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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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What if I wanted to go to the big (Apple) city and really did not have the time research it and plan it out, etc. and just wanted to have a 'professional' handle all the details? Is there an association or company that would point me in the right direction?
How would I be able to judge what a fair price would be?
I guess something like a personal tour guide, or something like that?
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Just to say that although the Big Apple Greeters can show you around the city from a personal perspective when you get there, they won't be able to help you arrange any details of your trip in advance.
Just to say that although the Big Apple Greeters can show you around the city from a personal perspective when you get there, they won't be able to help you arrange any details of your trip in advance.
::: chuckle ::: that's why there are travel agents and guidebook authors. You've had a chance to meet a lot of agents on these boards. If you're friendly with one of them, ask privately if they can help directly, or if one of their colleagues at their agency is an expert on New York City travel. Talk to the agent. If you "click," then let them be your advisor. If it doesn't feel like you share the same goals and interests, keep searching until you find the person right for you.
My favorite method is to locate a friend or relative in the area who's willing to help out or show you around. I've performed that kind of hosting service myself many times. You're probably qualified to do that in DC, why not find someone in or near NYC willing to exchange favors?
One of the first places to go for any city is its convention and visitors bureau. (Remember "I Love New York!"?) The service is free, and they can point you towards all sorts of services. Many have touring plans.
Many guidebooks also offer a variety of touring plans. While you may not have the time to digest the entire book, you might just take the leap of faith and follow one or more of their touring plans. Most guidebook authors for major cities are based in those cities, and have often been reporters for the local newspapers or magazines. They tend to know their stuff.
A travel agent can hook you up with private tour guides who can help you build a touring plan and show you around (expensive), or set you up with a package tour, or a hotel plus a list of guided tours, places to visit, etc. It's all a matter of budget, and finding an agent with good personal experience with your destination.
There are also fee-for-service travel agents who will make the kind of detailed plans that go beyond what is practical for paid-by-commission agents. For a place like New York, I'm sure those people can be found, most likely in travel publications that cater to visitors with big bucks.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
Good Thread...........I hope to visit NY also and I was equally interested in a tour of some sort. Were a long ways from actually going, but I want to be prepared when we do.
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You've had a chance to meet a lot of agents on these boards. If you're friendly with one of them, ask privately if they can help directly, or if one of their colleagues at their agency is an expert on New York City travel. Talk to the agent. If you "click," then let them be your advisor. If it doesn't feel like you share the same goals and interests, keep searching until you find the person right for you.
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