Southern California. Will it be attached to the state once we're done with it? *Updated 7/9* COMPLETE - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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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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Southern California. Will it be attached to the state once we're done with it? *Updated 7/9* COMPLETE
*AHEM*
Hello? *blows into microphone* Is this thing on? Hello? Oh . . . HI!!!
Well, it is time, yet again, to visit the world of Disney through my eyes and ears . . . a thing that could prove to be dangerous . . . or hilarious. Judging from this trip's cast of characters, I am sure it will be the latter, though.
So, what's going on, you ask? Well . . . I'm going to Disneyland!!! Well, I 'm not going ALONE, so let me let you in on our cast of characters and a little backstory.
Well, first there's me, Sarah (Hi! ) and my daughter Emilie (who will turn 6 four days after we get home from this trip).
I was born in San Diego and lived there until I was 12 years old, so I was able to go on quite a few day trips up to Disneyland growing up. After we moved, we made a return trip for my high school graduation in 1994 . . . then I didn't get back to Disneyland until June 2005 when my parents flew Emilie and I out to meet them there! That was, obviously, Emilie's first trip.
I like to call this my "I am eternally grateful to EVERYONE." Report.
I was floating around the boards sometime in March of last year and noticed that Tina had posted about maybe heading out to Disneyland. More and more people started to sign on to the idea of an all girls' trip out . . . and I started to think that I might be interested, but was afraid that my finances were not going to allow for it. After crunching some numbers, and knowing I would be relying on my tax return, I figured out that I would be able to afford about 2/3 of a trip, but wasn't sure I would be able to swing a whole one. Then one day I got an e-mail from Terri (DrDolphin) asking "Would a Disneyland trip be doable if you had, say, a FREE plane ticket?" Terri had offered up one of her free Southwest rewards tickets for me to use (and I am VERY thankful for that. ) . . . and with that, I signed on to the trip as well. I am still not completely sure that I "sold" Mike on it . . . but, he has "signed off" on it, nonetheless. My mother, however, is less than enthused, since I am taking Emilie out of school. But after having spoken with her teacher about it, and having her ENCOURAGE the trip (telling me that she "won't miss much but her friends" ) I am thinking she should get over it eventually.
As plans started to get hashed out a bit more and time went on, some people dropped out of the trip and other signed on . . . as of now (just about 2 weeks out!) it looks like our final roster is:
Me and Emilie (duh. ) Terri (DrDolphin) Crystal (crystalloubear) and DH, Doug Tina (loobyoxlip) Janine (FanOfMickey) Dawn (DawnDenise) Robin (RobinKay6573) Cindy (Lumieregirl) Liz (EmpressLizBunny) Eileen (Caldercup) Karen (zacksmom_1993) Sharon (PrincessSharon)
So, I think you can now see why I think that the report may end up being a bit hilarious. Get 14 people (12 wacky PassPorter girls, a husband of one of said wacky women and a 6 year old) in one place and see if hilarity doesn't ensue.
Southern California. Will it be attached to the state once we're done with it? A DOPEYGIRL Report --- PRETRIP
So, anyhoo . . . when the planning on my end started, it was Disneyland only. The plan was to fly into LA, do the DL thing and then fly back to "whereever it was I would be living" (because, remember, the planning for this started nearly ONE YEAR ago and Mike still had not received new orders yet . . . so we hadn't the foggiest where we'd be living come this time of the year!) As time went on and more plans were made, San Diego was added into the mix for a few of us! Terri and Crystal mentioned that they were going to the NASCAR race, so I figured I would show them my hometown of San Diego, then rent a car and drive up to Anaheim, stay in an offsite hotel ( offsite) and get a head start on the Disneyland touring while they headed to to the race. Sounds like a plan, right?
Well, then Crystal offers up tickets to the race in exchange for lunch or dinner one day. I have never been to a NASCAR race . . . DH has been twice and taken a buddy with him both times instead of taking me. The offer of tickets was very exciting to me . . . so I agreed. Off to the races we'll go!
Well . . . what to do with the 2 days in between the race and Disneyland? Ummmm . . . Hows about we hit Universal Studios and then take a little tour around the Hollyweird area?
My last trip to Universal Studios Hollywood was in 1994. All I remember is Backdraft, seeing the Hollywood sign from near Back to the Future and getting accidently run into by Woody Woodpecker . . . and the fact that I wore a god-awful "belly shirt", knee length cut-off shorts, slouch socks, high-top black on black Nikes and had a my hair in a big fat braid. (I have a video of the trip, but don't remember anything vidily except those few things.) Terri booked a room at the Hilton LA/Universal City and we were set!
