The Young Commando Takes On The World Aug 15-20 **Updated 10/6** COMPLETE - Page 9 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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
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.
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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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WDW - August 1997 Off Property
WDW - January 2005 AKL
WDW - May 2006 Pop Century
WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
WDW- sept 2013 port Orleans riverside
WDW- july 2015 beach club
Just catching up on your TR. I am glad you finally found the big pool. Sounds like a good start to your day. I have a much better appreciation of these TR's now that I am writing one myself! I am patiently waiting for
WDW - August 1997 Off Property
WDW - January 2005 AKL
WDW - May 2006 Pop Century
WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
WDW- sept 2013 port Orleans riverside
WDW- july 2015 beach club
We got to the Studios long after I had originally planned to get here when I made my handy dandy schedule for optimum touring time. It was around 6:30 by the time we went through the turnstiles. I grabbed a times guide and here’s where I started to regret my decision to come to the Studios this late in the day. We were well past the times for everything schedule related that Andrew would have an interest in. The day was over for meet and greets with the Power Rangers and Cars. Playhouse Disney stopped showing. I think most of the other “shows”, except Fantasmic, were done as well.
I looked at Andrew and asked if he wanted to go on the Star Wars ride and the result was a very excited “YES”.
This was Andrew’s first time on this ride and also his first time on a simulator type ride. These types of rides make me motion sick , but I sucked it up for the happiness of my child. Aren’t I a great mom.
There was a little bit of a line but we had fun looking at all the robots. The beginning area with R2D2 and C3PO was a little load so we couldn’t wait to get out of that area of the line.
In no time at all we were buckling up and heading off to Endor. I battled my motion sickness by looking at Andrew during the entire ride. This worked great and I also enjoyed watching Andrew have fun.
Of course after the ride Andrew was in heaven in the gift shop. He wanted a light saber and I reluctantly agreed. Thankfully he chose one of the cheaper ones.
I also wanted to get his picture done with the Star Wars backgrounds. I had wanted to do this since I saw Mary Devall’s pictures as Princess Leia. This came out better than I thought it might.
Now that my wallet was considerably lighter we moved on. First we stopped for another picture opportunity.
Andrew had noticed the dinosaur footprints on the ground and insisted we follow them. When he realized they just lead to a snack stand he was rather disappointed. I have no idea what he was expecting. A real dinosaur maybe?
We headed off to Muppets next. I finally had the chance to look for the key under the mat. We had about ½ of the pre-show to watch. It wasn’t too crowded and we had our choice of seats inside the theater without having to move all the way down. Andrew enjoyed the muppets. Although he’s been in this attraction before I don’t think he remembered it.
We headed off to the GMR next. We got the gangster side as always. The gangster could have actually won a Rosie O’Donnell look a like contest. She was the same build and same hair style/color. When she did her gangster voice, she was a dead ringer for Rosie. I’m not sure if that’s what she was going for, but after a while it was starting to get annoying.
Thankfully she got booby-trapped trying to steal the gem stone and she was gone.
This was another attraction Andrew didn’t remember but he enjoyed this time.
Now it was around 8pm and the only thing we didn’t do which was open and we were interested in was Toy Story. The wait time said 60 minutes which I didn’t think was too bad considering all the longer wait times I had heard about. I think we waited about 40.
In the beginning of the line Andrew started to get a little whiny about waiting in line. I told him that if he didn’t want to wait to say so now because the doors were right there to get out. He changed his mind and we stayed.
I could tell Andrew was getting tired of waiting because he started with using the line barriers as a jungle gym with swinging on them and climbing. I thought he was finally starting to listen to me to stop before he got hurt (or annoyed other guests besides myself ). Then a little boy about 20 people ahead of us was sitting and standing on the railings. Andrew decided to do the same and ended up slipping and hurting his rear end. I was angry for a split second because I knew this would happen, but then Andrew proceeded to lift up the leg of his shorts and underwear to show me where he hurt himself. I didn’t have time to be angry anymore. I now only had time to move quickly to put his pants back in place and be embarrassed. My son just half mooned the line at Toy Story. After a brief scolding I told him that he should be glad he hurt the back part and not the front. Ouch. After this incident and he settled down. We only had another 5 minutes in line before going into Andy’s room. They had called for a party of 2, so we got to cut in front of about 10 people. Not exactly a fast pass, but still nice. I don’t remember our scores and I didn’t have my camera out. I think I was a rabbit and Andrew was a beaver, or it was the other way around. Anyway, we both agreed that the ride is great and couldn’t wait to do it again. Now the park was closing and we could hear the final fireworks of Fantasmic going off. We stopped for a bio break and headed for the buses. Since we had a late lunch neither of us were hungry until we got back to the hotel. We stopped at Café Rix for a bite to eat. Café Rix is similar to a convenience store but without as much variety. Everything is pre-made and either sitting in the fridge or under a heat lamp. I ended up getting a ham and cheese sandwich and got Andrew a cheese pizza. The sandwich was your basic run of the mill pre-made sitting around all day sandwich. Andrew didn’t complain about his pizza and it was big enough that he had ½ of it left over. After washing up and a little cartoon watching it was lights out.
Sounds like you had a great time at the Studios. It is so much fun when you get to experience rides with your child for their first time. What a great day!
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Great update. Sorry you had to skip out on Kona but it looks like you both had a great relaxing time at the pool. Love the Star Wars picture. Our wallet has been lightened there a few to many times too. So glad you waited out TSMM, it is awesome! Can't wait for more.
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Margaret
I am not a Disney employee. The postings here are my own and do not represent the positions or opinions of the Disney Company
Love the SW picture. I wish I had seen it when we were there - I definitely would have done Princess Leia with Abby. I know you don't think it's funny now but I laughed about your son mooning the TSM line - that's something Abby would do too. And when your son is older, it's somethink you'll get to torment him with. Remember when....?