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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hi
I'm not sure if this is where I should post. First time in a long while.
We are DVC members and our home resort is Kidani. My husband and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this November. We are currently holding a 8 night stay at Kidani Dec 8-16. We are taking the entire family and would prefer nearer the MK. I waitlisted a 2BR at VGF. Being honest and brutally truthful, how successful do you think I will be? Should I waitlist Bay Lake as well and what view would be more likely to become available? Thanks for your help!
It's difficult to give you an educated response because there are just so many variables. I'd say less than 50/50 odds, but can't get any more precise than that.
In order for the waitlist match to occur, ALL of your desired days must simultaneously come available. If someone cancels 7 of the 8 nights, it will not match your waitlist and the available nights will either get passed to the next person on the waitlist or released for booking by any member.
You could be 1st on the waitlist for some nights and 10th for other nights--or anywhere in between.
Also early December is a very popular time among members. Demand may have dipped a bit by the 15th/16th, but earlier in the month (when point costs are low), demand is very high.
If you want to try Bay lake as well, the "Lake View" has the most rooms thus greatest odds.
I'm with Tim. I'm not going to put your odds any higher than 50/50 and I wouldn't have thought that much for the Grand Floridian. I know a lot of people who've waitlisted there and never lucked out.
I know it might hurt on the points, but how about a waterfront bungalow at the Poly? The chances are you might find one available if you can afford it? If not, how about a cabin at the Wilderness Lodge? We've stayed in the waterfront bungalows and they are amazing and we toured the cabins in January and loved those as well. Both would be an amazing way to celebrate a special occasion.
I'm with Tim. I'm not going to put your odds any higher than 50/50 and I wouldn't have thought that much for the Grand Floridian. I know a lot of people who've waitlisted there and never lucked out.
Yeah. Only reason I wouldn't rule it out entirely is the 2B rooms at GF are pretty expensive. Someone may have a change of heart and switch to cheaper (assuming available), have family members drop out of the trip, etc.
Hate to say that there is zero chance but I would not get hopes up.
If OP is open to a split stay (part of trip at 2 resorts), that's a possibility. For instance, keep checking DVC website periodically and see if (for example) nights of Dec 13-15 come available. If so, book those and then start watching for the 12th...11th, etc. Getting 1-3 nights at a time is certainly much easier than 8 straight.
But any split stay involves the hassle of packing your stuff up mid-trip and switching resorts. And I would NOT recommend taking nights in the middle of the trip or you may end up switching rooms twice. You don't want to end up with 2 nights at Kidani, 3 nights at BLT then 3 nights at Kidani.
You have all been so helpful! I guess I was just hoping and needed some pixie dust. Is this time period going to be super busy? I have always gone late August and never had trouble at VGF at the 7 month date. But now that we are older (haha) the heat is a little much. There is absolutely nothing available that time period. I'm getting a little worried.
Christmas and Easter busy? No. But popularity among DVC owners is unquestionable, which leads to resorts being filled quickly. Many people come that time of year for the moderate weather, holiday decor and other festivities. It wouldn't surprise me if it was busier than late August when temperatures are hot and many kids have already returned to school.
Actually, I suspect you’d have better luck getting a 2br or waitlisting one in VGF in November prior to Thanksgiving week. No idea how much better, but since it’s not as crazy popular a time as early December, a better chance.
As Tim indicated, you’ve a better chance getting a 2br than any other size.
We were told by a CM when we checked in at VGF last October that it runs 97% full year-round because it’s so small and close to the MK.
As a result, you may have a greater chance of getting into BLT.
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