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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 so sad to hear this. We loved the old 5th Ave store. DH stopped at the new one on his way home from work earlier this week and warned me that he wasn't overwhelmed. At first I was upset that he went there without us (figured it would be fun to experience it all together for the first time) but now not so much.
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I'm disappointed and I haven't even checked it out yet, but I trust all your opinions. I'm really going to miss the old store. I only got there twice, but I just loved the feel of that store. It was WDW in NYC. This sounds like it's any old Disney Store which just isn't the same. I guess I won't make a special trip to check it out.
I loved, loved, loved the old store. It was like being in WDW north. The new Times Square store was a big disappointment for me and the kids. It is more like a dressed up Disney store. You cannot buy WDW merchandise like you could in the old store. I guess if you had never been to the old store, you would really like it, but having been at the old store, I was sad to see the new one.
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Does any one have anything good to say about the new store? We are going in March.
Brenda, even though it is a big let down from the old store, it is a Disney store, so it is still fun to look around. Some of the displays and decor are pretty cool.
It is even a little better then a regular Disney store. Definatly check it out, just don't expect it to be like the old one that was there. I was prepared not be disapointed in it when I went because of what everyone else was saying about it. But I was surprised and was happy with it.
Does any one have anything good to say about the new store? We are going in March.
YES! We loved the chandelier 'inside' the castle. It is even more magical because you can't see it when you first come upstairs, but you have to go 'into the castle.' Look UP! It's beautiful and magical! -enjoy
We were upset with it. We have a Disneystore on Long Island and the Times Square store looks the same, just larger.
I miss the 5th Ave store. I felt that one had a little more magic. I do like the new design and technology concepts but the store was just ehhh imo. If you are there go, or if you don't have one close to you. Other wise there are much better things to do in NYC. Save the $$$ spent there and see Lion King or Mary Poppins!
oooohh! I am so sad to hear this! I've been wanting to visit,and now it sounds like a wasted trip! I loved getting park merchandise in NYC previously....boo!
To understand your disappointment of any new Disney Store and current Disney Stores you have to understand the "chain of command."
Disney Stores and merchandise run more or less in this order.
1. All new and fast selling merchandise go to Disney shops, stores, etc. within the Disney parks.
2. As merchandise approaches the non moving stage they go on sale, discount, etc within the parks.
3. Non selling and over stocked items are then sent to Disney Company "D" Stores which are off park and only Cast Members and employees can make purchases. However Cast Members and employees can take family members and friends as guest into Company "D" Stores but merchandise have to be bought and paid by the CMs and employees showing their I.D. cards which is checked by computer (cash register) at time of sale. Of course all prices are below retail, on special, discounted, etc. Pins that generally sell for $6.00 and up that have not sold that reach the Company "D" Stores generally sell for $3.00 each, your choice of design. This includes Limited Edition Pins.
4. Next down the line I believe are Disney Outlets and then
5. Disney Stores.
Up to the past couple of years Disney Stores were franchised and privately owned. Guess who gets the "left overs"
Disney is now trying to buy the freanchises back and regain control.
Just a guess or question is what will the new practice, if any, be. Possibly the same as I would imagin they would retain the fast moving (selling) merchandise in the parks at higher prices to make more money. Siince regaining control over the past two years I have not seen or heard of any differences in the Disney Stores.
i agree with most of you, it was very disapointing, small, not that special, just like one you would find in a mall, except for ny themed merchandise. ( but we can buy that at the disney outlet store, in our area)
To understand your disappointment of any new Disney Store and current Disney Stores you have to understand the "chain of command."
Disney Stores and merchandise run more or less in this order.
1. All new and fast selling merchandise go to Disney shops, stores, etc. within the Disney parks.
2. As merchandise approaches the non moving stage they go on sale, discount, etc within the parks.
3. Non selling and over stocked items are then sent to Disney Company "D" Stores which are off park and only Cast Members and employees can make purchases. However Cast Members and employees can take family members and friends as guest into Company "D" Stores but merchandise have to be bought and paid by the CMs and employees showing their I.D. cards which is checked by computer (cash register) at time of sale. Of course all prices are below retail, on special, discounted, etc. Pins that generally sell for $6.00 and up that have not sold that reach the Company "D" Stores generally sell for $3.00 each, your choice of design. This includes Limited Edition Pins.
4. Next down the line I believe are Disney Outlets and then
5. Disney Stores.
Up to the past couple of years Disney Stores were franchised and privately owned. Guess who gets the "left overs"
Disney is now trying to buy the freanchises back and regain control.
Just a guess or question is what will the new practice, if any, be. Possibly the same as I would imagin they would retain the fast moving (selling) merchandise in the parks at higher prices to make more money. Siince regaining control over the past two years I have not seen or heard of any differences in the Disney Stores.
Having been in the Disney Store in Chicago in September, I am very, very surprised to read this. That store had specific merchandise to Chicago and was packed with some great items - loads of Cars 2 stuff, some of which we bought for our nephew. I've genuinely never felt that the Disney Stores are the bottom of the rung of the ladder when it comes to merchandise. In fact, I can honestly say that I noticed no difference in the quality of merchandise in the US, as opposed to the UK (where they are still owned by Disney and always have been - thank goodness... as we still get our DVC 10% discount! )
Now don't get me started on the Calais store... that's a different matter!
It wasn't so much the merchandise. I think they had a decent variety of merchandise, and a a good selection of "NYC" items as well. It's just the cookie cutter approach to the store designs.
The mall stores all have to have a similar roll out. I am in design myself and started in retail design so this is a familiar concept for me. However the NYC store, should be a flagship. The old 5th ave store, had more of a World of Disney feeling, more high end- think FAO Schwartz. This store is a larger concept of the mall stores, and I have seen a few so I know. They have the LED color & image changing technology, the same di-cuts, the castle etc. They are branding themselves. However they should have left out the exposed factory ceilings and made this store a little special.
Oh well, I don't want to disappoint anyone, like I said if you are in NYC it is still worth the stop. My dh and I went back after we saw Wicked a few weeks ago and it was empty in there and it was a much nicer experience! I think the store is so much smaller then the other so it just feels so cramped so if you can go on an off hour you will appreciate it much better! They had some nice sale items too, and more adult selections then the mall stores.
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.
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. We loved the old 5th Ave store. DH stopped at the new one on his way home from work earlier this week and warned me that he wasn't overwhelmed. At first I was upset that he went there without us (figured it would be fun to experience it all together for the first time) but now not so much.
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