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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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.
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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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Hello to all,
My daughters teacher has told me that she is taking her whole family to WDW this summer and has asked for my help! Now my question has to do with the GAC. Her youngest grandson has heat issues- like when he is out in it he has seizures very often. Do you think that he could get a GAC for their trip to help prevent this problem? Thanks for all your help!!
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Angie, it is possible for him to get a GAC to help, but it would be LIMITED by what help can actually be offered.
I would suggest that when they visit Guest Relations to get the Guest Assistance Card they be specific about the issue. In other words, they need to specifically say "He needs to wait in an air conditioned area because the over exposure to heat can cause seizures." This will allow the Cast Member to stamp the card appropriately.
Other suggestions (and I am sure they know this already):
1. Keep him hydrated. Take a bottle/mug that can be refilled with water from the fountains. They can ask for ice at the kiosks and will usually be able to get the ice free.
2. Take a handheld fan that he can use to blow some (hopefully) cooler air on him.
3. Dip a bandana in cold water in a sink and place this on the back of his neck to help keep him cool. There are also little stuffed "rope" things that you can wet and it activates something to make them cool. If I can find a link to them I will post it for you.
4. Ride the "dark" rides and the "water" rides like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, the ride in Norway. The time in cooler air, or the splash of water may help to cool him off.
5. Tour the parks in the later afternoon and evening when the sun and the temperature are going down. If they are staying on property, then make sure they take advantage of the evening extra magic hours.
They can get a cooling vest for an older child and younger children would benefit from a stroller to reduce exertion even if they are 3 or 5 years old. Pamelak covered everything else. Disney cannot always provide an air conditioned area. However at Disneyland I have had to leave Mom in her wheelchair in a shade spot while I waited in line. Sometimes the CMs will let the person wait in a shady area until it is time to enter the ride.
Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
Any queue that is indoors will have air conditioning... so, on those, they'll recommend the guests use FastPass to make the line go quickly. For those that are outside (like Dumbo, Peter Pan's Flight, Big Thunder Moutain), getting the GAC will be a godsend.
My daughters teacher has told me that she is taking her whole family to WDW this summer [...]
Tell her not to. Tell her, by hook or by crook, to get the time free to go during the winter. January, February, March ... or maybe November, or even around Christmas.
MUCH lower temperatures.
...
Because, and I know some here may gasp at hte heresy of this, but: Disney is NOT worth a seizure.
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I agree with Pax, if he has seizures that are set off by heat, then going in the summer is not the right time to go. They need to go when it's cooler out and that is in the winter months when it's not going to be 85-90 degrees the minute they step out of their door at 8:00am. We went in August last year and every day it was 85 out when we left our hotel in the morning. Some days the air temperature felt like 110 out. They'd be better off fighting off the crowds at Christmas when it would cooler and they have to wear sweatshirts every day.
Tell her not to. Tell her, by hook or by crook, to get the time free to go during the winter. January, February, March ... or maybe November, or even around Christmas.
MUCH lower temperatures.
...
Because, and I know some here may gasp at hte heresy of this, but: Disney is NOT worth a seizure.
Excellent points
I want to ride certain rides but will not because of my nerves or back. Summer will have early and late hours but do check the history of weather at the parks. Check with the kid's doctor to see what he has to say about what type of heat triggers siezures. If they must go in the summer then plan for doing as much as possible early in the morning and late at night. Bring indoor activities and stay in the hotel during the hot part of the day but if possible go in the cooler months.
Pax did you get the flameproof suit I sent you? You are so right though. A sick kid or a kid in the hospital is not worth it.
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Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
I can only repeat what I said upthread. But with much more emphasis!!
I remember what Florida was like in July of 1985, the year my Grandmother gave me a trip to WDW for my fourteenth birthday (best birthday present EVER). We left the airport headed for a bus to our (off-site) hotel, and stepping out of the air-conditioned Airport .... was like getting slapped in the face by a palpably-solid wall of heat.
I mean that literally; I still remember the sensation of having walked into something physical, the temperature difference was so dramatic. And then it stayed that warm, the whole week.
So I say again, tell her not to bring that boy to Florida in the summer. Honestly, even if the alternative is "not go at all" ...?
That'd be the better choice. Because like I said earlier, not even Disney is worth a seizure. Or two of them. Or five. Or ten!!
Perhaps the original poster hasn't responded yet because it's not her vacation.... We don't know the reasons the vacationer is going during these months -- maybe they have no other choice.
What would be most helpful when giving advice in instances like this is what they can do during this chosen time period to accomodate the child's needs as best as they possibly can. As a side suggestion, we could respectfully suggest that they consider moving the dates of the vacation if at all possible.
I would tend to agree that since the we do not know the full circumstances, other than the obvious fact that this OP's friend-with-questions is a teacher, going at alternate times of the year are just not viable. Paying attention to such facts is important when making helpful suggestions.
Being that this is more than likely the case, and assuming that no one here is going to fund a vacation for "better" time of year, I think the advice given so far is great.
Florida is doable in the summertime, you just have to plan for it accordingly. Mid-day (mid-morning to early evening) is hottest and is probably the best time to plan for things that can be done indoors -- or plan to tour the parks earlier and later in the day with naps during that mid-day break. Since the parks are open later, this kind of touring plan would work well vs. at other times of the year like September - November, when it can still be pretty hot during the day and you're faced with shortened park operating times.
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I agree, There are many ways to "beat the heat" & with a little planning it is totally doable.I wish we could vacation any time of year too, But my DH's type of business has many black-out months including the beautiful springtime & holiday months..
May I suggest him wearing a hat, getting a cool neck wrap, do lots of indoor activities, & taking breaks in the heat of the day .also enjoy the pools!
Is DisneyQuest an option for them? I don't know how old the grandson is, but if enjoys video games, I think that might be a great place to spend the hotter part of a couple days. It's completely air-conditioned, and I know my DS(10) could stay in there forever....
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
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