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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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07-05-2006, 02:01 PM
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#1
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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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Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 COMPLETE!
Welcome to my trip report for our Vegas and California trip! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zwavin.gif[/img]
This is the sixth thread of this report.
The first thread of this report can be found here, the second thread can be found here, the third thread can be found here, the fourth thread can be found here and the fifth thread can be found here
As this will cover a number of different places, the Vegas and Lake Havasu City parts have already been posted in this forum. The San Diego and Disneyland / Los Angeles parts of our trip were posted in the Disneyland forum. |
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07-05-2006, 02:03 PM
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#2
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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: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Wednesday 26 April – part one: how many different alarm calls? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]
Not only did we have alarm calls at 5.15 and 5.30, but we also ended up with one at 5.00 as well, when the alarm clock decided to go off. Let’s hope it doesn’t do that every day we’re here, that would be too much. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]
We were ready and outside by 6.20 at our appointed time to be picked up, but the minivan didn’t arrive until about 6.35. We had to make another couple of stops at other hotels and then we were on our way. We headed over the Bay Bridge and we could see where they were building a new bridge to try and ease congestion and also because the current bridge is no longer deemed safe, following the 1989 earthquake.
I didn’t see much more for the next hour and a half, as I just dozed on and off. My eyes were so tired, I just couldn’t keep them open. I guess that my body really wasn’t ready to wake up this morning.
I did see some wind farms and Mark told me that they were everywhere as we drove along. There were also literally thousands of cows along the route, which made my day. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
We stopped for gas and we all got out to stretch our legs, get some food and use the restrooms and then it was back in the minivan for another couple of hours and through Mariposa.
Soon we were into Yosemite itself and I didn’t realise that it went on for so long. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/jawdrop.gif[/img] We were still about 40 miles out from the centre when we crossed past the sign at the entrance. The scenery was just beautiful and I snapped what I could as we travelled along, although we were going way too fast to get many good shots. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/pout.gif[/img] The driver Roman was a complete nutcase, he went so fast around all the bends. Fortunately it didn’t affect me too badly, but Mark felt really sick. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] This was not how we wanted to enter Yosemite.
           
At last when we made our first stop in the park, overlooking Brideval Falls. Mark told me that all the sickness was worth it when he saw the view and it was breathtaking.
        
