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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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My sister and I travel to Disney World 3x a year. She had FINALLY convinced her husband (who has some social anxiety issues to begin with) to go with her and their grandson on a family trip this coming December. They will be staying at AKL concierge!
Just to throw a serious monkey wrench into the already tenuous anxiety provoking trip for my BL, he was recently diagnosed with MS (2 months ago). He THINKS he will not be able to go and "DO ANYTHING!" It is hard for everyone adjusting to this new diagnosis, but we know that everyone will be fine!
If there is anyone out there with MS who can give some encouraging words for getting around the parks for a first time visitor with a new diagnosis, it would be greatly appreciated!
He is experiencing pretty severe leg weakness, so the use of an ECV will probably be a must.
THANKS!
So sorry to hear about your BiL MS diagnosis, I think a trip to WDW will help him think about something else like enjoying his grandson's excitement at exploring WDW.
I agree, a ECV is a good idea. renting off site so he has it with him all the time.
There are great places like Scootarama, Walkers, & many others to get scooters.
There is a thread here in this forum with lots of info.
I have been a regular to WDW both before and after my MS diagnosis (relapsing-remitting, 2006). I made my first trip post diagnosis 3 months after my first relapse.
A few initial thoughts come to mind....
December is a great time to go; the weather should be more comfortable. But, heat is no friend to some people with MS and even a slight increase in body temperature can make a person with MS have a sharp rise in symptoms. He should look into a cooling vest or cooling wraps...there is a program though the MS Society that can help you get one at low or no cost if you qualify. Staying well hydrated is a must and icy drinks (non-alcoholic) are a great way to get fluids and lower body temps.
Know his best time...I am most energetic in the morning and then again by dinner time. I am usually wilting by mid-afternoon and I like to head back to the hotel for a bit of a break. I need about a one hour siesta to regroup and rejuvenate and then I am good to go for the evening. There are plenty of great spots in the parks (and hotel lobbies) where you can sit, relax, and people watch.
Having a plan and prioritizing what you want to accomplish will help to make things smooth. An ECV will be helpful to help ward off muscle fatigue of BIL is still having trouble by December. Doing some pre-trip training can help to gauge what his comfort zone for activity is.
Since he is new to MS, I would consider asking his doc for a Physical Therapy referral ( and look specifically for a practice that specializes in MS or has therapists with neuro specialty certification. BIL would likely benefit from exercises for balance/strength/coordination as well as assess for any adaptive equipment or devices.
If BIL is on one of the CRAB injectables, ask the hotel for a sharps container....they will provide one and it is a safe and easy way to dispose of needles while on vacation. I would also let the AKL know if you want a room close to the elevator/lounge area....concierge rooms can be on two floors and it may be easier for BIL to be on the same floor as the lounge.
I am sure this is an overwhelming time for your BIL and those who love him. Since you and your sis are WDW veterans, you will definitely be able to help make this a wonderful and special trip. Just be prepared to take things at his pace or allow him to go off and have some down time.
Hope that helps and if you have any other questions...give me a holler!
danielle
__________________
~Shoot for the moon, if you miss, you will land among the stars~
There are plenty of inspirational stories out there that do not involve MS. Make a Wish is tops on my suggestions. Show your brother in law that even quadraplegics and other disabled people have fun. Show him how rides are adapted for disabled folks. Use youtube to show him all the shows.
My mother is in a wheelchair so I tell people that out here on the west coast she has lots of fun in Disney parks. I know we are west coast but here is my view from seeing Mom in DLR. She loves the shows, parades, fireworks, characters, and what rides she gets. What she loves most is watching people especially little kids. She loves the food, shopping, and meeting new people. Our next trip will be lunch with chicken nuggets or spaghetti bolognose and dinner in the hotel or Plaza Inn. I think if someone were to see how much fun Mom has in parks then they would realize that someone younger than her could have even more fun. The parks on both coasts have nurses stations for laying down and lots of places for sitting for a while. When I am tired I crash on a bench or the ground and let Mom people watch or watch street performers.
Good luck on your trip
__________________
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.
Thanks for the great advice!! Especially about the cooling vest!
Going to pass this along to my sister and help her with planning. Hopefully by December things will have settled in a bit more and it won't be so overwhelming!
I have been a regular to WDW both before and after my MS diagnosis (relapsing-remitting, 2006). I made my first trip post diagnosis 3 months after my first relapse.
A few initial thoughts come to mind....
December is a great time to go; the weather should be more comfortable. But, heat is no friend to some people with MS and even a slight increase in body temperature can make a person with MS have a sharp rise in symptoms. He should look into a cooling vest or cooling wraps...there is a program though the MS Society that can help you get one at low or no cost if you qualify. Staying well hydrated is a must and icy drinks (non-alcoholic) are a great way to get fluids and lower body temps.
Know his best time...I am most energetic in the morning and then again by dinner time. I am usually wilting by mid-afternoon and I like to head back to the hotel for a bit of a break. I need about a one hour siesta to regroup and rejuvenate and then I am good to go for the evening. There are plenty of great spots in the parks (and hotel lobbies) where you can sit, relax, and people watch.
Having a plan and prioritizing what you want to accomplish will help to make things smooth. An ECV will be helpful to help ward off muscle fatigue of BIL is still having trouble by December. Doing some pre-trip training can help to gauge what his comfort zone for activity is.
Since he is new to MS, I would consider asking his doc for a Physical Therapy referral ( and look specifically for a practice that specializes in MS or has therapists with neuro specialty certification. BIL would likely benefit from exercises for balance/strength/coordination as well as assess for any adaptive equipment or devices.
If BIL is on one of the CRAB injectables, ask the hotel for a sharps container....they will provide one and it is a safe and easy way to dispose of needles while on vacation. I would also let the AKL know if you want a room close to the elevator/lounge area....concierge rooms can be on two floors and it may be easier for BIL to be on the same floor as the lounge.
I am sure this is an overwhelming time for your BIL and those who love him. Since you and your sis are WDW veterans, you will definitely be able to help make this a wonderful and special trip. Just be prepared to take things at his pace or allow him to go off and have some down time.
Hope that helps and if you have any other questions...give me a holler!
danielle
My son in law has MS and has come with us several times to WDW.
I agree with the advice from the other posters and want to especially emphasize the bit about avoiding dehydration.
My son in law had spent several fairly long days in a row without too much trouble. But, one day it was hotter than usual and he did not pay attention to hydration like he should have. He also had several cool alcoholic drinks during the course of an entire evening (not to excess, just a few spread out during the evening/night). Those on top of the dehydration and overheating during the day lead to a very uncomfortable night, where the muscles in his legs were just quivering. He spent most of the next day in bed.
So, keep in mind the dehydration factor and that overdoing one day may lead to problems the next.
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