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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
DH tells me the other day he is selling his race car. I am shocked. So then in bed he says "let go away." Ok But I am in school and it’s a compressed course (registered massage therapist and its 2 years here) and I am not sure that I will be able to pull it off. Then I am like what the heck I need a mental break from it.... So I say OK
Great he says let go to Universal......
Ok well I am thinking a 1 day ticket for us all to go to Disney is gonna cost a mint and I can’t get that close and not go so I get a compromise and we agree to hit Typhoon Lagoon.
Then on facebook a very nice passporter pal (thanks Sherri) posts that Disney has the Kids Play Free offer going on shortly after we were planning on going down so I mention it to DH and he says go see how much it is...... BINGO price is perfect and just about as much as the Universal trip. DH says we will go there instead!!! DISNEY HERE WE COME
The Car goes Bye Bye tomorrow and as soon as all the money is on the CC the last minute trip will be booked and we will be off to Disney February 26 – March 4th!!!!
We will be driving as the flight for 5 is just too much last minute like this. Now just to actually keep the secret from the kids!!
I was so excited but can’t post anything on FB as I have family who just don’t understand!! I know some off you know what I mean.
Any ideas on when & how to surprise the kids?
congrats! and as for the 'when and how' to surprise the kids--that commercial for disney where the parents tell the kids that they are going to disney TODAY always makes me cry. if i had children, i would totally do that!
Depends on how old the your little ones are. I would tell mine daddy & I are going on a trip and then pack for them. Get in the car and start driving. We did that once when DS turned 10. Just loaded the car (truck) and started driving. Made a few excuses for why they were still in the car with us. It lasted several hours, then just said--well, since you are in the car with us, you might as well come along. DS & DD still remember the trip (it wasn't Disney, but we couldn't do Disney in those days.)
I hate to say it, but don't get too excited. To many true racers, racing is almost more of an addiction than a hobby. I have been there and know many people that sold their racecar and quit the sport. Then the thrill of competition gets ahold of them and they buy new equipment and are back at the track. I wish you luck in whatever you do. Hopefully you will get that vacation with or without a racecar.
I surprised my kids last year. We had the best time. I held my secret in for 8 months almost told them many many times. It was fantastic.
Pack the car while the kids are asleep . Decorate the car with that window chalk and window clings. Wake the kids up and tell them you guys have to go somewhere and then when they get out to the car surprise!!!! However you do it have a great time and enjoy your trip
Two years ago I planned a trip to disney for my son's 10th birthday. I told him we were going to Maine to visit some friends. So while we were sitting at the airport waiting to board the plane...I gave him a tee shirt I designed that said "I am going to Disney for my birthday". The had no clue until 5 minutes before we got on the plane, It was the best moment ever.
I love the element of surprise.....I would wait until the morning of the trip and tell them right before you get in the car..or even better..let them think you are going somewhere else and wait and see there faces as you arrive at Disney!! Have fun!! We will be there the 11th to the 19 of February....can't wait!
Congrats on the trip! How exciting! I would not tell the kids. Get in the car and start driving. If they continue to ask questions, make something up. Obviously at some point they'll either figure it out or bug you to death. But I'd hold it in as long as possible!
This past May, I told the kids we were going to Georgia (We live in south Louisiana). My dh likes to drive at night. We left about 6pm. Once it was dark, they fell asleep and slept all night long. We woke them up a little after 6 am just before we drove under the Disney gate! They were confused at first. lol. But totally excited once they got woke up good.
About This Page: 
Can it be sooooo?
I am shocked. So then in bed he says "let go away." Ok But I am in school and it’s a compressed course (registered massage therapist and its 2 years here) and I am not sure that I will be able to pull it off. Then I am like what the heck I need a mental break from it.... So I say OK 
Sammi
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
PassPorter Guide Author
Jen
Hybrid Mode
