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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 appreciated the insider's view of June vs Sept. Sept was the clear recommendation.
I'm hoping to be able to go in the fall of 2015. We just did a trip in early Dec of this year. When I was a kid we always went the first week of Dec, but back then there wasn't as much Christmas decorations.
This year, I was a bit disappointed in the "snowy" coverings on the castle. Kinda thinking September would be a better time to go for a more "pure" experience. But it's a very tough time for me to take time off work. (I work for schools and this is the busiest time of year for us.)
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Wow! Diff'rent strokes, I guess. We thought the Castle lights were gorgeous.
Given that you've been-there-seen-'em more than a time or two where holiday Disney decs are concerned, I'd try to go late Sept., I think.
I do empathize, having been a teacher, with how difficult it could be taking time off so soon after the start of the school year. And no school employee needs more stress, that's for sure.
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Don't get me wrong, some of the Christmasing was GREAT! I liked the lights at night on the castle, but during the day, it just didn't look quite right, with the "snow" and blue brick covering. I thought the decorations on main street looked a bit "modern" for my taste.
I loved the subtle Christmas stuff in the Jungle Cruise line, and the Jingle Jangle Jamboree area was a godsend, as my 5 year old went on ride-strike for most rides after day one! The cinnamon snow was a huge surprise and a magical moment on day 1 for sure.
In thinking about it more, I'm really on the fence!
Okay, now that you mention it, the Castle in daylight does look odd. Agreed that it only looks really good when lit.
Honestly, you sound as if you have a lot of my love of the glitz and spectacle of the holiday season at Disney.
I don't know that I could give up late November for late September for that reason alone. I'd REALLY miss all the gorgeousness.
P.S. You're right about the Main Street decorations looking 21st rather than early 20th c. Didn't bother me that much since everything about Main Street is prettied up compared with what a real small-town main street would have looked like then. Ummmm...let's not think about what we'd have to step over besides trolley tracks if it were really authentic, m'kay?
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Last edited by Her Dotness; 02-09-2014 at 07:35 PM..
I just noticed your recent trips have all been WDW, not DL. I wonder how this affects Christmas in the MK.
Did they have the Jingle Jangle Jamboree there? This was so beautiful, very well done rustic Christmas, and the place was nearly deserted. You could sit with Santa too. That was definitely my favorite Christmas Spirit spot. That's where I learned that DS wanted "a fruity flavored rainbow candy cane and LOTS of candy. And a transformer that has lazers."
(The AstroBlasters was a ride he was willing to go on again and again. I nailed over 100.000 on my last go, since it stopped in the tunnel with the jackpot ceiling target just above me! )
At Disneyland? Yes, they have it there. It opened mid November this past year, around the 12th I belive. I have never seen this; I think it would be cool!
At Disneyland? Yes, they have it there. It opened mid November this past year, around the 12th I belive. I have never seen this; I think it would be cool!
No No, Debbie, I was asking Dot if they had it at WDW. I loved it at DL this Nov. So Christmassy, it was out of this world.
Being that you work for education system, there is Columbus Day on Oct. 13. It's more mid-Oct, but it might give you a 3 day weekend without having to take time off work.
But, if you can, I would agree with going during a non-holiday time. Just to give you a chance to experience the parks in their "regular" form.
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Sooorrry. I didn't notice you were talking about DL instead of WDW. Nothing like talking about two places that although Disney are different in notable ways.
I'll try to wake up and pay attention before opening my mouth again.
The "Jingle" Cruise at WDW was pretty cool. Each boat had garlands, some light strings and those with very un-holiday names had a sign stuck over the everyday boat name changing it to something Christmasy. A really fun ride, corny jokes and all.
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