Forums Closed
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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!
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Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
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05-02-2005, 08:23 AM
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#91
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Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ohio Football Hall Of Fame
Posts: 42,304
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
Your meal looked awesome Maureen, my husband would be in heaven!!Can't wait to read more!!!
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05-02-2005, 09:27 AM
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#92
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Wannabe Snowbird
Join Date: May 2002
Concierge Level: 7
Posts: 34,137
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
Wow! That sounds like you had a great day! Looking forward to more!
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05-02-2005, 11:10 AM
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#93
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Community Rank: Explorer 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Columbia, SC
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 7,014
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
What a fantastic day, Maureen! You two are certainly making the most of your time!
We ate in that John's Pizzeria after seeing Thoroughly Modern Millie - - I think we just had pizza though! We ate at Carmine's for lunch one day before seeing The Producers - - it was delicious as well and SO much food! Of course, my DH was especially excited because we sat beside Don Shula from the Miami Dolphins! 
Keep it coming, girl!
Jill |
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Sponsored links
Check out the many e-books by PassPorter. The e-books are free to download if you have a PassPorter's Club pass.
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05-02-2005, 11:26 AM
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#94
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Community Rank: Globetrotter 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Corona, New York
Posts: 3,436
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
<font color="purple"> Great updates Maureen! It's funny how I beam with pride  when someone speaks highly of NYC! As if, I had something to do with it!   </font> |
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05-02-2005, 12:29 PM
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#95
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Community Rank: Adventurer 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Media, PA
Posts: 532
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
Maureen, I'm just catching up on your trip report and LOVING it. Your pictures are great! Looking forward to more.
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05-02-2005, 02:11 PM
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#96
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Community Rank: Jetsetter 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: 2 hour plane ride from the Magic
Posts: 2,761
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
Looking forward to more! I just  NYC. |
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05-02-2005, 03:10 PM
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#97
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,547
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
Sounds like you had a great time, Toys'R'Us times Square is AWESOME! We had so much fun in there, lmao! We brought my little cousin who had a ball, even though the line was too long to ride the ferris wheel. I remember the animatronic dinosaurs being really cool, and the life-size Barbie Dream House and Candyland were really cute!
I want to see Spamalot sooo bad! I love Tim Curry from my obsession with Rocky Horror, lmao, and the rest of the cast is great. Tickets have been soldout for a WHILE, though, but my dad's planning on getting tickets for the 4 of us for around Chistmas time, and my aunt, uncle, cousins and grandparents are looking into it as well. It's supposed to be great!
I can't wait for more... I LOVE Central Park  I wish I would have known you were going to be in the city beforehand... I know some really great places you guys could have checked out! |
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05-02-2005, 05:22 PM
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#98
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Community Rank: Legend 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Newtown Square, PA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 23,859
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
That Toys R Us is something else, isn't it?!?!  Great update Maureen and great pics!! |
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05-02-2005, 07:17 PM
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#99
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Living Seas wannabe
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 31,940
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
OOOHHHH Spamalot!!! I SO want to see that!!! Wow -- what a wonderful evening - the restaurant looks wonderful and your trip to Toys R Us looked fun too!
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05-02-2005, 08:32 PM
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#100
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Tulsa, OK
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 21,627
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
You had a wonderful day...WOW Toys R Us is really huge. The more I read your report the more I want to go back to NYC.
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05-02-2005, 08:55 PM
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#101
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Posts: 10,721
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
Thanks for all the great posts and replies- I am glad you guys like this report!!
Day 2 Part 1
Kevan was up at 6:00 am – way earlier than he needed to be. I stirred as I heard him muttering loudly in the shower, so I yelled out to him to ask what the problem was- no hot water! After it had run about 10 minutes, it got warmer and he said it was a little better.
There was no way I was getting in then- so I decided to stay in bed and give it another 30 or 45 minutes to warm up. The New York Times was out by our door- so I read it for awhile in bed, watching morning television. Kevan decided to head out to find us some breakfast and after he left- I decided to brave the shower. It was plenty hot for me- and by the time he returned, I was almost completely dressed and ready. He brought me Dunkin Donuts- I love donuts and coffee.
By about 7:30 we were on our way out the door. The first item of business was to get our subway Metro Cards. We used the Grand Central Station Subway entrance and found the vending machines for the Metrocards easily. Stick in the credit card, follow the prompts and poof! Metrocards.
Kevan had studied the lines so he led me on to one and then on another with no problems and we ended up exactly where we were supposed to be- just two blocks from Central Park West. It was pretty cold- the wind was blowing and the temperature still pretty low. As we approached the park- we walked by the Dakota Apartments- where John Lennon was killed in 1980.
