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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Yesterday was bittersweet. We started the morning with a birthday breakfast in our room, finishing up the food we'd gotten (Eric's birthday is today, September 1 ). Everyone got packed up and we checked out. Isaiah kept promising he wasn't going to be a crybaby, but he cried so hard it about broke my heart. I wanted to say he could stay, but of course he couldn't. We promised him lots of toys and he'll get lots of special treatment at home.
After the family left, the boys and I got the bus to AK. We rode EE about 5 or 6 times (I'll have to check my notes to be sure). We also rode KRR because it was so stinkin' hot and humid, and none of us got too wet, so we were all perfectly dry about 30 minutes later!
We had some DDP credits to use, so the boys and I had an early dinner at RFC before heading to AOA.
I was kind of craving a burger, but then I spotted a delicious-sounding shrimp dish (shrimp stuffed with shrimp and crab stuffing, all wrapped in bacon).
It was very, very tasty. And I can get that burger I wanted today at Sci-Fi. Noah and I shared the volcano (Daniel isn't big on sweets). Noah wanted to take the leftover brownies back to the room for later - he loves sweets as much as his Nana does!
I know you're all waiting to hear about Art of Animation. We love it! The boys really love it. I can't say it'll be one of my top 3 resorts, but I do find it much better than the other value resorts especially. And I really love having interior hallways. I am happy to see they have the KTTW cards with chips, so I don't need to remove the card from my FP holder to open the room door. And we had a lovely surprise from our TA, Meg.
Thanks, Meg! And Blow Pops are one of the few sweets that Daniel likes - he claimed them right away! And the boys agreed to save some of the treats for Isaiah. The way I won over Daniel to staying at AOA was telling him about the murphy bed. He loved it, and he loved that Noah wanted to sleep in it! I said Daniel gets to sleep there because it's his trip, but they could sleep together ("No way") or take turns. Noah just decided to let Daniel have it, and Daniel was feeling smug, so I figured he'd be open to a photo (he is one of those kids that you have to beg to take a picture, and then beg him to smile ).
Smug! With lollipop
We spent the rest of the day at AOA. First, we visited the Cars pool.
Then the Big Blue Pool (where we all listened to Nemo and friends underwater). We had 8 (yes, 8) counter service credits to use, and we were all pretty full from our late lunch/early dinner, so I got a bunch of sandwiches and cold platters to keep in our fridge, along with the drinks and desserts (mostly fruit and yogurt and other stuff we can eat for breakfast).
I really enjoyed being able to let the boys have their own space (and play noisy games on their iTouches) while I can relax and watch what I want on television. I still need to walk around everywhere and get some pictures of the other parts of our resort, which I may do tomorrow. We're going to DHS today, and we've got a lunch ADR at Sci-Fi, which all three of us are looking forward to. We also have to buy Isaiah another present (we all promised him we'd get him something because he was breaking our hearts ).
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
AoA sounds absolutely wonderful! Can't wait to see all the pics. I love the shot of Daniel on the bed. Sounds like a great day.... but poor Isaiah! He does make out like a bandit with all the toys, though!
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Poor Isaiah! My Alex cried when we left yesterday, but he had no chance of staying! It was definitely hot and disgusting yesterday - glad you cooled of on Kali and at the pool.
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Stacey
Why do these kids look so pathetic?
Find out in: A New Grade, A New House, and A Surprise!Final Thoughts 01/30
What a fantabulous days with you and the guys! Poor Isi - - I feel the same way when Maddie gets upset so I know how hard it is! I'm sure that one-on-one time with his parents and grandparents and presents, of course, will help make him feel better!
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.
Ok, you've sealed it just with the few pix you posted... we're staying at AoA on the next trip... wow! It looks really cool! I've heard they have Indian food at the food court - can you verify that for me, by chance? Maybe take a picture of the menu? I sure would love to know what they've got, if anything!
Can't wait to read more! Poor Isi, but as you said, he'll get lots of attention while you're all away, and he'll love the gifts!
Yay! I'm so glad the boys like AoA. I was worried they'd miss the little things from their fave - Poly. But I guess AoA will do in the short term. Cool!
8 counter service credits? Wow. This is why I tend to avoid the DDP. It's waaay too much food and I'd never get my money's worth! :
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Tanya
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Just getting our electricity and internet back from Hurricane Issac. So I am trying to do some serious catch-up on Passporter. I hope (well I know) that you are having much better weather than us. We were the bullseye of the storm. The eye of the storm went right through us.
Enjoy it.
Eric celebrates his birthday with my DD, Kaylie she is 8 today!
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