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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Need ideas for an hourly "surprise" on our 9 hour trip down to WDW. DDs are 19 and 13 this time and for some reason it has been challenging for me to come up with fun stuff. Last time we went to WDW (been stationed in CA from '10-'14) was '09 and they were 7 and 13 so the dollar bin stuff worked great. Now not so much. I like to have something small to give them each hour. So far I have come up with Disney socks and $5 starbucks cards. I need 7 more things each! AAAAGH! Help we leave a week from today :P
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Do they have music players that you could add music too?
YES! but I wouldn't have any idea what to add lol. I thought about iTunes gift cards and giving them the card during the trip would be ok but they would have to wait until arrival (Wi-Fi) to add stuff because we share data and using GB to add music is not something i want to burn it for. BUT it could be a good surprise for solving a riddle etc...Thank you for the idea!
I do the same thing for my daughter who will be 12 on our next trip!
Things I have found include:
1. Mickey ear buds for iPad/iPhone/iPod from Amazon
2. Mickey/Minnie hair elastics from Etsy
3. Free Disney Trivia printable cards found on Pinterest
4. A couple of Tsum Tsums (maybe not for the 17 year old)
5. There are a lot of travel games on Amazon (ex. Rubberneckers)
6. I also bought a set of Mickey Mitts from The Disney Store, but they cost more and you would need 2.
7. Disney music CDs or downloadable music is a great idea
A quick look on Pinterest for Tinkerbell gifts may give you a lot of ideas! I hope you have fun!
This stuff is more expensive than your dollar stuff buys, which is why I recommend not giving one each hour. On the other hand, they (you) can play with them for hours.
Last time we went to WDW a few years ago I decided to get everyone (we are adults) some things before we went and I got a pen from the Disney Store online that you could choose the color and also had the option to personalize. I think it was $10. Between that site and Amazon I found Disney or Star Wars themed water bottles, magic band decorations, those backpack things with the thin straps, trivia books, and tiny flashlights. Maybe a notepad or notebook as well, I also got from the grocery store themed toothbrushes and shampoo. I am sure I am forgetting something but hope this helps give you ideas. Good luck!
I would think at your girls ages, they would much prefer one or two larger gifts than a "treat every hour" which sounds really like something you would do for a preschollwer, not a teen and young adult.
I think both would easily be able to entertain themselves for 9 hours, which I assume includes a rest stop or two.
Not sure what kind of tablets they have, but down load a movie for each of them on a USB, that will be good for a couple of hours!
My (adult) daughters usually sleep on long drives!
I am planning a little surprise for the in car for my kids (ages 13 & 11) -- but it's just 1 surprise.
So far I have a new pair of earbuds for each of them (they'll be bringing their ipads & iphones with), a Disney lanyard, and a Mickey sunscreen lip balm. The Starbucks gift card is a GREAT idea & I definitely think I'll have to do that. My two absolutely LOVE their frappuccino's -- so this would be a great treat for them to grab while we make our way. Actually - now that I think about it, instead of going out and buying gift cards, maybe I'll just print them a "certificate" that entitles them to one and put it with the rest of their goodies.
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Need ideas! Road trip :)
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Dreams, Wishes, Hopes... these are the parts of childhood we should never lose.
Can't wait to go back and visit old friends!
on long drives!
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