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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Last year when we went on our 4 nighter in November we were able to upgrade at the port from a cat 11 to a cat 6 for about $250. How many of you have done this and for how much money? I hope to do it in September again.
We upgraded from a Cat 9 to a Cat 6 in 2003 for $300. We looked into an upgrade on this past cruise but the only thing available was suites. The cost from a Cat 11 to a Cat 4 was $1400!!!!
I'm thinking we'll ask, but we're linked to my in-laws' ressie in connecting staterooms. So, we're willing to move, but it needs to be a suite at a great price (we're category 6 right now) to make it worth separating us. I don't think I'd do it for a cat. 5 unless we could both move...
But my fingers are crossed! I'm nothing if not hopeful in life!
We sail in two weeks and are obviously paid in full. Do you just ask at check-in about an upgrade? We are cat 8 right now. I'd love to have a verandah.
A few weeks ago, I asked about it right at check in and was directed to another counter. (Kiosk 21- all the way at the end.) I upgraded from a 10 to a 9 for $167, and the passenger in front of me went from a 9 to a 6 for $320. The best deals were on the Cat 4's- they offered to send me up that way for $567. ( I just couldn't swing it). It never hurts to ask!
A few weeks ago, I asked about it right at check in and was directed to another counter. (Kiosk 21- all the way at the end.) I upgraded from a 10 to a 9 for $167, and the passenger in front of me went from a 9 to a 6 for $320. The best deals were on the Cat 4's- they offered to send me up that way for $567. ( I just couldn't swing it). It never hurts to ask!
Getting upgraded at the pier is always a crap shoot. Today, I'd put my money on the "don't pass" line. In October, or two weeks ago, I'd even go for "six the hard way". Pricing and availability depends on, hmm, what's available. By the time you're checking in, they've sold everything they're going to sell*, so if they have a cat 6 open and you're willing to pay the bump from a cat 11, they'll be more than happy to accommodate you. Honestly, it costs no more for them to put 2, 3 or 4 people in a cat 6 than into a cat 11, since the food is the same, Mousekeeping is the same, fuel is the same , etc. So, it's a win-win.
Heather, to me, there's zero (0, zip, nada) value in going from a 6 to a 5, especially since it would probably mean getting split up, which I seem to remember was more than a little important to you.
* In "the good old days" (Sept 10, 2001 and earlier ), one could frequently just "show up" and get a good to great deal. Now TSA wants the entire passenger manifest at least 72 hours prior to sailing. If you negelct to check in on-line or via fax or phone, you need to show up at least 90 minutes prior to scheduled last boarding call for "vetting". Several lines are saying 2 hours, but TSA says 90 minutes.
Heather, to me, there's zero (0, zip, nada) value in going from a 6 to a 5, especially since it would probably mean getting split up, which I seem to remember was more than a little important to you.
Yeah, I'm figuring that. But, as DH said, for a cat 3 or 4 (like maybe, upgrade for $150 or something), we'll say "See ya!" to his parents! Hey, a girl can dream!
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Oh yeah, a 3 or 4 is a totally different kettle of fish (haven't used that one in a long, long time!). If I had a 6 and they said "would you like a 4 for $150 more?" they wouldn't be able to get the credit card machine out fast enough! If they said "would you like a 1 for $1000 more?" (for the two of us) I'd be peeling 10's out of my wallet so fast they'd probably light on fire!!!!
But I'm also expecting to win Mega Millions and Powerball in the same week. Realistically? I'll play golf in a thunderstorm with Lee Trevino.
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Last year when we went on our 4 nighter in November we were able to upgrade at the port from a cat 11 to a cat 6 for about $250. How many of you have done this and for how much money? I hope to do it in September again.
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We looked into an upgrade on this past cruise but the only thing available was suites. The cost from a Cat 11 to a Cat 4 was $1400!!!! 
), one could frequently just "show up" and get a good to great deal. Now TSA wants the entire passenger manifest at least 72 hours prior to sailing. If you negelct to check in on-line or via fax or phone, you need to show up at least 90 minutes prior to scheduled last boarding call for "vetting". Several lines are saying 2 hours, but TSA says 90 minutes.
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