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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hi everyone! I'm planning a DVC visit to DL and am wondering what kinds of holiday happenings are offered at DL? It doesn't look like there is a MVMCP--what things should I look forward to? Anyone have experience with the holiday dinner offerings at Napa Rose?
Thanks and I appreciate all the tips!
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Past Trips: Off-site 1982, Off-site 1992, AsMu 2003, AKL-Club Level 2004, POR 2005, POP 2005, Disneyland 2006, AsMu 2007, CBR 2008, AKL 2009, WL-Club Level 2/2010, BLT 10/2010
Location: Davenport, Florida 20 minutes from the mouse
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Christmas time at Disneyland is wonderful. There is no MVMCP, but you can see the Christmas parade. It will run twice each day. As for Napa Rose, some day I hope to dine there. I would make PS arrangements at 60 days out to be on the safe side. I have seen Christmas Carolers at the GCH, they may have them at DL as well. I don't know what DCA is planning this year, in the past they had Santa's Beach Blast. That was a lot of fun and made for great pics. All the hotels as well as the parks will be decked out for the holidays. There are 2 attractions that are a must do. Haunted Mansion Holiday and Small World Holiday. Hit them early as the lines for those will grow quickly. Last year at Big Thunder Ranch, they had reindeer and cookie decorating. You purchase either a sugar or gingerbread cookie kit, it comes with frosting and decorations. You can then enjoy your creation for a snack.
The Haunted Mansion looks awesome during the holidays as they deck it out with a Nightmare Before Christmas theme. The general appearance of the whole park is quite magical! There are special parades, and lots of holiday themed shows, activities, etc.
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We've gone to DLR every year at Christmastime since 2003! (OK, except 2007...but we went to WDW that year.)
What I noticed, in comparison to WDW, is that DLR seems to bedeck the parks more - understandable, since they don't have the expanse that WDW has. But, when we went to WDW in 2007, we were disappointed with the lack of decorations and holiday rides. As mentioned:
- Small World - but not only the ride itself. The entire outside is covered in lights and is beautiful at night!
- Haunted Mansion/Nightmare Before Christmas ride
- Christmas parades (that you DON'T have to pay extra for)
- Christmas fireworks (that you DON't have to pay extra for)
- Snow on Main Street, by Small World (and I've heard by Frontierland) - say it with me "that you DON'T have to pay extra for"!
- Santa in his own house, western-themed, back in Rudolph's Reindeer Round-up (behind Frontierland/Fantasyland, by the Celebration BBQ).
- Decorate your own cookies, somewhere near Santa. I've seen it at the Firehouse when Santa was by the tree on Main Street and in Big Thunder Ranch when he moved back there.
DCA doesn't go quite as overboard, but they do have decorations everywhere. They don't alter rides or anything, but the general music (IIRC) changes to appropriate Christmas music (meaning it sounds Californian/Beach...think Ventures do Christmas). They used to redo the letters out front (CALIFORNIA), but they might be gone before Christmas (if they aren't already).
The resorts bedeck themselves as well, themeing to the resort or attraction itself (ex: Goofy's Kitchen decorations are louder and askew while the rest of the resort is more staid and traditional). Santa also visits the resorts.
For any special day but especially at Christmas and Thanksgiving you have to be there on the phone with Disney at the 60 day mark for Napa Rose. Last year on one holiday we could not get Napa Rose stand by reservations at 5 to 6 weeks out.
There are carolers in the hotels and parks. The hotels are decked out and the pianist at the GCH does holiday numbers. The characters are all decked out for the holidays, also. Look for holiday treats and special food offerings.
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Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
As well as all the fun stuff mentioned above, I like visiting the reindeer. (And the new turkey that has been pardoned by the President will be there also.)
Sounds like fun. Definitely a must-do! We are still not sure now if we will do WDW for Christmas in 2011 or Disneyland--but I plan on doing Christmas time at Disneyland at least once now that we have DVC!
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Past Trips: Off-site 1982, Off-site 1992, AsMu 2003, AKL-Club Level 2004, POR 2005, POP 2005, Disneyland 2006, AsMu 2007, CBR 2008, AKL 2009, WL-Club Level 2/2010, BLT 10/2010
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DL at Christmas Holiday--What Can I expect?
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