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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I cancelled a ressie at WDW for the week of DD's Spring Break (the week before Easter). I couldn't deal with paying full price, the crowds, and the crazy airfare.
DH has to work that week, so anywhere DD and I go needs to be both cheap and somewhere DH has been or doesn't want to go. Chicago is looking like a possibility.
The pros:
1. We've been there before and it's easy to get back to so there's no pressure to see everything or stay too long.
2. We can take the train for a new adventure or Megabus for cheap transportation
3. I found a good deal on a hotel downtown
4. Museums are indoors and good public transportation so weather isn't too big an issue.
The cons:
1. It's Chicago. In March. Weather could be UGLY!
2. We don't want to stay in the hotel all week, so we could have to go out in cold or snow or winter rain.
Am I nuts?
Also does anyone know anything about the Holiday Inn Express off the Mag Mile? It had a great price and we've had good luck with the HIExpress brand. But not this particular propery. If I'm reading the map right we've staying near this neighborhood in the past. But actual experience would make me feel better.
We went to Chicago March 29-31, 2012 and it was a great time to go. The tulips were out and the weather was sunny and high 50's, I would go that time every year if the weather was like that. We always stay at the Omni so I can't help you with the Holiday Inn.
We stayed in that hotel in 2008. It was a good location, but as I remember it, a small room. You probably won't be surprised to know that we took some photos of it which you can find in my trip report.
The weather is hit or miss, really. You could get snow, rain, or sunshine... If you're willing to take the chance, I think Chicago is a great vacation destination. It's definitely on my "must go back one day" list
I would never discourage a visit to Chicago. March weather is iffy, so just keep your eye on the weather forecast and come prepared. Some good local websites to check out are Goldstar, Groupon, The Local Tourist & Chicago Parent for ideas and discounts. I also recommend foodwise: Hot Doug's & Wow Bao.
Thanks! We'd be coming from Minneapolis so I don't know why I'm hung up on the weather
Cheryl -- I thought you had stayed there. I'll link through to your TR. The photos on the website show the rooms as rather small but I'd expect that downtown. And really, if it's just me and DD, how much room do we need? As long as we each get a pillow I'm happy.
Thanks! We'd be coming from Minneapolis so I don't know why I'm hung up on the weather
Cheryl -- I thought you had stayed there. I'll link through to your TR. The photos on the website show the rooms as rather small but I'd expect that downtown. And really, if it's just me and DD, how much room do we need? As long as we each get a pillow I'm happy.
We managed fine. It was just a bit of a pain as we had four suitcases. I can't see you having that much luggage...
You could check out the hotel on Trip Adviser to see what the reviews are out there.
When we have went we bought something called a City Pass for the museums. It was so much cheaper fro us that way. You can buy them online before you go, or at one of the ticket booths at a museum. We purchased ours at Shedd. They have sort of a "Fast Pass" type system. There is a certain line at most venues for the City Pass, and you get to bypass the regular line. We saved ourselves about an 1 1/2 to 2 hour wait to go to Skydeck Chicago. The line was unbelievable, and we passed every bit of it and right on the elevator.
As far as the weather, my sister goes up a lot to visit in-laws. She said as long as you prepare for the weather it isn't bad. With all the public transportation, she said it is easy to get around.
Well our on-again-off-again trip is on again.
We leave Tuesday -- and I have ton of stuff to do at work before I leave.
I've done very little planning. I don't know that it's fatal. One reason we picked Chicago is because it's close and a place we can get to again, so I don't feel the need to see and do everything.
But advice for things to see and do would be appreciated. I can handle the "biggies" -- I'm looking more for info on the special short term things to do. For example, is there a flower show at the downtown department store? Has anyone done the ice skating at the Hancock Tower?
Good places to eat? I personally love the Corner Bakery chain and we don't have those here. So we'll hit that once or twice. And DD wants to go back to Ginos East and Ed Dbevics. My niece and her husband are joining us, and it's Passover, so we need to take that into account too.
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