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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Apparently since I can't get back to sleep, my weekend is starting early! Later this afternoon, I have to work. Then tomorrow I am going to the Twins game with a friend of mine. Go Twins!
So what are you and your family doing this weekend?
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
This weekend is homecoming so I first want to say how happy I am that I survived another year of dressing up and general chaos with spirit week activities at our high school.
Today I'm up early as well. My eyes flew open at 4AM and I couldn't fall back asleep. I haven't had a chance to post this week, so I thought I'd come here and relax with much needed coffee.
Both boys have soccer games this morning, so I'll be involved with that until about noon. I'll probably stop at the farmer's market for some fresh veggies and then I have a mountain of correcting to do to get caught up.
We have a lacrosse tournament all day with youngest DD and then dinner with friends. Tomorrow is DD's soccer game then grocery shopping and cooking for the week.
We've already done some clearing up around the house and two loads of washing. The plan is to head out to a National Trust property tomorrow - it used to be home to Rudyard Kipling, so that should be interesting.
It's the beginning of hockey season here! My DS is starting ice hockey today - his team won! Unfortunately, I am home with DD who is sick! Hopefully she'll be feeling better tomorrow, and we can make it to his Sunday afternoon game.
Roller hockey starts today too. Unfortunately, it is raining, and roller is outdoors. If it doesn't clear up soon, opening day is off!
I'm getting ready to go see Travis in Nacogdoches. He had to get contacts and we're "funding" the money for the glasses!! Then I'm going to visit my Mom in Lufkin. (Lufkin and Nacogdoches are about 20 miles apart). Then I'm coming home. So I'll be on the road most of today. Tomorrow is church and get things ready for next week. Also, if I can squeeze in a nap on Sunday afternoon after church and dinner, I will.
I dropped DS off at school at 7am to catch the cross country bus and I'm headed out the door to the meet now. Later I hope to go to a Fine Art Fair at the Riverwalk near our house. Tomorrow is church, maybe some yard work, and checking the backpacks so Monday morning won't be traumatic.
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DH, DS & DN are camping in NH this weekend and going to the NASCAR race.
I have a date with my dad today. We're going out to lunch and then heading to Fenway Park for the Red Sox/Yankees game. Tomorrow morning, I will teach Sunday School. Then I will enjoy the peace & quiet a little longer, wait for the boys to return and then watch the Sox/Yankees battle it out again!!
We were suppose to have Nick's soccer game this morning, but it was cancelled due to the rain, but we've been cleaning house and been pretty productive so far... tonight we have an anniversary party for dh's aunt and uncle... Tomorrow we have to help the in-laws close up the pool and then have our last family cook-out of the summer.
I'm studying. Lauren has guitar practice later, then we're going to an orchard to pick apples and raspberries, shopping for Kathryn for clothes, then home to study.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
DSis called early and woke me up, so I now have DNephew Cameron for the day (SIDENOTE: She's in the middle of SD DSS transitioning him home so she has him for the weekend but had to work today.)
We've made PB crackers, watched Playhouse Disney continously since about 6:30 am, I've been working on our Disney t-shirts for this upcoming trip (even made DNephew a PoTC one ). Everyone is dressed but me (NO SURPRISE! ), so I need to get dressed since I hope to be at work by 10 am (with 3 kids in tow - oh joy ). I need to prep for tonight's potluck and game night.
Then once DH is off work, we hope to go out to the Apple Orchard for Apple Fest, provided it warms up a little. If not, we'll head into Sioux Falls, hit Hobby Lobby for more t-shirts and probably go to McD for lunch.
I need to cook for tonights potluck at some point this afternoon, and then I will be at church from 5:30 - 10ish running the potluck and game night.
Tomorrow I have to be at church by 8:30 for Music Ministry practice, then lunch, then its our afternoon dedicated to our "FINAL" pack (we'll see) for WDW trip. That will take awhile because I'm the only one packing and we've decided to downsize from what we took in May (this trip NO kids carryon's for going DOWN...that way they can carry HOME what they buy!! )
The usual laundry, house cleaning and grocery shopping. Then I think I'll head to Target and pick up the final vacation necessities! Just a couple more weeks to go!
Plus DH gets home this weekend around 1am tomorrow morning. He left on the 8th on a Scuba trip to Honduras right after Hurricane Felix went through. I haven't spoken to him in a week. Can't wait to see him!