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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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or your Dad, or Grandparent. I've had a perfectly rotten week because some kids think that when they move out of their parents' homes, their parents should magically disappear.
We have some senior citizen friends that always voluteer where we work. One woman comes in every week to help with the phones. She told us on Monday that she felt poorly and was going to check with her doctor about back pain. It turned out to be a spinal infection that went to her heart. When her children were called and told that their mother was in critical condition, they said they would check in with her after their vacation! The woman is now unconscious and very, very, critical. They've missed their chance to tell her they love her or say goodby.
Another woman, 93, had several health problems that finally necessitated her being put in an assisted living facility this week. Her children were called several times by friends and neighbors and told that "Mom" could no longer live alone and decisions needed to be made. They insisted that she would be fine and they were too busy to come and help her. She hasn't seen her kids for about 3 years, and they don't call her because long distance is too expensive. It was left for neighbors and strangers to get her the help she needed. Saturday she called me crying that if she knew what was going to happen to her, she would have shot herself 10 years ago.
Please, I beg you, don't be one of these children! Please call your parents, if for no other reason to say "Hello, I love you, and you haven't been forgotten." It just breaks my heart to see these two women lonely and hurting.
For the family that went on vacation, hope it was worth it. Probably won't faze them though. Maybe one day when they are older and sick and their kids desert them they might get a clue.
For the ones that are just too busy to help Mom, they make me sick. I know how hard it can be time and money wise, but you do what you have to do. When my grandfather died and my grandmother was faced with not being able to stay in her house without extra money each month, I offered to help even though I am a single parent making very little. But we had to make other arrangements, because out of her 9 children only about 3 were willing to pay an extra $40 bucks a month to help cover mortage and bills. $40 stinky bucks. So, unfortunately, there are alot of those selfish, spoiled kids out there. Wish they could all work in an ER for a few months and see how quickly death can find anyone. Might make them appreciate what they have a little more.
My father lives out of town and calls every weekend, even if me and the kids don't have a lot to say. In fact my DS was saying at about 7 pm on Sunday night that Gramps should be calling soon, it's getting late. I talk to my Mom at least once a week if not more. I even called out of work to go up with my Mom when my Stepfather was sent to another hospital in the city.
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Originally Posted by chezp
What a good reminder. I speak to my parents every Sunday and have done ever since I first left home and I'm glad we have that routine.
Chezp - I have the exact same agreement with my parents!! Every Sunday - no matter where I am - I call!! I have even begun to hassle DH to call his mom and his dad at least once a week and just "touch base".
Definitely a great reminder and I am sad for those 2 poor ladies as well.
I call my parents every day . . . even when we're on vacation! If I can't call every day, I try to make sure I don't go more than about 3 days (unless THEY are on vacation and don't call me) without talking to them.
Very true. I used to speak with my Mom about 4 or 5 times a week until she passed away this past April. Now it seems so strange to not get to talk to her as often as I did. My life has a void and I miss those phone calls. I still talk to my dad a few times a week, but he was never the talker of the family.
Very good advice because you never know when it will be too late.
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I no longer have parents and although I called regularly when they were alive, I don't think you can call to much too keep in touch with your family. Even if it's just to say hello.
I have one child still at home (who still calls me daily at work to check in). My two boys are wonderful. Although my older son is 1800 miles away, I still feel very close to him because we talk almost daily and email on a regular basis. My middle child calls and emails regularly and also tries to come by for dinner every few weeks.
I don't know how well you know these women, but I would strongly urge they have wills and that the main recipients of most of their assets be someone other than the children. What the children didn't learn in her life time, they may learn when she is gone. Their behavior is shameful and hurtful.
I no longer have parents lost my Mom at 22 and never have had much to do with my dad. Differnt post all together. I do have a grandma I just sold my house to move in to hers and take care of. As I have said on other post this was hard for my daughter and myself. But we do what we need to do...when something happens to her the only family I will have is my daughter. People should be thankful for family not take it for granted.
While I do understand your plea, for different families there are different circumstances. Mine is one of those and for personal safety reasons I keep my distance. Sadly, I do get calls pertaining to his mental health but I will not take on that responsibility or be the one to make those decisions. I gave in to many times and am done paying the price for being kind. My child's safety is way more important.
Your story in the OP makes me so sad because we just lost my DMIL this past week. So glad that all of her family could be with her all through her short illness and at the time of her passing. I feel so sorry for your friends whose families can't be bothered!
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I speak to my parents every Sunday and have done ever since I first left home and I'm glad we have that routine.
My normal everyday computer routine!
It makes me so sad when I see how some people treat their parents. 
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