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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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I would also recommend the early/late day touring plans. Be there at park open, if staying on property take advantage of early EMH. Leave the parks no later than 1130/1200pm. Head out to get some lunch in an AC table service location, and then back to the resort pool, Disney Quest (great idea!), cooler inside options and then return to the parks in the early evening - say 6ish as things begin to cool. If possible, purchase park hopper passes that allow (should it be desired) to go to the park with Evening EMH and take advantage of the later evening touring options.
I think all the other recommendations are right on the money.
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I'd stay away from Animal Kingdom. Just not enough cool places in any given area. You could get stuck a good while away from any place to cool off.
Almost anywhere in FW Epcot would be good during the heat of the day.
My friend has 3 children with mitrocondrial disease. They are very heat intolerant and can manage for a couple of hours outdoors wearing an evaporative cooling vest. We are in New England, so I don't know if you'd get the same results in Florida.
There have been some excellent suggestions made here. Since someone else mentioned DisneyQuest, might I also suggest they looking into getting the Water Parks and More Fun option on their tickets. This will give them daily passes to the water parks or to Disney Quest.
Animal Kingdom on EMH early morning would be best for that park. In an emergency CMs can find or make shade. They can help keep a person cool until help arrives. There are EMTs and a nurse station which is air conditioned. At Disneyland's New Orleans Square there were two women down with heat related problems. Disney staff handled both at the same time with ease.
I tell people what they should not do and what they should do. I read the original post and sensed that as a teacher that that was the only time they could travel. Do not forget the water play areas in parks. Disneyquest is a good suggestion as is a trip to Lego Store. If they have a car they could send someone ahead to get the AC going but there is still the tram or ferry ride to the car. Again, if they have an dire need such as a kid whose oxygen tank is low, someone in dire need of meds, or someone reacting to heat then CMs usually will try hard to help that person get back to their car or room faster.
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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.
Would they be better off driving themselves to the parks, to avoid lines for buses?
We only went once in May -- our other trips have been in December -- but I remember some fun inteactive water areas in the parks. The one in MK was in Fantasyland and would be gone, but do they still have the sprayers in the sidewalks at DTD and Epcot/FW?
Water parks are an option, or are they pretty sun-exposed? How old are the kids? Maybe springing for a Deluxe resort with the fancy pool would give the whole family more bang for the buck.
They may want to do light breakfasts to hit the parks early, and do the TS meals midday. Even for dinner and CS, eating at an off hour increases the chances of finding inside seating (we've never eaten our Casey's hotdogs sitting down, so I wouldn't recommend trying there )
As I recall, BatB and Indiana Jones are both covered/shaded seating. Are there shaded seats at the motorcar show?
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Carolyn
Last edited by Carousel96; 02-17-2012 at 10:10 AM..
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Oooh! The water play areas in the parks! I totally forgot about those! There are the tiki statues in Adventureland that spray water in Magic Kindom. In Epcot, there are the dancing water pads near the Fountain of Nations. I'm not sure where there are water play areas in Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios though.
As for a shaded area at Animal Kingdom, what about the Boneyard? If I recall correctly, the play area there is shaded.
Great idea about renting a car, if they could do so. Definitely being able to "better control" their transportation; i.e. amount of time waiting in the sun, in line, etc., as well as being able to get around to other destinations, grocery/drug stores, etc. could be beneficial.
As far AK, the "musical shows" would be a great way to spend some time indoors while not feeling like you're missing out on part of what the park has to offer.
The water play areas are another good suggestion too! MK has the one by Space Mountain (more of a mister), as well as the one Pamela mentioned in Adventureland; Epcot has the area by the fountains, the "jumping" water (although can you play "in" those??) by the Imagination pavilion and the area in front of Test Track (which I cannot for the life of me remember the name of); AK has a "water area" too -- it's called Kali River Rapids ; and as far as DHS. . .I can't recall one (other than the "umbrella" ).
The water play areas are another good suggestion too! MK has the one by Space Mountain (more of a mister), as well as the one Pamela mentioned in Adventureland; Epcot has the area by the fountains, the "jumping" water (although can you play "in" those??) by the Imagination pavilion and the area in front of Test Track (which I cannot for the life of me remember the name of); AK has a "water area" too -- it's called Kali River Rapids ; and as far as DHS. . .I can't recall one (other than the "umbrella" ).
The one in front of Test Track is the Coca-Cola Cooling Station, believe. As for the "water area" in AK:
Great idea about renting a car, if they could do so. Definitely being able to "better control" their transportation; i.e. amount of time waiting in the sun, in line, etc., as well as being able to get around to other destinations, grocery/drug stores, etc. could be beneficial.
And worst case? an air-conditioned vehicle provides an immediately-to-hand refuge, in the event that a day is just getting to hot and too crowded. Retreat to the vehicle, let the A/C kick in, and once everyone is "human again", figure out the next step.
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The water play areas are another good suggestion too!
To add to this, there are a couple "jumping fountain" areas in Downtown Disney, too. Our first day on our last trip, I had a nice relaxing sit-down outside while K and J shopped a bit more .... and I ended up watching a bunch of kids, over ten of them and all ages from toddlers through tweens, working off some energy playing around with the water jets. The whole time, I envied them for their energy, as well as the fun it looked like they were having.
Thanks for all your ideas. Yes indeed she can't go any other time- she is a teacher and the grandkids are 10 yrs old and younger (5 total and all boys) and all in school. So not really an option to take that many out of school. The youngest who is 4 is the one in question. Although he is rough and tumble like his brothers the heat just gets him sometimes! They are planning on going at the begining of June after school is out here in Oklahoma. The heat and humidity is about the same as there so they are somewhat used to it. I will pass all this great info along to her. Thanks again for all your help.
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; and as far as DHS. . .I can't recall one (other than the "umbrella" 
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