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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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So we are leaving on our first trip to WDW in 10 days. We are taking 6 children and also flying on southwest so we get 2 free checked bags in addition to our carry-ons. We did not purchase trip insurance so I am a little worried about the possibility of our luggage getting lost. What have you experienced to be the likelihood of this? Also how do you all pack so far in advance as far as clothes and stuff when the kids will be wearing the stuff before we leave? I am planning on packing the weekend before we leave (3 days prior) but although I have lists I don't want to forget necessary items. TIA
I have only been separated from my bag once, and it was due to a problem with a connecting flight being late. Basically, I wound up on a different plane than my bag. We were happily reunited at my destination. It isn't common, but it does happen.
I would suggest that you don't pack all of one person's things in one bag. That way, if one does get lost, everyone will still have some stuff instead of one person losing his/her entire wardrobe. Also, carry any important items with you (camera, laptop/tablet, medication).
I agree it doesn't happen very often, but do pack in mixed bags so no one person is missing all of their wardrobe if you should be seperated from a bag.
We always pack a bit of each other's stuff in each of our cases. Touch wood (and I just have done! ) we've only had problems twice and each time, it was because of circumstances - once, they got us on a last minute flight to get us home and we boarded as the gate was closing and they told us our luggage wouldn't make it with us, which was fine. The other time was getting back from Egypt, when we were stuck in Cairo for 52 hours, so it's no surprise the luggage took a bit longer to get home...
Allow each of your family one carry on item (usually a backpack for us). In this they must carry their own entertainment, a few snacks, a jumper or jacket(we find planes a little chilly) and each person also packs their swimmers, a spare pair of underwear and a tshirt (in case of lost luggage we can freshen up and sleep in these items plus swim if we like). One of the adults also carries a swim chamios for us to share since towels on stopovers may be costly.
In our checked baggage each one of my family carries one full outfit for each other member. Eg in my case I would have mainly my own clothing plus one outfit for each of my kid's and my DH (total of 4 spares plus my own items). The rest of our gear is shared amongst all the suitcases except one case which usually holds all the ponchos, lanyards, sunscreen and minor snack food/breakfast items for the room.
Over the years as we have travelled more we leave more and more stuff at home and make do on the run but favourite comfy toy items were always in carry on luggage as we just couldn't take the chance. Have fun!
I fly Southwest all the time, and they've never lost or misrouted my luggage. But I always fly non-stop, which reduces the possibility of error because fewer people handle your luggage than if you have to change planes somewhere in the middle of the flight.
I have never had a bag lost only delayed and then not by much, usually until the next plane arrives. I usually pack an outfit in everyone's carryone plus their swim suit and then all necessary items. I also mix up the packing so that we will hopefully have enough to get through a day or two if needed. However, it is usually not needed.
I almost always fly Southwest and I have never had my bags lost or delayed. I agree that you should pack items of clothing for each person in each case. We always carry our swim suits and a full change of clothing per person in our carry on (especially since I'm picky about my swim suits and it would be the most difficult item to replace quickly at the resort). I also keep all of my valuables (camera, phone. lap top) with me and don't put anything of great value in checked bags.
I have always used Southwest too..And last year we missed our connecting flight in Baltimore and had to get on another flight leaving an hour later (do to weather issue's )..We still received our luggage in our hotel room the same day.. I have never encountered a problem with luggage ... I also encourage a carry on for each person traveling with clothes for two day's including a swim suit and basic toiletries remember the 3-1-1 rule..
I must be the exception. I flew SWA in June 2010 and had my suitcase with my clothes in it lost. It took them 7 1/2 hours later to locate my missing bag. I was not a very happy camper. My dad flew SWA last year, and he too had his suitcase lost. Took longer to find his missing bag than mine. So, yeah, it does happen. But lesson learned, make sure you pack a carry on with your most important essentials,change of clothes, meds to get you through if your bag does get lost. And pack 1/2 of your clothes you plan to bring along among a second suitcase that way at least you have some back up if your bags get lost.
I always take a backpack for essential items like medications, extra contacts, entertainment, copies of reservations, passporters guide. Etc... Then I take a rolling carry-on. I put a few days worth of clothes, swim suit. PJ's, undergarments. Pair of flip flops since I wear tennis shoes on airplanes. Then I make sure to pack a light jacket and sweatshirt in case I get cold. Since we are using Disney's Magical Express I am packing swimsuit, socks, extra shorts, extra jeans, and extra tank tops and t-shirts. I would be able to survive a few days if goodness forbid anything happened. It would not ruin my whole vacation. With the exception of my shampoo, conditioner, and deoderant I have to pack in regular luggage. I also carry on all makeup and my hairbrush and hair bands. Good luck.
We fly SW as well and have never had a problem with luggage. I also split up everyone's clothes between all the suitcases and I put a piece of paper on the top inside each one with our name, phone number, flight number and the destination so they know where it is supposed to end up
I haven't had any luggage lost..as I knock on wood. My backpack has the essentials (money, credit cards, passport, books, gum, candy, cell phone etc.)... but no clothes.
I always carry the largest carry-on allowed. In it I have: an outfit and jammies for everyone, swim suit for everyone, and toothbrush and toothpaste for all. If something happens to our luggage, it's almost always going to be resolved in less than a day - and we'll have plenty of stuff with us to make it through.
Yes, you're allowed 2 suitcases each, but I try not to do that. It's too hard keeping track of all of it. We often pack a medium sized suitcase for the week, and then - put it in a large suitcase! That way we have plenty of space for souvenirs!
Some great packing tips here While it's not very likely you will loose your luggage it is not improbable. My mom once went to the caribbean and her suitcase did not. She was not on vacation but on an archeological dig. One t-shirt and shorts would not do it. She spent the week in other people's clothing She now packs as much as she can in her carryon.
With 6 kids it is probably harder to pack one outfit from each in each bag but if you can great, or at least similarly sized clothing. For example my boys are 6 & 9 and can share shirts.
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) we've only had problems twice and each time, it was because of circumstances - once, they got us on a last minute flight to get us home and we boarded as the gate was closing and they told us our luggage wouldn't make it with us, which was fine. The other time was getting back from Egypt, when we were stuck in Cairo for 52 hours, so it's no surprise the luggage took a bit longer to get home... 
My dad flew SWA last year, and he too had his suitcase lost. Took longer to find his missing bag than mine. So, yeah, it does happen. But lesson learned, make sure you pack a carry on with your most important essentials,change of clothes, meds to get you through if your bag does get lost. And pack 1/2 of your clothes you plan to bring along among a second suitcase that way at least you have some back up if your bags get lost. 
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