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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Our family has booked the September repositioning cruise from Vancouver to San Diego. We want to fly into Vancouver from LAX or Long Beach (we are the same distance to either airport), but haven't booked our flights yet. My first question is what airline recommendations you might have?
We are a family of five - 2 adults, and 3 boys ages 11, 8, and 3 (at the time of vacation). We are going to fly in the day before our cruise and have reservations at the Pan Pacific, which is quite expensive, but I love the fact that it is right above the cruise terminal (no chance of us getting lost or mixed up!). However, because there are 5 of us, we had to book a suite. And that seems to be the case at all the area hotels. My next question is about the Pan Pacific for those of you who stayed there...tell me all about it! Is it really worth the price? Any advice or tips about staying there?
My next question is for those who have stayed at other area hotels. I'm nervous about lugging our kids and all our luggage any great distance, especially in a city I'm not at all familiar with. What has been the experience at other hotels? Any recommendations, bearing in mind that wherever we stay I'll likely have to pay for two rooms or a suite?
What are my best options for ground transfers from the airport to our hotel? Would the cabs be able to accommodate our large family and our weeks worth of luggage? We don't do a lot of traveling so I'm feeling totally clueless...
I've got LOADS more questions, but this will get me started for now. Thanks!!!
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We took Air Canada from LAX to Vancouver and we thought they were a very good airline. We took a cab from the airport to the Pan Pacific (we spent a couple of nights there before our cruise) and that was super easy, although it was only the two of us, so I don't know about cabs for a family of five.
As for the Pan Pacific, we absolutely loved our stay there. The view from our room was superb, and it was so good to be able just to take the elevator down to the cruise terminal on debarkation day! By the way, there's a McDonald's located in a food court just underneath the Pan Pacific. From memory, keep going down the escalators and it's right there - that was a life saver for us for breakfast...
We stayed at the Pan Pacific for several days before our cruise and loved it. We traveled with my sister and her husband and we got a special deal on the hotel, paying half price for the second room and breakfast at the buffet was included (excellent buffet, but pricey if you have to pay for it OOP). That deal is still on offer, called the Family Get Away package Vancouver Hotel Deals | Vancouver Hotel Reservations |Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver | Family Getaway
I don't know how that price would compare to a suite, or how you and your husband would feel about having to stay in different rooms, but it might be an option for your family.
The views at the Pan Pacific are fabulous. I recommend getting up early the morning of your cruise and heading outside to watch the Wonder sail in. Absolutely amazing!!
I live in BC and lived in Vancouver for many years. Due to the Olympics in 2010 there have been huge improvements to the subway system. There is now a fast rail system that can take you from the airport right downtown in under half an hour no transfers. Its very easy to do, but you may not want to do it with lots of luggage. My kids love that train ride. We've done it just for fun (front car is funnest). That hotel is only a block from Waterfront station and you could easily walk it if the luggage isn't too much to handle. Anyone you ask is helpful, and the subway system is generally safe, as is that part of downtown which is mostly upscale business district.
There are lots of cabs lined up outside of arrivals, as well as limos. All you have to do is get your luggage and step outside. I think you could find a mini-van taxi to fit all of you and luggage, and if you can't, one of the cabbies can call one for you. The cab ride is much longer than the Canadaline rail/subway - a good 45-60 mins probably, but I don't think it will cost more than $80 - $100 depending on traffic (total guess).
Downtown Vancouver is fun. Lots to do, you will wish you had more time. Don't miss Stanley Park, Gastown and Granville Island - all close to that area.
I live in BC and lived in Vancouver for many years. Due to the Olympics in 2010 there have been huge improvements to the subway system. There is now a fast rail system that can take you from the airport right downtown in under half an hour no transfers. Its very easy to do, but you may not want to do it with lots of luggage. My kids love that train ride. We've done it just for fun (front car is funnest). That hotel is only a block from Waterfront station and you could easily walk it if the luggage isn't too much to handle. Anyone you ask is helpful, and the subway system is generally safe, as is that part of downtown which is mostly upscale business district.
There are lots of cabs lined up outside of arrivals, as well as limos. All you have to do is get your luggage and step outside. I think you could find a mini-van taxi to fit all of you and luggage, and if you can't, one of the cabbies can call one for you. The cab ride is much longer than the Canadaline rail/subway - a good 45-60 mins probably, but I don't think it will cost more than $80 - $100 depending on traffic (total guess).
Downtown Vancouver is fun. Lots to do, you will wish you had more time. Don't miss Stanley Park, Gastown and Granville Island - all close to that area.
That's really great info for anyone planning a trip to vancouver in the future-me included!!! Thanks a lot
Thanks for all the tips! We just made our final payment and are SO EXCITED ! I'm keeping my ressie for the Pan Pacific, but I'm wishing we could stay an extra night prior to the cruise, so that we could enjoy more time in Vancouver. They don't have any deals for booking two nights though, so thats out . My next step is to book our flight, and then we'll be all set!
Keep the advice coming! I'm thinking of making a quick trip to Stanley Park if we can manage it. Is it close enough to walk (with a 3 year old), or is there some transit there?
Thanks for all the tips! We just made our final payment and are SO EXCITED ! I'm keeping my ressie for the Pan Pacific, but I'm wishing we could stay an extra night prior to the cruise, so that we could enjoy more time in Vancouver. They don't have any deals for booking two nights though, so thats out . My next step is to book our flight, and then we'll be all set!
Keep the advice coming! I'm thinking of making a quick trip to Stanley Park if we can manage it. Is it close enough to walk (with a 3 year old), or is there some transit there?
Will you have a stroller? We walked to Stanley Park from the Pan Pacific but it may be too much for a 3 year old. There is a hop on/hop off trolley that runs within the Park. We used that for in-park transportation. Stanley Park is HUGE.
The entrance to Stanley Park is about a mile from Canada Place, and then there'd be a fair amount of walking within the park.
The city has great public transit, including a very extensive bus system. There's a bus line that runs along Pender St. (a couple of blocks inland from Canada Place) that will take you to the park. http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation...nley-park.aspx Plus, considering the distance, a taxi fare would probably be pretty reasonable.
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We took a cab from the airport to the Pan Pacific (we spent a couple of nights there before our cruise) and that was super easy, although it was only the two of us, so I don't know about cabs for a family of five. 
By the way, there's a McDonald's located in a food court just underneath the Pan Pacific. From memory, keep going down the escalators and it's right there - that was a life saver for us for breakfast...
. My next step is to book our flight, and then we'll be all set!
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