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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Have any of you been to the Grand Canyon? We are thinking about taking a trip out there but not too sure. I hear it is wonderful but we will be taking my DDad (86) as this is something he has always wanted to do. Trying to decide if it would be better to fly versus drive (from the Memphis, TN area) and what to do while there and how long to stay. Any suggestions, tips, ideas would be appreciated. (BTW the "we" is me, DH, DD18 and DD11 along with DDad). Thanks.
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I wish I could go to the Grand Canyon and other national parks in the area every year. It is an absolutely stunning place, the views are indescribable, so breath taking they seem surreal. I think everyone should look out over the edge on the canyon at least once in their life.
Out best vacation ever, we flew into Las Vegas and did a loop to the North Rim (which I think is the best but much less developed), Lake Powell, Bryce National Park and ending at Zion, with a day trip to Red Rock Canyon on the way back.
We stayed in the park at the North Rim, but were unable to get reservations in the other parks. If I could, I would definately stay in one of the lodges.
You dad will be fine in most of the parks and there are even several handicapped accessible trails if you want to rent a wheel chair. If your dad has always wanted to see the Grand Canyon, I would do everything I could to get him there.
I love Disney, but I don't think it can compare to Grand Canyon.
My aunt lives about 1 hour from the Grand Canyon in a town called Williams AZ. I love it out there. It is quite rural but it is so relaxing. I know i couldn't last too long in the car so I probably fly and make a road trip out of but on a shorter scale.
We love to fly into Las Vegas rent a car One way to Phoenix. We spend like 1 or 2 nights in vegas and then drive down and spend 1 night in Laughlin NV. (miniture Las vegas) this way on the way to laughlin we can spend time visiting the hoover dam and not get overly tired with driving.
Then we drive from Laughlin to Williams to visit family but you could drive 1 more hour and stay at the Grand Canyon and look at the Giant Hole in the ground (as my cousin says) and they have great look out points and shops and there is a great hotel right on the property.
Then take a scenic drive from the Grand Canyon down into Sedona and visit the red rocks and scenic overlooks that you have on the drive. I Sedona would love to live there too someday!
I probably would stay in Sedona 1 night or so and then head onto Phoenix.
Phoenix has Camelback mountain. Hard Rock Cafe great little shopping areas downtown. Then Fly Home from Phoenix.
Probably could do it in a week maybe 10 days if you wanted to spend loads of times at one stop or the other.
Diane had great suggestion too about Lake Powell and Zion and such.
Definitely take your dad out there he will have a great time!
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We went when I was 10yo. It's one of those places--- you just never forget how amazing it is. We drove from Philadelphia. It was a month long trip though. We also visited Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, Mount Rushmore and San Francisco. We camped inside the park--- we stayed there for a few days.
I'd fly into Phoenix, rent a car, and then do one of two things...drive to Williams and take the train to Grand Canyon Village, or drive straight to the south rim and the Village. If able, make reservations at El Tovar or one of the other lodges near the rim. Arrange to see a sunrise and a sunset - very different colors and sights. Try to have a breakfast at El Tovar and sit by the huge windows...you will be at the rim. Look for the CA condors...they are amazing to see.
This is not simply a "hole-in-the-ground". It is truly a natural wonder and will blow your socks off. If your dad wants to see it...move heaven and earth to get there. You will never regret it.
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Just wanted to add---I really think it's something everyone has to see once. Joe and I talk alot about bringing the boys someday. It's sort of like some people say about Disney--- I want to wait until they're old enough to remember it. I second seeing it at Sunset and Sunrise--- we did that as well.
I know most people love the Grand Canyon, but to tell the truth, I wouldn't cross the street to see it again. I know, it's practically blasphemy. However, I much, much preferred the Bryce and Zion Canyons to the Grand Canyon. I was either 15 or 17 when we saw it. We also saw some really cool cliff dwellings on that trip. Montezuma's Castle - which you can't get very close to - and some other smaller ones that you could actually walk through ; maybe Tuzigoot . Your Dad wouldn't be able to do the ones you could climb through, but I think Montezuma's Castle would be doable since you aren't allowed to get very close to it. I wish I could remember where they were for sure, but like I said I was pretty young.
Even though I was fairly underwhelmed by the Grand Canyon, I am glad that I saw it.
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Just want to add...we have seen huge elk walk through the parking lot in the early morning to get to the grass and trees outside of El Tovar and saw deer leap over the small stone wall into the canyon. Simply amazing.
I've seen the Grand Canyon twice - once with my parents, when we were in a small plane and last year we took a helicopter trip out there from Vegas and touched down in the base of the Canyon. That really was an amazing experience. It's a breathtaking place and definitely somewhere that everyone should see once in their lifetime, if they get the chance.
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Sedona would love to live there too someday! 
However, I much, much preferred the Bryce and Zion Canyons to the Grand Canyon. I was either 15 or 17 when we saw it. We also saw some really cool cliff dwellings on that trip. Montezuma's Castle - which you can't get very close to 
- and some other smaller ones that you could actually walk through 
; maybe Tuzigoot 
. Your Dad wouldn't be able to do the ones you could climb through, but I think Montezuma's Castle would be doable since you aren't allowed to get very close to it. I wish I could remember where they were for sure, but like I said I was pretty young.
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