A Day out with Thomas and Dutch Wonderland COMPLETED 7/26 - Page 5 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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.
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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So glad you are writing a TR about Dutch Wonderland! I really want to take my kids here! Oh and those wiggle cars--they cost $150 here in Mexico.
If you ever get the chance to go - you should, especially if you have little ones. It really is a nice place. Glad you are enjoying the TR, Thx for reading.
Holly I am enjoying your TR. Looks like a blast with your mom and the boys. Sorry about the fighting, and tears. What luck missing the rain at lunch. I would have been a little annoyed too with the Hot Dog in thenpark and then wanting a Hot dog in Friendly's too. We do occasionally get that from Skyler too so I feel your pain. Glad the boys each won a prize of their own. It looks like they're all smiles though. More please.
Post date July 8, 2010
Day 2 Part 3, Sunday June 13, 2010
Our next stop was these little trains you ride on and “pedal” with your hands – if that makes sense? The photos will make it clear.
Next it was bio break time and we spotted a little area with some rocks that that boys could climb on – expending what little energy they had left (hopefully getting good and tired for tonight ).
Evan showing me how strong he is
All over DW are these little distractions, see prior photos – a pretzel, chicken, and things like a one room school house where the boys could ring the school bell and draw on the chalk board. To my surprise Evan picked up the chalk and started to trace his hand which is how he “signs” his name. (all my Mother’s day/ birthday and Christmas cards has his hand traced on them). I just had to take a picture it was so cute.
Of course after I made a big fuss over how it was the most beautiful picture I ever saw. Eric traced his hand and then we had to fawn all over him too.
Next it was back to the turnpike and Evan went on it at least 3 times in a row and it might have been 4 before I told him no more. Then it was off to the shooting gallery. I helped Eric by aiming and he pulled the trigger out of say 20 shots I think he hit about 5 – not bad.
Then we headed over to the Silo slide – just a twisting slide but the ladder was inside a silo. The boys must have gone down this thing about 20 times. Mom and I sat on the bench and the quick break was very much welcomed.
Next to come the worst ride in the whole park. They have this upside down house – oh it’s awful. You go into this house (the size of a large shed) and you sit on a bench in the middle of the house. They have a fake interior painted on the walls. The last thing the worker says as she leave is “if you feel queasy, just shut your eyes” Queasy, why should I feel queasy? So you are sitting there and the house begins to rotate it goes over the top of you, not around you. You don’t move but you get that horrible trick on your eyes. I think I lasted about 3 seconds before I closed my eyes. My mom made it about 10 seconds. The boys were fine. I don’t do these types of rides anymore, ever since the virtual reality Aladdin Magic Carpet ride at Disney Quest. I was nauseous for about 4 hours after that – God it was horrible.
After leaving that poor choice we headed over so the boys could ride the airplanes. I had gotten a new camera for this trip and hadn’t figured out to change the settings to get action shots so I couldn’t get anything here. (same as on the whip).
It was now time to leave, as he were about to exit the park he hoped on the train one last time. After we pulled back into the station the park was officially closed.
DW has there own version of a kiss goodnight. They had a band playing in the courtyard and Evan was really loving the music and dancing, Eric too. I tried to post a short video but I couldn't get it work. Hopefully will get and answer to my post on the boards and be able to post it soon.
So now it was 8:30 we were hot and tired and Eric wanted to call his mommy to talk to her. We realized we were all too. We walked back to the hotel and got in the car. I just told my mom to take a left and we will find something. The first place we saw was Sonic. I’ve never eaten at a Sonic, I see their commercials on TV all the time but there aren’t any around my house. I do know you eat in your car and they bring your food to you. I thought that would be something neat for the boys so we bellied up. However, after we got the food I realized how messy a 3 and 4 year old are and since we were in the front seat and they were in the back seat, it made it difficult to keep our eyes on them. My mom is pretty obsessive about keeping her car neat so I was nervous they would make a mess. The boys both had chicken nugget meals and were really good at keeping things neat. However, I spilled one of their milks in the front seat . I felt really bad and I knew it would stink in the morning but there wasn’t much more I could do until we got back to the hotel and I wasn’t going to cry over spilt milk. For my meal I got a burger and was surprisingly good. I don’t remember what mom had.
Once we got back to the hotel Mom went out to the car to clean it up. She did a nice job because it didn’t smell the next day yay! I gave the boys a quick bath and pulled out books to read. Hoping by keeping the same bedtime routine as at home they would calm them down and go to bed easily. Mom came in just as the books were about to be read and she read to the boys. I think they were both just overly tired because when they actually did lie down to go to sleep, the sillies started. I was tired and knew we needed to be up early the next morning and I just wanted Evan to go to sleep. He took a good hour to fall asleep, once Evan was asleep now it was Eric’s turn as he was still awake. I think it was close to 11pm before Eric fell asleep. I went to bed around midnight and didn’t fall asleep until almost 1am. Let’s just say this was NOT the best night’s sleep I’ve had.
Sounds like a great day. Sorry about he upsidedown house making you queasy. And sorry about having trouble getting the boys to bed. I feel your pain on getting a little one to sleep. Glad you liked Sonic. More please.
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Sounds like everyone is having a great time. I love Lancaster and have been there many times. We took the kids to the pretzel factory when they were young and they enjoyed it. Can't wait to read more.
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.
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Holly: 
). 
. (all my Mother’s day/ birthday and Christmas cards has his hand traced on them). I just had to take a picture it was so cute.
Then it was off to the shooting gallery. I helped Eric by aiming and he pulled the trigger out of say 20 shots I think he hit about 5 – not bad. 
So you are sitting there and the house begins to rotate it goes over the top of you, not around you. You don’t move but you get that horrible trick on your eyes. I think I lasted about 3 seconds before I closed my eyes. My mom made it about 10 seconds. The boys were fine. I don’t do these types of rides anymore, ever since the virtual reality Aladdin Magic Carpet ride at Disney Quest. I was nauseous for about 4 hours after that – God it was horrible.
(same as on the whip).
too. We walked back to the hotel and got in the car. I just told my mom to take a left and we will find something. The first place we saw was Sonic. I’ve never eaten at a Sonic, I see their commercials on TV all the time but there aren’t any around my house. I do know you eat in your car and they bring your food to you. I thought that would be something neat for the boys so we bellied up
. I felt really bad and I knew it would stink in the morning but there wasn’t much more I could do until we got back to the hotel and I wasn’t going to cry over spilt milk. For my meal I got a burger and was surprisingly good. I don’t remember what mom had.
I was tired and knew we needed to be up early the next morning and I just wanted Evan to go to sleep. He took a good hour to fall asleep, once Evan was asleep now it was Eric’s turn as he was still awake. I think it was close to 11pm before Eric fell asleep. I went to bed around midnight and didn’t fall asleep until almost 1am.
Let’s just say this was NOT the best night’s sleep I’ve had. 
Lisa 
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