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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
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My family and I will be there in June. I know that you will still be there (either in the CP program or hopefully a permanent position). Please keep this thread up to date with your location so I can see you in person instead of reading your posts. Good luck in your dream!
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Debbie
Many trips to WDW, too many to list. Going back in June 2017!
Dawn, I think that the journey you are embarking on is wonderful and inspirational to us all....it shows no matter where we are in life if we truely wish to reach our dreams and goals we can and you are proof positive....keep us all informed and updated as to how everything is going...I'm very excited for you
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
I'm new to PP (but not to WDW-trip planning, lol!), and I came across this thread. While I am not making as big of a leap as you, I am approaching 40 and pursuing a completely new career, requiring a return to school.
I would love to read about your journey as it progresses! And, my family and I will be visiting WDW in April, so perhaps we'd even get to say "hello." Best wishes to you and your family, and safe travels to Florida!
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Greetings from Tennessee! We made it safely to Tulsa, despite the nasty wind/storms across IN and IL on Saturday! I got to unload and reload my trailer TWICE, thanks to my mother decided we needed to take even MORE stuff to Florida. I've also endured days of criticism for allowing DDs to bring "so much stuff". If you knew my mother, you would understand the irony. Remember in Evan Almighty when God talks about what happens when you ask for patience? He gives you opportunities to be patient! That's where I am...
Today was our longest day on the road, we're stopping in GA tomorrow, then on to Orlando on Thursday. We have 3 nights at an offsite hotel (my Dad refuses to pay WDW prices, don't ask!), then we move to the AKV for 26 glorious days! My oldest 2 daughters have been packing/cleaning, since they have to be out of their apartment by 1/15. We get our townhouse keys on 1/11, so not much lag time in the move! My 20yo is also starting her new role at Kim Possible on 1/4, I start on 1/7, so we're hitting the ground running.
To answer a few questions, yes, we are continuing to homeschool. My mother and I will tag-team it during the month of January, then my older 2 and I will tag-team the rest of the time. My younger 2 will be going home partway through the program to visit hubby/grandparents/bff as well as have a couple of doctor appointments. He'll come back with them to be in WDW for DD3's 13th birthday (thirteen! )
I also just found out that some family friends from my childhood are coming to WDW the end of January! The girls I used to babysit will be there with her own children and her parents are staying for a month. I'm very excited to see them again as they have always been like a dear aunt/uncle to me.
Thanks for the travel pixies, I really appreciate them! The next installment will most likely be from Orlando...
The views and opinions expressed on this post are mine and do not necessarily represent or reflect those of The Walt Disney Company and Affiliated Companies