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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I am already planning to do the on/off Old Town Trolley Tour while in Key West this October and while looking at their trolley stops and what's around it got me thinking...should I purchase attraction tickets ahead of time, or just wait until I get there?
In actuality, there are like 4 places I really want to visit that require extra admission:
Key West Aquarium, Little White House, Hemmingway House, Butterfly & Nature Conservatory. All of these places have the option to purchase admission tickets online and for a slightly reduced price.
Other than the chance that I may not get to all of them (which in 7 hours is unlikely) does anyone see an issue with purchasing in advance? Has anyone actually done this?
I figure if I want to do anything above and beyond those 4 places I can just pay for it then, but any little bit of savings helps.
This is just me but while the likelyhood is slim that a port would be missed I would be worried that I spent money ahead of time, and then the boat either couldn't dock, we got delayed for some reason or something like that happening. I would wait until I got there, then go to each place and buying as I got there that way if I couldn't get to or decided it was too hot, or I was too tired to do any of them I wasn't stuck with tickets or out the money.
Just my personal opinion your mileage may vary Have a great cruise.
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Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! Studying Hard to Make a Difference!
I bought our trolley tickets ahead of time. But there really was no wait when we got off the ship, so it wasn't a time saver, just a way to save a few bucks.
We were originally going to book the Trolley ahead of time, but about a week before we left, we decided to rent an electric car instead. It was great! We didn't have to circle around areas that we had no interest in, waiting for our next stop and it was very easy to drive around. I would say that you may want to wait (unless you've heard about any of the places "selling out" which I never did), simply because that way you can always change your mind, as well. We went in Oct and it was SO MUCH hotter than we anticipated. We ended up going back to the ship much earlier than planned....
I will definately buy my trolley ticket ahead of time, I was thinking more about the places on the tour that I listed above.
Yes, weather is one of those things that is also making me question buying ahead of time. Though, there's nothing to say I can't wait until right before I leave for vacation to do it. I will have to think about it.
While getting to all four destinations is possible, it's not a slam dunk. Perhaps you can compromise by getting tickets to the two that you want to do the most.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
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.
The actual tour at Hemmingway House given by the staff takes less than an hour depending on people's questions (there weren't that many in my tour) but you don't have to go on the tour - you can just pay the small admissions fee and walk around the house yourself - there is also time to do this before and after the formal tours. It is VERY relaxed and as far as I could tell no real schedule to the tours - they just waited until they had a group and then announced that we should all gather to start. It was interesting and the staff/volunteers doing the tours love the subject/lore of Hemmingway, so ask questions and you are free to take pictures too!
I spent most of my time taking pictures of the cats, playing with the cats and wishing I could jump in the pool! It was the begining of Sep last year and it was HOT! If you are not a strong walker/standing person or the heat/humidity bothers you then def have some transportation and the electric car is useful that way. My friends rented one and LOVED it! My DH and I walked to Hemmingway House and I almost passed out - I can walk that much here at home but it was too hot down there!
It's OK - Frozen Key Lime Pie on a Stick solved the problem!
We were originally going to book the Trolley ahead of time, but about a week before we left, we decided to rent an electric car instead. It was great! We didn't have to circle around areas that we had no interest in, waiting for our next stop and it was very easy to drive around. I would say that you may want to wait (unless you've heard about any of the places "selling out" which I never did), simply because that way you can always change your mind, as well. We went in Oct and it was SO MUCH hotter than we anticipated. We ended up going back to the ship much earlier than planned....
We've been trying to decicde between the trolley and the electric cars for our February trip. I'd really like to do the cars, but have read that parking can be an issue. Did you find this to be the case?
Thanks!!
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Caribbean Beach -February 2009 *1st time ever planned trip in less than a month !!! *
All Star Movies - November 2006 - CAN"T WAIT !!!
All Star Movies - December 2004
Caribbean Beach Resort - November 2003
Off site many times prior to children !!!!
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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