Forums Closed
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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!
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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.
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06-02-2004, 09:19 PM
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#1
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Community Rank: Adventurer 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 617
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What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
Since Discover Island had closed, I was always wondering what Disney will do with that piece of land/island. In the past, I've heard various things...such as making the island a "honeymoon" resort...with private bungalows. Does anyone know if it's being used for anything right now and if there are any plans for it in the future (I was also wondering where some of those animals had gone off to...I don't recall seeing any of them at AK, but perhaps I'm wrong).
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06-03-2004, 02:05 AM
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#2
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PassPorter Message Board Manager
 PassPorter Guide Author
Community Rank: Legend VIP 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 190,285
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
I've heard nothing about it, but I love the idea of a "honeymoon" resort. For a long time, I've thought that there should be an adults only resort - and one of those islands would be a perfect site for that.
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06-03-2004, 09:53 AM
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#3
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chapel Hill, NC USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 36,592
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
I don't know if they have plans for the island, but I do know that currently the island pretty much stinks. If you ride a mouseboat near the island, you'll see that it has been fairly taken over by various species of birds and their droppings are everywhere stinking up the place.
I think a lot of the animals did go to Animal Kingdom and that others were sent to other zoos and animal exhibits elsewhere in the country.
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06-03-2004, 10:02 AM
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#4
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Community Rank: Explorer 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Kissimmee, FL
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 10,481
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
There hasn't been much said about Discovery Island lately. Here are a couple of sites that might give you some information.
Walt Dated Disney: Discovery Island
Widen Your World: Discovery Island
Message board Discussion on Discovery Island
When my family visited in 1979 & 1984 we stayed at Fort Wilderness and we would always take at least one day and go to Discovery Island. I LOVED IT! I have a really great photo of me holding a very large bird at Discovery Island. |
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06-03-2004, 01:21 PM
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#5
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Posts: 10,721
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
I missed out on DI- always had wanted to go and did the "oh well, we'll catch it next time" and then I lost my chance!
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06-03-2004, 01:29 PM
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#6
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chapel Hill, NC USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 36,592
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
[ QUOTE ]
I missed out on DI- always had wanted to go and did the "oh well, we'll catch it next time" and then I lost my chance!
[/ QUOTE ]
Same here Maureen....and the same goes for River Country as well.  -HiddenMickey |
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06-08-2004, 11:13 PM
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#7
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Community Rank: Adventurer
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Atlanta,GA
Posts: 766
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I missed out on DI- always had wanted to go and did the "oh well, we'll catch it next time" and then I lost my chance!
[/ QUOTE ]
Same here Maureen....and the same goes for River Country as well. -HiddenMickey
[/ QUOTE ]Did I miss something? Did River Country close for good?
Linda |
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06-08-2004, 11:52 PM
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#8
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Community Rank: Adventurer
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 617
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
[quoteDid I miss something? Did River Country close for good?
Linda
[/ QUOTE ]
Yup (don't remember the year)..I guess it couldn't keep up with the big guys that came on board...BB and TL. I heard attendance was down since everyone headed over to the new ones and so for budget purposes it made sense to close it (not to mention that bacteria levels in Bay Lake made it not so safe for swimming). Oh well, it was a lot of fun in it's hey day.
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06-10-2004, 12:17 AM
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#9
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Ann Arbor, MI USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 14,427
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
[ QUOTE ]
Did I miss something? Did River Country close for good?
Linda
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, everyone's treating it as if it has closed for good - it's dropped off the face of every official map, brochure, web site, etc. However, whenever we press Disney for official word they keep saying, "We reserve the right to reopen it at any time." So we still keep a couple of pages on River Country in PassPorter, just in case they do reopen it. Still, based on what I've seen of River Country lately (close-up from a Mouse boat), it'd take a whole lot of work to get it back into shape for opening. Personally, I think it's more likely that Disney will open a brand-new water park before it reopens River Country.
As to Discovery Island, I think it'll remain a bird "sanctuary." Disney has committed about 25% of its property to "conservation easements" - permanently undeveloped land, for which it gets an added measure of leeway when it wants to develop the remainder of the property. It'd be easier to develop a new resort or attraction on the mainland and let Discovery Island go wild, don't you think?
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06-03-2004, 02:28 PM
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#10
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Community Rank: Adventurer
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 617
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
For those of you who never got to see Discover Island...
You really didn't miss too much, but it was a nice thing to do if you had any extra time or get off the beaten path from the theme park crowds. I enjoyed it back in the mid 80's when you COULD find extra time..as there were only 2 theme parks. The island had many covered paths (lots of greenery/plants/trees)..and you saw some birds, those huge tortoises, a roadrunner and a GORGEOUS Black Swan and a few other animals.
It's a real shame that they have let it get "stinky". I think they can do something really creative and imaginative with it.
I can see why River Country closed as it lost a lot of business once TL and BB opened. But in it's day, when it was the only WDW water park, it was a lot of fun.
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06-03-2004, 05:03 PM
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#11
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Community Rank: Trekker 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 1,281
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
I think that the only thing that could really be done is reopening it as DIscovery Island and I don't think that will ever happen. A lot of the land in that area is unstable. Disney has discussed building another resort a couple of times around the Seven Sea Lagoon, but after testing the ground each time it is scrapped. I think even a small "honeymoon resort" may be too much for Discovery Island unless it was a hut type resort.
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06-04-2004, 02:29 PM
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#12
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Community Rank: Sightseer 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Bel Air, MD
Posts: 97
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
[ QUOTE ]
Since Discover Island had closed, I was always wondering what Disney will do with that piece of land/island. In the past, I've heard various things...such as making the island a "honeymoon" resort...with private bungalows. Does anyone know if it's being used for anything right now and if there are any plans for it in the future (I was also wondering where some of those animals had gone off to...I don't recall seeing any of them at AK, but perhaps I'm wrong).
[/ QUOTE ]
I nominate LynneO. as head of the planning committee. Great idea if you ask me
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06-05-2004, 12:02 PM
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#13
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Community Rank: Adventurer
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 617
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Since Discover Island had closed, I was always wondering what Disney will do with that piece of land/island. In the past, I've heard various things...such as making the island a "honeymoon" resort...with private bungalows. Does anyone know if it's being used for anything right now and if there are any plans for it in the future (I was also wondering where some of those animals had gone off to...I don't recall seeing any of them at AK, but perhaps I'm wrong).
[/ QUOTE ]
I nominate LynneO. as head of the planning committee. Great idea if you ask me
[/ QUOTE ]
I would LOVE to be part of Disney's Planning Committee! It would actually be an interesting job. Not just for Discover Island, but for many other WDW attractions! I'm sure many of us here on the Passporter Board could be an asset to the Imagineers...just think of what we all could come up with for so many attractions and updates to attractions, etc. |
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06-05-2004, 10:39 AM
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#14
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Community Rank: Legend 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Edmonton, KY
Concierge Level: 7
Posts: 17,823
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
One of the boat captains said the island had been turned into a bird sanctuary. Just looking at all them, I can believe it! I vaguely remember going over there. At least my mom tells me we did waaay back in 1980!!
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06-05-2004, 09:24 PM
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#15
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Community Rank: Jetsetter 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: beautiful beachy FL
Posts: 2,357
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Re: What Will Happen With Discovery Island?
Lynne,
We went as children to WDW in '80 and have pics of several of us holding brightly colored tropical birds. I had been wondering what attraction it was. Was is DI?
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