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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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If I'm reading your post correctly, this would be your first trip to either resort. Given that fact and the fact that you have only five days in which to explore, I highly recommend DLR over WDW for many reasons but primarily because you can see all there is to see at DLR in a leisurely fashion in 5 days but at WDW, you will barely get a taste of it in that time frame. At WDW, no matter which resort you're staying at, a fair chunk of each day is spent in getting too and from the parks whereas at DLR, there are a plethora of hotels within walking distance of the parks plus it only takes a couple of minutes to stroll from one theme park to another.
Much as I love WDW, DLR holds an even more special place in my heart as there is an essential magic here that just can't be duplicated at WDW. I think it's perhaps because Walt really walked the streets of the Magic Kingdom here. If you start your Disney experiences with a trip to DLR, it will serve to whet your appetite for a longer stay at WDW while providing you with the most memorable of vacation experiences.
From a budget standpoint, in my experience, it was considerably cheaper going to DLR as opposed to WDW primarily due to the fact that we were able to get a clean, comfortable motel room within easy walking distance of DLR for less than $60 a night. That is just not going to happen at WDW.
Joy
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1968 - Disneyland
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1984 - Offsite
February, 2003 - All Star Music
August, 2003 - Animal Kingdom Lodge & Wilderness Lodge
December,2003 - Wilderness Lodge
December, 2004 - Beach Club Villas
August, 2005 - Port Orleans, French Quarter
November/December, 2005 - Old Key West
July/August, 2006 - Disneyland Hotel
January, 2007 - Boardwalk Villas
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It is soooo magical and so special. We were not sure what we would think of it -- as we are big WDW veterans. But we cannot wait to go back!
That makes this DLR veteren happy! We go for tradition and convenience (we have to fly to WDW, we can drive to DLR) - so it's nice to hear that people see the magic of DLR aside from "it's just not as big as WDW" thoughts.
How does one choose? There is no bad answer here, If you are going in March, both will have good weather.
I am going on a first DL trip in August, mostly because I have a conference at the Disneyland Hotel, and because I happen to get cheap air from Indiana, and my 2 are off school. The stars aligned just right. I know it will be hot and crowded, so will try to get in early and out early if possible, and maybe hit the beach and visit relatives. I hope we can evade some traffic, any tips anyone?? We have been to the World 10 times in 8 years so we can all stand to make a pilgrimage to the original site this once!!
HMM Maybe the children can write an essay "Compare and contrast WDW and DL, use supporting facts"
I think you can design either trip on a budget, as is mentioned above also. The airfare made a big difference for us this trip. Sometimes its just a fluke and you catch a deal.
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Michelle, mother of a princess and charming prince, and Queen of her little castle.
Ok, as a native Californian I am biased toward DLR. Objectively speaking though, I don't think you can "do" WDW in 5 days. There's just too much to see and do. Five days is actually just about right for DLR - you could ride just about everything, and even repeat some of your favorites (like Indiana Jones!)
We are going to WDW in July for 10 days, and I'm driving myself crazy trying to schedule all the different things we want to do - and I feel like I still won't be able to do it in 10 days! Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to be going to WDW. It's strange, though, at WDW I feel excited and kind of overwhelmed, while at DLR I feel relaxed and comfortable (maybe because I've been there more?)
In any event, you will have a fabulous time at either resort. And if you do end up at DLR, stay onsite. It is any easy walk from any of the 3 hotels to the parks, and you get to walk thru Downtown Disney.
Being from Texas, you can go to either park for about the same price. Southwest always has discounted fares. You have to experience DL at least once if nothing else because that is where it all started. There is extra magic knowing that Walt had a direct hand in planning all that. I had my doubts about DCA but loved every minute of it.
The resorts are similar enough that if you've done one, you will have a comfort zone in the other, but so very different in type of trip and how you attack the parks. I've been to WDW a dozen times, but haven't been to DL since pre CA (1992) and can't wait for our trip this year. We bought SoCal Citypasses through Costco for $217 each. It includes 3 days at DL, a day at Universal, a day at SeaWorld and a day at either the SD Zoo or Wild Animal Park. We're staying 2 blocks from DL at $62.50 a night and our round trip fair with taxes and fees is under $250. Our rental car thru Hotwire is $139 for the week with all fees. For us, the price is very similar to our WDW trip last year, except we were there for free dining, this time we must pay for food. I first went to DL in 1961, so the force is strong in me. But to give up Epcot and AK this year is very difficult. Everyone should do both, not to compare, but because they are different experiences.
For me I can go by train from here (San Diego) to Anaheim and just take the Anaheim bus to the D.L.R. drop off point or Taxi to my hotel. After that at lest for me, I don't need a car or bus I can just roll down in my wheelchair to the park, but I do like taking the Monorail from Downtown Disney to DL: Tomorrowland
But to go to Disney World is a hike. But it a wroth while hike. I also don't need a bus or a car there I use the monorail or boat all the way. But you have to stay more then 5 day. Not like me were I'm allow to go in with-out the lines (in front) and I can take 3to4 people with me. Last time they gave me a green card to show that I'm Disable (here I am asking about it in my power wheelchair)
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Ok, as a native Californian I am biased toward DLR. Objectively speaking though, I don't think you can "do" WDW in 5 days. There's just too much to see and do. Five days is actually just about right for DLR - you could ride just about everything, and even repeat some of your favorites (like Indiana Jones!)
We are going to WDW in July for 10 days, and I'm driving myself crazy trying to schedule all the different things we want to do - and I feel like I still won't be able to do it in 10 days! Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to be going to WDW. It's strange, though, at WDW I feel excited and kind of overwhelmed, while at DLR I feel relaxed and comfortable (maybe because I've been there more?)
In any event, you will have a fabulous time at either resort. And if you do end up at DLR, stay onsite. It is any easy walk from any of the 3 hotels to the parks, and you get to walk thru Downtown Disney.
Good luck with your planning!
WE FEEL YOUR WAY GOING TO DLR FOR THE FIRST TIME AUG 09 FOR A WEEK USUALLY DO WDW FOR 12 DAYS STILL NOT ENOUGH BEEN THERE 10 TIMES ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE
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I first went to DL in 1961, so the force is strong in me. But to give up Epcot and AK this year is very difficult. Everyone should do both, not to compare, but because they are different experiences.
but I do like taking the Monorail from Downtown Disney to DL: Tomorrowland 
and I can 
take 3to4 people with me. 
(here I am asking about it in my power wheelchair)
At Disney World I can visit Japan. Please check-out my web site for wheelchair travel, 
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