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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Things are in full swing with preparing for the holidays. Work decided that instead of just having a busy month in January they would throw in December for good measure. So I've been non-stop working. It's really interfering with my time to plan my trip!
At least I'm 99.9% done with my Christmas shopping. One more person to buy for and a few little gift cards to acquire. I tried to start wrapping, but DS wanted to help. And his helping where wrapping paper is concerned is ripping. So needless to say it was a short attempt that ended in a delay to a time when DH is home to keep DS out of the room. We've got our Christmas tree up. Although we didn't have time to hang the ornaments yet. Maybe this weekend when DH has some days off.
I did a little more shopping for our trip, but still have a few things that we're going to need. I'm trying to get my in-laws to come up with a list of things they want included in the Garden Grocer order. We'll see if they ever contribute to that list or not. I won't place the order until sometime in January, but it doesn't hurt to think about it now.
The big thing I did take care of today was I made an appointment for DS to get his first real haircut at the Harmony Barber Shop! We're all set for our MK day. It will be nice for him to not have such scraggly hair anymore. Especially around the ears. Of course this is something that I took care of, but I don't think it was on my list of things to do to begin with. At least my list hasn't grown. That's something to feel accomplished about right? I knew I wanted to take him there for his cut, but I didn't think about making an appointment until recently. Thanks to those of you would told me I should.
Other than that there has been no time for even thinking about our trip. It's one event after another. At least we're no longer sick. We hit the 45 day mark on Dec. 14th. We're already PIF, but I think my in-laws still need to make their final payment. Maybe we'll get Disney mail around Christmas or shortly there after. That would be a nice present.
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.
Glad you were able to get the appointment for Cameron's haircut! I can't wait to see pictures!
Hope things calm down a bit for you. I know the feeling...DH is absolutely slammed at work from now until the time we leave. We just keep telling ourselves that it will make the vacation that much sweeter when he's past all the stress!
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.
Glad you got that appointment. It'll be here before you know it.
btw - We took the boys to see Santa this weekend - pretty much the same reaction from Lukas (the 'baby'), but you can see his entire face and the 2 goldfish he had in his mouth. I'll have to scan it and post it in my TR.
Thanks. It was kind of a pain to book. I was transferred to the wrong area 3 times. Maybe because they just started taking reservations recently?
Quote:
Originally Posted by shnewell
Glad you were able to get the appointment for Cameron's haircut! I can't wait to see pictures!
Hope things calm down a bit for you. I know the feeling...DH is absolutely slammed at work from now until the time we leave. We just keep telling ourselves that it will make the vacation that much sweeter when he's past all the stress!
I agree that working long hours now will make the vacation sweeter. Although, I really wish the busy/stressful time at work had held out until after Christmas. I hope you and your family are able to relax and unwind when you go!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ilovedisney247
Congrats on the haircut appointment! It should be a great photo op!
Thanks. I can't wait to see how the haircut turns out. Although I'm scared it will make him look like too much of a little man. I'm starting to miss my baby! He's getting so big!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Congrats on the haircut appt!
Thank you!
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Originally Posted by honeybee723
Yay for the haircut appt! That's going to be so special.
I've heard really good things about the first haircut experience. I can't wait to get to experience it myself. Well for Cameron to experience it right? This trip is for him. Not just for his mommy to see how he reacts to WDW.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhToodles!
Glad you got that appointment. It'll be here before you know it.
btw - We took the boys to see Santa this weekend - pretty much the same reaction from Lukas (the 'baby'), but you can see his entire face and the 2 goldfish he had in his mouth. I'll have to scan it and post it in my TR.
The trip is definitely creeping up on us. I'll be so glad when we can just go. Sorry Lukas didn't care for Santa. Must be the age. I'd love to see the picture. The fact that you can see the goldfish cracks me up
After this weekend I'm kind of wondering how much Cameron is actually going to enjoy our trip. There is a holiday display and parade in our city that I've gone to just about every year since I was a child. So this past weekend we took Cameron for the first time. You walk through the holiday display which is similar in concept to all the Disney rides. They have different scenes with anamatronic like elf's and dogs and such. In no way is it as cool as say Pirates, but similar. I really thought Cameron would think it was cool. But the boy didn't care at all. I kept thinking that he would be all wide eyed and excited. Instead he sat in his stroller and had a look of boredom on his face.
Then after the display there was a parade that is like Spectromagic and MSEP, but lower budget. Cameron wanted nothing to do with sitting and watching the parade. He kept climbing out of his stroller and wriggling out of our arms yelling "down" and "go go go go". He just wasn't interested at all. Well I guess he was interested a little as he did look at the floats as they went by, but the second they left his sight he wanted to run.
We had even let Cam run off some steam between the display and the parade as we knew he wouldn't want to sit in his stroller that long. He was running all around the bedding area of Macy's (where the display is) for about 30 minutes before the parade started. And he still wouldn't sit and watch the parade.
I suppose Disney has a few extras going for it that might make Cameron want to ride the rides and watch the parades. First off the parades don't stop after every float. The holiday one we went to does as it is downtown and they have to stop for traffic to pass. And the rides, well they're rides. The display was walking. Which isn't nearly as cool as riding. Actually when we were at Macy's Cameron became absolutely fascinated by the escalator. He would watch people come down it and smile and say "down, hi, down, hi". The we actually went down the escalator and Cam kept saying "wee, wee, wee." So the rides might be cool.
