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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Feeling a little sad because I think my hope of staying 'on-property' probably won't happen for our first DL trip this summer!
I called DL today to ask about the miltary rates of 40% off. We are traveling with our three kids and my BIL (who's the military member). Makes 6 total. obviously we won't fit in standard room. i wanted pricing for 2 rooms at 40% off and a suite at 40% off. The person i spoke with said they don't offer the suite with the discount so that was out. The other options were the DL resort or PP resort which was between $980-1100 for the 4 nights (per room: that price is for one room with the 40% discount). My DH and i would definitely splurge for that since we've never been and aren't likely to go back anytime soon. However, asking our BIL to pay that amount for a room for himself seems kind of unfair. We could offer to pay some of his room cost but not sure DH would go for that.
We couldn't stay on property and get a discount with our BIL (which would be messed up anyway!) So, not sure what to do??
I called the Howard Johnson's that others have suggested and there are no suites for our dates. What are some other hotel options that are very close (we want to be able to walk!!) to the two parks. We'd also like a nice pool area for the kids. Any suggestions?
So sad to give up the DL Resort hope but we'd visit them for some meals at least! Even though no emh.
First of all, the Disneyland Resort Hotels are wonderful, so I understand your sadness! In my opinion, it's not as important to stay on property at Disneyland as it is at WDW. There are many options in walking distance for great prices. We've had good stays at Desert Inn and Suites and Tropicana Inn and Suites. Our favorite off-property is Candy Cane Inn (but no suites there). Candy Cane has a small, but well kept pool. Tropicana's Pool is a typical motel pool in the middle of the parking lot. Desert Inn has an indoor pool which can be nice if the weather doesn't cooperate. Staying at any of these (probably a tie with Candy Cane) are actually closer than either DLH or Paradise Pier. I'm sure others will chime in with their favorites!
And you may not have to give up EMH. It's tied to 3 day or more park hopper tickets. You get one early entry during your visit.
Two regular rooms at Howard Johnson should meet your needs and you would be near the parks, nice hotel, cheap, and from what I seen a nice pool. They might even do adjoining rooms. I rather stay off site and have lots of money left over for special treats like toys, food, and drinks. 3 adults and 3 little kids would be best split with one adult and the kids while the guys get the second room. The cost for two rooms would be cheaper than the on site room. Disneyland hotels are way higher than WDW where you they have family suites and All Star Resorts.
Staying on site is great and magical but I have stayed off site during a heat wave. The off site had a microwave, larger fridge, and morning breakfast where I could toast my mother's sourdough toast. Their cable was better. On my last off site trip it would have been about $140 for two rooms per night compared to $150 to $300 on site for one room for 4 people maximum. With the extra money I could get popcorn, soda pop, pickle, and Mickey Bars.
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Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
Thanks for the advice! i just realized i should've posted this in the resort thread. Sorry about that!! I just sent DBIL a message asking him if I should be booking suites for most of the places we stay during our two-week trip. i don't even know if he WANTS to share a room with us! Guess I should of gotten that straight before I got all worked up.. lol.
The cost of the rooms onsite at DL was one of the reasons we ended up at the Howard Johnson's. I think we paid $120/night at the HoJo, and the cheapest DL hotel was $300 min. Easy choice for us!
Thanks for the advice! i just realized i should've posted this in the resort thread. Sorry about that!! I just sent DBIL a message asking him if I should be booking suites for most of the places we stay during our two-week trip. i don't even know if he WANTS to share a room with us! Guess I should of gotten that straight before I got all worked up.. lol.
That is why I suggested two rooms. I shared a room with a woman who had to keep the big screen television blaring. The programs were talk shows so I kept waking up to people talking. I can sleep through Westerns and Action flicks but talking drove me up the wall. Mom and I can share a room but I doubt anyone else. Keep us informed on your trip plans. Armchair trip planner is right here.
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Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
Here's a list and map of the 88 hotels in the DLR area which shows many hotels across the street and many within a couple of blocks. These are all within a few minutes walking distance of DLR.
For the accommodations you wish I would suggest you view their website, by name, for full informations, what they offer, reviews and more information. Many of these hotels offer free parking.
Here are a couple of sites to assist you in your selection.
not sure if they offer military discounts, but did you give the villas at Disney's Grand Californian a try? They may be crazy spendy, but it is worth a shot and they are absolutely wonderful! Good luck....even if you don't get to stay on property there are plenty of nice hotels very close to DL, so no worries
not sure if they offer military discounts, but did you give the villas at Disney's Grand Californian a try? They may be crazy spendy, but it is worth a shot and they are absolutely wonderful! Good luck....even if you don't get to stay on property there are plenty of nice hotels very close to DL, so no worries
I didn't think of that! Paying rack rates would probably be too much for us but maybe i could try to rent points? i don't know much about that option but could research it. Is it pretty hard to find DVC owners to rent points from for VGC?
We also like the Candy Cane Inn if you are looking for non-suites. We love the Grand Californian the best, but for off-site, Candy Cane Inn is our favorite.
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