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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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The Set-up: Early last year we realized that our son, now a Sophomore, may soon stop travelling with us and therefore, we needed to cram in as many trips as possible. We made a plan to take a family trip in June 2010 and a family plus kids' friends in April of 2011. But, then I had this idea that I would love to spend Thanksgiving somewhere warm. When I suggested to my sister that we take a cruise, she suggested that we go to Disney and thus the November trip was born.
The Cast: DH(48), DW(43), DS(16), DD(10) and DSis(37), DBIL(37), and DNiece(6)
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Can't wait to see how this turns out. (Especially since I'm going as DH) Umm, DW, why did you have to put my age on this one???
Really, I get extremely younger, mentally, while I'm there.
So far, we only have one ADR for crystal palace. This was DN's request. First time in a long time we're going to attempt to keep mostly to counter service meals. I haven't been this freewheeling on a Disney trip in a lonnnnggg time. My excel spreedsheet is really quite empty. DW e-mailed me the passporter planning sheets yesterday, and they are pretty empty too.
I can't wait to see how this comes out. I just know that I'll enjoy the ride.
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Okay, it is getting close....I am getting excited!
I find that as we get closer I listen to more Disney podcasts (how many can you get to in a week and is listening to podcasts while you shower healthy?), catch up on my Disney reading (All Ears and Passporter and official Disney emails), and review my Disney mags (Celebrations and Disney Files). I need to LEAVE TODAY or I may just go into DIsney overload! (As if THAT can happen)
Last night I ran touring plans for MK, EP, and AK for trips with girls 4 to 8. The plans look perfect. We will, of course, hit some of the signature attractions for those of us who are thrill ride junkies.
of this trip. Got the touring plans in my work e-mail this morning. There are only three one day plans. DSIL, DBIL, and DN are only going to three parks (at least that is the information we have at the moment). They are going to go to Sea World on one day and three days of Disney Parks. No hopper passes, thus the 3 one day touring plans. So there will be at least 3 other days for us that will be open for whatever. That's still some freewheeling.
The past weekend was pod cast heaven. Any room you walked into in the house had a podcast going. Yes, I have requested that a couple of them be copied to disk so that I can listen to them on the ride into work. I have a 50 minute drive each way, and pod casts can generally fill that gap.
The touring plans were discussed this weekend. I agree with DW that they should work. We are trying to make sure that DN gets exposed to as much as possible without burning her out. DD(10) saw the flaw in the Magic Kingdom plan - it did not include It's A Small World. After reading Kingdom Keepers, DD does not want to go back on IaSW anymore, but she thought DN should see it.
Now the really odd part for us is that DN has informed everyone that she has no interest in going to EPCOT. This is my favorite park, I'm thinking Nemo and Friends, Imagination, Kim Possible adventure, Ice Station Cool (or whatever it is called), Ellen's Energy Adventure, and on and on. How could anybody not like Epcot????? Now to think of a way to convince a 6 year old that she should at least try it, and make this her idea. Hmmmm. Any suggestions???
Well, DS came home in a surly mood last night after a play practice he stated took waaay too long. While he was shoveling down dinner, DN called and was talking with DW. DS looked up and inquired who was on the phone. He insisted on talking with DN. Within 5 minutes he convinced her that Epcot was a place not to be missed. He changed her mind that quickly. And then the extra reward - his surly attitude also dissipated. It's nice to watch magic happen.
Packing has begun. DW just checked and confirmed that our request for the 70's section at Pop is still on the reservation. (It is). I had forgotten that she made that request. The good news about my bad memory is that I tend to forget I have a bad memory. Now, what was I saying . . .
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It is getting close and the excitement here at home grows. Each and everyday the DD tells me how many days and then makes me recap our travel plans.
Tonight when her dad told her we were mainly going to eat at counter service restaurants, the DD said "Great! Caseys, Caseys, Caseys, Caseys." I guess we will be headed to Casey's a few times.