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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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In October we have a split stay booked. First 5 nights at the AKL Club- never tried but excited to do so.
The second 5 nights were supposed to be at the GF where we typically stay. Both my daughters freaked after the alligator news and now want to stay at the Poly. Please refrain from pointing out that it is the SAME Lagoon they are fully aware but there is no convincing them. Anyway, my oldest daughter has wanted to try the Poly for awhile. I'm just not into it, I don't know why. We have a theme park view club room so I know the view will be nice but I always seem to be disappointed, (as in Beach club concierge level last year!).
So those who love the Poly and I know there's a lot of you....pump me up!!!!
Ummmm, well, you know what I'm gonna say, so I won't bother saying it.
I totally share your lack of enthusiasm for a Poly stay. The "Disney tropical" look would leave me feeling like I was stuck 24/7 in the Tiki Room!
Will just wish you and my sympathy for you personally.
LOL. Knew I'd hear from you! I'm better about it now. I actually wanted to stay there when I was a kid, but we always stayed at the Contemp, of course this was before GF was even there. I guess I'm just nervous after the disappointing visit to the Beach Club's club level. Rude and unhelpful CMs (at the desks, not in the lounge). The hoards of people lined up in sprint position waiting for the lounge to be UNLOCKED and they carted food out of there on trays. We never saw anything like it. you could not just sit and enjoy a glass of wine in the lounge as it reminded me of a school cafeteria. The poor woman handling the wine looked absolutely haggard!
I will be sure to update you on the comparisons since we are doing both Poly and AK club for the first time.
We were there during this past Thanksgiving Week as the first resort of a split stay and loved Poly CL! The Hawaii building had an open design and was close to the boat dock. We had a room that was both a TPV and LV so the one night we got back fairly early we were able to see both Wishes and the EWP at the same time from our room. The pool was close by as well and the walk to the GCH was short. You can walk to the TTC to catch the Epcot monorail which was great.
It has been many many years since we stayed club level at the Poly. To say the least - pampering to the extent is how I remember it. I absolutely loved returning from a long day at the park to our beds turned down with a chocolate & a Disney or Hawaiian quote on a card with a Poly symbol on it. I think I still have some of these cards that were my favorites. Not sure if the turn down is the same or if it needs to be requested. The concierge really made things easy for us - making all of our requested ADRs and adjusting them if need be based on too much time playing at the park.
As far as the Poly - always has been my favorite resort bc of the tropical lush feel. Always seemed cooler walking around the resort and it was so serene. It always felt like two vacations - DISNEY & then a tropical escape. The Lava pool with the slide and the little drop was always an exciting & fun pool time and I loved watching Wishes from the pool. As an adult my favorite spot to view Wishes was from the Pointe however I understand the bungalows have interfered somewhat on that.
I think once you are welcomed and take in some of the subtleties of the resort you will feel at home. Don't forget to check out the torch lighting ceremony - a simple but memorable experience. And never forget to check out the Electrical Water Pageant - it is a must do for me several times each trip. It isn't a Disney trip without seeing this iconic Disney experience from the beach. As a matter of fact I can hear the music in my ear as I type this. I hope you find your trip magical no matter where you may rest your head.
You have a theme park view with CL and need to be pumped up about THAT??? That right there is reason to jump for joy regardless if you care for the resort or not. Balcony plus drinks and snacks from the CL lounge to watch Wishes or the EWP from a direct view of the castle is pretty epic. We have stayed Poly and GF many times and nothing can compare to the view you have from the Poly. The lounge food offerings have been our favorite compared to the other CL we have stayed, which were BC and GF/RPC. Evening offerings were fresh w tossed Kona salad some nights and sushi as well- not like the "frozen appetizers" that have been re-heated and served at other lounges. The CM's helped me with a broken flip flop one night bringing me super glue to my room to help me fix my issue. I love walking the grounds there, the greenery is so lush, maybe not the "tropical" feel that some want, but we love it and I'm sure you will have a great trip.
You have a theme park view with CL and need to be pumped up about THAT??? That right there is reason to jump for joy regardless if you care for the resort or not. Balcony plus drinks and snacks from the CL lounge to watch Wishes or the EWP from a direct view of the castle is pretty epic. We have stayed Poly and GF many times and nothing can compare to the view you have from the Poly. The lounge food offerings have been our favorite compared to the other CL we have stayed, which were BC and GF/RPC. Evening offerings were fresh w tossed Kona salad some nights and sushi as well- not like the "frozen appetizers" that have been re-heated and served at other lounges. The CM's helped me with a broken flip flop one night bringing me super glue to my room to help me fix my issue. I love walking the grounds there, the greenery is so lush, maybe not the "tropical" feel that some want, but we love it and I'm sure you will have a great trip.
LOL You're absolutely right! I'm totally being a goofball about it! Last visit my daughters fussed that they wanted to swim in SAB so we stayed at the Beach Club. Was not wild about their club level and actually no one was crazy about SAB either....that's some rough sand! I'm more excited having read your post. I find for the most part the offerings don't compare to RPC but you've done both so I can rest assured! Thanks so much!!!
We stayed CL at the Poly for Christmas several years ago and we loved it! It was an oasis amidst the holiday craziness. The lounge was very relaxing, the food was great and it was fun to watch Wishes there. I found the CM's all to be helpful and friendly. The location is wonderful....I loved being able to take the monorail to MK and Epcot. I love the volcano slide (it's my favorite resort slide!) and Kona breakfast is a must-do for us every trip.
We've stayed at Poly CL and loved it! The view from the castle from the lounge was the best! We loved staying there at night, watching fireworks while they dimmed the lights and piped the music at the lounge.
The grounds are lovely, with tons of greenery. At night they light up the torch and it is nice to walk around.
We've stayed at the Poly many times and LOVE it but never club level...until now. I booked today for next June/July, staying CL Garden view (surprising family with the CL part). I think you will love it!!!! It's so easy to walk over to the GF to visit. We love the relaxing tropical feeling of the Poly. I hope you love it too!
Just stayed at Poly CL over July 4th, it was nice, they did bbq food, set up an area for Fireworks viewing just for CL on the beach, having the snacks & beverages was nice too. I love the Poly, so its a win in my book
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