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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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ROTFLMAO!!!! These things are awesome...and you should see the ones I WANT to use! hehe! (aka first one in the taunting section) I think we have the same ones. lol
I almost used that one, and then didn't!
I like the 3rd one in the taunting section best!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DisneyDana
And yeah, Sparky...did you ever move out of your mom's basement? LOL
SHHHHHH!!! Drats, now you let the cat out of the bag! I have FFP to pay for ya know!
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Guideline reminder that personal conversations are best left to e-mail or PM
Lets try to stay on topic, Some posts are getting way off, & can be done via PM's between each other..
To get to the OP's statement, we used Walker Mobility twice for hand pushed wheelchairs-once when DS#2 broke his ankle 3 days before our trip and then again when we took a trip right before DH had his hip replacement (only because he was told he couldn't fly for 6 months after his surgery due to the risk of blood clots and the trip was already booked so we delayed his surgery which was very tough for him). However again-nothing electric so I can't relate to your experience. I am so sorry you had problems with them. And they both could transfer which helped for sure-going in August boy was it hot pushing those wheelchairs but DH had no choice but to see Beauty and the Beast with me . Of course the boys ran when I suggested it but I was pushing DH's wheelchair
I agree that this has gotten way off track. Personal conversations should be in a PM. Please let's revert back to the original post and not make this about personal opinions. Thanks
Janet- I am so sorry your Mom had to deal with such insensitivity.. I have heard of the un 'friendliness' at Universal as well..
Quote:
Originally Posted by DisneyDana
Hear Hear! And I get so tired of the "you don't know about hidden issues" stance. If there are THAT many fat kids at WDW with hidden issues at the same time, riding in strollers, then we as a whole need to stop breeding because clearly there is an epidemic of some sort mutating our genes. I'd be willing to bet that one or two out of 10 have something other than just laziness to blame. No, I don't act hateful to these people, but yes I am thinking my own personal thoughts about it.
That is an extremely presumptuous statement. There are over , an average of 130,000 people that visit Disney World each day & out of that 130,000 I would bet 30,000 are children & there is no way that 1 or 2 out of ten are using a stroller due to lazy, your numbers are WAY off As a parent, I find I am more tolerable & understanding of ALL children... fat, thin, handicapped, able-bodied or otherwise.
Hear Hear! And I get so tired of the "you don't know about hidden issues" stance. If there are THAT many fat kids at WDW with hidden issues at the same time, riding in strollers, then we as a whole need to stop breeding because clearly there is an epidemic of some sort mutating our genes. I'd be willing to bet that one or two out of 10 have something other than just laziness to blame. No, I don't act hateful to these people, but yes I am thinking my own personal thoughts about it.
Ouch! As an occupational therapist, I value each and everyone of my students. MOST have hidden disabilities and issues. Many are overweight because of strength, stamina, or issues beyond their control. I also have great respect for their parents. I think they would be so hurt to hear their child referred to in that way, even though I'm sure it was meant to be a witty comment.
I know it is hard to understand if you don't live or work with such things on a daily basis, but hidden disabilities are real. Faking to take advantage of a system may be a character flaw, but that is a whole different issue that has nothing to do with people who have true needs.
I agree that we need to get back on topic. I'd also like to ask for kindness here, as many readers at this special needs forum have hidden needs or conditions that keep them from being full participants in activities, including those that would keep them fit and trim.
This quote comes to mind:
For those who understand, no explanation is necessary. For those who refuse to
understand, no explanation is possible. --unknown
.that seems to be an awfully large number and something must be terribly wrong in the drinking water.
Actually, there IS "something terribly wrong with the drinking water." Ecologists and scientists have found that over the years, as the population increasingly consumes foods and beverages (like milk) that have been grown using genetically or chemically enhanced hormones, then the ground water is increasingly contaminated with said hormones. Also, people often dispose of their medications by flushing them down the toilet, further contaminating the ground water. As this contaminated ground water is pumped into water treatment plants, the hormones are not able to be removed (or detected with current treatment plant equipment) and we end up consuming those hormones again. This consumption causes all kind of medical issues, including earlier and earlier onset of puberty in children.
All that said, there are hidden needs and no one outside of the professional medical community and the guest's family, can truly know how the use of an ECV, wheelchair, or stroller impacts that person and his/her enjoyment of life or vacations.
There have been some less than friendly comments made and other guides have addressed them. I will put in my own reminder to treat each other with respect.
