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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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My "baby" left home on Sunday....he joined the Navy...I'm very proud of him and his choice and I do think that it is the right decision for him.....but as his "mom"...it hurts so bad to say "goodbye"......he's only 19 and college wasn't what he wanted.......he would like to become a firefighter........and was told that returning military are given top priority for positions......he will be trained ( he qualified) for "rescue".........in today's world this really scares me but.....he has to live his life and make his own way........please keep Mike in your thoughts ............me too, please....this is really tough ( I didn't think it would hurt so much)..........enjoy your "babies"..they grow up and move on so fast..........rella
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I am with you on this one. My 28 year old son heads to Navy boot camp 2 weeks from today. He has tried college, but has not grown up at all until this last year. He enlisted last October and has really been focused and preparing for this since then. I will miss him, but I don't think it will be as hard for me to let him go. He is going to train as an electrician's mate. Keep the faith and stand tall and proud.
Rella I know the feeling....about two years ago now my brother left to join the marines. It was a very hard time for our whole family. However he like your son did not think college was for him and he wants to become a state cop. Many and for you!!
Me going into the army was a really good thing. I got a lot of training and got to see a lot of Europe. Good luck to your son. The military can be very bad, but also very good. Do tell him to get any thing important in writing.
Thank you all for pixies and support....I know that this is good for Mike....he has never had a strong male influence in his life....my DH is almost totally disabled now with MS.....DH has never been to a little league baseball game or watch Mike play high school football.......I've been both dad and mom in certain areas (mouth guards and jock straps....embarrassing for both of us....I can laugh about it now) learning to shave etc....but as strong as I can be ....I'm not "a man" and I do believe that every boy does need some sort of male influence in his life......Mike does have an "attitude" now and I believe he does need this "kick butt" time in his life......basically, he's a wonderful kid but makes foolish and pardon the word ,but STUPID decisions.......you know, a teenager logic.......it's hard for me too, since I don't have the support in a strong male influence in my life, either....I usually have to go it alone.......I keep on remembering the words of a song for "my teenage" years (really long ago) ......blue, navy blue...I'm as blue as I can be 'cause my steady boy said ship ahoy and joined the Navy....pretty silly but I keep humming the tune and making myself cry.......I know that we'll all be fine and get use to our new (quieter) life......I thought I would like it but it really is so lonely right now. rella
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.
My best friend (Mike) is in the Navy. He just became an SK2 a month or so ago and has been in for about three and a half years now. He did college for a bit, bummed around, worked here and there - I've known him since he was 21 (he's 28 now) and the difference in the last three years is absolutely astounding. He's coming home soon from his second deployment and I'm lucky enough to be waiting for him on the pier with his folks.
My best wishes and thank yous go with your Mike and it will be hard, but worth it.
__________________
Heather ~ Peanut's Mommy!
Member of The Mickey Milers
Rella and Pris,
You aren't alone. As a Mom of an active duty Sailor and the wife of a retired one, I know the feeling. If I can suggest, there is a website that is just for us...Navyformoms.com. I think you might find support and answers to any questions you might have there!
I know it's scary, but you will be shocked and amazed at the change in your child.
The good thing is in this day of electronic communication, distance isn't quite as far. As mom of three mostly grown children, one 1800 miles away, I can tell you I feel as close to my son as I ever have.
Between email and cell phones, I know as much about how he is doing as I do my DD who is home for the summer.