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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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....but I just packed our first bag for our trip to WDW.....which is taking place Aug. 2008!!
But let me explain myself a bit first before you think I'm a looney nut! We live in an apartment, with a walk in closet in our room. We decided to take this trip way back in March, so for the past 5 months, I've been picking up things as I saw them and putting them away. (Read: this is really all of YOUR faults!!! This is what YOU all said I needed to do to get ready!) From this board, I learned about making the gift bags, and have been taking notes and buying things for that as well. Due to some really great Ebay finds, Disney Store/Disney Shopping sales, and the cooperation from the buyers for my local $ store, I have all of that stuff in the closet on the shelves as well. In the midst of putting away my laundry, I thought to myself....this closet is PACKED full of stuff....where on earth am I going to hide Christmas gifts from my (not so) little one???? Therefore, I was left with no other choice BUT to grab a suitcase and pack all of the gift-bag stuff, all of the "keep the little one busy in the parks and waiting in line" stuff, and all of the little plushes that the characters will be leaving in our rooms each night into one of our son's suitcases. It is now taking up much less room in the corner of our room, than all of that stuff was on the shelves in our closet! And, I don't have to worry about mailing down a box before hand. And since the suitcase is full, I will RESIST the temptation to buy more stuff for the gift bag (can you tell rationalization is my favorite defense mechanism?) But I feel a little bit silly for having "officially" started packing already!!!!!
Don't worry, you are not alone. We have a bunch of stuff that we never actually unpack in the first place. Our "Disney Bag" has our misting fans, autograph pens, lanyard with our for trade pins, etc. in it all the time. You're right, it takes up less room that way and I always know where it is. (And just so you feel even less alone, I start packing clothes two months in advance. )
And since the suitcase is full, I will RESIST the temptation to buy more stuff for the gift bag (can you tell rationalization is my favorite defense mechanism?)
rofl....right, like that will REALLY stop you from shopping more? My rationalization would be "well, it doesn't SEEM like we have enough goodies for our trip. We must need more" Out of sight, out of mind, right?
You're definitely not alone. I booked my December 2007 (7-17) trip on September 22, 2006 and I have been picking up things for my trip since then and stashing it away. Along with picking up stuff specifically for DW I've been assembling various kits because I realized that alot of stuff gets packed and unpacked over and over again and I'm tired of gathering the same things over and over again. So I've now created a toiletry kit, a swimming kit, a plane comfort kit. I even found a small fannypack at Wal Mart that is perfect for carrying my cell phone, iPod, camera, and palm pilot around with me. I've also bought a second set of chargers for the various electronics that I bring when I travel so I don't have undo my charging station every time I travel. Which reminds me I need to order a second charger for my palm pilot and find a small bag to carry them in.
Since I knew our next trip was going to be Dec. 2008 I bought Christmas decorations on clearance last year to decorate our room with. My husband just laughs and shakes his head at me. I had a pack of Mickey plates in my hand today and I said to myself (yes I do talk and answer myself all the time) "I should put these in my Disney box so I have them".
So you are defintely NOT alone!! We're all crazy here. That's why we like each other.
I have had a basket on the floor of my closet for close to a year now. I have been throwing "Disney stuff" in there - toiletries, misting fans, autograph books, etc.
Don't feel bad! I keep a small weekend bag packed at all times. I also have an emergency Disney weekend fund that would cover my cost of gas and tickets for a long weekend trip.
So I just pull out things like my bottle holders, autograph book/pens, and pin trading stuff. If we take a longer trip. Then I come home unpack and put it all back in my weekend bag.
__________________
Melanie
June 1985-off site/March 2004- Pop & OKW
Aug. 2004- Hurricane Charlie POR & FWCG/July 2005- Grand Villa OKW
Feb. 2006-Pop/Feb. 2007- AS Music, WL, AS Movies
Sept. 2011- Disney Med Cruise
I have a bag with stuff from our past trips that we use for the next one (which like you, is August 2008). Ponchos, pressed pennies, the lanyards and pins, Purell, wipes, and such
I started a "Disney Box" last March for our trip in December. Every time I find something for our trip, I put it in the box. It seems to be working so far and DS doesn't look in it because it used to be a container that held a 25 lb. bag of rice (we eat alot of rice).
A Drawer in my sewing room for Disney Stuff ... and a drawer in the sitting room for more Disney Stuff. The funny part was I asked my dh if he thought it was werid for me to do this and he said no, CAuse then I know where it is to pack for the next trip....
Which is in Sept 2008 most likely......
__________________
Dreams, Wishes, Hopes... these are the parts of childhood we should never lose.
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Just to let you know that you are not alone....I have a bag that is my Disney bag!
I keep my stuff in it that I always take with me. Pins, lanyard, pressed pennie pouch, Minnie Wallet, rain ponchos, autograph book, pens.....etc.
I keep that piece of luggage in one of our spare rooms under the bed! That way I am always prepared - you know, in case I get a wild hair and decide to go at the last minute!
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This is what YOU all said I needed to do to get ready!) From this board, I learned about making the gift bags, and have been taking notes and buying things for that as well. Due to some really great Ebay finds, Disney Store/Disney Shopping sales, and the cooperation from the buyers for my local $ store, I have all of that stuff in the closet on the shelves as well. In the midst of putting away my laundry, I thought to myself....this closet is PACKED full of stuff....where on earth am I going to hide Christmas gifts from my (not so) little one???? Therefore, I was left with no other choice BUT to grab a suitcase and pack all of the gift-bag stuff, all of the "keep the little one busy in the parks and waiting in line" stuff, and all of the little plushes that the characters will be leaving in our rooms each night into one of our son's suitcases. It is now taking up much less room in the corner of our room, than all of that stuff was on the shelves in our closet! And, I don't have to worry about mailing down a box before hand. And since the suitcase is full, I will RESIST the temptation to buy more stuff for the gift bag (can you tell rationalization is my favorite defense mechanism?) But I feel a little bit silly for having "officially" started packing already!!!!!
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We have a bunch of stuff that we never actually unpack in the first place. Our "Disney Bag" has our misting fans, autograph pens, lanyard with our for trade pins, etc. in it all the time. You're right, it takes up less room that way and I always know where it is. (And just so you feel even less alone, I start packing clothes two months in advance. 
)
For out Dec 2006 my DH started packing in June 
Dora
I so understand
Dreams, Wishes, Hopes... these are the parts of childhood we should never lose.
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