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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 question is...if they are planning on moving FOTLK (I don't believe it will be a permanent shut down) why don't they go ahead and build the new space for it then move it? That show is way too popular to shut it down during transition IMO.
Just heard a radio commercial for a special free exhibit on the Lion King in NYC the next three weekends. It is near the main library on 42nd Street at 6th Avenue. For any Passporter friends living near NYC or planning to visit, this sounds wonderful. Here is the link: Inside the Lion King Exhibit
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Hudson River view from promenade at Liberty State Park in NJ - Disney Magic in Hudson River, passing the new One World Trade Center
Contemporary/Red Boat 1993; Dixie Landings 1994, POR 6/2007; CSR 8/1998, 6/2005, 2/2011; 8/2012; DCL (Wonder)/Boardwalk 2000; AKL 1/2003, 6/2003, 6/2004, 4/2006, 6/2009; DL 7/2007, 7/2010; 8/2011; CBR 4/2008; Polynesian 12/11; Hollywood Hotel (Hong Kong Disneyland) 8/2008
Read the post and it had a site to go to about the new Fantasyland opening and it was mentioned then that there is going to be Avatar land. But glad they are keeping Lion King, want Grandson to be able to experience it.
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Love the Magic of Disney Thanks Dad for our first 5 trips.
I'm not sure I agree with the speculation regarding whether the attraction will be closed during the "move." It's not necessarily cheaper to move the entire structure. That would depend, among other things, on whether the structure was built to accommodate disassembly, and whether they want to maintain the same seating capacity or expand it. The overall shape of the building on the plans does seem very consistent with the current building - to run the same show, they do need those backstage areas to house the floats, for example. It's not likely they'd recycle electrical and HVAC equipment, the foundations and floor slabs (whether concrete or asphalt) also have to be all-new... which means savings would be limited to the building's shell and, perhaps, the bleacher seating. The show elements (theatrical lighting, rigging for the flying performers, and the show floats themselves) are relatively easy (and fast) to move - those seem much more likely to be reused.
I suspect they'd need more than 3-4 months to disassemble and fully reassemble the same building - time to disassemble and reassemble the building shell, followed by installation of electrical and HVAC. In my estimation, they'd need 2-3 months just to disassemble, move, and reinstall the bleachers, show lighting, audio systems and other theatrical equipment, plus rehearse a new cast in the new location (if they close the show at all, they'll probably be re-casting) in an all-new building shell.
Well, I guess we'll see what happens when it happens.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
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Thank you for the link and the info!
I am so happy to read that it is staying!!! I can't imagine going to AK and not seeing this show! It is my favorite!
One main problem is the disabled section. Disabled guests sit right next to walkways were performers come close to hitting guests. Disabled guests sit on the flat section so that kids and short people end up unable to see. Tall scooters and guests end up blocking the first row of the bleacher section.
I feel that based on CMs in management that they are going to build a whole new state of the art theater. Possibly even add special effects and lighting. Instead of a makeshift theater that is more of a giant warehouse they will have more room to move and disabled guests, all guests would be out of the way. Building one theater while the show goes on allows them to have very little down time. Plus a custom build stroller parking lot would be nice.
The current building can be turned into offices. They can do shows, meet and greets, almost anything in that building.
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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 hope they don't recast. I think the current cast is amazing... Glad to hear the show is staying. It's my "must do" everytime I visit that park, along with the Safari.
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