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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hi Everyone!! This message boards looks amazing and I wish I would have found it months ago!
We are going on our first cruise EVER on December 8th. It's myself, my husband, and our two kids (ages 5 and 2, little girls!). We are all getting very excited!! We ended up getting a great deal because our 2 year old turns 3 on the second day of the cruise but pays the 2 year old price, it's about $500 difference!!
Anyways we are thrifty and booked a cat 12 room. Ended up getting upgraded to a cat 11 (7065) room which I am fine with. However, I am curious about the possibilty of upgrading if there are any verhandas left. My husband just got back from a boys weekend in Vegas and got a little lucky!! We haven't received our cruise documents yet, just found our stateroom number online. Does that ever change? Is there a chance we could have another upgrade on our cruise documents? Is it best to call disney now about a possible upgrade or wait until we get there? I am just real curious about the amount of $$ it would be to upgrade. If we are stuck with our assigned room, I really am fine with that. But wouldn't an upgrade be nice!
From your date of 12/8, I'm assuming you're taking the Eastern Caribbean cruise which is pretty much sold out so I'm afraid that an upgrade would be unlikely. No cabins are available thru DCL, although there may be some cabins available from last-minute suppliers. These cabins may be released back into DCL inventory - if that happens, you MAY be able to upgrade at the port but it's very doubtful.
Enjoy your cruise! Use your DH's Vegas winnings and treat yourself to the spa!
__________________
Lynn
Yes, I am a Disney Addict... and I'd rather be cruising!.
I have always read that book what you will be happy with. But........
Two years ago when I went I booked a balcony room, forget the cat. And arrived at the port at 10am. Asked if any suites were left???? I got a handicapped suite for only $860 more for 4 sailors!! You never know what pixie dust is around. WE LOVED IT. Well worth the $, and it was like $3,000 more when I booked the original cabin.
We also did the 2 yo turning 3 onboard trick and saved MANY DVC points.
A couple of things -- your 2 and 364/365 year old DOES qualify for three year old activities right from the start of the cruise assuming potty training is complete -- this makes the bargain you scored even more valuable.
Tell EVERYONE it is her b-day. Our daughter had decorations in our room, a gift in our room, decorations and a small gift in g-ma and g-pa's room, a special cake (the think was like 90% icing!) at dinner, an autographed photo of Aurora at dinner (when the photographer found out it was her birthday), and LOTS of other birthday wishes.