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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Ok we are certsin we are going to DC for the 4th but we need some BTDT tips on how to survive the day. Hhere are three scenarios we have tossed around: Who : Me, DH, 2 DDs' ( 6 and 12)
#1: Drive an hour to th Branch Ave metro station; arrive there around 2pm , catch the metro to the Rosslyn station and walk to Iwo Jima Memorial to stake out a spot for viewing. ( bring picnic dinner)
#2: park at the Zoo and spend the day touring, have a picnic lunch at the zoo ( we bring along in the car). Hop the metro to the mall in time to stake out a spot.
#3:Park at Branch Ave take metro to Verizon center and go see WALL-E in the afternoon. After the movie hop the metro down to the mall. Will eat at the movie and bring along snacks.
Here are the questions we have.
Will there be any parking at the Branch Ave location that tme of the day (2pm)
Can we park at the zoo all day until after the fireworks?
Where to view from. We are torn between sitting close to the capital to hear the cannons or farther away for a better view.
We are trying to avoid being there all day. We have toured most of the museums and such and honestly since we live so close we prefer to do that stuff during off peak times.
So far #1 appeals to us the most b/c it is the most cost effective. But if it means keeping our sanity we are flexible. :-) PLEASE give us your advice / opinions etc...TIA!
Hello! I haven't heard from you in a while!
I must admit I have not BTDT, so I hope that someone else has better advice.
I have always gotten stuck working on the 4th (so it goes)!
I suggest option 3. Go as early as possible. I think there will be parking available at Brach Ave. or Suitland (if you have to) as you are planning to go early -- a very good idea! As it is a holiday, it is free. You will probably be better off walking from the Verizon center, or you can take the metro to L'Enfant plaza and exit at 7th and Maryland, and walk up 7th to the Mall, as you will want to go that same way when you leave. Have you looked at: Fourth of July Guide 2008: Celebrating Independence Day in the Nation's Capitol, Washington, D.C. (washingtonpost.com) yet?
Be patient. there will be thousands of people with the same idea, and everybody has to go through security on the way in, and wait for the metro on the way out. It is probably worth it, for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
The problem with #1: you will have to transfer on the way home and that will be crazy busy!
Problem I see with #2: I am not sure if you will able to park at the zoo all day and exit after dark, and the parking also costs $$, besides, you will have to drive back through town afterwards which will take longer going home to where you live.
Also remember that the fireworks won't begin till after dark so that is 2110 hours or so, so the girls might get pretty tired by the time you get home (I know I am by then as it is usually a VERY long day for me).
Still, enjoy! We have yet to take the boys to this. Maybe next year...
Go Coasties!
This sounds like such a fun day! My DH can't wait until we can visit DC with DD.
He travels there on business and was also in the Marine Drum and Buggle Corps.
many years ago stationed in DC. I have a feeling we will be spending many
vacations in DC visiting the museums and watching many D&B performances.
Oh and he would LOVE for us to take DD to the WH Easter Egg Roll.
We're still trying to figure out our plan of attack for DC on the 4th as well . . . our hotel is 3 blocks from the Rosslyn Metro station so we're thinking of just staking out a spot close to "home" and avoid the bazillions of people on the Mall.
How far of a walk is it from the station to the Iwo Jima Memorial? That might not be too bad an idea . . . hmmmmm . . .
ETA: Thanks for that link, EJ! Hadn't read that yet!
We're still trying to figure out our plan of attack for DC on the 4th as well . . . our hotel is 3 blocks from the Rosslyn Metro station so we're thinking of just staking out a spot close to "home" and avoid the bazillions of people on the Mall.
How far of a walk is it from the station to the Iwo Jima Memorial? That might not be too bad an idea . . . hmmmmm . . .
ETA: Thanks for that link, EJ! Hadn't read that yet!
You are welcome!
It looks like a half mile from the Rosslyn metro to the Marine Corps War Memorial. If your hotel is close to that, you would probably be in good shape. They may have a rooftop view from there, as well.
BTW - - you military / DOD folks might have access to viewing places that they would not let me into, unless they were on fire...
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Thank you so much for the website, tips and info. We had not considered the transfer if we left from Rosslyn after, so THANK YOU for the reminder there. L'Enfant is our station of choice so that looks like our plan. Park at Branch, disembark at L'Enfant and walk to the mall.Enjoy the 4th!
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