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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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It's been a few years since we were last at SeaWorld, but we're planning to go again in December - which shows should we make sure not to miss? I know the dolphin one has changed since our last visit and I think the Shamu one has as well. Any thoughts?
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It's been a few years since we were last at SeaWorld, but we're planning to go again in December - which shows should we make sure not to miss? I know the dolphin one has changed since our last visit and I think the Shamu one has as well. Any thoughts?
I went to Sea World in May after not having gone since 2001!
The Dolphin show was pretty cool (although the flying birds freaked me out!) the new Shamu show is AMAZING...and made me cry (it was a good cry). That show alone is almost worth the price of admission. I think the Pet Ahoy show also has changed...some of the things they make those dogs/cats/rats...etc do are very cool!
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Robin Twitter name: @NKsDogwalker Find me on FB: robinkay6573@yahoo.com 38th Birthday with Mom, Dad and friends 2011
Next Trip: Cruise on Jewel of the Seas for Christmas 2012
I would not miss the Cylde and Seamore show. Try to be in the stadium 15-20 minutes before showtime. The Pirate Mime makes fun of those entering the show. If you enter too late, you migt be a victim!
Pets Ahoy is pretty fun and lets you into an air conditioned building. The show tends to fill up fast, so arrive 15-20 minutes before showtime. Once the show is full, the doors close and no one is let in.
We were most impressed by a show with dolphins, birds, and acrobats but I can't remember the name. Sorry, that wasn't much help. But the show was great.
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We were most impressed by a show with dolphins, birds, and acrobats but I can't remember the name. Sorry, that wasn't much help. But the show was great.
Cheryl, you may also want to consider taking a tour. We took a behind the scenes arctic tour, and it was the highlight of our trip. We got some very interesting and upclose time with seals, belugas, and polar bears (REALLY close), and I got to pet a penguin - that was the BEST. And, we still had time to see everything else.
Aside from that, my favorite was Clyde & Seamore - they are too cute and funny.
Enjoy your trip!
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Don't let your heart be filled with sorrow, for all you know, tomorrow, the dream that you wish will come true.
Believe (the new Shamu Show) is superb- hang on Chez- Sea World is right around the corner in my trip report- and I definitely think you and Mark might enjoy some of the backstage tours they offer.
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We're annual Sea World visitors and love the park. Blue Horizons is our must see followed by Shamu. We've done the meal with Shamu which was interesting; it's a buffet served by the holding tank for the really big "Shamu". The trainers give a talk about the killer whales and answer questions along with a "personal" Shamu show. If you can swing the admission and have the time, I'd highly recommend a day at Discovery Cove and with that admission you get admission to Sea World.