Free + Still Good + F&W = Let's Go!!!! - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Off to a great start Lisa! I'm so excited for you!
Thanks!!! I am too!!! Let us know if you are in the parks at all! We will be spending most time at Epcot most likely!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Can't get much more exciting than a surprise "almost" free trip to WDW just a week away! I'm sure both you and Scott need the time away together and since Emily just had her birthday trip it won't feel so bad to leave her home. I'm not sure how you'll get three TRs done when you return (maybe just photo essays?) but I have faith in you!
Thanks!!! Nope - still can't believe how short the countdown is!!! We SOOOO NEED this time - especially Scott - it's been so rough here - and he is still being a "guy" and taking it all, and hasn't let go yet - so he needs to get away and RELAX! Yeah - I am determined to get the TR's done - it will keep me busy - BUT it might be more of a photo essay!! LOL!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
Love the last minute trips, and you are right, free flights, days left on the AP and F&WF how could you NOT go to WDW
Thanks!!! I know, seriously, twist my arm!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Great start! And that is the coolest that you can say you've been to Disney for the last three months! I'd love to be able to say that...
Thanks!! Isn't that cool?!? I am starting to feel like Sharon and I had role reversal this year!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
Great start, Lisa! And how perfect is that visit WDW three times three months straight. You rock!
Thanks!!! I know! Sorry, had to a bit fresh there! I still can't believe it!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by JKnott17
Visiting WDW 3 months in a row! How awesome is that????
IT'S more than AWESOME!!!! Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russi01
Congrats on all of your free stuff!!! Going 3 times in 3 months!! How cool!
Thanks!!! VERY COOL!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneydreamer33
So excited for you and very jealous! I can't imagine being in the world 3 months in a row!
We loved PoP in Dec 2010, but we were never left a towel animal either.
Can't wait to see what you decide about MNSSHP.
Thanks!! I better get a towel animal this time!!! We still haven't decided about MNSSHP.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iwonathomas
Great start, lucky you getting to go 3 times in 3 months. Hope you do go to MNSSHP
Thanks!! I am feeling VERY lucky - and fortunate!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR
Great start!
Thank you!
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Originally Posted by bsblady01
great start
Thank you!
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Originally Posted by mushu22
great start
Thank you!
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Originally Posted by Coop
Yay!!! I'm glad you guys worked out the time and can get nice little spur of the moment trip! Those are really fun!
Thanks - I am too - however, it kinda stinks how I was able to get the time off work - one of my co-workers father fell ill (she was suppose to have those days off) and passed, so she cancelled her plans I so know what that feels like.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMB733
Great Start!!! You're so lucky to have been able to visit 3 times over the last 3 months!!
Thanks!! feeling VERY fortunate!!!
__________________
Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Well, as life would be for us - Scott has been at work since we booked this last minute getaway - so planning has been interesting to say the least!
So far, we have managed to book Tusker House for Saturday for a late breakfast/early lunch (trick is to get there for a 10:45ish ADR, you can still get some breakfast items, and they start bringing out lunch, and you get charged breakfast!! ) - which I was VERY surprised that we were able to get that in under a week!!! But it is our FAVORITE character meal - so we figured we would give it a shot!
And Scott just called me to say that he had checked our flights again (we are obsessive compulsive when it comes to the Southwest website - especially when so easy to access on the app on our phones!) and the points for our flights coming home had gone down drastically (just yesterday they were almost double!) and he was able to get some of our points back!!!! the equivalent of one flight (if points are low enough!!!) - so we are heading in the right direction for our summer trip!!!
As far as the MNSSHP, we are thinking we will just play it by ear - I REALLY want to go, but because it is such a short trip and the F&WF is going on - and not knowing how I will feel (been dealing with Lyme Disease), we don't want to commit to much, so we are going with the feeling that if it's meant to be, it will be available when we seek it! Kinda like the theme of this entire trip!
We did order the Photopass+ and am really crossing our fingers that it gets here in time - and again, have decided that if its meant to be - it will be, if not, we will use it next time! (we got an email today that it shipped )....................I am starting to feel as though my FIL is making things happen from above and making sure we once again get to our happy place and relax! I am sure he is looking down on Scott and realizing that he needs to take some time for himself (things have continued to be very difficult with his mom ).
