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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I'm almost a month out from my sail date and I'm trying to hunker down on my packing list and shopping list.
I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on packing. Specifically, how to pack all my normal clothes and items along with a tuxedo and possibly another suit jacket. I don't want to have to check more than two bags along with bringing a carry on if I can help it since I'm traveling solo and won't have help with luggage.
Another thing that presents a problem is that I sleep with a weighted blanket and have a terrible time sleeping without it. But it's twin size and weighs 15 pounds. I'm not sure how to pack that either.
I can't help with the weighted blanket, but honestly, we don't find it that tough packing for a seven night cruise. There are two of us and usually we're going somewhere else as well as the cruise and we don't usually travel with more than three cases. You can do laundry on the cruise and I'd thoroughly recommend it, as it really does help reduce what you need to take with you. Just be warned, the washers and dryers can be very busy on at sea days, as everyone else will have the same idea. I usually get up really early and it's not too busy then.
We're on the Alaskan cruise at the end of the month and will then go to California and we'll only go out with three cases between us. Ok, coming home we may have four, depending what we buy, but we'll try and go with layers, so that the bottom layer (i.e. T-shirts etc.) can be used in Alaska with other layers on top, then we'll just use the bottom layer in California.
Don't panic here! A couple of things to think about. Do you already have a tux? If not, why not just wear your suit coat instead. DH never wears a tux for formal night. There are people who do, but most men do not. You could also rent one onboard if you really want the tux. Secondly, for those evening slacks. Feel free to wear them more than once just paired with different shirts. Most men wear polos, or similar, for dinner. That blanket does cause a problem. You can certainly get extra blankets from your room steward on request, but I don't know if that would solve your problem or not. I really think I would try to do without taking the blanket. DH and I do all our travels with one large checked bag and one carry on each, and believe me, we definitely overpack!! Lately our trips have been in the range of two weeks. The main thing I can suggest is to remember that you can easily wear many items more than once without it being a problem. If you are a jeans wearer, definitely plan on more than one day in them. Also, definitely plan out your days. Don't go with options of what to wear. Be definite and don't waver!!
Chezp, thank you for the tips about laundry! That's what I did when I went to Japan. I packed light and took one evening to do laundry.
Pris, I have already bought a tux because I'm going to a formal wedding this month. I figured I'd just double dip. I thought about renting but I'm assigned female at birth so tuxes right off the rack don't always fit right. For the one I bought I needed the sleeves shortened and the pants hemmed.
I really want to try going without the blanket but last time I did that I barely got any sleep and I was a total crab the next day. I have sensory processing issues and without the weight my body has a lot of trouble calming down enough to fall asleep.
Sounds like you need to pack the blanket and maybe cut back in some other area. I find that my shoes are really heavy. But remember that for most airlines you get 50 lbs so you can make things balance out.
I would suggest gathering your stuff together and seeing how much it weighs with a luggage scale. If you do not have one you can get one for less than 20 at Target.
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Dreams, Wishes, Hopes... these are the parts of childhood we should never lose.
For the blanket, could you get one of the ziplock type bags to put it in (that sucks all the extra air out around it) and then put that in your carryon? 15 lbs seems like a lot of the weigh allotment for a checked bag.
Then I'd also suggest doing just one or two pair of pants/slacks with many top options. That helps a lot. And if the pants both go with the same shoes, even better!
You didn't mention where you're cruising to, so I can't help beyond what others have said, without knowing what you're dressing for.
Good luck!
You didn't mention where you're cruising to, so I can't help beyond what others have said, without knowing what you're dressing for.
Good luck!
Sorry! I'm doing a 7 night Western Caribbean cruise.
For what it's worth, and to give people a better picture, the blanket is 42x72". It folds well but doesn't really compress because it's filled with some sort of beads which is where the weight comes from.
Well, it sounds as if you definitely need the blanket. I would try to get everything into the two checked bags (hopefully you are flying southwest, so they would be free) and make the carry on very easy to handle. Perhaps a small backpack for carry on, so it would be hands free when you are transporting the luggage. Definitely see if you can manage to limit the shoes, as they can be very weighty. I'd pack the blanket and shoes in one bag and clothes in the other. Do plan on laundry and just pack about 1/2 of what you think you will need. Mix and match clothing so slacks can be worn with different shirts.
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Dreams, Wishes, Hopes... these are the parts of childhood we should never lose.
Mix and match clothing so slacks can be worn with different shirts.
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