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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 are taking a family vacation to Washington DC in August. It's a short trip, only 5 days (we are driving so 14 hours total round trip) so I want to make the most of our time.
I, DBF, DS9, and DF will be making the trip with maybe DSIS and DBIL coming along as well. We will probably stay at the JW Marriott or the Hyatt and we will be traveling to VA for at least an evening to see some friends.
My question is, is a 9 year old boy OBSESSED with war and history too young for Arlington Nat'l Cemetery and the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?
I went in 6th grade and 8th grade and didn't have a problem but even in 6th grade I didn't get the significance of it. DS9 has ADHD and may not be on meds because it's summer vacation. I'm afraid he will either not be still and respectful but I really want my dad to see it as he said he'd like to. Should I allow DF to go see it and keep DS9 occupied elsewhere?
I think if you have a child with ad/hd that it sounds like hyper-focuses on history and war would probably really enjoy Arlington.
My kids both have similar issues and although they are impulsive most of the time, if it is something they hyper-focus on they do very well, even off Meds. I think you talk to your son about the significance and let him read and research about it before you go he might do okay. Be sure the information includes what is expected of spectators. You of course know your son best and it might be something you have to decide the day of based in how he is doing.
If he's that interested, he can probably stay focused. The ceremony isn't all that long, but it is mesmerizing. You might want to stay near the top of the crowd so you can duck into the museum if need be.
Actually, it would be an excellent experience for your son. There is much to do, see, feel, learn at Arlington. Kids should be given every opportunity to explore their interests and as you know, all kids have different tolerance levels/attention spans. It sounds like your son will enjoy it since he has an expressed passion. With kids of all ages, abilities and challenges, it is always good to have an escape route if they hit the end of their patience and need to go outside to make noise, have a snack or a drink, jump around, wiggle, etc. etc. Most people have kids and are sympathetic if parents need to "evacuate" a wiggly child.
You might want to do the hop-on, hop-off tour bus in DC - if he gets tired and is done with Arlington, you can go back to the hotel and other family members can stay and finish their visit at their leisure. Those busses leave a specific meeting point on a regular, frequent schedule.
__________________
Julia Elzie
Family Travel Specialist
Affiliated with MEI-Travel and Mouse Fan Travel
E-mail: juliae@mei-travel..com
Thanks everyone! I think having him research it is a good idea. He is always bringing home books from school on different countries and of course history books on the different wars.
I'm going to judge how he is that day and since we are loosely planning this trip hopefully we get to go.
Location: Texas Baby!!!! Where Else would anyone wana live
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He should enjoy it. My parents and brother went about three years ago. My dad is a military buff, and spent a lot of time at Arlington. As far as your son being bored, try and explain to him the significance of the soldiers marching there. Make him try and understand that they soldiers are so dedicated they are to thier comrades, that they view this ceremony as sacred, therefore best behavior is expected. Hope it goes well for you; and enjoy.
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