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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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yay!! The meet-up is about to happen. I'm excited for you guys! I also can't wait to see all the pictures you took of DLP
Well I can promise that I took lots!
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sorry the parking situation was so weird. It kind of reminds me at Universal Studios, where you park so far away and then walk for what seems like miles to even get to the front of the park....but I could be wrong lol
Everything looks so nice in the sunshine! Oh how I wish the weather had been better when we were there in March
I hear you. So many times before we've been and had lousy weather - either cold or wet (or both!) and it was such a lovely change to get decent weather for once...
Interesting approach to the Park. Sounds confusing! Although I do like the entrance gate as it very much resembles WDW! I'm so glad you scored some fantastic weather for this trip. It's about time!
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Tanya
Every click helps feed .6 bowls of food to rescued animals. Give a quick click every day and help animals in shelters! www.theanimalrescuesite.com
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.
Interesting approach to the Park. Sounds confusing! Although I do like the entrance gate as it very much resembles WDW! I'm so glad you scored some fantastic weather for this trip. It's about time!
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.
Friday 7 June – part three: there’s a lot open early!
When Mark came out, we decided to wander, stopping first to look at the tipboard. Considering it was still before 10:00am, the official opening time, I was staggered to see so many things already operating. Wow, if only Walt Disney World did it this way!
The Panoramagique balloon was up today!
We wandered around for a few minutes, taking photos and taking in how lovely and quiet it was. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this park so deserted before – it was just perfect.
We found ourselves heading down towards the Toon Studio section of the park, which is really a bit of a mish-mash of theming, You’ve got Crush’s Coaster with Nemo theming, next door to the Magic Carpets of Aladdin and opposite a little Cars area. It’s all a bit odd, and for me, doesn’t flow together very well. I would’ve preferred one big theme going on here.
Looking over to Toy Story Playland
We stopped to watch Crush’s Coaster, but it appeared to be having some “technical issues”, so I photographed the flowers in front of it and a bee hard at work.
We also heard a fanfare and look who came out…
Oh my goodness, you have never seen so many people just suddenly start running towards them. I was so glad we weren’t here to do characters…
Instead, we wandered down to the Toy Story Playland entrance…
… and admired the work going on on the new Ratatouille dark ride that’s due to open next year. They’re really getting on with it, and I can’t wait to see it. More shots from the other side to come shortly…
This park looks like a lot of fun! The Ratatouille ride should be wonderful-- a dark ride with the lights of Paris? Beautiful! It's great that they have so many rides up and running before park opening. I'd go crazy with the parks not opening until 10am! You're really making us wait for the moment you all meet! Can't wait!
This park looks like a lot of fun! The Ratatouille ride should be wonderful-- a dark ride with the lights of Paris? Beautiful!
I know - I really want to see that and we'll definitely be back for that when it opens next year.
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It's great that they have so many rides up and running before park opening. I'd go crazy with the parks not opening until 10am!
Well, if you stay at a Disney hotel, you have access from 8:00am to the Disneyland Park - two extra hours on top of everyone else... an incentive to make you pay their high prices.
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You're really making us wait for the moment you all meet! Can't wait!
Love all of the pictures! You never disappoint with the quality of your pics It looks like a bit of Hollywood Studios meets California Adventure....but smaller
I'm excited that your meet is coming up soon! I can't wait to hear all about it
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Love all of the pictures! You never disappoint with the quality of your pics It looks like a bit of Hollywood Studios meets California Adventure....but smaller
Love all the close up shots. It's all so similar, yet so different. The Toy Story items are adorable!! Yeah, I don't know why DLP handles their characters so opposite of the US parks. Very odd.
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Tanya
Every click helps feed .6 bowls of food to rescued animals. Give a quick click every day and help animals in shelters! www.theanimalrescuesite.com
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that's my recollection of Universal as well...
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Pixie Dust
So many times before we've been and had lousy weather - either cold or wet (or both!) and it was such a lovely change to get decent weather for once...
Deb
I was so glad we weren’t here to do characters… 
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