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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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04-25-2013, 09:20 PM
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#1
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PassPorter Guide
 Community Rank: Globetrotter 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,041
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Feature Article: Ghirardelli Factory Store - Disney California Adventure Dining Review
Ghirardelli Factory Store - Disney California Adventure Dining Review
by Dorothy Compton
I love chocolate. No, I LOVE chocolate.
And what better place to indulge the senses than the new Ghiradelli Factory Store located across from the bakery in the Pacific Pier area in Disney California Adventure. Before Cars Land opened in June, 2012, the Ghiradelli (ger-a-del-ee) Factory Shop had a soft opening on May 31st. The sign hanging from the store front invites guests to come and follow where your nose wants to lead you. Before you enter you can see the menu posted on a pillar in front of the store so you can be ready to order.
Upon entering the store you are greeted by a cast member and offered a Ghiradelli chocolate square. At first these were pre-opened for your convenience but now the package is sealed so you can indulge immediately or later. They change the flavor each day and if they are offering one with nuts and you can't have nuts due to allergies or choice, you can request a substitute. The order desk is close to the door where you will make your selection and then be told what window (1-4) to pick up your indulgence. Disney annual pass discounts apply so don't forget to show your pass if you have one.
As you wait, you are welcome to check out the goodies for sale around the store. There are several chocolate selections some of which are themed for the time of year but unless you are staying at one of the Disney hotels and can have your purchases delivered you might want to wait until late in the day to buy. It was way too hot to be carrying chocolate around the park in July during the day. It might be ok in the winter though. Rather than shopping for chocolate, you can watch the chocolate makers. There are several waffle cone irons and pots of melting chocolate. They make the waffle cones and bowls right in the shop so you know they're fresh.
The decor of the shop is exquisite. The tile floor, wood-paneled wainscoting, pictures and posters of the early days (Ghiradelli opened in San Francisco in 1852) bring you back to an old-fashioned ice cream shop of days gone by. If you can, though, stop and watch the wall behind the counter. Each of the signature desserts are featured in both lights and moving pictures! I won't give away how each highlighted dessert is displayed; I'll leave that to you to discover!
The highlighted desserts include: The Gold Rush (aka Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Sundae; Vanilla ice cream with hot fudge and melted peanut butter topped with whipped cream, chopped almonds, a cherry and a milk chocolate square, $8.95), The Earthquake (eight scoops of ice cream, eight toppings, with bananas, whipped cream, chopped almonds, chocolate chips and cherries, $34.98), The Golden Gate (aka Banana Split: a trio of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream paired with three toppings of crushed pineapple, sliced strawberries and chocolate syrup; it is finished with bananas, whipped cream, chopped almonds and a cherry, $9.50), The Cable Car (aka Rocky Road Sundae; Rocky road, chocolate chip and chocolate ice cream smothered with marshmallow topping and hot fudge all surrounded by whipped cream topped with chopped almonds, a cherry and a milk chocolate square, $9.50), The Strike It Rich (aka Butterscotch Hot Fudge Sundae; Butter pecan ice cream smothered with butterscotch and golden almond nuggets under a layer of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, chopped almonds and a cherry, $8.95), and The Haight AshBerry (aka Very Berry Sundae; strawberry cheesecake ice cream topped with sliced strawberries under a layer of vanilla ice cream with blueberry topping, whipped cream, chocolate-covered blueberries and finished with a chocolate-dipped waffle roll, $8.95).
In addition to the fancy desserts, you can buy single scoops in a plain sugar cone, cup, or waffle cone or waffle bowl; shakes; floats; chocolate drinks, chocolate treats (brownie, cookie, chocolate-filled croissant), espresso drinks; and classic drinks (coffee, tea, or soft drinks).
The prices are reasonable especially since most of the highlighted desserts will serve two! The Earthquake would easily serve 6 or more.
We enjoyed the Hot Fudge Sundae in a waffle cone, an Espresso Sundae and the cookie bottom sundae as well as a single scoop cone in cup (so it wouldn't drip all over my son). Each was very good but a bit rich for one so you might want to think about sharing. We bought ours on our way to World of Color making the end to our day a truly wonderful world at Disney and a must destination for my family every time we visit.
Added to PassPorter's Article Collection on 04-23-2013 11:04 AM
What do you think? Please add your own comments, experiences, or news related to this article in this thread! Reader feedback is welcomed and encouraged.
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