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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 Disney this year, and then again in 2009. Poly is my Favorite and always has been but I might want to try another one in 2009 at least for part of the time. Anyone have any suggestions on some I should go check out for ideas when I'm there this year?
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If you like the island theme, perhaps you would want to try Caribbean Beach. I have stayed there several times and really liked it. Just a warning though, it is big so you may have to walk quite a ways to the main lobby. But you can request a room closer.
We've always loved Boardwalk. We much prefer Poly.
Boardwalk is great.
GF is good.
AKL - wonderful scenery and great to see the animals while we stood on the balcony, but we didn't like it as a resort we were staying in.
We've always loved Boardwalk. We much prefer Poly.
Boardwalk is great.
GF is good.
AKL - wonderful scenery and great to see the animals while we stood on the balcony, but we didn't like it as a resort we were staying in.
And, I'd love to stay in WL some time.
Just curious on why you didn't like the AKL as a resort you were staying in?
We are going to Disney this year, and then again in 2009. Poly is my Favorite and always has been but I might want to try another one in 2009 at least for part of the time. Anyone have any suggestions on some I should go check out for ideas when I'm there this year?
We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge in 2000. It was just stunning. Loved the theming.
We're trying the Beach Club for our upcoming May '08 trip but WL was defintely on the list and will always be one of our faves.
If you tell us a bit more about your preferences, e.g. concerning theming, I'd be glad to give you more specific advice
Well we want a good view that is really important to us. It doesn't matter how big the resort, is or where the resort is located. A concern with the WL is that it would be too much cowboys and indians for us, although I haven't really looked into it. I do love a water view but I would consider the AKL if the rooms are nice and there is a neat view of the animals. GF is too stuffy for us. It would be nice to see fireworks from our hotel but we really don't need it. I would like a nice pool, it would be nice if there was another one with a waterfall. I like lush grounds. Can't think of anything else at the moment.
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WL isn't really about cowboys and indians. It's modelled after a typical lodge at a national park like Yellowstone. Gorgious!
Ok, good view... There are rooms at the Poly that offer a view of the castle at the MK, savannah rooms at the AKL that overlook the animal areas (and, yes, rooms are nice ), rooms at the BW Inn from where you can see the Boardwalk; the woods view rooms at the WL overlook, well, the woods ...
Water view... You can get that at the Poly, Contemporary, YC/BC and BW Inn (I think) as far as deluxes go (at moderates, you don't really have a "view" as there are no balconies and the window goes out to the hall (outside))
Fireworks... Again, Poly, Contemporary for Wishes, a few rooms at the BW Inn for IllumiNations
Nice pool, lush grounds: POLY! BC has Stormalong Bay which is supposed to be awesome!
All pools at the deluxes are nice, though (some people don't like the one at the Contemporary, I believe)
So, looks like the Poly suits your needs best overall. I second the advice to check AllEars for pictures.
I think that eventually you'll get recommendations for all of the WDW hotels. I guess that's not a bad thing because it says that there's something good about all of the properties (other than they're all at WDW).
I agree with FrostyPaws that if you like an island theme, you'd probably like CBR. We stayed there and enjoyed it.
You may want to consider an Epcot area resort. We stayed at Y.C. 2 years ago and are going back next March. Y.C./B.C. share the most awesome pool, the grounds are lovely, there are plenty of choices for restaurants between the Y.C./B.C., Boardwalk, the Dolphin and the Swan, you can go over to the Boardwalk to enjoy the activities there and you have easy access to Epcot and the Studios. The B.C. side seems to be a little more casual than the Y.C. We've also stayed at Cont. a few years ago and found it so-so as well as the Grand Floridian which we really enjoyed and plan to return to in the future. The G.F. has great restaurants, lovely grounds, 2 nice pools (one has a waterfall and slide), easy access to M.K. (our fav park) and several spots to view the M.K. fireworks from. Good luck with your decision. There are a lot of great choices which is why we all go back!
Don't know what time of year you are going, but if you happen to go over the Thanksgiving to Christmas holiday, I thought the Christmas tree and decor at AKL was quite beautiful and unique. We had a wonderful stay there and loved watching the giraffes from our balcony each morning.
I think AKL is our favorite of the one's we have stayed at. Although, we are trying WL this Dec. so our favorite could change. What we like best about AKL is that its like no other hotel we have ever experienced. No other hotel can offer the experience of walking out your door to see such beautiful wildlife; and the rooms are nice too. But, I really can't say a bad thing about any of the Disney resorts we have visited. I would love to try them all!!!
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BC has Stormalong Bay which is supposed to be awesome! 
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