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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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OK, so this fall or winter we are heading to DL and then Las Vegas... My question is when to go? I have been to WDW for Christmas and am affraid of the crowds in early December. I would love to see the nightmare version of HM but are they going to do it this year? I wouldn't mind January BUT I am affraid of the rehabs, I would hate to get all the way there and not get to go on everything... What about November? Any tips woudl be appreciated!
Hee! We live in Vegas and we'll be going to DLR for Christmas. We always go the first week(ish) in Dec. The crowds are still lower and everything is completed for Christmas. We used to go every May, but in 2003, DH suggested we go in Dec (since I was pregnant and we wouldn't be going that next May). We enjoyed it SO MUCH! that we changed our annual trip to December.
We got annoyed in 2005, because the crowds increased due to the anniversary (and since, with all the YOAMD promos) - but that's a year-round increase...
And, as far as I know, they are still doing Nightmare on HM. I would think we'd've seen it on here if they weren't...
Christmas time at DL cannot be beat as far as we are concerned. We love the decorations and entertainment. They celebrate Halloween Time during Oct. and then pretty quick start with Christmas stuff after that. If you go in Nov. - avoid the crowds of Thanksgiving weekend. Most of the Christmas stuff is up by Mid-Nov and they start the parades and such either right before or after Thanksgiving. We usually go the first weekend in Dec. before the big crowds arrive. HM is awesome and runs from late Sept./early Oct. till early Jan.
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Katie - WDW - August 2011
I haven't been at Halloween, but we've gone to DL in Dec. for ten years now. I absolutely love it! There's nothing to mist you up like seeing Small World all lit up with Christmas lights, and hearing that familiar theme song blended with Christmas carols. Avoid Thanksgiving weekend, go in early Dec. and the crowds won't be bad.
I have to agree with what was put in the PassPorter. The parks are the most crowded around holidays and when kids are out of school, so if you won't to avoid a big crowds stay away during those times. (Exception) Probably the least crowded holiday at DL is Halloween. You don't have to deal the families that come there from other states or countries during that time.
Have fun planning your DL trip!
"Here's a little pixie dust to make your DL vacation magical!"
Last edited by Stormie71; 06-08-2008 at 08:33 AM..
We always go to DL during the first or second week of December! The decorations are spectacular, there is Christmas magic in the air and we love the holiday fireworks and sipping an eggnog, eating a gingerbread man while sitting on Main Street watching the Christmas Parade! That parade brings back some memories!
Weekends are busy, but not intolerable, usually due to the Processional.
You will also be able to experience the NBC at HM at that time. But my favorite is Holiday Small World!
Hello from Vegas... sorta... just 45 minutes west of it, which puts me closer to DL than those in Vegas.
We usually hit DL in Nov because of my son's b-day. We hit it before Thanksgiving and there is still NBC in the HM and the Christmas decorations are up. One year we were at DL in Jan and they still had the xmas stuff up.
Plus... doesn't Small World reopen in Nov? Right around Thanksgiving...? Might be a good time to go, but the lines for this ride could be long.
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Hello from Vegas... sorta... just 45 minutes west of it, which puts me closer to DL than those in Vegas.
Sure, as the crow flies...but I bet I would beat you to stateline!
It looks like the prevailing opinion is just after Thanksgiving, but not too far into December (1st 2 weeks). That way, you're not cutting into holiday planning too much, but they're still completely ready to go!
Also, Santa is always a treat - especially if they keep him in Frontierland (sorta) and create an entire interaction from it. SO much better than WDW Santas.
Well I talked to my husband and it looks like December has it! I get to see the Haunted Mansion Holiday, plus a small world, and of course everythig Christmas. The only problem is we have to fly Southwest (We have about $100 in a bank) so we have to wait to buy our plane tickets, but hopefully this week we can book our hotels and get disney tickets.
Also, Santa is always a treat - especially if they keep him in Frontierland (sorta) and create an entire interaction from it. SO much better than WDW Santas.
Ooooooooh, forgot about Santa! Sorry, Santa! Santa's Reindeer Roundup is too cute! And the kids and I love the cookie decorating station!
We've been to all of the special parties, and of them all I think Halloween is the most fun.. esp. if you can go early enough that the crowds are very big. SO my recommendation is Late Sept., early October.
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I have gone in October and during the holidays. I don't think you can go wrong either way. The decorations can't be beat during the holidays and it is a fabulous way to get you in the spirit. We celebrated the New Year in the park. The crowds were overwhelming but it is an experience that I will never forget.
We were there October 31 and into the beginning of November. On November 1st, all of the Halloween decorations were down, CALIFORNIA was no longer candy corn but red and white stripes, and Toontown was completely decked out for Christmas. It was a great time to go because we got to see a little of both times of the year. Haunted Mansion Holiday was up and running but iasw was not. I was so sad we didn't get to ride this ride. But, that means we will ride it next time.
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Santa's Reindeer Roundup is too cute! And the kids and I love the cookie decorating station!
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