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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Ah, Ok - that's something that had never crossed my mind before. I genuinely thought if it said onion soup, it wouldn't have meat in it. Not a pleasant thought considering how much of the stuff I've consumed over the years and never checked...
Sorry to ruin your future onion soup fests! I hate to tell you that the Disney version at Les Chefs is beef!
Your soup looks delish....I think I could make a meal on that alone as I adore french onion soup...sorry the entree and dessert wasn't quite as tasty. Great shots at Place de la Concorde!
Danielle
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~Shoot for the moon, if you miss, you will land among the stars~
Thursday 5 December – part seven: I could easily go nuts here…
We passed the obelisk from Luxor, which is more than 3,000 years old and even got some shots of the Eiffel Tower from there.
We made our way across the square, which takes some time, given the number of pedestrian crossings you have to negotiate here.
When we got to the Champs Elysees, we were immediately into the Christmas market and it was just absolutely charming. Hazel had told us that they had a lot of the same stuff on both sides of the road, which would save us constantly having to cross over, so we just stuck with the side of the road we were on and made our way along it.
I’m assuming this is the same idea as Tinkerbell flying from the castle… Chocolate!
I have to say that the first two or three stalls we came to were a little tacky, with souvenirs of Paris and not what I was expecting, but then we got into the more unique items. Now I will say here that the problem with places like this is that you can go absolutely nuts and buy far too much early or not buy enough if you’re too cautious. I think we fell into the latter category, as I certainly never got my mulled wine. We saw plenty of places doing it and I saw one that did rose wine and I should’ve got it there, but I didn’t and by the time we got to the end of market, the opportunity was gone and I had missed out.
I did however get a Christmas tree ornament early on, which I really liked and heck it can go straight on the tree when we get home.
I also got four Marseilles soaps, as this stuff is wonderful. It lasts for so long. We first got some on our Mediterranean cruise in 2007 when we stopped at Marseilles and I swear it lasted about two years and that’s not because we didn’t use it, because we did. There’s something they do when they make it that just makes it last and last. Then we got some more when we went to Carcassonne in 2010 and now we needed some more again, so I was delighted to find some and get stocked up. Mark left me to it, as I was picking up bars, smelling them and then saying to him “what do you think?” as he can be a bit fussy about things like this, but bless him, he told me he couldn’t smell a thing, so he was no use, as trust me, these things were a bit potent!
There were lots of cow items to be found here as well, but I was a bit put off by having to carry everything we bought all the way back to the train, especially as Mark’s rucksack was already full and mine was rapidly getting that way, and it was getting heavy too. Therefore, I was careful about what I got and as a result, perhaps a bit too careful. I really could’ve done some serious damage shopping here, but I was very restrained.
We also found these guys!
I got some photos of the Champs Elysees…
… and the Grand Palais, which I think is a beautiful building.
Then, very suddenly, it was all over with this display and that was it.
I thought it would go further up, but we were at the traditional shops of the Champs Elysees now.
It never ocurred to me that Paris would do a Christmas Market. For some reason I just pictured that as a strictly German thing to do. I guess it's "European" instead.
You showed some considerable restraint by not making purchases! I couldn't have done that. At Harrod's, I bought 5 jars of jam within 10 minutes of being inside the store. Duh - could have waited till we were on our way out, but no. I just see - and buy.
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Tanya
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I admit I wondered when you had eaten the onion soup if you had just made sure it was vegetable broth. I'm sorry it's been ruined for you now, but at least you know.
That market looks nice. I love the unique items and the ornament is very nice. I could use that whole pile of chocolate right now. It's been that kind of day.
Love the Christmas market! Some day I'll do a winter tour of Europe to hit lots of these. Probably should start collecting spending money now!
I have to say I was also surprised to hear you were eating French onion soup. I hope you can find a good vegetarian broth base that allows you to enjoy it again.
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You know we're up for a visit and for more of that crème brulee... 
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I genuinely thought if it said onion soup, it wouldn't have meat in it. Not a pleasant thought considering how much of the stuff I've consumed over the years and never checked... 
We first got some on 
and mine was rapidly getting that way, and it was getting heavy too. Therefore, I was careful about what I got and as a result, perhaps a bit too careful. I really could’ve done some serious damage shopping here, but I was very restrained. 
we were at the traditional shops of the Champs Elysees now. 
For some reason I just pictured that as a strictly German thing to do. I guess it's "European" instead. 
The ornament you chose is so beautiful and a great reminder of Paris.
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