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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.

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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!

Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!

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Old 02-24-2011, 04:52 PM   #1
ttnmama
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Oh My Gosh! We're leaving in 16 days, and I haven't packed yet! PTR

Hi all! This is my first PTR, so please hang in there with me. I have been reading LOTS of others’ reports and think I am finally ready to attempt one.

First, we are headed to the Disney bubble Sunday, March 13 and leaving on Friday, March 18, 2011.

Here is our cast of characters:
Me, Theresa, (T, TT and/or Mama) just turned 40 on February 23.


DH, Mark, (Daddy, Bum-1st class according to my Dad) will turn 40 in August. He loves to tell everyone how he married an "older" woman.




DS, Jackson, (Jack, Doodle Bug, Munchkin) will turn 4 on March 7, just one week before our trip. We are planning many birthday surprises for him.



Dad, Carl, (Gramps), will be 64 in May.
Mom, Barbara, (Grams), will also be 64 in June.


Can you see the number theme we have in birthdays?


Our story begins with our very generous benefactor, one of my bosses. He is a Disney Fanatic and Disney Vacation Club Member. His family takes several trips a year, plus some last minute spur of the moment ones. Any way, for several years my boss has anxiously been awaiting my son to reach an acceptable age to go to Disney.


So, last October, my boss comes and asks when Jackson is going to be 4. I tell him March, and he tells me, "pick a week in March that’s good for your family, you’re going to Disney World".I tried not to squeeze the stuffing out of him or yell my thanks too loudly in his ear.

Well, he made our reservations for a one bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs, and I started planning. About a week after he told us, I had figured out our ADRs and the order of our park visits, so I called and made all the necessary reservations, including advising that we would be celebrating my son turning 4 and my turning 40. Then, I started the serious research...
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My Previous TripsFirst visit 1980 when Epcot opened; many visits with parents; 1986 three times - Band, ROTC and parents; 1989 Grad Nite; 1990 with future DH and parents (dad spent most of time in hospital) ; 1996 - weekend to visit parents on their make-up trip from '90; 2004 with DH - after reschedules due to Hurricanes in Florida and Louisiana.
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Old 02-24-2011, 05:47 PM   #2
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Great start - and what a generous and wonderful boss you have. I can't wait to read more about your vacation and planning.
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Disney 2018 TR COMPLETED 10-20-18 POSTS 266 - 273
Looking for my previous TR's? Here they are
My Previous TripsAll WDW - July 1980 off property - July 1981 FW - July 1983 FW - July 1985 FW - August 1987 FW - July 1988 Treehouse Villas - July 1990 Treehouse Villas - July 1997 FW - August 2006 AS Sports, 1st time with DH and DD - August 2008 AS Sports - August 2009 AS Sports - August 2010 AS Sports - July 2011 AS Sports - August 2013 AS Music - August 2014 AS Music - August 2015 AS Music - August 2016 AS Music - August 2018 AS Music, Kate (lovewdw2) joined us for the weekend
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Old 02-24-2011, 05:52 PM   #3
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Theresa,
first of all happy belated birthday!!!
and btw my hubby calls me his "cougar" because im 3 months older than him, so I know how you feel
man you have an amazing boss!!!

do you plan special outfits too?
we bought princess dresses and such. does Jackson like pirate stuff or anything?

I hope youll have an amazing time and please keep us posted!!!
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My Countdown Counting down to: our next Disney World Trip!
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My Previous TripsMarch 2011 Pop Century (first trip with our girls!), June 2010 off Property (our very belated honeymoon), Summer 2005 Pop Century (as a Nanny with 5 kids!)
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Old 02-24-2011, 06:36 PM   #4
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What a great start and a very generous boss you have!
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My Previous TripsAUG '16 - POFQ, APR '12 - POFQ, JUL '10 - DL, AUG '09 - DCL Western, AUG '08 - POFQ/BC, AUG '06 - AKL/BC/DisneyWonder/Poly, DEC '05 - AKL, APR '05 - AKL/BC, DEC '04 - AKL, MAY '04 - AKL/BC, MAY '03 - WL/BC, MAY '98 -offsite, MAY '94 - BC, AUG '85 - Poly, AUG '83 - Poly, AUG '81 - Poly, JUL '79 - World Inn, JUL '76 - World Inn
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Old 02-24-2011, 06:51 PM   #5
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Great PTR so far

Happy belated birthday !!

