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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
We are going down late August and staying 4 nights at AKL villas, then 4 nights at Orange Lake. But we're looking to extend it 2 more nights somewhere. Unfortunately we can't extend it at the 2 resorts above as we've exhausted all our points. Any suggestions? Preferably offsite, as Disney has a tendency to break the bank on families of 6 or more. (And please no AoA suggestions. $300 a night is no bargain!)
Last Aug we decided to arrive a day earlier then planned, so we spent our 1st night at the DTD Doubletree Suites. It was very nice, and a great price. Got discount using Mousesavers.com link, incl. free breakfast (cold).
We had a 1 bdrm suite, 2 beds in bedroom, and a pull out sofabed in the livingroom. Rooms were spacious, 2 TVs, living room had a diningtable with 4 chairs, in the dining area with a long counter - had microwave, sink, coffee service and a fridge under counter. I believe they also have 2 bdrm suites as well.
I was only with my adult daughter, but kept thinking- what an afordable option for larger families!
PassPorter Guide Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chapel Hill, NC USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 36,592
Post Thanks / Like
Doubletree suites is a good suggestion. You might also look at Caribe Royal. They both often have specials. Try Travelzoo.com for some ideas for special deals too.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
I have always wanted stay at the All star homes, they look great! Have you thought about renting DVC points for the extra 2 days. Some times you can rent for 10-13 per point. But again could be costly. My brother is staying at one of the recommended Mouse savers hotels. for 99/night can hold up to 6 people, free breakfast, and no charge for having your car there.
We're a family of 6 and it can be tough! We've found some nice suite hotels in the Palm Parkway area which is one traffic light down from the Downtown Disney entrance (near the Crossroads shopping center area). There's a Homewood Suites that's fairly new and very nice but we've found some bargain rates (sometimes as low as $89/night) at the Quality Suites. We've gotten a one bedroom suite there with two queen beds in the bedroom and a double sleeper sofa in the living area. It's cozy but we don't spend a ton of time in the room. Both of those hotels have a hot breakfast buffet and a small kitchen area which is nice even if you have takeout for dinner.
We've stayed at Caribe Royale and really enjoyed it. The pool is great and staff is excellent as well. You can often find deals for this resort on the Mousesavers site. It's also very close to WDW.
We are a family of 5, but my mum often travels with us. We stayed in a 1 BR suite (2 beds in bedroom, sleeper sofa in living room). Word of warning - the sleeper sofa was not so comfy for DH and I, so put the kids on it! Of course, this was several years ago so they may have upgraded/replaced them.
We stayed at the Embassy Suites on International Drive a few years again.
Nice, clean, two beds in the "bedroom" and a pull out sofa in the "living room". A bonus is the FREE breakfast buffet - with enough to keep even picky people at least fed, if not happy.
We have stayed at Buena Vista Suites several times before and after our Disney stay. The suites are nice and so is the price! They also have a complimentary breakfast.
Couldn't get a hold of her yet, but a friend of mine just stayed for $100 a night - yes you read it right, $100 a night! in a HOUSE that sleeps 8. That is their regular rate!! I will get the name and repost it for you. I believe it was 2 miles from the maingate. I'm sure she will be back online after the Easter weekend if not before. She has stayed onsite and at AllStar homes and was very impressed by the friendly atmosphere and cleanliness of these homes.
All good suggestions! The one thing about the DTD Doubletree is that it's in DTD
And you don't need a car. The DTD hotels have prob the best park bus service then any off site hotel. They run every 30 min. Many off site shuttles only have a few busses in the morning, and a few at night, but none thru the day.
But if you have a car, it doesn't matter!
I think our rate was $89/night with continental breakfast incl.
Heard back from my friend. The place they stayed was through Villasdirect.com They rented at the Tigerlily area. She is already planning to go back and they usually only go every 2 years! She said very clean and they had a private pool at each house!
I highly recommend a Vacation Rental. We used another service but it was AWESOME. 4 beds, 3 baths,I cannot express how nice it was. We had 8 people and we never got in each others way. It was not through the PP sponsor so I will not link it but I will have pics up soon in my trip report.
We stayed in the Emerald Island Resort. 2 quick turns and you are exiting for Disney.
We have already booked for 2014!
It was around $100 a night, had it's own pool and jacuzzi. Just really neat!
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.
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Of course, this was several years ago so they may have upgraded/replaced them.
NYC-Canada Cruise Sept 2012
Linear Mode
