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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I read somewhere (and now have lost where! LOL) that you can buy name badges like the ones the CM's wear and have them personalized with your names to wear at the parks. I also read that you can pre-order them, by mail order I guess.
So, my questions are:
1. Where online can I order these? I found some themed ones, but I thought the CM's all wore white ones??? Anyone have a link?
2. OR Where in WDW can I buy these when I get there? Main Street? DTD?
Thanks!
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Keep dreamin'!
From our June 2009 trip...a truly happy moment between siblings, I didn't make them pose!
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The "Guest of Honor" badges (and others like them) were quite similar in shape and size, but not color, to the ones worn by the actual CMs. Apparently, it was confusing to some guests, so they discontinued them.
I'd highly recommend getting a PassPorter badge!
Eileen
I bought some three years ago in advance of our first ever trip with DS. Then once I had them, it made me really nervous to think that strangers would know DS's name and possibly use that to lure him. I know that they could just follow us and listen to me using his name (which happens about every two seconds) but it seemed like it would be easier for predators if his name was on his shirt. It probably doesnt make sense, but JMHO. Ours are currently in our scrapbook.
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The three of us on our November 2009 Disney cruise
We bought name tags in the back of the pin shop in the Magic Kingdom (Main Street) about two years ago. They didn't have ones that looked like the cast members (for obvious reasons), but we were able to get one with Pooh characters and one with Belle and Beast. I don't know if they still do them - they inscribed my kids names as we waited.
One tip - if you do get name badges for your kids, before you leave home print up labels with your cell phone numbers on them and put them on the back of the tags (or even the pins you can get at Guest Services). Show your kids the cast member badges and teach them to show the cast members where your phone numbers are if they get lost. We did this with our girls. When one of my three year olds got separated, we found her in the middle of Liberty Square holding up the back of her pin for a cast member to call us! The cast members are very willing to bend down and show your child what their pins look like, the one we met at the front gate even called over a security person to have our kids look at his badge since it is a bit different. Everytime we go to WDW we show the kids (now 6) the badges and make sure our phone numbers are in place!
We bought name tags in the back of the pin shop in the Magic Kingdom (Main Street) about two years ago. They didn't have ones that looked like the cast members (for obvious reasons), but we were able to get one with Pooh characters and one with Belle and Beast. I don't know if they still do them - they inscribed my kids names as we waited.
One tip - if you do get name badges for your kids, before you leave home print up labels with your cell phone numbers on them and put them on the back of the tags (or even the pins you can get at Guest Services). Show your kids the cast member badges and teach them to show the cast members where your phone numbers are if they get lost. We did this with our girls. When one of my three year olds got separated, we found her in the middle of Liberty Square holding up the back of her pin for a cast member to call us! The cast members are very willing to bend down and show your child what their pins look like, the one we met at the front gate even called over a security person to have our kids look at his badge since it is a bit different. Everytime we go to WDW we show the kids (now 6) the badges and make sure our phone numbers are in place!
I did look on the Disey Registry wishlist where you can add the Name bages pins with characters on them while at Disney. Customize Your Special Occasion
I'm pretty sure if you call the Mail Order number: (407) 363-6200 or e-mail them: wdw.mail.order@disneyworld.com, you can more than likely get them prior to your trip. Good luck.
P.S. I love the suggestion of making a label with the the name of the child and cell phone number on the inside incase a child is lost. We will most defanitely have to use this idea for DS and DTwinNephews when we have our Grand Gathering! Thank you for the idea.
Eileen....Passporter badges....why do you highly recommend them?
First of all, they are super sturdy. But most of all because, if you're "into" PassPorter and meeting other members, it's a great way to notice each other and strike up conversations.
Eileen
First of all, they are super sturdy. But most of all because, if you're "into" PassPorter and meeting other members, it's a great way to notice each other and strike up conversations.
Eileen
I plan to order the PP tags for DD, DBF, and I when we go. I want to meet some of the PP that I know work at WDW and any others that may possibly being visiting at that time as well. I think it would be easier to spot other PP with the tags. (Since our PP are usually hidden away in backpacks or strollers or other carriers unless they are in current service for information. lol)
First of all, they are super sturdy. But most of all because, if you're "into" PassPorter and meeting other members, it's a great way to notice each other and strike up conversations.
Eileen
this is 100 % correct on my last trip this is how i notice celtichick she had a pp badge on and i started a conversation with her . it is sooo much fun that way .