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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
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06-09-2006, 06:29 PM
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#1
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The Original BagMan
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Shalimar, FL
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 22,002
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Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1 Updated and final entry 6/23
[b]First, the title…
Aloha is the Hawaiian greeting, with many meanings. One islander says aloha means "Hello, goodbye, love, compassion, welcome, good wishes. It means belonging to others with a common humanity. It's defined better as a feeling in the heart than by words."
Kana is Hawaiian for Jan…
Pila is Hawaiian for Bill…
Next, the background…
At the beginning of this year, Jan and I planned on taking an Alaskan Cruise this summer. I [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] the cold country and icebergs…
Well, in the spring, as I was planning this float trip, Jan comes up to me and asks if I would mind going to Hawaii instead [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] What about Alaska?
Well, it seems our oldest sons ex-wife (whom we still get along with) contacted Jan via Yahoo instant messenger and asked if we would escort Kristen, our 9 year old granddaughter, over for her summer visitation with her mother (Mary). We could stay with them, and while there we could use her husbands truck to travel where we wanted to. Let me think about this, under $1000 for plane tickets plus spending money or around $35oo plus spending money for the cruise we were looking at. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] Cold versus warm, land versus boat, wife happy instead of accepting… [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] my mind was made up (for me). “Sure Honey, we’ll escort the little one to Hawaii and spend a week,” that was the original plan. Well, after doing a little research, we realized a week wasn’t going to cut it so we set it up for 10 days [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thewave.gif[/img]
So… on to the planning. After days and days and days on the internet, talking to folks that had been there (this was our first time) and looking at travel magazines, books, etc… our plan came together. We decided to leave Florida on 5/19 and return to Florida on 5/31 and do whatever we wanted or could in the middle [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]
NEXT: Leaving Florida…
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06-09-2006, 06:43 PM
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#2
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Community Rank: Explorer 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: second star to the right
Posts: 13,308
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Ah, that was nice of Jan to let you think you made up your own mind [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] Silly man!
Can't wait to hear some more and see some of those pictures.
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06-09-2006, 07:25 PM
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#3
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RED SOX NATION!!
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Connecticut
Concierge Level: 9
Posts: 136,854
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Talk about opposite ideas of a vacation [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]
I'm so glad you've finally started this Bill [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] Bring it on [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img]
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06-09-2006, 07:28 PM
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#4
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 9,619
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Yay! I've been waiting for this!
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06-09-2006, 08:16 PM
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#5
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Tulsa, OK
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 21,627
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Great start, so glad your doing a trip report.
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06-09-2006, 10:30 PM
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#6
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Community Rank: Traveler 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 349
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
We have something in common, Bill! I'm going to Oahu next week and like you, we were originally planning on taking an Alaskan cruise instead. Funny how things work out...
Shelli
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06-09-2006, 10:31 PM
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#7
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Community Rank: Navigator 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Davidsonville, MD
Posts: 6,563
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
I'm anxiously waiting to see more photos. I'm looking through mine because we stood in the same spots and took the same photos, only four years apart!
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06-09-2006, 10:34 PM
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#8
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But why is the rum gone?
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Needville, Texas
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 12,286
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Great start Bill looking forward to more. I am ready to see the photos!!!!
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06-09-2006, 11:22 PM
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#9
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Batman's Gal/Mickey's Pal
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Owensboro, KY USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 95,254
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
What a reversal in plans! I really want to go to Alaska some day and do the cruise/train thing. Great start!
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06-10-2006, 04:48 AM
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#10
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PassPorter Message Board Manager
 PassPorter Guide Author
Community Rank: Legend VIP 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 190,285
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
I wondered how you guys ended up changing from the Alaskan cruise you were talking about when we last saw you to Hawaii - now it all makes sense. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Cool title by the way! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img]
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06-10-2006, 06:50 AM
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#11
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Whitefield, NH
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 13,599
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Yay! I can't wait to read a Bill/Jan photo report!
Glad you had the opportunity to accompany your granddaughter.
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06-10-2006, 07:03 AM
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#12
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Community Rank: Trailblazer 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Carolina
Concierge Level: 1
Posts: 5,666
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Bill, I can't wait to read more and see those pictures!!!
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06-10-2006, 07:55 AM
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#13
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Manchester NH
Concierge Level: 4
Posts: 12,514
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
I am so glad you started this repoort. Can't wait to see all the pics!
