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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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.
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06-05-2006, 08:22 AM
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#31
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Community Rank: Trekker 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Nova Scotia Canada
Posts: 1,906
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
Well, I must say, it was special. I picked up the birthday pin at MK the day before my b'day and that was a little confusing for the kids, but they and I loved it that so many people wished me happy b'day and treated me so well. (Actually got tired of the little Mickey-sprinkled cupcakes!) Next time I think we will plan for near one of the kids' b'days, if not on it. They are young still to "get" the idea of the transfer, and the almost-6-yo is totally b'day obsessed as it is, so moving it too much would be unbearably exciting! I'm really glad I did decide to make the celebration public. Also loved seeing others celebrating, especially those bride-and-groom ears!
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06-05-2006, 11:25 AM
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#32
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Eileeeeeeen!™
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 28,861
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
I'm one of those who "celebrate" a birthday - because we ARE celebrating a specific celebration, just not on the actual day according to the calendar. However, we don't wear the "It's my birthday" button unless it's actually the day of the persons birth.
My 40th is coming up and I've strong-armed my siblings to bring my neices and nephews to Disney. Unfortunately, their schedules didn't allow for them to join me on my actual birthday, so we're going three weeks later. Am I going to call our Grand Gathering "Celebrating Eileen's 40th?" -- sure. Will I wear the button? -- nope.
But that's me - as with all decisions, you need to go with what's in your heart and not put your feelings/mores/morals/ethics on other people's decisions.
Eileen
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06-05-2006, 09:27 PM
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#33
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Community Rank: Sightseer 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 75
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
Happy Birthday, Robin! It's my b-day too.
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06-06-2006, 08:54 AM
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#34
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Community Rank: Traveler 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 227
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
[ QUOTE ]
I'd think about it this way. What message would you be sending your kids by LYING about the birthday!!!!
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, with my kids the message I sent was that it was more important for them to be in school on the day of their actual birthday. We often have to move the "official" celebration of their birthdays anyway - more convenient to have a party on the weekend, but then their birthdays are often near Easter so can't celebrate that weekend, ect. We went to Disney over Easter break '05, which meant we were a week early celebrating DD's 10th and 3 weeks early celebrating DS's 7th. We discussed ahead of time that their birthday party would be whatever character meal they chose on the day we designated to be their birthday celebration day. They got a birthday pin in whatever park we were in on their day, and had a wonderful time. On their actual birthday we just had a small celebration for the 4 of us - same as we would have had we opted to have their birthday party at home on a weekend day other than their real birthdate.
For many of us, a trip to Disney only occurs rarely. I wasn't going to have my kids miss out on the magic of a Disney birthday.
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06-06-2006, 09:43 AM
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#35
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Community Rank: Explorer 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: the Burbs outside of Philadelphia
Concierge Level: 1
Posts: 12,093
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'd think about it this way. What message would you be sending your kids by LYING about the birthday!!!!
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, with my kids the message I sent was that it was more important for them to be in school on the day of their actual birthday.
[/ QUOTE ]
I think that is a good message. I have taken dd out of school for trips in the past (WDW when she was in 2nd & 4th grade and some 2 day hockey tournaments) but next year she is starting Middle School and she told me that she didn't want to miss any school days for our 2007 trip. Luckily for me my birthday is Easter Sunday so although it will be very busy we will spend 5 days in WDW without her missing any school. Her birthday is 6/16 so in 2008 we are going to go down for her birthday and leave when school is out which is usually around the 13th or 14th. I know that good students deserve a break and a little reward but the older they get the harder it is to miss school.
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06-06-2006, 11:01 AM
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#36
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Community Rank: Adventurer 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 726
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'd think about it this way. What message would you be sending your kids by LYING about the birthday!!!!
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, with my kids the message I sent was that it was more important for them to be in school on the day of their actual birthday. We often have to move the "official" celebration of their birthdays anyway - more convenient to have a party on the weekend, but then their birthdays are often near Easter so can't celebrate that weekend, ect. We went to Disney over Easter break '05, which meant we were a week early celebrating DD's 10th and 3 weeks early celebrating DS's 7th. We discussed ahead of time that their birthday party would be whatever character meal they chose on the day we designated to be their birthday celebration day. They got a birthday pin in whatever park we were in on their day, and had a wonderful time. On their actual birthday we just had a small celebration for the 4 of us - same as we would have had we opted to have their birthday party at home on a weekend day other than their real birthdate.
For many of us, a trip to Disney only occurs rarely. I wasn't going to have my kids miss out on the magic of a Disney birthday.
