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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
What's the experience like at BBB, in the castle? I'm looking for more info trying to figure out what time would be best & day for our DD.
I know it's crazy but I'm hoping to get in at a "less noisy" time. Probably not possible with this but it's worth asking.
DD has her little heart set on BBB and I want it to be her special surprise but with her special needs I know this experience can either go really good or really bad I'm hoping to do everything in my power to make it REALLY REALLY GOOD!
Also what are the costumes like fabric wise, "itchy"?
__________________
Rose Our little family Hook(DH), Tink(8) & Peter Pan(7), & Piglet 28 months or 24 months corrected.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
My daugther loved her BBB appointment and being in the castle makes it more special.
My suggestion would be if you want it to be a quieter part of the day, maybe try to get the 1st appointment in the am, then try to get a Princess breakfast after that.
I also bring a half slip for daughter to wear underneath her Princess dresses. Some are itchier than others. My daughter will wear her's about 4 hours in the parks, before wanting to change.
My dughter (5) loved it but it was VERY loud & crowded. We did 4pm before dinner in the castle. But they went out of there way to make her happy & she had a blast. They book so many, not sure if it can be quiet, but be sure to ask!! Good luck!
I think the best time for lowest noise would be first thing in the morning.
My DD has sensory issues including touch. Most of the underskirts of the dresses have been very itchy to her. Add that with heat and it is not a comfortable thing.
The idea of a slip is a great idea.
Best of luck that the expericence is magical for both you and your little princess.
We did afternoon and it was very loud but we had a blast. There are lesser packages that don't include the dress if you are worried you won't get your monies worth with the comfort of the dress. We did just hair and make-up but you can also add nails. There are photo pass photographers in there the whole time and they catch the big "reveal" moment so even if you don't get the big package with the photo shoot you still get some pretty special photos. Good luck!
We went first thing in the am (around 9:30am) and it was already crowded but not too bad. Both my daughter and son (he got a cool dude) had their own space in the chair and it did not feel too crowded. It was crowded when we were waiting and when we left. DH waited outside with the kids until they called their names (which wasn't long at all) and then took them right out when they were done while I paid and took care of the tips.
I would highly recommend the BBB to all little girls and boys for that matter. They really make the little girls feel like a princess. We brought a dress from home and got the package with the hair, make-up and nails. It was well worth the money for all they gave you (all the left-over nail polish and make-up and other items for their hair) my dd4 got the princess style and for the next 2-3 days everyone, I mean everyone was making her feel like a princess. The cast members, characters and many guests made her feel so special.
I hope I've helped in your decision making, and if you do decide to do it then please let us know how you enjoyed it.
Good luck!
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Thanks so much for all the advice everyone and sharing your experiences. I think we will try for the first spot in the AM, I wondered if that would be best and it seems like it probably would.
I've been looking at Etsy and there are some seriously cute custom princess dresses on there so I'm debating getting one of those instead of the Disney one. Something fancy but not too "fancy" KWIM so she can possibly wear it all day.
One way I've been preparing her is by watching the BBB videos on youtube that people have shared. She loves to watch it and I explain what's happening. So I'm hoping that helps her a little.
__________________
Rose Our little family Hook(DH), Tink(8) & Peter Pan(7), & Piglet 28 months or 24 months corrected.
Our dd has an appt early am...around 8 am the day we go to MK. I'm wondering how are we to get into the park this early before it opens to everyone else. I guess our ressie is what will get us in. We are suprising our dd because its her birthday that day! I am also looking into either finding a disney themed dress that will be comfortable to wear the wholeday without having to change. (of course we will bring a change of clothes just in case)
__________________
Tracie, Steve,Noah, Tori, and Isabella
Last edited by tracie52001; 04-23-2009 at 09:54 AM..
My suggestion would be if you want it to be a quieter part of the day, maybe try to get the 1st appointment in the am, then try to get a Princess breakfast after that.
I would definitely agree with 'Princessdreamer'. We had the first appointment of the day and it was so nice. My DD received tons of attention from the staff and the photographer. There were no lines getting into the park, since we were so early and the appointment was over before the park opened .
