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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 am so upset! We are going to Disney in March to celebrate my graduation. I went back to school to get my administration degree and this is a way to celebrate that and I am missing Disney since I haven't been to the World since 06.
My girls are super excited as well. I have been saving for this trip for a while and almost have it paid in full! Well, normally grandma comes with us but she is unable to because of grandpa being sick. So I decided that since the money is saved that I would see if my aunt would go. I wanted to thank her for all she has done for me and am paying for everything but the airfare.
She was super excited and then the day that southwest opens their fares she says she just isn't sure she wants to spend the money on the ticket!!!!!
I understand money is tight but she has known for several months and said she would save the money. While she has been hemming and hawing the cost has gone up and she still hasn't decided.
I have no idea what to do. The SW fares are only about 150.00 (total) less than flying out of our normal airport and that is including having to pay for bags. Flying out of our local airport saves me 2 1/2 hours of driving and parking fees etc.
UGH!!!! How long would you wait for someone to make up their mind?
I wouldn't wait for her. Get your tickets when you feel the price is right. If she decides to come, she can book her own airplane ticket. If she doesn't, then she doesn't. If you've paid for her ticket and dining plan, see if you can get that refunded to you. If you can't then use her dining credits for yourselves and save her park ticket for a future trip.
I would buy your airfare now and explain to your Aunt that the longer she waits to buy airfare, the more it is going to cost her. If she is hemming and hawing about the cost (which seems pretty reasonable to me), perhaps she is really having second thoughts about making the trip. Good luck.
Since it's SW, there's no reason you can't book your flights now. She can book hers later if she decides. You all can still sit together...it's not like other airlines where you chose your seats right away.
You have until 45 days before the trip to make changes without penalty. That is the deadline, IMHO. I know the himming and hawing is really annoying....but I would just look at it like this...if she goes, great, if not, well..it's definitely her loss. Don't let her indecisiveness ruin it for you.
Christmas is coming....maybe she can ask for SW gift cards???
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Stephanie- Mom to Jaden and Emerson, Wife to Keith, Novelist
I'm an independent agent with Fairytale Journeys, specializing in Disney vacations!
Visit my Facebook page!
could you offer to pay for her ticket up front and ask that she pay you back little by little till you go? if not take advantage of that price because the prices are bond to go up and just let her know shes on her own to book her air good luck hope all works out
You should get your airfare now before rates go up. As for your Aunt you just need to decide how much you want her to come, enough to pay for her airfare and as ilovejack said offer to pay and have her pay you back. If you don't feel comfortable paying for her it may be time for a heart to heart with her...if she's not coming your still in that window where you can pull her off your ressie and save the money. Let her know when that deadline is and you absolutely need to know by then. Its hard planning for others, good luck!
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Disney Vacation Specialist Magical Memories Travel Chelsey
Thanks everyone for your great suggestions. I totally understand her hemming and hawing. I went ahead and got our tickets and hopefully she will decide to come. I told her that she could pay me back in her time if that would help.