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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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My wife always packs enough handi wipes for everyone in WDW to wash their hands, but we always use them all. No one has mentioned bringing their Mother-in-law to schlep all these things around the park in her Mary Poppins magic bag.
My wife always packs enough handi wipes for everyone in WDW to wash their hands, but we always use them all. No one has mentioned bringing their Mother-in-law to schlep all these things around the park in her Mary Poppins magic bag.
If I brought my MiL I would need to pack valium lol j/k
Why have I never thought to bring a power strip? I am always moving things around to find enough outlets, especially when we travel as a family.
I'll admit, I hate to over pay for items but if I wanted to pack or ship everything on my "want" list I wouldn't have room left in our room, and the bag I carry to the park would be so overloaded I would look like the hunchback.
I take a chance and roll the dice. Target or Walgreen's are not too far away. We have always had a car, so I am not too worried about picking something up.
Ziplock bags(two sizes), packing tape (not just for shipping our boxes home, but for repairs), a small notebook and pen/pencil (for notes and fun/games), pop up laundry basked or bags for dirt clothing.
Check the weather - pack clothing or items for 10 degrees higher or lower than expected. No need to go crazy - light gloves if it is in the winter, shorts or tank in the spring or fall, a zip front sweatshirt all year round.
Yep you really need to bring a power strip. I got this tip from a Disney Cruise Line Podcast and it saved me. Also an alarm clock that glows for your Disney Cruise cabin.
FYI, look for the power strips with USB ports in them. This allows you to charge phones & Ipods thru the USB ports and leave the plugs open for other items. This charger is also MUCH smaller than a normal power strip since it plugs directly into the wall, no power cord to deal with and easier to pack!
We went in January last year and the best thing we packed was a small pair of stretchy gloves for each of us. We wore them almost the whole trip and they made a world of difference to cut the chill.
We also always bring glow necklaces from the $ store - we usually bring a lot of them and the kids love sharing them with other kids along the parade route.
Power surge, many cheap $ dollar store ponchos, and neck wallet are also must brings for us.
I need to find our passporter neck pouches again. I bought them cuz they looked cool and was sort of hoping we'd run into other passporters but DH raved about how fantastic it was and that his pants were not falling down the whole trip from overstuffed pockets. Sadly I don't know where they are! :O
And the hunt begins.... I can't even find my camera now... oy!