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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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However, we're now 40 days from our May/June trip. Yea! I thought, seeing as this year is the 40th anniversary of Walt Disney World that 40 days would be an appropriate day to start this Pre Trip Report.
This trip has already caused a number of major headaches in my house. Most of them have now been resolved--thank goodness. We've had flight snafus, date changes, a hotel change, a graduation trip to squeeze in, and dining issues. I think I've got most of it worked out, but everything is always subject to change! I've got plenty of time to tell you all about the disasters that almost put the kibosh on this whole trip!
First, even though I'm thinking most of you reading know who we are by now . . . your intrepid travelers. Major thanks to Brandon for putting up with my high stress levels for the last few days and planning flip flops!
Here we are with Belle just last week:
We had a great time exploring the Flower and Garden Festival and had amazing luck meeting characters!
I'm Heather:
and Aurora is my favorite Disney Princess.
I'm 30 years old and work as a hotel bartender in New Orleans. I have now officially lost track of the number of trips I've made to WDW. Last year I spent an entire month at WDW over the course of several trips! I love everything about WDW, except waiting in line. I'm looking forward to a couple of special experiences this trip--which you'll get to read all about soon enough! I'm hoping this trip will prove to be as relaxing and wonderful as our recent trip! I'm currently considering some Disney ink to add to my collection. I don't think it will be done before this trip, but stranger things have happened.
This is Brandon:
Just in case you couldn't tell us apart in the group shot!
Brandon is 25 and is the lead line cook at the same hotel I work at. We've been roommates for 5 years. He got dragged to Disney for the first time shortly after he moved in with me--on the following trip we bought into DVC and he's been hooked ever since. Honestly, I think he just likes going on vacation. He love Animal Kingdom and Epcot. Captain EO might be his favorite thing at WDW. He puts up with my Disney obsession, which is of mind boggling proportions. He even let me decorate his bathroom in black and white mickey mouse!
We're finally to the point where we don't rush around trying to do everything in a few days. We get up early and tour. When we get tired, or it gets crowded or too hot we head back for a break. We've stopped worrying about missing things because we already know when our next trip to WDW will be. In fact, right now I'm planned up to April 2012--I need some local event dates to be able to nail down those vacation dates. (In case you are keeping score that will be October 2011, DL in December and WDW in April--in the event of a surprise trip I'll be sure to let you know.)
We are both currently "on a diet." Brandon is doing very well. He has major motivation. He has a bet going that will require him to cut his hair if he loses. He has lost at least 30 pounds already. Granted he has a lot more to lose than I do. Me, I'm just frustrated. Getting older means that it is harder for me to lose weight. Working seemingly non stop means its hard for me to find time to exercise and too tired to do anything on my days off. I went back to work on Friday and closed, opened and closed on Saturday and Sunday and closed last night. Today I can't get out of my chair to do anything productive. So the first goal for me is 30lbs. I'm just not making any real progress. We'll see how it goes.
Coming up: The Great Flight Disaster of 2011. How on earth did I screw this up?
Now I'm off to explore the specialty options at the Saratoga Springs Spa--I hope they'll take a reservation from me after the fit I threw at the folks at the Grand Floridian Spa.
OH AND Walt Disney World opened to the public 40 years ago this year!
I love it! Another PTR already. I thought maybe the reason you were starting 40 days out is that this year you'll spend 40 days at Disney!
I WISH!
Urm I don't think it is quite that many planned for 2011. Lets see . . . 5 days April, 5 days May, 5 days October and 6 days December. I'm getting 21 right now. If I happen to end up with a "4 Days Off" situation and have a ton of extra money lying around (not likely this year) I might get to 26 for this year.
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Urm I don't think it is quite that many planned for 2011. Lets see . . . 5 days April, 5 days May, 5 days October and 6 days December. I'm getting 21 right now. If I happen to end up with a "4 Days Off" situation and have a ton of extra money lying around (not likely this year) I might get to 26 for this year.
You certainly beat me on the number of trips, but I can't believe I'll beat you on the number of days! I'll have 28 days this year-- 16 in Jan and 12 in November. Woo hoo! I'm definitely working on borrowed points for this, but it's worth it.
Glad you started your PTR!!! Dieting is so hard but you can do it! I joined a fitness center last month and I'm finding that I'm sleeping better from exercising and I don't feel as guilty if I eat something sweet because I know I'm going to walk it off
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WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
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Awesome! A PTR while you're still doing a TR is impressive.
I sympathize with you on the dieting. I want(ed) to do one of the diet plans that involve eating small amounts every few hours. Except where I work at the pharmacy, we're not allowed food in the back (where we work) and I'm not able to be given breks every few hours. Even just 5 minutes is too much to ask, apparently. Good luck - I'm rooting for you!
I'm looking forward to reading the details and plans.
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and Aurora is my favorite Disney Princess. 
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