Uuhhh - can I have your boss !!!
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Old 02-24-2011, 06:51 PM   #6
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Love your title! Your boss sounds AMAZING! More details please!
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My Previous TripsWDW June 88 (Contemp), WDW June 90 (Dis Inn), WDW June 92 (Dis Inn), WDW Aug 95 (Contemp), WDW July 97 (Poly), WDW April 98 (Poly), WDW & DCL Apr 99 (Port Orl (Dixie Landings) & Magic), WDW & DCL Nov/Dec 00 (Poly & Wonder), WDW Oct 03 (Poly), WDW Mar 05 (Poly), DLR Feb 06 (Paradise Pier), WDW & DCL Nov/Dec 07 (Saratoga Spring & Wonder), WDW May 08 (Port Orleans Riverside)
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Old 02-24-2011, 06:53 PM   #7
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Your boss is soooo much better than mine! What a generous gift.

Where are the ADRs?
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My Previous TripsPoly Dec. 1979,off-site Aug. 1990, off-site June 1992, off-site Aug. 1993, CBR Sept. 2008, CBR Jan/Feb 2010, POFQ Dec 2011
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Old 02-24-2011, 10:40 PM   #8
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Sweet boss! Great start!
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My Previous TripsAKL Jambo April/May 2017--SSR/OKW Sept/Oct 2016 --AKL Kidani May 2016 -- Polynesian Village Resort May 2015 -- OKW/Magic December 2014 -- AKL Jambo House October 2014 -- VWL May 2014--SSR October 2013--AKL/Kidani June 2013--CBR October 2012--BWI June 2012--AKV Jambo House/Kidani Village June 2011 -- November 2010 Beach Club -- June 2010 Beach Club -- October 2009 CBR and Gaylord Palms -- June 2009 AKV/Kidani Village -- June 2008 VWL --June 2007 OKW--June 2006 Disney Wonder/SSR -- June 2005 SSR -- June 2004 VWL -- June 2003 AKL -- August 1997 Off Property -- March 1980 Cocoa Beach
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Old 02-24-2011, 11:17 PM   #9
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Great start, what a wonderful boss you have, think he might have to give some tips to mine

Can't wait to hear more.
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My Previous TripsBWV & POLY 8/15, OKW 2/15, BWI 11/14, AKV & BCV 8/14, CSR 10/13, OKW & AKV 8/13, AKV & BLT 7/12, AKV & BWV 8/11, BCV 2/11, POR & BWV 8/10, POR 8/09, POR 12/08, ASMo 6/08, POR 5/06, WDW 10/83
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Old 02-25-2011, 12:52 AM   #10
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Wow! What a great present! I can't wait to read all about your trip!
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My Previous TripsWDW 1985 off property, WDW 1987 Contemporary, WDW 1989 Poly, WDW Sept. 2006 Pop, WDW Sept. 2007 CBR WDW Aug 2008 ASMu Dec 2008 SSR, May 2009 SSR, June 2009 SSR/VWL, Oct 2009 AKVC, Dec 2009 AKV, June 2010 SSR, Oct 2010 BWV, Nov 2010 CR, Dec 2010 ASp, April 2011 AKVC, June 2011 SSR/ASM, July 2011, ASp, Oct 2011 AKVC, Dec 2011 VGC
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Old 02-25-2011, 02:34 AM   #11
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How great! Where do you work? Are you guys hiring?
That is so nice of your boss. Can't wait to hear your plans.
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My Previous TripsDLR Nov 2016, POP Dec 2015, POP May 2015, Cont & AoA Oct 2014, POP Jan 2014, POP Jan 2012, POP Sept 2011, POP Aug 2010, POP Jan 2010, PORS Sept 2009, POP Jan 2009, AS Sports Sept 2008, POP July 2006
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Old 02-25-2011, 09:59 AM   #12
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The Planning Begins

I started my Google searches on planning for Disney. I stumbled across PassPorters, read a few TRs, saw some excerpts from some of the books and was hooked. I’ve been planning to start this PTR for a while, and then realized that it was almost time to actually go!

