Forums Closed
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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!
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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.
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06-03-2002, 08:39 PM
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#1
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Community Rank: Trailblazer 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA , USA
Posts: 5,943
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Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
I have been thinking alot
"I would really, really, really, like to move to Orlando and become a cast member at WDW!"
Anyone else entertain these thoughts?
Anyone every interview/get a job at WDW?
Anyone have any tips on how to get your resume noticed? I would love to secure a position in the WDW HR department, but rarely see any openings for it.
Would love to hear your thoughts, tips, comments.
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06-03-2002, 08:52 PM
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#2
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Community Rank: Adventurer 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Duluth, Ga. , U.S.A.
Posts: 844
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
Yes, I think of it alot! My DH and I have been seriously talking about retiring there after the kids are out on their own!
I'm still not sure exactly what I would like to do there though. I don't even know if I would have a choice. I told him when we were there last week that with my luck, I'd get the job of emptying the trash!
I'm curious to hear replies to all this! What do you all know out there?
Laura
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06-04-2002, 08:21 PM
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#3
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Community Rank: Trailblazer
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA , USA
Posts: 5,943
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
Bumping in case anyone has some insight! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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06-04-2002, 09:35 PM
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#4
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Community Rank: Legend 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Florida Big Bend
Posts: 17,133
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
Sandy isn't one of Steve's firm's specialty areas HR? You may want to write him for the ideas you're looking for.........Just a thought..
Elaine
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06-04-2002, 11:31 PM
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#5
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Community Rank: Jetsetter 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Geogia
Concierge Level: 5
Posts: 2,549
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
You bet I've been thinking about it! I'd love to move back to Orlando!
I'm seriously entertaining the idea of scheduling an audition for an acting role. Since I don't sing or dance, though, I'd have to do straight acting, and most of those roles are heavy on improv. I've done a fair amount of acting, but not much improv, so I figure I'll give myself some time to work on my improv skills, then go for it. The worst that can happen is to get a "thanks, but no thanks!"
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06-05-2002, 09:35 AM
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#6
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Guide since 2003
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: West Mifflin, PA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 11,546
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
Ever since we became Disney addicted [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img] DH & I have said that we would love to move to WDW.. Jim wants to drive a Disney bus & I would just be a PR person [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] waving & greeting everyone at the maingate..
Funny thing is I always said I would never leave Pittsburgh as long as my Grandmother were still here.. Well, ever since she passed away we have benn seriously thinking of moving to a warmer climate.. either Orlando or Texas ( near MIL) we are fortunate that Jim's job ( his DAD) goes with us... I think i might wait until my oldest is done with elementarty school ( 2 years) but I've got MIL on the look out & am going to do some snooping on my next Disney trip..
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06-05-2002, 10:04 AM
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#7
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Community Rank: Trailblazer
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA , USA
Posts: 5,943
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
Hey Ann,
Perhaps we could share a moving van? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
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06-05-2002, 10:07 AM
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#8
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Community Rank: Legend
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Newtown Square, PA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 23,859
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
Quote:
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Anyone else entertain these thoughts?
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<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Only everyday, Tikibird! I so regret not doing this while in college! I don't think now that I will EVER get my husband to move anywhere near DW with the summer humidity and all! Maybe, one of my kids will do it and I can live through them! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Tara
[ 06-05-2002, 10:08 AM: Message edited by: Tara McCusker ] |
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06-05-2002, 11:26 AM
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#9
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Connecticut
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 16,825
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
I've been working on Shawn to move to Orlando for years! No go so far. I want to work at WDW too! I would love to do anything - work Guest Services, plan weddings, etc. Take me with you!
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06-05-2002, 02:51 PM
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#10
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Community Rank: Trekker 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Columbus Ohio USA
Posts: 1,902
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
We talked about it and agreed to move there once our oldest was out of High School (the two younger ones being better able to adjust to a move). We even went and looked at houses in Celebration and visited the sales center. I submitted my resume to the casting office and for two years I updated it, called, checked the job postings at WDW and no luck. My experience would be all office-oriented in AR and financial and they did occasionaly have some openings in that. (The pay range was not good though.)
I had insider information too, a friend from high school worked for their conventions scheduling dept. and an employee whose daughter worked at WDW, the daughter's husband was one of the landscape architects for MGM, and the daughter's father-in-law was the (then) VP for EPCOT. This is what they told me:
1) Disney does not pay well
2) They will not consider the applications of people who do not already live in the immediate area (planning to move does not count, this would obviously not be the case for high level executives)
3) They do tend to hire from within so you can start out low and move up if you are young and patient.
4) The schools in Florida are not great (sorry anyone from FL, this is just what they told me)so you should consider that, especially if you come from a great system like my kids are in now.
5) To work for Disney you have to give them your soul. (That is a direct quote)
I still would love to work there. Maybe when I retire.... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
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06-05-2002, 06:11 PM
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#11
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Community Rank: Jetsetter
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Seward, NE
Posts: 2,025
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
DH and I talk about it all the time. He says, whenever I'm ready. With DD so young, I want her to have the experience of growing up with grandparents close by. Some day it will be time. Tara, that is my regret too! Why didn't I do this in college?! I figure there is a Plan from up above, so it just may not have been my time yet. I think after kids, we'll be old and retire in Florida. That's what you're suppose to do. Isn't it?
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06-05-2002, 06:29 PM
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#12
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Community Rank: Trailblazer
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: jacksonville, fl usa
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 5,790
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
Quote:
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4) The schools in Florida are not great (sorry anyone from FL, this is just what they told me)so you should consider that, especially if you come from a great system like my kids are in now.
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<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">I will second this. Watching DH's daughter go through junior high, and now in high school, in Florida, I can't believe the low-level of education here. She's not in the Duval (Jacksonville) district, so it's not a big city thing.
We grew up in the Chicago suburbs, and I always thought our state school system was tough. Now I'm glad it was, and wish it were like that here. They are expected to do so little compared to elsewhere. Hopefully with the implementation of the annual testing, this will improve the education...only time will tell. |
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06-05-2002, 07:11 PM
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#13
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Community Rank: Jetsetter
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: New York City
Posts: 2,471
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
I am planning on moving down there next summer and teaching in a Catholic school. When I get the position you can send your child to my school. I will bring the academics from the Northeast to the children of the the southeast.
I would then try to get a seasonal job with Disney.
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06-05-2002, 07:29 PM
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#14
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Community Rank: Trailblazer
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA , USA
Posts: 5,943
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
Chris (my youngest) graduates high school tomorrow evening. The Food Police and I will be 40. I'm thinking it's time to pick up and go. I wanted to move to Florida when I graduated high school but got married and had Gonzo right away. My kids are graduating from the same school district we did. I never left the borough. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
Anyone (Steve!) know where I can find a list of technology companies in Orlando that might need an HR person?
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06-05-2002, 07:36 PM
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#15
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Community Rank: Jetsetter
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Omaha, NE, USA
Posts: 2,025
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Re: Any tips on becoming a Cast Member?
I can't even get hired at the Disney store! [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
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