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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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lump sum, as i understand it, the annuity can't to passed on to others. if something happened to me the state would get to keep all that money. with the lump sum, i'll have it invested and can pass it on to the kids.
What would you do with the money, lump sum or annuity?
Lump sum. Invested wisely, you have a decent chance to come out with MORE money at the end of your typical 20-year-annuity period, than if you take partial checks the whole time. And, I mean after reasonably-nice living expenses, plus in the first year buying a new home, a new car or two, paying off all your debts, etc, etc.
Now, as to what I would really DO with that money? As in, how I would spend it? Well, assuming it was a stupendously-huge amount - one of those multi-hundred-million-dollar monstrousities, such that I'm sitting on a huge pile of money after all is said and done?
I actually know one big thing I'd love to do, very very much ... and that would be talk to the Marxes about running a contest / giveaway through the PP boards and mailing list. Maybe even, depending on how much it cost, something annual or semi-annual.
The prize(s)? One all-expenses paid family-sized trip to Disney World - accomodations, airfare, dining plan, tickets, the works. (And not just the cheapest options - moderate resort, basic dining plan, waterparks-and-more tickets, etc.) Depending on the cost, possibly offer more than one of those, so theres more than one winner.
The catch? Noone could enter for themselves ... I'd want folks to write a letter or essay about someone else, who they think really and truly deserves a chance to go to Disney world ... and preferably, someone who couldn't go, otherwise.
Lump sum! I know I would buy a house or two, give some to family and different charities, but I am sure that a big long trip to WDW would be pretty close to the first thing I would do.
I've always said I'd buy a place in Celebration and would live there from October - April each year and then back here the rest of the year. I'd spend a lot of money on visiting all the places in the world I want to see- and it's a long list!
Then I'd take the yearly payment, continue running my business, buy more houses to rent out, go on a yearly vacation and put a set amount away for each of my kids. Donations to our church, school and mission projects would be next and IF there was any left I'd anonomously pay forward some of my parent's bills.
no way would I ever tell anyone but my immediate family...wishful thinking this is.
lump sum, as i understand it, the annuity can't to passed on to others. if something happened to me the state would get to keep all that money. with the lump sum, i'll have it invested and can pass it on to the kids.
This is also my reason! I would rather my kids have it then the state!
lump sum! I would give to charities, pay off my debts, get married in WDW with everyone (I have a HUGE family of 1st cousins and their numerous children, my DBF also comes from a large family), buy into DVC for myself and my two closest friends, build a house, give some $ to my parents, buy a new car, continuing working where I am because I love it! and travel! Then invest some as well!
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Kim My son Kellan when he was three days old, already showing his love for Mickey! 4/18/16
I think I would take the lump sum as well. Then invest it. Pay off my house and outstanding debts. Pay someone to paint the inside of my house I been dragging that project out for years. (I hate painting!) Quit my job and find another one that is part time and on my schedule like 6 am to noon hours. Take the dream WDW vacation with my parents and my kids. Donate to my favorite charity--Fishing Has No Boundaries
Then I don't know what else I would do.
I was always under the impression that if you took the annuity and set it up correctly, your heirs could inherit the unspent remainder of the prize. I definitely would give some to relatives, more to some, less to others, and a small sum to one in particular with the warning not to come looking for anymore. (Long story)
Funny this came up, as I have just started playing the lottery with some co-workers. ($1 dollar a week) I would so take the lump sum.
First thing would be to quit my job, in a parade with my co-workers, through the owner's office. While I am sure, if it happened, there would be some single finger salutes, not so nice, four letter infused goodbyes, and even a moon or two from my co-workers, I vow that I would resign with dignity. (yeah, right )
From there, it would be pay off the bills, set up a trust fund for DD, buy a modest house in the Orlando area, and make some investments.
While I am sure some would go to charity, I would be more interested in setting up and developing my own charity. I have the cause picked out and even the name. And yes, it would involve mentally impaired children and WDW.
Can you tell I have been thinking about this for a bit?
Funny you should ask as Luke sent me an e-mail earlier today for Golden Oak, new Disney community as WDW. He said, "Let's buy a house and move here if we ever win the lottery." And I would have to agree. Of course, we would need to play the lottery to win the lottery. I'm thinking the annuity would work well for us.
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My son Kellan when he was three days old, already showing his love for Mickey! 4/18/16
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