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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
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Celebrating where the Magic began
I wasn't sure I was going to do a PTR, but once I got thinking about it, I decide I wanted to share with everyone. So without further ado, On With the Show!!
When: October 6th-October 9th, 2011
Introducing our cast of characters:
Me (Kathy), Turning 35 on this trip. It’s my first trip to Disneyland. And I’m so excited. Sleeping Beauty is my favorite Disney movie and I can’t wait to see her castle in person!
Jennifer (DSis, 31) This will be her 3rd trip to Disneyland. She love Belle and is a huge Tigger fan. But most important she is excited to introduce her daughter to all things Disney!
Nate (DBiL, 31), This will also be his 3rd trip to Disneyland. Nate is more of a LEGO fan, than a Disney fan, but will tag along because he is awesome! Plus he will watch our stuff while Jay and I ride the rides!
Arabella (Dniece, 4 months), My brand new niece will be making her first trip to Disneyland, just like her aunt! I’m so excited to share our first trip together. She is most definitely a Princess in Training. (As of right now, at the request of DSis and DBiL, the family is not allowed to post pictures online. But trust me, she is a cutie pie!!)
So, you're probably wondering how this trip came about. It all began last summer, when I started thinking about how in 2011 the Magic Kingdom was going to be turning 40, and I would turn 35 the next day, that I wanted to celebrate my birthday at WDW. I had brought this up to my sister and she suggested since I haven’t been to Disneyland, I should go there instead for my birthday. Plus, she lives out in Arizona, so it would be easy for her to make the trip with me. So, Disneyland it was instead!
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.
PassPorter Guide Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire
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A surprise puts a twist in the plans!
A Surprise Puts A Twist in the Plans!!
Back in October 2010 my sister and brother in law came home for a wedding. While having lunch at her in laws, Jennifer pulled out a picture to show all of us. And there it was in black and white, there was a baby on the way!!! I hadn’t even really thought about how this was going to affect the plans for the trip. I was just so excited I was going to be an aunt!!!! I kind of put everything to do with Disneyland on the back burner for the time being. Then on May 18th, 2011, my beautiful niece Arabella was born. I went out to Arizona in June to meet my niece and help out. While I was there, my sister asked if I was still interested in going to Disneyland for my birthday. Of course I was! And if it meant introducing Arabella to the magic, I was in! But it would be a few weeks before I would know if my sister was able to get the time off for work.
Up Next: Dates, Airfare and A Place to lay our Heads
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.
Great start, Kathy! Looking forward to reading about your DL trip! I haven't been in 10 years. We LOVE Disneyland - and actually think that it is better than the Magic Kingdom at WDW in some ways. I've only been to DCA once, as it opened after we moved away from LA.
And is your bday October 2? That's my DS's bday! We tease him that if he'd had the sense to be born October 1, we could celebrate with a trip to WDW each year since they'd share a birthday!
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.
PassPorter Guide Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Ballston Lake, NY
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 46,162
Post Thanks / Like
Likes (Given): 94
Likes (Received): 241
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Great start! Glad you decided to do a PTR for this.
Thanks for reading along. There has been a lot going on with the loss of my grandmother at the start of September and I wasn't sure I was going to write about the trip. But I decided I need help take my mind off of things and this was a great way to do it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR
Great start! Can't wait to read all about your plans. What a great way to celebrate your birthday!
Thanks! I'm pretty excited. It's been a while since I got the chance to celebreate my birthday at a Disney park!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Congrats on the new addition to the family!
Thanks!! Arabella is the light of our lives!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubfancolleen
Great start, Kathy! Looking forward to reading about your DL trip! I haven't been in 10 years. We LOVE Disneyland - and actually think that it is better than the Magic Kingdom at WDW in some ways. I've only been to DCA once, as it opened after we moved away from LA.
And is your bday October 2? That's my DS's bday! We tease him that if he'd had the sense to be born October 1, we could celebrate with a trip to WDW each year since they'd share a birthday!
I can't wait to see the differences between Disneyland and WDW. I've heard a lot of people say the attractions that are at both parks are a lot better at Disneyland. And yes my bday is Oct 2! I actually remember when I found out that WDW opened on Oct 1 that I wish I had been born a day earlier!
Quote:
Originally Posted by shnewell
Great start and congrats on becoming an auntie!
Thanks! Being an aunt is the best thing in the world!!
PassPorter Guide Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Ballston Lake, NY
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Posts: 46,162
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Dates, Airfare and A Place to lay our Heads
Dates, Airfare and A Place to lay our head:
I had really wanted to be there for my Birthday. When my sister went back to work she put in for the time off, but she wasn’t able to get the Friday before my birthday off. Not a problem, we can move the trip to the following weekend. It did mean that I wouldn't be able to be there on my actual birthday, but what can you do. And the dates actually worked out better in the end for my Brother in Law too.
So with the dates in hand I began pricing out airline tickets. Southwest has always been my first choice, but tickets were really expensive! I started checking out other sites, and remembered one that a friend of mine had told me about, bookit.com. I found a really good rate of $278 with tax! I couldn’t believe my eyes! Southwest wasn’t even that cheap going one way! I checked the times with Jennifer and she gave me the ok, and I went ahead and booked it!
With dates and airline tickets in hand, it was time to start the search for a place to stay. Since my sister has been to Disneyland before she decided to take on the task of searching for a hotel. Being a planner, it was very hard for me to give up control, but I went with it. After some research on her part, she called me with a few options. One of them, we both sudded our noses at, but after some talking and looking at the website, we decided to go with Motel 6—Maingate. And I know you are all thinking the same thing I was. Motel 6, really? But after I looked at the website, the pictures weren’t like any Motel 6 I had ever seen. Motel 6 Anaheim Maingate Hotel - Anaheim, CA - Motels & Hotels Plus, we were pretty certain that Disneyland wouldn’t offer it as a Good Neighborhood if it wasn’t a good hotel. So, my sister went ahead and booked the hotel and our tickets. We are all set to go!
It's always a relief to get the hotel and airline reservations taken care of! Sorry you won't be there on your birthday, but it sounds like the dates worked out well for your DSis and DBIL's schedule.
That does look like a nice hotel/motel! Definitely NOT what I'd picture when I hear Motel 6 (although I do love when Tom Bodett is on NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!).
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We LOVE Disneyland - and actually think that it is better than the Magic Kingdom at WDW in some ways. I've only been to DCA once, as it opened after we moved away from LA. 
Great start Kathy!! Congratulations on your niece, your birthday and your trip!!!!
Katie's graduation
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