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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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.
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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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Hi All
Had a questions about club level.
We are staying at the Poly, thinking about upgrading to club level. Are there any benefits like there are for the cruise concierge level like earlier booking or easier access to dining ressies?
thanks
Yes to earlier bookings. Contact the Itinerary Planning Office asap after you book. We had them book all our ADR's this year, and it was great! DH signed onto MDE when it opened for us, and we already had nearly all booked. They will try daily for you for any they can't get immediately up to 24 hours before your arrival date. (Of course, like most PPers, we changed them like crazy afterward.)
We had a very cool experience today with what club level concierge will do for guests (Yes, we're at WDW, last day.) We had to leave the MK for an Epcot ADR before our stuff got to package pickup at the gate.
When we left Epcot mid-afternoon, the MK was naturally closed. How were we to get our package when we're leaving for home in the morning? Aha! We explained the difficulty to the club level concierge CM's, gave them our package pickup receipt, and they assured us someone would go to the MK, get our stuff AND deliver it to our room by this evening. Yes, TO OUR ROOM, not to the gift shop as is usual for to-resort deliveries.
We returned from dinner, and bingo! There was our package. How neato is THAT? And that's typical, not unusual at all.
They have some edge on last-minute ADR's but no assurance they can get what you want, of course. We've gotten a plummy ADR or two that way, though.
Do try CL if you can. But, I warn you, it's highly addictive. We won't go at all if we can't afford a CL stay, we love it that much.
The CL lounge continental breakfast is a great way to save money if you use it and generally has a nice variety from pastries to bread to cereals, including oatmeal.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
Yes to earlier bookings. Contact the Itinerary Planning Office asap after you book. We had them book all our ADR's this year, and it was great! DH signed onto MDE when it opened for us, and we already had nearly all booked. They will try daily for you for any they can't get immediately up to 24 hours before your arrival date. (Of course, like most PPers, we changed them like crazy afterward.)
So we should contact them, not wait for an email from IPO? And they can book ADR's before the booking window opens?!
First stay at AKL CL for us this August and I can't wait! Would love any insider tips you all may have to share! TIA
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So we should contact them, not wait for an email from IPO?
It's a good idea to give them a call. We were told that they endeavor to email those who've booked soon after their booking but sometimes have a heavy workload spread thinly. You'll get your needs met sooner if you take the initiative, we found, and call instead of emailing.
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And they can book ADR's before the booking window opens?!
Yes, definitely.
When DH signed in very early on our 180, we had all our ADR's within the timeframe requested for each but for BOG breakfast and Liberty Tree Tavern which was closed for renovation. We were assured, "Don't worry. You've got it," from the IPO before The Boathouse officially began taking ADR's even though you could book it through offsite services like Open Table.
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First stay at AKL CL for us this August and I can't wait! Would love any insider tips you all may have to share! TIA
If you have any problem, contact the CL concierges for aid.
Having the concierge say not to worry that she'd send a courier into the MK to get our package AND deliver it to our room was a huge relief. Not only had we no idea how soon the MK might reopen so that I could get in there to get our package, but I was hot and tired, in no mood to have to deal with the crowd in the MK. And, that was our last park ticket. We were leaving the next morning.
It was a delight to come back to our room after dinner to find the package waiting there for us.
That's just the level of service you can expect when staying CL. It spoils you silly in no time at all.
We'd rather not go if we can't afford a CL stay, we love it THAT much!
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
Last edited by Her Dotness; 01-19-2016 at 08:53 PM..
I love CL, there are some advantages as Dot says, they'll do your ADRs, although I just prefer to do my own. If I can't get one I'll let CL know. And they will look daily. But, unlike the old days where they could get you in somewhere even when reservations were full, they no longer have that power.
The biggest advantage to me is breakfast, having Appies, wine, desserts & cordials and a lounge to enjoy. If you aren't going to be around your resort much, and go to the parks from open to close, you won't get the full benefits for CL may not be "worth it" for you. It all depends how you vacation.
We recently stayed CL at the Contemporary and just loved it. One of the benefits I enjoyed was having a text # for the concierge; after using my three FP's for the day, I would text my next request. Only once were they unable to accommodate.
I can only think about one "con" - it´s highly addictive LOL
We´ve stayed at many CL and both Poly´s and AKL were our favs. The itienrary planing can help get hard ADRs and the CM from CL were so helpful that we got spoiled.
