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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I cannot figure out where the time has gone! My always helpful, super smart, fun loving, friendly son has the car fully loaded ready to make the 14 hour drive to Purdue University to study aeronautical engineering.
This is the boy who cried for a month when I dropped him at preschool. My boy who wore his Bullseye (from Toy Story) Halloween costume for days on end. My boy who is leaving behind his baby blanket, which has gone everywhere with him. My young man who hates scary movies. My young man ready to take on the world.
I am so sad and amazingly proud all at the same time.
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! My oldest just graduated from Purdue in May. It sure takes a bit of time to get used to your "baby" not living with you any more when he goes off to college!
I know the feeling of proud/sad...I still see the little boys behind the faces of the grown men/husbands/fathers my two sons are now. I suspect I always will.
It's that whole letting them fly thing.
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That's awesome for him! Watching them soar is heart wrenching and exciting all wrapped up. BTW, I took my baby blanket off to college. It stayed tucked away in my drawer but I always knew it was there. It's still in my drawer at home - and I'm 46, lol
It's been 15 years since I brought my first to college (none of mine had a car at school). The good thing about bringing them is you are with a group of other mothers, all saying good-by. My watery eyes seemed so much more acceptable when there were mother's sobbing. I have since gotten through two other drop off and my son is through law school and a parent on his own.
The best thing about them growing up, besides not having to be responsible for them, is I look at my grandson and see my boys. My son has a look that both his kids have inherited. It is so much fun to relive my kids' childhoods with my grandchildren and when I visit my focus in on them-not work, not my home just two beautiful children with whom I can spend all day playing. And I still remember all the words to my kids's favorite books so I can read via Facetime.
Well, welcome to Indiana to your son!
Purdue is a wonderful institution. My DD Lauren's BF is in one of the engineering programs there. He's been taking summer classes and finds it challenging, fascinating, and a little overwhelming at the same time!
Good luck to your DS.
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What a proud moment that should be! But I know, for sure, how sad it is at the same time. My oldest son is a junior in high school, so I'm already mentally preparing myself for the moment he goes to college. I already told him to be prepared because I'll be crying his whole senior year. He rolled his eyes at me. LOL
My son begins college on Saturday. It's literally just down the street (by 8 miles or so) but he will be living in a dorm. I didn't think it would affect me this much, but I'm in tears just reading this post, so I'm not sure how I'll be by next weekend.
I keep telling myself that this is exactly what I always have wished for my kids -- the ability to fly on their own. I totally understand the "so sad and amazingly proud."
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I remember those days! So bittersweet!
My oldest son graduated from Purdue!
I hope he adjusts well to college life and has a great year!
Lots of hugs for you, mom! :groupuhug:
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I get it. My oldest DD just moved to Dallas all on her own 2 weeks ago. I keep repeating to myself "a parent's job is to give roots & wings"... She is doing just fine, and I'm enormously proud of her on taking this step. My son just moved home after finishing college, and my youngest is starting at the end of the month, but is staying home for now and attending community college. I figure I have a year reprieve from sending her off...But all in all, it becomes a "new normal". Good Luck to your son at Purdue. Great school! for you both!
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First trip DW--Nov. 1975; Senior Class Trip DW--Oct. 1979; First trip w/kids--Oct. 1995; Halloween at DW--Oct. 2002; Spring Break at DW--April 2004; Christmas/Pop Warner Nationals-POR--Dec. 2005;Cruisin'--April 2008; Mom/Son trip-POP--March 2010;Taggin' along w/DD on DH's conference-BWI--Oct. 2011; 50th birthday with the Gartner Geeks--Adults only!--BWI--Oct. 2012; The Trip That Almost Wasn't--BWI--Oct. 2013; We climbed The Summit (National Cheer Competition)--ASMovies--May 2014
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My oldest son has just started college also! His first day of classes are today. I actually just got off the phone with him. He has already went to two classes and now he has about an hour in between to hang with friends before his 12noon class.
He did a 6 week summer semester that started early June, so I've already grown accustomed to this new season somewhat.....
Very exciting times! The sadness hasn't hit me yet, hopefully it doesn't.... he is just 45 minutes away, I talk to him daily, and see him at least once per week....
I hope all of us with college freshmen have a great year!
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! My oldest just graduated from Purdue in May. It sure takes a bit of time to get used to your "baby" not living with you any more when he goes off to college!
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Our last WDW trip as a family 
for you both!
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