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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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This makes me sad. I can only imagine what is ahead for the company and parks. Cutting park hours? No new attractions? Fewer CM's to create that Disney magic?
My prayers are for everyone effected by this tragic economy.
Unfortunately I remember the cuts from the 70's recession when the parks cut a lot of workers and everything got a little shabby. It was not as clean and there were fewer employees driving the buses and landscaping. I hate to see that happening again. But cutting management is not the same as cutting the "regular" folks.
Suzie
Hopefully the last thing to be affected by "cuts" would be "ground level" services. I'm sure Disney realises that's it's their reputation for an excellent customer experience that brings people to the parks in the first instance, and more importantly brings them BACK to the parks for second, third and more visits. If guests are disappointed they are less likely to ever come back and Disney will try to avoid that at all costs. Repeat business from "loyal" customers is vitally important for the long term success of any business, and Disney is no different.
We may well see "downsizing" of management, slower introduction of new attractions, longer times between refurbishments, and "tweaking" of things like park hours but I certainly hope we won't see any marked reduction in "front line" service delivery.
Let's all hope the good ship Disney can ride this storm until the weather gets better for everyone!
I haven't spoken to DD Lucy about this yet, so this is just mom speaking.
I knew it had to come. So many people are being laid-off and others who may have the extra $$$ are just doing the basics -- even at Disney. When we were there in January, the guests would say to a quick service cm, why is everything so expensive. Things guests just paid for because they were at Disney were being questioned over and over again by guests that were in line around us.
And , I'm worried about Lucy. You just never know where those cuts will fall.
This won't be the last round of layoffs. Disney has been going through all of its various divisions - the only ones left unscathed are at the parks, DVC and DCL
Sometimes "trimming" the fat is a good thing.
If this makes Disney more profitable, then so be it.
I know that disney is going through some "changing and restructuring" that from what ive heard...will be a GOOD thing.
Recession or not....
The media has been using this as spin on the economy and while, yes, the economy is bad and there is a hiring freeze, this restructuring has actually been in the works for a few years. It is only being implemented more rapidly now because the economy is demanding it sooner, but either way, restructuring was necessary a few years ago for a leaner, flatter organization that is more in keeping with modern business practices. I wish the media would just shut up about it and stop scaring people. I've said all along that this economic mess has become a self-fulfilling prophecy because of the media. (stepping off soapbox).
The media has been using this as spin on the economy and while, yes, the economy is bad and there is a hiring freeze, this restructuring has actually been in the works for a few years. It is only being implemented more rapidly now because the economy is demanding it sooner, but either way, restructuring was necessary a few years ago for a leaner, flatter organization that is more in keeping with modern business practices. I wish the media would just shut up about it and stop scaring people. I've said all along that this economic mess has become a self-fulfilling prophecy because of the media. (stepping off soapbox).
Tell that to the thousands of people who are losing their jobs on a daily basis-its just a big conspiracy by the media
Last edited by wheatenwalker; 03-03-2009 at 08:28 AM..
I think the media has contributed somewhat - people get scared by what they hear on the media, don't spend, don't travel, and the result is that companies lose revenue and lay off workers. It's a vicious cycle.
The media has been using this as spin on the economy and while, yes, the economy is bad and there is a hiring freeze, this restructuring has actually been in the works for a few years. It is only being implemented more rapidly now because the economy is demanding it sooner, but either way, restructuring was necessary a few years ago for a leaner, flatter organization that is more in keeping with modern business practices. I wish the media would just shut up about it and stop scaring people. I've said all along that this economic mess has become a self-fulfilling prophecy because of the media. (stepping off soapbox).
I agree.....
I know that our family chooses NOT to participate in this recession. Alot of people get all worried and go into a shell. No need for that. Things arent THAT bad. Not even close.
The media has done a number on the markets. Things will get better. Be optimistic!
We are doing our part to help the economy and Disney by going to Disney twice this year. We plan on helping Disney all we can. I know its rough but someone has to do it
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This makes me sad. I can only imagine what is ahead for the company and parks. Cutting park hours? No new attractions? Fewer CM's to create that Disney magic? 
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, I'm worried about Lucy. You just never know where those cuts will fall.
Michelle - with my step sisters!
Me(43) DH(48) DD(15)DS(13)
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