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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 DS and I had a long phone interview last nite with a rep from the Art Institute of Austin. I was just wondering if any one out there has any first hand knowledge of these schools? DS wants a career in film making and this program sounds wonderful. I am just a little apprehensive because one of my older DD went to a business school and it has not helped her at all in the job market despite having cost a lot of money. I am just wondering if AI schools are readily recognized in the work world!
If you want to get into the film industry in Austin, UT is the place to be! I know of quite a few kids who have gone on to work in the industry. I know it is probably more expensive and competative but if filmaking is a real goal then he might consider finding out what it takes to get in.
I don't know much about Art Institute but Austin is a great destination for filmaking. If it brings him closer to the action and he's really willing to go for it any education is a good one. He could volunteer for SXSW too which is a great way to network and gain experience. Would he consider an internship here? Austin Film Society - Welcome to the Austin Film Society!
I know someone who went to Art Institute and had a difficult time, at first, getting a job in their field because after all of the time and money they put into their education, they graduated from AI, and still didn't have a bachelor's degree from a 4 year college (and I don't think AI was much less expensive than a 4 year college would have been).
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I did a quick look at the school site to try to figure out if it was proprietary. Couldn't do it in the minute I had, but if this is a for profit, I would stay as far away as I could. I did notice they seemed to offer only loan aid, not scholarships and were not eligible for Texas state grants, two things that would make me wary.
I am a firm believer of traditional and well established schools. There are too many people who go to schools where the primary interest in the school not the student. If a school is run for profit, the bottom line is more important that what their graduates learn.
My son is in Texas and they appear to have a huge state system with schools of all levels and offering almost every option imaginable. I'd state with your state school system
Austin Community College has a Radio Television and Film Dept. I know quite a few people who were happy with the head start it gave them in other fields such as video game design, art, and business.
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
I went to an art "trade" school back in the early 90s for 2-1/2 years. I have a specialized associate degree. I was one of the lucky ones that actually found a job in graphic design when I graduated (thank goodness for Macs). Only 3 of my friends went on to find jobs in the field. I would recommend attending a 4 year college as you get a more well-rounded degree. I am currently trying to convince my nephew, who wants to be in art/film, to attend a 4 year school. While it won't guarantee a job in the field, at least he will have a degree to pursue other job options if necessary.
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Michele
I'm living the dream 20 minutes from Disney! Next trip...tomorrow. Follow me on instagram at ShirtsByShell
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Art Institute-good or bad?
Mary - not enough trips!
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