Forums Closed
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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!
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05-12-2011, 11:00 PM
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#1
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PassPorter Guide
 Community Rank: Globetrotter 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,041
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Feature Article: Toddlers to Teenagers - Making Sure Everyone Enjoys Their Trip
Toddlers to Teenagers - Making Sure Everyone Enjoys Their Trip
by Sara Varney
Four years ago, I wrote an article on "How Young is Too Young?" Since then a lot has changed!
My son is now seven and, in addition to my work with PassPorter, I am now a travel planner affiliated with Mouse Fan Travel. This means I get asked this question more than ever! Recently I have noticed a trend in our area -- families with three or more kids, with ages ranging from toddlers to teenagers.
Over the past few months, multiple clients have expressed concern that their children are "too old" for Disney. Needless to say, it is often difficult to contain the horror in my voice when I answer! So far I've been able to refrain from answering, "Well, I'm 36 so..." But I get it. Taking a jaded "too cool for school" 10-year-old is a different experience than bringing a wide-eyed three-year-old. The situation is even more complicated when you have significant age gaps between your children. How do you create a trip that is magical for everyone from toddlers to teens?
The first step is to get everyone involved in the planning process. Pore over your copy of PassPorter's Walt Disney World (giving each person a different colored highlighter helps with this), order the Walt Disney World vacation planning DVD, and check out the Walt Disney World web site. Have each person pick one or two things in each park that are on their “must do” list. Some examples of “must do” items are a ride that your thrill-loving 13-year-old just HAS to ride, or a Princess meal that, without which, your six-year-old's life simply won’t be complete. Then commit to at least one of these items for each family member! (You too, Mom and Dad! This is your vacation too!)
Once you have the “must do” list in order, it’s time to move to the “wanna do” list. And anyone with an older child knows that the “wanna do” list can go on for days, so be sure to put a cap on the number of items each person can contribute! Some examples of “wanna do” items might be a Backstage Tour or a special one-on-one meal with a parent. Maybe a romantic meal alone for Mom and Dad while the kids explore the Neverland Club?
The next step is to adjust your expectations. My trips with my son, now at age seven, differ wildly from his first trips as a toddler! At three, he was fearless and rode anything. At seven, common sense has kicked in (somewhat) and he is not as likely to go on everything we go on. Plus, he has learned to roll his eyes, so there is plenty of that when Mom and Dad insist on trying on Mickey ears in every store. (Not that this stops us&hellip  Where he used to be happy to sit and watch the fountains at Epcot for hours, he now runs right past them without even looking up, in his pursuit of a seat on Mission:Space.
But if you are patient and let the magic come to you, miracles happen. That 12-year-old who was “over” the Princesses, when finding herself face to face with Cinderella, may just melt enough to pose for a picture.
Last step–divide and conquer. Yes, vacations are family time. But when you are trying to keep kids of all ages entertained, sometimes a little splitting up goes a long way! I know, I know–little Timmy HAS to see Handy Manny in Disney Junior–Live on Stage. But can his older brother Jimmy go check out Tower of Terror with another grown-up during that time? At least the second time around? And again, this goes for grown-ups, too. Mom, consider hanging at the pool with the kids while Dad grabs a round of golf. Dad, do the same for Mom while she is at the spa!
The best thing about any Disney destination is that there truly is something for everyone. From a young one’s first ride on Dumbo to your teen’s ride-along at the Richard Petty Driving Experience, I guarantee that each person will have their very own “wide eyed” moment!
Added to PassPorter's Article Collection on 05-10-2011 02:05 PM
What do you think? Please add your own comments, experiences, or news related to this article in this thread! Reader feedback is welcomed and encouraged.
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05-15-2011, 09:48 PM
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#2
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Community Rank: Passenger 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Concierge Level: 7
Posts: 49
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Love this new article Sara! Although challenging, I agree any kid of any age can enjoy WDW! It is the one place on Earth where there truly is some magic for everyone. Thanks!
__________________
Katie - DVC / D23 / WDW Fanatic
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