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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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01-17-2013, 08:10 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: Welcome to Disneyland Backstage Tour - A Disneyland Behind the Scenes Tour Review
Welcome to Disneyland Backstage Tour - A Disneyland Behind the Scenes Tour Review
by Jennifer Lambert
My husband and I have been to Walt Disney World multiple times since we met in 2002.
Our first trip together was just prior to our engagement in the fall of 2002. In 2012 we did the trifecta: Walt Disney World, a cruise on the Disney Dream and our first trip to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure! Though we have both been to Walt Disney World several times, we had never been to Disneyland. Cars Land was calling us! In doing our research I found out about the special tours and Disney tour guides that are offered. Since we were first-timers to Disneyland, we booked a guided tour called "Welcome to Disneyland." The price was very reasonable - $25 per person, and because we are Disney Visa cardholders we received a discount, so the tour was only $20 per person. What a deal! (Other discounts may also be available.) I marked the calendar for the exact date to book (30 days out) and called to make our reservation at (714) 781-TOUR (8687).
Our trip to Disneyland was part of a larger cross-country road trip from Michigan; we drove in on our first day, checked in at Disney’s Grand Californian for a one night stay, and then stayed off-property for two more. We spent the first of our two park days at Disney California Adventure (DCA), exploring Cars Land, World of Color, Carthay Circle, and the new Buena Vista Street. Our second park day was saved for the place that Walt built, Disneyland!
We arrived at the park just after opening and checked in for our 10:00 am tour about 30 minutes prior, as directed. We explored Main Street, taking in the history of Disneyland past, not venturing too far away from our tour's starting point. Just prior to our tour, our VIP host (Disney "plaids") gave us a questionnaire to complete. The tour also included some perks, such as preferred dining reservations and seating for a show, if we wanted. The Disney tour guides would work hard to make such arrangements for us while we were on the tour, and provide us with reservation details upon completion. Once everyone was checked in, our tour guide gave each of us a special badge and we began our tour. Going out the gates of Disneyland, through the esplanade and back to DCA (for us) was how the tour started. For my husband and I this was a bit of a disappointment, as we had just spent a whole day at DCA and were eager to see Disneyland, but we carried on. Disney tour guides are top notch, full of Disney information and magic; however on our tour we had what appeared to be a guide in training. Our guide was being shadowed by a mentor in the background, and this made the first half of the tour a bit disappointing. Our new guide didn’t yet have the smooth cadence that we would have expected, and we could see that the mentor had to give more than a few tips and corrections while we were in DCA. Honestly, it was a bit frustrating.
After entering DCA we saw a bit of Buena Vista Street, Carthay Circle, and then attended a showing of Muppet Vision. Our guide then took us to get FASTPASSes (if we wanted) for the Hollywood Tower of Terror; then on to quick views of Bugs Land and Cars Land. We then got a glimpse of Paradise Pier and a second FASTPASS stop for Grizzly River Run. (We did not choose to get any FASTPASSes, having been in DCA the day before.)
I actually came to a point during the tour that I was ready to leave the group. Then, something happened. The guide in training was no longer with us and his mentor took over. For me, it was a complete game changer. She had the magic, the right presence, and I was back on board with the tour. We stopped briefly at Condor Flats, made a rest and snack stop back on Buena Vista Street, and then headed back through the esplanade to Disneyland. Finally!
Once in Disneyland we headed down Main Street into the hub. Our guide was well versed in Disney history and able to answer all of the questions we had. We stopped for FASTPASSes to Indiana Jones (which we were delighted to get), and took a back door into Pirates of the Caribbean (no line)! We stopped in New Orleans Square, took a peek at the outside of Club 33 (sadly we did not get to go in!) and then boarded the Disneyland Railroad. Our group included a guest not able to take the railroad, so our guide personally escorted her to Tomorrowland to meet up with the rest of the group when we disembarked from the train. Magical!
We finished up our tour back at the starting point in Town Square. Those who had requested show or dining reservations received their confirmations. All of us on the tour received a special lanyard and trading pin as well as additional FASTPASSes. Since we did not plan to return to DCA, we asked for FASTPASSes for only Disneyland attractions and our guide was able to oblige our request. (We used them later for Star Tours and Space Mountain.)
Overall, the tour was a great experience, despite the rough start. (I am sure the new guide is doing just great now.) We were able to gain backstage information from our guide, and I loved the perks of FASTPASSes and the lanyard and pin. We also found out that if tour participants did not have park hopper passes and wanted to go into DCA to use the FASTPASSes they’d received or to see the Aladdin show, all they had to do was show their tour badge to gain entry. Our tour lasted approximately 3 hours; and while this was a good part of our day, the tour was worth it.
Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World offer tours of differing lengths, parks, cost, and topics. Additionally, Disney offers something called VIP tour guides, which are personalized for your group so you can spend your time playing, not planning. Information on the tours can be found at the Disney Parks websites, and I also found www.allears.net to be very helpful as well as my PassPorter guidebook.
Some details to know about the tours: Reservations are recommended; there may be walk ups, but this is based on availability. Some tours have age restrictions; some tours are seasonal; most tours require park admission; a credit card will be required to make a reservation; and inquire about tour restrictions for any guests with special needs.
Added to PassPorter's Article Collection on 01-15-2013 04:01 PM
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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