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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We got a Nikon D40 (which I love) and a Sony DCR-SR42. We knew ahead of time as we needed new "tools" for our trip We used it Christmas Day and before. Previously we had a older Sony camcorder and a Fuji camera that just doesn't compare....
Camera- Canon Rebel Xti and I knew about it but didn't get it until today. I it! I used it some today. I don't know much about it so I wanted to be gentle with it!
Accessories-
Mini Tripod for table top use or the tops of garbage cans etc
5 ft Tripod but collapses for travel and is light weight
Gorillapod for a SLR camera so that I can attach it to railings and such for parades etc..
8 GB worth of Memory Cards
I just have to get a dedicated camera case for it and a camera bag for all the goodies!
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Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! Studying Hard to Make a Difference!
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.
What did you give (camera or accessory)? Canon S5-IS
Was it a surprise or did the recipient know ahead of time? Kinda... DW has been asking for one, but didn't know I was going to get it for her as a Christmas Gift
Did the recipient use it on Christmas day at all? Yes!
Has the recipient ever had one (or similar) before? We have an old Fuji Finepix that just doesn't cut the mustard for our current needs.
I had asked for a camera, I wanted something small becuase I hate bulky cameras....and I got one. I got the Canon ProShot 1000 with extra memory cards and a card reader and a bunch of other little gadgets...now I can't wait until our June trip so I can actually get some great pcitures without carrying around a dozen little pocket cameras....lol
What did you get (camera or accessory)? I got a Canon Powershot SD850 IS and tons of pretty pointless accessories that go with it (the salesman TOTALLY saw my grandmother coming! )
Was it a surprise or did you know ahead of time? I knew ahead of time. I had picked it out after weeks of research - found a FABULOUS deal on it (saved $150 AND got a free printer) - and gave my grandma the item number and place to buy it.
Did you use it on Christmas day at all? Umm...YES. My grandmother was so sweet...she wanted to make sure it was charged so I could use it when I opened it but she couldn't figure out which part was even the battery so she sent it to my aunt who got it ready for us.
Ever had one (or similar) before? No. We were replacing an Olympus Stylus 500 which was a fabulous camera the first year and a half I had it but over time the picture quality has gotten progressively worse to the point that low light shots were totally unuseable. So far we LOVE this one. It takes great low light shots and I love all of the different programmed settings as well as the ability to change many of the settings manually.
I got a Nikon Coolpix S200 from Santa !! Yes, I knew about it ahead of time I helped him (or his elves) shop for it. I have had two previous Nikon Coolpix cameras and love them. This one is extremely compact and that is the main reason I wanted it. I also looked at the Sony Cybershot W-80 but decided on the Nikon since I already know how everything works on them.
What did you get (camera or accessory)?
I was going to get a Canon XTi but found a smokin' hot deal on a 30D with a 28-135 IS. Also got a really nice tripod.
Was it a surprise or did you know ahead of time?
I knew all about it.
Did you use it on Christmas day at all?
Absolutely!
Ever had one (or similar) before?
Many.
And for those who GAVE cameras or gear:
What did you give (camera or accessory)?
Kodak point & shoot and digital picture frame.
Was it a surprise or did the recipient know ahead of time?
It was a complete surprise.
Did the recipient use it on Christmas day at all?
Yup.
Has the recipient ever had one (or similar) before?
Camera yes, frame no. I killed the last camera when the waterproof case sprung a leak.
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
Yep! We got a Pentax K10D, which is amazing... we actually got it before Christmas, but we rationalized it because our Christmas trip to WDW started on Nov 21st! The pictures that camera takes are amazing!
We did surprise our DD's with SmartPix cameras for the trip, and both of them loved them.
I gave DH a gorillapod for his birthday and he used it at Mousefest. He found that even just attaching the legs to his shoulders it gave his camera more stability when taking photos of fireworks, etc. I gave him a 4MB disc for Christmas.
A gorillapod went to our DD also. She and her dad both have a great photographic eye!
I got a 12 mp point and shoot. I was hoping for a SLR but I'm happy with the 12 mp. I haven't had time to read the entire manual. I know the basics.
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Melanie
June 1985-off site/March 2004- Pop & OKW
Aug. 2004- Hurricane Charlie POR & FWCG/July 2005- Grand Villa OKW
Feb. 2006-Pop/Feb. 2007- AS Music, WL, AS Movies
Sept. 2011- Disney Med Cruise
Hello!
I recieved an Olympus E-510 DSLR with the two lenses. I knew about it but my husband tried to suprise me (I pretty much made it known that I had to have this camera). I also got a Manfrotto/bogen tripod. Now I just need my Crumpler camera bag and I'll be all set
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We used it Christmas Day and before. Previously we had a older Sony camcorder and a Fuji camera that just doesn't compare....
it! I used it some today. I don't know much about it so I wanted to be gentle with it! 
)
!! Yes, I knew about it ahead of time I helped him (or his elves) shop for it. I have had two previous Nikon Coolpix cameras and love them. This one is extremely compact and that is the main reason I wanted it. I also looked at the Sony Cybershot W-80 but decided on the Nikon since I already know how everything works on them.
*tear*
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