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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We stayed at Shades of Green in 2009. I used an EVC for the first time, on their bus I just drove in thru the front door and parked. We are staying at Beach Club Villas this time and have read that on a Disney bus you load from the rear on a lift? I will be renting from Buena Vista again for the week, I know of the size questions that have been going around. Can someone give me encouraging words about using an EVC this time too!
Loading from the back is actually easier, I think, than from the front. At home the buses load from the front and it can be tricky to maneuver the narrow space between the driver and the interior of the bus. Loading from the back you have much more room. There's really not much difference. Most of the buses do not have lifts any more, they have ramps that extend from the bus and you drive up. If you end up with a bus with a lift, though, it's no problem. Just drive onto the lift, wait for it to rise, then enter the bus.
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Thanks for answering! I was afraid of the lift. Looks like they don't use too many of them anymore. Were you able to have your family board the same bus. There will be 7 others with me. How did it work for you waiting in line? If you are in line with the EVC, where do you park it to board a ride? I have read that most lines accept them. Thanks for your help.
Absolutely, yes-- your group can travel on the same bus with you. When you're at the bus stops at the parks, you'll see a winding queue set up with a handicap sign at one end, and that's where you wait. At most resorts you'll see a white box painted on the pavement with the handicap sign stenciled on it. If you wait there, the bus driver will see you. Because there are buses coming by for different parks, wave at the driver of the bus you want, and shake your head "no" at the others!
I've also heard that WDW recently (maybe in the past month or so) added some of the newer style, front-loading buses to the fleet. You probably have as much chance of getting a front entry vs a rear-entry bus now. And as a PP indicate, most of the rear-loading buses are kneeling with a ramp rather than the old lift style.
Technically, they may only allow up to 5 others to board with you. Others may need to go through the line. I suggest making plans when/where to meet in case you do get split up.
The amount of time it can take to secure the ECV once it's on the bus may be a pain if you get the occasional driver who's not very experienced at it or for some reason fumbles with the fasteners.
DH finds bus rides jarring sometimes, too, so we try to use the monorail almost exclusively for its roll up the ramp or down ease and overall riding comfort.
You may find the bus works just fine, though.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
EXCEPTIONS
The last 10 or so remaining buses from the 1980's or 1990's that are used when needed.
Mears and other contractors which is a pain. I was staying at Pop Century when I got a bus that would not take disabled guests. It is rare but does happen that you get lifts or no access when they use contractors. In that case be ready to hop on the next bus to a neighboring resort as in my case I scootered over to Art of Animation then went across the bridge to my room.
Some of the old style Shades of Green busses.
International Drive buses from what I last seen are still using lifts.
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Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
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I will be renting from Buena Vista again for the week, I know of the size questions that have been going around. Can someone give me encouraging words about using an EVC this time too!
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Our last WDW trip as a family 
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