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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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First, I need to respond to your mini trip post. Your Mom's house sounds like it was great fun, the snow will go away for good very soon and I Patrick's crazy hat! I am planning on taking Logan to go see Home tomorrow!!
Ok. All caught up! Your median plans sound fun, but I know this is not the end!. You really are making me feel normal we the Crystal Palace!!! It's a must do for us every trip!! Can't wait to see what happens next!
Luke and I were talking at one point this winter when our school districts had missed 2 weeks for snow and extreme that we were so glad we no longer had to plan and replan around school schedules. Sorry you've had to change dates over and over.
I bet you two were really glad you didn't have to deal with working around the snow and cold.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhToodles!
What a pain about the snow and delays. Looks and sounds like you had a nice weekend with your family. I love those free things to do!
I'm hoping for the winter we had here next year as well - no snow days for us and I'd like to not pull Dylan at the end of school but with DVC we plan so far ahead it's hard to change just a few months before. I gave him a 2 day grace period.
Our original dates had me finishing school on Friday, June 5th and leaving for the bubble on June 8th...stopping in Valdosta for the night. I know how hard it is to change DVC dates, and how far ahead you have to book, so I really hope winters stay calm for y'all!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Sorry about all the snow days and having to change your dates! Glad it all worked out! Have fun at CP!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tara O'Hara
First, I need to respond to your mini trip post. Your Mom's house sounds like it was great fun, the snow will go away for good very soon and I Patrick's crazy hat! I am planning on taking Logan to go see Home tomorrow!!
Tara
Now! On to your trip update!!
Hi Tara! How did Logan like Home? We were actually thinking of taking the boys to the matinee today...until I realized it was going to be more expensive than the cushy theater by mom mom's. We're heading down to the mall to walk and browse instead as it's raining here again. I'm not complaining though - I'll take 60 degree's and rain any day over snow!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tara O'Hara
Ok. All caught up! Your median plans sound fun, but I know this is not the end!. You really are making me feel normal we the Crystal Palace!!! It's a must do for us every trip!! Can't wait to see what happens next!
Tara
Glad I'm making you feel at home here
__________________
The Fun, Old-Fashioned Family Vacation, 3.0 http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...ml#post4472933
Ch-Ch-Changes July 2015
[URL="http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/sharing-adventure-disney-world-trip-reports/288847-ch-ch-changes-ptr-july-16-24-a.html"]
Well...now that we "sort of" had things planned out, we had life throw us a few wrinkles. It was now mid February...
I teach 10th grade....and as a 10th grade teacher, I'm responsible for my students on the current state assessment (The OGT). This group is the LAST class that needs the OGT for graduation, as this year's freshman are the first group that will need the string of PARCC next generation assessments for graduation. Anyway, we give the OGT in March...and if students don't pass, they can be signed up for a "workshop" the first week out of school - and at the end of that workshop week will be given the opportunity to retake the test.
As a tenth grade teacher, I "may" be required to teach a workshop and administer the 2nd round test. It depends on the volume of students that require either writing or reading. I bet you can see where I'm going with this...remediation dates are June 15-18 and the retest is June 19th. We won't know exactly which students need which remediation until....the first week of May at the earliest.
Coach and I started talking about maybe needing to cancel our trip because if I indeed have to lead a workshop, we would be beyond our trip cancellation window and would loose money What should we do?
Then....my mom called to confirm what my Dad hinted at during Christmas. After 47 years with his company, he was officially putting in for retirement. He started working with The Cleveland Electric Company at the age of 18, as a 2nd job to help put himself through college. It was really important to my Dad's siblings that he go to college - in fact, he was the only one of the 12 to have the opportunity. Anyway, he worked his way up through the company, held on to his job despite several company name and location shifts. He's spent the last nine years commuting daily to Akron from their home on the west side of Cleveland.
Dad's retirement is official June 1st and my mom's siblings are hosting a surprise retirement party for him on June 20th as a way to give him a chance to "shine" because he's always helped everyone in the family out.
The more we talked about it, the more cancelling the June trip seemed just right. Reluctantly, I made the call to cancel.
I cancelled the resort, and our sole ADR. The CM "hinted" that "something" was going to be released around March 1st for summer in the way of a "code".
After hanging up, Brian and I talked...and talked...and talked about alternate dates. We don't have similar breaks as we work in two different districts, so traveling during a "school break" would be out. The more we talked, the more we agreed that we LIKE vacationing in July because the boys are ready for a "change of summer scenery" and we're removed enough from the end of one school year, and the start of the next to be truly relaxed. Plus, July gives us flexibility with travel dates.
I knew that I wanted to stay away from July 4th because it is crowded (and more expensive) to travel to the bubble, so we started looking at mid-July dates.
