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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
So I finally did it. I have been going to WDW for several weeks a year for over 20 years. My hubby never wanted to "commit" to buying a DVC. Well over the last several years I have been going solo and I pay for my vacations out of the money from my job so to me, it made sense. So we did the presentation on the cruise and finally bought in. WOOT. I am so excited to start booking trips as a DVC member. We have been wanting to go to Aulani and we are seriously thinking next year. So with my points banked from this year and next years points, we can stay for over 2 weeks at Aulani. That alone is worth it to me.
Does anyone have any tips or secrets about being a DVC member? There was so much information thrown at me that I am sure some of it did not stick.
No advice since we're DVC babies at just six months ourselves.
Watch out for points addonitis. It got us a few months after our initial purchase. Dangerous!
Welcome !
Oh, I know what you mean. But since I am paying for this strictly from my part time job, I have to keep a strict budget. But I know in the long run this will save me a ton of money.
I agree about the addonitis - it's a terrible disease!
I would say the best tip I have about being a DVC member is to plan ahead, as much as you can, in terms of how you use your points. If you can book at the 11 month mark for your home resort, then things are very easy and if you want to book at a non-home resort, try and do it at the seven month mark (or as close to it as possible).
Congratulations!! Have fun planning your future trips!
__________________
Disney Trips: BLT & Poly Bungalow 2016, VGF 2015, Fantasy 2015, Saratoga Springs Resort 2014, Grand Villa at VGF 2013, Fantasy 2013, BWV and Kidani Village 2011, BWV and Kidani Village 2010, BWV and Saratoga Springs Resort 2008,Beach Club Villas 2008,Villas at Wilderness Lodge 2006, BWV 2006, BCV 2005, HHI 2004,Polynesian 2003,Grand Floridian 2000/concierge, Honeymoon at Polynesian 1994,Polynesian 1980,Polynesian 1978
_______________
Sue
We finally bought when going to Hawaii. It would have cost $7,000 for a two week hotel stay so we bought! Now vacations for life.
My best tips are food hacks. Do not be shy and ask for what you want. Many places sell everything separately so you can get what you want without what you don't want!
I agree with Cheryl, planning ahead is the smartest move. We know what we're doing in 2017, 2018, and we're already thinking about 2019 & 2020! If you're planning ahead, you can book at the 11 month mark.
And it's true what they say...we've added on twice already!
__________________
Looking forward to another Christmas with The Mouse!!
I agree with Cheryl, planning ahead is the smartest move. We know what we're doing in 2017, 2018, and we're already thinking about 2019 & 2020! If you're planning ahead, you can book at the 11 month mark.
And it's true what they say...we've added on twice already!
Oh I'm so glad I'm not the only one who plans that much!
Hi...and welcome to the family! You've already been given a lot of good advice...making your reservations at the 11-month point, using a wait list if you desire one of the other resorts (while keeping your home resort as the fall-back position), and watching for discounts. If you think you'll be going to WDW for a total of 10-11 days out of a year, then consider getting at least one Annual Pass so you can take advantage of the discounts associated with that...same with the Disney Visa card. (We use that card occasionally and can receive dollars on a Disney Gift card that you can apply toward your bill.)
Another suggestion is to get comfortable with how to track and manage your points. Assuming all your points are associated with one resort, it makes it a bit simpler. We purchased some (additional) points at the Grand Californian so that every three years or so we would take a trip to that park...and would have the ability to reserve 11 months out. I've tried to come up with some user-friendly ways of displaying and tracking my points...but the search continues. (The DVC site is pretty good...). When in doubt, call Disney and they will help you! :-)
Congrats you wont regret it ever.
We had to give up ours but Im already lurking as finances are improving to getting it back. Its such a better deal.
We had Kidani but ended up staying the most at Old Key. The reason was we could get 2 trips for same amount of points per year. We did that in 2012, 13,14. It was awesome and we made sure we went HOME to eat at Boma! So I would look after your Aulani trip to how many times you want to go and where you want to stay.
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
!
PassPorter Guide Author
Hybrid Mode
