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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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No, that's not what I meant!!! I was referring to the WDW scooters-- the ones you DO rent at the park, not scooters rented from outside vendors! I used to do that myself and was not referring to ALL rentals!
Yes, I see.... Just trying to solve this problem so that someday the rides at MK will be accessible again. I hate to see things going backwards in this regard.
I think there's one thing we can all agree on - we have the "abusers" to thank for this. Now that renting a scooter or wheelchair doesn't get you anywhere, people will probably stop trying to do it but unfortunately in the process, those of us who truly need them are getting the short end of the stick. If Disney reverses how they do things, the "abusers" might start again.
Yes, I see.... Just trying to solve this problem so that someday the rides at MK will be accessible again. I hate to see things going backwards in this regard.
The solution to this is partly external to Disney, and not something we should expect to see anywhere on Earth in less than twenty or thirty years: self-driving ECVs / power wheelchairs. Coupled with an ECV parking lot (underground and/or multilevel) for each attraction, so that guests who can transfer, then send their ECV off to park itself while they're on the attraction ... and when they're about to be getting off, it drives itself back out of the garage and into the unloading area. (Probably need to have dedicated, ECV-only lanes to and from the parking facility for that.)
Otherwise ... physics says, what Disney does now is really the only solution possible.
I think there's one thing we can all agree on - we have the "abusers" to thank for this. Now that renting a scooter or wheelchair doesn't get you anywhere, people will probably stop trying to do it but unfortunately in the process, those of us who truly need them are getting the short end of the stick. If Disney reverses how they do things, the "abusers" might start again.
There's also this. I know, I was very reluctant to get a scooter or chair for myself, this last trip ... even though I'd injured a foot (I still don't know how, but it felt like I was stepping on a jagged spike every time I put that foot down), and the alternative was "trapped in my room at the resort all day, for the rest of the trip".
But, flipside, there are people who think "It'll be like buying a VIP pass!"
Shame more people couldn't be like me ("Well, if I have to ..."), than like them ("Ooooo, special treatment!").
I think there are some solutions to this but all of them would be extremely expensive and take room, which I don't think is available. One thing that came to mind is to have a moving chair on a track that would take one in to the ride loading area. Very costly and I don't think many of the rides have the extra space.
In the maeantime, I would gladly assist a person who wishes to transfer to a wheelchair but needs a pusher. And I personally would not worry about liability. I am a lawyer and absence negligence or an intentional hurting of the rider, I think liability is very limited.
My guess is liability has very little to do with Disney's choice. Probably more like money-training, and having extra staff available.
I forgot about Belle! That takes quite a bit of walking AND standing. One thing I really liked about Universal was that they had rides where there was a place with a bench where you could sit and wait until it was your turn to get on. I know that doesn't solve it for people who have trouble walking but boy did it help for people like me who have trouble standing.
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I somewhat understand Laurie's point in that pushing DH up that endless ramp to the point where you get into a POTC boat is somewhat harder for me than it once was. As a result, I really empathize with those traveling solo who haven't the upper body strength to propel those clunky, heavy Disney chairs. Most of them are bulky anyway in order to accommodate as many body types as possible and sometimes aren't as well maintained as desirable.
Sure would be nice if there were "Rent a Pusher" people who hung around the rides where people must transfer to a Disney wheelchair.
I know from experience that pushing a wheelchair safely isn't just a matter of training. Someone can show you how and tell you all the things you must be watchful of, but it takes a good deal of experience to gauge how much distance you must keep between the chair and people walking in front of it so as not to ram their Achilles tendons if they stop suddenly.
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But, flipside, there are people who think "It'll be like buying a VIP pass!"
Shame more people couldn't be like me ("Well, if I have to ..."), than like them ("Ooooo, special treatment!").
The sad thing about that is people who actually have to use it would give all the money in the world to not have to. I am always so excited when I can make it through a regular line. It gives my kids a sense of normalcy.
