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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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.
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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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Last year, DH and I went to WDW and I started a trip report, but sadly never made it all the way through to the end .
This year, we are off to Washington DC for 3 days, so I have my fingers crossed as it will be a little shorter, I can make it all the way through to the end .
Anyway, enough about that... I thought I would start with some background as to why we are doing this little trip...with the odd reference to WDW just for good measure!
Since DD4 turned 2 in 2007, DH and I have tried to make an annual trip away, just the two of us, for some GROWN UP time! In 2007 we went to Boston (which was truly amazing) for 3 days and then in 2008 & 2009 we went for slightly longer to WDW
This year, we have decided to take the plunge and are off to WDW with DD4 in October for one week - I can not wait!! Anyway, with that in the bag, we really thought that a grown up trip was out of the question, because of cost!
DH & I are avid West Wing fans, and have over the years become fascinated with Washington DC & the whole government thing! As Washington is on the east coast it makes it much more accesible for a long weekend, from this side of the Atlantic....so our minds were made up, this is where we wanted to go!
When:
September 23 - 26
We leave London at 11am on Thursday morning and will arrive at Dulles at 1:40pm we then hope to catch a taxi into Washington to our hotel
Where:
Hotel Palomar, Washington DC - this is a Kimpton hotel, we stayed at a sister hotel of theirs in Boston and it was wonderful! The Palomar is located in Dupont Circle - hopefully this is a pretty good location for getting around and seeing all the sights
Who:
Me (Emma) - I love all things Disney, and am looking forward to seeing an American city that is new to me
DH (Mark) - also a lover of all things Disney - also looking forward to seeing some history
If you're West Wing fans be sure to visit the DAR Headquarters, which doubled as the White House for many exterior close ups.
We were in DC in July and had a great trip. Feel free to PM me if you'd like.
__________________
Carolyn
Last edited by Carousel96; 08-31-2010 at 04:03 PM..
Dupont Circle is a very convenient place to stay in terms of sightseeing
Thanks, that is great to know
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carousel96
If you're West Wing fans be sure to visit the DAR Headquarters, which doubled as the White House for many exterior close ups.
We were in DC in July and had a great trip. Feel free to PM me if you'd like.
Thanks very much for the advice - I looked up the building on the internet and can not believe how good it looks - I have a guide book that mentions it, but looked straight past it! Your advice is really helpful, thanks
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I was a political science major in college and spent many weekends in DC. If you need any advice on what to see and do, let me know.
Thanks, so far we are planning to see:
The Mall
The Washington Monument
The Lincoln Memorial
National Air & Space Museum
A few picture of the front of the White House (of course)
The Capitol
A look round Georgetown
Plus we do want to get a bit of shopping in to!
Please let me know if we are missing anything really amazing, I know it will be hard to pack it all in in 3 days!
Thanks, so far we are planning to see:
The Mall
The Washington Monument
The Lincoln Memorial
National Air & Space Museum
A few picture of the front of the White House (of course)
The Capitol
A look round Georgetown
Plus we do want to get a bit of shopping in to!
Please let me know if we are missing anything really amazing, I know it will be hard to pack it all in in 3 days!
Have you looked into any tours of the monuments? They are all stunning and worth seeing. The Jefferson is beautiful, but a way out, which is why I wondered about a tour, and don't miss the Franklin D. Roosevelt one - we were blown away by that one. You'll probably see the Second World War monument anyway, as that's next door to the Washington Monument. We did a tour of the monuments by moonlight and it was amazing and well worth every penny.
Have you looked into any tours of the monuments? They are all stunning and worth seeing. The Jefferson is beautiful, but a way out, which is why I wondered about a tour, and don't miss the Franklin D. Roosevelt one - we were blown away by that one. You'll probably see the Second World War monument anyway, as that's next door to the Washington Monument. We did a tour of the monuments by moonlight and it was amazing and well worth every penny.
Thanks for the ideas...it is hard to guess how close all the memorials are on the Mall and how easy it will be to see them all!!
Yep, we have booked a tour...one I am really excited about
Thanks, so far we are planning to see:
The Mall
The Washington Monument
The Lincoln Memorial
National Air & Space Museum
A few picture of the front of the White House (of course)
The Capitol
A look round Georgetown
Plus we do want to get a bit of shopping in to!
Please let me know if we are missing anything really amazing, I know it will be hard to pack it all in in 3 days!
Three days is a short DC trip but off the top of my head, the following wouldn't be bad places to go either (if you have the time to fit it all in):
Any of the other Smithsonian museum (Air and Space is the best); Natural History is next best, then American History (these two museums are right next to each other on the Mall)
The National Archives
The Old Post Office (cool old building - not too far from the mall with a good food court)
Botanical Gardens by the Capitol Building are very nice
We have managed to make some plans for a few of the main sights that we need to book in advance, the rest of it is a bit up in the air;
Thursday 23 Sep
As I said before, our flight does not arrive at Dulles until 1:40pm, so by the time we have made it through immigration and collected our bags and made it to the hotel, I expect it will be around 3.30pm.
We really don't have any plans for the rest of the day, other than to find somewhere good to eat
Friday 24 Sep
We are hoping to get some serious sightseeing under out belts today No doubt we will be up nice and early (thanks jet lag) so are hoping to spend some time on the Mall, looking at the Lincoln Memorial, the Second World War Memorial and whatever else we can see before we have a tour of the capitol booked for 11:00am.
After grabbing some lunch we have a tour booked at 3pm.
We had looked at all the tours available and then I spotted that Segway tours are available.....I have seen these at Epcot and always really fancied the idea, so took the plunge and booked it for 3pm. I have to say I am really excited about this
After that, we will probably head back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner.
Saturday 25 Sep
Today we have the Washington Memorial booked for 9.30, and hope to spend some more time on the Mall and visit the Air and Space Museum, see the White House and then we may head over to Georgetown.
Sunday 26 Sep
We have nothing specific planned for the day other than we have to be at Dulles by 8pm.
At some point (not yet figured out) we also would like to try and get some shopping in, and maybe visit the Arlington Cemetary.
We have a couple of guidebooks which have restaurants, restaurants and more restaurants! We don't really know what is good in Washington, so we will have to wait and see what we can find
So at the moment, that is us all planned, with less than 30 days to go, all I really need to do is get DD4 started in Reception at School, finalise our plans for our WDW trip in October, and pack for Washington
Three days is a short DC trip but off the top of my head, the following wouldn't be bad places to go either (if you have the time to fit it all in):
Any of the other Smithsonian museum (Air and Space is the best); Natural History is next best, then American History (these two museums are right next to each other on the Mall)
The National Archives
The Old Post Office (cool old building - not too far from the mall with a good food court)
Botanical Gardens by the Capitol Building are very nice
Thanks for info, I had completely forgotten about the Botanical Gardens - you are right, there is TOO much to do in 3 days I really appreciate your tips
You don't happen to have any good food recommendations up your sleeve?
Emma
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DC is a great city to visit and you'll love it. 
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