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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Nice start to your PTR and looking forward to as you supply the intricate details of it! Enjoyed the details of the trip cast!
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
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.
Great descriptions of your cast of characters! Your photo also is fine size-wise.
Thanks Cam! I don't know if it's because I hadn't posted photos in a while but it really looked huge to me. But since it's within the guidelines, I decided to leave it as is.
Well, to answer that question - everyone and their momma.
Let me start by saying that to me, Disney is a special place and I usually like to plan my trips alone. This means that I don't really like any extended family with us. We've vacationed with both sides of the family and let's just say they don't get it. I'd much rather do Disney our way without having to look out for anyone. I usually maintain my trips a secret until much closer to departure day. Thus, avoiding the people who like to invite themselves.
On our 2014 trip my sil and her family went the exact same dates as us. But while we stayed on-site, she stayed off-site. In 12 days we only met up 3 times and only 1 of those times was at a park. And even though we did rides and stuff with them at the park, we stayed true to our original plans.
This time, it was no secret that we were returning to WDW. I knew my bil wanted to go with his little family. But I just brushed it off, as they've wanted to go for a long time but never could. Well, they're going and so are my inlaws. And you wanna hear the best part? I helped them book their flights and package. Oh yeah, and I convinced them that the most convenient way to do Disney was staying on-site.
So, introducing the 2nd part of the cast.
Eric (DH's brother), his wife Sara and their girls Nairoby (7) and Erika (5). They'll be staying at All Star Music. They have 5 day MYW tickets.
DH's parents, Benny and Naty. Also staying at All Star Music. They only have 2 day tickets. It was a miracle that they are coming (more on that later on).
They will be at Disney June 1 - 8. So we still get some quality family time just the 5 of us, towards the end of our trip. What's surprised me the most is that I'm actually happy they're coming along. It'll be my nieces' 1st time visiting and it'll be the first time I'll get to tour the parks with little girls. I see lots of princess interaction in my future. Finally!!
My sil will also be in the Orlando area but she'll be doing other things. She doesn't really like Disney that much. For her and her family, it's a "been there, done that" kind of thing. They'll be joining us at Animal Kingdom sometime during our trip.
We won't be spending all of our park time with them though, as we have park hoppers and they don't. But, I'll be forwarding my itinerary to Sara so she can plan their park days. I'll either spend the mornings or afternoons/evenings with them. Arben and I have been clear that we'll stick to our original plans.
I think this will be a great trip. Vacations are what you make of them. If you think you're going to have a bad time, that's exactly what you'll get. But, if you go with a positive attitude, things will turn out so much better.
I was so excited when I logged on and saw you started a PTR! I hear you on traveling with family. It can be a pain when they "don't get it". The main reason we travel so well with my sister and her family to Disney is that they are Disney people, too!
That is some big cast on the trip and hope it all works out with so many involved!
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!