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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I'm a member of quite a lot of Disney groups on Facebook. So yesterday people started posting emails they had gotten from Disney addressing refurbs that will be happening at CBR, starting May 1st.
Anyways, I'm pretty bummed because I like to spend time at the resort and was planning on eating at the food court. It looks like they'll have a couple of options but not the same as having the full food court.
I looked online to see my options for changing, but that is a no go. Cheapest option would be POR but, of course, the only rooms available are preferred or river view. To change, I'd have to pay a difference of $539.12. No thank you. I could drop the park hoppers (which I really don't want to do) but I'd still have to pay a difference of $171.67.
I talked over the options with Arben and we decided to stay put. We have a set budget and can't really afford to go over it and we're not willing to sacrifice things we've already planned for. Besides, I haven't even received the email.
What bothers me is that I imagine Disney knew, way ahead of time, about these refurbs and closures, they should of displayed that when you went to book. They come out with this now, 2 months before it will start, when room options are limited.
So, we'll be staying at CBR as planned. It'll be a bit inconvenient but we'll make it work. Thinking positively here.
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I read that today about the refurbs on DFB. Sorry to hear this that these food options will be closed during your stay there. There will be other options there and it shouldn't put a damper on your trip. I've ate at the food court at CBR and it was fine but nothing great. Not as good as Pepper Market at CSR.
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
Luke had told me earlier this week about the refurbs at CBR, and I am so sorry that these will impact your stay.
That sucks when this happens! I had this happen at my stay at CBR in 2008, when I got little notice that the main pool was under refurb! They should at least contact those with reservations ahead of time about these things. But, I guess they just want to announce these things that are convenient for them and regardless, which is not the right way to do it. Especially, when we are paying so much for the resorts, tickets and meals etc.
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
Congrats on DD! Sorry about the refurb at CBR! . We stayed at FQ last summer when they were refurbing the food court and it was actually fine. I hope you have the same luck!!
Ugh, that really is a bummer. That is unusual that Disney has not sent you an email about the refurbishment during your stay as we've had that happen at different resorts and have always gotten a notice. Hopefully it won't impact your trip that much.
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I read that today about the refurbs on DFB. Sorry to hear this that these food options will be closed during your stay there. There will be other options there and it shouldn't put a damper on your trip. I've ate at the food court at CBR and it was fine but nothing great. Not as good as Pepper Market at CSR.
It's not only all food options, but also the gift shop and the pool bar. It's kind of a big refurbishment and I'm surprised they chose one of the busiest seasons to do it.
That sucks when this happens! I had this happen at my stay at CBR in 2008, when I got little notice that the main pool was under refurb! They should at least contact those with reservations ahead of time about these things. But, I guess they just want to announce these things that are convenient for them and regardless, which is not the right way to do it. Especially, when we are paying so much for the resorts, tickets and meals etc.
That is what bothers me. There still hasn't been an official notice from Disney. Almost everything I've read on Facebook has been about emails sent to British visitors. I still haven't heard anything about US visitors receiving notification.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Congrats on DD! Sorry about the refurb at CBR! . We stayed at FQ last summer when they were refurbing the food court and it was actually fine. I hope you have the same luck!!
Thanks! I'm hoping, that if I stay, it won't be that bad.
Ugh, that really is a bummer. That is unusual that Disney has not sent you an email about the refurbishment during your stay as we've had that happen at different resorts and have always gotten a notice. Hopefully it won't impact your trip that much.
Only people that I know have received emails are British visitors. I'm thinking I'll receive notice in the next week or so.
Received an email from my TA, today, informing me of the refurbs. I wrote back telling her about the rumors I had read and that I'd gone online to see if changing resorts was feasible. But, in fact, it's way too expensive. She emailed back saying that Disney should send notice soon and that at this time they are not offering resort changes at no cost. She then asked me that in the event that Disney starts offering the changes, would I be willing to change. I said yes. I even told her I'd be willing to pay a max of $200 if they offered a different category of resort.
I was curious to see if on the Disney site there was the disclaimer for those who are booking. The answer is NO. They only have the notice of the construction going on at Trinidad South. Nothing about this new refurbishment. So people making new bookings have no idea what will be happening. In my opinion, that's not right. They are knowingly keeping this information from guests/future guests.
From the information gathered, this is what will be happening starting May 1st:
~ Old Port Royale Food Court will be closed
~ Shutters will be closed
~ Banana Cabana Pool Bar will be closed
~ the gift shop Calypso Trading Post will be closed
~ They will offer breakfast and dinner at Centertown
~ They will have grab 'n' go options offered at some villages (Aruba, Jamaica and Martinique)
If you ask me, this is a huge refurbishment and I'm not sure why Disney decided to do this in the spring/summer season. It's great that they are offering options but realistically it's very inconvenient. For example: if you want a hot breakfast you'll have to go over to Centertown and purchase it. And then what? You'll have to go back to your room to eat? I imagine there will be no seating options.
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Cheapest option would be POR but, of course, the only rooms available are preferred or river view. To change, I'd have to pay a difference of $539.12. No thank you. 
I could drop the park hoppers (which I really don't want to do) but I'd still have to pay a difference of $171.67.
There will be other options there and it shouldn't put a damper on your trip. I've ate at the food court at CBR and it was fine but nothing great. Not as good as Pepper Market at CSR.
They should at least contact those with reservations ahead of time about these things. But, I guess they just want to announce these things that are convenient for them and regardless, which is not the right way to do it. 
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