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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hey everyone - I've missed y'all. I am in a Disney funk over here because we are not going to be able to go this year. We went year before last (Fall 2009) and I really wanted to go this fall... but it's not going to happen. I need a teaching job and getting one is about impossible unless I'm willing to drive a really long commute and I can't do that and manage my own kids. We are doing ok financially day to day - just no extra vacation money left over right now - and none in the foreseeable future either. Anyway - my kids ask about Disney all the time - they are 8, 6 and 3 - they'd be 8, 7 and 4 if we went in November like we usually do. My daughter had the most wonderful experience last time we were there and she got to dance with Prince Charming at the character dinner at 1900 Park Fare. To this day when she gets dressed up in anything very frou frou she asks me the same question "Am I going to dance with the prince?" and I gotta say that is killing me each time she says it - because pretty soon she's going to know that the prince isn't real - and right now she thinks he is.... I could have a good cry right now just typing that. Sigh.
And, normally my mother and step dad go with us - but last year - my half-brother and his wife (they have no kids and are significantly younger than we are) decided they wanted to go in the fall - and my mom and stepdad went too - and of course we couldn't go. I didn't mind them going without us - more of an adult oriented trip for sure - but I did forbid her to let my kids know she went. And then a couple weeks ago she called me up to let me know they are going AGAIN this fall. I tried to be happy for her but it's REALLY hard - if it were just me I wouldn't mind so much - I can wait until things get better for us financially - but I hate not being able to take the kids right now when they are at the age they are!!
Anyway - I'm depressed as ever. No one but real Disney fans would understand - so here I am - crying to you guys! My best friend (not a Disney person) does not get it at all - she thinks I'm crazy and silly and being a big baby and maybe I am - lol! I can't stop thinking about character meals and how my very stoic husband turns into a kid again while he races with my two boys from one thrill ride to the next... and my little girls face each time she sees any of the characters. And, my kids have been REALLY into the Lilo and Stitch movies this past year - last time when we went they didn't really know who Lilo and Stitch were - but now they do and they are dying to go back and have breakfast with them again! So am I!!
On another note - somehow I'm not getting any emails from Disney Destinations anymore... no monthly Disney Hello's - no pin numbers - nothing. What's up with that and how do I get back on the list!!?
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Heather "You want your picture taken with me don't you? Of course you do!"
So Sad for you that you are not able to go! I know it's not much, but can you start a small Disney savings jar? Have the kids help you decorate it with stickers from the dollar store? I would put all my change in there from my pocket every day. (In my house when we did that, the quarters always disappeared to pay for school lunches, but it still added up!) If you find a dime on the street, in the jar it goes! Even tho there is "no extra" money to spare, if you are getting by and not falling behind that is more than enough reason to be THANKFUL EVERYDAY! Remember EVERY PENNY COUNTS! If you save a dollar at the store because of an unexpected coupon on the item you are buying could you throw that in the jar too? Since it was a dollar you expected to spend?! Then every other week have a coin wrapping with the kiddos and go to the bank and deposit the money into a special "DISNEY ONLY" savings account! It won't get you there THIS fall, but it will be a POSITIVE MOVE towards getting you there!
Don't have any advise for getting back on the mailing list. Maybe give Disney reservations a call and just ask them about any specials coming up for the fall. Tell the no thanks for right now, but is there a place you can sign up for any specials that might be coming! NEVER HURTS TO ASK!
Sorry about your situation, it will get better. There are several passporters who have had to cancel their vacations or didn't even plan one this year. I am one who tried to plan but when reality set in, I knew it just wasn't in the cards this year. I understand how sad you are but remember you will get back eventually. The economic downturn will hopefully turn around soon and the United States will come back stronger than ever.
Getting e-mails, pins, etc from Disney Destinations is a random process. There is no rhyme or reason for who gets them and who doesn't. I got pins the last several years all throughout the year. This year my mom and sister kept getting them. I finally got one for dates in November and haven't gotten another once since. I'm still hoping for a good pin to come my way, only time will tell.
On a side note, don't make your mother feel bad for going to Disney. Forbidding her to talk about her trip isn't fair to her and is only going to create hurt feelings. I know this from personal experience. I have gone the last 5 years and have taken my nieces with me 4 out of the last 5 times. My mom has given me the guilt trip my last 2 vacations. I was treated badly for being able to afford to go on vacation. I was given the silent treatment, rude comments and just about anything she could do to make me feel bad before and after my trips. My nieces behaved better about me going without them, even though my niece who was 4 unpacked my suitcase so I wouldn't go without her.
I wish you luck on getting a pin code so you can go back.
Sorry that you are so sad and unable to go to Disney soon.
I found that I had "fallen off" the lists, and so I created a new e-mail address (there are lots of free options--gmail, yahoo, hotmail, etc.), then ordered the vacation planning DVD. I also "priced" some options on the website.
HUGS to you! I totally understand!!! It was 5 years between when my oldest son first went to WDW and the second trip for him (first for my youngest) and it was very sad for me. My parents went again during the time when I couldn't, and while I was happy for them, I was really bummed for me. DH didn't understand, either. So, I totally understand your feelings! Waiting and not having something out there planned and to daydream about it really tough. But I have faith that soon you'll have the perfect job and will be planning an amazing Disney vacation complete with Lilo and Stitch breakfast for your kidlets!
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