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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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THE CAST
We all hail from Toronto, Canada.
Myself, Cathy, 57
DH, Lorne, 64
(our last trip to WDW was in 2000. We always have gone without a ‘plan’)
DD, Allison, 33 Her last trip was when she was about 10 yrs old
DSIL, Angelo, 35 First timer.
Lorne and I are celebrating our 17th Anniversary on Tuesday the 18th, and Allie and Ang have never been on any kind of trip together (except weekends in Niagara Falls) and they are married 5 ½ years.
We met at Toronto airport around 7:30 on Saturday morning. We were all excited.
Lorne and I
Allie and Ang
The flight was great, slightly over 2 hours in the air and problem free.
We arrived and took the empty shuttle to the baggage claim, where our driver from Sunray, Rick was waiting. When we checked in at POP, we had to leave our luggage. The rooms were ready, but there was nobody available and no luggage carts to help us with everything. We had also ordered a fridge from A Baby’s best friend. It was $50 for the week and we used it every day to keep water, juice etc cold. Well worth the price IMO. We did get our Anniversary buttons and Ang got one for “First visit”, though.
Then I made our mark.
This little guy greeted us in each of the rooms.
I was so looking forward to the things that mousekeeping would do with the towels and such, that I brought down about 20 little stuffed animals that I bought (dollar store) just for the sake of mousekeeping doing something. I was anxious for my daughter to see it.
We unpacked, freshened up, then looked over the menus that I had printed off . I did this for each of our chosen restaurants, so that we could have an idea of what was offered and order the alternate meal of the day accordingly. None of us wanted seafood twice in the same day, for example.
We left for DTD for the atmosphere and our ADR at Wolfgang Pucks Grand Café. It seemed to take forever for a bus to come and when it did, we were going the circuitous route to drop off cast members at the CBR. I had thought that it was a direct bus. Consequently, we were about 10 minutes late for our first ADR. I will have to plan THAT better, that’s for sure. We were given a wonderful corner table, overlooking the water.
That made us feel better. I must tell you that the menu offered was NOT the same as I had printed off the ALL EARS site. For example, there were no steaks offered on the meal plan. ( I see now that they just updated the menus in September to reflect that) Having said that, we all had a WONDERFUL meal. Sorry, but my party would not let me take photos of the food. But here is what we had:
APPS:
Artichoke and Five Cheese Dip - crispy Parmesan flatbread. The flatbread was especially tasty.
Asian Style Vegetable Spring Rolls - plum and Japanese mustard dipping sauce, a little gingery.
Classic Caesar Salad - hearts of Romaine, croutons and freshly grated parmesan. Enjoyed by both guys.
ENTREES
Pepperoni - roasted garlic, roma tomatoes, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses – Typical.
Wolf-fredo Fettuccine - Pan roasted chicken and pancetta in a parmesan cream sauce -Delicious
Pumpkin Ravioli - Brown butter sauce with fried sage, port wine glaze, toasted pine nuts and aged parmesan – Outstanding!!!
Three Cheese Ravioli - Shaved garlic with a smooth tomato sauce . Yummy.
DESSERTS
Vanilla Crème Brulee
Chocolate Souffle Cake 2x
One of us (not me) passed on dessert.
After dinner, we walked around the shops a while, then it started to rain. We headed back to crash after a long day.
This is my first TR, and it seems to be WAAAAY TOO LONG. Sorry if I bored you all. I will try to keep it shorter from this point on.
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 must mention that my DD had two surprises for me. One was a Halloween tote bag FULL of snacks, cookies, candies etc, with a thank you note for this trip. There was also a beautiful arrangement with a lovely tray with Champagne, cheese, crackers, mickey champagne glasses, an autographed picture of the “Big 5” and a vase with a beautiful red rose that lasted the entire week. These were both from the Disney florist, I believe. SHE’S A KEEPER !!
ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY
After breakfast at the POP, we took the bus to AK. No wait at all, and bus was ½ empty. We, of course, used the RC entrance. There was a bit of a lineup in the store by the glass doors. The CM there said that the store wants to close this entrance off in the near future. Don’t know if that’s true or not, but that’s what he said.
Now, again, we are 4 adults who have very different tastes and it was totally agreed on that if and when anyone wanted to split, they could.
