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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
We've taken DD to WDW twice and DLRP once (she was 2 and 4 at WDW and 3 in DLRP) and couldn't have managed without a stroller (or "pushchair" as they're known in the UK), we took our own "folding" stroller which is lighter and more manouverable than the Disney rental ones, but I certainly sympathise with anyone who has small (and not so small!) kids. We're going again in December when DD will have just turned 5 and we still intend to take the stroller, even if it's only used toward the end of the day when she gets tired.
I do hate to see "amenities" like the strollers being abused by people who have no reason (valid or otherwise) to use them. They are potentially denying use of the service to more needy people.
Here's one for the pot though!!!!!!!
Why don't Disney put restrictions on what appears to be excessive ECV use at the parks? ECV usage has increased noticably over the 18 years or so I've been visiting WDW and while it could be argued that this is a sign of greater accessibility being afforded to disabled visitors it would also implied a greater proportion of the population are now disabled which I don't think is actually the case.
While I'm no way disputing the genuine needs of many people who are disabled in varying degrees (either permanently or temporarily) I do get annoyed when they are misused by "lazy" people. In the same way that "older" users may be denying access to strollers by "younger" users who MAY need them more, inappropriate use of ECVs may be denying access to the service by "more needy" people.
I know I'm going to be shot down in flames, but it is my personal opinion.
This is all pretty moot as the price increase last year has really, and I mean REALLY, lowered the use of the strollers. It used to be that there were places that you just could NOT walk because of the strollers. Not any longer. Our last two trips were LOTS easier because there were so few strollers. There were more personal strollers but most of them were umbrella type and not as bulky and therefore not as in the way. Also, neither my wife nor I have been hit with a stroller on either of the last two trips (unlike EVERY other trip prior to the price increase). Whew! Its SOOO much better (and we have two children ourselves and use an unbrella stroller some days).
As for the ECVs - the numbers do not appear to have changed on those at all. This past trip we watched two young adult males riding through Epcot with beers in their hands having races. When you need an accommodation, you need one and we all have to pitch in and be patient and understanding. However, those who do not need them ....well.......
I would think they would want to keep the strollers as a source of revenue. But, like another poster said - older kids, teens and even adults have been known to give them a go and that must shorten the life of the stroller.
We have a 4 1/2 yr. old who is in the 100th percentile for height and weight. That means no disney stroller but he does meet many of the height requirements for the rides!
We just got a GREAT deal on a Baby Planet umbrella style stoller. It holds up to 55 lb. in the seat and 65 lb. total including the storage basket. If you have a bigger child you need a nice portable, lightweight stroller for - take a look! We got ours at ALBEEBABY.com It was a good price and free shipping! I have ordered at least 3 strollers from them. They are fantastic!
Trying to judge who needs a stroller or an ECV is a very tricky (and potentially insulting) situation -- both on these discussion boards and at Disney.
I have Multiple Sclerosis and look "normal" to just about anyone looking at me. I haven't yet had to use an ECV, but there will come a day when I could. I would probably be able to pop right up from the ECV looking "normal," but my energy would flag quickly and I'd need that ECV to enjoy more of the park.
I'd rather Disney still offer/allow the use of "assistance devices" to guests so that everyone, no matter their ability, age, health, and special needs can enjoy what Disney has to offer.
Eileen
Well I have to say I have even seen adult men sitting in the double ones before so I am sure it might be a problem with stroller maint. than actually a child riding in it .... My opinion ....
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
but he does meet many of the height requirements for the rides! 
Linear Mode
