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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Most websites suggest at least $1 per bag/item, more if any are unusually heavy or require other special handling.
DISboards says $3 per item.
I’m wondering if we need to increase our tipping since we drive and typically have 10-12 bags and things.
We’ve been giving $1/per with a few dollars more because we’ve so much stuff for only two people. Except, I just realized that’s what we’ve tipped bell services for the past several years.
Is it time for a raise, do you think? If so, how much?
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
Great question! I don’t know for you, but for me if I have bag/luggage I would tip $3.00.
Now for our trip in May, I haven’t decided whether I am using the yellow tag- if I bring on the bus and I will have an extra bag with me, I may give $5 or $6, to Bell Services.
Do you really have 10-12 bags?
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Kate in PA All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them- Walt Disney
Are all of those 10-12 bags heavy suitcases, or are there sacks and such included? I could see maybe $20 total, but don't know. I am a tipper, but not necessarily a good one, except at restaurants.
We always use DME and the yellow tags, so we don't use traditional bell service, but I do tip the driver $1 a bag for the carry on's we bring on the bus and then bell service $1 a bag for holding them if our room isn't ready or when we check them for the airline on the way home. I think that is reasonable as neither of these are the same level of work as escorting you to your room with all your luggage. In that case I think $2 to $3 a bag is more appropriate.
As the last person in the universe to prefer a good old fashioned taxi, How much do you tip the Bellmen for calling you a taxi ? I usually go with $2
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We fly so we see the skycaps first and I usually tip them $2 a bag. If I'm in the room for DME to bring them to me, I'll tip the same.
What's weird though is every time I do, I get the biggest smile and "Thank you" from them like they don't expect me to tip them. I'd hate to think it's because these people aren't tipped by others. I appreciate their service so I say it with money along with a Thank you.
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We don't need Bell Services as often as those who fly, but we always start with $2.00 and go up. So when picking up a reserved scooter, $2.00, unless they do something more than just hand us the key and point to it. If I had baggage delivered to my room, I would expect to tip a minimum of $5.00 for two or three bags. We have several large boxes of medical supplies delivered to our room each trip and tip at least $10.00 for that as they are awkward and heavy.
Generally, I think $2.00/bag is still a good number, rounding up to five, ten, etc. for extra good service.
We always fly and never have more then 2 full sized suitcases. If we ever need bell service to help with bags(usually only for split stays) then we always give them $5. $2 just seems really stingy. I also tip the skycap that checks our bag at the resort for airline check in at least that.
We fly so we see the skycaps first and I usually tip them $2 a bag. If I'm in the room for DME to bring them to me, I'll tip the same.
What's weird though is every time I do, I get the biggest smile and "Thank you" from them like they don't expect me to tip them. I'd hate to think it's because these people aren't tipped by others. I appreciate their service so I say it with money along with a Thank you.
I’ve never been in my room when DME delivers our luggage, and probably many aren’t. I’ve read that because this is generally the case their wages reflect this, and tips are included in the wage.
Tipping is one of those personal decisions that vary for everyone. Its customary to tip in the US but not that way in other countries. I think everyone should tip what they are comfortable with for the service provided .
I think everyone should tip what they are comfortable with for the service provided .
Yes, I agree.
However, I also don’t want to tip less than may have become the new norm. That’s why I mentioned that I realized we’ve been tipping $1/bag for several years. I was wondering if others feel that’s inadequate anymore as much as room rates and cost of living have increased.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
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