We entered Central Park via Strawberry Fields and the Imagine memorial was right there as we entered. Strawberry Fields is designated as a “quiet zone” portion of the park- so it was very peaceful.
We headed out of the Strawberry Fields area and followed the outer perimeter of the park around. We had walked for some time when we stopped and mapped out a plan. We could go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art- as planned but that would mean at least another mile or so of walking- so I told Kevan maybe it would be better to head towards the Central Park Zoo first. We decided to do that.
People were out and about all over Central Park. Biking, jogging and painting- all with the skyline of the city towering over the green trees. Seeing it on television and film doesn’t do it nearly near the justice it deserves- the whole park was breathtaking. I must have taken over 75 photos in this span of time- here are a few of the better ones and photo shop distorted them a bit though..
 
On the way to the Zoo- we came across a building called the Dairy. In the early days of the park, it was part of the area designated for children and sold ice cream, tickets for the carousel and other items.
 
We got to the entrance of the Zoo at about 9:15 and since it did not open until 10:00- we had a bit of a wait so we just sat on the benches to people watch.
Lots of people were walking their dogs and I heard Kevan say “Look- is that, is that a bear??” A man was walking an extremely large animal covered in black fur and we realized it was in fact a dog. We sat there laughing for a few minutes because it did look like the guy was walking a black bear in Central Park! I wish I had gotten a picture of it but I didn’t think about it at the time.
Coming Up Next: Behold the penguins!!! |
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05-02-2005, 09:08 PM
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#102
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Posts: 10,721
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
Day 2 Part 2- Behold the Penguins
We were the second set of guests to get into the zoo and luckily for me- the Polar Circle was the opposite direction of where everyone else was going. This made me pick up the pace faster.
It’s really a small building and it just has the penguins and puffins- when we entered it naturally had the fish stink- it’s the same anywhere where penguins around I suppose, just goes with the territory. Oh and it was cold. Duh. As we approached the glass- the little guys went nuts- we were probably the first humans they had seen in a few hours and all of a sudden they started diving and jumping. It was hilarious! Soo cute! There must have been at least 40 or so. I was in heaven.
We had about 10 minutes before people started coming in so somehow Kevan managed to pull me out of there. Also within the Polar Circle section were the polar bears- these were some of the biggest I have ever seen. The zookeepers had put out big plastic buckets and boxes which the bears were really interested in kicking around.
Next we visited two of the oldest sea lions in the US- they got a special habitat all to themselves. The sign noted that one of them was almost completely blind but she seemed very happy and relaxed in her home. I thought they surely deserved a place of their own!
We made our way out of the Polar Circle area into the other displays. Among them were the red panda exhibit- I was expecting something similar to a panda but it looked more like a raccoon and was extremely camera and people shy. There also were a few species of monkeys on display.
All of the environments were extremely well done here- I was really impressed with the level of facilities for such a small zoological park.
On our way out, we went through the Temperate Rain Forest and it was so humid Kevan’s glasses immediately fogged up.
There were several varieties of animals on display including a gorgeous bird in the peacock family whose name escapes me. There were also some huge turtles and an ant farm that was the size of a wall.
We had done just about everything there was in the span of about an hour and decided to stop off for some coffee at the zoo café before moving on. They had Starbucks there so we both took advantage (at home we don’t have Starbucks) and then headed over to the zoo gift shop.
We looked all over the Zoo-tique, as it was called for some good penguin loot but there really wasn’t anything I liked- the Sea World Store at MCO has more so I decided to just blow the penguin stuff wad there instead of here. We did find some really cute Central Park Zoo tumblers and got one for each of the kids. They were $3 a piece – so we left the Zoo only about $16 poorer.
Coming Up Next: A long awaited lunch! |
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05-02-2005, 09:23 PM
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#103
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Community Rank: Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Posts: 27,691
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
Cool! I would love to just sit in Cental Park and people watch. When I lived in Costa Rica, we would sit in the parks there and people watch forever. I don't know what's so fun about it; seeing all the different styles, I guess Sounds like a great trip so far, Mo. |
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05-02-2005, 09:59 PM
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#104
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Community Rank: Globetrotter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NC
Posts: 3,536
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
Great update, your dinner looked great and wow that polar bear has some huge paws!!
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05-02-2005, 10:08 PM
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#105
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Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ohio Football Hall Of Fame
Posts: 42,304
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Re: Austins in the Big Apple- 4/29- Times Sq/World of Disney!
Great report Maureen!! You see some really strange things in NYC, so a bear is not out of the question! Would have been so funny to see the guy walking that dog!! I am so gald that you enjoyed the zoo! Hurry back with more please!!!
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