Trying New Disney Things - UPDATED 8/28 w/more videos - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Trying New Disney Things - UPDATED 8/28 w/more videos
from WDW!
We arrived safely yesterday - always a good thing!
We hit Orlando about 9:30 am. We were to check into YC-Club Level and so we figured the room wouldn't be ready. But you try anyways, right? So we arrive at YC and there are cms outside meeting your vehichle asking if you're checking in. That's new to us! Not only do they ask, they take you inside to the desk. Interesting when Disney has been downsizing for efficiency.
The room is ready. They give us a room on the first floor. Different. Usually it's the 5th for Club Level. So we go to see the room. *gasp* I'm in heaven! If you're at the boardwalk area, you really want - but not always get - a water view. We were to have a standard view. But what do we get? Water! I was happy for the upgrade. It's a little walk to the club level, but it's so worth it!
View From Our Rooms 05/23/09 Yacht Club
We have a patio looking right out onto the Boardwalk!
Looking left from our patio
See the pole? That's the beginning of our patio and in the next picture is the pole is the ending! Nice size!
See why I like the room? But there's more! We have TWO windows!!!!!!
Window 1
Window 2
It is a HUGE room! And a perfect view! Disney for the upgrade! It is always unexpected, but so nice to get!
Just a quick update - we're heading out to the Flower and Garden Show!
After getting settled, we had lunch at our favorite place - Captain Cooks. Delicious as always! We window shopped in the Wyman Gallery - only DH wants one of the pics. We're still discussing that! DS#2 has always wanted one of the sharks so we asked how much - $1900. Don't think that's going to happen anytime soon!
We split up for awhile. Some went ot the MK, others to DHS and DH and I were heading to...drumroll...Walgreens. Great stop, huh?! Then we went to DHS, but man was it pouring!!!!!!!! Thunder, lighning and a downpour. We were going in - swimming upstream - from the massive crowd going out! We ended up back together at dinner - 50s Prime Time. I refuse to talk about it! Let's just say, some people in our party really know how to cause trouble! We had a riot! And I was blamed for it all! All I did was ask one simple question and it went downhill from there! Our "cousins" in the room said, "it was quiet in here until you got here". Our waiter, Louikili said "You got a big mouth lady!" We laughed from the moment he took my order until we helped close the place! And we made a new friend in the process. Louikili is expecting his first baby in October! We plan on keeping in touch. Louiliki and our cousins from NJ, NY and Texas! We had a hilarious evening!
Final stop was at DD's apartment. Lucy moved since the last time we were down. It is a beautiful place - and she has so nicely decorated! Stitch is everywhere! The Dgang play some guitar hero and we catch up until our eyes are drooping. It was wonderful seeing her and I was reminded why I miss her so much! She really has grown into a beautiful young woman! So that was our first full Disney day for a quick update.
Hope you have a great time. My friend and I are staying at the Yacht Club in December and I cannot wait.
Have a magical vacation and here are some sunshine pixies for you.
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What a great upgrade you had! I hope the rest of your trip is as fun as the first
day! Can't wait to hear more and I really can't wait for the Treehouse pics.
OMG!! Now you make me want to try YC!! Have never really been all that interested in the Epcot Resorts, but the more I read, the more I think at least one of them needs to be on my to-do list!!!
Glad you made it there safely. Have a wonderful time!! Waiting for LOTS more pictures!!!!
__________________
Betty Sue
Affiliated with CruisingCo.Com/MouseEarVacations.com
Disney Destination Specialist/ BettySueS@cruisingco.com August '09 Trip
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Your room location looks wonderful!
So glad you arrived safely and were treated well upon arrival!
I hope the sunshine comes back out for you!
Your meal sounds like a whole lot of fun!
I hope that you and your family enjoy the rest of your time at the world
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from WDW!
I was happy for the upgrade. It's a little walk to the club level, but it's so worth it! 
Disney for the upgrade! It is always unexpected, but so nice to get!
We're still discussing that! 
DS#2 has always wanted one of the sharks so we asked how much - $1900. 
Don't think that's going to happen anytime soon! 
Great stop, huh?! Then we went to DHS, but man was it pouring!!!!!!!! Thunder, lighning and a downpour. We were going in - swimming upstream - from the massive crowd going out! We ended up back together at dinner - 50s Prime Time. I refuse to talk about it! 
Let's just say, some people in our party really know how to cause trouble! 
Our waiter, Louikili said "You got a big mouth lady!" We laughed from the moment he took my order until we helped close the place! And we made a new friend in the process. Louikili is expecting his first baby in October! We plan on keeping in touch. 
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Thank
Pixie Dust
Sounds like it's a very magical vacation so far! Enjoy Epcot! 
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