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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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This is our second book by author Susan Wiggs. The last book by this author had a strong Disney influence in subtle ways. Let's see if this one has the same influence.
THe author actually paid us a visit during the last book club. Here is her message with some links for more info about her books.
Dear Pass Porters, Sandy was nice enough to let me know about this book discussion. I SO appreciate you reading and chatting about JUST BREATHE. I wrote that book back in 2005, so it's like hearing about old friends. Anyway, I just wanted to drop in and say thank you so much! Readers are the reason I do what I do. And I love everything Disney! More info about me and my books can be found at Susan Wiggs. There is always something going on at my blog, too: The View From Here Happy reading to all! Susan Wiggs
Baseball hopeful Bo Crutcher is about to get his shot at the majors. That is, until life throws him a curveball. When AJ, the son he's never met, lands on his doorstep, Bo's life becomes a whole new ball game. He needs help—fast. Enter Kimberly van Dorn. Hired to smooth Bo's rough exterior for the media, she expects the kind of shallow pro athlete she's used to handling. But Bo is willing to sacrifice everything for his vulnerable son. Kim can train him to hit a home run with the press, but over a breathtaking winter on frozen Willow Lake, she realizes he has far more to teach her about the game of life…and putting love first.
Please help me set the pace for reading. We have to be careful to only discuss up to the assigned chapters each week so we don't spoil surprises for others. Of course, you may read ahead!
Who would like to decide how many chapters to read for week 2/21 thru 2/28?
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.
I haven't opened the book yet but once I do I'll give a suggestion. With Oscar weekend I will be glued to E! so not sure how much reading I'll get done.
I'm already through chapter 6, so whatever you decide is fine with me. I had to take a break to do some work on DD's accident stuff, but that seems to be somewhat easing up and may be able to move forward without so much attention next week. Will be watching to see.
__________________
Betty Sue
Affiliated with CruisingCo.Com/MouseEarVacations.com
Disney Destination Specialist/ BettySueS@cruisingco.com August '09 Trip
Like a good baseball game I find myself spending what seems to be minutes but in reality is much longer. I often stand in the dugout and watch a complete double header without hardly moving and very little water intake without my "brother" offering me a glass.
I bought the book this afternoon adn am already into chapter 4.
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.
I don't have time to be part of the book club, but I wanted to chime in and say I've just discovered Susan Wiggs' books in the last few months, and I'm thoroughly enjoying them. I'm reading Just Breathe right now, and Fireside is part of a series-I've read the whole set, including Fireside, I bought it the day it came out! (I work in a bookstore, so I was watching for it!) I hope everyone enjoys the book as much as I did!
Hi everyone! I just bought the book today, so going to start reading now! It's 8:40 pm now! I don't know how much reading I'll get either tomorrow, I'm busy polishing up my tiara for girlfriends Oscar Party
Hi everyone! I just bought the book today, so going to start reading now! It's 8:40 pm now! I don't know how much reading I'll get either tomorrow, I'm busy polishing up my tiara for girlfriends Oscar Party
Well, tiara polishing always trumps book club!
I can't believe how this book grabs you! Like Daniel, I just picked it up and I am already on chapter 4.
Here is our first discussion point suggestion:
The opening of this book creates a momentum that something is happening. What do you think we are being set up for? Do you feel driven to read on, and why? Please don't discuss any information you find after chapter 4.
Here are my thought...I think the airport setting may have put me in the mindframe of LOST. I could almost hear the music and see the slow-motion glances and social interactions in my mind.
This started with the image of a career minded Cinderella running away from Prince Violent.
I feel like our not-so-recovering-alcoholic-ball-player and our refugee-sequined-red-head are going to have some future interactions.
This book is interesting, I think, because it has two main characters at the moment-a guy and a girl. It is a smart way to open up a book because it draws in the sports minded guys as well.
Good Morning Book Club! Today I will pick up the book - I'm trying to get red carpet ready but hopefully will have time before I slid into my Spanx. Just kidding I will be wearing sweats and fuzzy slippers to the Oscars this year.
The beginning of the book grabbed me, too! I had to continually stop myself from flipping forward to find out what the heck had happened to Kim. When Bo was introduced, I found myself fighting the same urge to find out what had brought him to the airport.
I must say that the acts of chivalry by Bo at the airport left me a little sad and frustrated. His actions were truly acts of kindness, yet both were viewed with suspicion. While Kim's reaction may have been rooted in her feelings of what she had just been through, the reaction of the young mother was sadly rooted in the reality of today's world.
I love the different layers that are being opened up to Kim as she "comes home". Life moves on, no matter what our kids think and I look forward to seeing the interaction between her and the new residents at her mom's house. And I am quite sure we are being set up for an interesting exchange between Kim and Bo. I am loving the foundation Susan is setting.
__________________
Betty Sue
Affiliated with CruisingCo.Com/MouseEarVacations.com
Disney Destination Specialist/ BettySueS@cruisingco.com August '09 Trip
I couldn't help noticing some similarities between this book and the last. Strong women returning home after being hurt by their signficant other. I love the descriptions of Kim on the airplane. The line between classy and hooker is so true. It reminded me of how much I like to people watch. I always like to play I wonder when I see someone out of place for the location.
Not sure if I'm liking Bo. The whole idea that meeting his son is strike #3 put me off.
I am looking forward to seeing how Kim builds a new life for herself from the ashes of her old one, how she & her mom begin to get re-aquainted, and the roll Bo will play in Kims life & with his son.
I'm only about 40 pages into it and I already had my first Disney flashback. When she sees her mother's house, she thinks Pepto-Bismol color on the turrets. This immediately reminded me of a description of color of the castle at the 25th anniversary. I'm dying to find out more about the relationship between Bo and the son he never met. I'm really wondering what brought them to meet.
I'm only about 40 pages into it and I already had my first Disney flashback. When she sees her mother's house, she thinks Pepto-Bismol color on the turrets. This immediately reminded me of a description of color of the castle at the 25th anniversary.
I always felt sorry for those poor people who only get one trip to WDW and went during that time frame.
Finally finished Chapter 4 and I'm feeling a little better about Bo but still a little leary. I do like his son (I'm cheering heck yeah! when he says so we're going to blame mom for all of this!) and have a feeling they will become boarders soon.
Another first impression! I will be reading all of these Chronicles! I love series that include glimpses of characters I already know. It is so comforting.
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