Next: did I just see that? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]
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07-05-2006, 02:23 PM
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#3
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Community Rank: Explorer 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 12,270
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Re: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Wow!! What beautiful views!! Can't wait to see and hear more!
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07-05-2006, 03:25 PM
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#4
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Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ohio Football Hall Of Fame
Posts: 42,304
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Re: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Beautiful photos Cheryl!!! Sorry you had such a bad driver. Can't wait for more!!
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07-05-2006, 03:39 PM
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#5
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Community Rank: Adventurer 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 726
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Re: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Great update, but what happened to your flight to San Francisco, how much it costs to get into the city, and your first night in the area?!! Did I just miss it, or was it skipped?
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07-05-2006, 04:07 PM
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#6
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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: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Beatutiful photos!
Can't wait to hear more.
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07-05-2006, 05:02 PM
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#7
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Community Rank: Adventurer
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Maine
Posts: 634
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Re: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
[ QUOTE ]
Great update, but what happened to your flight to San Francisco, how much it costs to get into the city, and your first night in the area?!! Did I just miss it, or was it skipped?
[/ QUOTE ]
I was wondering that too! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
Gorgeous pictures of Yosemite though.
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07-05-2006, 05:31 PM
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#8
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Community Rank: Globetrotter 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: California
Posts: 3,878
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Re: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Great pictures I love Yosemite it is one to the prettiest places on earth.
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07-05-2006, 05:58 PM
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#9
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Community Rank: Legend 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: North Central Ohio
Posts: 21,629
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Re: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Beautiful photos!! More please! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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07-06-2006, 12:56 AM
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#10
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Community Rank: Jetsetter 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 2,858
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Re: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Cheryl,
I have been loving your TR, but I can't find the report of your flight up to SF and your trip into the city. From the title of your last report in DLR, I understand it cost a bit to get into the city! I'm dying to read your account of our freeway(s)!
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07-06-2006, 01:42 AM
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#11
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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: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
You're totally right - that's what happens when you skip from one forum to another, I missed an installment. I'll post that one now - sorry for the mix-up! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/blushing.gif[/img]
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07-06-2006, 01:43 AM
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#12
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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: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Stepping back to recover the installment I forgot to post yesterday! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/whistling2.gif[/img]
Tuesday 25 April – part eight: how much to get into the city? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/jawdrop.gif[/img]
The wait went quite quickly, something to do with the airport having wireless – thanks for the hint on that from Terri! (DrDolphin) [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img] It was incredible to watch Southwest at work. We’ve never flown with them before, but I’ve heard all about the amazing turn around times and they are good. The flight before us was due to head off to Oakland at 6.00 and that plane got in 20 minutes before that. They got everyone off and immediately the new lot started to board. Everyone was so well organised into lines A, B and C and I noticed that they had started to line up about half an hour before their flight. We learnt from that and made sure that we were sitting by the A line and sure enough, we were about the tenth people in line.
We got chatting to a guy called Paul, who works as a trader, but wants to run his own tour company, just catering for a few people at a time. We were chatting away and when we boarded, we sat next to him and carried on. He even offered to drive us to the BART station to get us into San Francisco, but he had also told us that he had a daughter and it was clear that he wanted to get home and see her, so we thanked him very much for his kind offer, but told him we’d take a taxi as originally planned.
We said our goodbyes to him and headed for baggage claim. Only a minute later, our cases all arrived. All three were amongst the first ten off the plane. We couldn’t believe our luck. We really couldn’t fault Southwest and if our schedule coincides with theirs again, then we’ll have no hesitation in flying with them again.
We went outside and found a taxi, pretty steep at $50 - $60 to get into San Francisco, but still it was late and we had an early start and so long as it got us there without us having to mess about, then that worked for us. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] This driver was excellent, very fast and took us there directly and for the first time in America, we didn’t feel like he was trying to make money out of us.
We walked into the Fairmont and all I can say is wow. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/jawdrop.gif[/img] Their lobby is quite something. I was too tired to really take it in though, but James who checked us in did make me smile. He was so friendly and told us that he was giving us a good room on the 19th floor and set us up with a wake up call for 5.15 and a second for 5.30. We didn’t want to miss our Yosemite tour.
We walked for what felt like ages to the new part of the Fairmont and found our room easily enough, it was right next door to the lifts. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img] James!
We couldn’t make out what our view was, as it was dark, but the city sure looks good at night and the room was lovely. I got a couple of photos of it:
    
After uploading the photos, it was time for bed. We had an alarm call just seven hours away. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]
Today we walked 3.63 miles
The weather today was cloudy and in the 60’s.
The best thing today was our lunch at Yamabuki.
The worst thing today was losing the autograph book and not getting into the PCH Grill.
The funniest thing today was Goofy in the lobby of the Disneyland Hotel.
Today I tried Indiana Jones Adventure
And the result was it’s one of Disney’s best ever rides.
The most magical moment today was seeing my donkey.
Next: how many different alarm calls? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] (although you've already had that installment, just to really confuse you! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] ) |
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07-06-2006, 06:01 AM
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#13
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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: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Great update, Cheryl. That is a beautiful room!!
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07-06-2006, 09:42 AM
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#14
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Community Rank: Scout 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Songtan, South Korea
Posts: 4,681
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Re: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Your room is beautiful, and I love the pictures in Yosemite. Can't wait to see more.
Laura
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07-06-2006, 11:23 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: Two go wild and go west! - THREAD 6 - UPDATED 7/5!
Great updates Cheryl! What a fantastic room at the Fairmont [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img] And the pictures of Yosemite are quite spectacular [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img]
More please [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
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