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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 have booked a few weeks ago Portifino Bay for 6 nights 7 days. We have never been to Universal. We were supposed to go to Disney in february. that trip may be cancelled. We are now trying to decide whether or not to cancel the Universal trip and book Disney (Wilderness Lodge instead) My daughter who is 9 wants to go to Universal she wants to go somewhere new. I am concerned that there won't be enough to do for 7 days at Universal/IOA. I have received some GREAT advice from these boards that Easter week is much more crowded at Disney than Universal. Should we keep our plans or switch over to disney. HELP! BTW my kids are 6 & almost 10!
Well, I don't think there is enough to do at Universal for 6 days!! Maybe 3, 4 tops! Are you going to have a car? You could just drive over to Disney and keep your ressie at US. Or vice versa, switch to WL and then drive over to US!!
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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to us, universal is a 2 day park, 3 tops, depending on our length of trip
we stay at disney on property, then head to universal for the days we dont do disney, we rent a car for 2 days.
I don't think there would be enough to do for all that time at Universal but have you also considered Sea World or just going to Disney Parks for a couple of days. Its not a long drive at all from Disney to Universal.
Personally, if you are just considering Universal & IoA, I don't think you could need more than 2 (3 Tops) days for it...There is much more you can do with those other 4 days (and by the 5th day you will be downright bored if you just stay in Universal )
Disney is close to Universal -- I would drive over on 2-3 of the days
I guess we're in the minority, because we usually spend 5 days at Universal in the parks. But we tour in a relaxing kind of way, since we have so many days we can take our time. This also gives us time to enjoy the pools, relax, and shop at the outlets nearby. I think you would need 3 days in the parks at Universal to really enjoy them.
You could do a split stay and stay part of the time at Universal and part at Disney if you want to do both.
The thing that would get me is the crowds. If you stay on site at Universal you would have Express Pass. Even using the Fastpass system at Disney, you wouldn't be able to see too much. Personally, I would do Universal. Spend some time swimming, relax, maybe go to Sea World or even a waterpark (maybe Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach). You could go to the outlets or even Downtown Disney (if you have a car). Good luck deciding!
I would keep the reservation at Portofino becasue your key is a fast pass for all the rides/shows at both parks.
This would be my itinerary:
1st day check-in, explore the resort, have dinner
2nd day Universal studios
3rd day relax and enjoy the pool
4th day IOA
5th day Aquatica (brand new water park close to Universal) or Sea World or relax and go shopping (city walk, outlet malls, etc)
6th day either relax again, do a pool day or head to universal and IOA to redo all your favorite rides/shows
7th day check-out head home
That's what I would do especially with a 6yr old, that break in between will be greatly be appreciated. Plus, it gives you an excuse to go back and explore WDW.
if you have a car I would stay at universal and just drive over to disney on the days you want to do disney.
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April is a pretty busy month, so I would suggest 3-4 days at Universal. I did Universal for 5 days once and I never got bored.
You can also check out Sea World, Aquatica, Wet N Wild, and Discovery Cove. If you want to take a short trip, you can even do Busch Gardens in Tampa. There's a shuttle that takes you from Sea World to Tampa.
I agree with Barry. I combine Universal with Sea World, or Aquatica & Busch Gardens. If you buy the multi-pass, SeaWorld & Busch Gardens, the bus from Orlando to Busch Gardens is free. They are both owned by Anheiser Busch. I would do 3 days Universal, 1 day Sea World & 2 days Busch Gardens. The Universal resorts have a shuttle bus that takes you to SeaWorld. I got the Busch Gardens bus from Sea World. Not sure if there is one leaving from Universal area.
Last Aug, we did Universal, Sea World & Aquatica. Another year we did Universal, Sea World & Busch Gardens.
Option 2, on the days you don't go to Universal you could go to Wet & Wild, a water park close to Universal, shop at the outlets malls, hang out at your resort, & just pop into Universal for a fav ride. Go to City Walk for dinner, etc.
Depends what kind of vacation you are looking for.
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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Maybe 3, 4 tops! Are you going to have a car? You could just drive over to Disney and keep your ressie at US. Or vice versa, switch to WL and then drive over to US!! 
Angie
(and by the 5th day you will be downright bored if you just stay in Universal 
)
Michelle - with my step sisters!
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