Shhhh ... A Very Merry Surprise! ~ PTR for 11/4 - 11/12 2011 - Page 10 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything, I really haven't done anything on the Disney planning front. DDs both start school this week, hopefully I'll be able to get back to my to do list soon!
I've got some good/bad news about our trip to share (I write it like this because, honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about it). My Aunt Lorraine (the one who helped us get our discounted rate at our resort) let me know the other day that she and my Aunt Christine, her sister, will be heading to Orlando the same week we are in November. Now, on our previous two trips Aunt Lorraine did join us, it was only fair since we were using her allotted timeshare week at her resort. This trip, we are not using her week, and didn't think it neccessary to invite her along. DH and I were looking forward to a trip for just our family. Both of our previous trips had extended family tagging along, and while we did have fun, it is a different dynamic travelling with extra people. I don't want to seem ungrateful, I really do appreciate the help that my Aunt gave us in getting such a great rate on our resort, but I do feel a bit annoyed that she just invited herself along on our family vacation I know we will still have a great time, but I needed to vent.
Its normal to feel that way. I would too. Your were looking forward to a trip with just the four of you - now thats changed. You are in a tough spot - if you tell them you wanted time to yourselves you may hurt their feelings but the were not invited on your trip....I do feel for you...I personally CANT travel with anyone other than my family - It just changes everything and I like to be in control - and its worse when I am t Disney.....
You know you will still have a grea time - sending you
Hey - since you are a friend of mine -and I know I dont usually like to travel with others BUT I will GLADLY come with you guys and keep your Aunt busy at Disney....Just a thought
That is a tough spot to be in. Especially because you had no idea until now and she invited herself. Maybe you can get a few days to yourselves. Get all your ranting out here with us then go and have a great time!! If we meet up while we're down there, I'll distract her...and you make a run for it!!
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I knew my fellow PPers would understand my frustration with this situation! What bothers me the most is how it felt like a bombshell was dropped on me. There was never any talks of my two Aunts coming along, no questions asked ("do you mind?" seems like a good one to have asked ) But, no, instead it was "we're booked for FL, see you in November!"
After the bomb was dropped I didn't really say much because a) I think I was in shock and b) both of my DDs were nearby and I didn't want this bad day to get even worse by ruining the surprise I have been working so hard to keep! So, I have no idea what kind of plans they have for themselves, and I didn't share any of our plans with them yet. We'll see tomorrow, as I will be seeing both of them at a family BBQ. Fingers crossed that they don't plan on joining us everyday
Its normal to feel that way. I would too. Your were looking forward to a trip with just the four of you - now thats changed. You are in a tough spot - if you tell them you wanted time to yourselves you may hurt their feelings but the were not invited on your trip....I do feel for you...I personally CANT travel with anyone other than my family - It just changes everything and I like to be in control - and its worse when I am t Disney.....
You know you will still have a grea time - sending you
Hey - since you are a friend of mine -and I know I dont usually like to travel with others BUT I will GLADLY come with you guys and keep your Aunt busy at Disney....Just a thought
It's funny, because I can travel with friends .. it's family that always seems to be difficult
And, hey, if your DH will go for another Disney trip for you then why not! I know it would be a big sacrifice on your part but you just might be the distraction we'll need
That is a tough spot to be in. Especially because you had no idea until now and she invited herself. Maybe you can get a few days to yourselves. Get all your ranting out here with us then go and have a great time!! If we meet up while we're down there, I'll distract her...and you make a run for it!!
I do feel better now, getting all of my frustrations out! Thanks for listening I just may take you up on that distraction offer
Speaking of meeting up, I think that would be fun! Are you still planning on going to the Osbourne Lights on Thursday the 10th? I'll PM you and we can swap plans.
I hope that you and your family have a magical time at the world
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