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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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 get anxiety and Panic attacks in certain situations. I really want to ride Soarin when I go in May but not sure if I should....
I dont have a fear of heights as long as I have a bar going in front of me - like on a Ski Lift - I love to ride them but only with the bar down..I get this odd feeling if there isnt a bar like I am going to throw my self off which is cause by my panic attack....I have read that Soaring only has a little seat belt that goes across and no bar = Does any of the seat have a bar? Has anyone else rode this that suffers from panic attacks?
One thing I might suggest is to ask to be on the bottom row, so you are not too high If you want that feeling of a physical barrier, why not bring your own little "bar". Just an object that you can keep on your lap so you have the sensation of being helkd in.
For children who do not meet a certain height there is a plastic loop in the center of seat. Usually you just sit on it if you are an adult. I know this could be a touchy situation and feel free to ignore this suggestion, but maybe you could try using the loop (the seatbelt passes through, kind of like a car seat, the loop goes between your legs) and see if you can fit comfortably. This might not work, considering it is meant for a child, but if it's your only option, you could always exit if it didn't work.
I do like Sandy's idea, though! Maybe you could bring an umbrella (like the size of the black WDW ones), since that is about the width of the seat.
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Thank you - The umbrella idea may work! I could put it across me and hang on! I must say I feel a bit silly that little kids go on with no problem and I am freaking out about it - lol.
I've ridden Soarin' many times, and I absolutely love it!
I've never felt unsafe or in danger, but the last time I rode I was in the very last seat in the row. Without people on both sides of me I felt a little strange when the ride lifted us up, and I grabbed the little seat "divider" at my side...
You might not want the end seat, since it made me feel so vulnerable.
Best wishes! I hope you can find a way to comfortably enjoy this awesome experience!
I must say I feel a bit silly that little kids go on with no problem and I am freaking out about it - lol.
Everybody has SOMETHING that might look silly to someone else.
The best thing is to put on your big girl pants and figure out how to do the things you want to do anyway.
You can also do a little "self talk". Remind yourself that you will be fine, you can even set the timer function on your watch and cell phone and tell yourself "half done" "just one more minute". Whatever you need to tell yourself to get you through it should work!
Avoiding an amazing experience like Soarin' is silly. Everything else is just using strategies.
Thank you - The umbrella idea may work! I could put it across me and hang on! I must say I feel a bit silly that little kids go on with no problem and I am freaking out about it - lol.
They will not allow you to hold anything like an umbrella. Purses, hats, even shoes that might fall off need to be removed and left in the underseat bag or on the floor.
Didn't want you to plan on holding sn umbrella and find out when you sit down that you would not be able to do it.
We do use that extra loop for our daughter and my mother in law used it too - she is very afraid of heights and can't even go down an escalator, but did well.
I've got some pictures of the ride seat and the process/queue that I will post when I get home. It might help you to see it.
They will not allow you to hold anything like an umbrella. Purses, hats, even shoes that might fall off need to be removed and left in the underseat bag or on the floor.
Didn't want you to plan on holding sn umbrella and find out when you sit down that you would not be able to do it.
We do use that extra loop for our daughter and my mother in law used it too - she is very afraid of heights and can't even go down an escalator, but did well.
I've got some pictures of the ride seat and the process/queue that I will post when I get home. It might help you to see it.
They will not allow you to hold anything like an umbrella..
Good point, Sue.
An umbrella might be too long also.
When I said an object, I mean something with a little weight that could be kept on your lap, which should not be a problem if you are on the bottom row. Maybe check guest relations to be sure.
Now, no one is going to want to carry a four pound bean bag for one ride, but I think for these purposes, holding a heavy purse on your lap might help. Really, it seems like the loop should do it and, maybe, just pull the seatbelt tightly for that sensory input. Maybe just fold up a sweater and put it under the seatbelt so it is also on your lap in a wy that you'll feel it if you lean forward?
Just be careful of overthinking this and making it HUGE!
OK, you are a little anxious about this ride, but too much thinking could make it worse.
I noticed it this article said that the seat is tilted slightly back so it's very hard to fall forward. You'll be required to fasten your seat belt and the attraction is less than five minutes.
That means you'll have to decide to unfasten the seatbelt to fall out. I'm guessing (just a guess) that there is some mechanism so you can't unfasten the seatbelt anyway while the attraction is going on.
So, the question is: what do you have to tell yourself to decide to try this attraction without too much fear?
If you can't come up with anything, maybe you should just pass for now!
If you DO try it, you HAVE to tell us how it went!
I had no idea this was just for children I always put it on that way lol ... im a bit touchy about heights and dangly feet.
I'll have to remember this for my DS1. He has panic and anxiety disorder and is afraid of many of the rides at WDW. After he goes on them, with pushing from DH and I, he is glad he did it, but some of the rides we can't talk him into. I know that he has been wanting to go on Soaring and hopefully this will help.
__________________
Debbie
Many trips to WDW, too many to list. Going back in June 2017!
For children who do not meet a certain height there is a plastic loop in the center of seat. Usually you just sit on it if you are an adult. I know this could be a touchy situation and feel free to ignore this suggestion, but maybe you could try using the loop (the seatbelt passes through, kind of like a car seat, the loop goes between your legs) and see if you can fit comfortably. This might not work, considering it is meant for a child, but if it's your only option, you could always exit if it didn't work.
I do like Sandy's idea, though! Maybe you could bring an umbrella (like the size of the black WDW ones), since that is about the width of the seat.
Thats what I do now adays too and I don't care how it looks. I have started having feelings of falling out of it the last few times I have rode on it with my Parkinson's. However I think I will be setting this ride out from now on This is coming from an old Army helicopter pilot.
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= Does any of the seat have a bar? Has anyone else rode this that suffers from panic attacks?
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This is coming from an old Army helicopter pilot.
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