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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Some of the most magical times for our family have been the low-key quiet times we have spent together. We always try to find a day or evening away from the hustle & bustle of the parks to enjoy and connect with each other.
One year we met @ the GF had a light dinner @ Gasparilla's, sat outside enjoyed the atmosphere and conversation, Then walked over to the Poly, found a seat on or near the beach, the adults had a drink (great conversation again), the kids played in the sand and ended the evening watching the fireworks.
We always spend a day @ the pool, but since you are at seperate resorts, maybe a day at one of the water parks. Arrive early and stake out a good spot to relax, have lunch and call it your home for a day. One of my favorite memories was many years ago when my family & my sister's family met at River Country (now gone).
Our latest (to our surprise) location was last April. The MK was extremely crowded, the kids were antsy, and the adults were in need of a drink. We headed over to the Contemporary and found the Outer Rim Cocktail Lounge empty. The bar wasn't quite open yet, but they were setting up and they graciously served us. It was a great out of the way place for the kids to play (plus TV) and the adults to visit. We had about 2 1/2 hours before guests started arriving to wait in this area for dinner @ Chef's Mickey's.
We have also headed over to FW to the Trading Post by the bike barn, bought lunch or things to make a lunch and had a picnic outside at a picnic table. Or do the same at the Trading Post near the beach. Or have dinner at Pioneer Hall, sit outside on the porch after dinner (maybe with a drink) and let the kids play on the playground. Or head over there in the evening for the campfire and movie.
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Oakley PassPorter Guide to: The Porch, The Family Room, DL: Feasting & Snacking & DL: Staying in Style
Take care- Laura
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This is a wonderful thread. I was trying to figure out also what do do for my DSister and DBroIL since I have their kids covered, besides pillow cases for their room and shirts, as well as my DMom and her Boyfriend, since our next trip with them we were planning to stay off property in a large enough Vacation Home for 9 of us to stay in (figure this would be the least expensive option to split 3 ways for food and accomodations (any other dining out of the home we're on our own). I think it's a great idea to add Extra Magic to the trip and makes you more excited for your trip to Disney.
DH and I were talking about this today and he felt that just the basic research that I did for our last trip is what made it so extra special -- his family went to WDW almost every year, but because of all the special little things I learned, he felt like he saw it in a completely different light this time. Some of the things he thought that were extra special (but didn't cost much money) -- knowing which parks to visit so we didn't feel like we were packed in like sardines (subscribed to Tour Guide Mike to get that info), knowing the "best" places to watch the parades and fireworks...he'd never seen Tinkerbell fly and had no idea that happened...I had us in a spot so she flew right over our heads...he talked about that for the entire week! Waking up Tinkerbell, seeing the opening ceremonies at the parks, knowing all the tricks to FastPass so lines never felt terrible, seeing the Electric Water Pageant (he didn't even know that existed), getting great character meals so we didn't have to wait forever in lines just for a 30 second hug from Mickey. In his opinion, those were the things that made our trip extra special for him...maybe something there will spark an idea for you.
Also, could you get the customized maps done with their names and have them sent to them ahead of time? Or send them to yourself and present them once you arrive.
Oh -- and once you get them into the parks and you think they might have been "bitten by the bug," be sure to go to Le Chapeau and have them make their very own customized Mickey ears! (But wait until they're ready...we did this our first day and DH wasn't in the "groove" yet...and now he wishes he had custom ears, but doesn't.)
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.
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