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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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It amazes me as being a major airport like JFK is that it seems that they don't have any onsite hotels like Orlando and others! It sucks that you have to travel quite a while to get to a hotel. I've been to JFK so many times(live in CT) and can't remember seeing any lodging there and probably correct about this!
It is a big enough airport so there should be room for a hotel. Even with how easy we found our way it was still over 30 minutes to find our way out of the airport and to the hotel.
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I've experienced so much on little sleep but have a very strong sense of have to get this done so I just keep going until I can finally stop and then pass out.
( Day 2) Part 3 - getting to Greece. We're so Special!
I slept hard for about 5 hours, woke up at 2 AM, DD was awake too, it was stuffy in the room and too quiet for her, so I fiddled with the AC, turned on the radio (she normally sleeps with one on). I laid down for a bit but couldn’t sleep but I knew this would be a problem for me, especially at first - so got up, showered, dressed, and repacked what we had gotten out.
I went outside (3:36AM local), there were benches to sit and flower boxes.
Several people came and went and were hanging out. It was only 76 degrees and not too muggy, there was a slight breeze which felt nice. I posted to Facebook, checked PP boards, texted DH, then went to back inside. I ate some peanut butter crackers we had brought, took meds then woke up Beth so we could get ready to catch the shuttle at 5:30.
Shuttle arrived, we had a very nice driver, he loaded our bags and asked us what airlines we were flying. I had planned that we would be returned to Federal Circle, then take the tram to terminal 4 to find Virgin Atlantic but the shuttle took us right to the terminal, very nice. As he gave got our luggage he told us once we got inside we needed to take the elevator to 4th floor, needless to say I gave him a tip as he was so helpful. After following the drivers directions we arrived in a large room full of people and lots of airlines check in desks. There were lots of people but we did find Virgin towards the end of the terminal and got in line which was long.
I was concerned because time was starting to get short before our departure. A Virgin worker was going along the line asking for people who plane left within 2 hours so we got her attention and she led us to another line where there was only one person in front of us! We felt quite special. We had brought 1 medium size bag, a carry on each, Beth’s personal item was a smallish backpack and my travel bag. We checked the medium and both carry-ons since we got 2 bags free apiece with premium economy but I had come prepared for the next flight of our leg where we had to pay extra for each bag we checked.
Signage last night was so good we had no issues but was less so in this terminal and a bit confusing. After security, as we were making our way to the gate we saw a McDs and Dunkin Donuts but nothing else of interest that was open and noted where they were. We continued on to find the gate, hit the restroom, and rested a bit.
We decided to walk back to McD’s. Beth got pancakes and a hash brown, while I got a egg & sausage burrito, hash brown and since they had tea I got a cup. I always ask about filling our water bottles since I always carry one and worker said we could which was all DD wanted to drink. DD didn't eat much and I was only a bit but I knew we needed some food.
After returning to gate it was about time to load. We walked onto Virgin Atlantic and looked around at how big the plane was compared to the smallness of U.S. planes now. I understand airlines are trying to save money by squishing us all in but it's not something I enjoy.
We found our seats; I had picked these because they were 2 by the window and were the only seats in the row. I had set aside extra for flying premium economy - I knew I would not do well on a 7.5 hour flight especially (as my DF calls) the cattle car.
In our seats were a blanket, pillow, water bottle and head phones already waiting for us 😊 We settled into our seats, with me in the isle and the attendant came by bringing juice and champagne. DD thought the sound of champagne sounded so glamorous and wanted to try some. We had previously discussed this and I told her she could. I choose orange juice. After she had tried a sip, she made a funny face and I said something like, "not very glamorous?" She thought it was awful and still today talks about how terrible it tasted to her.
Then asked for OJ too.
(I apologize for the lack of pics, you will find out why in a bit.)
Too bad you couldn't sleep but probably being excited for your trip! Looks like boarding went well for the two of you and nice touches with the airline and everything they provided in your seats. Funny with your daughter trying the Champagne.
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
Sounds like you have comfy seating for the next phase of your trip. I assume your daughter is 18? And I assume they allow her to have champagne because it’s an international flight? That’s cool!
I'm so glad you enjoyed Virgin Atlantic - isn't Premium Ecinomy lovely? Be careful though - you'll end up like us, never able to go back to cattle class and yes we call it that too!
I get it about the champagne. I find a lot of them too dry for me, so yes glamorous maybe, but only if you like the stuff. You should've asked for a Buck's Fizz - essentially champagne and orange juice. It's what we have, makes it drinkable!
Too bad you couldn't sleep but probably being excited for your trip! Looks like boarding went well for the two of you and nice touches with the airline and everything they provided in your seats. Funny with your daughter trying the Champagne.
I think my body just said it's wake up time since it would have been 7AM at home but once i was awake and started to think about the trip and crossing the Atlantic - that woke me up even further so I couldn't go back to sleep!
DD was 18 and I know '21' is the legal age in most places but I've found being chill about letting my girls try a sip of a drink usually gets a negative reaction. DD will probably never have champagne again and is not interested in trying other alcoholic drinks either.