Meanwhile, as a bit of a cruel joke, our Disney planning DVD arrived in the mail. Cullen watched it over and over the entire weekend and he became obsessed with sleeping on "the table bed with Mater drooling".
With Coach's blessing, I dialed up a now familiar number and requested four nights...in July...at the Art of Animation ....in a Cars Suite. We requested a room facing the Cozy Cone Pool. We booked for July 20-24 knowing that those four nights were costing as much as the resort + base ticket package we'd reserved for our intended June trip.
With that much done...I set about hoping and wishing for some type of summer discount to help lower the cost so we can increase our stay to 6 nights. I admit to stalking the various websites daily (OK, sometimes multiple times per day) in hopes that SOMETHING would be released, but for now, we had a plan in place.
Up Next: March 1st arrives....and?
__________________
The Fun, Old-Fashioned Family Vacation, 3.0 http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...ml#post4472933
Ch-Ch-Changes July 2015
[URL="http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/sharing-adventure-disney-world-trip-reports/288847-ch-ch-changes-ptr-july-16-24-a.html"]
Wow, that is a lot of changes! Congrats to your dad on his retirement and I hope those discounts come through for you.
Thanks! I think he's looking forward to being able to spend more time with my boys and my nephew
Quote:
Originally Posted by taylan1
Hehe, I know what happens!! The things we do for a Disney trip!
Exactly
__________________
The Fun, Old-Fashioned Family Vacation, 3.0 http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...ml#post4472933
Ch-Ch-Changes July 2015
[URL="http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/sharing-adventure-disney-world-trip-reports/288847-ch-ch-changes-ptr-july-16-24-a.html"]
Ch-Ch-Changes is the perfect title for your TR. And you still seem to have the best attitude about them all. But I can't believe you left us with a cliffhanger about whether or not you got a discount code.
Hey look, I joined your PTR I'd say I'm all caught up, but I already know the whole story. I'll just sit over here and
Oh and in May we rented a double stroller for the boys. Sean was just shy of 5 and refused to ride in it unless we hit a big crowd or he got really tired and needed a nap. He kept saying he wasn't a baby and only babies needed stroller. Overall he did use it, but not enough for us to justify renting a double one again.
Ch-Ch-Changes is the perfect title for your TR. And you still seem to have the best attitude about them all. But I can't believe you left us with a cliffhanger about whether or not you got a discount code.
I really haven't let the changes get to me too much....now when I call the reservation line and the automatically know it's me Hang on tight....
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhToodles!
What a rollercoaster! I hope there's another change, but only a good one!
There are some great changes in the works
Quote:
Originally Posted by num1DVCfan
Hey look, I joined your PTR I'd say I'm all caught up, but I already know the whole story. I'll just sit over here and
Oh and in May we rented a double stroller for the boys. Sean was just shy of 5 and refused to ride in it unless we hit a big crowd or he got really tired and needed a nap. He kept saying he wasn't a baby and only babies needed stroller. Overall he did use it, but not enough for us to justify renting a double one again.
Glad you joined....even if you're just re-reading what you already know
Thanks for the stroller tip...I'm so not sure what we're going to do. Cullen does handle crowds better if he's in a stroller, but he's starting to be really aware that he's "reserved for school" and big kids don't do strollers But I also keep thinking....July...heat, humidity....lots of walking.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchdisneyfamily
Love hearing all this again. Even though I know how this turns out, we are Disney planners, so there are always changes right up to the end.
So glad you and Jenny get me....and my crazy changes
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Sorry about the date change! Congrats to your Dad!
Thanks!
__________________
The Fun, Old-Fashioned Family Vacation, 3.0 http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...ml#post4472933
Ch-Ch-Changes July 2015
[URL="http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/sharing-adventure-disney-world-trip-reports/288847-ch-ch-changes-ptr-july-16-24-a.html"]
About This Page: 
Patrick's crazy hat! I am planning on taking Logan to go see Home tomorrow!!
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
. You really are making me feel normal
we 
What should we do?
vacationing in July because the boys are ready for a "change of summer scenery" and we're removed enough from the end of one school year, and the start of the next to be truly relaxed. Plus, July gives us flexibility with travel dates.
We requested a room facing the Cozy Cone Pool. We booked for July 20-24 knowing that those four nights were costing as much as the resort + base ticket package we'd reserved for our intended June trip. 
PassPorter Guide Author
Congrats to your dad on his retirement 
,
But I can't believe you left us with a cliffhanger about whether or not you got a discount code. 
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
Congrats to your Dad! 
Hang on tight.... 
But I also keep thinking....July...heat, humidity....lots of walking.
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