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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hello!
I was considering becoming a travel agent and did not know how to even begin. First I just wanted your opinion if it was worth it for me or not. I'm always looking for more money but it is partly for the money but more so, like all of you I love anything Disney and have been there very often, we own into dvc and have visited almost every resort there, even if only for a few hours. I would just want to be a Disney specialist I'm not interested in other travel so I would like to know if that is a possibility too, to just be a Disney specialist?
I have helped all my family and friends book their trips over the years (approx. 20, I have a very large family) I have visited and stayed at many of the resorts there, so I'm pretty knowledgeable of wdw, again that may not be enough.
I would just really like any opinions or advice anyone could offer. I just figured if I love it and have been helping book others trips maybe I could make a little extra $$, as I am a housewife with two little one's, but I would not have to rely on that $$$.
Thank you for taking the time to help!
There are agencies that specialize in Disney travel, and it sounds like you already know a alot about what Disney has to offer! Being a home based agent is a good way to make some extra money and use the knowledge you already have. I would suggest that you look at some of the agencies that are out there - the agencies that sponsor Passporter and other online Disney communities are all reputable agencies - and check with the ones you're interested in to see what their requirements are and if it feels like the right place for you!
I would suggest two sets of books to buy to investigate the business. The first is from Kelly Monaghan and is a four book, $150 course. I use one of the books constantly as a reference. Becoming a Travel Agent - The Home-Based Travel Agent Resource Center. The second is from Tom and Joanie Ogg and is a great tool for learning the business and how to sell. There are actually several books to choose from. They didn't have the course now available when I started, so I can't comment on it. Home Based Travel Agent Information Center They are worth the investment.
I would suggest doing a lot of research on host agencies. There are lots of them out there, and each has different expenses and service. The one thing I have to say is to avoid "card mills". For a fee of around $495 they will "make you a travel agent" and allow you to travel at "discounts". Discounts that, for the most part, don't exist. Yes, I can get a good rate for a few nights at WDW and some other suppliers, but the huge discounts the advertise just aren't out there. Find somebody that provides support and real training. Forget these "travel agent ID cards". They are, for the most part, worthless.
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Being a home based agent is a good way to make some extra money and use the knowledge you already have. I would suggest that you look at some of the agencies that are out there - the agencies that sponsor Passporter and other online Disney communities are all reputable agencies - and check with the ones you're interested in to see what their requirements are and if it feels like the right place for you!
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