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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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Yesterday, we received some news that wasn't so good. Travis was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. He has to give himself 5 insulin shots a day and check his blood sugar level at least 3 times a day.
Within a two week period, he lost about 30 pounds, his eye sight went haywire, he lost his appetite, couldn't get enough liquids and constantly going to the bathroom. Basically, he felt like crap. When I went to see him last weekend, he didn't look real well, but his roommate had a terrible cold and he said he felt like he was getting it from him. After a few phone calls to the doctor he was set up for an appointment on Thursday. Within 4 hours on Thursday, we saw the family doctor and then a specialist. It's still kind of a shock. His lifestyle has been altered greatly and he's really depressed. He's thinking about dropping out of college this semester to learn his schedule for his shots and study as much as he can about this disease. I'm not sure what he'll do. One of the things he asked me on the way home from the doctor was, "I wonder how we'll keep the insulin cool when we go to Disney in December?"
Please keep us in your thoughts over the next week. Alot of decisions will be made. Hopefully, they will be the right ones.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
That's one big life-changing announcement.
It is controlable. My Dad has Type 1, and monitors himself daily, plus does insulin and some sort of new inhaleable drug.
When he went to WDW with us, he took the insulin on the plane in a thermal carrying case especially for it (they will allow it on the plane - it's a medication) and then WDW will bring a fridge into the room at the resort if there isn't one already. You won't be charged for it since you'll need it for medical reasons. Dad used his portable thing for in the parks too.
Have Travis talk to his pharmacist about it - they are usually much more informed about storage and transport of meds than Dr.s.
Also, see if there is a support group for newly diagnosed young adults in your area. It may help.
And, lots of Pixies to you and especially to Travis. It's not great news, but it is liveable with some modifications.
One of my good friends from high school was diagnosed with Type 1 when she was 31. It was a lifestyle change certainly, but one she learned to live with. She's now on an insulin pump, which she says is much easier, but I don't think you get to go on those right away!
Luckily nowadays they're coming up with more and more ways to get insulin and hopefully soon daily injections will become irradicated.
Look for some gel packs that you can freeze and thus carry in a fanny pack/backpack when you go to WDW. I always take them to work as they keep my cokes in my bag cold.....and every morning they go back in the freezer to become frozen again.
Yesterday, we received some news that wasn't so good. Travis was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. He has to give himself 5 insulin shots a day and check his blood sugar level at least 3 times a day.
Within a two week period, he lost about 30 pounds, his eye sight went haywire, he lost his appetite, couldn't get enough liquids and constantly going to the bathroom. Basically, he felt like crap. When I went to see him last weekend, he didn't look real well, but his roommate had a terrible cold and he said he felt like he was getting it from him. After a few phone calls to the doctor he was set up for an appointment on Thursday. Within 4 hours on Thursday, we saw the family doctor and then a specialist. It's still kind of a shock. His lifestyle has been altered greatly and he's really depressed. He's thinking about dropping out of college this semester to learn his schedule for his shots and study as much as he can about this disease. I'm not sure what he'll do. One of the things he asked me on the way home from the doctor was, "I wonder how we'll keep the insulin cool when we go to Disney in December?"
Please keep us in your thoughts over the next week. Alot of decisions will be made. Hopefully, they will be the right ones.
Thanks so much - Regina
1. and to Travis as he learns to adjust his lifestyle.
3. WDW will provide a free refrigerator in the value resorts (the others have free ones. ) Ask housekeeping and they will provide a sharps container. And the new 'Open Mouse' guide indicates that insulin can be left at the first aid stations (or he can carry one of those portable cooling sets).
4. Almost all restaurants have some sugar free alternatives (and the ice cream carts usually have it even if there is not a sign.
5. I also recommend joining the American Diabetes Assn (American Diabetes Association Home Page). You can get discounts on cookbooks etc., and the magazines will help you learn to cope with this lifelong inconvenience>
To Travis: Don't give up college time for this. You CAN do it! Do some training with roomates (you Dr. will tell what to watch for high or low blood sugar.) (I am a type II that takes insulin). The student health center will also provide assistance.
Diabetes runs in my dad's family. I know for certain there are some great options for transporting medications and keeping them with you throughout the day. I'd say it's pretty much standard equipment - a diabetes kit - for those who require injections.
One thing he should be aware of is cuts, scrapes, and scratches. Diabetics have a tendency to either heal improperly or have small cuts turn into bad infections that can literally become life-threatening. My grandfather lost the lower portion of one leg because of a heel spur that wouldn't heal and became severely infected. (We call him Peg-leg Popop now. )
diabetes runs in my aunts family (my moms' brother's wife). it can be managed, and you can go to disney!! check out AllEars' Disney with Type 1 Diabetes . they have some great info about it.