Just Booked!! - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
PassPorter.com
Award-winning travel guidebooks

   guidebooks   |   news   |   podcasts   |   boards   |   blog   |   worksheets   |   photos   |   articles   |   updates   |   register   |   follow us on


Forums Closed
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!

Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!

Go Back   PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums > PassPorter's Florida Destinations Beyond Walt Disney World > Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure
Register


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.

To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.

If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-11-2016, 04:21 PM   #1
LRnascarfan
Community Rank: Adventurer
 
LRnascarfan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Arkansas
Concierge Level: 5
Posts: 721

Post Thanks / Like
Just Booked!!

We just booked our Universal vacation for next summer!! I can't believe I'm going to come to Orlando and not go to WDW!! We are looking forward to Universal though. I haven't been since 1990 and my kids have never been!! Got a long countdown but hopefully it will go back quick!!
__________________
Kim Haydon šoš
My Countdown Counting down to: Graduation Celebration
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous Trips2017 WDW @ Pop Century, 2010 WDW @ Pop Century, 2003 WDW @ Shades of Green (AKA The Contempory), 1992 WDW @ The Disney Inn, 1990 WDW @ The Caribbean Beach Resort, 1986 WDW offsite, 1980 WDW offsite (we were there to see the Orange Bowl and came to Disney on the side.)
LRnascarfan is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 07-11-2016, 10:46 PM   #2
minniemouse1217
Community Rank: Traveler
 
minniemouse1217's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: OH-IO Buckeye State
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 276

Post Thanks / Like
Congrats on the booking. I must say a lot has changed since your last trip. How exciting for you!
__________________
Happy Girl
My Countdown Counting down to: Kaylee's Kindergarten Celebration
Celebrating the next chapter in the life of our princess!!!
My Previous TripsWDW 1998, 2000, 2008, 2009 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
minniemouse1217 is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2016, 01:35 AM   #3
chezp
PassPorter Message Board Manager
PassPorter Guide Author

Community Rank:
Legend VIP
 
chezp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 190,285

Post Thanks / Like
Congrats!
__________________

Relaxing on board the Magic. The trip report for our back-to-back cruises on the Disney Magic has started!
My Countdown Counting down to: 2019
Happy New Year!
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous Trips21 trips to WDW, 6 to Disneyland in California, 9 to Disneyland Paris, 1 to Hong Kong Disneyland, 1 to Tokyo Disney, 1 to Aulani, 1 to Hilton Head, 2 to Vero Beach and 13 Disney cruises on the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy
chezp is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2016, 12:01 PM   #4
HiddenMickey
PassPorter's Club Passholder


What's this?

PassPorter Guide

Community Rank:
Legend Extraordinaire
 
HiddenMickey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chapel Hill, NC USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 36,592

Post Thanks / Like
I have to say, Universal as a vacation destination is great! Congrats on the new plan in the works. Where are you staying?
__________________


PassPorter Guide for the Staying in Style forum
HiddenMickey is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2016, 10:17 AM   #5
LRnascarfan
Community Rank: Adventurer
 
LRnascarfan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Arkansas
Concierge Level: 5
Posts: 721

Post Thanks / Like
We are going to stay at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort. It is me and 3 of my kids and one of their friends. We chose this one because of the family suite which will be a little roomier for us since my kids are all 18+. We have 4 day park to park passes with unlimited express. 321 days seems so far away now but soon it will be close!!
LRnascarfan is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2016, 12:31 PM   #6
HiddenMickey
PassPorter's Club Passholder


What's this?

PassPorter Guide

Community Rank:
Legend Extraordinaire
 
HiddenMickey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chapel Hill, NC USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 36,592

Post Thanks / Like
My DD20 and I stayed there for a few nights last summer (no express passes but we had APs). We got to the parks around opening and stayed until around lunchtime and spent our afternoons at the pool and then back to the parks around dinner for the evening. We were able to do a lot and still enjoy relaxing around the resort. We never felt we needed the express passes, but they will save you lots of time in lines (except for in Harry Potter areas where they don't use them).

We bought inner tubes on Amazon before we went and the people at the pool shack will fill them up for you. Cheaper than buying them at the pool for the lazy river.

The pools are really nice. On Sat and Sun afternoons they had a DJ doing fun stuff at the pool near the lazy river. We enjoyed watching kids participate and listening to the music. And they have these really neat mixed drink souvenier insulated cups. My son is using the one I got for cold water at home now.

We also thought the food court was pretty great.
__________________


PassPorter Guide for the Staying in Style forum
HiddenMickey is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2016, 05:24 PM   #7
JoeEpcotRocks
Community Rank: Traveler
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 442

Post Thanks / Like
We just booked for May 10 - 19 at Portofino Bay. (3 adults)
It will be our first trip ever there! We are looking forward to a great NEW experience.

We've been at Disney 10+ times. A lady at work says that the next time we go to Disney, a big alarm will go off because they know we snuck off to Universal!
JoeEpcotRocks is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2016, 09:35 PM   #8
JenatMOLM
Community Rank: Sightseer
 
JenatMOLM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
Posts: 70

Post Thanks / Like
Quote:
Originally Posted by kimcar31 View Post
We are going to stay at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort. It is me and 3 of my kids and one of their friends. We chose this one because of the family suite which will be a little roomier for us since my kids are all 18+. We have 4 day park to park passes with unlimited express. 321 days seems so far away now but soon it will be close!!
Believe me, I totally understand. We book our trip that many days out, and suddenly we are 26 days away. I am literally dancing in my seat!
__________________
Jennifer
http://makingourlifematter.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/MakingOurLifeMatter2012
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JenatMOLM
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/molm2011/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/MakingOurLifeMatter
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+Jennife...gOurLifeMatter
My Countdown Counting down to: Our Universal/Disney World Vacation
Let The Family Time Begin!
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsWDW May 1995
JenatMOLM is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2016, 07:20 PM   #9
LRnascarfan
Community Rank: Adventurer
 
LRnascarfan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Arkansas
Concierge Level: 5
Posts: 721

Post Thanks / Like
Thanks for the tip on the innertubes. Good to know that they aren't provided!! We will get some before we come!!
LRnascarfan is offline  
 
Reply With Quote
Reply




Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump














Please login or register to hide these ads -- it's free and easy!

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:46 PM.

-->

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Feedback Buttons provided by Advanced Post Thanks / Like v3.4.0 Patch Level 1 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
(c) 1998-2017 PassPorter Travel Press/MediaMarx, Inc.
Celebrating 19 Years of Making Dreams Come True
Ad Management plugin by RedTyger