PassPorter Podcast: Episode 69: What We Dislike About Disney - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
PassPorter Podcast: Episode 69: What We Dislike About Disney
PassPorter Moms Podcast: Disney & Beyond Episode 69: What We Dislike About Disney - (05-11-2011 07:00 AM)
Podcast Description: Join Jennifer and Sara as they discuss this week's news, announce listener celebrations and contest winners and answer the frequently asked question, "So is there anything you don't like about Disney?"
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
I loved your comments about the "dislikes" of WDW. I agree with you on so many points 1 being I also hate the heat and crowds - but sometimes, that is the only time for travel due to schedules. I also would love to see better transportation to the resorts for dinners or breakfasts.
I would have loved to heard more comments about Old Key West. We are staying there for the first time in October and are going to try Olivia's. How is the food there? What kind of cuisine is there?
We just stayed at AKL in March and there was a Community Hall with tons of things for the kids to do like crafts, games, puzzles and books. Do you know if there is a community hall at OKW?
I look forward to your podcast next week. Thanks for all the information you give ... its fun to listen too (and read!)
Kathy aka
Mrs. GusMan
I would have loved to heard more comments about Old Key West. We are staying there for the first time in October and are going to try Olivia's. How is the food there? What kind of cuisine is there?
We just stayed at AKL in March and there was a Community Hall with tons of things for the kids to do like crafts, games, puzzles and books. Do you know if there is a community hall at OKW?
We love OKW and stay there often There is a community room (Conch Flats Community Hall) with all the similar activities at OKW - it is over near the pool, behind Hospitality House.
Olivia's is a fun place to eat - small and casual. Here are links to their menus-
Just got back from my trip. And I visited AK for the first time. Lunch was at Yak and Yeti as recommended by so many. And it was AWFUL because of the HEAT! I can't believe there are only 10 or so covered tables! Lunch time is obviously 11 - 2 when the sun is at it's worst, and I could not find a single seat in the shade. So put that on MY list of what I dislike about Disney. That is a major FAIL IMO.
I agree with your combined "dislikes" - heat, crowds, expense. I like the pod idea. They have something like that in Japan, where they are called "capsule hotels". File:CapsuleHotel.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia It could be a place to chill for a little while in A/C. You could pay by the hour .
I'm also happy that they now have a sign up for the Jedi Academy. It was really stressful trying to get my son picked. We were lucky - picked the 1st try, but we were next to a family who's son got passed over twice .
(BTW, I listen to your podcast BECAUSE you are "Pollyanna Podcast". I've been trying out other ones and there are a few that I wouldn't let my sons listen to. So please don't change a thing )
Love listening to your podcasts! Catching up on my listening and wanted to comment on the early morning transportation from resort to resort. We rely solely on Disney transportation when we're there and we like to eat all over the World. We've had lots of early morning breakfast reservations and I totally understand the frustration of how to get from one resort to another. While the buses don't always run as early as we'd like, they do run early enough to get you to those early morning ADRs. Here's a blurb from Scott Thomas of PSCalculator fame:
"Does WDW have Bus Transportation for Early Character Breakfasts?
Buses for the Magic Kingdom and Magic Kingdom Resort Area will start running at 6:30am DAILY.
Buses for Animal Kingdom/Animal Kingdom Lodge will start running at 7:00-7:15am DAILY.
Buses for the Disney's Hollywood Studios (covering the Epcot Resort Area) will start running at 7:00-7:15am DAILY.
Buses for Epcot (Princess Breakfast at Norway) will start running at 7:00-7:15am DAILY.
This information is valid EVERY DAY, and for ALL DISNEY RESORTS serviced by Bus transportation.
These buses are for Breakfasts only, and should not be used for general park access. Always let the driver know where you are going upon boarding the bus. Most times, the driver will be able to take you directly (ie: Contemporary, for Chef Mickey's) but sometimes this is not possible. As such, you should always allow time for a connection when going Resort to Resort. Actual arrival times will vary by location."
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
I’m catching up on the podcasts, as I’m so horribly behind it isn’t even funny.
I do have to say one very, very loud AMEN about the utter lack resort-to-resort transportation however, especially for those of us not blessed with the absurd amounts of money to stay at places like Beach Club, Contemporary, etc. If you stay off-site and/or have a car, however, you can definitely get there, but when I’m onsite at WDW (especially hotels), I much prefer using the transportation system. Now that I know how close to the International Gateway Beach Club is, I would actually like to give Beaches and Cream a try if only for that gigantic thing of ice cream known only as the Kitchen Sink, LOL.
One thing is I actually don’t mind, though, is heat on its own. For me, I cannot stand heat combined with obscene humidity in the 80-100% range, which DEFINITELY happens at WDW in the summer!
I think a trip to MGM/DHS in July might never happen again, although I don’t think I ever, EVER saw more awful lines (out the door of the Chinese Theatre, even) for Great Movie Ride than I did that day in July 1997 I was there at DHS (which was MGM at the time, and I far prefer saying MGM over Disney’s Hollywood Studios… just saying).
Also, crowds aren’t that big a bother to me. That might surprise you when I tell you that I have lived with Asperger syndrome since 1994, which basically means I’m not a people person at all and I have different interests and also very focused interests.
I wasn’t totally flattened by the Wizarding World crowds last October, but the one thing I must complain about with regard to crowds are the really rude people who don’t understand that other people would, you know, like to get by them to get to the Hogs Head Pub, as a point of example, and it really messes with my commando style of touring, especially at Disney.
One other complaint I do have that you actually didn’t touch on is I absolutely LOVED the resort-specific merchandise and am very sad it is no more. I sincerely hope that Disney will start doing the resort-specific merchandise again with the advent of the Art of Animation Resort, because I like the idea of resort-specific merch because it is a perfect souvenir of your stay at WDW (and a surefire way of NOT making me ever leave WDW without a new T-shirt again, LOL).
Anywho, I’m enjoying these podcasts, keep them coming!!
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
OOO Shiny!
There is a community room (Conch Flats Community Hall) with all the similar activities at OKW - it is over near the pool, behind Hospitality House. 
.
)
Linear Mode
