TO GO OR NOT TO GO, THAT IS THE QUESTION!! - Page 7 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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.
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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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Cheryl, I am sorry about your Grams' passing....I hope everything got better at the park. I'm must admit, I'm a little jelous the you get to go to The Lady & Sons in Savannah. I absolutly love Paula Deen! I can't wait to hear more...
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Oh my goodness! I have read your trip report in one sitting and I am exhausted and yet thrilled for you.
First of all - Cheryl - you are amazing! What a great mom you are! You have an amazing amount of energy with all of the things you volunteer for and all of the things you do!
I love all of the history and all of the pictures through the years. Your family is beautiful!
My heart goes out to you for all of the rough stuff you have been through the past year or so. I am so glad you went to be with your grandmother. You will always have that to remember.
I am so happy that you decided to go to WDW again this year.
I am really hoping and sending tons of pixie dust that this trip will be wonderfully magical from beginning to end for ALL of you!
I'm sorry to hear about your Grandmother's passing.
Just to try and make you smile - I have 43 cousins and I insist that I was the favorite grandchild.
Wow Cheryl, what a hard decision to make. Sounds like you made the right one for your family. Hope it gets better in sandusky. I haven't been there but my stepdaughter works in some amusement park there!!! At least she did last time I talked to her. We'll be in Epcot on the 22nd as well. We actually have ressies at Le Cellier. Keep trying for an ADR. Someone may cancel, you never know. Hurry back . Looking forward to hearing more. BTW, I too am my grandmothers favorite
So to hear about your grandmother's passing and your sleepless night. You did the right thing; I'm sure she would have wanted things that way and people understand when you're far away! Hope things get better in the next installment!
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Cheryl - after reading the last couple of updates you so deserve this trip....
I am so sorry for the loss of your grandmother but I am glad that you got to spend time with her at the end.....while she might not have awakened, I am a strong beleiver that they know who is with them.
I am so glad that you decided to go to WDW....I have a feeling that this is going to be a wonderful trip for all of you. And I can't wait to hear about lunch at Paula Deen's....
Oooh, Cheryl - you'll have to let me know what you think of Paula's place and if you wouldn't mind taking some pictures for me I really love her!!! And I noticed both your kids agreed on two restaurants - whoo hooo for you. That makes it somewhat easier I guess . . . . . I'm really sad that your arriving when we're departing I would have loved to have met you
I'm sorry we won't be there at the same time. It is funny how excited Ryan is to be going to Paula's. I've explained she most likely won't be there but he doesn't care!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kristen C.
Cheryl, I am sorry about your Grams' passing....I hope everything got better at the park. I'm must admit, I'm a little jelous the you get to go to The Lady & Sons in Savannah. I absolutly love Paula Deen! I can't wait to hear more...
Thank you. I'm really hoping we get in! I wish they took reservations!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Luvsun
Oh my goodness! I have read your trip report in one sitting and I am exhausted and yet thrilled for you.
First of all - Cheryl - you are amazing! What a great mom you are! You have an amazing amount of energy with all of the things you volunteer for and all of the things you do!
I love all of the history and all of the pictures through the years. Your family is beautiful!
My heart goes out to you for all of the rough stuff you have been through the past year or so. I am so glad you went to be with your grandmother. You will always have that to remember.
I am so happy that you decided to go to WDW again this year.
I am really hoping and sending tons of pixie dust that this trip will be wonderfully magical from beginning to end for ALL of you!
Thank you for your kind words and the pixie dust
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
I am so sorry to read about your grandmother's passing.
Thanks Cheryl
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemap760
I'm sorry to hear about your Grandmother's passing.
Just to try and make you smile - I have 43 cousins and I insist that I was the favorite grandchild.
I'm sure you were!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArielsMomto2
Wow Cheryl, what a hard decision to make. Sounds like you made the right one for your family. Hope it gets better in sandusky. I haven't been there but my stepdaughter works in some amusement park there!!! At least she did last time I talked to her. We'll be in Epcot on the 22nd as well. We actually have ressies at Le Cellier. Keep trying for an ADR. Someone may cancel, you never know. Hurry back . Looking forward to hearing more. BTW, I too am my grandmothers favorite
There are a handful of waterparks (Great WOlf Lodge, Kalahari, Castaway Bay, and a few smaller ones) in/near Sandusky and there is Cedar Point. We are going to Cedar Point in a week or so. I'm sure you are your grandmothers favorite!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DyanKJ130
So to hear about your grandmother's passing and your sleepless night. You did the right thing; I'm sure she would have wanted things that way and people understand when you're far away! Hope things get better in the next installment!