This is the special needs forum, We are here to help each other because most of us have special needs or a loved one that does. We are not here to post negative posts. We are here to help others get through a magical vacation with tips to make things easier. If you think about it, how many special needs are visible? Do cancer patients have hang signs on themselves? Does someone with Fibromyalgia have it written on their forehead? If you come here to be mean or rude, Then please go away. We are here to support each other. Yes, some of us are chunky because we can't do much to change it. I am totally frustrated everyday of my life for things I can't do anymore. But I will not be made to feel even worse by unthoughtful remarks.
Seems like some people have a disability of hurting others, That can be cured by thinking first..
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We just got home from an 18 day stay at AoA. We rented a scooter for my mother who was with us, and had a TON of problems. It wasn't due to the company, but her needs for a scooter that she could use (more on that later.)
We ended up just sending her scooter back and getting her an Electric Wheelchair from Walker Mobility (I will NEVER rent from them.) It was a HUGE mess. They first brought a chair that had no charge at all, and then once we charged it, it didn't hold a charge. we exchanged it and got a new chair that had flat tires.
My mother has an electric wheelchair at home but we had no way to get it to the airport, we decided to rent a scooter for her so that she could get around and use a manual chair to get her to and from the airport.
My mother was in tears by day two. She said that she felt as though she had the plague. SHe was not allowed to ride ANYTHING in the scooter, we had never had this problem before. My mother cannot transfer from scooter to chair, and back all day long. She has very bad knees and can barely stand. She can't have a knee replacement due to a heart condition, so we just help her as much as we can.
I was very disappointed with how my mother was treated this time at WDW. My mom was in tears as bus driver after bus driver was rude to her, she even had a few PhotoPass photographers refuse to take a photo with her in it, if she would not get out of the scooter.
Once we rented the the Electric Wheelchair, things went way better despite the problems with the rental company.
We also went to Universal for 2 days and lets just say that they are NOT handicap accessible at all. Well at least not if you use an electric wheelchair.
Getting back to the original post ...
It seems like there are two issues?
The first one is unkind and discriminatory treatment for individuals on wheels?
The second seems to be the safety issues involved with putting wheels on some of the attraction car or, if that can't be safely done, requiring transfers?
So, what should we call those who are without compassion?
Callous, Heartless, Unsympathetic - any many more terms according to my Google search. Then of course, there's another list too. Malefacent, Jafar, Urusla......(I think you get the picture )
Getting back to the original post ...
It seems like there are two issues?
The first one is unkind and discriminatory treatment for individuals on wheels?
The second seems to be the safety issues involved with putting wheels on some of the attraction car or, if that can't be safely done, requiring transfers?
I think it's just as bad for people to name call the people who they don't agree with. Where are the mods for that? Oh, I am sorry...I forgot. They joined in.
It seems to me, that some people are singled out while others say things and it's completely overlooked. Prime example....there were people who said basically the same thing DisneyDana did, yet not a word has been said to those said posters.
I understand where the mods are coming from as far as sticking to OP topic, having tips/suggestions, and having good manners...I myself forget, and get caught up in the mix. However, I believe those rules apply to everyone. That means, while you don't agree with someone's opinions and you find what they have to say rude or less than friendly...it doesn't give you the right to name call, be rude yourself or be less than friendly.
I am disabled, and use a scooter while in WDW. I wouldn't be able to go without it. I am also fat, working on it the best I can, but yes...I am fat. I have to say, I find the fact of people name calling in the very same post as they are telling others not to name call and be compassionate...more unnerving and disappointing than any comments I have read from the "bad" kids.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander. The rules are made for everyone to follow....PERIOD. If anyone feels that a reminder of the rules need be posted, then do it. But do it with the same compassion and rule minding that you are expecting of others.
Again, two wrongs don't make right. Do onto others as you'd have done unto you. I am starting to agree with Pax...let's all grow up and stop the 2nd grade immaturity.
"Seems like some people have a disability of hurting others, That can be cured by thinking first.."
"When someone is without sight, we say they are blind. When someone is without hearing, we call them deaf. So, what should we call those who are without compassion?"
"Callous, Heartless, Unsympathetic - any many more terms according to my Google search. Then of course, there's another list too. Malefacent, Jafar, Urusla......"
Just a few examples of what I am talking about.
At this point, I hope this thread gets closed. I think that many people bent or broke the rules in it, and hypocrisy is just as bad as being callous, heartless, or unsympathetic.
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. If one is expecting kindess and compassion, I would think they would show that as well. Teach what you are saying, by being an example.
One little Spark- If you have a problem with the way the message board is run or moderated, please feel free to PM any one of the guides or Administrators. It is against the PP guidelines
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. Of course the boys ran when I suggested it but I was pushing DH's wheelchair 
I'd be willing to bet that one or two out of 10 have something other than just laziness to blame. No, I don't act hateful to these people, but yes I am thinking my own personal thoughts about it.
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