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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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.
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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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We would love to stay on site to get the express passes and early entry, but I am worried about the room being crowded with 5 people and a roll away bed in it. It would also be convenient because my aunt could take the boat back to the resort if she gets tired during the day. There aren't any deluxe rooms available the day we are going, other than the large suites that would cost an additional $800. Anyone stuffed 5 people into a standard room at RP?
We can still get early admission by booking the HP package with an off site hotel, but we are worried about transportation and we still won't have the express passes. Do any of the hotels offer shuttles to the parks? My aunt doesn't drive and has foot problems, so she wants to be able to return to the hotel if she gets tired during the day.
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Are you sure they'll allow five in a room for four? The rooms at RP seem kind of small for five people (toured it during a trip). I've only stayed at HRH and it probably would have been OK with a rollaway.
Also, we've gone to the parks staying offsite and didn't find that we missed having the Express Pass (and it was busy spring break). The key to going without is getting to the park before opening and hitting the major attractions first....and having 2-3 days to do the parks, so you have time to fit everything in even when it's busy.
They will allow 5 with the fifth person in a rollaway (there will be an extra charge at the hotel for the rollaway) but especially at Royal Pacific it will be cozy! There are offsite "partner" hotels that have scheduled shuttles to the parks but many of them don't run continuously so if your aunt wants to return to the room it may be more convenient for her to be onsite.
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We had 5 at RP this past December, but 3 of them were children. I thought the rooms were a good size, but we didn't have a rollaway--it would probably feel cramped in that case.
We've stayed in a standard room at RP and HRH with 5 people, 2 adults and 3 children (and 3 teens). Universal allows that, something Disney does not! We brought our own air mattress and did not use a rollaway bed. It wasn't too crowded for us.
We stayed at RP in 2008 and I'm 100% sure we booked a standard room. It was HUGE, though, and definitely wouldn't be crowded, even with 5 people in it. It was one of the largest hotel rooms I've ever stayed in. So now I'm wondering if we were upgraded without them telling us? Since some of you said that the standard rooms at RP are crowded with 5 people in them Kinda weird...
We stayed at RP in 2008 and I'm 100% sure we booked a standard room. It was HUGE, though, and definitely wouldn't be crowded, even with 5 people in it. It was one of the largest hotel rooms I've ever stayed in. So now I'm wondering if we were upgraded without them telling us? Since some of you said that the standard rooms at RP are crowded with 5 people in them Kinda weird...
We've stayed at RP in 2010. The room was large enough for two queens beds and some extra space. If the resort allows 5 persons I think it will be ok. A bit over crowded for bathroom purpose but manageable.
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Last edited by Disneybine; 06-22-2012 at 05:09 PM..
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I think you were upgraded. Our standard room at GF seemed bigger than the standard room at RPR that we viewed. (GF was probably about the same as the room at HRH and I know the square footage at HRH is more that RPR.)
Cool! Now that I think about it, it was the last room at the end of the floor so that may be why it was bigger. Also, we were on our honeymoon so that might've helped
For reference - if you're familiar with some of the rooms at WDW - the standard room at Royal Pacific is 335 square feet with two queen beds. The standard rooms at Disney's value resorts are 260 square feet, standard rooms at Caribbean Beach are 300 square feet, both of those have double beds which take up a bit less room. The standard rooms at the Grand Floridian with two queen beds is 448 square feet.
We booked a deluxe queen room for 5 as they also have the sofa bed and are quotes as being large enough for 5. in reality it will probably be very cramped but we figured i is only for 3 nights then we go to a 2 bedroom villa at disney so we will manage
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Michelle - with my step sisters!
Kinda weird...
Our standard room at GF seemed bigger than the standard room at RPR that we viewed. (GF was probably about the same as the room at HRH and I know the square footage at HRH is more that RPR.)
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