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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I completely forgot that there was a place for Universal on here, too. I get so wrapped up in planning for Disney that I sometimes have blinders on.
My family (me37, DH47, DD15, DS15 and DNephew5) will be at WDW 31-Aug to 09-Sep. Most of our days will indeed be spent frolicking with the Mouse, but on 05-Sep (Wed) we are trekking over to IoA. My children and I are a HUGE Harry Potter fans (I think DH is, too), and have been wanting to visit since it was announced. This year, we finally get that chance.
However, every time I check the operating hours for September, I keep getting reminded that Disney spoils us with 180 day posting of hours, because Universal has yet to post hours past August. I am finding it difficult to plan our time to arrive, and know what time we'll leave when I have no idea what the operating hours will be for that day.
Does anyone know what the typical hours are for the week of Labor Day? Is the park typically crowded that week? Is the meal deal worth buying or should we just buy food OOP? Is a taxi or town car better, or is that just based on personal preference?
Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
We visited IoA and for us the meal plan did not work. We arrived early (at the opening) once we had information that the park closes much earlier than WDW parks.
We decided to pay OOP for light meals and snacks during the day and had a very late lunch/early dinner outside the park after visiting the major attractions.
I would skip the meal plan! We went in April, and rented a car for the day (I think it was $35 + taxes/day) at the CCC outside MK. They picked me up in the morning at POFQ (at 6:45) and we dropped it off the next day. We got to WWoHP first thing (they started letting us in at 8:45) and spent most of the morning there!
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Skip the meal plan
be there at rope drop. Everyone heads to WWoHP. Those who have front of the line passes will go first. It gets very crowded very fast
even the stores are cool and worth checking out
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I agree that the meal plan is not worth it.
I also agree with getting to the park before opening time.
Universal's parks don't stay open very late in the off-season, so be prepared for that, probably closing around 7pm.
We have opted to skip the meal plan and the express passes. We're buying tickets from AAA.
Right now, we are going to get take taxis or a town car to and from. A rental would be cheaper, but this way we don't have to worry about how to get there or parking. We may change our minds as the trip gets closer.
We plan to get there early, before opening. I'm still working out the logistics of breakfast and lunch. WWoHP is my only interest. I plan on spending my whole day there. DH and DD might go try some other roller coasters, though.
We are planning to eat a late dinner back at WDW. Still trying to decide whether to eat at our resort or DTD.
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.
If you are looking for a fantastic lunch, try the Three Broomsticks! We were able to get 2 of the Great Feasts and feed six adults. One feast feeds 4 for $49.99. You get a ton of food and it is delicious and somewhat healthy. Don't forget to get a butterbeer...wonderful
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We went in April, and rented a car for the day (I think it was $35 + taxes/day) at the CCC outside MK. They picked me up in the morning at POFQ (at 6:45) and we dropped it off the next day. We got to WWoHP first thing (they started letting us in at 8:45) and spent most of the morning there! 
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