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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We are trying to plan our first time to Disneyland! I'm getting so excited There is just me and my boyfriend, and we are both in our early 30's.
We are thinking of visiting at the end of April/start of May 2012. Is this a good time to go crowd wise? I know hardly anything about DL so any hints/tips you can give would be fab!
We are trying to plan our first time to Disneyland! I'm getting so excited There is just me and my boyfriend, and we are both in our early 30's.
We are thinking of visiting at the end of April/start of May 2012. Is this a good time to go crowd wise? I know hardly anything about DL so any hints/tips you can give would be fab!
Thank you.
It has been many many years since I was last in the UK but out here in "sunny' Southern California the weather is warm , not hot (70's/80's) during the day and can get cool, not cold (upper 50's lower 60's) after the sun goes down. The crowd level is not too bad as Spring Break would be over by that time and school has not let out for summer yet. How long of a stay are you planning for? Any idea of where you want to stay? On property or off property? What are your dining favorite foods?
Thanks for the reply, that weather sounds perfect for me!
The plans at the minute are to come over for 14 nights, and we want to do a few nights in Vegas and maybe a night or two in San Diego.
As for Disney, I was thinking about staying on-site for maybe 3 or 4 nights (not sure which hotel yet), then moving off-site. I have heard good things about the Howard Johnson near Disney. We also want to visit Universal/Warner Bros/Hollywood etc.
I tend to like 'plainer' foods (no sauces, but presume I can just ask for the sauce on the side or for no sauce?) We like to treat ourself to steak whilst on holiday. As for fast food, burger/fries are ok (as long as it's not for every meal!) My boyfriend will eat almost anything though, so he will be fine no matter what!!!!!
I was thinking about going to Blue Bayou for a treat, is the food good there?
Shydonna1 is totally correct about the Blue Bayou, it has an amazing ambiance and the food is quite good as well. You say you like a good steak dinner, then you must book Steakhouse 55 over at the Disneyland Hotel as they have a mouth watering steak it’s almost worth dying for. LOL. There are several great restaurants in the Downtown Disney area as well as in each of the resort hotels and then there are those in each park as well. I doubt that you would go hungry.
Of the three resort hotels, Paradise Pier Hotel, Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian, I have listed them in order of pricing. The most popular one being the latter, due to its own ambiance, location to the parks and comfort. Then in the general area surrounding Disneyland you will find many of Disney’s “Good Neighbor” hotels and motels. These are places that Disney has inspected to see which would meet the expectations and comfort requirements set down by Disney. At these hotel and motels you can purchase park passes and by-pass the ticket booths located at the parks. There are also several great places to eat in the general area as well. You might be interested to know that many of the places I have talked about are all within a 5 to 15 minute walk to Disneyland proper.
We love the Grand Californian, but it is quite spendy. We have also stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, which we enjoyed, and several of the off-site cheaper places on Harbor. All were perfectly acceptable for the prices we paid, but we liked the Candy Cane Inn the best of the off-site ones. That said, we have never stayed at HoJos, so can't compare Candy Cane to that one.
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You're getting some great advice. I must third Blue Bayou, you can't beat the ambience, and I have not had a bad meal there yet! I like to get the earliest seating in the day usually 1130am and ask for a water side table, its so much fun to watch the boats float by! Food is my favourite part of our trips
As for accomodations, we've never stayed on-property at DL since we can get a less expensive hotel with-in equal distance. We just stayed at the Howard Johnson's in a preferred theme park view room, it was quite nice and comfortable, and the walk isn't too bad. My mom stayed at the Candy Cane Inn about 10 years ago and she liked it as well. Typically we stay at the La Quinta because we like to stay in a suite and their prices can't be beat, we usually don't pay more than $80 american for a 2 room suite with fridge and micro (and they have a nice complimentary breakfast). Its about a 1/2mile walk to the park and its just adjacent to the Garden Walk with restaurants and some nice shopping.
Good luck planning!
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Special ops issued us flip-flops, a guitar and a week or two! -Roger Clyne
I stayed at a good neighbour hotel the both times I went to Anaheim. We stayed at The Annabella Hotel. Its across the street from DCA, and you can see the rides at night with them having lights on. Its about a 5-10 minute walk. We just followed the crowd and it was great. There are also some great food places to eat by this hotel. Tiffs and another one I can't think of across the street.
THe hotel is nice, clean, and has 2 pools, one for just adults and one for everyone. A hot tub as well. Take a look at their website.
I can only help you a little on the food. Steakhouse 55 is great. Pricey but great food. I have never eaten at Blue Bayou. ESPN Zone is also a great place to eat. A little loud, but its a sports restaurant.
Hi! haven't post in a while.. would like to give you my 2 cents: I too had a first Disneyland trip last September, and we loved it!! (went with hubby & 2 kids).
You mentioned 1-2 nights in San Diego. If you go for it, let me tell you that San Diego is beautiful, and 1 night is just not enough. If you can, stay 2-3 days. Distance from Anaheim to San Diego (depending on traffic) is at least 2 hours, but it's an easy drive.
We stayed at Grand Californian Hotel for our first time and it was the best decision we made! It's not the kind of hotels we use to book, but it was well worth the extra money! Not only because it's soo beautiful, but it was so close to everything it was awesome (we're used to All Stars in WDW!!) If you can stay there, don't hesitate!
Best luck!
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