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06-10-2006, 08:10 AM
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#14
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The Original BagMan
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Shalimar, FL
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 22,002
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
[b] NEXT: Leaving Florida…
Well, all good planning must come to an end… as well as the moderately and no planning [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img]
The trip begins!!!
We did the on-line checking thing and found the we were seated together on the flight, but the first leg we were seated one behind the other [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] So… Once we got to the airport, we got that fixed, but it wouldn’t have been that bad, it was a small airplane and only for about 1.5 hours from here to Dallas, TX.
Anyway, our oldest son, granddaughter, son’s fiancé and her son picked us up at the house around 8:30-8:45AM. Our flight was due to take off around 10:30AM. Now, I haven’t flown in 20+ years and Jan’s only flight in her life was about 2 weeks before we took this trip. It’s good she did that, cause that gave us a clue as to what to expect with all the “security” changes… We don’t have curb check-in for our bags here, so we get a porter to lug them in for us and get them checked. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thanx.gif[/img]
Now it’s the waiting game, so we go to the little restaurant/gift/ice cream shop and get some breakfast. After a Danish and some coffee, we’re ready to go.
Now, I don’t have a computer for this trip, Jan brought hers. So my backpack (which is really a large camera bag capable of carrying a computer also) is loaded with cameras, batteries, a storage device for downloading memory cards on-the-go, and other such stuff. Those who know me, know how much I [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] my camera gear. This trip I’m carrying my Olympus DSLR (the E-500, 8MP, with 2 lenses), my Olympus C-770 (4MP with a 10x zoom), and my digital video camera (which we didn’t use at all). Jan is carrying her Olympus D-40 (4MP, 3x zoom) which she used for a couple of days then switched to my C-770)
We go through security… I forgot to take the video camera out of my backpack and it set off a few alarms [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] Once we realized it was the video camera, we removed it and re-ran the backpack through and all was well… Shoes back on, bags repacked, and off to the waiting room…
Our flight was scheduled to leave around 10:30AM and we did get off on time. I sat on the left (port) side of the aircraft and Jan sat on the right (starboard) side. Kristen was sitting next to Jan. This aircraft is small and it is set up with one seat on the left of the aisle and 2 on the right. I shot a few [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] photos while taxiing out as well as on takeoff and in flight… Jan did also [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] It was a little hazy today…..
Me checking out my camera as we got ready to taxi, and yes… I am wearing one of my WDW Tie Die Shirts, I don’t want to get lost [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img]
Kristen telling us something…
Our airport is co-located with Eglin AFB. On Jan’s side you could see the tactical Fighter Area as we taxied out for take-off…
F-15’s parked on the ramp…
Airborne looking towards Destin from Jan’s side of the aircraft.
Destin from Jan’s side…
The portion of the air terminal from my side of the aircraft. We had to walk out to the plane walk up the steps, no air conditioned corridor here …
One of the taxiways…
Taxiway and the control tower…
Rolling down the runway…
Lift Off!!!
Part of Eglin AFB…
Eglin AFB, Valparaiso, and Niceville… Some of the local area…
Blue Water Bay area, just east of Niceville…
White Point Recreation Area and the Hunter Army Air Field Family Camp Grounds, located right on the water…
The airport we just took off from…
More of the local area…
Some assorted shots between Ft. Walton Beach and Dallas…
A Fire…
Some of Jan’s shots…
Me…Knapping errrr resting up for more picture taking….yeah, that’s it [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]
Approaching Dallas, my pics
Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport
Roads…
Landing…
At Dallas, we had a little wait and were hungry, so we head to our next terminal and off to McDonalds for lunch. Shortly, we’re off to the aircraft for our next little hop to Los Angeles… This time we’re on a larger aircraft, and Jan got the window. Kristen is sitting between us and I get the aisle…
Dallas, as we taxi back out…
Out the window, no zoom…
Some Cloud Pics, I [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] cloud pics..
This was somewhere between Dallas and Los Angeles…
NEXT: LA to Honolulu… |
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06-10-2006, 08:41 AM
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#15
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RED SOX NATION!!
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Connecticut
Concierge Level: 9
Posts: 136,854
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Great pictures Bill [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zwavin.gif[/img] Love the cloud ones [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]
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