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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Has anyone gone to Discovery Cove in December? Is it too cold to go?
What part of December? If it's toward the beginning of the month, you're probably fine with trying it out. If it's later, the weather could be iffy. We've had both warm and cold days mid-to-late month. Personally, I'd wait to try it out during a warmer month trip.
We went once in mid December and it was an Ok day - temperatures in the high 60s/low 70s, which for us Brits was warm. However, we were so glad it wasn't the next day, when the temperatures only got into the low 50s. That would not have been pleasant.
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I would suggest checking out the historical weather data for the days you were thinking of going and see if the weather has been *typically* warm enough for you and your family to go and enjoy the experience.
Here are the temps from the last few years: 2014, 2013, and 2012. It's still good to keep in mind though, as others have mentioned, that Florida weather is just simply unpredictable. It's not unheard of to be wearing jackets and sweaters one day and be at the pool in the middle of a heat wave the next. But, at the very least, the data can give you a general idea of what you can expect.
We went the Monday of Thanksgiving week 2014 so not quite December but close. We had a gorgeous, amazing, comfortable day. However, the week before and the rest of Thanksgiving week was in the low 60's, rainy some days and overall chilly. Honestly the only day of our entire trip that would have worked was the day we went to Discovery Cove - we were so lucky!
I can't speak for Dec. but when we went it was mid-March and we found it a bit chilly. If my memory is correct, the river thing we swam through was heated. It was a great day and we felt like we were on an island. Enjoy!
Went twice in late November & it was fine. Remember that they provide different degrees of wetsuits to accomodate personal comfort & the weather (tank - shorts, full suits, etc). Also keep in mind the dolphin encounter is always a little chilled to the average person since 8t is kept at a temperature comfortable for the dolphins not for us. The lazy river & pool are heated. As for the fish & rays the area was significantly warmer than the dolphin encounter pools but not necessarily as warm as the pool. I was too warm in the long sleeve mid leg wet suit. During our second trip to Discovery Cove I went strictly for the tank/short wet suit. You move around so much I was never cold. I hope you have a wonderful time. I look forward to going again.
We have gone in December and it was great. We have also gone in November and we were drinking hot chocolate in the fresh water oasis...that warm water. If it is chilly, you can stay in the warm water oasis for a while. You can also visit the aviary before you get wet, it is much more enjoyable. Plus if you get a cabana, they provide one of the propane gas pole heaters in the cooler months. And, you can always go and take a hot shower to warm up. They also provide hair dryers so you don't have to leave cold and wet if you do get a cool day.
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.