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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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My dad and I are going to Universal for the first time in 10 years, so I don't know much about it. I'm hoping someone can help me with my question. I read online that the Belz Outlet Mall has a Universal booth where you can get a Universal Pass that is good for 20% off food in Universal. Does anyone know if this information is current? I don't want to have to make a stop at this mall just to find out that they no longer offer this pass. I tried calling the mall, but the information person only told me that the Universal booth did not have a phone and then hung up on me; not very helpful. Anyway, I would really appreciate any help anyone can give me. Thanks.
I think the best place to get Universal Tickets is on line. The Unlimited 2 park pass, good for 7 consec. days for $81.00 Then when you finish with your purchase yor are asked if you want to take a quick survey on your on line experience, after which they give you a voucher to print out for a discount booklet you pick up at The Universal Store or Isl. Of Adv. Trading Co. As well if you have AAA it's good for discounts in Universal too. You can also go to Orlandocoupons.com & print out coupons for Universal restaurants.
I don't know about the booth in the mall, but Univesal has a meal deal ticket on line. We used it last year. You pay one fee, $19.99 I think, you get a bracelet to wear ,and you have unlimited meals in 3 certain restaraunts. It may be 6 restaraunts, I really can't remember. I know that my two teenage girls ate 6 different times that day at restaraunts and it was all covered by that one price. There is also a deal available called the sipper cup for unlimited refills.
I don't know about the booth in the mall, but Univesal has a meal deal ticket on line. We used it last year. You pay one fee, $19.99 I think, you get a bracelet to wear ,and you have unlimited meals in 3 certain restaraunts. It may be 6 restaraunts, I really can't remember. I know that my two teenage girls ate 6 different times that day at restaraunts and it was all covered by that one price. There is also a deal available called the sipper cup for unlimited refills.
That sounds like a good deal! I'll have to keep it in mind if my DD and I make it to Universal next May!
Does anyone know of any discounts other than AAA for the hotels at Universal? We would be staying only one night (it would be Friday night May 22 if we can!)
I haven't heard of a 20% off coupon at Belz Outlet's Universal booth, but unless you're going by there or visiting the outlet mall, it probably isn't worth it to go out of your way to visit it.
Besides, if you have a AAA or CAA membership, you can flash your card and save 10% on food and merchandise (excluding food and merchandise carts). If you flash anything else, you might get arrested.
IMHO, I would use the AAA discount unless you're already planning on going to Belz Outlet.
That sounds like a good deal! I'll have to keep it in mind if my DD and I make it to Universal next May!
Does anyone know of any discounts other than AAA for the hotels at Universal? We would be staying only one night (it would be Friday night May 22 if we can!)
We thought that it was a great deal. You can get the Meal Deal at the parks, but I think that the unlimited refill cup is only on line with purchase of the Meal Deal. You could try Lowes First for a possible upgrade, but I don't know of any discounts besides AAA.
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You can buy the unlimited refill cups at the parks separate from the meal plan.
I don't mean the cups that you pay to refill. The Meal Deal has an add on cup that you pay one price for and all of the refills are free. Several people at US had the Meal Deal while we were there but no one had the cups, they all had the refill souviner cups paying to refill at $1.99 each time. We had a different cup that was refilled for free, none of the other people that we spoke to had ever heard of this. It is on the Universal web site and you can purchase as many cups as you have Meal Deals, but you cannot purchase this refillable cup by itself.
I don't mean the cups that you pay to refill. The Meal Deal has an add on cup that you pay one price for and all of the refills are free. Several people at US had the Meal Deal while we were there but no one had the cups, they all had the refill souviner cups paying to refill at $1.99 each time. We had a different cup that was refilled for free, none of the other people that we spoke to had ever heard of this. It is on the Universal web site and you can purchase as many cups as you have Meal Deals, but you cannot purchase this refillable cup by itself.
I'm Definately going to look for this, watch mousesavers, and check with AAA when the new rates come out! THANKS
I used CAA for a discount at The Hard Rock (we are doing 1 night too). Sometimes you can get a deal on Expedia, but may be for stays more than 1 night. Book early, because allot of the time they run out of rooms for 1 night check-ins. If you have the res., you can always change it if you find a better rate. But if you wait for the good rate, you may not be able to get it on the date you want.
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We didn't buy the Universal Meal Deal and ended up glad that we didn't. We only ate one meal a day in the park while we were there (total of three days), leaving each day around 3pm as the parks got ungodly crowded (Spring Break).
We did purchase the refillable cup and found it a good deal for us since we used it all three days. I don't remember the cost to refill though.
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Michelle - with my step sisters!
OMG I shouldn't have been eating while reading your post Barry!!
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