A Promise Kept: A Cam and Fam PTR Updated 10/9 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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Just getting caught up Cam! Glad everything is coming together and that you can fly and get in some extra time before everyone else arrives! Great cast of characters!
Great introductions! I have been following your trip reports for a long time and each time I read your introductions I learn something new about you or your family.
Just getting caught up Cam! Glad everything is coming together and that you can fly and get in some extra time before everyone else arrives! Great cast of characters!
Luke and I were so excited that we'd get to try Soarin', Frozen Ever After, and a few other things before the family joins us. Not that doing it first with them would be less fun, but this way I can focus just on the attraction itself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lexiemom
Great introductions! I have been following your trip reports for a long time and each time I read your introductions I learn something new about you or your family.
I always hope I can manage to squeeze in something new for you all.
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.
The next two updates will be focused solely on the days prior to the arrival of the Vaughns.
Saratoga Springs Thursday, September 29 – Saturday, October 1
Our first DVC home was at Saratoga Springs, and it was so magical to finally own a part of Disney, especially a part that would allow us to return over and over again. Typically, we have found that even fairly last minute it is possible to find a villa here. Back in 2013, we began planning an October trip with only about 8 weeks to prepare. We easily found a one-bedroom villa at SSR, even though it was probably a little more room than we needed. So we weren’t surprised when we found a studio available for our extra two nights. We are very excited about this because our first day we’ll take advantage of our proximity to Disney Springs. Our online room requests were for proximity to Disney Springs with a Disney Springs view. We will have the rental car and we’ve talked about squeezing in a little time for one of the outlet malls either during our stay here or if the Vaughns want to go will move it to October.
To help the Vaughns visualize the room, I did a Bing search and found a great video by allears for both resorts. I’ll only be sending on the video for Old Key West as that is the portion they will be experiencing. So here is a tour of a studio at SSR.
I think you made a great choice with SSR as with the complete re-imagination of Disney Springs this is a great place to stay so you can spend a lot of time there experiencing all the changes there! A good reason, why I considered this area for my upcoming trip!
If I'm correct, the Paddock bus depot is closest to DS as that may be important to me on my trip
Thanks for those comprehensive videos of the two resorts from AEN. I especially love the one of SSR and the contrast of the greens and whites in the room, which blend so well together! I also like that there were a few views of the LBV Golf course which I have played probably a dozen times!
I'm a decent golfer and never hit any of the resort buildings but did hit a ball across the road one time at Palm probably near the TTC. That was scary as so much traffic, but no damage!
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
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.
We own a number of contracts at Saratoga Springs, but rarely stay there, as our hearts are at the Beach Club Villas and Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas, but the proximity to Disney Springs is a definite bonus!
SSR is our home resort and we love it! Most people complain it's too big, but it's really like a spoke , you are never too far from the Carriage House! Our favorite area is Grandstand...very quiet, bus is first on-first off! And if you JUST MISS the bus you wanted. You have time to walk to The Springs, which is the last bus stop!!
I think you'll enjoy your stay at SSR because it's going to be so easy to get to Disney Springs without having to deal with the bus or the parking lot if you drove! One of our contracts is at OKW so I'm looking forward to hearing about your stay there!