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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
We've only taken one cruise so far (not Disney) and we went to Bermuda and the Bahamas. This coming April we will be taking our first DISNEY cruise and heading to St. Thomas and St. Maarten.
I've been looking at the excursions for both and have decided that we might try the Coral World Marine Park in St. Thomas. As for St. Maarten I'm stumped. Nothing on the list really appealed to us. Hubby wants a beach day but I don't want a nude beach (I have young boys that really don't need to see such things) What's the easiest way to do a beach day on our own and which beach to go to (note...make sure everyone is wearing clothes)!!!!! LOL
What have you done at St. Maarten?
__________________
PAM WDW October 1993--HONEYMOON--(stayed offsite) WDW May 2001--First trip with our boys--(offsite) WDW June 2005--Vacation w/ the inlaws--(hey, they PAID)!!! Stayed at All Star Movies
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
The easiest way to do a beach excursion is to simply walk off the ship and walk to Phillipsburg. There's a nice, recently re-developed beach with very mild surf within view of the ship. The shops and restaurants of downtown are just behind the beach, and there are watersport rentals, etc. on the beach. It's not fabulous by any means, but convenient, safe, and inexpensive. The nice part is you can go back to the ship whenever you want and still be able to return to the beach later. Since the beach is on the Dutch side (and within view of government offices), clothing is required.
__________________
Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
When we went this past Dec. 2006, we simply walked off our ship and asked a local taxi driver to take us to the best beach. We told her that we did not want a nude beach, but one that we could experience some local goods and enjoy the beach. We went to the french side and it was WONDERFUL!!! We were at the beach most of the day, got to see the countryside on the way in and was able to buy some local stuff from the vendors on the beach. The beach that we went to looked like is was right off a postcard. There was two mountains on either side and the ocean was in the middle. You could rent chairs on the beach and sit back and enjoy. I believe that was one of the best days that we have had on a cruise and I have been on many crusies. Hope that helps and enjoy your crusie no matter what you decide.
Do you remember the name of the beach and how much the taxi was to take you there? I believe we are in ST. Maarten from 8am-7pm. But I'm sure by the time we actually get off the ship and to the beach, it'll probably be close to 10am, right? And then we'll probably leave by 5pm to make sure we're back on the ship.
Did this beach have total clothing? Don't need the nudie ones. How about food on the beach, able to grab something quick if we want? Can you rent chairs/umbrellas or do they provide them on the beach already?
Any info would be great.
__________________
PAM WDW October 1993--HONEYMOON--(stayed offsite) WDW May 2001--First trip with our boys--(offsite) WDW June 2005--Vacation w/ the inlaws--(hey, they PAID)!!! Stayed at All Star Movies
Do it when the boys are asleep, however. I think you have to voluntarily click on the links to the CO beaches before you'll see anything inappropriate. Most of the beaches on the Dutch side are textile. Supposedly the French beaches have textile and CO sections, but I wouldn't bet on that being observed.
About This Page: 
and we went to Bermuda and the Bahamas. This coming April we will be taking our first DISNEY cruise and heading to St. Thomas and St. Maarten. 
What's the easiest way to do a beach day on our own and which beach to go to (note...make sure everyone is wearing clothes)!!!!! LOL
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Definatley the beach
Linear Mode
