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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Am I correct in assuming that online check-in is the way to go -- why wait to complete paperwork, kid's clubs or make Palo reservations @ the terminal port BUT be real of me... what are the chances of getting reservations when it is your 1st Disney Cruise & you have to wait until 75 days of sailing---I FEAR there won't be Spa or Palo reservations available
DC on Dream June 17
Spa shouldn't be a problem, but Palo could be. Try to be online at Midnight on your 75th day to have your best chance. They do hold some reservations in reserve, but not many.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
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This will be our 1st DCL cruise and I was able to get a Palo reservation at 75 days. I am holding off on the Spa reservations because I have read that they offer discounts on board.
I have paid off the balance of our June 1st Disney Dream cruise. Am I correct in saying that I can't do my online registration until 75 days prior to sailing, or since it is paid can I register now?
If you're a first-time Disney cruiser, it'll be at 75 days. You can put in traveler information well before then, but for registration, booking dining, excursions, and spa, have to wait until the 75 day mark. For Silver and Gold Castaway Club (1-10 completed cruises) it's 90 days or payment in full, whichever comes later. For Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club members (11+ cruises) it's 110 days or payment in full, whichever comes later.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
For Silver and Gold Castaway Club (1-10 completed cruises) it's 90 days or payment in full, whichever comes later. For Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club members (11+ cruises) it's 110 days or payment in full, whichever comes later.
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My family is taking our first cruise in October. What kind of things do you need to make reservations for (in this 75 day window). Excurtions? Is Palo a restaurant? We have six kids in the family so what family/kid things do we need to make reservations for?
What can you tell me about the aqua boats? Are the lines long? When are they open? When is the best time to go? Am I correct, that a four year old can do the aqua boats with an adutl?
My family is taking our first cruise in October. What kind of things do you need to make reservations for (in this 75 day window). Excurtions? Is Palo a restaurant? We have six kids in the family so what family/kid things do we need to make reservations for?
You can make reservations for spa treatments, shore excursions, nursery (ages 0-3), and the adults-only extra-cost restaurants (Palo on all three ships, plus Remy on the Dream).
You don't necessarily have to do any of these things.
If you're a fine dining fan, and/or are looking for a romantic evening with your significant other, then try to get a Palo reservation. Remy (if you're on the Dream) is ultra-fine dining. What I just said for Palo goes triple for Remy. Reservations for these are very hard to get, and as this is your first cruise and you're traveling with a large family, you may want to skip this for now and wait until your next cruise and you understand the cruise experience a bit better.
If you're looking forward to a spa treatment, reservations will be very helpful if you hope to have a treatment at a busy time - the day(s) at sea are very busy. If you're willing to take whatever times are available, you can wait to get on board to make reservations.
Some shore excursions have limited availability and are very popular. Swim with the dolphins excursions probably top the list. Many other excursions are easy to come by, whether you reserve before the cruise, or during the cruise. However, it's always nice to lock-in your excursion itinerary sooner, rather than later.
You can also pre-register your kids for the kids programs, but that's not exactly a "reservation."
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
What can you tell me about the aqua boats? Are the lines long? When are they open? When is the best time to go? Am I correct, that a four year old can do the aqua boats with an adutl?
AquaDuck can have very long lines from mid-morning through late afternoon. Things are a bit easier first thing in the morning or during dinner hours. The operating hours are a bit different every day. The day you board it'll be open from Noon to 3:30pm, then re-open at 4:30pm through 8:00pm. Most other days you can generally count on it being open from 9:00am to 8:00pm, with some variations.
Children under 7 must ride with someone at least 14 years old. All riders must be at least 42 inches tall to ride tandem, and 54 inches tall to ride solo. There are no age restrictions other than the above requirement for under 7-year-olds.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
We tried to check-in at midnight eastern time at our 90 day mark and it would not allow us. We kept trying until after 1:00 am and still could not check-in. I then went to bed and got up about 5:30 am and I was able to check in. Hopefully it will work for you at midnight, but wanted to for worn you!
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