Dreaming of a Disney spring break - part three COMPLETED - Page 45 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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My Internet goes out and your TR gains 4 or 5 more pages. Your pictures of AKL made me homesick. Boma seemed almost deserted while you all were there for breakfast, but the food looked delicious. We've never done breakfast here. The pictures of Shades of Green and the golf course are great, too. I know I'd never be any good at golf, but that course is beautiful. How neat to get Delores again at B&C; she is a doll. Stefanie thinks we should get her every time (and so do I). Now I'm craving a No Way Jose; maybe in June 2012 when we're staying at BWI, we can stroll over for one.
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Oh how I love B&C! And the rooms at BC look great! That's one on our DVC wish list!
Sadly you can't use your DVC points for rooms at the Beach Clubs, as they have the Villas next door, which is the only place at the Beach Club that you can use your points.
Thursday 21 April – part four: it’s always number three
A couple of hours later, we dragged ourselves out again, as I wanted to make it to the Studios at some point this trip. Seriously, despite being so far into our vacation, we had only entered the Studios once so far as part of the Inspiration: Through Walt’s Eyes tour.
We found a Photopass guy as soon as we got there. Actually, we found two and they had a competition to see who could take the best photo.
We walked down to the hub.
I noticed that the next show of the American Idol Experience was just about to start, so in we went. I wanted Mark to see this, but wasn’t sure he’d like it. Now I don’t know about you, but I’ve heard the story that it’s always contestant number three that gets picked. Well, in this show, number one was a 15 year old Canadian girl with a great voice and presence. Number two was a guy who Mark instantly liked, as he was wearing a Grumpy top. He was also a lot of fun and we both voted for him. We looked along our row and saw only votes for either number one or two. So imagine our surprise when number three, who had a superb voice, but was out of tune at points, won it. Everyone coming out was talking about it and how the result had to have been rigged. I felt so sorry for the other two.
From there, we headed for Toy Story Midway Mania, which was showing a 90 minute or a 50 minute wait – I’m not quite sure which, but either was a big improvement on the 140 minute wait it was showing when we came into the park! There was no way the wait looked that long from what we could see of it. We had quite a wait ourselves, even with the Guest Assistance Card, as it seemed to take forever to board the groups of two, the first time we have ever noticed that before.
Finally we were off and we enjoyed the various new scenes that they had added, although yet again, Mark beat me, getting something like 119,000. I think I got about 87,000. Not bad, but not great either.
We next went to One Man’s Dream, as I knew that it had been rehabbed recently and what they have added in is excellent. If you haven’t seen this since the changes, then it’s definitely worth another look. Hopefully, these photos will give you an idea of what to expect. As Mark pointed out, there’s a scene at the back that says “coming soon”, so it doesn’t look like they’re done with the changes just yet.
We stayed for the movie, which as always, was wonderful. I love the way that it’s done in Walt’s word.
Next: one of the best value for money meals on Disney property
I love One Man's Dream. I could spend hours just looking at the little minatures. Unfortunately they are all behind glass so I always end up with glare from the surrounding lights in my photos!
One Mans Dream is such a great exhibit--I always see something that I've missed previously as there is s much to take in. Great pics of the queue at TSMM--all of the theming certainly makes waiting in line interesting!
Looking forward to seeing One Man's Dream this time, as it was down for refurb when we were there last year . That is one of my favorites!
Love the photopass shots of you both on Hollywood Blvd. I've always thought that from that angle it looks like the sorcerer's hat is on your head. Doesn't it? Or is it just me?
Great pictures of One Man's Dream! I could spend HOURS in there, looking at all the tiny details! And on a hot day it is a great spot for cooling off a bit! Glad you got to ride TSMM! That's one of my favorite rides.
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Can't believe you hadn't really spent time at the Studios before this! That happens to me on long trips. I get so relaxed and think I have so much time that I miss things! One trip I'd been at WDW for well over a week without setting foot in MK. One Man's Dream is a must for me on every trip. I always see some new detail and love the movie.
I am finally getting to see One Man's Dream in Oct. (yay for solo trips) I love minatures!! I am currently reading Walt's biography and it's making me itch all the more to see this attraction. Thank you for the photos.
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Your pictures of AKL made me homesick. Boma seemed almost deserted while you all were there for breakfast, but the food looked delicious. We've never done breakfast here. The pictures of Shades of Green and the golf course are great, too. I know I'd never be any good at golf, but that course is beautiful. How neat to get Delores again at B&C; she is a doll. Stefanie thinks we should get her every time (and so do I). Now I'm craving a No Way Jose; maybe in June 2012 when we're staying at BWI, we can stroll over for one. 
PassPorter Guide Author
Everyone coming out was talking about it and how the result had to have been rigged. 
I felt so sorry for the other two. 
There was no way the wait looked that long from what we could see of it. We had quite a wait ourselves, even with the Guest Assistance Card, as it seemed to take forever to board the groups of two, the first time we have ever noticed that before. 
If you haven’t seen this since the changes, then it’s definitely worth another look. Hopefully, these photos will give you an idea of what to expect. As Mark pointed out, there’s a scene at the back that says “coming soon”, so it doesn’t look like they’re done with the changes just yet. 
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