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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Is there such a thing as a bag that can be carried in the parks that wouldn't have to be stowed in those lockers? I usually carry a cross-body bag to WDW, but when I took it to Universal a couple of years ago, I had to put it in the lockers every time. You know, I can understand on the biggest thrill rides, but it seems to me you have to stow your bag a lot at Universal/IOA. I remember trying to get in the queue for Men in Black, not exactly a thrill ride, and being told I had to use a locker.
If my son needs to remove his glasses, then I don't mind using a locker to store them, but otherwise those things are just an annoyance to me. How can I generally avoid them? Suggestions?
I know they are not stylish (although there are some really cute ones on Etsy) but I honestly use a fanny pack. Ive never had to use a locker at Disney or Universal. Sure they dont hold a ton of stuff but im always surprised at what I can fit
On our last trip to Universal I wore cargo shorts with a lot of pockets, I then just carried everything in my pockets. Of course I had to not take as much as I normally would but it was worth it not having to stand in locker lines.
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You can't avoid the lockers on the big coasters at all. They use metal detectors and hand wands to check for any loose items now as well.
You may be able to use a fanny pack with three prong closure on other rides, as I don't think policy has changed there.
The locker situation really isn't as bad as it seems. They give you plenty of time to use it.
I wear my Passporter pouch for carrying a few small things, and it makes my tickets and Express passes really handy. If you can slide it under your shirt, you can usually expect to be able to wear it on most every ride.
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One thing I love about Universal is that they've taught me that I really don't need to take a ton of stuff with me to the parks. Now I do take a small backpack when we know we're doing the water rides so I'm prepared to use the lockers that day. But for the most part, my small wallet fits into my buttoned pockets in my cargo shorts and I carry a small camera that hooks to my belt loop. I've never been scanned to get on the coasters and my camera always stays attached to me.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mamasann
But for the most part, my small wallet fits into my buttoned pockets in my cargo shorts and I carry a small camera that hooks to my belt loop. I've never been scanned to get on the coasters and my camera always stays attached to me.
Things changed this summer...no loose items in pockets or attached (like your camera) for the three large coasters.
Things changed this summer...no loose items in pockets or attached (like your camera) for the three large coasters.
Good to know!
I guess my plan will be to try the fanny pack and hope that works for everything except The Hulk, Rip Ride Rocket, and Dragon Challenge, right? DS will have to remove his glasses for those anyway. I really can't believe he even wants to ride Rip Ride Rocket, but he wants to do it, so as his constant voice to try new things, I will of course ride with him. Oh my!
I suppose I'll start looking for a fanny pack. I want one that will fit under my shirt. I just hate the look of those things.
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I'd suggest getting him Croakies for his glasses so that he can wear them on rides without fear of falling off. He doesn't have to take glasses off...they do allow you to wear them (my son and DH wear them on rides without safety straps but I worry every time).
You may also find that they make you use the lockers at MIB, Gringotts, and Mummy even with a fanny pack....just be prepared for it.
Wow, they're really getting strict! Guess too many folks have lost stuff on the rides.
And a lot of walkways go underneath the coasters. A mobile phone flying out of your pocket and smashing into the ground is one thing, having it crash into a passer-by's head is quite another!
I like my little baggalinni too. You could probably tuck that under a shirt on most rides and its cuter than a fanny pack, and very skinny with a strap. I can't remember what it was called at the time, but it is a petite crossbody on the website now.
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I know I answered this before. But I did want to point out that if you use a lanyard, you can keep those on for the rides. The one sold her by Passporter (Passporter Pouch) actually holds quite a bit and it what I use as a lanyard.
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