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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Need some assistance from some veteran cruisers. I currently have a deck 7 deluxe oceanview cabin reserved. I checked into an upgrade to a verandah on the same deck. The cost is not a deal breaker, but I was curious - as a first time cruiser am I just "missing the boat" if I don't upgrade or does it really not matter. I have two small children DS 5, DD 1. Thanks in advance!
I personally think it is a personal preference that will not make or break yea... I know that we spent VERY little time in the room on a 7 day cruise. Would I have liked to have had one... well maybe... be since I didn't have it I didn't miss it... I know some who get it just because they smoke... but with past events that will be a no no.... We had a big port hole and it was cool... I know I didn't help... but if your comfortable with the money you have spent on the present room and don't see a need to spend more then go without and spend your money elsewhere... you will not miss it!!
We've sailed other cruiselines but not DCL, and the main reason we've yet to sail DCL is because we can't afford a verandah. It's the only way to cruise, imho---relaxing out there at night with a glass of wine in your hands, it's pretty much heaven on earth.
We sailed on our first cruise ever on DCL and we had a verandah and for us we won't sail without one we liked getting up in the morning going out and having peace and quiet. During the day we liked going to the room to just relax before the show and dinner and have a cheese tray or afternoon snack from room service and eating it on our verandah.
If its not a deal breaker i would upgrade but its just my personal preference to have a verandah
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Veranda is on the only way to cruise IMHO! I think it gives you so much extra space and your own private viewing area. Not to mention a quiet place to relax!
We stayed in a navigotor's verandah. It had the space of a verandah, with the view of a porthole. I loved sitting out there - but then again, I'm from Buffalo and enjoy anytime spent outdoors in lovely weather.
One of the posters mentioned smokers prefer to use the verandah to smoke. Has anyone had trouble with a verandah room smelling like smoke? Our spring trip last year had us go through three "non-smoking" rooms at POFQ - we're all very sensitive to smoke. Thanks for the replies - all very insightful.
We've cruised both with and without a verandah and really didn't feel the price difference was worth it. We spent very little time actually sitting on the verandah, mostly because of the kids. The big portholes were great and made our trip about half the price. I found plenty of quiet and relaxing spots, particularly on deck four. I agree with others that it's really a personal choice. As a first-time cruiser, I doubt you'll miss it though.
We just got back and we got a verandah and loved it. As we were docking, I could stand out there and take pictures and at night we sat out there (except the person in the next cabin smoked cigars out there and it was stinky sometimes). It was also nice to be able to have the air when we wanted it.
For us, with 4 in the room, it was like an extra space. I loved sitting out there early in the morning and late at night. DH Pat loved it because he felt he needed fresh air every now and then. If only they had a lounge chair out there!
Both times we have sailed with DCL we had a verandah. I am very claustaphobic, I liked being able to step out onto the verandah. DH and I liked to sit out there at night also with a glass of wine and a cheese platter. We have never had any problems with smokers and the smell.
It really is a matter of preference. You say you have two small children. It may be nice for you if they are in the room taking naps. you could be sitting out on the verandah still enjoying the beautiful views and fresh air.
We've never cruised before, but we booked a verandah for our first cruise coming up in a few weeks. One of the things we're most looking forward to on the cruise is waking up, having room service bring us coffee and sitting out there to enjoy it while Lil' 'Ohana still sleeps.
I would personally spend the extra and get it, but if it's a deal breaker, I'd go with a porthole room. I can't imagine, though, not having a window in my room. That would drive me bonkers!
Both cruises we've taken on Disney, we've had the verandah. I can't imagine not having it. We are both early risers due to the fact we get up at 4 during the work week, so 6 is "sleeping in" to us. DH would go up to deck 9 and get coffee and we would sit out there and enjoy the sunrise. We have cat 5 verandah rooms booked for both our upcoming cruises.
We had second seating at dinner, so we also liked to come back to the room and change before going to one of the clubs and it was awesome to stand on the verandah and see the moon on the water. It's different than on one of the main decks...it's so quiet and peaceful. Added bonus? Since nobody can see you on your verandah, you can go out in PJs without a problem...always a plus for me!
Good luck with your choices. We never had a problem with our verandah stinking unless someone was actively smoking on theirs. Once they finished, it was fine again.
We loved our verandah, and I spent quite a lot of time out there. However, money wasn't an issue for that trip. If I'm going to get on another cruise, money might now be an issue, and I'd probably have to settle for the big porthole. I'd miss being able to sit outside and enjoy the breeze (and the view) but having the big porthole would at least help so I could see the horizon
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