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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Not at all surprising. I am very anxious to see what they come up with. I know that many moms with boys had been disappointed. I do think that girls will do boy things but boys are more hesitant to do girl things as they get older so maybe this is a good move, who knows. Either way I am sure I'll be happy
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I find this very interesting, its been floating around in the rumor mill since Bob Igeer swapped Rasulo and Staggs in November, just two months after the Fantasyland expansion was unveiled. Staggs, former CFO is now head of the Parks division. Rasulo has taken over as CFO. Staggs has three children--all boys! I wonder if that is having some influence on the changes. Construction has definitely already started. If you ride Dumbo you can see over the construction walls! You can currently see lots of dirt and two big round circus tents--I'm assuming they are the site of the expanded Dumbo, but I could be wrong.
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Even though I was excited and happy with the Princess theme, I could see how parents with boys might feel alienated. Whatever they come up with, I'm excited to see it when its all finished!
I'm excited to see what they come up with! I just hope they don't end up cutting corners to get it done by a certain date. Which is what they seem to do with alot of their refurbs...
As a mother of 3 boys I wasn't too thrilled when I read about the fantasyland expansion and all the princess stuff. As someone wrote, girls will do boy things but boys are more reluctant to do girly things. I hope they come up with something good.
Thanks Judi for the link.
I thought there might be some changes when I saw that it was all princess based. There are a lot of little boys that need some boy oriented entertainment too.
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Well that's slightly disappointing. I was looking forward to the little mermaid ride and it doesn't sound promising for it anymore. And I'll be really upset if I end up stuck in a hallway again for Tinkerbell, boys or not, no one should be expected to wait in a hallway for a meet and greet with *nothing* to look at.
I understand a need for "balance" but I didn't think Belle's Chalet was all the skewed other than meeting Belle. The mirror they talked about was nifty and the restaurant is desperately needed.
So what do you think they will add to spice things up for the male crowd? I'd expect the Ariel ride to be a go as it's already being installed in DCA and I'd be they made 2 during manufacturer. I'm guessing Belle will still make it in as the restaurant is a money maker.
Now my speculations would be that Sleeping Beauty stays as her area would be a good transition between Pooh and Pixie Hollow. So I would guess that Cindy's new digs get the ax. She has a WHOLE CASTLE for crying out loud and that area could be used for something else. But what? King Arthur?
I'm glad to see they're aiming for a broader appeal. I love princesses, too, but this expansion did seem heavily skewed toward little girls. I look forward to seeing what those talented imagineers come up with!