New Survey Questions Suggest New Possible Ticket Options Are In The Works! - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Some of those ideas I really liked and some I did not. The idea of all-inclusive sounds great. I mean if you get hotel, MYM tix, and DDP it almost is. I like the character and holiday experiences. Part of the magic sounds great but over a $1000 is pricey.
I just wrote a long rant & then erased. Suffice it to say that this does not sit well with me, especially the FP thing. If people are willing to pay $150 pp for that, why would they continue the current system? Why give for free what people will pay a ton of money for? $600 for a family of four? Or FP's for free? Slippery slope, Disney.
Mind, you, I do think some of the other options are ... interesting. Often logistically unfeasible, but interesting nonetheless:
Touring Only / No Rides Ticket – Access to theme parks to enjoy everything except the rides and shows with a queue (between $29 and $49 per guest, per day);
This would have SO suited my grandmother, when she, my mother, and I went to Disney (my 14th birthday present - in '85, prior to DHS, heck,prior to the Living Seas in Epcot ). She really didn't ride much of anything; she sat down for a rest whenever my mother and I went on a ride.
Convenience Add-On – Pre-planned itinerary, valet parking, dining reservations, private park entrance ($100 per group, up to 6.);
Silly rabbits. PP helps peole do this for themselves, free of charge! Still, I can see some people really liking this option. Even the "private park entrance" thing doesn't bother me - once they're in the park, they're waiting in the same lines I will be, so ... eh. (I only ever go at low-crowd times of year, so lines to get in/out of the park are rarely a major issue.)
Be Part of the Magic Add-On – Four to six hour experience “side-by-side” with select Disney characters including a “makeover,” private meet ‘n’ greet with ride experience, photo session, themed meal, and private transportation (Examples: Princess or Buzz Lightyear. $1,500 per group, up to 6.);
I could never afford this, but for real die-hard Disney enthusiasts, I can see the appeal. And it doesn't sound like it'd take away from or intrude upon any other guests, so I don't have a problem with this idea, any moe than I do with Victoria and Alberts (whih is also out of my price range).
Character Nights – Nighttime visit to the Magic Kingdom or Disneyland park with all attraction wait times at 10 minutes or less, special fireworks, unlimited snacks, and more character experiences ($125 per person, per day);
EMH on steroids - probably after park closing; they could re-open the gates for a select few (thousand) folks, Actually sounds like a neat idea.
Premium Holiday Ticket – Entrance to the Magic Kingdom or Disneyland on popular holidays with a limit on the number of guests allowed in the park, allowing more time with characters and shorter lines for attractions ($99 per person, per day – $17 more than the current one-day ticket);
This really sounds like Disney has decided "demand far outstrips supply, and our parks are un-fun-ly crowded on those few dates. Let's charge a bit more, thin the herd, and limit the maximum crowd levels a bit more". I honestly don't have a problem with that, if it's limited to major holidays and maybe the day before/day after (i.e., December 23, 24, 25, and 26 - Christmas, Christmas Eve, and the days before/after). Hopefully, it would be an option you could add to one or more days of a 10-day ticket ...
All-Inclusive Disney Resort (Walt Disney World) – Unlimited food and non-alcoholic beverages, resort recreation (boat rentals, parasailing, etc.), amenities (Internet access, gym, etc.) ($40 – $80 per person, per night. Does not include room rate.);
Kind of like having an unlimited dining plan - but I bet you, it'd only be good for meals AT YOUR RESORT. Meals in the parks, or at other resorts, would probably still cost $$ (or dining plan credits).
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Touring Only / No Rides Ticket – Access to theme parks to enjoy everything except the rides and shows with a queue (between $29 and $49 per guest, per day);
This would have SO suited my grandmother, when she, my mother, and I went to Disney (my 14th birthday present - in '85, prior to DHS, heck,prior to the Living Seas in Epcot ). She really didn't ride much of anything; she sat down for a rest whenever my mother and I went on a ride.
This one is very interesting to me!! Last December we were down there for the day, didn't do a single ride or attraction. We were just there, soaking up the ambiance.
Epcot, especially World Showcase is a perfect example of where this would work perfectly too!
Partial Day Ticket – Access to theme parks from opening until 3:00 pm or 3:30 pm until closing (between $29 and $49 per guest, per day); Touring Only / No Rides Ticket – Access to theme parks to enjoy everything except the rides and shows with a queue (between $29 and $49 per guest, per day);
I don't see how they could pull these two off. More wristbands and checking everyone all the time?
VIP Attraction Add-On – Unlimited use of Fastpass ($150 per person on top of regular park admission, subject to availability.);
I like the idea of this one. I assume the $150 is per week and not per day?
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