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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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.
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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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Everyone here is raving about the Palo brunch and how they book up quickly because everyone wants to do it more than dinner, etc. But I need to hear from some buffet experts. How much effort should I put into getting a ressie?
Let me explain - I live in Vegas, grew up here and DH is a native. We know from buffets! We know good inexpensive ones and ones like Bellagio (amazing!). We have never found a buffet outside of Vegas that can measure up. Some are good buffets, but rarely amazing experiences. We enjoyed the Parrot Cay buffet as a regular run-of-the-mill buffet when we ate there the morning we docked in Nassau (we were on the Wonder, so Palo didn't offer buffets and high tea).
So, any other buffet afficionados out there, regular Vegas visitors who can chime in on how it compares? I just have a funny feeling that my expectations will be way too high for what Palo can deliver. Since the kids can't go, I don't know that I want to work that hard to get it....
I can't compare Palo brunch to the Belagio - haven't been to Vegas in the past 20 years or so. However, Palo's is definitely a high-end buffet as these things go, but maybe not the highest-end, either. It's way, way above the regular Parrot Cay buffet, though (and not just because it's on Deck 10 and Parrot Cay is on Deck 3 ). This is an intimate buffet - fewer guests than there are seats at Palo. Many delicacies (especially Italian) on the buffet, very few cheap "fillers." Cooked-to-order lunch entrees, eggs, and specialty pizzas, all brought to your table by your server. You won't see foie gras sculptures or bowls of beluga caviar, but you will see heaps of crab claws.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
As a Nevadan, I understand what you're saying. Most Disney-type buffets are just okay and overpriced compared to what we have here. We only partook of buffets once on this last cruise.
However, Palo is different. Very intimate as Dave said, and it was another chance for us to visit with the Palo servers, whom we really enjoyed. And the view...
Having been able to enjoy all three Palo "events," I rank the dinner and brunch equally. One cruise, dinner was much better, one brunch was! I know I'm lots of help! We really enjoyed the tea too. If we could have eaten at Palo every day, we would have! My waistline would not have been happy, though.
Have you tried dinner before? Then I'd try the brunch this time. Otherwise, I'd try what intrests you most, and book them all if available. You can always cancel later if you change your mind.
I just went to dinner and brunch at Palo last week. I enjoyed dinner a bit more, but they were both excellent.
I would also rate the buffet as high-end. Very good, but not quite as excellent as the highest-end buffet they serve at the Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai, CA, where I lived for several years.
But as Dave mentioned, the view at Palo is unsurpassed!
I go to Vegas every year, but I haven't done the Bellagio Buffet. I can tell you that the quality of the food at the Palo Brunch is outstanding. It is fresh and while I've seen larger buffet's I don't think I've ever had better food. Here are some pictures from our recent brunch. (courtesy of Terri - DrDolphin). They also serve made to order hot items (your server takes the order and you can have as much as you want) and champaign and mimosas!
Cheese and Bread Table:
Appetizers and Salads including the best olive's I've ever eaten, scallops wrapped in bacon, prosciutto wrapped melon and a yummy sundried tomato salad.
The sweet roll and breakfast pastry table.
Crab legs, crab claws, caviar, Salmon mouse on a spoon and shrimp:
Dessert table.
I definitely think it is worth it. If you have trouble getting it online be sure to check once you're on the boat. If you still have trouble stop by the restaurant when it's open and see if they can help you. We were able to get a second brunch on our recent cruise that way!
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We went to the Bellagio buffet a couple of years ago and I would say Palo is up there with it. The food at Palo is very high end, it is wonderful quality and it's definitely worth trying to get a reservation there.
Thanks for the input, everyone. I was concerned that I'd go to all this stress and trouble trying to snag that elusive Palo Brunch ressie and then think, "this is it?"
I did enjoy Palo for dinner last time, though I've had just as good here (except the Panna Cotta, I had two of those!). As others point out, though, the intimacy, the service, the views, the cost....all add to the experience. Hearing opinions that the food can rank up there with Bellagio, combined with the view and another chance for DH and I to have some "grown-up time", points toward my being online at 9:00 on my ressie date (nice thing about being west coast....), making dinner AND brunch (not tea, though - too fussy for me).
I hadn't thought about the fact that the views will be daytime, which we didn't get last time....so BONUS! Here's hoping I can do this on a sea day.
Thanks for asking that question. That is something I have been wondering too, but I think we will try and book the brunch, because I love seafood and it looks wonderful!!!
That's what's funny...We aren't seafood fans, so I was concerned that all of the "good" stuff is stuff that we wouldn't like no matter how good it is. But Dr.Dolphin's pictures (via Lesley) reminds me that the experience should be sampled at least once.
The brunch is available only on sea days, so you are in luck there. It definitely is worth the effort of getting a reservation. I am hard put to decide if I like the brunch or the dinner better. I'm looking forward to two 7-night cruises in 2009 to try the high tea as well!
We skipped Palo's last trip and I was really thinking that I could skip again, until I saw the brunch photos and read all of the great comments. I'm sold! Sign me up!
OK... after all the comments about the Palo Brunch we finally did it... and goooooodnessssssss were you all right about it!!! It may have even been better than the dinner.... what a great time... and the food on my very nice!! Must do... and we will in April again!!
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). This is an intimate buffet - fewer guests than there are seats at Palo. Many delicacies (especially Italian) on the buffet, very few cheap "fillers." Cooked-to-order lunch entrees, eggs, and specialty pizzas, all brought to your table by your server. You won't see foie gras sculptures or bowls of beluga caviar, but you will see heaps of crab claws.
I know I'm lots of help! We really enjoyed the tea too. If we could have eaten at Palo every day, we would have! My waistline would not have been happy, though.
TERRY
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