Forums Closed
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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
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05-01-2008, 11:42 AM
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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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How To Be An Adult (But Act Like a Kid) At Walt Disney World
by Heather MacDonald, PassPorter Guest Contributor
Hello, my name is Heather and I'm a twenty-seven year old Disney-holic. People ask me all the time if I go to meetings. I don't, I just call my travel agent. I just recently returned from Walt Disney World and this trip I realized that there are some things that I'd always assumed were just for kids. Boy was I wrong! Here are some things I learned about how to bring out the kid in me.
The most important thing to remember is this: Don't be embarrassed! The cast members (CMs) have all seen people doing something sillier than whatever it is you're doing. Trust me. They've seen me skipping through Fantasyland with a fist full of balloons!
My first recommendation to bring out the 8-year-old in you is to head to the Magic Kingdom and make your first stop The Chapeau shop, which is tucked down the side street near Tony's Town Square. Pick out your favorite set of Mouse Ears and have the very talented cast member embroider your name on the back. Personally, I love my Jack Sparrow pirate ears, but the classic black are a close second. Now you are dressed and ready to go!
Next stop, if you can manage to get the much sought after reservation, is breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. Have your picture taken with Cinderella and then head on up to breakfast. On our last visit we were the only people without children at breakfast and the cast members gave us a pirate sword and a magic wand to participate in the special "Wishes" ceremony performed by the Fairy Godmother. (Things like this also make great gifts for people back home that are jealous that they didn't get to go to Disney with you. My favorite bartender is currently using the magic wand to disappear customers from the bar at closing time!) If breakfast with Cindy and friends doesn't work out for you, I would recommend either Pooh & Friends at the Crystal Palace or Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort. Just find out where your favorite characters are eating breakfast and make sure you take lots of pictures. Cast members have been very good about taking group photos for me!
After breakfast, plan to take my favorite tour: Mickey's Magical Milestones. This tour is all "on stage" (no backstage access) and takes you through Walt and Mickey's history. You might even get to meet the big guy up close and personal! While it might sound like the Mickey Mouse tour is for kids, it's mostly a history lesson and perhaps better suited for adults. The tour takes about two hours and is cheap by Disney standards: only $25! Contact Guest Services or call 407-WDW-TOUR for information on booking this tour.
By now it's mid to late morning and it's time to ride some rides! Quick -- run (or skip) from Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear to Frontierland to hit Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain. Don't forget to take your Mouse Ears off on the rides! Right about the peak of lunch time is the best time to ride Dumbo The Flying Elephant if you don't do it first thing in the morning. Yes, I said ride Dumbo! If actually riding Dumbo is a bit much for you, at least have someone take your picture sitting in the Dumbo photo spot next to the ride. I have mine hanging up on the refrigerator. Stop by Pirates of the Caribbean and visit with Jack before heading off to lunch. You ate a big breakfast, so you can wait until after the lunch crowds have subsided to grab a hot dog at Casey's and listen to the piano player or leave the park for something more civilized!
After lunch it's time to grab a spot to enjoy the parade. Don't be afraid to interact with the characters as they pass. Some truly magical moments can be had simply by waving or smiling at the right character!
After the parade, plan to head out of the park. Afternoons in the World get hot and crowded. All of those people who do have little kids are now awake and active and wanting to ride the rides. I vote we leave the parks for the day and relax! After a busy day in the parks I love a round of mini-golf at either one of Disney's fantastically themed putt-putts. Finally at the end of day retire at the pool bar for a nice relaxing cocktail after a quick trip down the slide into the pool! If you still have energy or have gotten your second wind, you can always head back to the park of your choice later in the evening once the crowds have thinned out.
With a little planning and the right attitude, there is magic to be had at Walt Disney World for everyone. Leave your self-consciousness at the front gate and plan to enjoy!
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