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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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07-24-2009, 07:00 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: Universal Orlando - Guide to New Attractions
Universal Orlando - Guide to New Attractions
by Michelle Clark
Universal Studios Florida consists of two theme parks with some of the most popular attractions in central Florida. With the local competition including Walt Disney World's four theme parks as well as nearby Sea World and Busch Gardens, area parks are frequently adding, replacing, or refurbishing attractions in order to draw guests wanting new experiences. Universal theme park visitors can look forward to several new attractions currently under construction in both Universal Studios and the Islands of Adventure parks. Universal Studios has not had a new major attraction since the "Revenge of the Mummy" indoor coaster in 2004, so there is much excitement about the two new attractions, one of which just opened this month and one slated to open at the Studios in the near future. "Earthquake - The Big One" closed in early November to be reconfigured as a new attraction titled "Disaster! A Major Motion Picture Ride...Starring You." This new show/ride is similar to the previous "Earthquake" attraction. The pre-show has been re-done with some new celebrity talent. The ride portion, which consists of a subway car in an earthquake, is similar to its predecessor except that it has been updated and enhanced with new technology. The new storyline involves shooting an action film for Disaster Studios starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Guests are asked to star as "extras" in the movie, and will be able to view the finished product once the ride is over.
The Universal Studios attraction currently still in production is The Simpsons ride, which will take the place of the "Back to the Future" ride simulator attraction that closed in March 2007. The premise of this new ride involves that famous TV family, The Simpsons, and a visit to a new amusement park in Springfield created by Krusty the Clown. Universal is reporting that several well-known Simpsons characters will be a part of the ride, and all of the original actors will voice their characters in the attraction. The new Simpsons attraction is scheduled to open in Spring 2008. The old Back to the Future gift shop at the ride exit has already been converted to a "Kwik-E-Mart," which is familiar to fans of the show.
Not an attraction, but expected to draw long lines is a new, larger Starbucks coffee shop, which is located in the former arcade building in the New York section of Universal Studios. There is also a Ben & Jerry's counter.
Many Universal fans feel that Islands of Adventure is long overdue for a new addition, with the only new attraction to open there in the last few years being the "High in the Sky Seuss Trolley," a slow-moving overhead train ride in Seuss Landing. So news of construction on "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" has been met with much excitement and anticipation by Universal guests as well as loyal readers of this immensely popular book series. Islands of Adventure is divided into five uniquely themed "islands." The Harry Potter section will be created as a sixth "island," also described by the Universal press release as a "theme park within a theme park." The new island will consist of a portion of the Lost Continent and adjacent vacant land. Guests will be able to visit several locations familiar to readers of the books including Hogwarts Castle, Hogsmeade, and the Forbidden Forest. The specifics of the attractions to be included in this area have not been released by Universal, however, Universal's official web site states that one attraction will be "state of the art." This island will also include shops and restaurants designed in keeping with the Harry Potter theme. Estimated opening date for "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" is late 2009/early 2010. For more information on the new Harry Potter "island," visit the Universal website where you can see conceptual art, read the official press release, and browse through Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and other information. There is a rumor currently circulating at several theme park Internet websites that Universal may be adding a new coaster to the Studios similar to the "Hollywood Dream" coaster located at Universal Studios Japan. However, this has not been confirmed by Universal and is only speculation at the present time.
For more information and updates on these new attractions, check out the official Universal Orlando web site. There are several Universal fan-based web sites that frequently post information on confirmed and rumored new attractions at the Universal parks. My favorites are http://www.themeparkinsider.com , http://www.screamscape.com , http://www.ioacentral.com, and http://www.orlandorocks.com. There is also a forum on our PassPorter Message boards devoted entirely to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure where Universal news and rumors are regularly posted and discussed.
View the full article and download a free formatted PDF of it here!
Added to PassPorter's Article Collection on 07-24-2009 05:53 PM
What do you think? Please add your own comments, experiences, or news related to this article in this thread! Reader feedback is welcome and encouraged.
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