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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 have a question. My DH and I are taking a second Disneyland honeymoon 16 years later. We are thinking of staying at the Grand California. But I was researching online and I realized that we could stay at the Paradise Pier in the concierge for around the same price. What would you do and why?
Michele
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Second Honeymoon! Grand California Hotel 9/11/2008-9/14/2008!
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Grand Cali. We will be staying there in 2 weeks. When looking at all the options -- it just screamed romance to me.
We have never been to DL before, but I think the Grand Cali looks perfectly magical & seems themed to the max.
We have been several times. We went for our honeymoon 16 years ago and stayed offsite. The last few times we have been there we have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. Because this is just DH and I is why we are leaning towards thd GCH. Have a great trip.
Michele
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Second Honeymoon! Grand California Hotel 9/11/2008-9/14/2008!
If you are on a budget and don't mind the lack of theming, Paradise Pier would probably be a bit better a choice . . . but if you aren't on a budget and you can afford it, go for the Grand Californian.
Which is more important, the extras you would get at PP or the ambiance at GC? I love the idea of being right at the park (and a park view would be fabulous!). Since this is a special trip, I think I'd go for the ambiance and save PP concierge for the next trip....
Then again, we always stay off-property at a Best Western (great locale, though), so what do I know?
If you are on a budget and don't mind the lack of theming, Paradise Pier would probably be a bit better a choice . . . but if you aren't on a budget and you can afford it, go for the Grand Californian.
Paradise Pier is no cheaper with the concierge. I lean towards the Grand Californian.
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Second Honeymoon! Grand California Hotel 9/11/2008-9/14/2008!
Which is more important, the extras you would get at PP or the ambiance at GC? I love the idea of being right at the park (and a park view would be fabulous!). Since this is a special trip, I think I'd go for the ambiance and save PP concierge for the next trip....
Then again, we always stay off-property at a Best Western (great locale, though), so what do I know?
I'll save the PP for when we bring the kids next year or the year after.
Michele
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Second Honeymoon! Grand California Hotel 9/11/2008-9/14/2008!
We just got back from a weekend trip to DL for my birthday - just DH and I and we vote for the Grand Cal. It is much more romantic and the theming cannot be beat! We loved being close to everything and loved the view from the room! Enjoy your trip! We spent our honeymoon at DL Hotel 15 years ago.
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Some Day My Prince Will Come!
Katie - WDW - August 2011
I would go with the Grand Californian. We loved the theming of it on our last visit and can't wait to stay there in October. Yes, you could save some money on meals by staying concierge and it's a nice treat, but I vote for the GC.