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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
Next Saturday will be my FP+ day. AND I'll be away that day. So I'm going to have to try this from my phone at a hotel. Hope this works!
Here's what I'm thinking (any suggestions/feedback are appreciated keeping in mind that we are NOT big thrill ride people):
Arrival Day, Saturday: DHS: We don't arrive in the park until late morning/early afternoon so I'm trying for: Toy Story Midway Mania, Star Tours, and ???? Possible to do: Great Movie Ride, Muppet 3 D. Do Star Wars character meet and greets. Hubby can do single rider Rock N Roller coaster if he wants Head back to hotel late afternoon (or when text has been received that room is ready).
Sunday (Father's Day): AK: Fast Passes Dinosaur, Finding Nemo the Musical (We have never seen), Kali River Rapids (to be done mid-day or early afternoon). Wander the park. Hubby to do Expedition Everest solo. It’s Tough to Be A Bug, Maharaja Jungle Trek, Kilimanjaro Safari. Afternoon/evening is hubby's choice, but will probably be MK
Monday: Epcot (Breakfast at GG). FP for Soarin (if open; under going refurb but should be open in June; if not try Fast Passes for Test Track), Spaceship Earth and if possible (1) for hubby for Mission Space and (2) Character Spot for me & the kid.
The rest of my FPs I can't do yet because they are part of our "other" reservation (split stay...we will be moving to the Poly that morning. I was going to bus it to MK and then monorail it to Poly, but a friend said it would only be a $10 cab ride and would be worth it time wise. Thoughts????)
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.
Looks like fun! I have a DH who will be utilizing the Single Rider Line in some cases, as well.... Once upon a time, I was a Tower of Terror kind of gal. Now I'm more of a Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
They look good - my only question would be for AK...is Kali a faster loading line than the safari? If so I would consider switching to FP for Safari. I'm not sure bc when we visit it is usually too cold for Kali.
And I too am a winnie the Pooh Adventure rider over TOT & RnR.
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.
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.
We too are doing a split stay for my birthday celebrating the same mileage on my car.��
We are staying POR for 6 nights then AKL concierge 6.
Were you able to do all the FP's for the 1st portion of your trip at once? I'm trying to figure out if I need to be up at 5am 12 days on the trot!
We too are doing a split stay for my birthday celebrating the same mileage on my car.��
We are staying POR for 6 nights then AKL concierge 6.
Were you able to do all the FP's for the 1st portion of your trip at once? I'm trying to figure out if I need to be up at 5am 12 days on the trot!
I'll let you know on Saturday...I've never done this before!!!
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.
Ok, so I made a big mistake (or maybe I just need to read things better...old age...old eyes), the FPs could be made on the 19th, not the 16th. Which was sort of a relief as the hotel we were at for the convention had TERRIBLE cell reception.
That being said, after a long weekend with little sleep, getting up at midnight on Tuesday (after a long Monday with a frustrating evening meeting) was not something I was looking forward to. It had been recommended to me that I NOT try at midnight, but try early morning, so I set my alarm for 3:40 vs 4:40 (which is when I usually get up).
Went to bed around 10 (usually I'm in bed earlier since I get up so early). My eyes SNAPPED open at 11:58. I tried to go back to sleep, but after 5 minutes got out of bed and hit the computer.
Doing FP+ was pretty easy (even for someone who hasn't had enough sleep). My only problem was I kept trying to make FPs within the same time window. (i.e. if I booked a FP at attraction A for 11 AM, I would try to book a FP attraction for attraction B at 11:40 and you can't do that.) I was also tired, so I kept forgetting what hour I'd already booked. (Silly I know.) But here's what I came up with:
Day 1: (The day we fly in...which is going to be a LONG day since our flight leaves at 6 AM, meaning we'll leave for the airport a little after 4). DHS: ast Passes: Toy Story Midway Mania, (2:30) Star Tours, (1:30) Voyage of the little mermaid (12:50) Possible to do: Great Movie Ride, Muppet 3 D. Do Star Wars character meet and greets.
