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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Wow! That's crazy. I had my refraction exam and diabetic exam at the same time. My insurance does not cover the refraction so I know I will be paying $37 for it. What's crazy is that I wear contacts and my doctor doesn't do contact lens fittings so I have to go to Walmart eye center tomorrow for another quick check up for that.
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A few years ago, my DH had his exam and they found that he had diabetes induced cataracts. Now this sounds really bad but it actually turned out really, really good! DH has worn glasses since a child; was in fact legally blind without glasses. When he had the eye surgery they replaced his own lenses with corrective lenses and he could then see without glasses. He was ecstatic...sitting in the recovery room reading everything he could. "look, i can read the words on the news off the TV", hey, I can read that poster". I was so happy for him. Just thought I would share to hopefully ease some worry for you.
A few years ago, my DH had his exam and they found that he had diabetes induced cataracts. Now this sounds really bad but it actually turned out really, really good! DH has worn glasses since a child; was in fact legally blind without glasses. When he had the eye surgery they replaced his own lenses with corrective lenses and he could then see without glasses. He was ecstatic...sitting in the recovery room reading everything he could. "look, i can read the words on the news off the TV", hey, I can read that poster". I was so happy for him. Just thought I would share to hopefully ease some worry for you.
My dad had cataract surgery last year. He wore glasses since he was 10 and now at 74 doesn't need to wear them.
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I have not had a "diabetic eye exam", but I am no stranger to the retina doctor. I've had retinal detachments and corrective surgery in both eyes. Cataract surgery in each eye too. (I've asked my ophthalmologist for bionic eyes but not luck yet ) The scan of your retina and the pictures are painless. The worst of it all is probably the drops as some sting for a moment, but it really isn't any big deal. it all goes well.
I am diabetic and to me the diabetic eye exam is just a regular eye exam, possibly with photos of your retina. I have also had a laser scan of my retina but that is not routine. My impression is the difference is many insurance companies (mine included) will pay if the exam is labeled for diabetes but not for a regular vision exam because then it is for medical reasons. I do not understand why the OP's doctor's office had to reschedule.
I think the exam is pretty easy, the worse is having your eyes dilated for the rest of the day. I go every 4 months so they do not always dilate my pupils, which is much more comfortable.
I think the exam is pretty easy, the worse is having your eyes dilated for the rest of the day. I go every 4 months so they do not always dilate my pupils, which is much more comfortable.
Do they offer you reversal drops? There is such a thing and while it isn't an immediate result, it reverses the dilation so you don't have to go around dilated for hours and hours. My ophthalmologist always asks if I want them (yes, please!) but I am always amazed that many people I speak with have no idea there is such a thing. To me, it seems like it should always be offered after an exam requiring dilation. Why so few ophthalmologists do is beyond me!
I will mentio the drops next time. Thanks. My appointment is at 8 am and I can count on being out of commission for the rest of the day. Being able to work would be great.
I do not understand why the OP's doctor's office had to reschedule.
.
Me either!
The more I'm finding out about this dr, the more I'm not liking them. They're not my regular OD. We had to switch this year b/c the eye dr we always see for vision exams isn't on our new vision insurance. This office was the only OD office in our town that was on our insurance. When I originally made the appt I was clear about what I needed done, only to get there and be told their policy is to not do both the same day bc they don't get reimbursed "the way they should." Apparently there is one insurance (BCBS I think) that will not reimburse for the diabetic part at all if it's done on the same day as the vision exam. So since one won't reimburse, they made it a rule that you have to break it up into two different appts. That was per the dr. He was apologetic, but at this point I really don't care. I still don't even understand his explanation that much, but it's a moot point now b/c I'm not going back to them. I think they're all full of it.
I didn't post about it, but the lady that takes you back and does the pressure test, etc was *very* rude to my daughter the day before, as well as several other small things that added up by the time we were out of there.
So, I'm not going back to them. I checked my medical insurance last night and found out the ophthalmologist who did ds's eye surgery (metal in his eye when he was 3) is in network, as well as "our" dr, the one we see every year for vision exams. I know who I'm calling this morning. I don't know why I didn't do that to begin with, but in my defense I was confused on the whole blasted thing.
I told my kids (who have been in glasses since 3 and 8) that I will pay OOP next year just to go back to the dr we know and love for our vision exams. This dr asks about my fibromyalgia, remembers little things here and there about us, etc. (I'm sure it's in my chart somewhere, but still, the fact that she mentions it means something!)
I am glad youare going to an MD. I think they are better equipped to handle any diabetic complications (what the exam is looking for).
And it's my understanding that a "diabetic exam" is for medical reasons and is paid for even if you don't have vision coverage. I do not and mine have all been paid for minus my copay. Other than the photos (and now scans) iut is just a regular eye exam, although it may be mire thorough than vision exam by a OD. I have never been to an optomistrist.
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) The scan of your retina and the pictures are painless. The worst of it all is probably the drops as some sting for a moment, but it really isn't any big deal. 
it all goes well.
This office was the only OD office in our town that was on our insurance. When I originally made the appt I was clear about what I needed done, only to get there and be told their policy is to not do both the same day bc they don't get reimbursed "the way they should." 
I know who I'm calling this morning. 
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