I am sorry if this is all addressed somewhere already, but I am confused. I have chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia/chronic Lyme and have been many times to Disney over the years, and the GAC was the only reason how I could do it. On one trip back in 2001, I mistakenly tried to take my then 3 year old son who had sensory issues, by myself as we had " free " plane tickets. It was a disaster ( this was before I knew about the GAC). We lasted a day...waited some ridiculous amount of time in the heat and sun to ride Dumbo...I could barely get him back to hotel after that one ride. I had to call my husband at home, to come and get us home. He had to get a last minute plane ticket and come get us and get back home to go on a business trip(why he didn't come to begin with). We joke now about the world's most expensive Dumbo ride...$1400. Which was the price of our two park tickets for the week at the time. We didn't go to Disney for 4 more years...when we finally found out about the GAC. Ever since then it was a lifesaver. I always brought a letter from my doctor even though they never looked at it. I thought that was the best way of not abusing the system. I can say that even with the GAC and going through the FP lanes, I never came close to seeing/doing as much as healthy people did. Yes, I looked "healthy" but that was so far from the truth. Our last trip was in 2012, right before they announced doing away with the GAC. Since then I had a heart attack and 3 stents put in at age 53, have osteoarthritis in my hips, now also diagnosed with lupus, and we have a trip planned in 2 weeks. I have been very sick again and am terrified that I am going to be ruining this trip for my 2 children ( now 17 and 12) and my husband. I guess a lot of this talk where people talk about what people can and should be able to do, is very frustrating. No one else knows what I can do and cannot do. And it often varies day to day. Having to wait, even in an ECV or standing, in a line, can often be too much for me, and make me have to leave the park. I think Disney made a big mistake doing away with the GAC. If I get the ECV, can I take it through the lines? I probably won't want to as I have never used one before and I will probably be very anxious about driving it, besides being upset that I have to be in it, and slowing everyone down. I just want to make it through this trip so any advice would be welcome. It's just very upsetting as I was hoping that the revised DAS card(?) might work like the old card. I guess not. Sorry for rambling. I have been a member of Passportee for years but can't access old name (NemosMom)... Oh well. ��
The sad thing about that is people who actually have to use it would give all the money in the world to not have to. I am always so excited when I can make it through a regular line. It gives my kids a sense of normalcy.
Isn't that the truth! I miss the old days when I could stroll up Main Street, looking around at all the details in the buildings. Now, when I'm driving, I've got my eyes on the road and the people crowding in on me. I do appreciate all the people who say they'd be happy to accompany me and push-- and I've accepted that help from several PPers in the past. It's fantastic, and fun, to have the help, but I'd still rather do it myself!
The sad thing about that is people who actually have to use it would give all the money in the world to not have to. I am always so excited when I can make it through a regular line. It gives my kids a sense of normalcy.
You are 100% right on! How I miss the carefree painless days...
I am sorry if this is all addressed somewhere already, but I am confused. I have chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia/chronic Lyme and have been many times to Disney over the years, and the GAC was the only reason how I could do it. On one trip back in 2001, I mistakenly tried to take my then 3 year old son who had sensory issues, by myself as we had " free " plane tickets. It was a disaster ( this was before I knew about the GAC). We lasted a day...waited some ridiculous amount of time in the heat and sun to ride Dumbo...I could barely get him back to hotel after that one ride. I had to call my husband at home, to come and get us home. He had to get a last minute plane ticket and come get us and get back home to go on a business trip(why he didn't come to begin with). We joke now about the world's most expensive Dumbo ride...$1400. Which was the price of our two park tickets for the week at the time. We didn't go to Disney for 4 more years...when we finally found out about the GAC. Ever since then it was a lifesaver. I always brought a letter from my doctor even though they never looked at it. I thought that was the best way of not abusing the system. I can say that even with the GAC and going through the FP lanes, I never came close to seeing/doing as much as healthy people did. Yes, I looked "healthy" but that was so far from the truth. Our last trip was in 2012, right before they announced doing away with the GAC. Since then I had a heart attack and 3 stents put in at age 53, have osteoarthritis in my hips, now also diagnosed with lupus, and we have a trip planned in 2 weeks. I have been very sick again and am terrified that I am going to be ruining this trip for my 2 children ( now 17 and 12) and my husband. I guess a lot of this talk where people talk about what people can and should be able to do, is very frustrating. No one else knows what I can do and cannot do. And it often varies day to day. Having to wait, even in an ECV or standing, in a line, can often be too much for me, and make me have to leave the park. I think Disney made a big mistake doing away with the GAC. If I get the ECV, can I take it through the lines? I probably won't want to as I have never used one before and I will probably be very anxious about driving it, besides being upset that I have to be in it, and slowing everyone down. I just want to make it through this trip so any advice would be welcome. It's just very upsetting as I was hoping that the revised DAS card(?) might work like the old card. I guess not. Sorry for rambling. I have been a member of Passportee for years but can't access old name (NemosMom)... Oh well. ��
With my scooter and the fast pass plus system things went pretty smooth for me this trip, my first since they stopped the GAC
The sad thing about that is people who actually have to use it would give all the money in the world to not have to. I am always so excited when I can make it through a regular line. It gives my kids a sense of normalcy.