We'll just have to see what happens I guess. I had planned on watching the parades as I thought Cameron would like them, but if he has no interest we'll just skip them. And if he's bored on the rides well then we'll be the family who is chasing a toddler all around the park. Zigzagging across the street yelling things like "Don't pick that gum up off the ground.", "Stay out of the garbage.", "Put that toy back.", "Stay with mommy.", "Why is there GUM in your mouth?!?!".
We'll still have fun. We'll be together in the happiest place on earth. What could be better?
Flexibility is definitely the name of the game when traveling with little ones! My boys couldn't care less about parades, but I love them! (Parades, that is. Well, I love my boys, too ).
And I pretty much thought that all kids liked parades, until I met my sons. LOL. So, parades are not a priority for us when we go to Disney. Even DH doesn't like them. But I've learned to live with that. And the silver lining is that while everyone else is settling in to wait for a parade, that eases the lines at some of the attractions so we can enjoy the things that we want to do too!
I've learned to expect the worse and pray for the best when it comes to traveling with my little one. I went in with way too many plans and expectations this last time and it didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it too. I hope it turns out that he LOVES Disney, but if not, there's many more years to come.
Flexibility is definitely the name of the game when traveling with little ones! My boys couldn't care less about parades, but I love them! (Parades, that is. Well, I love my boys, too ).
And I pretty much thought that all kids liked parades, until I met my sons. LOL. So, parades are not a priority for us when we go to Disney. Even DH doesn't like them. But I've learned to live with that. And the silver lining is that while everyone else is settling in to wait for a parade, that eases the lines at some of the attractions so we can enjoy the things that we want to do too!
My goal is to stay as flexible as possible. That's why I stuck with the QS dining plan. I didn't want to have dinner reservations being held over my head. Yes there are things I want to do, but I'm trying to keep my mind in a place where I won't be disappointed if I don't get to do them.
And we're really not parade people either (DH and I). We never watch them - except for the nighttime ones, but I thought now that we have a child we might want to. I think we'll still give them a try, but if DS isn't interested we'll just skip them. After all we were going to watch them for DS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by honeybee723
I've learned to expect the worse and pray for the best when it comes to traveling with my little one. I went in with way too many plans and expectations this last time and it didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it too. I hope it turns out that he LOVES Disney, but if not, there's many more years to come.
Sorry things didn't turn out the way you wanted them to on your trip. There's always the next trip. We're just going to try to take things as they come. At home there are good and bad days so I'm not expecting that to be different in WDW.
So I'm going to start with a little vent. That is only slightly related to my trip in the fact that it affects the amount of time I have to even *think* about our trip. And then I'll give an update (slightly sad) on our trip. Feel free to skip the vent, but I'm hoping maybe it will help me put it in writing.
START VENT
I've been putting in 10-12 hour days at work. I spend 8 hours in the office. Leave, pick up the toddler, scramble to get dinner done, toddler bathed, toddler to bed and then work another 2-4 hours from home. It's been this way for 2 weeks now. Pile on preparing for the holidays and I'm completely burned out. Today we had our developers meeting (I'm a computer programmer) and the head of IT told us that we have to meet a January 6th deadline and we're going to have to basically live at work if we can't get it done. We were supposed to release on December 9th. Meaning we'll be well over a month behind schedule. And not for lack of trying. They just have completely unrealistic deadlines for us. We were all going around the room stating what we have left to do and when the system will be available for testing and everyone basically said "We've got a lot to do. No idea when we can test." It's not just me it's EVERYONE. I don't think it's possible to meet the deadline even if we all work 60 hours a week. Not possible. But if we don't get it done we can't release it until May as legislative session starts in January. I just feel like sitting in a corner and crying. It's that bad. I feel like I'm neglecting my boy and I hate that. It's not just the trip I'm angry about not having time for. I'm angry about not having time for my family right now. Especially since it could have been avoided if they would just realize that they do not have the staff to make the changes that they want.
END VENT
On to the trip. I really don't have time to think about the trip much, but I did read something on here that made me very sad. MSEP will not happen during our trip. You may remember from earlier in this report that I scheduled our MK day for our second park day just so we could catch the MSEP. I usually like to start and end our trips with MK days, but I really like the nighttime parades and wanted to catch it. It makes me very sad. But I guess you run that risk when booking an off season trip. They're more likely to close things when there aren't large crowds. So now there's 2 things I really wanted to do that will be closed. MSEP and Dumbo. I'm not happy about BTMRR either, but DS can't ride that anyways and this trip is about him so I'm not dwelling on that one. If I ever stop working a gazillion hours a week I might try to tweak my schedule so that I start the trip and end the trip in MK. But that would require rescheduling the barber shop appointment and a lunch ressie. So I likely won't have time. Oh well. Our trip will be fun just the same.
So sorry about work! I can imagaine what it's like - just the 8 hours at work and all the stuff at home is exhausting enough.
Just think though - you will be rewarded with a Disney trip once all the chaos is over!
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I knew I wanted to take him there for his cut, but I didn't think about making an appointment until recently. Thanks to those of you would told me I should.
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Disney Magic - Oct 2015
But I've learned to live with that. And the silver lining is that while everyone else is settling in to wait for a parade, that eases the lines at some of the attractions so we can enjoy the things that we want to do too!
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