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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I had to cancel my first trip to WDW because i found out i was having a baby and it was either buy baby stuff or go to WDW, i am that broke. Well now I have a 6 month old and getting trip happy again. I am pretty sure I could get enough $$ together in about a year so my question is, Is it worth it to take a trip to disney just me and my husband before taking the kids or should i just wait and save and make our 1st family trip a big trip?
Why not take your baby when you go? In a year the baby will be 18 months old. I took DD at 7 months and 2 years old and she LOVED it there. We're going again for her 3rd bday. Anyway, I think if you can afford to go and stay at a value with the little one, why not?! You don't have to pay for any food for kids under 3, so take advantage! And their park admission is free, too!!! Wahoo!!!
I agree!!! No, they probably won't remember it, but they will have so much fun and most importantly, they're FREE!!!! They can still fly as a lap child at that age too, if that's what you decide on.
I don't think I could be away from my little one for more than a couple days.
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Stephanie- Mom to Jaden and Emerson, Wife to Keith, Novelist
I'm an independent agent with Fairytale Journeys, specializing in Disney vacations!
Visit my Facebook page!
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I would wait longer. We don't go to Disney every year because we just can't afford it. BUT when we go we go over the top. We are staying at a Deluxe resort for close to 2 weeks, we have our ADV, we're taking a limo to the airport....YES, we could afford to go to Disney each year or every other year if we stayed at a value resort BUT to us, the pampering part of Disney is just as important. So, we only go on BIG vacations every 4 years or so but to us it's worth the wait. In the middle of our BIG trips we still go to drive vacations like NH or the Cape.
We don't have children yet and will be going to WDW for the second time as just a married couple. We personally love it and think it's worth it. We like to go, go, go on vacation and do things, and WDW is just the perfect place for us. Really it's to each their own.
Some advantages now might be that you can ride the thrill rides if that's your thing, or stay at the parks longer without needing a break, enjoy a quiet romantic dinner at a table restaurant that kids might not really enjoy, etc. We also love to just have a few 'adult' drinks and be lazy around the pool all night. There's tons to do as a couple.
But, with that said, if due to budget reasons it means either now or later and that's it... personally I agree that I'd save up and include the kiddos when the time comes and upgrade to a deluxe resort.
It will be magical either way, going as a couple just holds a different kind of magic than when you will experience it with your little ones.
My husband and I did an adults only trip (twice now) when our daughter was just under age 2. We had a blast. It was nice to have a few days where we could rejuvenate ourselves and focus on our relationship. Ariana stayed with grandma, so we knew she was well taken care of. The second trip we took adults only was this past May for his SIL's wedding at WDW. My kids were 5 & 2 and stayed with my mom for the 4 days we were gone. They had a blast hanging with grandma and we checked in daily. Ariana is old enough now that we told her that if she wanted to talk to us, she could call us anytime while we were gone.
Best of luck making your decision.
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Denise
Counting down to....
May 2017 - Poly (Grandma's 1st Trip to WDW)
Sept 2017 - DH's bday celebration
Aug 2018 - DCL Family cruise on the Dream
It is totally worth it to go without kids. My husband and I are going for the second time this December. You have a lot of freedom to do what you want, when you want, without having to worry about height restrictions, strollers, naps, kids menus, etc. Going with kids is a different experience that you'll likely get to have later on when your child gets older, so why not take this one for yourselves?
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- Rachel Currently missing Orlando weather!!!
You can read my recent trip report in-progress here!
I have more fun on Disney trips with my two kids then I ever had before. We started when my daughter had just turned two and the look in their eyes says it all. When the kids are with you, not only do you get to enjoy the trip yourself, but you get to see Disney through the eyes of a child as well! Worth every cent. Children are very alert at 18 months and would probably be in awe in Disney.
Both kind of trips are great....for an adults only trip, it just depends on if you have someone that can actually take the kids for a week or not. We figure we'll have plenty of time to take adults only trips when our kids are grown...they're only little once!!
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Stephanie- Mom to Jaden and Emerson, Wife to Keith, Novelist
I'm an independent agent with Fairytale Journeys, specializing in Disney vacations!
Visit my Facebook page!
Count me in with the worrywarts who wouldn't be able to relax on an adults-only trip. We're at an age where we've had enough time to ourselves, our kidless vacations are done and overwith for at least 18 years.
DH and I have gone on adult-only trips...to WDW, DL and other destinations. It's needed for couple-time! As long as we had a trustworthy, loving babysitter - we were not worried! Did we call and say hi? , but we never felt guilty about having some time to ourselves. In the long run, it's better for children that their parents are doing everything they can to make their family more stable and happy. It helps the children feel more secure and happy when the parents are happy!
But if you decide to take your little one along, our very first trip was with DD who was 8 at the time, DS#1 who was 18 months and DS#2 who was on the way! Does DS#1 remember it? , but he loves looking at the pictures now that he's soon to be 21!
If you can afford a trip next year go for it and take the baby with you. The baby will be about 18 mos old by then. Its a great time to take them. Its amazing to see disney world through the eyes of a child. Each and every time I shed tears.
My littlest one is turning 2 in october and will be making her 6th trip in november. She was 6 weeks old the first time I took her and although she will have no memory of those trips I have wonderful memories of them and lots and lots of photos to share with her.
In her life time she will be making many many more trips that will be memorable for her and me as well.