I was the FPV for almost the whole trip. It was already really hot and humid, but I ran ahead for FP for EE and then met with the group to ride. What a WAKER-UPPER!!!!!! DD and I did PW while the guys took pics. We then all rode Dinosaur together. This one was a big surprise, because we had it confused with the one with Ellen Degeneres!!! We were preparing DSIL for these rides and told him that this is a nice seat in a moving theatre and we could relax a bit. NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! A lot of fun, though. I scooted ahead for FP for Kali, but the machines were covered, so when I found the group again, we dallied back along to ride Kali twice !! We got a little wet the first time and completely soaked the second…dispite wearing ponchos. We did Maharajah Trek, saw the tigers (sleeping as usual) and a lot of the gorillas. Some more playful than others. We then took in ITTBAB. Still funny.
We had lunch at Pizzafari. Two of us had Chicken Caesars, DD the Chicken Parm Sandwich, DH had the pepperoni pizza. All of these were delicious. None of us were up for dessert. Too hot, I guess.
We then rode Kilamanjaro Safaris. Another walk-on. We asked for the back seats, so that we could turn around and video out the rear of the vehicle. Our guide, (whose name I forget, sorry) was soooooooooo into his role, and obviously wanted to give everyone the maximum experience, that he actually drove like we were being shot at, actually drove like the bridge was falling, actually drove like a MANIAC. We nearly bounced out a couple of times. And forget the video. DSIL kept it going throughout the entire ride, and a lot of it is just crazy movement. We are keeping it in for the effect though. Because of the timing, DD was worried we would not see a lot of animals. We saw TONS!! We saw hippos above and under the water, Rhinos, Giraffes, all kinds of them. I was pleased at the number of them.
We almost kissed the ground when we got off. I had to take Robaxacet and DH had a sore neck. But we are old enough (57/64) to know better. Next time, we will ride up front, and if we have the same driver, “WE’LL WALK, TYVM”
We were able to catch the 3:00 FOTLK show with about a 5 minute wait. They were actually walking in after the start, as well.
We had a 5:30 ADR at Coral Reef, so we took the bus from AK to EPCOT.
We then did Test Track, Soarin’ and then spent a lot of time in Nemo & Friends. DD took a million pics.
We then headed to Coral Reef.
When they sat us down, they had a specially printed ‘Anniversary Menu’ for DH and I. The food, of course is the same, just mentioning an Anniversary on the printed paper souvenir menu. Very nice touch.
They also gave the two of us a glass of champagne. Also very nice touch. Holli was our server, and she was FABULOUS.
Here is what we had:
Appetizers
Sea and Land - Grilled shrimp with cucumber salad and BBQ beef skewer with creamy polenta - DELICIOUS
Chilled Shrimp - served with seaweed salad - OKAY
Mixed Greens Salad with blue cheese dressing or Key Lime herb vinaigrette – DD FOUND THIS TOO SPICY?
Caesar Salad with shredded parmesan cheese and croutons – TYPICAL, BUT NICE PRESENTATION.
Entrees
Grilled NY Strip Steak - served with potatoes au gratin, and broccolini –THREE OF US ORDERED THIS, ALL DIFFERENT DEGREES OF DONENESS-ALL PERFECTLY COOKED.
Grilled Chicken Breast - with roasted Yukon potatoes, caramelized leeks, and pancetta vinaigrette –WONDERFUL
Desserts
The Chocolate Wave - with brandied cherries- SINFUL
Bacarian Cheesecake with berry sauce -YUMMY
Citrus Creme Brulee (2X)- with Berries and citrus zest – BOTH AGREED- VERY LIGHT AND REFRESHING
After the meal, we moseyed around Epcot a bit and then took the bus back to POP. I was looking forward to the towel animals, or the stuffed animals being arranged. The only thing was that the original had been moved from the window to the sink. Nothing at all done with the stuffed animals
We had all pretty much decided that from this point on, we would eat breakfast at POP. Be it a counter service or snack, whatever. We also decided that would meet up in the food court, and after breakfast one volunteer could scoot back with the mugs, while the others stood in line for the bus. This worked out great for us the whole trip. I must say that the food court at POP was actually pretty good. My only complaint is that it is crazy-busy and not enough cashiers. Sometimes the hot food was cold by the time we made it through the line. Pretty decent grub, though.
We were at rope drop for MGM. Then went with TGM to TOT for FP and to ride. We actually rode twice without any wait at all. We then rode Great Movie Ride, Star Tours, where a Storm Trooper and Darth Vader were walking about the boarding area.