[/ QUOTE ]
I completely agree. I don't have children, but I am extremely close with my niece and nephew. Both of them were born in March, but could not afford missing too much school. So we all went on a big family trip in July, where they both celebrated their birthdays. My niece was 7 and my nephew was 8. It's not lying, it's celebrating.
And I thnk implying that other people are bad parents (and are teaching their kids to "lie" to celebrate a birthday) is very rude [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]
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06-06-2006, 01:59 PM
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#37
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Facebook Addict
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Philadelphia
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 39,682
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
When we were there for Nicholas' 5th birthday in 2002, The Guest Services Cast Member at the Magic Kingdom noticed the shirts we had made up ("Nicholas is 5 today".. "I'm 5 Today") when we were getting his birthday button and told us to make sure we got the birthday buttons at the other parks when we visited them, so it's "unofficially" taken for granted that people celebrate their birthday all-vacation-long, not just on their actual birthday. I say go for it!
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06-06-2006, 02:07 PM
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#38
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chapel Hill, NC USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 36,592
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
I am taking my DS to WDW right before his birthday (while they are still out for summer break). He turns 13 3 days after we return and school has already started. He and I talked about whether to celebrate his birthday (we've never done this before) and he thought he'd like to do that and wear a button on one day during the trip.
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06-07-2006, 05:52 PM
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#39
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Dopey's biggest fan!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: China Spring, TX
Concierge Level: 9
Posts: 26,975
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
We taken WDW trips around my daughter's birthday for the past 2 years and will be on our Disneyland trip just before her birthday next year . . . and we've celebrated every time.
WHY? Because the trip was a gift to her and meant as a celebration for her birthday. Will we celebrate on days that aren't her actual birthday, you'd better believe we will.
We aren't teaching our daughter to lie. In fact, when someone asks what we are celebrating, we'll say "We're celebrating Emilie's birthday this week." And it's the truth.
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06-09-2006, 12:24 PM
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#40
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Eileeeeeeen!™
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 28,861
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
I wonder if the people who find this "dishonest" are under the impression that the suggestion is being made to just <u>say</u> it's a birthday in order to get special attention from the CMs...
I don't think anyone here is suggesting that - this is a pretty darned ethical group! (Just read the reactions to using the resort mugs for more than one trip!)
I think we're talking about people who are traveling near to a celebration or who are traveling specifically to celebrate something -- but can't do it on the ACTUAL day of the event. Since they are celebrating a real event, they are entitled to happiness and, if the pixie dust is flying that day, any special treatment from the Cast Members or other guests is a nice bonus.
But, that's just my humble opinion.
Eileen
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06-09-2006, 12:41 PM
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#41
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Community Rank: Jetsetter 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kentucky
Concierge Level: 7
Posts: 2,623
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/yeahthat.gif[/img]We have taken several trips with our DGD around her birthday and we celebrate her Bday during the trip even though it is not EXACTLY on her Bday. Last year we went one week past her special day still we let the CM at the podium know she was celebrating her Bday at the CRT breakfast...she received a special mat and autographs that she treasures! WE never said it was her actual birthday but just that we were celebrating and we were. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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06-09-2006, 03:33 PM
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#42
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Community Rank: Traveler
Join Date: May 2006
Location: NJ
Posts: 423
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
I think you're post (Caldercup) is very eloquent and describes the actions concisely. I struggled with this issue regarding planning a trip near DSs b'day. I wouldn't want him to wear the pin but I would let CMs know we were celebrating his big day.
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06-09-2006, 10:10 PM
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#43
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Recovering VMK Addict!
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Thornton, CO
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 13,087
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
We leave Monday for our trip celebrating my 40th birthday.
I plan on getting a birthday pin from each park. I also plan on taking my Sharpie and writing "UN" before birthday on the pin. Thus, making the pin an "UNbirthday" pin.
As I said before, I can't go to WDW on my actual birthday because I am a teacher. I have had this idea for many months now. We are celebrating my birthday and each day will be an "UNBirthday" celebration.
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06-10-2006, 07:56 AM
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#44
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Community Rank: Jetsetter
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Arlington,Texas USA
Posts: 2,555
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Re: \"Faking\" birthdays?
That's a great idea about making it an "un"birthday pin. We can never be at WDW for DD's birthday because it's during the school-year. We decided to celebrate her 13th birthday when we go in December because we'll actually be there on Dec. 21 (two months after the actual day) and it's her 13th trip.
tenya
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