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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Okay, I'm going to start another NYC thread mainly because I don't want to totally hijack the other poster's thread. Anyway, like I said in the other thread I'm taking my kids and my son's best friend to NYC for my son's senior trip. We will be there from May 20th - May 25th. I'm having a real problem with the dining portion of the trip. We're staying at the Doubletree in Times Square. All the rooms have refrigerators and microwaves and the hotel has a restaurant, so I figure most breakfasts will either be at the hotel or in the room.
Okay on to my REAL problem. I have no idea how much money to bring for food. I figure for most lunches we'll eat quick things like pizza, delis...I really want to have a true NYC eating experience. I would like to eat at a couple of nice restaurants. I'm only paying for myself and my two kids (18yo DS & 12yo DD). The friend will have his own money. Do you think $1200 to budget for food will be enough? That's my big question.
Also can people (native New Yorkers or past visitors) give me their opinion on the best and nicest places to eat? Has anyone tried Serendipity 3? If so what was your opinion?
Sorry this is so long, but TIA for all your help.
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My two kids enjoying the Studios 11/06.
Pages to date: 93
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I also use OpenTable Restaurants and Restaurant Reservations a lot for reservations and to check out menus and prices. Perilla, which is owned by Harold Dieterle, the winner of Top Chef Season 1, is in the Village and is absolutely amazing!! I also love Sarabeth's for breakfast or brunch.
I would echo Sara's comments - we were at Serendipity 3 with Sue and friends and it was a great place for dinner. We also had lunch at the Cellar at Macy's, which was very nice and not too badly priced, from what I recall.
Open Table is wonderful and I use it all the time to find restaurants.
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There are many restuarants that are wonderful. What type of food were you interested in? Did you want touristy places (Planet Hollywood, Serendipity, Mars 2112 etc) or more hidden gems? What sites were you planning on seeing? That would help with locations of places to eat.
Keep in mind- food is expensive in NYC. Even McDonalds and the like. When you are here- pay attention to the commercials they have fine print on the bottom that always say something to the effect of- Prices are higher in Manhattan. Look at the pricing on the menus at Open Table or Menu Pages to help come up with a budget.
I just visited NYC for the first time earlier this month. Here are some of my random thoughts...
*I LOVED Serendipity 3! It was sooo much fun! The french toast is totally yummy here. Also have to get a frrrozen hot chocolate. YUM!
* We also really enjoyed a place called the "Europa Cafe." This appears to be a chain with locations throughout the city. They had great sandwiches, salads, and desserts. We ate here a few times because I became addicted to their freshly made tossed salads (where you choose the toppings and pay as you build it).
*If you make it to Little Italy -- Lombardi's is phenomenal! It is seriously some of the best pizza I have ever had in my life!
*We really enjoyed Pinkberry for some fabulous frozen yogurt. It is frozen yogurt like none I have ever had before. Very refreshing.
*The Magnolia Bakery (has a location near Radio City Music Hall) is delish! They have a heavenly flourless chocolate cake here.
I was actually pleasantly surprised by the cost of food -- as I was expecting OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive. So, we came in well under what we had budgeted for.
Have fun! It is such a great city to visit. I cannot wait for another trip!
I just visited NYC for the first time earlier this month. Here are some of my random thoughts...
*I LOVED Serendipity 3! It was sooo much fun! The french toast is totally yummy here. Also have to get a frrrozen hot chocolate. YUM!!
Yes, Cheryl -- The frrrozen hot chocolate totally rocks!
And holy cow is it ever ENORMOUS! My Dh and I shared one, and we still did not finish it. (of course, I thought their food portions were quite generous, as well)
YUM. Frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity! DH and I took a trip to NYC last May. We waited in line for Serendiptiy and it was worth every minute. We shared a frozen hot chocolate and after lunch we also shared a dessert - it was an ice cream sundae that included a piece of peanut butter pie in it. I am gaining weight as I speak.
Sorry, to hijack your thread. Everything is more expensive in NYC - so budget high. We did find a really great pizza place, and loved the skewer of meat in a bun that we bought near time square. We also had a hot dog from a cart in central park that was yummy too.
Thank you everyone for the tips, suggestions, and comments. I think I've decided that we're definitely eating at Frankie and Johnnie's. I noticed there are two locations. Is one location better, with regard to atmosphere, than the other one?
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My two kids enjoying the Studios 11/06.
Pages to date: 93
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