The Life of a VIP - Adventures By Disney Backstage Magic - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
What an amazing last evening, love the sketch of Goofy, what a great memory and keepsake. Glad that you got to share in the fireworks with some wonderful friends and travel mates. I love how your last moments were outside Walt's apartment, staring at his light. This has been such an amazing trip...so many great experiences. So I am curious what tour that you really were not interested in did Michael almost sell you on?
Michael almost had me booking the Costa Rica tour! He made it sound really amazing!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caldercup
*sniff, sniff*
That picture of Goofy the animator drew for you made me get all weepy on your behalf. It's so perfectly YOU!
*sniff*
What a great experience, Shashi. And your storytelling and pictures are simply divine!
Eileen
Yeah, I was tempted to get a different, more unusual character, but how could I not get Goofy! Really!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
What a wonderful last evening - and yet again, when you think this can't get any better, it does. I am seriously thinking about an Adventure by Disney - goodness knows when, but maybe one day...
Well, I have to admit that it gets worse after that night, but only because I went home!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tink and co.
I your Goofy sketch! It's so amazing to me how she could talk and whip up that amazing drawing all at the same time.
Are you thinking of Costa Rica? Michael had me all sold on going there, and then I came home and reality (and a daughter only one year away from college) snuck in. I still think about it, though...
Thanks for a truly wonderful trip report. You've really captured the spirit of the Adventure! It's brought back so many memories, and I loved noting the little differences among trips.
Stacia was incredible to watch, right? Especially for me, with so little artistic talent. Yes, I have to say Costa Rica wasn't on my wishlist before, but it is now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsteiny23
I'm all teary here...I don't know if it's because your TR is coming to a close or the PMS that is making me sit here with potato chips and onion dip while I read it...but still (Okay TMI, but I'm not in control of my actions)
Love the sketch!! What a fabulous surprise. There is no way I would have been able to choose! She was amazing. You've completely sold me on this trip. Of course I'm going to need a bigger piggy bank, but I'm up to the task.
Dawn, you crack me up! And you never have to worry about one of my TRs ending. That usually means a new one is about to start (or has already started ).
Quote:
Originally Posted by HollyH
So sad that it's coming to an end -but what a great trip it has been. I, too, am curious about which ABD trips you are considering. There are a ton I would love to do. Must win the lottery first .
My DM and I are going to do Italy next year. And I'm sure I'll be doing another one in 2012. Haven't decided which one yet. Maybe Alaska?
Quote:
Originally Posted by pamcarey
What a great ending to a fabulous trip! If I win the lottery, I'm going to do all of the ABD's!!
That reminds me. I need to buy a lottery ticket. I do think it's a shame that Disney doesn't market these better. When you look at the itinerary, they never sound as good as the actual experience is. They try too hard to keep the surprises, and it ends up underselling the adventure IMO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ilovedisney247
What a wonderful last day! I loved reading about this trip-I'd love to do it someday! I especially loved the drawing they did for you and am glad to hear that you have had it framed! I wish they would do the IASW update at WDW! I love seeing the Disney characters!
It makes me laugh a little about the iasw update. So many people were up in arms over the rehab, and all for nothing! And if you're looking for a roomie, you know who to call!
Quote:
Originally Posted by doccoc2002
This was an amazing adventure...I will have to wait until the kids are grown up to take it or at least until the youngest is 16which is very sad!
This was an adults only Adventure, but I'm pretty sure they do additional kid-friendly activities when kids are along. Unless your kids are big Disney dorks, though, it's probably best to wait until they're older. At least tweens/teens.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhToodles!
Maybe THIS is what they're doing at WDW while IASW is down for like 2.5 months. (It's closed 8/1-10/22)
I thought so, but something tells me that it would take longer than that. It was down at DL for a long time (like 6 months or so, but I could be making that up). We'll find out soon enough.
__________________
Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
About This Page: 
I am seriously thinking about an Adventure by Disney - goodness knows when, but maybe one day... 
your Goofy sketch! It's so amazing to me how she could talk and whip up that amazing drawing all at the same time.
Michael had me all sold on going there, and then I came home and reality (and a daughter only one year away from college
) snuck in. I still think about it, though...
(Okay TMI, but I'm not in control of my actions)
.
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Threaded Mode
