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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Long time reader of this website/board, but new poster.
We've cruise Disney now several times and have rarely been disappointed, but now I wonder about my latest choice...
I recently purchased the seven night Eastern Caribbean cruise to St. Croix for the family departing March 28 and am getting worried about the decision. We have cruised the Eastern before with the St. Marten stop, which was "eh" . But, it sounds like St. Croix may be even worse!! Should I change to the Western??? Or is it not as bad as it sounds...
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we will be heading on the feb 28th cruise to st. croix, we have heard the same thing,but we are going anyway,we heard that the disney folks went to the island recently to straighten some thimgs out,hopefully they opened some eyes.good or bad we will make the best of it.ixi e:
Well, thanks for the reply. You are the only one to do so!! I think you are right and will just have to make a go of it. If you don't mind would you let me know how your trip was? I would really like to hear.
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We read some of the excursions available and some of them sound fun! We really want to do the snorkel to Buck Island. After we booked, I read more on St.Croix and was getting a little nervous. Then DH said, would Disney sail somewhere they didn't think it would be safe or no fun. Crime is everywhere you go and everyone has their own definition of what fun is. Just go with it, you never know what you will find.
The first time we visited AK. I didn't want to and DH said let's try it. That was a pleasant surprise and I liked it more then I thought. We went back 2 years later and didn't like it...oh well.
Can't wait to hear a report when you get back.
Well we sail in little over a month and I will be glad to let you all know how it goes in St. Croix. I was just a little nervous about the poor planning on the excursions and the lack of foresight of Disney. But, I will make the best of it! We booked an island tour that includes the Rum factory. If anything I won't remember if it was bad!
We will be on that same cruise to St Croix. I was a little nervous at first but I then talked to some business friends of mine who have taken clients there and they had a great time. They stayed at Carambola Beach Resort. So when I saw that there was a shore trip there it was a no brainer for us! We booked it a few weeks ago and I am really looking forward to it!
I would be shocked if Disney did not do the proper research when they decided to stop at St Croix.
St. Croix is getting a bad rap for crime. Most of the violent crime tends to be aimed at drunk tourists. Murders are usually "crimes of passion". The Caribbean islands frequented by tourists know how sensitive their position is. Look at Mexico. Their foreign minister got a little upset yesterday after the US State Department issued a "warning to travelers" (more serious than a "traveler's advisory" that Mexico was dangerous. It was only after actually reading the publication that you saw that it was specificaly aimed at the border areas, and that the concern was more one of Americans being caught in crossfire than being specifically targeted.
I heard the same report this morning...guess I'm not much up on the news It wasn't really a safety issue as much as an issue of organization. I had heard that the port was so clogged that the excursions couldn't even leave; that the excursions were poorly organized/executed or that the port just really wasn't worth what Disney charges.
I guess I wanted to know if those rumors or stories were true or if people were overreacting.
I have never been to St Croix...the pics I have seen are beautiful but just wanted to say....stay on the boat if you are unsure I am sure there is plenty to doon the ship! My philosophy (not that I always follow it) NEVER stress about a CRUISE!
Enjoy!
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We were there last week and it was the highlight of our trip! We did the Carambola Beach Resort shore excurison. We went across the island to this resort and had the place to ourselves. We used their pool and their beach. They even provided lunch and the food was GREAT! We liked it so much that we have already called our TA about going back to just St Croix and back to that resort. The resort was only at 30% occupancy so it was not crowded. It was beautiful and a wonderful way to spend the day! I highly recommend it!
We are going in October so I am curious as well to see how some of the other cruisers find the island. I was also thinking of mabye doing the island tour that includes the Rum Factory. If anyone does this, please let us know how that tour turns out.
St. Croix ended up being our favorite stop this past week. We went on the "West End Highlights" tour and visited the Botanical Gardens, Cruzan Rum and the Whim Plantation. Our tour guide, Celeste, was VERY informative and told us more history and information than I think any tour guide has!
The port is very small and not developed. I imagine that is what disappoints a certain crowd. But for us it was perfect. I never felt that safety was an issue. It seemed that whatever issues had been present before, Disney has resolved. Everyone was overly courteous and even gave out freebies (teeshirts, rum).
If anyone has any questions feel free to ask. I was going to do a "report" but am not sure my writing skills are adequate
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. But, it sounds like St. Croix may be even worse!! Should I change to the Western??? Or is it not as bad as it sounds...
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ixi e:
on the ship! My philosophy (not that I always follow it) NEVER stress about a CRUISE!
My normal everyday computer routine!
We are back from St. Croix
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