Make your choice Adventurous Stranger...A Goin Solo PTR - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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I just wanted to say how sad I am today upon hearing about the loss of 2 PPs Lorie & Glenn. I just read about this and I just started crying at work. My heart goes out to their family.
Amazing how a Disney forum can bring all of us together & attach us. I don't have but a few family members left, so this is my adopted family and I am so grateful!
Very cool!! Look for us, we will be there 10/6-10/9!!! We're going to the party on 10/6.
You bet your Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo that we will meet up. We'll have to set up a time or something as we get closer. Besides, I need a dance partner for the dance party. Any takers??
You bet your Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo that we will meet up. We'll have to set up a time or something as we get closer. Besides, I need a dance partner for the dance party. Any takers??
I'll volunteer............someone else. But I'll take lots of photos!
I don't know why it took me so long to find your PTR but I'm all caught up now! Looking forward to following along with your plans. Still toying with getting tix for the 10/6 MNSSHP so maybe we'll see you there!
I don't know why it took me so long to find your PTR but I'm all caught up now! Looking forward to following along with your plans. Still toying with getting tix for the 10/6 MNSSHP so maybe we'll see you there!
That would be awesome!! If not at MNSSHP, I'm sure we can stumble into each other somewhere in the world.
If you come to a fork in the road, take it -Yogi Berra
Yeah well, it's still 4 months out and I'm making changes again. As I stated before, I was thinking of extending my vacation. I was also thinking of doing a split stay and staying my last few nights at Wilderness Lodge (all the PP pics of this beautiful resort really had me thinking).
So, I started making phone calls, getting online and jotting down numbers. I got myself super excited to stay at WL even if it was a parking lot view. Then I started totalling it all up and promptly passed out.
Back in February, we stayed in a 2BD villa at OKW. We got a crazy cash rate of $341 per nite. I shared this (even though I payed for two of us to go) with 9 others so it wasn't so bad.
I CANNOT justify shelling out over $300 per nite to stay all by myself. Ok, maybe I can BUT not this trip. I also plan on picking up an annual pass, going to MNSSHP, Party for the Senses & F&WF and possibly buying another D&B bag.
SO, I will remain at the Dolphin for SEVEN nights!! Yep, I went from 3 nights to 7. I mean, seriously, my flight on Monday morning was at 10 which meant I would have to leave super early. If I'm picking up an AP and I'm solo, I want some quality Disneytime.
I changed my flight today as well. I'm still leaving really early but as long as I'm getting three more full days, I'm ok with that.
I also sprang the idea of my solo trip on DBF. Just the idea, I haven't told him that I am ACTUALLY booked and all but he was ok with the IDEA of me going. Besides, my girls from FL will probably stop by so I won't be all alone. Not to mention, I'm sure to catch up with a few PPs as well.
I am really excited right now and scared as well. I've got a chunk of money to save up to pay for this trip. Besides, I know I'll probably grab a few more items celebrating WDW's 40th (as well as mine!)
Well, guess I'll be picking up a few more shifts a week at the restaurants!! Ugh! What I do for Disney!
Tourists don't know where they've benn, travellers don't know where they're going
- Paul Theroux
Today I booked a Mears Shuttle for round trip transportation to and from the Dolphin. It was only $34 - not to shabby! I looked into a town car but that was $120 round trip . I really wish DME went to Dolphin but whatever, I'll be in the bubble either way.
I also found some more info on the Swan & Dolphin Food & Wine Classic thru the Disney Food Blog. Seems they are running some specials that include admission to all seminars and the causeway tastings. This "special" doubles my room rate!! I decided to just fork over the $65 for unlimited tastings and forgo the seminars, none seem interesting enough for me anyway. I just wish they offered free admission to guests of the hotel but that would just be an absolute free for all and I'd end up leaving altogether.
I printed up park hours today and it looks like MSEP will still be running in October. I'm so glad, that parade is my fondest memory of my first trip.
I am planning on purchasing the advanced PhotoPass CD and Early Check In on SWA this week as well as the Food & Wine Classic ticket. Next big purchase will be my AP voucher. Oh, and I'll have to order my PassPorter Pin as well.
I only have 129 days to go and so much to do! Got a wee bit of butterflies thinking about it!
If you are planning on getting an annual pass, then you probably will get a room discount if you want to stay at WL. They should be out soon for Oct. You can always call them and get an AP rate even if you have not purchased yours yet. Only 18 weeks left to go
Hmmmm...........you have me thinking I might surprise DH and DD and purchase the Early Bird check in on SWA also.........hmmmm.........gotta think about that one!!!
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
If you are planning on getting an annual pass, then you probably will get a room discount if you want to stay at WL. They should be out soon for Oct. You can always call them and get an AP rate even if you have not purchased yours yet. Only 18 weeks left to go
I did consider that but the week I am visiting is pretty high in the rate dept. AAA rate is $628 for two nites. I weighed it out and decided on four nites at the Dolphin since the rate is half of WL.
I DID however, put WL on the backburner and will take advantage of AP rates during value season so I will be able to stay longer. Hee hee hee!
Thank you for giving me the weekly countdown! Looks even closer now!
Hmmmm...........you have me thinking I might surprise DH and DD and purchase the Early Bird check in on SWA also.........hmmmm.........gotta think about that one!!!
I wasnt' really keen on spending another $20 for a seat assignment when EBC is NOT limited to a certain number of passengers. Everyone can get EBC so I hope purchasing it four months out will get me on the plane asap so I can get me a window seat up front so I can get off the plane asap.
I HATE FLYING!!! The take off, the landing and everything in between. It's only a 1.5 hour flight so I opted to fly instead of drive since it would be an 8 hour drive solo.
BTW the t shirts. I noticed that yesterday and totally forgot to tell you. Then, I was putting laundry away last nite and came across my Jennie #2 shirt from our last trip. Sounds like you girls had a kick butt time - in the PARADE!!!!!!