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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Sorry the room was not ready for you - but LOVE the excuse to wander the city and people watch. When I was in Rome in 2007 - I kept thinking of A&D (need to read it again - it is still my fave or the Dan Brown books). We didn't make it to the Spanish steps. A place to put on the "to do" list. The flower sellers sound "interesting"....
Cool about the fountains and drinking water.
Hope your nap is refreshing, and doesn't throw you off on the time change.
Looking forward to the next installment, and hope your photo CD comes soon!
I knew I’d only be in this hotel for three nights, but I wanted to unpack anyway. It helps me feel more comfortable and settled in, and it’s also a lot easier to find stuff.
I am so with you there, Sha! I always unpack - even if I'm only in a hotel for a night. I do not like living out of a suitcase.
Your panini looks amazing! Is it ham, cheese, tomato and basil on some kind of olive bread?
Someday I WILL make it to Italy - if only for the food and wine.
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.
Great start Sha! It sounds like it was a wonderful morning. One of the things we discovered at the Spanish Steps when I was there is that the pushy flower guys are sometimes working in pairs--while you are distracted by the pushy flower guy, a second guy is trying to steal your wallet. I caught one with a hand in a friend's back pocket--fortunately not the pocket with his wallet actually in it. Us city folk know that you carry your wallet in your front pocket when traveling!
Great start Sharon! This is one trip I will be very interested in hearing about. 45+ years ago a certain someone promised me a trip to Italy to research the homeland of his grandfather. Still waiting, that is all!
Fantastic start!!! Italy is absolutely beautiful!!! I had the opportunity to live in Sardinia as a kid (Military brat!)............can't wait to hear more!!!
But of course,.........being the "juvenile" that I am.............So what's in the bottle???
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
First, smart thinking putting the blanket over your head to sleep. I could hardly believe I saw two references to you using the restroom in one post. Gotta be a record.
Oh, & I wanna know what they call that little bottle, too! I'm nosy like that.
Great pictures!! Did you just keep looking around saying "I'm in Rome!!" I think that is what I would do.
Love the tricked out scooter! I think I saw that guy on "Pimp my Ride"
Cool fact about being able to fill your water bottles from the fountains. I hope you didn't forget and start filling your water bottle from random NYC spigots when you got home.
Great info about the drinking water from the fountains! Loved hearing about your people watching -it's one of my favorite things to do at WDW. How nice that you got to know some of the other travelers before the welcome dinner Your room pictures are very nice.
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Pixie Dust
like living out of a suitcase. 
Is it ham, cheese, tomato and basil on some kind of olive bread? 
Holly: 
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
with Italy so far!!! What a great way to start off your trip!!
How nice that you got to know some of the other travelers before the welcome dinner
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