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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 leave on Friday for a 13 day trip to WDW and I couldn't be more excited!! The bulk of the trip will be at Saratoga Springs with my parents and my sister and her family. My daughter and I are going a few days early and staying at WL, and then staying a few days later at the end of the trip at the BC. (The BC is a HUGE surprise for my daughter's birthday! It's her favorite resort because of Stormalong Bay!)
This will be our first time at WL and I have a question about the transportation there. We are going to 1900 PF at the GF for an early breakfast one day and I'm wondering what is the best way to get there? Should we take a boat to the MK, then the monorail to GF? Or would it be better to take a boat to the Contemporary, then monorail to GF? How early do the boats generally start running? (I don't think there is a boat from WL to GF?)
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Honestly? I'd just pay for a taxi. It's literally out of the Wilderness Lodge, straight over the lights, past the Poly, turn right and then up to the Grand Floridian. It is a so much quicker route by land rather than on the water. Also, on one of our recent stays at the Wilderness Lodge, we waited 20 minutes for a boat back to the resort, so if you have a reservation to make, I wouldn't risk waiting for a boat.
The boat to MK is a lovely but leisurely ride, often with a 10-20 minute wait as indicated. Then, it’s about another 20 minutes riding the resort loop monorail around to the GF with stops at CR, TTC and Poly. That’s assuming you needn’t wait for the monorail at the MK.
There is a small boat from the MK to the GF and then the Poly. However, I’m not sure how early that route begins running. Plus, there’s another possible lengthy wait for the next boat. Also, it cannot take strollers, wheelchairs or ECVs if such are a concern.
The boat from WL to the CR is by request only which would be impractical in your situation anyway. That one is really only useful when wanting to go to the CR for some reason since the skipper at the WL dock must radio the request even though there’s a boat coming toward the dock. You end up waiting for the requested boat.
We had our own car when we stayed at WL and simply drove when needing to get anywhere quickly which is why I agree that a cab is definitely better than any Disney means.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
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In our experience last October, there was a boat that ran from CR to WL to FW in a continuous cycle. And one that did the opposite... CR to FW to WL. So it was never an issue for us to get back and forth from BLT to both FW and WL. But it can be a lengthy wait.
If you do choose to use Disney transportation the best route would be boat to CR and then take the monorail to GF. But give yourselves plenty of time.
Hmmmm, perhaps we had to request due to needing the larger boat because of DH’s powerchair. Then, too, we were at WL nearly four years ago.
Sorry about giving misleading info.
Even if you happen to get right onto the boat and monorail, it will still take about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the GF what with all the monorail stops. Early in the day, those stops can be fairly long depending upon how many are trying to get to other resorts or to MK for ADRs or ropedrop.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
Last edited by Her Dotness; 07-10-2018 at 06:09 AM..
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But, unlike many others, we regard Disney transit time as another type of experience and never minded how long it took by boat.
The boat ride was especially relaxing going home after hours in the parks. Often damp and chilly, too, so having windbreakers or longsleeved shirts you can pull on quickly is a good idea.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
I agree that taxi is the fastest. If you want a relaxing return to WL - definitely take the boat from GF to MK and then the MK boat to the WL. It may take some time but it is such a nice way to enjoy and take in the surroundings.
I’m not sure of boat times early in the morning, but if they are running I’d take WL boat to MK, then hop on GF boat.
If that’s not going to work I’d take Lyft or Uber. As mentioned, it’s a short trip just past traffic lights.
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