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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Stayed at Vero in 2007. I have stayed in the DVC part of VGC 2x, in the hotel part once (while they were building the villas in 2008).
Went to Aulani in 2014.
Have never been to Hilton Head and at this point I probably won't, as my uncle (who is a few years older than me) lives on Fripp Island, which is close by. Why pay when I can stay 200 yards from the beach for free?
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We don't own at any DVC resort, but DH and I stayed at Disney's Hilton Head for a week last November and loved it. We can't wait to go back. Cast Members there were amazing.
Our very first stay as DVC members was Hilton Head. We've looked at adding VB on, but haven't, yet. Looking forward to Aulani someday!
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Disney Trips: BLT & Poly Bungalow 2016, VGF 2015, Fantasy 2015, Saratoga Springs Resort 2014, Grand Villa at VGF 2013, Fantasy 2013, BWV and Kidani Village 2011, BWV and Kidani Village 2010, BWV and Saratoga Springs Resort 2008,Beach Club Villas 2008,Villas at Wilderness Lodge 2006, BWV 2006, BCV 2005, HHI 2004,Polynesian 2003,Grand Floridian 2000/concierge, Honeymoon at Polynesian 1994,Polynesian 1980,Polynesian 1978
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We own at AKLV and have never stayed anywhere but on property at WDW.
I have tried - unsuccessfully to get a reservation at Vero Beach for the last 2 years - it is always booked when we want to go.
We're hoping to stay at the GC next summer (will be in Southern California for a family wedding). Haven't been to Disneyland since 1984! HH is on our list too. Aulani is pretty much a pipe dream. We've been to Hawaii twice and have no plans to return, much as we loved it. But I'm up for being surprised!
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I just made an offer (DVC resale) for DVC Hilton Head, and it got accepted, and the paperwork is in the works, etc. For those of you who have stayed there/own there, would love to hear about it. I think my first main question is: do I need to rent a car? I know there is a shuttle bus to take you to the beach but what about other things to do nearby. Also, I would be flying into to the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport which looks like about an hour drive. Do they offer shuttles to/from the airport?
Since there's no theme parks, I look at it as a complete "rest and relaxation" type of vacation.
I just made an offer (DVC resale) for DVC Hilton Head, and it got accepted, and the paperwork is in the works, etc. For those of you who have stayed there/own there, would love to hear about it. I think my first main question is: do I need to rent a car? I know there is a shuttle bus to take you to the beach but what about other things to do nearby. Also, I would be flying into to the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport which looks like about an hour drive. Do they offer shuttles to/from the airport?
Since there's no theme parks, I look at it as a complete "rest and relaxation" type of vacation.
You would likely want a car. The shuttle only goes between the main resort and the beach house. There are restaurants in walking distance, and biking is easy on the island, although it would limit you in terms of how much of the island you can see. And I wouldn’t bike after dark. Mostly because it’s very dark, not because I’d worry about crime - just to clarify.
We LOVE HHI. We own there and have gone annually for maybe 12 years.
I just made an offer (DVC resale) for DVC Hilton Head, and it got accepted, and the paperwork is in the works, etc. For those of you who have stayed there/own there, would love to hear about it. I think my first main question is: do I need to rent a car? I know there is a shuttle bus to take you to the beach but what about other things to do nearby. Also, I would be flying into to the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport which looks like about an hour drive. Do they offer shuttles to/from the airport?
Since there's no theme parks, I look at it as a complete "rest and relaxation" type of vacation.
There is no airport shuttle. The resort shuttle only runs between the resort and beach house. It would be very tough to get by without a car, IMO, especially if flying in. There is one counter service restaurant at both the resort & beach house. Very low end Disney fast food: burgers, chicken tenders, etc. There are a couple places to eat within maybe 5-10 minute walk, but to have any variety it's more like 15+ minutes on foot.
It's a very nice resort and has some touches of Disney charm. But honestly there are many nicer/more convenient hotels and timeshares right on the beach.
Activities are similar to what any Disney resort offers, without the lure of the theme parks being a short bus ride away. They have a community hall with crafts and storytelling, campfires, pool games. Nothing too elaborate and mostly suited to ages 12 and under. We went kayaking during our last visit, but those sorts of activities cost extra. Nearby businesses offer golf, mini golf, zip lining, shopping and so forth, but you'll need a car or Uber to reach them.
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There is no airport shuttle. The resort shuttle only runs between the resort and beach house. It would be very tough to get by without a car, IMO, especially if flying in. There is one counter service restaurant at both the resort & beach house. Very low end Disney fast food: burgers, chicken tenders, etc. There are a couple places to eat within maybe 5-10 minute walk, but to have any variety it's more like 15+ minutes on foot.
It's a very nice resort and has some touches of Disney charm. But honestly there are many nicer/more convenient hotels and timeshares right on the beach.
Activities are similar to what any Disney resort offers, without the lure of the theme parks being a short bus ride away. They have a community hall with crafts and storytelling, campfires, pool games. Nothing too elaborate and mostly suited to ages 12 and under. We went kayaking during our last visit, but those sorts of activities cost extra. Nearby businesses offer golf, mini golf, zip lining, shopping and so forth, but you'll need a car or Uber to reach them.
I agree completely. I can't imagine staying here without a car.
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Hilton Head is very bikeable with miles and miles of bike trails, but I can't imagine not having a car when there. And as noted, you'll need a car to get from Savannah.
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