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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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1 bedroom or 2 bedroom?
We are looking to take our son and his family in October for our grandson's 3rd birthday. I really want to stay at AKL because Micah loves giraffes and actually any kind of animal. There will be 4 adults and 2 children under the age of 3.
Do you think I should go with a 2 bedroom villa? Or could we get by with a 1 bedroom villa?
Or would it be better to do 2 studios???
Any advice?
If you have the means the 2br would give you a lot more wiggle room and a place to gather while the kids are sleeping. The extra full bath can make for much more efficient mornings too. One shower for 6 people might be rough.
I agree two bedroom. Extra space for people who don't regularly live together is always a good idea. And it would be nice to have a space to gather while the children sleep. Extra bathrooms are always useful as well.
From experience - 2 bedroom or 2 studios requested near each other. If you plan to do a lot of touring together, I'd definitely say 2 studios so everyone has their own space to return to; plus it's less points for 2 studios over a 2 bedroom.
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From experience - 2 bedroom or 2 studios requested near each other. If you plan to do a lot of touring together, I'd definitely say 2 studios so everyone has their own space to return to; plus it's less points for 2 studios over a 2 bedroom.
I agree with Kelly. Unless you really think you'll use the full kitchen, I'd go with 2 studios so each family can get a bit of alone time.
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I was thinking that 2 studios would be the best as well. But, getting 2 savannah view studios doesn't look good.
I may have to go with 2 studios at OKW.
We will only be there 2 days and I don't think there will be a need for the full kitchen.
I will let you know what I decide!
At least with AKL there are plenty of places to see the animals even if you don't have a savannah view. I've booked a standard view and got somewhat of a savannah view at Kidani anyway.
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Well I am hoping that the dates I chose will work! I ended up booking a Saturday and Sunday - first weekend of October. So we will drive up early Saturday morning and leave Monday afternoon.
I did end up booking a 2 bedroom at Kidani Village. I looked at the floor plans and there will be plenty of area where we aren't in each other's space! Plus the 2 bedrooms have 3 bathrooms!
Now let's hope that Nate and Ashley are OK with the dates!
Thank you for all of your advice.
I may still call member services and see if 2 studios are available!
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We have traveled both ways with friends and honestly you will have your own bedroom to retreat to which will have a TV. It really depends on your relationship with your family but you should be able to find quiet time easily in the 2br. The washer & dryer in the room is very helpful too. We about to do our first non DVC trip in years and I hate thinking about the extra clothes I have to pack.
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