My Best Trip Ever! A Disney Trip 10 Years in the Making - Page 8 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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Hey Everyone-I just found out a tip I submitted it going into this week's newsletter. I sent in one about getting a birthday button and one about identifing your stroller or rental car. Not sure which one they selected but be sure to look for it on this week'd newsletter. Pretty cool.
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How sweet that you got to share the MSEP with Evan. Definitely a great day!
I keep reliving that moment in my head.
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Originally Posted by chezp
What a wonderful rest of the day, filled with some great experiences!
It really was a nice night
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Originally Posted by lauriep
Great evening! I'm a huge fan of MSEP also. Do I sense some turbulence ahead? Worried about adult meltdowns and some repercussions following changing in your sister's room-- can't imagine what that is!
Oh it is a big one, but you'll have to wait to find out.
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Originally Posted by Cam22
Glad you all got to enjoy ITtBaB, though the other family could have been patient in getting into their seats. Sounds like the afternoon downtown was a wise choice. Wonderful evening at MK!
Thankfully Evan is still small enough to sit on my lap.
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Originally Posted by OhToodles!
Fantastic night! So glad you got to see your favorite show. I love it too!
Thanks I really do love that parade. I was listening to the CD yesterday while cleaning - it just sends me to my happy place.
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Originally Posted by debrabrown
Even tho it wasn't MK that turned out to be quite the magical day! How fun to get FPs for 11! I loved the rhino shot, too.
Can't wait tohear about what you crossed off your list.
It was the Nemo Show first time for me and I loved it!
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Originally Posted by honeybee723
Glad you were still able to enjoy ITtBaB, even though those impatient people took your seats. Some people are just unbelieveable. And scoring free FP's! The day seemed to end on a great note, plus you got a free backstage tour.
It was a GREAT first day!
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Originally Posted by KMB733
Sounds like a great end to your day!! I the MSEP. It reminds me of being a little kid and going to Disney.
Me too, I think that is one reason I love it so much.
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Originally Posted by emvenable77
Great updates! We had to use that exit on our last trip as well trying to get out! The crowds were crazy! It was neat being back there. Very tidy and clean for a backstage area but I expected that for Disney!
It was way more crowded than I thought it would be for October - I think Disney wasn't expecting it either as they kept adding more fantasmic shows the closer we got to the trip.
Quote:
Originally Posted by debrabrown
Oops! You snuck in on me with another update!
Sounds like you planned the days well with the mid day break. Even adults need a break from the go go go of MK! Glad you enjoyed Nemo and MSEP!
I always love the breask too. You really need them there, more than any other vacation destination.
You are a very patient person. I believe that I would have told Christine how I felt about having to change plans to accomodate her actions. Glad you and Evan are having a great time.
I got the photopass CD back from my sister last night and able to post a few of the AK photos.
Evan isn't showing you his claws but he is roaring!
I love that dale is showing you his claws in this one.
I forgot to mention the outfit the women in front of us were wearing when we left the MK Saturday night. I think the term street walker would be appropriate. Honestly! I would say they were 2 young “ladies” in their early 20’s. They both had on skin tight skirts that barely covered their backsides and 4 inch stilettos. The shoes are what caught my attention. What idiot would wear shoes like that to a theme park? I don’t care if they had dates, were looking for dates or just out to have fun, it was plan as could be that one girl’s feet were killing her as she could barley walk in those shoes. I really wonder where are people’s brains?
Great photos! Chad has a cousin who married a dancer, and she used to work out in stilettos to strenghten her leg muscles. I doubt that's what those "girls" were doing, but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Thanks everyone for following along. I do read every comment and try to respond to each one. Sorry if I every missed you. I do appreciate you coming along on this journey with me.
Now on with the show...
“Will Evan Ride BTMRR?”
Everyone, except Evan and I, stayed late at the MK the night before and now wanted to sleep in. Christine told me, “just give me this morning and I’ll be up early the rest of the time” Hey –no skin off my nose, I’m not missing out.
Evan and I got up and were at the MK in time to catch the opening show. Evan is quite the chatter box at times and was talking to the family in front of us because they had the same stroller as us. I had a citi mini stroller (I own it) and that happens to be the same kind of stroller that Orlando Stroller uses for their rentals. There were lots of people with the same stroller. Oh my, he was just yakking away with them. Telling them how the strollers were alike and what was different. His gift of the gab will prove very profitable later in the week.
We stopped for a few photos and then headed straight to Fantasyland and FP for Peter Pan.
Next Dumbo and then over to Tommorowland for race cars. Then back to FL for Small World and Peter Pan.
Heading toward BTMRR next I guided him into the line for HM along the way. We got all the way up to the door and he said “What is this?” I told him “it was the ride with the silly ghosts”. Evan backed out and really didn’t want to go. He told me he would go later if Grandmom came with us but it never happened. I was bummed I really wanted to do this. Haunted Mansion is one of my all time favorites and I wanted to see the new queue and hitchhiking ghosts at the end, but alas –something for next time.
We got FP for BTMRR and then watched the logs come over Splash Mountain for a while. I have some cute video of him dancing around and getting the mist on him. I was very pleasantly surprised as another parent came up to him and asked him where his mommy was as I was about 15 feet from him. It’s nice to know that some people still are looking out for others.
By now the others had come into the park and we were heading over to POTC to meet up. We got there first and Evan was able to meet Pirate Goofy.
showing you his birthday pin
As we left the line the others all came up and Jack Sparrow’s pirate tutorial was about to start so we watched that show and then did POTC. Evan was completely fine, no questions or apprehensiveness at all. I was afraid we’d have another HM back out.
After pirates we thought we’d do SM and BTMRR, my sister, Jill, ran ahead to get FP’s for BTMRR and everyone else walked over to SM. Now they are really SLOW walkers and figured we’d all arrive at the same time. I got to the bridge into that area and remembered I left the stroller back at POTC. I booked it back and was returning to the SM line the same time as my sister. Everyone else went into the line and we couldn’t even see them. I was ticked off – they didn’t even wait for us! What did they think we were going to do – push our way front of everyone? Then here comes my mom with Evan as he wants me. So Jill, me, Evan and Mom all get in line together and he gets more and more nervous. He starts to cry that he doesn’t want to go on this . I try to talk him into it but I wasn’t going to force him. This is supposed to be fun and he was not having fun. So the 2 of us left the line and used our FP for BTMRR.
BTMRR is the one ride he had been bugging to go on. All summer he talked about it, he couldn’t wait to ride it. He was very excited. He got off, said he liked it but didn’t want to go again.
So everyone else gets off SM and is going to use FP to BTM but Evan doesn’t want to go again. I decided Evan needed a break he was getting hungry and we were just on a different schedule then everyone else. They had slept in and had breakfast at the hotel and were just getting started and we were ready for lunch.
We parted ways and figured we’d meet back at the hotel at some point. Our only activity for the rest of the day was Illuminations that night. We said our goodbyes for now and off we went to find lunch.
Great morning at MK. Too bad Evan backed out of some of the rides, but you ended up doing a lot and he'll probably feel more comfortable next time. As you say, as long as he's having fun! Sounds like a good plan to veer off on your own for the afternoon. Your family just doesn't seem to have the knack of traveling as a group down-- they keep going off without you! The photopass pics are great!