A Maria and Ben “Mousefest” TR: The Greatest Gift of All Update Finished 5/3 - Page 20 - 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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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.
Since I was reading this all in one shot I actually opened a word doc so I could type as I go. So here is my random list of comments and love:
First of all… we so need to scheme and get the Princess 5k plans in order since we are so alike you make me smile! Lol!
I read through this while at a grad class and I literally laughed out loud at Ben’s big boy crush on the Kwanza lady. Your 2 years ago Christmas pics were fab! We didn’t get to see the Epcot festivities when we were there in January 2006.
Your “3 things” about Hess almost made me spit out my water (yes I am still at my grad class)
I love this quote and need to hear one of these stories asap…. Lol… “A Molly and Joey story is like well choreographed dance….and these stories will make you gasp aloud, laugh out loud and possibly pee your pants”
Okay so Grand Floridian tea—I NEEEEEEED to do this. If our flight times don’t work out in October, this is a must must must if I can work in a March weekend at the World! I will even pay for you, I swear!!! Lol! Your hats rocked my socks, btw!
You abbreviated Monsters Inc Laugh Floor as MILF—which made me re-read the entire thing twice. Haha!!! I was thinking of the American Pie meaning of MILF…. How am I the first one to acknowledge this?
The windy pic of you outside AK with the Dunkin coffee is too awesome for words. I can literally feel the wind/caffeine need.
I love love love the Poly cameo! Yay! Can’t wait to go there for the first time eva! And I am with you—I ADORE the pics you took of the Chef Mickey’s tree! Too cute! I also love the gingerbread tree. I think we missed too much Christmas stuff coming in January. Gonna have to work another xmas trip in one of these days! Lol!
This comment was soooo very Rob & Mel “I was so proud of him b/c he didn’t even complain that it was served on a whole wheat bun…oh wait yea he did.” ROFL!!!
In conclusion, you did an amazing job of braving and conquering crowds and getting to see so much Christmas Disney Magic! Thanks so much Maria, Ben, Molly, and Joey (and all the other Passporter cameos)!!! Excellent TR!
And its summer hot in NY and your winter pics cooled me down!
And your blurry pic outside Beaches and Cream is awesome and hilarious and perfect.
Thanks for reading! I think the princess 5K would be a blast...and we must must must do tea...its the best.
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.
the new hat your wore to brunch ~ heck I all your hats ! Isn't OKW the BEST!! I must agree that Christmas at WDW is great & at Halloween & when it's just the girls & Matt)....Thanks for sharing another awesome Ben & Ria TR!!
PS You MUST do a trip for F&WF!! That way I can feel as if I am not missing out on all the fun completely!
We really enjoyed the Gospel Brunch at House of Blues; glad you did, too! The second meet at DHS for the Osborne Lights looks like a blast! all the resort decorations, too.
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 updates and wonderful finish Maria! You bought back great memories of the Osborne Lights meet. I'm so glad you came back to finish this report off.
I would like to thank the New Orleans Saints for beating the Falcons…making it well worth it to be cooped up in a room all day Sunday watching the game
Great wrap up Maria.
Loved your hat for brunch.
I have got to see the Osbourne Lights. Hopefully this will be my year!
I was so happy the Saints won the superbowl! It was awesome.
Can't wait for your next trip.
Brunch at House of Blues looks really My husband would love that!
Thanks for sharing all the Christmas tree and ornament photos. I too just LOVE WDW at Christmastime!
The passporter meet looked like alot of fun too!
Can't wait to hear all about your Food and Wine festival adventures. I'm sad to be missing fall in WDW this year. But excited to be there for Christmastime!
Yay! I thought you'd given up on your TR. I'm so happy to see you come back and finish it. Sorry school was rough for you this semester, but it's over now, right! I know a lot of people said it was crazy that night at the OL, but after seeing your pics... wow! And I hear you about the stupid parking situation at the GF. Nonsense! The Gospel Brunch looks like fun (and love the hat - work it, girl! ) Sounds like you had a great trip. I hope to see you during F&WF again!
__________________
Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
the new hat your wore to brunch ~ heck I 
! Isn't OKW the BEST!! I must agree that Christmas at WDW is great & at Halloween & when it's just the girls & Matt)....Thanks for sharing another awesome Ben & Ria TR!! 
PassPorter Guide Author
You bought back great memories of the Osborne Lights meet. 
Susan
Liz 
My husband would love that! 
*Ginger*
The Gospel Brunch looks like fun (and love the hat - work it, girl! 
Linear Mode
