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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I can't believe I'm thinking this way! I've been so excited about the cruise (Westbound Panama Repo) and have wanted to see the canal for many years.
Here's what happened: I was at WDW for the last 12 days and had the best time ever! It got me wondering if I'd be wishing I were at WDW for the whole cruise. I've only done the 3-day, loved it, and know I'd have a great time on the longer cruise. But I'll be spending way more money than if I spent the time at WDW and worry that I'll miss the variety of options available at the parks. No matter how often I go to WDW it's always exciting and on every trip there are a lot of new experiences. In favor of the cruise is the relaxation of all the sea days, the beauty of the ship, the excitement of the canal transit and foreign travel (I've travelled a lot in Europe, but never Central America), although, really, the ports aren't all that exotic. I know I'll be insanely jealous reading the trip reports if I don't go!
I'll probably go back and forth on this until final payment is due.
Those of you who have sailed on the longer cruises--do you miss WDW?
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I went through something similar before we went on the Med cruise. We'd only done a three night cruise before and I was worried that I'd go stir crazy on at sea days and that it would be too long for us. Not a bit of it! We absolutely adored the cruise and it was one of the best vacations we've ever had. I say stick with the cruise - I think worrying about these things beforehand is natural, but you'll have an amazing time once you're on board.
Laurie - I'm on the Westboud repo cruise with you. I've never done a longer cruise before, but am really looking forward to it. On the cruises I have done I have always wished I had more time on the ship, so I figured this one would be great! I am solving my WDW fix by spending 6 days there before the cruise! It will be the longest vacation I've ever taken. Hope you decide to stay on the cruise. I'm looking forward to meeting you.
Stay on the cruise!!! You may not get an opportunity like the repo cruise, again. Besides, you said you loved the shorter cruise and you've not been to Central America... so, you can't lose! Maybe try to spend a day before and/or after in the World to satisfy your fix!
Or visit DLR after your cruise for a day or two. I wouldn't cancel the cruise.: I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. We were worried about even liking cruising to begin with, and now we can't get enough!
I totally understand where your coming from but I wouldn't cancel it the trip is going to be fabulous and I did a 7 day cruise and that was NOT long enough! I can't wait for the Repo. There is a lot on that boat to see, do and eat that 15 days *may* be long enough but we will see!
Why not fly down 1 or 2 days early, go to Disney World see maybe MK and one other park then do DL for 1 or 2 days after the cruise? Make it a WDW-DCL-DL Triple Treat Trip!
If you decide to cancel the Cruise I'll really miss meeting you but will understand.
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Thank you all for the votes in favor of cruising! I'll continue to mull it over, I'm sure. I wish I could tack on a few days for WDW or DL, but can't take more time off work in one block. And if I do the cruise I won't be able (financially) to go back to WDW until spring of '09. I'm not sure I can wait that long!
I'm really looking forward to meeting many of you on the cruise and I'll keep you posted! I remember how I felt reading the trip reports from the last Panama repo and wishing and wishing I were there.
Remember, a cruise and a stay at WDW are two TOTALLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES. There are many wonderful,fun things to do at WDW. We love to visit the parks, open one park and close another, see the fireworks, run from the exit of ToT to the entrance.
But a cruise puts you in a different world. New and different experiences. You'll be doing things that you may never get a chance to do again. Many of us take multiple Caribbean cruises. But there are only a few trans Canal cruises. That's a totally new thing. Central America is a magnificent place and you'll probably want to go back again.
We probably won't be going to WDW until 2009. Probably a post graduation trip. Some times you just have to grip your stomach and say "I wish I could have another dark chocolate covered espresso bean" (hmm, where did THAT come from?)
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As another fellow west-bounder -- stay with the cruise. The Med cruise was the longest one I've done to date and I loved it. And I love WDW too - but they are different critters. I am looking forward to the PC cruise as I hope it is more laid back than the Med cruise (which was go go go go) since we have more days at sea. More spa time, more Palo time, spa time, spa time... Did I say spa time?
Thanks, Terri, and everyone else who responded. I must say the long Med cruise sounded fantastic but exhausting. I wish there were a couple more ports on the Panama cruise, but the sea days really do sound incredibly relaxing. Having only done the 3-day cruise I've never had a sea day. I think I just needed to be reminded of how different and wonderful a vacation this will be.
I talked with my cruise companion over the weekend. She's never cruised at all and has been worried that a long one is the way to start, but is now VERY excited. So, the upshot is that I'M GOING!! In fact, I booked my flights today, so there's no turning back!
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Maybe try to spend a day before and/or after in the World to satisfy your fix! 
: I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. We were worried about even liking cruising to begin with, and now we can't get enough!
That's a once in a lifetime opportunity to go thru the canal 
--Susan
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