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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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My daughter and I are spending two nights at Universal before her swim camp starts. I have reservations at the Hard Rock Hotel. Has anyone stayed there lately? Would you recommend another on site hotel instead?
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Margaret and I got to see the Cubs play in October. They won!
PassPorter Guide Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire
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Location: Chapel Hill, NC USA
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I stayed there in Dec for four nights. I really like it. The rooms are comfortable, it has the shortest walk to the parks, and I think the pool area is really nice. We enjoyed a meal at Kitchen and bought breakfast goodies in the market area. We liked exploring the 'museum' pieces on each floor too.
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By all means eat at the Kitchen! The food was outstanding and we got a visit from Scooby Doo and a Minion at dinner! They have a Wonderful breakfast buffet and will make your eggs, omelets, etc. to order while you're standing there telling them what you want in them. I got the eggs benedict. Yummy!
The hotel has a lot of neat things to see. Check out the clock on the floor of the lobby....or the guitar fountain at the entrance. It could use some updates, but we enjoyed it and it was so handy to the parks. We got to watch the fireworks from our room one night. We've also stayed at the Royal Pacific which was Beautiful, and would happily go back there too.
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We must have had one of the rooms that hadn't been done yet. We were there for Thanksgiving. And the carpeting in our hallway was somewhat old and tattered. So glad to hear they were working on updates.
I have not stayed at HRH but have stayed at PBR and RPR. I thought both were beautiful and the customer service was exemplary. I would stay at either again in a heart beat.
My family will be staying at HRH in May. I've seen many good reviews. After switching back and forth (Twice) between HR and Cabana Bay, the Unlimited Express passes finally won out. Hope ya'll have a great time.
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KELLY
Mom TO J.J.-24 BRADY-22 & HUNTER The Dog-9 Lost my sweet Hunter April 16th, 2013 New puppy, Pie (he's rust colored, white paws/chest and a white Pie shape on the back of his neck)
Wife To Jeff
I stayed there in Dec for four nights. I really like it. The rooms are comfortable, it has the shortest walk to the parks, and I think the pool area is really nice. We enjoyed a meal at Kitchen and bought breakfast goodies in the market area. We liked exploring the 'museum' pieces on each floor too.
Good to know! This is one hotel that's on my list!
We stayed at the HRH this past January. Rooms were fantastic. Clean, exceptionally decorated and comfortable. 5 minute walk to Universal entrance makes it an awesome location. Price is comparable to a deluxe WDW hotel. But when you stay there, you get early admittance plus the Express Pass is free.
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