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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Its been a very long time since we have been at Fort Wilderness and I have a question about the stables and the petting zoo. We are doing the 5 o'clock Hoop De Doo and saw that the petting zoo was kinda by it. So I was wondering what the hours are with it and also if you can go to the stables just to look at the horses. Is it a long trip to get to the stables from the boat launch? We are staying at this point at the Villas at the Wilderness lodge and are planning on taking the boat over. I know that my boys will love the petting zoo.
When we were there in 2007 the petting zoo was open and the stables were as well. We watched a horse getting "new shoes" while we were there. It's a short walk from the boat launch and a fun way to spend some down time!
We were there Sept 10th and when I asked about the petting zoo, I was told it was gone.
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WOW! After a total 180 degree turn in life, I'm going back to Disney! SSR THV Jan. 8th, 2012 DB37, DS5, DSD7, DMom62 & DDad63, DFIL72. SOOOOOOO excited!!! PTR HERE
Read my COMPLETED Sept. 2008 pre-trip report HERE
Read my not finished Trip report from Sept. 2008 HERE
The Hoop-Dee-Doo is held in Pioneer Hall, which is only a short walk, straight ahead, from the boat dock.
The petting zoo is closed, however I believe they do still offer pony rides. I'm not sure on how late they operate each day. This area is right beside Pioneer Hall.
On the far side of the petting zoo/pony ride area is the blacksmith shop, but I've never seen one at work in the evening. On the other side of that is the horse barn. You can visit the barn any time to see the horses. Be aware, though, that the stall doors are very tall and you will more than likely have to pick up your kids for them to get a good view of the horses. Most of the time they are not looking over the stall doors. What's cool is that each one has their nameplate on the stall door so you can know their name, and they also have posted their age and weight. Something the kids won't care about, but it's fascinating to me. Sometimes there are horses and ponies outside beside the barn so you can get a good view of them. No petting allowed, though. The first stall in the barn is a sort of museum with lots of pictures about Walt Disney and his interest in horses, and the horses' role in the movies and theme parks.
Leave enough time to explore this whole area of Fort Wilderness. It is definitely worth it. Check out the signboard across the "road" from Pioneer Hall and the petting zoo/pony ride area to see if they will be offering wagon rides. It's a nice diversion. We took the fireworks wagon ride back in July. You go around the campground for a while, then get to see the fireworks from the beach.
Enjoy your visit to FW, and your stay at WL - that is my favorite area outside the parks!
In 2006 we did the Hoop-Dee-Doo at 5:00 then walked to the petting zoo (I think it was just ponies and donkeys but some of the animals could have been put away for the night) and then we did the sing-a-long with Chip & Dale. My older son was 2 at the time and it was the highlight of his trip. He also played at the playground near the boat launch for alittle while.
Yup, it's no longer there. We had it in our plans last year, made the trek out there, and was told it no longer existed. The ponies are still there, but go early. They close the ponies down around dusk.
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Michelle - with my step sisters!
WOW! After a total 180 degree turn in life, I'm going back to Disney! SSR THV Jan. 8th, 2012 
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