I know I would. Hell, I'd give it for just a day of pre-osteoarthritis in my knees me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Isn't that the truth! I miss the old days when I could stroll up Main Street, looking around at all the details in the buildings. Now, when I'm driving, I've got my eyes on the road and the people crowding in on me. I do appreciate all the people who say they'd be happy to accompany me and push-- and I've accepted that help from several PPers in the past. It's fantastic, and fun, to have the help, but I'd still rather do it myself!
So do I Laurie. So do I. Now by the end of the day I'm mentally exhausted and feel like my brain has been scrambled then fried from the amount of concentration and attention it takes to get through a day at the parks without hurting anyone. Then there's the terror I live in of accidentally running in to a child.
:
So do I Laurie. So do I. Now by the end of the day I'm mentally exhausted and feel like my brain has been scrambled then fried from the amount of concentration and attention it takes to get through a day at the parks without hurting anyone. Then there's the terror I live in of accidentally running in to a child.
Ah, yes. The sport of toddler-dodging! Very challenging to avoid running into these small people chugging around in circles, backwards and sideways!
I am sorry if this is all addressed somewhere already, but I am confused. I have chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia/chronic Lyme and have been many times to Disney over the years, and the GAC was the only reason how I could do it. On one trip back in 2001, I mistakenly tried to take my then 3 year old son who had sensory issues, by myself as we had " free " plane tickets. It was a disaster ( this was before I knew about the GAC). We lasted a day...waited some ridiculous amount of time in the heat and sun to ride Dumbo...I could barely get him back to hotel after that one ride. I had to call my husband at home, to come and get us home. He had to get a last minute plane ticket and come get us and get back home to go on a business trip(why he didn't come to begin with). We joke now about the world's most expensive Dumbo ride...$1400. Which was the price of our two park tickets for the week at the time. We didn't go to Disney for 4 more years...when we finally found out about the GAC. Ever since then it was a lifesaver. I always brought a letter from my doctor even though they never looked at it. I thought that was the best way of not abusing the system. I can say that even with the GAC and going through the FP lanes, I never came close to seeing/doing as much as healthy people did. Yes, I looked "healthy" but that was so far from the truth. Our last trip was in 2012, right before they announced doing away with the GAC. Since then I had a heart attack and 3 stents put in at age 53, have osteoarthritis in my hips, now also diagnosed with lupus, and we have a trip planned in 2 weeks. I have been very sick again and am terrified that I am going to be ruining this trip for my 2 children ( now 17 and 12) and my husband. I guess a lot of this talk where people talk about what people can and should be able to do, is very frustrating. No one else knows what I can do and cannot do. And it often varies day to day. Having to wait, even in an ECV or standing, in a line, can often be too much for me, and make me have to leave the park. I think Disney made a big mistake doing away with the GAC. If I get the ECV, can I take it through the lines? I probably won't want to as I have never used one before and I will probably be very anxious about driving it, besides being upset that I have to be in it, and slowing everyone down. I just want to make it through this trip so any advice would be welcome. It's just very upsetting as I was hoping that the revised DAS card(?) might work like the old card. I guess not. Sorry for rambling. I have been a member of Passportee for years but can't access old name (NemosMom)... Oh well. ��
While I have no real personal experience using the GAS or DAS, I would recommed you get one. I have ready many of these threads (my mom was in an electric wheelchair for years) so I find these threads interesting and informative. From what I have read here, I truly think that with the DAS and using FP+ you should be in pretty good shape. You may tour slower than "healthy" guests, but you will still be touring. I have to say, as a daughter of a wheelchair bound mom, I would have loved to see WDW at any pace with her. I never did have this opportunity. Your kids will have a great time with you!! Plus, if you don't want to do something (that requires you driving EVC thru an convoluted queue) they can go thru without you and you can people watch/relax while waiting for them.
Really, you will have a lovely time!!!
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I know I would. Hell, I'd give it for just a day of pre-osteoarthritis in my knees me.
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