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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We are going to WDW 9/15-9/21. Our DS is 7. We are going to do the Behind the Seeds Tour after we eat lunch at the Garden Grill. Has anyone ever done this tour? What did you think of it? How will a 7 year old like it?
I thought it was really neat, but I'm not so sure a 7 year old would enjoy it as much. They showed us much of the same stuff you see as you ride the Land boat ride, but talk about it and of course take you into the greenhouses, etc. You don't see a whole lot more than you do on the boat, but you learn a lot more about it.
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If your 7 year old is like ours, two speeds, on and off, I would not recomend it. DW is an earth science teacher and I enjoy gardening an learning new things. While it was enjoyable and we both got something out of it we both felt it was lacking any magic. Think back to films in middle school science. There were a couple kids that did not appear to be enjoying themselves much. DD would have been bored out of her skull in the first 10 minutes.
I have to agree. DH and I went last year with another couple. We all enjoyed it, but I don't know too many 7 YOs that would stay interested for the entire tour.
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You learn a lot about hydroponics, and aeroponics, pest-stopping insects, and all about the different kinds of fruits and vegetables Disney grows for its own restaurants. I really enjoyed our tour, but at the same time, I don't really think a 7YO would, unless they're the type of person who are really into that sort of thing. I feel like it really is they type of thing that's more for adults than kids, simply because it's a pretty straight-forward tour - "Here's a vanilla bean. We grow 9 lb lemons and pumpkins in the shapes of Mickey heads."
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We thought behind the seeds would be good for our then 5 1/2 yo. one hour...how bad could it be...and my dad wanted to take it. DS loved the Land boat ride, so I thought this would be good. I was wrong. The tour lasted over 1 1/2 hours. I was even bored, DS was very patient, but clearly this wasn't any magical moment for him. They explained everything you see on the boat ride in great detail and you see the bugs that they use for treating infestations. Our guide let DS feed the fish, he waved to everyone riding the boat and held a Mickey pumpkin, other than that, he would have been happier just taking the boat. Everyone is different and all the tour guides are different too. Maybe if we had a better guide that didn't go on for sooooo long I would feel differently, but I think that the people who enjoy this tour the most are those that love gardening or are very interested in hydroponics or are very interested in science.
The tour is great...but if you don't have any interest in learning about hydroponics and aerial growth, it may bore you. It is okay for the kids...on our tour they got to release some lady bugs into the greenhouse, so that was cool.
I loved the tour, but I have a serious backround in horticulture and agriculture.....my degree is in Florictulture Merchandising.
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My parents did it a few years ago, and really enjoyed it. I have not done it though. At the time, they were in their early '50's (you're welcome, Mama ) and they both are into gardening. I'm not sure how a 7 year old would like it....I could see one of my nephews, who is 12 now, liking it as a 7 year old, but the other nephew and my nieces would be bored.
We really enjoyed it, especially as we love gardening. I have to be honest though - unless your seven year old is interested in gardening, I'm not sure they'd like it. I did the tour with my parents when I was 14 and I hated gardening at that stage of my life and I was so bored.
My 11yr old DS wants to do this tour with me. DH not so much. Not quite sure about 10yr DD. DS is in love with gators, so that is his main interest. We do like to grow herbs at home so this would be fun for us, I think. I also have a coupon for 15% off the tour.
I made my DDs go as a "field trip" when they were 10 & 8. They just about passed out when the guy handed them ladybugs in jars b/c their only experience is with the orange beetle kind that we have that pinch Once I explained the difference, they perked up! DDs got to feed alligators and fish which they enjoyed. They were fascinated by the hydroponics, but weren't interested in sampling the tomatoes from the tomato tree. Our tour guide was VERY interested in his subject matter which made it a bit dry at times. DDs were not thrilled with the whole thing, but weren't rolling their eyes about it, either. Now 9yo just found the handout we got about hydroponic gardening and asked if we could try it this year.
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I have not done it though. At the time, they were in their early '50's (you're welcome, Mama 
) and they both are into gardening. I'm not sure how a 7 year old would like it....I could see one of my nephews, who is 12 now, liking it as a 7 year old, but the other nephew and my nieces would be bored. 
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Once I explained the difference, they perked up! DDs got to feed alligators and fish which they enjoyed. They were fascinated by the hydroponics, but weren't interested in sampling the tomatoes from the tomato tree. Our tour guide was VERY interested in his subject matter which made it a bit dry at times. DDs were not thrilled with the whole thing, but weren't rolling their eyes about it, either. Now 9yo just found the handout we got about hydroponic gardening and asked if we could try it this year.
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