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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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.
Sorry I've been MIA for a while. New baby grandson, Calvin Patrick arrived on Wednesday and we had Cora with us for three days. Liz and Calvin are doing well and Cora loves her new baby brother!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tara O'Hara
Donna, thanks for sharing your first but hopefully not lat trip with Cora!! I enjoyed it immensely!,,
So glad you enjoyed the TR. Yes, hopefully there will be lots more trips with the Cora and the rest of the grandkids!
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperDave
Overall, I think you did rather well by having Cora on her first WDW trip and not too many meltdowns. It should only get better on future trips with her if you go on another one with her. I'm sure it was a bit stressful for you and Jeff at times. Good going by using Community Hall and FW to your advantage with Cora to keep her occupied.
Great TR and enjoyed it so much! Can't believe it's over so soon!
Thanks for reading along Dave!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
I was so fun to see all the photos of Cora reacting to the characters in the meets. for sharing your trip with a toddler with us. Can't wait for the coming PTR.
I just love looking at the pics of her cute little face!
Glad you enjoyed the TR
Quote:
Originally Posted by num1DVCfan
What a great wrap up. I'm even more excited about our upcoming stay at BLT after reading your TR. Looking forward to your January PTR.
So glad I could offer some tips for your BLT stay!
Yes, I started working on the PTR for January, but life has gotten in the way!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeL
Definitely a super trip for everyone How is Miss Cora going to react when she finds out Grandma and Grandpa went back without her next month
Maybe we just won't tell her!
Quote:
Originally Posted by patclairesmom
Great wrap up! You really did a great job with planning with a toddler, obviously something very important and it really worked.
It did work out most times. Though the moments she was acting up I felt like saying "We are not doing this again!"
Quote:
Originally Posted by lindawdw
Great Final Thoughts! I really enjoyed seeing the joy in Cora's face when she met each character. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great finish Donna! Thanks for taking us along for the ride!!
I just read your entire TR. It's so different travelling with small children. I loved the pictures of Cora meeting the character. Her reaction was adorable.
My sister is expecting her first baby in March. She wants to take her to Disney in 2019, making her 15 months at the time of travel. Of course, I'll tag along. It'll be interesting to see how that trip will go.
I just read your entire TR. It's so different travelling with small children. I loved the pictures of Cora meeting the character. Her reaction was adorable.
My sister is expecting her first baby in March. She wants to take her to Disney in 2019, making her 15 months at the time of travel. Of course, I'll tag along. It'll be interesting to see how that trip will go.
Yes, it certainly is different traveling with a little one! And yes, Cora just loved meeting the characters!
How fun to tag along on your sister's trip with her little one. I'm sure it will be a big help for her as well.