So hopefully tomorrow - Scott and I can look over the park hours and decide if we really want to make any more ADR's - or just wing it - or most likely just eat our way around the F&WF - and we will probably look this over while we are at a Wine Festival near our home tomorrow ! Gees, I am realizing that we are probably starting to present ourselves as "winos"
Well, I really NEED to log off here - so that I can finish up the Photopass photos from my August trip!
__________________
Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
I hope you can use the old photopass site for your previous trips because the new site is giving me FITS! I hope they have things fixed before you're dealing with it for this trip!
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Now it would be a shame to break your streak if you've been three months in a row.... October is a great time to be in Florida, and November, and then I'm there in December.....
How great that you got some of your SW points back already!
Congrats on scoring that last minute TH ADR!! I agree, that is a perfect time. We did 10:40 last trip and got to sample lunch items as well , it was like 2 meals for the price of 1 Have a fabulous trip!!!
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
I hope you can use the old photopass site for your previous trips because the new site is giving me FITS! I hope they have things fixed before you're dealing with it for this trip!
It's been working okay for me - just REALLY BUMMED at the lack of borders! But I have to say that I really like that we are able to place the stickers where we want and make them bigger!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhToodles!
So happy for you too! Just wish it was a little later so we could meet, but oh well! Have a fabulous time and good luck planning!
Thanks! I know - one of these days our paths will cross!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Congrats on getting some points back and on snagging Tusker House!
Thanks! More points for future flights is always a good thing! And TH is our fav - so we are excited to have that at such short notice!
Quote:
Originally Posted by shazza
A Triple Treat! 3 trips in a row is great, now I think you need to fit another in before the end of the year
Wishing you and Scott a great getaway.
Ha! I so wish! How cool would that be to go every month?
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubfancolleen
Now it would be a shame to break your streak if you've been three months in a row.... October is a great time to be in Florida, and November, and then I'm there in December.....
How great that you got some of your SW points back already!
I know! It would be amazing if I could pull that off! Lol! And you know December is my birthday......if only they would offer the same DVC PAP rate as last year!
Quote:
Originally Posted by JKnott17
Congrats on scoring that last minute TH ADR!! I agree, that is a perfect time. We did 10:40 last trip and got to sample lunch items as well , it was like 2 meals for the price of 1 Have a fabulous trip!!!
Thanks! That is the best time for TH! We used to go first thing before park opened but then our favorite server Neil told us about the lunch switch and we tried it and love it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneydreamer33
Good luck with the planning!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
Glad you were able to get some points back, always nice to have something started for the next trip
Congrats on getting the ADR for Tusker House, think this trip was definitely meant to be.
Thnkas! Yes it is nice to know there are already points waiting! I am really starting to believe that this trip was meant to happen!
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMB733
Congrats on snagging the Tusker House ADR!!
Thanks!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
Congrats on getting a late breakfast at Tusker House!
Thanks!
__________________
Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Well Scott and I started our food and wine festivities today at a local harvest festival with some great friends! We discussed some of our plans or lack of......and have really come to the conclusion that if it is meant to be, it will be......
I will share an emotional part to this week........when we decided we would do this trip, I had been cleaning and started to go through a box of my FIL's items that were boxed up from the nursing home to finally wash them (although it appeared the home had already washed them) - and going through the items I came across a shirt (Disney) we had given my FIL and of course the tears just started flowing.....then I was dusting and picked up a photo to dust the frame and saw my fil's beautiful smile smiling at me.......I LOST it......sat on the floor sobbing (thank goodness no one else was home at the moment), I was missing him so much - as I do every day - then Scott came home a few moments later with a bag full of items from his mom with hats of his dads, and first one he pulls out of the bag.....a Disney one we got him........I honesty feel as though he is telling us to go to enjoy ourselves and find peace. I worry about Scott going back to where he had received that dreaded phone call that his dad had passed, and I expressed this concern to him today again - and he believes this will give him some closure.
Sorry to be so emotional but had to share with someone - and I am sure many of you here can relate, it is a pain I don't wish on anyone, I feel like a large piece of our family was torn away and it's is becoming real now.
__________________
Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
About This Page: 
And that is the coolest that you can say you've been to Disney for the last three months! 
I'd love to be able to say that... 
Sorry, had to a bit fresh there! I still can't believe it!! 
Thanks!
We still haven't decided about MNSSHP.
I so know what that feels like. 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
that we were able to get that in under a week!!! But it is our FAVORITE character meal - so we figured we would give it a shot! 
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
PassPorter Guide Author
, it was like 2 meals for the price of 1 
Liz 
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