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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 have done it several times. We've always done coach, always sat upstairs, although for our upcoming trip in June, DH & I got a room. I find it a great way to travel because someone else does the driving, and you arrive with your owncar, not a rental that might have hidden "surprises." Usually, there are snacks in the lounge car (fruit, cookies, and a party mix of salty snacks) with tea and coffee. There are also food and beverages to purchase. For dinner, there is a choice of 3 entrees. They used to serve complimentary wine with dinner, but just ended that as a cost-cutting measure in March. There is an evening showing of a movie, generally one that has recently been released on DVD. We've seen Rango,Mirror,Mirror, & Identity Thief, among others. In the morning, there is a light breakfast available.
Recommendations: you may want to pack your own snacks & drinks. I used to pack them in ZipLoc bags, but the last trip, we brought a small cooler.
Definitely bring your own pillows & blankets. Amtrak used to provide the airline version of these; now they sell them as a TravelPak, for $8 (I think)
Many people also bring their own DVDs.
I love the autotrain! I'm going down on Thursday. I've always done coach and always upstairs. they try to group people together in certain cars.. famines with young kids, older travelers, young adults... those type of groupings. yes, they did cut out the free wine at dinner , but unless you are a wine drinker. (I'm not) you won't miss it. you and the members are your party are seated together ( as long as you booked together- arriving in two different cars). the train is usually not sold out, so you may be able to spread out so each of you can have an entire seat row to yourselves. the trick to do this is to arrive early, board when it's time and watch who all is coming on your car. really by 3:45/4pm you know which seats are unused and just take that seat. yes , bring your own favorite blanket and pillow for any decent chance of getting some zzzzz's. the rocking of the train is very relaxing, but trying to find a comfy position can be challenging! lol! so it helps to have your favorite things. bring your snacks and drinks! bring a book! each seat has it's own outlet so you can plug up your electronics with ease!
really, by the time you eat and get settled, it's time to get some sleep. by the time you wake up, you're in Florida ready to go!! I kind of feel like it's a bit of a waste of money to get a room just because of the relatively short time being on the train. eat, rest, Florida!
enjoy your trip!!!
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We haven't been on it in a few years but used to take it constantly but we had connecting rooms on the upper level. They open up the wall and was perfect for the 4 of us as 2 toilets/showers. Used to be 5 entrees at dinner, free wine and free wine/cheese in the lounge as leaving the station. SO sad these are no longer available. We did love having our car tho.
I ended up booking yesterday...two of us for $474. It had been as high as $706...then down to $506..up to $586 & then I booked at $474. We booked the upper coach level. So much better than driving from NY especially since I fly home and then literally 6 days later we drive down for our previously scheduled vacation.
I understand that they took away one of the lounge cars. I'm not sure how its going to work now because the sleeping car passengers could hang out in the one lounge car prior to departure (and have wine and cheese) and after dinner you could watch a movie there too.
We're quite disappointed that they took the wine and cheese away (especially without a reduction in our previously purchased fare ).
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Those price changes are all over the place! I'm thinking about this for next August. When I checked last year it was way more expensive than flying. I tried many different dates. I'll try to research it again for next year.
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