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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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.
As first time travelers (my first and DH's first as an adult) we learned alot of things the hard way. Our first mistake was leaving everything up to DH's parents. We just assumed since they are frequent travelers to WDW that they knew what they were doing.
Well we were all on the DDP for the first time. We went there with absolutely no ADR's booked (except for CRT for dinner which they knew to book ahead of time). Luckily, my DMIL and DFIL were able to get ADR's with help from the front desk, but we weren't able choose the restaurants or pick any times. We were very lucky, since majority of the restaurants we actually liked and will eat there again...but it was awkward having to eat at odd times everyday and sometimes having to switch parks.
Since then, I purchased a Passporter book to do some researching on my own and not rely on the in-laws! Now DMIL and I have discussed a plan and are much more organized for our next trip. First thing on our list was to take care of those ADR's!
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
This is my first trip back to the mouse since 1990. And my first time planning for a family, last trip was just me and friends and Grandparents(who paid). So my first lesson --get a PASSPORTER!
A few of our lessons learned...
1. Don't stress over the $5 soda or $50 t-shirt... just stick to your overall budget and know that everything is expensive!
2. Don't get upset when you realize you're not that family in the DVD, with the blissful, smiling kids who don't fight in the happiest place on earth. In between the magical moments are those "real life" moments!
3. Never underestimate the power of a good stiff drink... it can work wonders when you're tired, cranky and ready to toss your plans out the window!
4. Slow and steady wins the race. Don't worry about everything you missed... it just gives you an excuse to plan your next trip!
We had one "sit down" meal each day for our group of 11. We could go off and do what we wanted, but had a scheduled place to meet and relax. And I agree - no breakfast ADRs! Actually, we only had one breakfast out the entire time - a trip to POFQ for ben-yays (sorry! can't spell it!!). We saved money using our resort mugs for beverages, and eating breakfast bars and pop tarts.
On our first family trip in 95 we learned that we should plan better. On our last trip we learned that a plan is good but be flexible. Next trip(12/9) we are planning one ADR per day and visiting that park at that time(breakfast or dinner) while leaving the rest of the day open to where the Florida wind blows us. We will also spend at least a few hours poolside in the middle of the day.
About This Page: 
(except for CRT for dinner which they knew to book ahead of time). Luckily, my DMIL and DFIL were able to get ADR's with help from the front desk, but we weren't able choose the restaurants or pick any times. We were very lucky, since majority of the restaurants we actually liked and will eat there again...but it was awkward having to eat at odd times everyday and sometimes having to switch parks.
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
). So my first lesson --get a PASSPORTER!
Aimee
JDP
Linear Mode
