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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We only did the Maharajah Jungle Trek once and the day we did it, it was extremely hot (Abby agreed to go on Kali and purposely get her clothes wet that's how hot it was) and the tigers were not doing anything that day. The Safari we've been on in the afternoon and seen quite a bit of movement so I'm going to say it depends upon how hot it is when you go.
If I am remembering correctly, we did the safari in the afternoon and saw quite a few animals(just not a good view of the lions). The tigers were lying down until a bird flew in and landed. The nearest tiger was up like a shot and after it. The Bird won though!!
We always do the safari earlier in the morning and we have had great experiences with the animals our best was April 2010 when our driver stopped in front of the lion enclosure and the lion was standing by his rock pacing back and forth and was continuously roaring..we must have sat for 15 minutes just watching it was GREAT.... we also have seen the tiger's walking on the wall and playing in the water before 11:00 am afternoon when we have gone through and the tiger's were just laying down on there back's..From my experience's we will continue doing these in the morning hour's...
You never know with animals. I have been on the safari at all times of the day, sometimes back to back and have had different animal sightings each time. I know they do put out some food sometime in the afternoon that brings out the animals, not sure on the time just remember seeing it.
We have tried the safari at various times and always see a variety of animals. Some are more active at certain times of day than others, but you will always see some no matter what time you go. We viewed the tigers last year in the afternoon, and they were pretty active that day. Lots of pacing, staring at us through the viewing windows, and grooming. We also enjoyed seeing a large group of smaller antelopes running and leaping, as well as the group of male gorillas (these are on the trails). AK is our favorite park, because every experience with the animals is different!
We normally do AK in the morning, and there are always animals out and about on the safari. However, I have NEVER seen either the lions or the tigers doing ANYTHING but sleeping. Lazy cats!
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Beach Club Villas - Jan 2014, Villas Wilderness Lodge - Jan 2013
All Star Music - January 2011, Saratoga Springs - June 2010
Port Orleans Riverside - October 2009, Caribbean Beach - June 2009
Coronado Springs - June 2008, All Star Movies - April 2008
Pop Century - June 2005
Offsite: June 1997, 1999, & 2000
On my last trip in February of this year, we rode KS around 3:00 pm and saw more animals than we had ever seen. We ususally ride first thing in the morning. Weather was in the low 80's with little or no humidity so that may have made a difference. Enjoy, it is one of my favorites!
We've found that late afternoon is our favorite time to visit the tigers. Shortly before feeding time they are often very playfull, batting around their balls and enjoying the water in their pool.
We've done the Safari at various times, and while there are more animals asleep at mid-day, we've always seen a broad variety of species.
The animals on the safari were active in the afternoon last week. My husband was there and they had to stop for Rhinos that were crossing the road and a giraffe in the road on the safari.
He didn't do the trails.
I've done the trails in the afternoon and mostly found the tigers sleeping and if the gorillas were out, they were sleeping too.
I like the mornings the best for seeing all the animals.
Have seen many animals on the safari, usually we do this early, but I guess it depends on temps and probably a lot of other factors. Have seen the lion standing but that is rare since they usually do sleep and the tigers have only seen them sleeping away as well. My fav. is the gorillas I could stand there for a long time watching them, and monkeys.
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Love the Magic of Disney Thanks Dad for our first 5 trips.
For the most part, you are better off viewing animals at opening/morning and then right before the end of the day. The animals know when its almost time to go off exhibit (and eat) so get somewhat excited.