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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 read a post just a minute ago where the person was of the opinion that Illuminations should be seen before Fantasmic, so it wouldn't be a let down.
Now I have seen Illuminations countless times, in it's old formats. I have not seen Fantasmic yet. I can't imagine that Illuminations could seem anything but spectacular.
This will be Richard's first trip to WDW, and I've scheduled the Fantasmic package for our second evening. I could possibly wedge Illuminations in the first night there, but we are bound to be tired after a flight from the UK. I have a PS for 'Ohana at 7:20 for our first night and then figured if we weren't exhausted we'd catch the EWP on the beach.
Am I worrying about nothing? I'd like to think Richard isn't the type to write off something as amazing as Illuminations just because he's seen Fantasmic first. All opinions welcome. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Mel, I have seen both and LOVE both and don't care which order I do it in!! They are both fabulous and definitely worth going to!! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img] If I had to choose one of them, I'm not sure I could. Hope this helps!!
I have seen both and I love them both! They are very different shows and I always see Illuminations first because it's just tradition for us. Fantasmic is unbelievably beautiful and fun, so I wouldn't miss it! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
I too have to agree Tara & DisneyDreams... Both are seperate shows that are in my NOT TO BE MISSED list. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
I don't think you will be dissappointed with either show.
Tips: When viewing Fantasmic & you prefer to stay dry, don't sit directly up front (especially if there is a breeze). They use water as a screen for a lazer show [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img]
When viewing Illuminations make sure you stand up wind as this show does produce a bit of smoke from the fireworks display. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
No way is Illuminations in it's current setup a letdown in any way shape or form. It's an amazing show and you'll be running to the nearest shop to get the CD once you've seen it. The music's incredible and the whole thing blows me away every time. It's one of those moments where you walk out of Epcot on air. Truly magical.
So, I say don't try and squeeze it in on the first night. Do it on a night when you can relax and really enjoy the whole nightime scene at Epcot.
Mel, both Illuminations and Fantasmic are great and I can't imagine either ever being a letdown. I wouldn't push for Illuminations on your first night, after flying in from the UK. If you guys are anything like us on the first night, we're still on UK time and are usually asleep by about 9 p.m. At least then if we get a good first night's sleep, we're on American time by the next day. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
Thanks everyone. I figured this was the case. Sometimes it's just nice to hear people confirm what you believe will be true. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
I agree with what everyone else has been saying. Both Fantasmic! and Illuminations are incredible shows and they are vastly different from each other. To try to compare them would be like comparing apples and oranges. Each one is enormously enjoyable. I can see where Fantasmic! could conceivably appeal more to children than Illuminations because of its extensive use of Disney characters.
On our February trip we saw Illuminations first and next month, we'll be seeing Fantasmic! first so I really don't see any difference in which order they're viewed - they're still both amazing must-see performances.
Mel, I wouldn't worry about it at all. They are both spectacular shows and very different. I don't see how you could be disappointed in either of them. Although if I had to pick my own personal favorite it would be Fantasmic, but that's just me. And I still love Illuminations too. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
He will be in awe of both, I am sure. No matter which one you see first, since they are both amazing and both different, there will be no let down either way. [img]graemlins/puter.gif[/img]
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