will happen. I will just have to take $ from my SE Asia fund if needed.
The tickerfactory is not working at all this AM, so I'll have to update the ticker later.
Currently having tons of fun making spreadsheets for use in DCA tour planning. I'm using the historical wait times posted at touringplans for that week, adjusting up to weekend crowds although we will be there on weekdays for the most part. I'm one of those 20-min-or-less riders, otherwise I feel like I'm wasting my life, KWIM? I do make exceptions for myself, but not with DDad and DS in tow, they just can't take it.
The more I look at the FP shuffle I'm going to need to do to keep things moving (DS won't do "scary" rides, but he loved RSR and Soarin' last time), the more I appreciate FP+! I know there are a lot of WDW veterans that are annoyed with FP+, but I'm in LOVE with it. No idea how it works with APs though...but that's not my situation.
Anyways, here's what I've got so far.
Most of group go to TSMM, I run to FP kiosk by It’s a bug’s life, then meet at TSMM.
Ride TSMM
Ride TSMM, Carousell, other Paradise Pier rides (swings, wheel, goofy, jellyfish, zephyr)
At RSR time slot, I run to get FP to Soarin’, then meet group at RSR
The hard part is not knowing when our FP return times will be, so the plan has to flex for that.
I was worried that there wouldn't be enough to plan on this trip, but I was wrong!
I hear you about not waiting more than 20 minutes. I wasn't sure with your plans, but I'm guessing when you say about going to the FP kiosk at It's A Bug Life, you mean the Fastpasses for Radiator Spring Racers?
Good plans! I know that you're staying offsite, and I'm considering staying offsite myself. Any idea how people make out with getting FP's for RSR, when they can't be there for early entry with resort guests?
I hear you about not waiting more than 20 minutes. I wasn't sure with your plans, but I'm guessing when you say about going to the FP kiosk at It's A Bug Life, you mean the Fastpasses for Radiator Spring Racers?
Right, Cheryl, that's right. Apparently that's where the FP machine is for RSR. I haven't ever been there, so I'm taking the internet's word for it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pamcarey
Good plans! I know that you're staying offsite, and I'm considering staying offsite myself. Any idea how people make out with getting FP's for RSR, when they can't be there for early entry with resort guests?
So, what I'm reading says that they don't distribute them during early entry, the only FP early entry guests can get is WOC, apparently, unless my sources are outdated. I plan to avoid early entry days at DCA if it's possible with our itinerary.
Right, Cheryl, that's right. Apparently that's where the FP machine is for RSR. I haven't ever been there, so I'm taking the internet's word for it.
That sounds about right.
Quote:
So, what I'm reading says that they don't distribute them during early entry, the only FP early entry guests can get is WOC, apparently, unless my sources are outdated. I plan to avoid early entry days at DCA if it's possible with our itinerary.
When we were last there, and bear in mind this was December 2012, so quite some time ago now, anyone on early entry could get in line for Fastpasses. Now I'm desperately trying to remember how this worked, but I know early entry guests got the first go at Radiator Springs Racers Fastpasses.
When I was there-- like Cheryl, also in 2012, you could get in line for FP at early opening, but the FP distribution didn't start until regular park opening time. It just baffled me that people would spend the entire early entry time standing in a non-moving line!
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Oh boy. This makes sense. I will not have a FP for RSR on my plan on Early Entry days.
Did I already say that this FP jockeying is making me really appreciate FP+? I, for one, am looking forward to FP+ making it's way to DLR.
What can anyone tell me about It's a Bug's Land? This seems like it's "just for the kids", and I don't want to spend prime time in there. I'm thinking it might be a good spot when we all need a rest from touring (Can't beat Redwood Creek Trail for this, though). I'm also thinking it might be very nice at night, as a place to escape the crowds.
I haven't seen Bug's Life, so the whole theme is a little lost on me. The reviews are pretty good, so I'm going to try to watch it before our trip.
What can anyone tell me about It's a Bug's Land? This seems like it's "just for the kids", and I don't want to spend prime time in there. I'm thinking it might be a good spot when we all need a rest from touring (Can't beat Redwood Creek Trail for this, though). I'm also thinking it might be very nice at night, as a place to escape the crowds.
It is pretty much for kids, although It's Tough To Be A Bug is not for the youngest kids and, if you've seen it in WDW, you don't need to worry about doing it in California.