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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 11 days to fill. This is a cross country trek for us, so we knew we were going to stay for a good amount of time. We are doing DL for 5 days then moving on to Vegas for 2 days (got a wedding to go to) and then Hollywood/La area for 4 days. So of course I thought of US. But when I check out the website, it doesn't seem like there are a ton of attractions...and it seems half of them are just 3d/4d type movies, not even rides.
I just want to know if it's worth shelling out $300 for the 4 of us to go or if we'd be better off doing something else. Thanks!
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Stephanie- Mom to Jaden and Emerson, Wife to Keith, Novelist
I'm an independent agent with Fairytale Journeys, specializing in Disney vacations!
Visit my Facebook page!
If your kids are young, you might be better off heading toward San Diego and doing the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, and/or Legoland. It's an easy drive from Anaheim (or as easy as drives get in Southern California). My kids actually likes Legoland better than Disneyland when they were in the 5-8 age range, because it's less crowded and more geared for young kids.
I have done Univeral Studios Hollywood just once, in 1996, so I don't know what it has now. Then, though, it had the Studio Tour and not much else beyond movies and thrill rides.
I agree, San Diego zoo was a favorite of mine growing up & there are so many great things to see & do near by in San Diego.. Great museums & the beach too.
You will be at Disneyland for 5 days so maybe other adventures besides a theme park may be fun.. http://www.sandiego.org/what-to-do.aspx
Kids are 10 and 5. I know they will like the things at US and I know em and hubby would like it too. I guess it just seems like a lot of money for not a lot of stuff. But if it's quality stuff and worth it, then that changes it. We love all things Disney, but US seems very different even though they are both amusement parks.
So many decisions!!
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Stephanie- Mom to Jaden and Emerson, Wife to Keith, Novelist
I'm an independent agent with Fairytale Journeys, specializing in Disney vacations!
Visit my Facebook page!
We were interested in the studio tour, but my daughter was only 9 and not old enough to go on an actual set. So we skipped it.
We did drive down to San Diego, to do Sea World, the zoo, and Legoland. Not sure I'd call it "close" though.
I'm not a big fan of universal studios, I found it to be dirty and crowded even though there were far less people there than at DL, it just isn't run the same. I also found the people that worked there very aggressive trying to get me to by photo's or other souvenirs. I actually commented to my husband that I felt like I was being attacked! Having said that, my son loved it (16 at the time). My daughter (14 at the time) also disliked it and my husband was indifferent. I would not take small children there, there is not much to do but if you have teenagers it might be a highlight for them. When we return this year we are not going to Universal.
We are more than likely going to Universal in March for a day. I haven't been since I was a kid, hubby has never been and neither have the kids (ages 18 & 6). We'll just make the best of what they offer. I don't expect there'll be a lot offered for the 6 year old, but I think he's young enough not to care so much.
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~Joby/Lil~Me stealing Capt. Jack Sparrow's treasure!
I took my younest DD to California when she was 9 and she liked Knotts berry farm better than universal. Universal is better for teens, rides they do have are more intense, lots of shows some of which are cool. Knotts has rides for all ages and variety of rides, i.e. gentle to thrills, shows, good themeing and often offers deals especially online. I just checked and tickets on sale for 40.00 for one day. There's another option anyway.
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