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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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We are staying at AoA in Oct., and I have a few questions about the bus transportation between the parks and the resorts. It will be me, DH, and DD (age 4) traveling to Disney. We are going from Sun.-Sat. 10/14-10/20/12.
I already have ADRs for character breakfasts (CRT, Akershus, Tusker Lodge), so the plan is to get to the parks early. Also, we plan to go to the fireworks at MK and Illusions at Epcot and possibly Fantasmic (dinner package is booked).
How busy are the buses at the end of the evening, after the fireworks, Fantasmic, and Illusions are over? I read that sometimes they "pack people on the buses." I am wondering, how long is the wait to get on the buses once you leave the park and get to the bus stop? Do they run more buses during busier times? (I would assume they do).
We are also going to be bringing a lightweight stroller with us to most of the parks. I know many people do this, so obviously people take them on the buses. Do you bring them right on the bus (or do they go underneath or something?).
The buses are very busy at the end of the evening because a lot of people stay to see the fireworks, IllumiNations, or Fantasmic (depending on which park you're talking about, of course). And they don't sometimes pack people on the buses, they always do at the end of the night. And by that I mean that it will be standing room only. The last time I was there, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the fact that the wait to get on a bus wasn't too bad; if I remember right the longest I waited was 30 minutes at MK.
You can definitely bring your stroller on the bus, but it needs to be folded up before you get on; there's no storage space under the bus. Also, you'll want to make sure you have it folded up before it's your turn to get on the bus so you don't keep other guests waiting.
Sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned! I have found that the buses are very busy right after the evening shows, but they do run more at that time than during less busy times. That being said, we try to wait and be one of the last one's out so that we do not have to stand in line too much for the bus.
Also, as for the stroller, yes you take them right on the bus, but they have to be folded. My suggestion is to have them folded and ready to go while standing in line as some can get really impatient waiting while you get organized.
Overall the transportation is what it is, free and it gets you there. There are some things we like to drive to or take a cab to for convenience, but overall the transportation system is efficient, just be prepared to stand on the bus during busy times!
I stayed at Carribbean Beach Resort that in known for bus packing as in sardines.
1. At each of the 4 main parks there are CMs directing traffic and there to answer questions. Each resort has a designated bus stop. Sometimes you get off at a different area but for AofA it will always be the same spot that you get on. At DTD there are CMs and sherriff deputies who can direct you to the two loading zones for buses. There are tricks like standing at the back and pinning the stroller against the divider or placing it between seats.
2. You get into a line that is the holding pen for your bus. You can keep the kid until it is time to board the stroller. Try to time it so that you do not hold up people while folding the stroller. 5 extra minutes with a kid in a stroller is nice.
3. SARDINES aka TOKYO SUBWAY RUSH HOUR
I have done this for CBR. Most guests will give up a seat for a child to sit or for a parent sit with a small child. I would let people plop folded strollers and bags on my scooter. MOST people on buses are the kind of people who are polite and caring folk who will give up seats to the disabled and little kids. If you feel the bus is too crowded then tell the driver you will wait for another bus. I have a bad disc, knee complaints and am fat but I have never had a problem riding the buses standing up. I look at standing on a bus to being akin to surfing or roller coaster rides. Lean on the turn, brace for stops and starts, and never let go of whatever you are hanging onto.
4. Buses run at least an hour after park closure so no worry about dawdling along in parks. I have never been hurt on a bus from standing up and riding. I am amazed how people rearrange themselves to that short people have a place to hang onto and how they accommodate kids.
As for strollers and a for year old kid: you can park the stroller at Small World then do Peter Pand and Small World then move on down to the Caroussel and other rides. I park my scooter and do several rides before moving on, same with strollers.
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Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
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