An Animal Kingdom State of Being with Cam and Fam COMPLETED 9/18 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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Great Start - I have been waiting for your TR to start!! The cockpit was very cool! BTW, is that a polka dot Minnie backpack Stef had in the car? So Cute, where did you get that?
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I absolutely LOVE the picture of Stefanie with Mark the pilot!!!! What a great shot!!! And how great that Stefanie got to check out the cockpit and fly the plane!
I am so excited that you've starte. But seriously...how in the heck did I end up 7 pages behind already.
Wow!! What a flight down! The magic has already begun. Yup...we're doin' some Matthews gift bags this year. Tell Stef she looks a natural in that cockpit and we'll need her in November to fly us down to MCO.
Thanks for the Disney love while you were down there, and I'm really looking forward to savoring every minute of this TR.
So glad you've started your trip report! I've been wondering how your trip went. I love your goodie bag for the car and the gift bags for the crew...your magical touch and creative efforts made even the mundane parts of the vacation an experience to remember. Can't wait to read more.
So happy you've started! I get "travel tummy" also...and it's always the worst before I'm going to be flying. On a trip to WDW a few years ago, we had a breakfast ADR at Chef Mickey's on our departure day before heading to the airport. DH took video during that meal and I'm hardly in it as I spent almost the whole meal in the bathroom with a nervous stomach. Thank goodness when we head to WDW in two weeks we'll be driving!
More please!
Stefanie tummy troubles are with the car ride, not the plane. Usually by the time we get to the airport, she is totally fine. She does the same for any fairly long car ride! Wish I could figure out how to help her get past the nerves.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mousestruck
Those goodie bags are such a wonderful idea. How special that Stefanie had the opportunity to check out the cockpit and "fly the plane"! Sounds like your trip was magical right from the start.
We did have a very magical start to our trip even before reaching Florida!
Quote:
Originally Posted by POOH
What a great start. How cool that Stefanie got to sit in the cockpit.
My cousin just told me about The Help over the weekend. She said it was really good. Once she gets it back from her sister-in-law, it's heading my way.
I several chapters in and loving this book. Hope you do, too!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pixar Pixie
All caught up now and just had to say that it was so cool that Stephanie got to sit in the cockpit! Sounds like you had a great crew - I'm thinking that next time I fly it should be Southwest...I'm a nervous flyer but I've heard great things about them...
Looking forward to more!
We have always had the best crews and flights traveling with SWA. The pilots are usually friendly and the attendants are very attentive, even without goody bags. In fact, it was their great service that caused me to create the bags in the first place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
Those were some really powerful goody bags - front row seats, a trip to the cockpit and a smooth flight to MCO.
Hope everything goes well with the shuttle. So strange for a Cam report not to start off with the DME, but I am excited to hear all about your Universal adventures.
It was weird not boarding DME right away. Stefanie is still complaining about that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Wow! That flight was almost a ride at WDW, complete with pre-show. The pilot sounds like a real sweetheart. I'm sure the Crew members really appreciated the goodie bags and the time and thought that went into putting them together. How great for Stefanie!
I wish I had included a picture of Stefanie filling the bags for each of them as they kept complimenting her on them. She really does take the filling and giving out of the bags very seriously.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ariel14
You are a genius for making those goody bags!!!! How that Stefanie got to "fly" the plane!!!
I'm always amazed at how special the crew makes her feel because of the bags.
Quote:
Originally Posted by brandy_mel
So I've been thinking about doing the goodie bags myself, but your story just pushed me over the edge. How cool!! I think my daughter would really get into it.
Can't wait to hear more.
Can't wait to hear how the bags work for your DD!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nimros
That is just the best story ever! I can just imagine how exciting that must have been for Stefanie - driving the plane!! Just goes to show you that a little appreciation goes a long way.
They always tell me how thoughtful I am as they figure I've had a part in the bags. I tell them that as a teacher I truly understand how nice it is to feel a bit of appreciation. Sometimes I think we've run our course on the bags, but then the smiles and joy on the crews' faces, reminds me why we keep doing it. I'm going to be doing bags for a long, long time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrDolphin
Sounds like the flight down was a really great time!! Glad the goody bags were such a success, and that Stephanie got to "fly" the plane!