Hi Dyan Thank you, I really am okay with my decision now.
I always tell the boys the best part of the storm is looking for the rainbow afterward!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
Cheryl - after reading the last couple of updates you so deserve this trip....
I am so sorry for the loss of your grandmother but I am glad that you got to spend time with her at the end.....while she might not have awakened, I am a strong beleiver that they know who is with them.
I am so glad that you decided to go to WDW....I have a feeling that this is going to be a wonderful trip for all of you. And I can't wait to hear about lunch at Paula Deen's....
The day of the funeral one of my cousins called to give me the scoop on how things had gone. Everyone was still upset Grandma had died on Mother's Day. I told my cousin it was all my fault. Once I left she had nothing left to live for, she had obviously only been hanging on to be with me SINCE I AM THE FAVORITE!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
I'm sorry about your Grandmother
You're plans look great!! I hope we'll bump into you at some point during the trip
For a week or so I keep worrying about Nick and the hotel at Disney. How are we going to last 10 days with no sleep??? Then I started thinking about Beth (mom to 3 Princesses and 1 Prince) here on the boards. I was so impressed when she moved their reservation to the Poly knowing it would be easier on the family with Christian’s wheelchair. When I had read her pre-trip report I had been so envious! I would never upgrade like that, I am too cheap, or as I like to tell my friends – frugal!!! Or would I??? For a few days the thought of upgrading to the Poly circled around in my head. Should I? Could I? Would I? It really seemed to be a sign that Beth’s trip was in memory of her Nana. Hmmm…
I looked up the numbers on the Disney website. Another $1600 for AKL (bunk bed savannah room) or $1800 for the Poly. The AKL is Eric’s dream hotel, but I really don’t want to be there during construction. If I really cut back and juggled some funds around, this is possible. Then Eric got a check for some work that he had done a while ago and forgot to tell me about. It must be fate! I know I can make this work.
Eric would stay at deluxes for every vacation if he had his way. He insists on a non-parking lot view in a moderate as bare minimum. I would stay in the laundry room of a value resort if it meant another trip or more trips. I knew he would be okay with changing but I worried that he might prefer AKL. So I ventured down to his mad-scientist laboratory:
Me: I’ve been thinking about Nick and the night at Kalahari.
Eric: Hmmm
Me: I don’t think we’ll have fun if he won’t sleep.
Eric: Hmmm
Me: What if he can’t get settled on the trundle bed?
Eric: Hmmm
Me: Maybe we should bring the air mattress and the pump
Eric: NO
Me: The only other solution I could think of would be to upgrade.
Eric: OK
Me: The AKL and Poly are close in costs.
Eric: AKL?
Me: Yeah, it would be a bunk bed room like we had at WL with a savannah view.
Eric: OK
Me: But there is a lot of construction at AKL since they are building the vacation villas for THE VERY LUCKY FAMILIES WHO WILL BE BUYING INTO THE DISNEY VACATION CLUB
Eric: Hmmm
Me: The Poly is just a little more. It would be 2 queen beds and a fold out couch.
Eric: Poly sounds good
Gottcha!!
Maureen had just had Connor so didn’t know what to do. I emailed her and ended up hearing from her AND Lynn (OffKilter Lynn here on the boards). They upgraded me no problem. Thanks ladies! And thank you Beth!
My Poly-stealing friend went to Disney Memorial Day weekend for their vacation. They called me when they checked into the Poly to tell me how beautiful it was (little did they know I had just made my resort switch!!). It was Sunday night and they were going to the Rainforest Café (one of our boys’ favorites).
ME: Sounds good, we all had a great time there last year on the way to our spring break vacation.
Jan: But we’re going to the one at AK.
ME: Okay isn’t it 8:30 pm?
Jan: Yes, so?
ME: Is it open this late?
Jan: Of course it is!
Me: Are you sure?
Jan: I guess we should check? Oh, it closes 90 minutes after the park and the park closed at 8:00.
Me: You should drive there then, you don’t want to get caught without a bus.
Jan: Oh… maybe we’ll just go to DTD.
Me: Probably not a bad idea
However, Jan did rectify her evil-Poly-stealing behavior a few days later. I had sent a card for her daughter’s birthday. I decorated the outside of the envelope and inside was a beautiful Princess card (and some Disney dollars). They called to say thank you and to see if I had received the link for their Photo Pass photos (which I had – they were great and it was fun to see the pictures being added each day). So her dear daughter gets on the phone:
DD: Hi! Thank you for the birthday card.
Me: You are welcome! Are you having fun?
DD: We got you a present. You are going to love it!!!
Me: You got ME a present? Is it a Tinkerbelle?
