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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Ok, I know it is early. I always start my xmas shopping early. I never wait till the last minute. With us having a baby in the end of september, I am being proactive and planning ahead.
My question is how much is too much for xmas? How many presents to you buy your children? I understand not everyone's situation is the same. Every year my DS is loaded with presents from both of the sides and I feel he gets too much. I am trying to cut back on the amount he gets from us and "santa". What traditions do you have in your family?
I don't have any good suggestions, but I am really interested to hear answers that you get because I have had the exact same thoughts (DS being given almost a ridiculous amount of stuff at Christmas - most of which he doesn't even end up playing with...) and wondering how to cut back or if I'm just overreacting. Hope someone wise can weigh in (clearly that wouldn't be me...).
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
My girls always end up with way too much. We have cut back over the last couple of years but it's all the other people who get them. On the one hand it's great that people think of them but Xmas morning can get crazy. Last year we came to an agreement with some of our friends where we stopped buying each others kids. At the end of the day I don't think any of the kids noticed that they hadn't exchanged with each other.
I cut back last year, because my parents spoil them rotten, plus on my DH's side they get gifts from about 10 different people/families. It's a bit over the top! I got them one big group gift (foosball table) and then a couple Wii games and some board games.
I started cutting back two years ago and have no regrets.... They were getting a ridiculous amount of stuff..... After a Christmas where they had so much it was hard to enjoy, I told them right then and there that next year they were only getting 5 gifts each. So, they knew a year in advance what to expect. I went way over the 5 gifts each, but it was still a major cut back from previous years and they all still had a fabulous Christmas (plus they still get gifts from several family members). So- the last two years, I've had them make a list of 10 things, telling them I'd pick 5 things I want them to have (some from list, some not). Both years, I went well over the 5 gifts but I've got them to a place where they don't expect a million gifts (and with 5 kids, some Christmas' it really felt like there were a million gifts).
For our family we get everyone one present only. Then for our DS he gets a handful, maybe 5 or 6 from us. That is plenty. He always ends up with tons from his grandparents and auntie.
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We started cutting back last year. I lost my job. We focus more on meaningful gifts no matter how small. We even got my DS into it. We really do put thought into our gifts not the amount we spend. We also focus more on doing holiday traditions. We make chocolate truffles and pretzels for everyone. We stopped feeling guilty about how much we spend and making it all even. Making cookies on Christmas Eve is also another one of our traditions.
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( 1990/ Disney Cruise/CBR, 1992 Disney Cruise, 2003 WV,2008 WV.
Ok so I am right along with the 5 gifts. That is what we cut back to last year. I think it was right around 7 gifts and then "santa" brought about 4 unwrapped gifts. Curious to see what anyone else has to say.
My sister and her DH told their kids from day one that Santa ONLY brings one gift. Something the kid REALLY wants. Their kids ask for ONE thing, and then they get other stuff.
Last year, we gave our kids a gift each. We also took a family vacation to WDW, so I'm not sure that counts. This year we also plan on it being just a couple of gifts.
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From the beginning, we have given our children 3 gifts each. We based it on the 3 gifts the wise men brought Jesus. We've also tried to limit our parents to the 3 gifts a piece. We make one of the gifts a big one. Last year, we bought our son a Wii and daughter an itouch. We want Christmas to be about more than the presents.
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