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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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.
Ok seen I think we are going to drive to port...What car rental place is good to rent in orlando or at the airport (MCO) and return in port...and what location in port. I have found that some rental car places have two or three return places. I am thinking of renting the car the night before we set sail and then taking a free shuttle to port.
That leads to question 2 what is the hotel you would recommend that is close to port and offers free shuttles over to port. I want to get there early this time. Last time we were one of the last and missed lots in port to see we were feeling rushed to just get on. Want to slow it down lots this time. thanks for all you ideas ahead of time.
We stay at the Radisson Resort at the Port last time and they had free shuttle service... but no breakfast.. but McDonald's was across the street..and it was fine but may try something different for the next trip... was also wondering about rental car.. we had car drop us at hotel last time.... so anxious to see what replies you get...
__________________
Lezlee Disney Vacation Club Member
Disney Dreams June 2011
Disneyland June 2010
Disneyland Aug 2009
First Time Cruise Jan 2009
Disney World First trip 80's First Family Trip Jan 2008 lezlee.berry@sbcglobal.net
Last time we rented on Disney Property and rented it there...It was cheep and worked out great. This time I am wondering if it would be better to rent a car and return at Port or to return at Disney and take a car service.
Hertz, Avis, and Budget all have offices in Port Canaveral that offer free shuttle to the cruise terminal. Alamo/National doesn't have an office there any more, so renting from them on WDW property (at the Car Care Center) won't get you very far. Check rates for all three. Pick-up from the airport is usually cheapest, but a couple of them also have offices on-property (one at the Swan/Dolphin, the other at one of the Hotel Plaza Blvd. hotels), so you could check rates from those locations as well, if you're staying at WDW beforehand or afterwards.
__________________
Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
We are going with budget, had a good experiance in 08 prior to our cruise. Pland this year are take the Magical Express to AKL, then pick up our rental at Doubletree by DTD, and drop off at Cape Canaveral and take the free shuttle, to the port.
We are really looking at price right now... I am a big time planner and love to plan trips so I will most likely mix it 10 different ways before I make up my mind. I was looking at town car service to port and renting a car just at wdw. I am thinking it might be easier and better as far as cost.
We plann on staying at the raddisson after looking back at my old passporter with location and what they have to offer. But with that said I think I better order a new one for this trip!
We rented Budget on the way down to the Port (we stayed at the Dolphin a few days before our cruise) and then rented Avis on the way back to MCO. We have stayed at the Residence Inn at PC before our cruise in 2006. I'd highly recommend it!
We rented Budget on the way down to the Port (we stayed at the Dolphin a few days before our cruise) and then rented Avis on the way back to MCO. We have stayed at the Residence Inn at PC before our cruise in 2006. I'd highly recommend it!
Thanks...we have so much planning to do I am glad we have lots of time....We are after the budget right now and paying for it in cash before we go....I know I will need the credit card for the hotels and rental car but want to have the payment set on-line to pay for it before we go. So it will hit why we are gone. This is how we did it last time and it was so nice coming home knowing that we did not owe anything from our trip.
We plann on staying at the raddisson after looking back at my old passporter with location and what they have to offer. But with that said I think I better order a new one for this trip!
In the last few years (based on what I have read on these boards, as well as hotels.com and tripadvisor.com) the Radisson has really deteriorated in quality. The Residence Inn and the Country Inn & Suites have much higher ratings. Additionally, they are closer to the port, they offer a free breakfast, there is a Burger King in their shared parking lot, and they offer a shuttle to the port. The shuttle runs $3 - $4 per person. It is free with the parking package, but the package is more expensive, and you can leave your car there without purchasing it. We stayed at the Residence Inn and we were VERY happy with it - we will most likely stay there again in 2012. We did decide to take a cab to the port - it is $4 per person, and you have the benefit of going on YOUR schedule - the front desk will call them for you when you are ready to go. I checked prices on all three hotels and they were pretty consistant; we actually saved a bit by getting a 2 bedroom suite with my DH's parents.
I will have to look into...We have a year (2011) but I am thinking I am going to wait until later this summer to have set plans and time for me to hear the most from all of you. I am also waiting for my new passporter. I guess this is what happens when you go only 4 years the waiting is killer. And to top it off I can not tell my KIDS....I think this might kill me before xmas. I hate keeping things from people. I guess I will have to keep busy.
We rented from budget at MCO, they offer a free shuttle service to the ship. I tried Priceline and it came up with Country Inn and Suites for $65. The price Country Inn had on their website was $128. Breakfast is included. The pool is small but we arrived at night and that wasn't a concern for us. Room was clean and quiet. We used their shuttle to take us to a restaurant. I think they had shuttles that would take you to the ship as well.
PassPorter Guide Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 31,940
Post Thanks / Like
Likes (Given): 2
Likes (Received): 7
Thanks (Given): 0
Thanks (Received): 1
Pixie Dust (Given): 0
Pixie Dust (Received): 0
We are renting from Hertz in Jacksonville and driving to the port, turning the car in at the Hertz location and taking their free shuttle to the cruise Terminal. Did this 2 years ago with Hertz and had great success.
About This Page: 
Car rental and hotel
[/url
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Linear Mode
