Forums Closed
|
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
|
|
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.
|
 |
04-03-2005, 05:06 PM
|
#1
|
Community Rank: Explorer 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Near a Tower of Terror at the moment...
Posts: 13,884
|
American Girl Place Chicago?
After driving thru Chicago last Fall, I don't want to do it again, so does anyone have any advice for planning a visit? It would be me and 2 DDs either flying Southwest or taking Amtrak to Chicago from Cleveland. I need to do it as inexpensively as possible and I may even rope my mom into coming along (she would meet us there). I'd rather not have to rent a car and drive, so I would be relying on taxis or subway-type things. I am not a city girl at all!!! I'm looking at maybe 2 nights, so the Park Hyatt is out!  I thought I was going to need an inhaler after reading that one...AKL is *CHEAP*, folks! 
Thanks in advance for any advice! |
|
|
|
04-04-2005, 09:09 AM
|
#2
|
Community Rank: Scout 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Chicago
Posts: 4,812
|
Re: American Girl Place Chicago?
You can take the train really easily from Cleveland to Chicago. I have done this many time to go back home to Ohio. Even look on the "Rail Sale" page of the Amtrak website as they have CHEAP tickets sometimes. Although I think I read recently that they have canceled one of the lines that runs from Chicago to Cleveland. I think the only one left is the Capitol Express. Check that one out.
You can also do priceline or hotwire for a cheap hotel. I have used hotwire before and got the WEstin Chicago River North for around $88. The Westin is my fav. If you want to be by American Girl store, I would pick North Michigan avenue area.
You can have lunch or tea in the American Girl cafe. But I warn you the food isn't very good. But the atmosphere is great. Make sure you bring your dolls. Whenever we go to American Girl, my girls want to eat elsewhere. We usually go to Cheesecake factory at the bottom of the Hancock building, which is close by.
If you have any other questions, let me know. Maybe if its a day I can get away, I can meet you for a quick hi!
Maggie
|
|
|
|
|
04-05-2005, 08:58 AM
|
#3
|
Community Rank: Trailblazer 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Orlando area via Chicago
Posts: 5,424
|
Re: American Girl Place Chicago?
If you fly, you can take the "L" Orange Line from Midway into the city. You don't need to leave the airport as the station is right there. This will get you into downtown where you can take a cab to your hotel.
I also recommend Hotwire. My husband and I just stayed at the Swissotel on Wacker (a 4-1/2 star hotel) for $108 a night. If you'd like to pick your hotel, here is another site Chicago hotel rates but the prices aren't as good as Hotwire's.
Also, if you are planning your trip between June 10-July 31, the Lion King will be playing at the Cadillac Palace theater. |
|
|
|
|
04-05-2005, 09:53 AM
|
#4
|
Community Rank: Jetsetter 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2,081
|
Re: American Girl Place Chicago?
My husband and I went to Chicago a few years ago. We are not city drivers. We flew into O'Hare, took a train to downtown and took the El or walked everywhere. We stayed at a hotel in the financial district. They have really good weekend rates because they are mostly business hotels.
|
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
|
|
| Display Modes |
 Hybrid Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