Day 2: Fast Passes Dinosaur (9:05), Finding Nemo the Musical (11;50), Kilamanjaro Safari (10:05). Wander the park. Do Primeval Whirl alone? ( or with Jimmy?) Hubby to do Expedition Everest solo? It’s Tough to Be A Bug, Maharaja Jungle Trek, . Lunch table service either at Animal Kingdom or Back at Old Port Royale Food Court.
Day 3: Meet & Greet Disney Pals (10), Test Track (11), Spaceship Earth (1:50) Other attractions: Soarin’(immediately following breakfast...since it will now be open. Hoping to slip in since our breakfast is before 9), Living with the Land , Journey Into Imagination, Pixar SHorts Universe of Energy. Midday break whenever necessary. Lunch or snack either in Epcot or at Old Port Royal Food Court.
Day 4: (This is moving day to the Poly. I think I have been sold on taking a cab from CBR to Poly. Any one have experience with this? I was going to bus and then monorail it, but it might be better to just keep it simple) Fast Passes 7 Dwarves Mine Train(9:20-10:20), Big Thunder (10:30) Splash Mountain (11:35). Boys do lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern (12:30); I do solo lunch??? Other attractions to try at Magic Kingdom: Haunted Mansion, Hall of Presidents, Stitch’s Great Escape, Monster Laugh Floor, TTA
Day 5: Head to Disney Hollywood Studios. Do Great Movie ride first? thing? Fast Passes for Toy Story Midway Mania (11:55) Star Tours (10) Muppet Vision (9). Other options: Rock N roller coaster (will Jimmy want to try???). Do Star Wars Land (whatever is open). Character meet and greets, Take in atmosphere
Day 6: No real plans for the day. Epcot in the evening. Have FPs for Turtle Talk with Crush (6:05), Mission Space (7:10) and Illuminations. If need be could skip and head to AK for evening activities. (I don't have an evening at AK planned and we need to). I would give up the evening at Epcot since we have other times scheduled there.
Day 7: Magic Kingdom. FP for Haunted Mansion (10;45), Buzz Lightyear (12:00) and HM (1:50) Late afternoon lunch at the Plaza (1:30) Mid-Day break . No evening plans, but it as a late night at DHS so maybe this would be the night for the fireworks there.
Day 8: Homeward bound. Only good thing is that friends of our from MD are arriving that day so we have breakfast plans at Kona together. Will be the first time we have seen them since Jimmy was in a stroller!
Whole FP process (I was able to link both ressies and do all of the FPs at one time) took less than a hour. So I reset my alarm and went back to bed. Too bad I couldn't fall asleep until after 2. Getting up at 4:40 wasn't easy!
I also pre-checked in to the CBR later that day. Asked for a corner room with a water view. I don't really care which building. (And I can honestly live without the water view, although it would be nice.)
Vacation is starting to seem like it might be real after all!!!
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.
Signing on Congratulations on your trip after having a few rough years. Sounds like it's going to be a magical birthday celebration! Your Fast Pass plans look great along with your dining reservations.
Getting closer and I'm (finally) getting more excited. Yes, I'm already thinking about what to pack.
I'm also thinking that maybe I should take the Friday before off. It's the last day of school (1/2 day) and we usually meet James outside of school and take him to lunch on the last day. (Of course in the past this was elementary school and easy to get him...this may be more difficult now that he is a middle school student. I still think 5th Grade is too young to be considered middle school, but it's what the town does so...) This would also mean that I could just pack everything that day instead of pre-planning (which might work to my advantage....I think I really overplan too early, but I just can't control myself! I swear!!!). It would also give me a chance to pre-pack for the day after we get back...you won't believe it (and I planned it), but we get home on Saturday night and then on Sunday afternoon we will be driving James to sleep away camp (it's a week long thing). So although most of his clothes will be going with us to WDW, I could spend that Friday pre-packing for camp the stuff that he won't need for WDW (like towels, pillows, his sleeping bag, jeans, etc.) Decisions, decisions...
About This Page: 
Hope this works!
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Once upon a time, I was a Tower of Terror kind of gal. Now I'm more of a Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. 
Congratulations on your trip after having a few rough years. Sounds like it's going to be a magical birthday celebration! Your Fast Pass plans look great along with your dining reservations.
Linear Mode
