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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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DDs went to their second week of swim classes today; they were all happy and excited to go and couldn't wait to get back in the pool.
When class was over, DD Cory comes hurrying over to me saying she was having a bad day; they yelled at her, etc. And then, here comes Miss Sue, the instructor. She put a hand on both little girls' heads and told me she is hearing nothing but "I can't" and "I won't" from both girls - and lots of excuses why they can't do it. They want to play around in the water, but aren't putting forth an effort to swim.
Sigh. This is nothing new, as older DD and I have experienced the same thing when we've tried to show them how to swim. So I know she's being very honest with me.
Then, DD Cory proceeds to talk back to Miss Sue, and say she WAS trying, but...excuse, excuse, excuse!!! Cory is a very strong-willed young lady, as some of you may know, but I was very embarrassed at her behavior - and told her so.
Miss Sue (who is a tough old lady) told me she knows DD Kelley has some fears around the water that she'll need to work through, but she told the girls there wasn't a safer place on earth to practice swimming with four lifeguards right there at all times.
So. We'll be doing a lot of talking tonight and maybe a story or two on persistence and working through your fears.
Swim pixies would be most appreciated...along with good manners pixies.
Just signed DS up for swim lessons today - I sure hope I'm not reading a preview of things to come!! My child is stubborn and stong willed too, so I can easily see him doing this! Pixies for you and your DDs!! Wish us luck too!
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Jennifer / Eeyore is my favorite!!
OMG - He's sooooo grown up!!!! And an EAGLE SCOUT!! I can still remember my cute little Tiger Cub! 2016 Reading Goal - 75 books
I know the manners thing is important, but you should be happy your girls are secure enough to stand up for themselves even to an authority figure! So many kids are taught to keep their mouths shut, and be polite, sometimes to their own detriment. Kids know when they don't feel "right" around certain situations and certain people, don't disregard their opinions.
Ok off the soapbox....
Here's hoping things work out!
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I know the manners thing is important, but you should be happy your girls are secure enough to stand up for themselves even to an authority figure!
Chantel, I'm so glad you mentioned this. I'm very aware of this fact - and I've always tried to encourage my kids to speak up for themselves and follow their feelings, and that just because someone is an adult, doesn't mean they have to do everything they tell them (I'm sure you all know what I'm referring to by this, but it goes for a lot of other things, too.)
Most adults get really annoyed when kids don't automatically accept everything they say. And there's that fine line of speaking your truth/standing your ground and yet not being rude and obnoxious at the same time. It's hard for adults to do that with each other - but imagine being a kid and trying to do it!! Cory and I need to work on this.