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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We are considering going on a cruise this summer and I have a question regarding rooms. My DD's are age 18 and 16, so we would like to get two rooms either adjoining or adjacent. Most of the cruise lines I've looked at say that there has to be a 21-25 year old in each room (depending on the cruise line.) Do they enforce this rule or is there a way to get around it, if they are traveling with parents? Also, how hard is it to get adjoining rooms? We've never cruised before, so I have no knowledge about cruises at all. Thanks!
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I tell my clients unlike camp, there are no bed checks We recommend booking an adult and a child in each room. Settle in whereever you all decide. You can also get extra rooms keys if you need them.
Depending when this summer you are looking to travel (and what room type) connecting rooms could be hard to come by. I have client that honestly get a balcony and an inside across the hall, so go with whatever you are comfortable with. Also, if you are thinking of inside rooms, keep in mind you will need a minimum of category 10 rooms as 11s and 12s don't have a connecting option.
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I've been looking into a cruise as well with our teens (Alaska). My AAA agent suggested getting an interior and a outside cabin that are across from each other. All of you can take advantage of the balcony and only have to pay for one of the more expensive rooms. Just a thought.
I have usually been able to book rooms either across the hall or adjacent with no problems. DCL is especially easy to work with on this. Carnival also works well with this.
If you can't, just book one parent and one kid in each room. When you get on the ship (and this doesn't have to be a rush job, make your other reservations first), just go to the purser and ask for re-keying. They're not supposed to, but I've never seen this refused. Of course, not many people know this.
And, yes Sandy, there is a bed check. Just aks their Dad about it.
I've been looking into a cruise as well with our teens (Alaska). My AAA agent suggested getting an interior and a outside cabin that are across from each other. All of you can take advantage of the balcony and only have to pay for one of the more expensive rooms. Just a thought.
That's a great idea, I may have to look into it!
Also, for the record we are not going to do a Disney Cruise. I priced one, along with Royal Caribbean and Carnival and I can't justify the huge price difference. If my kids were still little it would be one thing, but I think that as teens they will have as much fun on one of the other ships. Can anyone advise on which of those two would be the preference? The Carnival that we are looking at is a newer ship with lots of bells and whistles. The RC ship is a bit smaller with not so many extras but it gets great reviews and we are liking the ports slightly better. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated!
Where are you going and what are the two ships? Carnival ships tend to have larger staterooms, but the shorter cruises tend towards the "crazy" side, although the line is trying to get away from that. But on the 3 and 4 night cruises, you now have crazy drunk 30 year olds instead of 20 year olds.
RCI can be much the same on the short cruises. In fact, with the exception of DCL, the short cruises are almost all that way.
Carnival tries to have more fun and does lots of "funny" stuff, and it really is fun. The food is very good, better than Princess and almost in line with Celebrity. Erh, for some, it's better than DCL. BUT, it can vary from ship to ship. Two ships can have a very solid dining line up, but it's harder with 20.
RCI is a very relaxed line, also. The decor on the ships is much more professional. I was absolutely stunned by the Liberty of the Seas. The Voyager and Freedom class ships are dynamite.
Carnival has a dynamite program for younger kids, while RCI seems to work better for the teens. But, ooops, I think your 18 year old may be left in that void. Too old to go to the teen's club but too young to "play in any reindeer games" She can go to the casino and the spa, but not some other stuff. I really wish somebody would recognize the 18 to 21 group.
I'm guessing you two are like early-mid 40's. For me it's a toss. Ship and destination will count for a lot.
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The RCI ship is the Granduer of the Seas 5 day cruise going to Key West, Cozumel and CocoCay, it's a little older and smaller, but it gets great reviews on cruisecritic. The Carnival ship is the Freedom it's a 6 day going to Key West, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios, it is definitely the more appealing of the two ships, but I think we've decided on the RCI because the girls really want to go to Cozumel. I agree about the lack of activity for my 18 year old, because of that I doubt my 16 year old will take much advantage of the teen activities, because she won't want to go by herself. However, I think with only one full day at sea we will be busy enough most of the time. I haven't made a deposit yet though, so I may do a bit more checking around. Thanks for your imput.
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We recommend booking an adult and a child in each room. Settle in whereever you all decide. You can also get extra rooms keys if you need them.
but none for the adults, I think DCL prefers you are off partying
She can go to the casino and the spa, but not some other stuff. I really wish somebody would recognize the 18 to 21 group.
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