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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 just started researching SLRs. I currently own 2 Sony Cybershots but want something that can take better pictures. I'm looking to use the camera to get nice shots of fireworks at Disney and to take to Nashville Predators hockey games and get great action shots.
I've been shopping around and stopped in a Wolf Camera last night. The lady recommended the Sony A200. She said it's a great starter camera. She said that you can't use the A200's LCD screen to view while taking shots. I'm considering the A300 since you can use the LCD screen while taking pictures. Being short this is a good extra to have.
I'm looking to spend no more than $700. Do you agree this is a good camera to get? Or is there another you recommend? I do plan on getting the 75-300mm lens.
Thanks for any advice. I'm new to this type of camera and could really use any input anyone has.
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Any DSLR is a sizable investment that has a pretty good potential to keep growing. You should not only consider how you will use it now, but also how you might use it in the future AND how you might accessorize. If you're the creative type your future needs may be beyond an entry level body and you'll find yourself looking for another soon (DW still hasn't forgiven me for this ;-)). If you want to be just a little more creative and have a little more flexibility then entry level is fine.
Be sure to play with anything before you purchase. At the time of my first DSLR purchase I had three bodies I was interested in based on features; Canon Rebel XT, Minolta 5D and Nikon D50, in that order. The Canon just didn't fit my hands and the Minolta had availablity issues because of the Sony acquisition. So I ended up with the Nikon.
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I borrowed a Canon Rebel XTI from my school a few weeks ago and it's wonderful.
I've also used a Nikon D40 which is quite simple and good for people who don't really want to deal with all the crazy settings that a lot of DSLR's have.
We have the Canon Digital Rebel XT. DH has previous Canon cameras (and lenses) which is why we went this route (lenses are interchangeable). Great camera!!
Just realize that the camera you get is not just magically going to take better pictures... SLRs have their own quirks and you will have to still learn how to create that great picture - especially with fireworks!
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And I'm the oddball here, I use Olympus DSLR's. I have the E-500 and the E-520, love them both.
Having said that, I have used the Nikon, Canon, and the Sony DSLR cameras. They each have their advantages and disadvantages, but they are all good cameras.
My suggestion is to determine what it is you want to do, both now and in the future. Visit Wolf, or any other well stocked camera store and play with each one. Some won't fit right, some won't feel right... when you find the ones that feel and fit right, then narrow that field down based on your needs and go from there.
Once you decide, you'll need to go out and use it, a lot. Getting a DSLR won't guarantee you'll take good pictures, lots and lots of practice will. Learn the cameras good points, as well as it's bad ones...
A DSLR is a big investment, take your time and chose wisely...
I have the Sony A100 with the two lenses (18 - 70 and 75 - 300). I it and thoroughly enjoyed using it for our WDW vacation this past June. But I did purchase it in October last year after doing quite a bit of research to find what would fit my needs best, and then I practiced at all kinds of family events to get better at taking the photos I wanted. Unfortunately, nothing prior to WDW prepared me for fireworks and after dark parades, but I played around and finally got some decent photos. As other folks have said, there is no magical camera guaranteed to take the perfect shot. in deciding what to purchase.
Just realize that the camera you get is not just magically going to take better pictures... SLRs have their own quirks and you will have to still learn how to create that great picture - especially with fireworks!
and I'm also a Canon photographer
I couldn't agree more. I have had mine about a year now (Nikon D40) and am still trying to figure out how to use it. I took it with me on my trip to WDW a few weeks ago and really had issues getting good night shots.
Be prepared for a little frustration but when you get the picture right, the results are beautiful.
If you willing to spent that much do yourself a favor and go with Cannon or Nikon the the top 2 on the market and they take the best pics I have taken classes for photo and the teacher said all the professional use those 2 good luck hope this helps
actually I know quite a few pros who use Olympus... I won't touch the brand myself, but to each their own...
as for night shots, the only way to go is to learn how to shoot manual IMHO... the camera doesn't get what you're trying to take a picture of most of the time so you have to decide what to shoot it at. I know that cameras have that low light/fireworks button, but people still complain... tripod and night time = best combo.
actually I know quite a few pros who use Olympus... I won't touch the brand myself, but to each their own...
as for night shots, the only way to go is to learn how to shoot manual IMHO... the camera doesn't get what you're trying to take a picture of most of the time so you have to decide what to shoot it at. I know that cameras have that low light/fireworks button, but people still complain... tripod and night time = best combo.
I'm one of those that uses the Olympus, but it's my preference and we each have our own preferences
I agree with Tonichelle here, the best way for night shots is to learn manual. Depending on the situation, I prefer to set everything myself, use a tripod/monopod/fixed object and shoot away, especially with the fireworks and night parades.
If you're looking to take night shots of static objects (buildings, the castle, things like that) I prefer to use "P" mode on my cameras, however, I also use the timer to delay the actual picture taking moment until 2 seconds after I press the shutter button and I have the camera stabilized.
Practice is the key, go out and take lots and lots of pictures. For night shot practice, visit your local town and shoot night street shots, shopping centers, government buildings, etc...
There is really no way to practice for fireworks shots until you get there, but you can get comfortable with night shooting and that will allow you to make necessary changes as you need to so you get some decent shots...
and to sound like my usual broken record - FLASH WILL NOT HELP... the light does not go far enough AND it annoys the people around you... unless you're doing night shots of people don't bother.
I love my Nikon D-80, especially that I can quickly take multiple shots. As other have said, get to know the camera before your trip.
I have 2 lenses. A 28-80 and and 75 - 300. Sometimes the75-300 is just a little too close, especially in tight locations. Think character meals. I'll probably travel witht eh 28 - 30 lens, since I just can't justify the cost of the perfect 18 - 200 lens.
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.
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Looking to purchase a SLR...need advice
I'm new to this type of camera and could really use any input anyone has.
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Pixie Dust
it!! You can't use the LCD screen to take the photos though 
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in deciding what to purchase.
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