We all decided to do Star Line's Grand Tour of L.A. on the morning of Feb. 27th, which is the day that everyone else will be arriving in the area! (Thanks, Chez, for a great description and recommendation in your report! ) To be completely honest, I have NEVER done the touristy thing around Los Angeles. I have been there plenty of times, but NEVER have done the tourist attractions. Graumann's Chinese Theater, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills . . . I can tell you right where they are, but this will be the first time I have seen them "up close". Heck, the "closest" I have ever seen the Hollywood sign is from near Back to the Future at Universal Studios . . . and that ain't very close.
So, having our days and destinations pretty well figured out, all we had left to do was book everything (tours and dining) and buy attraction tickets! Military members and their families get discounted tickets through Information, Tickets and Travel on base. I called the base ticket office here and they told me they would not be able to sell me any tickets for attractions on the west coast from this office and that I would have to visit an office there. No problem . . . our hotel in San Diego isn't TOO far away from the main ticket office on base there, so we can take care of that! I still need to buy my Disneyland, Universal and San Diego Zoo tickets as well as discounted tickets for the San Diego harbor cruise. There was no discount to be found for the Star Line tour, though, so we all got that booked . . . as well as the shuttle to the airport. WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT PART . . . my procrastination.
OK, well, it wasn't TOTALLY procrastination . . . I was just waiting on the IRS to get that tax return to me so I could buy Emilie's plane tickets. With Terri's help, I was able to get MY ticket changed, so instead of leaving from Orange County (SNA), I would be leaving out of LAX (yikes!) then I purchased Emilie's ticket to match, since it was fairly cheap. Now . . . I had a way to get Emilie home with me . . . I just had to get her THERE. A couple of days later, I got a voice mail from Terri saying that there was a really cheap fare on a later flight from Norfolk to San Diego than the one I was originally on and that she had booked it for me, and changed my free ticket to the same flight just to make sure we had that taken care of . Nothing like waiting until the last minute, huh? We finally got airfare figured out LESS THAN A MONTH prior to the trip.
Tina had taken care of a majority of the dining ressies for the group . . . Terri took care of the ones for us . . .
Crystal, Terri and I are A WEEK AND A HALF out from the trip . . . EVERYTHING is taken care of, save for a few easy things (tickets) . . .
ELEVEN months we've planned this trip . . . and it is REALLY going to happen!!!!!!!!!!
MEEP!!!! I'm a tiny bit excited!!!
COMING UP NEXT: Just what do those wacky girls (and the husband in a skirt) have planned for those 11 days?
I'm getting so excited at everyone's pre-trip report about the Disneyland girls' trip. I can't believe you've never done the "touristy" thing in Los Angeles - I can't wait to see what you think of it from that perspective!
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.
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I can tell I am going to enjoy this TR (oh heck this TRIP) so much!!! I won't need to go to the gym for an ab work out since I will be laughing so hard my abs will be getting a good work out!!
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.
I'm sure Emilie will survive the time away from school---if it was September it might be weird, but it's February. I still can't believe this trip was proposed ELEVEN months ago, where has the time gone??? Sounds like you guys have a lot of fun-reading ahead for us, have a safe trip!! Oh, and...
Another TR! All these TRs are making me really, really, really, really, really excited! So glad you were able to make this trip happen, Sarah, and I can't wait to meet you & Emilie!
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
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Judging from this trip's cast of characters, I am sure it will be the latter, though. 
) and my daughter Emilie (who will turn 6 four days after we get home from this trip). 
Then one day I got an e-mail from Terri (DrDolphin) asking "Would a Disneyland trip be doable if you had, say, a FREE plane ticket?" Terri had offered up one of her free Southwest rewards tickets for me to use (and I am VERY thankful for that. 
) . . . and with that, I signed on to the trip as well. I am still not completely sure that I "sold" Mike on it . . . but, he has "signed off" on it, nonetheless. My mother, however, is less than enthused, since I am taking Emilie out of school. But after having spoken with her teacher about it, and having her ENCOURAGE the trip (telling me that she "won't miss much but her friends" ) I am thinking she should get over it eventually.
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Southern California. Will it be attached to the state once we're done with it? A DOPEYGIRL Report --- PRETRIP
) To be completely honest, I have NEVER done the touristy thing around Los Angeles. I have been there plenty of times, but NEVER have done the tourist attractions. Graumann's Chinese Theater, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills . . . I can tell you right where they are, but this will be the first time I have seen them "up close". Heck, the "closest" I have ever seen the Hollywood sign is from near Back to the Future at Universal Studios . . . and that ain't very close. 
PassPorter Guide Author
I still can't believe this trip was proposed ELEVEN months ago, where has the time gone??? Sounds like you guys have a lot of fun-reading ahead for us, have a safe trip!! Oh, and...
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