My DD really enjoyed it. Here was our only problem.. She initially chose the bun with the mickey clip. I thought this was a great idea until about 1 hour after the appointment. She was going crazy because her head was getting itchy. She was in tears and wanted the 'do out of her hair. My DD dances and I use products in her hair all the time so I did not think that this would bother her but it did. We went right back to the BB and she asked them (in front of everyone) to take this out of her hair.
The FGM there were great and understanding. They took out her hair (sprayed it with a lot of water) and gave her a new do that lasted all day. I asked that they don't use any additional product in her hair. After that the day was great...
So after all that, I would say, get the first appointment, watch the amount of product they are using and don't be afraid to say - that is enough.
Our dd has an appt early am...around 8 am the day we go to MK. I'm wondering how are we to get into the park this early before it opens to everyone else. I guess our ressie is what will get us in. We are suprising our dd because its her birthday that day! I am also looking into either finding a disney themed dress that will be comfortable to wear the wholeday without having to change. (of course we will bring a change of clothes just in case)
I'm pretty sure that when you make your reservation they take note of it and just like those that have ADR before park opening they will know when you get there and you go in a special line to get in.
__________________
Rose Our little family Hook(DH), Tink(8) & Peter Pan(7), & Piglet 28 months or 24 months corrected.
We had a 1:30 appointment with a CRT ADR at 3:30 to follow. It was very crowded and loud when we went but the FG really take their time to "spoil" each and every little princess. We had gotten the castle package (she was Jasmine) and she lasted quite a long time in the outfit but by evening she ended up changing back into her clothes so she could be more comfortable.
She did not mind the hair too much but by evening the pins that they used started to annoy her, we took a few out and she was fine and with all the stuff they put in their hair even without the pins it pretty much lasted through the next day (when she had to add her extensions back on again )
We did the castle and will do again this year. She felt and looked the princess part walking down the ramp after her appt to her father and brother with her birthday sash on and her sunglasses! She loved it then we went to the Royal table for lunch and she met Cinderella...how does it get any better?
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
Our dd has an appt early am...around 8 am the day we go to MK. I'm wondering how are we to get into the park this early before it opens to everyone else. I guess our ressie is what will get us in. We are suprising our dd because its her birthday that day! I am also looking into either finding a disney themed dress that will be comfortable to wear the wholeday without having to change. (of course we will bring a change of clothes just in case)
They have a gate open where you can go thru for early appts. just have your confirmation number just in case.
Both of my girls had the package with hair, makeup and nails (get the polish not the fake nails - every other child we saw with the fake nails, had already lost at least one within 30 minutes of leaving) They LOVED IT!!!.
We had appts just before our CRT lunch, and it was busy, busy, busy. Since this is an issue, I think the idea of the morning appt is a really good one. There were chairs that were in busier areas than others, so I would request one that doesn't get as much traffic. I sure they will do the best to accomodate you. We waited a couple of more minutes, so that our girls could be close enough together that I could see both of them, and not miss out on one running back and forth.
They really take the time to make eveyone's visit special.
I too purchased dresses before we went, and we changed into them before the appt, so they are wearing them in all of the pictures.
I don't know what they use in their hair, and my girls never complained, but they had those little buns in their heads for 5 days. I finally said, enough is enough, and even though they complained we washed them out.
I don't know what they use in their hair, and my girls never complained, but they had those little buns in their heads for 5 days. I finally said, enough is enough, and even though they complained we washed them out.
Oh my gosh that's so funny about the hair for 5 days. How adorable is that.
I have read before that the hair do can last for days I'm hoping she wants to keep it in for a decent amount of time but whatever she wants.
Instead of CRT I'm thinking of doing 1900 Park Fare for dinner. As much as she would love to eat in "Her Castle", yes she calls it her castle , I'm not sure she could handle it and that I want the added pressure of trying to get that ressie.
Then getting her the mini castle cake for dessert she'll LOVE that.
Now I have to figure out which day of our trip to do this on.
__________________
Rose Our little family Hook(DH), Tink(8) & Peter Pan(7), & Piglet 28 months or 24 months corrected.