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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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My dd hurt her knee this past weekend at a hockey tournament she was playing in. We leave for WDW on Friday afternoon. Although it should be a bit better by then it won't be completely healed and I know she is going to move a little slower than normal. We will need to ice it from time to time to keep the swelling down and was wondering where the best place to do that would be. We plan to bring our ice bag from home that we could fill with free ice from a stand but if it's terribly hot out (which I'm sure it will be during the day since it is August) could we go to either the child care center to sit in the AC and ice her knee (she is my "child" although she is 16) or should we go to the medical places even though we don't really need medical attention just a seat in a cooler location.
The first aid stations will give her a place to put her leg up & ice it. I think that would be the better choice. I am sure it will help to elevate it when icing.. First Aid | Walt Disney World Resort
I would use the First Aid Stations and have you considered getting a Guest Assistance Card if she's going to have problems with standing in long lines?
Have you thought about renting a wheelchair or ECV? Being able to stay off her feet (and her knee) may be a bigger help than anything else. If you do decide that this might be a good option for you, look into an offsite company so that she can use the wheelchair/ECV all over the property. If you rent one in the parks, you can only use it in the parks.
Also consider getting the Guest Assistance Card. If you explain that she needs to be able to rest her knee while waiting for the rides, they can give you the proper stamp to help you enjoy your time in the parks without a lot of pain on your DD's part.
As others have said, the First Aid stations would probably be your best bet for having a place to elevate and ice her knee. They will also provide the ice for the ice pack.
Go to the first aid stations. They don't demand that you let them treat you - just explain what you need and they'll be happy to give her some ice, some water, a place to lay down for a while, and even some Tylonol if needed.
We use the FA stations frequently for all sorts of things.
I'm so sorry to hear about the injury, and I sure hope your dd will heal up as good as new. As others have mentioned, the First Aid Stations will welcome you and are just as magical an experience as any other location in the parks. You'll love them.
About the GAC, most likely Guest Relations will recommend a wheelchair because that really is the best choice. Standing in line is not half of the struggle. The walking, especially with slanted surfaces or stairs, is what will most likely cause problems here.
Do you have access to an Open Mouse? There are some good mobility tips in there.
I just wanted to pop on here and say have a great trip! I hope you DD is feeling somewhat better. I think the wheelchair/EVC idea is a good one. Either way you choose...have an awesome time!