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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 just read in this week's Mouseplanet update that the Tiki Room will now be closed until June 1st instead of whatever the date was in March. It makes me wonder if there was more damage than originally thought or if Disney has something else up their sleeves.
Maybe a refurbishment? I would like to see it go back to the "old management"
We were in MK last Tuesday and Thursday and there was just a sign stating attraction was closed for today. There was also a cast member stationed at the entrance - I felt so bad for them since it was cold and rainy both days. Ick!
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Maybe they have something up their sleeve, but considering the speed at which Imagineering moves from story development to finished attraction, I doubt they have major changes in mind. It seems more likely they decided to do some mechanical or system upgrades as long as things were already down for repairs.
One thing Imagineering does not do is move backwards. I'd be more than amazed if they ever brought back the original Tiki Room at WDW. One museum exhibit version (the one at DL) is pretty much as much as they'll tolerate.
Now, I do enjoy Under New Management, a lot. However, even that show is getting long in the tooth. Musical styles keep changing, and even such formerly hip talents as Iago and Zazu are no longer headliners.
The original Tiki Room reflected music that was, if not cutting edge, at least within most folks' memories in the mid-60s. The Hawaiian-style music of that day harks back to Don Ho. "Don who?" most folks would ask today. How many know how to sing, "Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing?" Probably only those of us who watched The Ed Sullivan Show when it was live. Even the stereotyped accents of Michael, Fritz, Pierre, and Jose are well past their prime. So, how about a 2011 Tiki Room with new music and dialogue, but without Iago's attitude? Might that fly (so to speak?)
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
Now, I do enjoy Under New Management, a lot. However, even that show is getting long in the tooth. Musical styles keep changing, and even such formerly hip talents as Iago and Zazu are no longer headliners.
My guess is that there are aready plans in the works for something tied to a new movie that's in the pipeline. But... as Dave said... that is part of a long-range plan and not something they'd slap together.
So, how about a 2011 Tiki Room with new music and dialogue, but without Iago's attitude? Might that fly (so to speak?)
For this family, that wouldn't "ruffle our feathers" - we'd probably enjoy it. Iagu has always been the thorn in my side for the new show and I would love it if instead of "magic" trick at the end where the guests "disappear", that the imagineers use their magic to make Iagu disappear - forever.
One thing Imagineering does not do is move backwards.
But they have been known to. Years ago, they changed the CBJ into a Country Bear Hoedown and it was like that for a few years (and we stopped going to it for those years) but they did eventually bring back the original.
Maybe a refurbishment? I would like to see it go back to the "old management"
Not likely, but a girl can dream. DD loves the Tiki Room at DLR but refuses to set foot in the one at WDW. In fact, she dislikes it so much that we really had to work to get her into the one in California.
I suspect it's a case of "as long as it's down anyway, let's move up this paint/deepclean/parts replacement" or whatever was on the schedule for later.
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Carolyn
Last edited by Carousel96; 02-14-2011 at 05:34 PM..
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I suspect it's a case of "as long as it's down anyway, let's move up this paint/deepclean/parts replacement" or whatever was on the schedule for later.
I was thinking this as well... but also hoping for some slight changes to make it new and exciting again, lol
I was so upset when this happened! I don't know if it's the same as at Disneyland, but that is an attraction DH and I always love to go to. I was looking forward to it!
I was so upset when this happened! I don't know if it's the same as at Disneyland, but that is an attraction DH and I always love to go to. I was looking forward to it!
No, it's definitely not the same as DL - not even close. So if you were hoping for the DL version, trust me, it's better off being closed than to IMO ruin it for you.
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.