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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 (Mum, Dad, two girls 3 and 5) are planning a 7 night cruise in Feb 2009. We would love to hear some views on whether the Eastern or Western cruises are best. We live in Queensland, Australia so we're used to fantastic beaches but we'd really like to know what you think is otherwise the best itinerary.
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We did a Western Caribbean cruise last January and are booked for an Eastern Caribbean cruise this coming January. I can see pros and cons of both. We're not really into beaches, so we didn't do any beach excursions and don't plan to.
On the Western, Key West is a different experience from any other port -- museums, restaurants, and local flavor that's distinctive. In Grand Cayman we enjoyed a semi-submersible ride near a coral reef. We were underwhelmed by Cozumel during our brief walk near the port -- lots of touristy shops and persistent street vendors.
The Eastern itinerary has one more day of sea than the Western, and there is lots to do onboard ship. With young kids who probably wouldn't get much out of excursions, that could be a better bet for you.
I'm sure someone who's sailed on both itineraries will have a more informed perspective. (Of course, you can't go wrong either way, I'm sure!)
Oh goodness - there is always so much to see and do on both Eastern and Western crusies.
If you enjoy shopping, the Eastern ports of St. Thomas and St. Maarten/Marten have some really wonderful shopping, and great places to walk around. It doesn not seem quite as touristy as shopping in the Western ports in Cozumel and Key West (though KW is a great port for just touring around).
You will find that so many have great (and not-the-best) opinions of both sailings. Normally, for those looking for great beaches, I recommend the Eastern cruise, but since you have so many gorgeous beaches over there, this may not be as much of a draw.
With the Eastern, you do have an extra day at sea. Since the Disney ships have so much to offer, many cruisers enjoy this extra day.
Many also think that the Eastern has is just more beautiful to look at - especially if you have a cabin with a verandah.
The Passporter for Disney Cruise Lines has some great information regarding the ports and shore excursions. I definitely recommend owning one not just for decision making, but also the great planning advice.
Personally, I'd go West. We've done both (though not on Disney yet...that's our Thanksgiving trip this year). Anyway, we've really enjoyed the Mayan Ruins in Cozumel (at Tulum), we love Rum Point Beach in Grand Cayman and Key West is very unique....we spent a week there last year. Although it is in the US, it is very different than any other part of the US (and we travel a lot)!.
Either way, you can't go wrong. With the ages of your kids, the Mayan Ruins may not be as interesting for them, though I think you and your hubby would enjoy it very much.
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