After ST, we did Muppet Vision then Backlot Express. We had early ADR for 50s Prime Time and were really looking forward to it. As everyone knows, the food is not fantastic, but the atmosphere and interaction can be fabulous. I say CAN because we had a real DUD of a waitress. Sorry, I can’t help myself. Again, I know that you can get good ones and ‘not so good’ ones. But this was a real bust. I had told DD about the previous experiences we’ve had (all fantastic), but wanted to surprise DSIL. She even took our entire orders from appies to desserts right up front. The only fun we had here was watching the action all around us from cousin MARK. He was OUTSTANDING. He even had the tables interacting with each other in his entire section. So do yourself a favor and ask for cousin Mark or at the very least tell them you’re not speaking to cousin Heather and don’t want to see her at all. The bill for DH and I would have been $75.97.
Thank God for free dining. If we had to pay for this, we would have been livid. DH complimented Mark at the front desk and said that he deserves a medal for his efforts.
We had all decided that none of us wanted to do either of the Stunt shows, so we took in the Magic of Disney Animation. We all enjoyed this very much and played around the area that they spit you out into after the show.
We had all had enough of this park, so headed back to POP for a little nap. This turned out to be a B-I-G nap. Our little towel friend had again moved. Now he is on the bed. All the stuffed animals I brought were in exactly the same place I had left them.
We met up at the food court and had CS dinners.
Burgers, Chili Dog, Chicken Strips, TyeDye Cheesecake, carrot cake, chocolate cake.
Enjoyed by all. Spent time rehashing the day and then browsed in the gift shop. Turned in a little early, MK day tomorrow.
After our normal breakfast routine at the food court, we made it for rope drop at MK. Even caught some streamers and confetti from opening for our scrapbooking.
This was a very full day.
First, of course was Space Mountain. When I got FP to ride later, I also got ‘surprise fast passes’ for Carousel of Progress. Never knew such a thing existed
We rode SM, Buzz twice, Carosel of Progress, Mad Tea Party, Philharmagic, Peter Pan’s Flight, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Our counter service was at Pecos Bill’s and was not too bad at all. We had burgers and chicken wraps, and we were stuffed, so we gave away our desserts to a family with a whole ‘gaggle’ of kids.
We then rode Pirates, took the Jungle Cruise, saw Tiki Birds, rode the railroad all the way around (relaxing) We happened to be on Main St and we got a great viewing spot for the Dreams parade. We went back to Tommorowland to ride Buzz two more times. We girls kicked *** !!! We rode the TTA….Is it my imagination or did they speed this thing up? I always thought it was a r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w ride. Anyway, it was a rest for a few minutes then Stitch. (I liked Alien Encounter much better) We did not need to use any of the FP that we got here either. All the more for scrapbooking. We dallied around Main Street, saw the Flag ceremony and then went for our ADR at Tony’s Town Square.
They sat us at a table near the fountain. The table was decorated for our anniversary with streamers and confetti. Very nice. Consuela was our server and she was very good.
Here is what we ordered:
Appetizers
Spinach and Artichoke Dip - three cheese blend, tomatoes, and served with grilled bread
Mixed Greens - salad mix tossed in house dressing with Feta cheese and croutons
Caesar Salad
Garlic Breadsticks with Marinara Sauce
Entrees
Spaghetti with sweet Italian sausage in Tony's own tomato sauce
Chicken Florentine - topped with prosciutto, spinach, melted cheese, served with fennel mashed potatoes, and marsala mushroom sauce
NY Strip Steak with roasted potatoes, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and spinach tossed in a warm pancetta vinaigrette, topped with red wine gorgonzola butter?Dessert
Dessert was already selected for us. Miniatures of all three of the below were presented on a pretty white plate.
Lemon Walnut Layer Cake - layered vanilla cake filled with lemon curd
Tiramisu - espresso soaked lady fingers, whipped mascarpone and dark chocolate shavings
Amaretto Cheesecake - with whipped cream
We all really enjoyed everything at this restaurant.
Now it was time to split up. DH and I were lucky enough to find someone on 'the other' board that was willing to share a Wishes Cruise that was for their 25th Anniversary. He was really whacked out after the long day, so my daughter decided that she would come along with me. We took the boat over to the Grand Floridian and we going to meet the others at the dock at 8:00. As I mentioned before, it rained (POURED) every day around that time and tonight was no exception. This didn't look good. The thunder and lightning and the rain, oh dear. We finally all got together and found out that the cruise had been cancelled due to inclement weather. We were able to rebook for the next night, though.....so that made us feel a bit better. Everyone was so nice. The happy (but saddened) couple even drove us all home. We're so looking forward to meeting again for the cruise 'tomorrow'.
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
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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