Almost 3 weeks to go...making my to do list! - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Now it's time to start doing all the little things. I just ordered my Visa Rewards card. Last night I made the tie-dye Mickey shirts. I need to get my Mousekeeping envelopes done. I still need to print the penny list. Started a room request poem. This week I bought some of the food we're taking: breakfast stuff, snacks, fruits cups, etc.. Making my to do list of what's left to do! Aside from packing, what else??
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Stephanie- Mom to Jaden and Emerson, Wife to Keith, Novelist
I'm an independent agent with Fairytale Journeys, specializing in Disney vacations!
Visit my Facebook page!
If anyone has any prescriptions that might expire while you are gone then check on getting those filled. We did that this week along with a pres for DH for the motion sickness patch. Also double check any pet kennel reservations.
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Laura
1989-off property, 2000-All Star Movies, 2008-Pop Century
2010-Caribbean Beach Resort, 2011- First Disney Cruise (Oct), May 2012-First stay at DVC Vero Beach resort. May 2013 POP & Fantasy Cruise, Oct 2015 Saratoga Springs
I have less than 3 wks so these suggestions help me too! I am making sure dd has cold weather stuff-hat, gloves, etc that fit since we like to stay in the parks late at night. Don't forget to charge battery for camera(s) and clear your memory card (if you're like me). I'm also working on getting layers for dd's outfits since you never know how the weather will be. We're driving this time, so I'm stocking up on new DVDs.
The unpredictability of the weather has me worried...but I checked weather.com yesterday and currently, the temps have been mid 70's to low 80's. I'm thinking it won't change a ton 3 weeks from now. I'm hoping not to need gloves or hats for at night.
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Stephanie- Mom to Jaden and Emerson, Wife to Keith, Novelist
I'm an independent agent with Fairytale Journeys, specializing in Disney vacations!
Visit my Facebook page!
I'm enjoying this thread, as our departure date is on the horizon.
I just ordered a new triptik, as our plans have changed dramatically in the last 48 hours.
Am hoping to get DD's MVMCP shirt done today or tomorrow.
I have only 17 days left and about Thirty-seven days wporth of sewing !
I have printed off my vouchers (I guess they are actually called my order confirmation) for my MVMCP tickets; printed off my Resort confirmation and proof of PIF; I will print off my ADR list this afternoon (providing Disney's site cooperates), I am ordering extra meds for everyone today; I got enough ponchos to keep an army dry( well there ARE 7 of us!); I will pick up another power cord for one of the portable DVD players this afternoon; I will go through the math once again to see which is cheaper - getting the Virgin Mobile Broadband-2-go or Disney's internet; My last WalMart trip is planned for tomorrow.
On my last shopping trip is to get some more assorted batteries, and another memory card for my camera.
I have printed off several variations of packing lists, and have at least 75% packed. I have snacks for the trip, snacks for the room, and breakfast foods for the room.
Online check in is set for next Wednesday afternoon. I have the pet sitter lined up (one of my sons...only fitting since they are HIS dogs!). We have an appointment to get the car detailed on Thursday. Oil change is already done on both vehicles (we are taking two!)
I think I have planned for warm, cold, cool and wet weather. I have twice the money I think I will need to take put aside, and have calculated all tips down to the penny!
...so why on earth do I feel like I am missing something MAJOR!