An Animal Kingdom State of Being with Cam and Fam COMPLETED 9/18 - Page 20 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I need to add that I cannot wait for your take on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I've been a fan since the first book came out--I've read all the books, and seen all the movies. I even did a little work for an online game writing rooms for a MUD.
What a great day, the more I hear the more I think popping in to Universal for a two day trip might be in he cards for us one day. I was worried a bit a Jasmine does not ride much (and it always seems that there are just so many thrill rides there) but it sounds like there is enough that she would enjoy.
Looking forward to hearing your views of "Harry World"
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It will be interesting to hear about WWoHP. We did NoT have a good trip there last Nov. Too crowded and rude employees. Long story - just hope your trip was better.
What a great day! It must have been nice to have such a small crowd that you were free to do what you wanted when you needed to do it! I cannot WAIT to hear about "Harry Potter World!" I have not been but would love to go (I've been a Harry fan since the very beginning...and a hee-uge one at that!) so I can't wait to hear all about it!
I love Stef and her "Coke grease!" Too cute! Loved the shirts you all picked out as well, they were all great! I espeically loved yours as it's a style I love!
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Amanda =)
Living out a childhood dream during my summer 2015 trip to WDW. Is it time to go back yet?
“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them." –Walt Disney
Great Update, it is years since I have visited Universal, we just have not have the time to fit it in on our last few trips.
This way I get to see all the changes - thanks
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It sounds like you got quite a bit done. I'm sure that express pass was great, even with the low crowd levels. Doug wants to go again so maybe I'll look at packages through AAA. Can't wait to hear about WWOHP!
I'm glad the disasters weren't "yours". This TR has me thinking that we might enjoy a visit to US someday. No one in our family is into the big thrill rides (at least not yet -Josh is 9 going on 10 so that might change in his teenaged-future ) and none of us has read Harry Potter either , but I really like the theming and it sounds like it's worth a try for us someday.
Love all the shirts and pins, but really love Stefanie's shirt in particular! It sounds like you are keeping to your word of "being good" as far as shopping is concerned.
I am amazed that US does not look crowded. I am interested to hear what you think of the Harry Potter ride. That would be one that might make me want to visit.
I have to say that of all the pictures you have posted in your previous TR's all of which are awesome, the one of Luke and Stefanie walking hand in hand is beautiful. Somehow the love between them just comes shining through . It is a great picture.
I am absolutely loving your updates about US. Can't wait to hear all about IoA and WWoHP! You make me want to extend my December trip by a few days to check it all out.
I just finished reading your PTR and thoroughly enjoyed it! I love all of your planning that helps build the excitement. Such fun!!
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Betty Sue
Affiliated with CruisingCo.Com/MouseEarVacations.com
Disney Destination Specialist/ BettySueS@cruisingco.com August '09 Trip
We were wondering if they still had some of the older attractions like Jaws and E.T. - glad to see they are still there.
Love the Stefanie-isms for today.
After WWoHP, I think The Mummy is the attraction I'm most excited about doing. What's the 'hurl factor', do you think? I'd love Kevin to be able to do it, but if Luke thought you'd be okay with it, I think Kevin might be okay too.
And thank you for taking photos of your purchase! You know we all love to see what you bought.