For example, our DD loved the chocolate cookies from the lounge, and there was one CM there during our WL stay that whenever she saw us at the lounge she magically got a plate for our daughter (even if there was none at the lounge at that time). Also my husband had an early flight (we had separated flights due to work issues) and he´d leave before the lounge was open for guests, when the CM knew that he made sure that my husband got inside so he could get an espresso and got something for a light breakfast (he said something like no CL guest would leave without eating in his turn ).
So, the only think I can say that is depend on your style. If you enjoy spending time at the resort it definetelly worth the extra pampering. In the other hand, if most of your time is spent at the park, maybe you´ll not feel it worth it.
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Yanno, I mildly disagree that CL is probably only worth it if you spend quite a bit of time at your resort.
The main reason why I say that is the ultra-Disney consideration you receive from both CL lounge and concierge CM's. Like ferrazalves said above, just those little bits of pampering can make a huge difference in your comfort level and satisfaction. And the problem-solving capabilities of the CL concierges often are such a tremendous aid--like our package delivery was! And who wouldn't enjoy the ease of texting your next FP request instead of hunting for a kiosk?
Granted, not every CL lounge is as good as another, same with the concierges. For example, we found the WL concierges much more friendly, outgoing and folksy in general than those at the GF. However, at WL they stand behind a counter. At the GF, the concierges sit at desks with upholstered chairs for guests. MUCH more comfortable to sit while explaining your needs or merely chatting. I'd give the edge to the GF CL concierges in terms of offering possible solutions to any problems you may have.
But then, we very much prefer the GF in every respect, so I'm admittedly biased.
__________________
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
Last edited by Her Dotness; 12-27-2015 at 07:36 AM..
Yanno, I mildly disagree that CL is probably only worth it if you spend quite a bit of time at your resort.
The main reason why I say that is the ultra-Disney consideration you receive from both CL lounge and concierge CM's. Like ferrazalves said above, just those little bits of pampering can make a huge difference in your comfort level and satisfaction. And the problem-solving capabilities of the CL concierges often are such a tremendous aid--like our package delivery was! And who wouldn't enjoy the ease of texting your next FP request instead of hunting for a kiosk?
Granted, not every CL lounge is as good as another, same with the concierges. For example, we found the WL concierges much more friendly, outgoing and folksy in general than those at the GF. However, at WL they stand behind a counter. At the GF, the concierges sit at desks with upholstered chairs for guests. MUCH more comfortable to sit while explaining your needs or merely chatting. I'd give the edge to the GF CL concierges in terms of offering possible solutions to any problems you may have.
But then, we very much prefer the GF in every respect, so I'm admittedly biased.
It all depends how you like to vacation Dot :-). I know you like lots of table service meals! Me, one a day is plenty! Sometimes I just like a late lunch then graze in the lounge.
I agree, RPC is the best!!
I agree, Sue, that for someone who eats as you do, staying CL can be somewhat less expensive than people think.
"Worth it" can be so variable that it's impossible to advise someone asking if a CL stay is worth the extra cost. We've found that what we feel makes CL worth it has varied somewhat over the years we've done CL stays.
I suppose I'd say that a CL stay offers more flexibility as you learn how much the services and comforts provided can benefit you, particularly when you have a problem the concierges can solve more easily than you can as happened to us.
__________________
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
I agree, Sue, that for someone who eats as you do, staying CL can be somewhat less expensive than people think.
"Worth it" can be so variable that it's impossible to advise someone asking if a CL stay is worth the extra cost. We've found that what we feel makes CL worth it has varied somewhat over the years we've done CL stays.
I suppose I'd say that a CL stay offers more flexibility as you learn how much the services and comforts provided can benefit you, particularly when you have a problem the concierges can solve more easily than you can as happened to us.
Yes, concierge can smooth the wrinkles nicely. We had a problem too, I texted concierge and they had the situation straightened out in minutes.
Late in the game here, but I'm going to chime in and say how ADDICTIVE CL is.
My "real" life is quite stressful. Whenever I've stayed CL at the Contemporary, I've never had a worry. This is worth the cost in my book. When we check in there are snacks. I've been offered my very own bottle of wine. I've had special snacks (due to food allergies) waiting for me. For me there's nothing like getting an espresso in the morning and sitting either in the lounge or on the room's balcony and starting my day.
Come June, we will be trying the Poly CL for the first time. (We are splitting a stay between Poly and CBR because I couldn't afford Poly for our whole stay and I was not willing to give it up.) I am so looking forward to it. Thus far, they've been incredibly nice; setting up all our ADRs (including for the time when we will be at CBR which they DIDN"T have to do. I asked and figured if they said they couldn't that would be fine.) Can't wait to see how they compare to the Contemporary. (They have a tough act to follow.)
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