***New*** Disney's Magical Express*** - Page 2 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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 think this new service sounds wonderful but I did discover upon phoning Disney to check that, at this point in time, guests who are DVC members and are staying on their points are not currently eligible for the express service. This is something that DVC member services is working on obtaining for the members but so far, it's not offered to DVC members. Our next trip isn't until late November/early December/2005 so I hope that by that point in time, they will have expanded the offer to include Disney Vacation Club members as well.
Sounds wonderful. How many hoops did they jump thru with the FAA? Gee, I don't see this lasting if any one of those bags gets a red lite. We shall see how successful this really is. I hope it works out. But with the propaganda USA I highly doubt it. IMO
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This will be awesome! This is the same great service offered to cruise line guests, and on our trip, we walked off the ship, claimed our luggage, it was loaded into a truck, we were handed boarding passes for all portions of our flight, and boarded our motorcoach. It was the most stress-free vacation ever! No lines, no hassles, no waiting!
Untill everything is working I wouldn't rush into any definite conclusion as to how well it will go, but, for now, that is what I think:
With what I've seen from Mears, TSA, and the luggage people behind the scenes at each airline, I do not see it working tip top beggining to end. There will be problems, and I do not think they will be just a few.
But again, it is free (for now) as many will think, so why not... Right?
Well, if you never minded waiting for a bus/motor coach to fill up (not vans as the regular Mears shuttle), having other people handling your luggage (and maybe taking a little longer than you to arrive at your resort), leaving earlier than necessary back to the airport (they might say it will save you time, but....),and, and, and, than this will be just a great new feature Disney has to offer you.
If you still want the one on one private service, a free grocery stop, your luggage by your side at all times, no lines to wait at both ends (THERE WILL BE LINES at the "courtesy/welcome" Disney desk as there has always been lines at the Mears shuttle desk - just imagine the volume Disney Express will create (it is free after all)), a luxury vehicle with your private chauffeur, than please stick with your favorite transportation company...
To be honest with all of you. I DO worry a lot with what Disney/Mears/Bags and etc are doing, not only for my sake, but for the sake of 1000's of people working in transportation in Orlando, all owner operators, all companies like ours, rental car companies, hotels outside the Disney area, Universal Studios, taxi cab companies, shuttle services, restaurants outside Disney and etc, etc, etc... It might be hard for anyone to realize it now, but with the Disney packages, free transportation and all, Disney wants to hold every Orlando traveler inside their doors, no way out untill the end of your vacation. That might sound what business is all about, but with Orlando's (and America's) economy just coming back to normal, we, the small business owners will get hurt with that "monopoly" game they are playing.
I do rely on Disney (not 100% but I do) for my business to flourish, but I also can not sit and relax with so much control they are having in the orlando area. I know, if it weren't for Disney, Orlando wouldn't exist (as they say). Well, maybe it is true, but that was over 30 years ago. Now our economy, and the families within, need to get back on their feet after such a long wait after Sept 11th 2001, and the hurricanes in 2004. 1 1/2 years of free shuttle will create a big, big mess in the Orlando area. A few month free trial would be fine by me, untill they get their act together, but 1 1/2 years, GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
Again, I'm a Disney fan since before I even came to live in Orlando, and still am a fan. That has nothing to do with what I feel is an unfair business practice done by a huge group of powerful people (not only Disney, but Mears and etc...)
*SQUEE* My mom was just asking if there was transportation to and from Disney. Well, I told her no and that we used TTC. She loved the idea of TTC and might actually prefer that, but if it saves us money then she'll be happy to know there is that option. Same with my dad...when we do our possible spring trip..he'll love that idea(if the express thing is in the works then!)
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I think this move, along with the extra hours at night, will make it impossible not to stay a disney hotel! I hate driving on vacation but sometimes waiting for the MEARS shuttle took forever! This is great!
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the list of Disney Resorts with this particular service.
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Where can I find that list?
Also, if I'm understanding this correctly, they do the luggage delivery from the airport to your resort no matter what airline. But to get the airline check-in with luggage from the resort, you have to have one of their partners. Otherwise, you have to take your luggage with you on their coach and then check-in with the airline at the airport.
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the list of Disney Resorts with this particular service.
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Where can I find that list?
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Included: All the Disney owned-and-operated resorts - All-Stars, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club, BoardWalk, Caribbean Beach, Contemporary, Coronado Springs, Fort Wilderness, Grand Floridian, Old Key West, Polynesian, Pop Century, Port Orleans, Saratoga Springs, Wilderness Lodge, Yacht Club. (Not currently available for DVC members staying on points.)
Excluded: Swan, Dolphin, Shades of Green, Hotel Plaza resorts (Courtyard by Marriott, Doubletree Guest Suites, Grosvenor, etc.)
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Also, if I'm understanding this correctly, they do the luggage delivery from the airport to your resort no matter what airline. But to get the airline check-in with luggage from the resort, you have to have one of their partners. Otherwise, you have to take your luggage with you on their coach and then check-in with the airline at the airport.
Can anyone confirm that?
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Confirmed.
Folks who sail on the Disney Cruise Line (and use DCL ground transfers) are already quite familiar with this service - it's exactly what DCL has done for years, including airline check-in at the port. While I expect there may be some kinks when it starts up for WDW guests due to the larger number of people involved, this entire operation is already a very well-oiled machine at DCL. Any "issues" with Transportation Security were ironed-out a long time ago.
Details on this program are still fairly thin. It was just announced on December 28, people could only begin booking the service two days ago, and it doesn't go into operation until May. We'll know more as time goes by.
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