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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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The 16th-19th should be OK after that expect the crowds to be VERY heavy. Just prepare for long lines and try to utilize the fast passes as much as possible. You could also do the shows in between and visit the resorts for the decorations. It is really an amazing time of year to be in the world and you will enjoy every minute
Take advantage of those first few days. Around the 23rd or 24th it'll be getting REALLY busy. If you've done all of your "must-do" attractions by then, anything else is just gravy.
Have a great time, Christmas at WDW is truly magical!
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We went Dec 23-29 last year and had a fantastic time! The other PPers are right, the crowds will pick up after the 25th, but with a good touring plan it is definitely still doable. This is not the time of year to go commando as you may not be able to do even half of what you normally would be able to do at other times of year. Pick a few favs, utilize FPs, and get there early would be my best tips. If the lines are too long this is a great time to catch a show (or some of the less "popular" rides) or just take time to admire all the beautiful decorations. I would suggest though if getting a good spot for the parades is important to you, you may have to be ready to stake out your spot 1.5 hours in advance. This is truly a wonderful time to visit WDW. I only wish we could go back this year! Have a great time!
Christmas at WDW is wonderful! The decorations are just beautiful. Visit the different monorail resorts to see their decorations. If you'd like to avoid the crowds I'd stay away frm the MK on the 24th and 25th. It will be a mad house! If it's just the two of you (no kinds) it should be easier for you to park hop so I'd do that. Also take advantage of any extra magic hours. DH and I used to stay really late and watch all of the families disappear from the parks. Those days are over but if you're night owls I'd do some evening activities. Also, book all of your ressies as soon as you get a chance. Because it's so busy you may not be able to eat at some TS places. Espec. in Epcot when the Candlelight Proc. is taking place. If you'd like to see that I'd book the dinner package. Have fun planning!
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It will get busier the further into your trip you go. Try and do all your 'must dos' on the first few days of your trip while the lines will be short. By the time you hit Christmas Day, the parks will all be packed and lines will be long everywhere. It's a really great time of year to go though....the weather is usually very nice for touring (if a bit cold in the early am and late pm) and the parks and resort are decorated so nicely. Enjoy!
Are you staying on property? Just know that, on the most crowed days, they may "close to capacity." That closing is a stepped thing and begins with closing the parking lots, then the turnstiles are closed to anyone not staying on property. So, staying in a Disney resort will allow you a *little* flexibilty on the most crowded days as resort guests usually don't get closed out (although it CAN happen.)
Are you getting park hopper tickets? I would -- you'll appreciate havng the ability to "hop" away from an over-crowded park.
Also, consider planning your days around what the crowd predictor calendars (at TouringPlans.com or TourGuideMike.com, etc.) suggest are your best parks each day.
If you want to see and do everything, knock out as much as you can the first few days and then slow things down once the crowds build.
We have no problem being down there on Xmas Day proper. Just do your research and pick up the few pointers on this thread. It's when one hasn't done their homework that they are taken off-guard and have the potential for an unhappy trip.
The only time they've closed when we've been down is on Xmas Day for maybe 15-20 minutes here and there at the MK. You won't even be aware of it. You might hear about it later in the day or the following day but most likely not.
Thanks for all the info. To answer some questions:
1. Yes, we are staying at Pop century hotel.
2. Got the Park hopper.
3. Got all our dinner reservations even the ones outside of the park like in downtown Disney.
I just have a few more questions:
1. Do the Disney resorts know when a park is closed down due to the crowd?
2. What if the park is closed and we got dinner reservations?
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I am not sure of #1 but....
2. What if the park is closed and we got dinner reservations?
When we went on 07 we had reservations for Cindy's castle. Wet got there at about 10am and shortly after that they closed down the park(xmas day) Well we stayed for a few hours and decided to leave as the park was just too busy with wall to wall people. There was no way to get on rides without a huge wait and it took an hour just to get on the train in toon town to go to main st. I know that sounds crazy but it would have taken about the same time to walk it, thats how many people we encountered. When I called to see if I could cancel they said no they wold be charging my credit card. I asked "even if the park is shut down" and she said yes that we should not leave just stick it out and hang around in the park.
Basically if you are worried get there early and stay.
As mentioned above I would stay away from all parks esp MK on Christmas other then that they prob wont shut the parks to resort guests.
In busy times, they will often have a CM stationed at the bus stops of the resorts and they will be able to tell you if the park the bus is headed to is "closed to capacity."
If you've got dinner reservations, they won't automatically let you in (they'll tell you you should've gotten into the park earlier), but the park is rarely down for hours and hours. You'll likely be wait and get in.
But it's why it's recommended to pick a park, get there early, and stay there all day.
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but if you're night owls I'd do some evening activities. Also, book all of your ressies as soon as you get a chance. Because it's so busy you may not be able to eat at some TS places. Espec. in Epcot when the Candlelight Proc. is taking place. If you'd like to see that I'd book the dinner package. Have fun planning!
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