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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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So we LOVE MNSSHP! However we have never seen Disney during the holidays and thought about changing it up next year. So can we go when the crowds are super low and the Christmas party is going on? Thanks!!
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Last edited by Jennifer Marx; 10-20-2010 at 12:46 PM..
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I have never been for the Christmas decorations either. We are going this year for the first time during the first week of December. Now I have heard that in the past that is a great time to go for low crowds.
But...I have heard that this year it is going to be very busy!
Since all of the decorations around the parks and resorts are up around Thanksgiving -- and you don't necessarily want to go that week! -- the week after is usually your best bet!
But, like Ann said, that "secret" has gotten out and many people go, if they can, especially DVC members as it's considered "Value Season" for them too.
However, compared to the Thanksgiving holiday crowds, as well as the upcoming Christmas/holiday and New Year's crowds, it's still a great time to visit -- because if the parks seem a little busier than you'd like on a certain day, hop on over to a resort and spend some time enjoying the decorations while everyone else is in the park!
And with the GF's gingerbead house, the BC's gingerbread carousel, the trees at the WL and AKL, plus just all of the other resorts' themed decorations, it's a nice "something" new to do instead of just go, go, go in the parks!
Plus, MVMCP is a must to try (even though MNSSHP is a little better, IMHO! ) and the castle is breath-taking; the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights in DHS are amazing; and the Holiday Storytellers in Epcot are really fun and for sure all add to the "festivities of the season!"
deciding on dates; it really is a fabulous time to visit!
Seeing the Christmas decorations at WDW was always something my DH and I wanted to do. It never really worked out for us until this year. My Mom, who is 79, came to me one day last January and said she wanted to see the Christmas decorations at WDW one more time. It has been since the early 80's that she has been to WDW at that time of year, and it was the late 70's since I had been at at that time.
So, all that being said, we are heading to WDW on the Friday after Thanksgiving. According to Touring Plans, the crowds are predicted to be a 9 and a 10 our first two days, then down to a 5 the next and then down to 1's and 3's the rest of the week!!
As aliceinwdw said, if the parks are busy, there is always much to see at the resorts. We plan to hit two mods (staying at POR the first two days) and all of the deluxe resorts to check out the decor. We are also going to MVMCP for the first time.
Not that we are excited or anything....................
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Four years ago we were there the first week in December. It was a moderate crowd. Not too bad though.
We are going at that same time frame this year and look forward to it. Not sure how crowded it will be, but we can deal with it. It is just such a magical time to go.
We've done the second week in December twice. Loved it. During the week, the parks were a ghost town! However, during the weekends, you could definitely notice an uptick in crowds, from a lot of the locals coming in to see the decorations! We just planned accordingly!
We've visited during the first part of December (up to about the 18th) many times. It is a great time to visit. The resorts and parks are awesomely decorated!
This year we are visiting the week before Thanksgiving. It's great because we are missing the Thanksgiving crowds, but the Osborne Lights and MVMCP will be going strong!
We went to the party the Sunday after Thanksgiving and it was great and not very crowded. The week after Thanksgiving was nice and peaceful as well. I feel the weather is great during that time of year also!!
We were there last year during the week of Thanksgiving. The crowds were actually pretty low while were there. Thanksgiving day, I had heard it was supposed to be really crowded on Thanksgiving day at Magic Kingdom. So we went to Animal Kingdom. The crowds were amazingly low.
I've gone in early December the last 3 years. In general the crowds have been on the low to moderate side. The one exception to that was MVMCP last year. It was VERY crowded. If you want to go to that I'd go on a Sunday-Wednesday night. The earlier in the month the better. Keep in mind that just because WDW resorts are busy that doesn't necessarily mean the parks will be. When Disney offers lower rates or special promotions more people stay on site. I think you'll enjoy that time of year. There is so much to see and do.
We are going the first week of December- 11/30-12/8. I heard it was great...but now this year, people are worried. I keep telling myself not to be. The crowd calender on Touringplans.com lists the week as 2 and 3. The Pop Warner stuff starts the 5th...so the resorts do get packed then...but from what I've heard, they don't effect the parks much.
We haven't been this time of year since 05, and that year we arrived the 16th....I would not go then again....it got progressively more crowded as the week went on...and MVMCP on the 21st was awful. So so crowded.
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Either the week before thanksgiving or the week after would usually be the lightest crowds for Christmas decorations. The first parts of december used to be good to but I think that secret got out and that time has gotten busier.
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deciding on dates; it really is a fabulous time to visit!
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