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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hi Serenajen,
I have 3 kids, 21, 19, and 8. BOTH of my boys have autism and severe dietary restriction, and we have done several great trips. Here are my tips:
1: Get a Guest Assistance Card (GAC) This will help because you will be able to go to a separate waiting area away from the tight quarters of the Line. Sometimes you may wait less, but on others you may actually wait a bit longer. This is not a front of the line pass, but it really helps if your child has sensory issues.
2: Use a stroller as others have sugested. It gives your child a little contained space all his own and he can retreat into it if over stimulated. Also, it can help keep him from running off if he is prone to that. Get a "stroller as wheelchair" sticker at the same time you get your GAC. These can be had from Guest Services near the entrance to each park. This sticker will let you take the stroller right up to the ride if you have to, and also you can use the areas set aside for disabled people to view the fireworks.
3: Go back to your room after lunch for a swim, or to nap, or just rest, read, watch TV . While you are relaxing, the heaviest crowds will jostle and bump in the heat of the day, getting crankier all afternoon. Then at 3or 4 go back, eat an early dinner and enjoy a few rides before turning in. You will be calm and relaxed and fed while everyone elsewho stayed all afternoon is melting down and whining for dinner.
4: Eat early, say at 5. The crowds are lighter, the dining room should be less crowded and over stimulating. Because noise is amplified by all the hard surfaces inside most restraunts, try eating outside if this is available and it's not too hot.
5: Fireworks can scare the you know what out of anyone if you are too close to the launch points. Also the crowds are huge and can be rude. If you are going to watch, have headphones to block some of the sound. You can even pipe in your child's favorite music, if it makes him happy. Also make use of the disabled viewing areas for a good view with a bit less crowding. This can also be done for parades.
7:Make sure you plan your meals in advance, even if you are just going to have counterservice. Nothing is worse than an over-stimulation/low blood sugar combined meltdown. Bring some healthy snacks your child likes. Can your child drink with a straw? If not, bring a water bottle with a spout.
8: Look at the rides/attractions on Youtube. You can show them to your child if he will watch them and/ or look to see if you think your child would like the attraction.
I hope that gets you started. Best wishes, Heather
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Welcome to the board! My DD9 lives with ASD. She has been to WDW 3 times. The last trip we finally found a good trip formula for her. Feel free to read my report on my last trip.
I don't know what level your child is at , but I would say overall go at their pace not yours. We are adaptable, while it is harder for them to go with the flow that long. Sometimes a few hours at the pool is better for them , than a day at the park. Stress tension and weariness can result in meltdowns. keep an eye open and you will see if your child has any triggers. Take a comfort item from home. Look into headphones (many rides are loud), or with my daughter a pair of sunglasses helped to "filter out" the World a bit.
Just a couple of things off the top of my sleepy head. lol. Feel free to message me if you want to chat about it. I'm sure that goes the same for the other Autie families on here.
MY ds8 is autistic. He is high functioning but at DW he was in Sensory overload. Let me tell you the CM's there were absolutely wonderful to my family. When my ds was having problems they helped me out without a blink of an eye. My son loves fireworks but is terrified of them.. So a CM suggested a place off to the side where he wouldn't be as scared. Also he is afraid of the dark so when we go into shows they would put us near an exit incase we had to leave quickly. When there were long lines for stuff we could go in a special area where he wouldn't get overwhelmed.. I can not say enough good things about how we were treated when we were there in October. If you come across any problems don't feel bad about asking for help. If you have any specific questions please ask. Everyone here is wonderful and always willing to help if they can..
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MY ds8 is autistic. He is high functioning but at DW he was in Sensory overload. Let me tell you the CM's there were absolutely wonderful to my family. When my ds was having problems they helped me out without a blink of an eye. My son loves fireworks but is terrified of them.. So a CM suggested a place off to the side where he wouldn't be as scared. Also he is afraid of the dark so when we go into shows they would put us near an exit incase we had to leave quickly. When there were long lines for stuff we could go in a special area where he wouldn't get overwhelmed.. I can not say enough good things about how we were treated when we were there in October. If you come across any problems don't feel bad about asking for help. If you have any specific questions please ask. Everyone here is wonderful and always willing to help if they can..
I love to hear things like that! I'm so glad you had a magical time.
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