In the background you can hear Jan yelling for her to let her tell me.
DD: NO, not a Tinkerbell. It is a weird Mickey Mouse statue thing.
More background noise.
Me: Hmmm?
DD: For your gard…..
The phone is finally grabbed away.
Me: DID YOU GET ME A GNOME MICKEY????????
Jan: Yep.
Gnome Mickey in my backyard
I had showed Jan a picture of one and said I wanted one. We have a little gnome troll that wanders the neighborhood. We prank each other with it. A few weeks ago it showed up on a DELUXE potty chair in my front yard. Now we will have to think of a creative way to get rid of it in someone else’s yard. It makes the rounds. On my birthday last year it was sitting in the middle of our yard on a box wrapped in pink birthday paper with streamers and a party hat and horn. I left it in the neighbor across the street’s front yard and built it a log house out of lumber from their back yard. It has sat in beach chairs with sun glasses and an empty tequila bottle, etc… And we wonder why our part of the neighbor hood has a certain reputation…
Travelling Gnome on the DELUXE potty chair. When I called the family who I knew put it there I said "Is that thing sitting on a POTTY CHAIR in my front yard??? Yes, but don't worry it is a DELUXE potty chair. Very exclusive!!
I loved the Gnome Mickey and wanted one for my backyard. He will not associate with the traveling troll gnome. But I thought everyone would get a kick out a Mickey Gnome.
She found it at the store at Fort Wilderness and the clerk told her they are going to be carrying them. I don’t know if that is true.
I also had to show you my Tink stepping stone in the garden!
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Cheryl: I just finished reading your pre trip report from the beginning to your last update about the deluxe potty gnome.
Thank you for sharing your previous trips and pictures it was a fun way to meet you. I hope this trip turns out extra special with your upgrade and maybe Ryan will surprise you and ride some rides and Nick gets a good night sleep dreaming of Buzz's ride.
__________________
They caught us all smiling and looking at the camera!!!
Love the gnome Mickey. Too funny about you and your neighbors moving the gnome around.
The upgrade sounds like it was meant to be. I'm sure you'll love the Polly. Perhaps we'll run into each other. We have a couple of different ADRs at Kona and Ohana that week.
Congrats on the upgrade! And of corse, Congrats on the Mickey Gnome! OMG I can't belive your nieghbors....a potty chair! That's too funny.....it's something I would do to my DSis.....
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to hear about your grandmother's passing and your sleepless night. You did the right thing; I'm sure she would have wanted things that way and people understand when you're far away! Hope things get better in the next installment!
I'm really sad that your arriving when we're departing 
I would have loved to have met you 
It is funny how excited Ryan is to be going to Paula's. I've explained she most likely won't be there but he doesn't care! 
Then I started thinking about Beth (mom to 3 Princesses and 1 Prince) here on the boards. 
I was so impressed when she moved their reservation to the Poly knowing it would be easier on the family with Christian’s wheelchair. When I had read her pre-trip report I had been so envious! I would never upgrade like that, I am too cheap, or as I like to tell my friends – frugal!!! Or would I??? 
For a few days the thought of upgrading to the Poly circled around in my head. Should I? Could I? Would I? It really seemed to be a sign that Beth’s trip was in memory of her Nana.
Hmmm…
The AKL is Eric’s dream hotel, but I really don’t want to be there during construction. 
If I really cut back and juggled some funds around, this is possible.
He insists on a non-parking lot view in a moderate as bare minimum. I would stay in the laundry room of a value resort if it meant another trip or more trips. 
I knew he would be okay with changing but I worried that he might prefer AKL. So I ventured down to his mad-scientist laboratory: 
And thank you Beth!
They called me when they checked into the Poly to tell me how beautiful it was (little did they know I had just made my resort switch!!). 
It was Sunday night and they were going to the Rainforest Café (one of our boys’ favorites). 
I decorated the outside of the envelope and inside was a beautiful Princess card (and some Disney dollars). They called to say thank you and to see if I had received the link for their Photo Pass photos (which I had – they were great and it was fun to see the pictures being added each day). So her dear daughter gets on the phone:
Now we will have to think of a creative way to get rid of it in someone else’s yard. It makes the rounds. On my birthday last year it was sitting in the middle of our yard on a box wrapped in pink birthday paper with streamers and a party hat and horn. 
It has sat in beach chairs with sun glasses and an empty tequila bottle, etc…
And we wonder why our part of the neighbor hood has a certain reputation… 
But I thought everyone would get a kick out a Mickey Gnome.
And congrats on the upgrade to the Poly 
Dreams, Wishes, Hopes... these are the parts of childhood we should never lose.
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