BTW, sorry everyone, but we’re not hiring here, so I can’t share my boss with any of you. He is a great guy.

On to the plans, this will be my DS’s first trip to Disney, plus it's close to his birthday, so I’ve been trying to make this trip all about him. Previous family vacations to Disney (Mom, Dad, DH and I) were all Go, Go, Go. Well, my DS even at almost 4, blessedly still takes naps, and I wasn’t going to mess with that, so the first thing I did was tell my parents that this one will be more relaxed and include opportunities for breaks/naps/swimming. Thankfully, they were okay with that.

Our first set of ADRs included: the Turf Club at Saratoga Springs, Mama Melrose at HS, character breakfast at Crystal Palace and dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern at Magic Kingdom. We planned one park per day with a mid-afternoon break.

Our trip originally looked like this:
Sunday - arrive early evening, dinner at Downtown Disney

Monday - Animal Kingdom, afternoon swim, nap, 7 pm ressies at Turf Club;

Tuesday - EPCOT, afternoon swim/nap, wing it for food, Illuminations;

Wednesday - Hollywood Studios, Mama Melrose Lunch Fantasmic Package, afternoon swim/nap, Fantasmic;

Thursday - 8:20am Crystal Palace Character Breakfast, Magic Kingdom, afternoon swim/nap, Liberty Tree Tavern Dinner, Electric Parade

Friday - check out, Downtown Disney

Coming next: What was I thinking?
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My Previous TripsFirst visit 1980 when Epcot opened; many visits with parents; 1986 three times - Band, ROTC and parents; 1989 Grad Nite; 1990 with future DH and parents (dad spent most of time in hospital) ; 1996 - weekend to visit parents on their make-up trip from '90; 2004 with DH - after reschedules due to Hurricanes in Florida and Louisiana.
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Old 02-25-2011, 11:05 AM   #13
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Can't wait to hear more!

What a GREAT boss!!!!

SSR is our home resort and we LOVE it there!!!! You will have a GREAT time!!!
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My Countdown Counting down to: Annual Trip Home!
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsCSR April 2016; BCV August 2015; SSR April 2015; AKL & AoA June/July 2014; POP September 2013; POP August 2013; AKL & BLT June/July 2013; POR December 2012; SSR October 2012; SSR July 2011; BWV May 2011; SSR July/Aug 2010; WL & SSR July 2009; SSR July 2008; OKW August 2007; OKW May 2007; SSR October 2006; SSR June 2006; OKW December 2005; CS September 2005; OKW July 2005; SSR October 2004; POP June 2004; ASMV April 2004; BWV October 2003
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Old 02-25-2011, 11:09 AM   #14
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Great plans!
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My Previous TripsAUG '16 - POFQ, APR '12 - POFQ, JUL '10 - DL, AUG '09 - DCL Western, AUG '08 - POFQ/BC, AUG '06 - AKL/BC/DisneyWonder/Poly, DEC '05 - AKL, APR '05 - AKL/BC, DEC '04 - AKL, MAY '04 - AKL/BC, MAY '03 - WL/BC, MAY '98 -offsite, MAY '94 - BC, AUG '85 - Poly, AUG '83 - Poly, AUG '81 - Poly, JUL '79 - World Inn, JUL '76 - World Inn
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Old 02-25-2011, 12:19 PM   #15
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Great start! You've got a very generous boss!
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Relaxing on board the Magic. The trip report for our back-to-back cruises on the Disney Magic has started!
My Countdown Counting down to: 2019
Happy New Year!
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My Previous Trips21 trips to WDW, 6 to Disneyland in California, 9 to Disneyland Paris, 1 to Hong Kong Disneyland, 1 to Tokyo Disney, 1 to Aulani, 1 to Hilton Head, 2 to Vero Beach and 13 Disney cruises on the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy
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