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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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First off......be aware this is going to be LONG....sorry.....I finally secured a "caregiver" for Jack, 2 weeks prior to my trip. It was almost a no go for me.
Two of my DSis's and I traveled from Boston, we were meeting sister #3 (from Colorado) in Orlando. Our arrival was 12:20 and hers was 2:15. Our Quicksilver pick-up was her arrival time. When we arrived, we were texted that Beth missed her flight..... and was hoping to get in around 6.....if she could "get on" that flight, if not, she wouldn't get in until 11PM. We texted her to go to the Magical Express for her transportation. We already spoke with them because I had all the paper work and luggage tags...and....her BAND...she had nothing. All she had to do was give her name. That was easy.
We got our pick-up and proceeded to OKW. On our way to OKW, I got my notification that our room was ready and to go right to it.........Well......I knew that this room was not what I requested. Our driver drove us to the area. After seeing the location, I had him take us to the Hospitality House to check in and see about a change.
I requested 2 bedroom villa close to the Hospitality House and, if possible a second floor villa in a building with an elevator. Member Services were aware that I would arrive using a walker and then use a ECV while on property. The room I got was in building 50...the farthest building from the HH and a "walk" to the nearest bus stop.
I was "welcomed" at the HH and asked if I was checking in...I told them that I was already notified of my room placement and was not happy at all. I told the CM that I reserved my room exactly on the 7 month date and as of last month, 2 bedroom villas were still available. When she took my information, she was the one who told us that our walk to the bus stop was "quite far"....She tried to find us another villa...but...the only room she could find was at SS....but....that was in a very similar location. We decided to stay where we were and went to our room. We unpacked and then went to Olivia's for dinner ADRs at 5:20. On the walker (I do walk slow) it took me 10 minutes to get to the bus stop.
As we were having dinner my DSis Sheila got a text from our brother saying for Beth to call him right away. Her DH was okay..... but she needed to call our brother. Beth did make the early flight and called us as she arrived at the resort. We told her we were at Olivia's and she came in as we were having dessert. She did get some text messages from the hospital and from our brother to call him.
While she was in "the air" her DH who was cutting down a tree.....fell out of the tree. Neighbors heard the fall. Kevin was unconscious and his head was bleeding. An ambulance was called and he was taken to the hospital. He recovered consciousness while in the ambulance and was asked some questions. He was asked if he had a wife and where she was. His response was yes, he did have a wife...but...he didn't know where she was. She was traveling "out of the country". He lost consciousness again and awoke later in the hospital and yelled out "she's in Disney World"......no one asked him anything ...so they thought that he was not all with it yet. The hospital got my DSis's number and was texting her. Kevin, finally became aware and asked to call our brother and tell him to let Beth know he was alright. Kevin needed 12 stitches in his head....fractured his wrist....and is badly bruised on his entire back and hip. Kevin's said that his new name is FRANK, as in Frankenstein.
After dinner we went back to the HH because Sheila and Tracy wanted to add a credit card to their bands. A CM "welcomed" us home again and asked with a smile how we were. I told her that I'm not happy at all. I told her about our location and that the CM we checked in with tried to help...she spent about 20 - 30 minutes on the phone looking for another location at any resort......but nothing was available. The CM said that maybe something changed from that afternoon and she would try. A manager came over and asked what was the problem. She was told "our story" and went to she what she could do. At this point, I told her that I would take a regular room instead of accessible, if that was available.
A room was found. Building 62......right across the street from the HH would be available the next day, after 4PM. I was thrilled. Each and every CM tried so hard to assist us and find a new space. It made my so happy to be "a member" and I did feel "welcomed home".
When we all returned to our villa.....we repacked. We went to sit out on the patio and couldn't relax. Our view was cars and buses driving by......we were on Buena Vista Drive. Actually, with the noise during the night, Beth & Tracy got little sleep. Sheila and I, were on the other side and the noise didn't bother us.
Next morning we left our bags packed inside the door and went out...back to HH. We were instructed to leave before 11 and that our bags and groceries would be picked up and stored until our new rooms were ready and then brought there. At HH....we had to get bands reset for the new rooms. A manager came over to welcome us and asked if we were okay. We explained about the room transfer and she went to make sure everything was set. We were asked about our luggage and answered what we were instructed to do. We were then told....NO.....someone has to be there when bell services comes in.....so.....2 sisters went back to the room with bell services and stayed with them while luggage and groceries were packed...and then bell services drove them back to HH.
We had a good morning at MK .....lunch at BOG.....but...soon after that we all felt "spent". I think that it was all the tension from the day before. So we left early and went back to OKW. We got message that our room was ready and we could go right there.
The villa was wonderful. We had a water view, actually, just a small grass area and then the water. It was peaceful and quiet. I couldn't be happier.
Aside, from misbehaving bands....sometimes they worked, sometimes they didn't......it was "random" when it happened.....the rest of the vacation went smoothly.
We laughed and made great and funny memories. And.....we will do it again. We all had a wonderful time and my sisters loved the shirts I designed for the trip. We actually wore them just about every day. Sheila did a "shirt laundry" every night. We got lots of compliments and got lots of pictures taken.
One more "bad" situation.......while we were at the airport, for departure, Beth (she stayed at OKW.....later flight out) texted us that tornadoes were in the area in Colorado where she lived. She tried to get through, but power was out. We did find out later that her home and FRANK were fine.
Sorry this was so long.......I never did a "trip" report before and it would take lots more time and space to do since this was just day 1 and 2. Days 3 to 6 went smoothly. Thank you for reading....I hope it wasn't too boring.
I'm sorry to hear about all the troubles at the start of your trip. That is definitely not the way to start. I am glad that "Frank" turned out to be okay and that you were able to get a new room. I can understand the "spent" feeling your fist day at the parks. You were on an emotional roller coaster your arrival day and then not sleeping well (for at least two of you) and that's enough to wipe anyone out. I hope the rest of your vacation was fun though.
Really happy to hear things improved after a very shaky beginning.
I swear Beth's family has had more medical emergencies lately. Sure glad to hear her DH didn't suffer more serious injuries although hospital personnel must've thought he was in bad shape when he yelled that his wife was at WDW somewhat after having been asked.
__________________
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
Thanks for writing this up, Mary Lou. Not too long at all! I'd been wondering how it went. Glad you had a good time and some laughs and more family memories. Sometimes life is just so crazy and random and hard, all you can do is laugh, right, Frank?
Oh my goodness, what a rocky start to your trip!! That is enough stuff to make even the most mellow person stress out!! I'm glad things are improving and that 'Frank' is okay!
So sorry you had room issues right off the bat, but so glad the CMs worked to get you a room that would be better suited to you all. for sharing and not boring at all.
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Glad that you were able to get your DH squared away at home so you & your sisters could have this trip. Sorry it was such a rough start. Thank God Frank's injuries were no worse. Glad the trip improved after the first 2 days.
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It was almost a no go for me.
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