She still talks about flying the plane!
Quote:
Originally Posted by eff051102
Great pics of Stefanie in the cockpit. Those goodie bags seem to score you some
great luck. Can't wait for more.
They do and they also let a few people know that we are grateful for the job they do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathleenAnn
What a great way to start your vacaction. How exciting for Stefanie to "fly" the plane. I just love the picture of her and your pilot, Mark. She looks so proud and happy!
Enjoy The Help. It is a great book. I hope the movie is as good!
Mark was such a kind individual! I'm looking forward to the movie already and I've only read the first few chapters.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Luvsun
Stefanie flew the plane! You guys did not reveal that little fun news with us! How exciting for her! Those goody bags are such a sweet idea!!
Tell Stefanie she looks like a pro in that pilot's seat!
By the way, I Stefanie's Tink hat! She looks so cute!!!
I must admit to you, that not only am I having WDW withdraw, but I am having
Cam, Luke and Stefanie withdraw! Miss you guys!
I can't believe we forgot to mention that as we were all so excited over it.
She really took flying the plane seriously. She realized later that she never wore the hat with you and it's the one you sent her.
I was working on PhotoPass pictures today when I got to the ones of us riding the float. I missed you and Carly instantly! Stefanie and I are hoping we'll get to see you again!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mandy1627
Oh what a wonderful memory! What a great pilot! I love the photos of Stef "flying the plane!" So much magic and you were not even in the "Disney Bubble" yet! Great flight! Can't wait to hear more!
Our flight down was truly a pleasant and exciting adventure!
Quote:
Originally Posted by omd
Yay your TR has begun ! I have been patiently waiting for it. I feel bad that Stefanie had some tummy troubles so soon but glad that she felt better soon.
The pictures of her in the cockpit were awesome. I love that the pilot let her pretend she was flying the plane. Her expressions were priceless. It was such a wonderful way to start her vacation.
I couldn't fit into the cockpit with Luke and Stefanie (it really is quite small), so I had to rely on Luke's photos to let me know how she was reacting. He said she was very serious about the whole business.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mojjo
What a great start to the trip. I'm so glad it was a smooth flight. And I see nothing wrong with Stef taking credit for a safe landing.
Stefanie had no trouble taking credit!
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoJayMom
Great Start - I have been waiting for your TR to start!! The cockpit was very cool! BTW, is that a polka dot Minnie backpack Stef had in the car? So Cute, where did you get that?
It is a Minnie backpack and we purchased it at the Emporium on Main Street USA (MK) back in November. I did not see them this trip, but then we weren't looking for them either. She also has a matching billfold to go with it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HollyH
I absolutely LOVE the picture of Stefanie with Mark the pilot!!!! What a great shot!!! And how great that Stefanie got to check out the cockpit and fly the plane!
It was fascinating for all of us! Such very kind pilots!
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsteiny23
I am so excited that you've starte. But seriously...how in the heck did I end up 7 pages behind already.
Wow!! What a flight down! The magic has already begun. Yup...we're doin' some Matthews gift bags this year. Tell Stef she looks a natural in that cockpit and we'll need her in November to fly us down to MCO.
Thanks for the Disney love while you were down there, and I'm really looking forward to savoring every minute of this TR.
She did look so comfortable as though she actually knew what to do. Definitely do the bags as your boys will love the added attention. Maybe you can send some Disney love our way in November as we'll be missing our home away from home pretty bad by then.
We don't fly but I was thinking what a great way to show appreciation to those who check us in or those bus drivers who get us to the park safely. What a great idea!! More we want More please!!!!
Yea!!! What a great 1st day! I love all the details you put in your writing. I have to agree w/Ann that I am too going thru DW withdrawls and Cam, Luke & Stefanie withdrawls as well. Hopefully we'll see each other again soon - and then Stefanie can meet Jeff, aka Grumpy, and pick on him all she wants!!!
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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What a cool experience for Stefanie, getting to tour the cockpit! Can't wait to read more.
Tell Stef she looks a natural in that cockpit and we'll need her in November to fly us down to MCO. 
!! The magic has begun for Stefanie already!! Looking forward to more! 
Susan
Deer Isle Mom
Stefanie's Tink hat! 
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