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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!
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05-08-2014, 09:30 PM
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#1
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PassPorter Guide
 Community Rank: Globetrotter 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,041
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Feature Article: Meeting Marty Sklar - A Disney Vacation Club Member Event Review
Meeting Marty Sklar - A Disney Vacation Club Member Event Review
by Adam Clagg
It's not every day that you meet a Disney Legend!
I mean, most of us fanatics are very proud to know the names written on Main Street windows so we can impress friends, so I was more than excited to get an email from Disney Vacation Club the day before our long-planned trip in November saying: "Members invited to meet Disney Legend Marty Sklar on Nov. 19."</p> That got my attention! I skimmed over the email, then with my heart racing, I read it again slowly:
"Disney Legend Marty Sklar, the longtime leader of Walt Disney Imagineering and the only Cast Member to have been part of every Disney Theme Park opening on Earth will sit down with Disney Files Magazine Editor Ryan March for a colorful on-stage interview just for Disney Vacation Club® Members and their Guests on Nov. 19"
We all know how hectic the day before a Disney trip is, but thankfully I had my PassPorter nearby. I opened it and turned to the planning pocket for Nov. 19 and ... YES!!! We are already planning to be at Hollywood Studios that same day AND we have an early lunch at Sci-Fi. The day and timing is perfect! I quickly completed the RSVP, then got busy preparing to drive to Florida the next day. In case you don't know, Disney Legend Marty Sklar began working for the company in 1955 as the editor of the Disneyland newspaper. He was a key figure in many important decisions and events. Marty led Walt Disney Imagineering for many years and recently retired.
Seven days after receiving the email, I was as giddy as a 33-year-old husband and father of two beautiful girls could be. Before lunch I located the Premiere Theatre in the Streets of America area. There were two cast members there that confirmed there was a private event later that day.
My excitement grew even more! When I arrived at the venue, the ropes were up, a line formed, and cast members with clipboards and walkie talkies were present. They checked for my name, asked for my DVC membership card, showed me where to buy Marty's book, reminded me that DVC members get 10% off items, and told me the doors would open at 1:30.
As I walked into the Premiere Theatre, I was surprised to be welcomed by the 2013-2014 Walt Disney World Ambassadors, Tye Arnold and Rich Tamayo. I had read about the Ambassador program before and knew they represented Walt Disney World at important events around the globe. They were extremely nice, looked like they walked off the cover of GQ Magazine, and had personalities that most politicians dream for. Ambassadors are the crème of the crop of cast members. Again, I was reminded that this was going to be a BIG DEAL.
As I waited for the event to start, I found a great second row seat and began reading Marty's new book, Dream It! Do It!: My Half-Century Creating Disney's Magic Kingdoms. Right on cue, the Walt Disney World Ambassadors introduced Ryan March, the editor of Disney Files (the Disney Vacation Club magazine), who told a few stories and introduced Disney Legend Marty Sklar. On the stage, there were two chairs separated by a table holding two glasses of water. The one-on-one interview show had begun!
Then for two hours, our group of less than 200 people listened to amazing stories from a man who spent five decades working on and designing the places and attractions that we love. He shared personal stories about Walt, including his task of writing Walt’s obituary on the day of his death. He told funny stories like the day that Walt, himself, revealed the secret that it was the Walt Disney Company that was buying up all that Florida land, when he showed his driver’s license to a server at one of the only restaurants in the area.
As you would expect from an event hosted by an Imagineer and a magazine editor, there were great pictures and videos on two large screens to go along with the great questions and funny stories. The conversation was much like Marty's book - reminiscing about events and people from the beginning days of WED Enterprises, Disney trivia, and the reminder that Walk Disney Company is built upon main principles that Marty consistently discussed with people. He shared the "Ten Commandments of Mickey" and told us he actually has a few dozen commandments that he has presented to cast members throughout the decades. Some people refer to Marty as the Jiminy Cricket of the company.
Our small group of invited guests sat at the edge our seats, enjoying every minute of this conversation. Even though Hollywood Studios was just outside, we were so glad that Marty and Ryan didn’t keep looking at the clock. They showed a wonderful video clip of Marty's retirement party, when Dick Sherman sang "Never fearing, Imagineering Mar-ty Sklar-e-docious" to the tune of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." At the end, we, of course, gave Marty a standing ovation and waited for instructions for the book signing.
We formed a line in the back of the theater, chatted with other DVC members and cast members who gained entry on their off day. Tye and Rich definitely helped the time pass as they expertly talked with guests, asking questions, and sharing funny stories. I met a couple who got married that week in Disney's Wedding Pavilion and a cast member from Disney's Old Key West (my home resort).
When I neared Marty's table, I handed the event cast member my iPhone and asked her to take as many pictures as possible. Marty shook my hand and was very nice. As he signed my book (with a personal inscription) he asked where I was from. I told him Tennessee and then asked him if he had spent time in Tennessee. He said he visited Knoxville for the 1982 World's Fair. I thanked him and said, "God bless you." (Remember, I am a pastor.) He seemed to appreciate the blessing. I thanked the cast members and left the theater. After three hours, I joined my family and thanked my wife for watching our two young girls. What a fun day!
Added to PassPorter's Article Collection on 05-06-2014 11:05 AM
What do you think? Please add your own comments, experiences, or news related to this article in this thread! Reader feedback is welcomed and encouraged.
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