Triple dip, triple surprise, big birthday blow-out Dream cruise - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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
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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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The den looks like a very comfortable room. I think I'd really enjoy HHI in the winter. The sea and sky and winter landscape is probably beautiful and dramatic.
I love that Disney decided to include all those little details in the HHI resort. I haven't been there yet, but I'm hoping to talk my parents into a weekend there sometime soon!
All caught up!! Great pictures...love the ones of the storm. If it makes you feel any better, every time we drive to Florida, we hit bad storms in N. Carolina also.
OK, SORRY, I know I've been a total slacker on this report. I believe I may have said the Labor Day soccer tournament was going to get in my way, and that's been over now for what, almost two weeks!?
We have a LOT going on at our house right now and sadly, it's actually keeping me completely off the boards at times. To summarize the biggest three issues:
1. I am laid off from work, and trying to find a new job
2. DH is battling some medical things that are pretty serious, and keeping him out of work for days at a time, and unable to drive AT ALL (so we joke that my new job is actually chauffeur! If only I could figure out how to get PAID for it!)
3. We're dealing with some school battles with DD (can I just tell you, my 3 most despised words: at grade level!!! If you KNOW a kid is smart, and I mean REALLY smart - and not just according to me, but according to many professionals - why would you not think it a problem if same kid is reading at the very lowest reading level for their grade?!)
And then, I realized how little I did in note-taking on this trip, mostly because it was to places we've already been so many times. So while the Dream was a new (fabulous) experience, the rest was not, and my notes suffer because of it. I do, however, have MANY pictures, so I've decided this may be a mostly pictorial TR. I have been piping in on other PTR's to answer questions or give my two cents about the Dream, so I hope that is proving helpful to someone, since I don't know that this TR will really be all that enlightening.
Without further ado, here are today's picture updates!
Thanks to a link found here on the boards, I'd purchased some nail tattoos prior to the trip, and DD & I put them on the night before we sailed. They were a lot of fun - and many people commented on my nails during the trip.
With two coats of clear polish over them (and one under), mine actually made it 2 weeks. DD's came off much faster, but she's harder on her nails (she's only 11, and was in the pool a LOT more than me).
Here was the sign I'd be waiting to see:
Our hotel shuttle got us to the terminal pretty close to 11 am, and we were soon in line. The Castaway Club line was only a tiny bit shorter than the regular line. We were told that of the 4000 or so people on our sailing, there were 1200 DVC members! The DVC folks joked that this was actually the DVC members' cruise! I also had the sense that the repeat sailors FAR outnumbered the first timers.
We were on the ship shortly after 12, and had planned to eat at Enchanted Garden, but we were directed up to Cabanas as they said EG was pretty much full. I will say, I like Cabanas MUCH more than Beach Blanket or Topsiders on the Wonder/Magic. It is set up really well, and had LOTS of great choices. Here is my plate from lunch:
By the time we finished eating, it was close to the time rooms were supposed to be ready. But first, I popped up to Palo to see about brunch reservations. They were taking inquiries on that at 1 pm (and it wasn't in a lounge like on the Magic/Wonder, it was right at the check-in desk for the restaurant). No luck. No brunch ressies at all, but they put us on a wait list in case someone cancelled (WHO would do that?! )
We were staying in a category 5A room for the first part of our cruise. We were on deck 8, mid-forward. Here's the room:
And the kids & I on the verandah:
Our door, complete with the DVC magnet there waiting for us, and some magnets we brought along:
OK, I'm going to post this now, and promise to try getting back sooner with another installment!
I loved cabanas. Now is this Aug 16? I ate there too that day.
And it was so good. Did you have one of the chocolate chip cookies... I had 2...or maybe 3 . And a bowl of icecream that was ooh so good too!
I hate when real life gets in the way, and I have a lot of real life getting in the way lately too
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Sorry about the things going on in your life. that things start getting better for everyone soon!
Thanks for the pics! Your room looks nice and comfy! Bummer you didn't get brunch, but I'm looking forward to hearing how the rest of your meals go!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Oh, dear... real life is definitely getting in the way of Disney for you right now. Sending job and health and school
I have those same nail decals and love them. I currently have Mickey on my thumbnails and Piglet on my big toes!!
I think a mostly pictorial report will be fine!
Quote:
Originally Posted by rescuesk
Love your nails!!! And for your DH and for your job search!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Pixies for everything going on!
Love the nails! Sorry about the Palo ressie!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
So sorry to hear about everything you're dealing with right now.
Thanks for the pixies everyone!
Quote:
Originally Posted by jenseib
I loved cabanas. Now is this Aug 16? I ate there too that day.
And it was so good. Did you have one of the chocolate chip cookies... I had 2...or maybe 3 . And a bowl of icecream that was ooh so good too!
I hate when real life gets in the way, and I have a lot of real life getting in the way lately too
Jen, yes, it was August 16th! I was looking for you, but didn't spot you!
I didn't have a cookie then, had the strawberry tart. But don't worry, I had PLENTY of chocolate chip cookies (including via room service) during our 9 days!
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Disney Magic - Oct 2015
I believe I may have said the Labor Day soccer tournament was going to get in my way, and that's been over now for what, almost two weeks!? 
If you KNOW a kid is smart, and I mean REALLY smart - and not just according to me, but according to many professionals - why would you not think it a problem if same kid is reading at the very lowest reading level for their grade?!)
No brunch ressies at all, but they put us on a wait list in case someone cancelled (WHO would do that?! 
) 
that things start getting better for everyone soon!
Sorry about the Palo ressie! 
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