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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Great video I like hearing voices too - it paints more of a picture for me when I read! Someone made a comment about being chopped liver when Eileen ran up to a fellow PPer - was that Karen feeling left out by your reaction again Eileen?
__________________
Stacey
Why do these kids look so pathetic?
Find out in: A New Grade, A New House, and A Surprise!Final Thoughts 01/30
Someone made a comment about being chopped liver when Eileen ran up to a fellow PPer - was that Karen feeling left out by your reaction again Eileen?
Like a dog with a tasty bone, Karen just can't LET IT GO! Sheesh...
I was just super duper excited to see people and would let out the occasional whoop.
Eileen
PS - in Jill's defense, she is teaching Mary Devall a valuable lesson about "misdirection and omission." She tells her she's going to see Miss Eileen, but never tells her WHERE!
Thanks so much for the link to the Yak Attack video. Very cool to put some movement and sound to the otherwise still pictures of all of you characters!! It's like the 'fly-on-the-wall' vantage point!
Tried to play the Yak Attack Experience. It locked up at 1:24 into the play. Must be something with my computer. Thought I would go direct to You Tube but could not find it there. Oh well, what I saw was interesting. This report is really toooo cool.
Tried to play the Yak Attack Experience. It locked up at 1:24 into the play. Must be something with my computer. Thought I would go direct to You Tube but could not find it there. Oh well, what I saw was interesting. This report is really toooo cool.
I think it may be a loading thing. I have had this happen on other YouTube videos. I tried it just now and had no problem.
Like a dog with a tasty bone, Karen just can't LET IT GO! Sheesh...
I was just super duper excited to see people and would let out the occasional whoop.
Actually, I think that was Heather just vocalizing my sadness about being moved down to 5th best hello greeting. That girl is my soul sister (especially as she's proudly double fisting in the beginning.) I was probably nose deep in my cocktail trying to make the bitter, bitter pill of my own sad greeting from Eileen go down a little easier.
I'm the annoying one talking all about the challenge for the next day. But I LOVE it that Shashi is in there defending herself against the accusation that she might have had to go to the bathroom ONE TIME. So indignant! It was A ROCK IN HER SHOE PEOPLE! And right around 3:26 you can see how much I love the prospect of people having video evidence to use against me (in a court of law or elsewhere.)
Seriously, Larry, I loved that meet and I loved that you've memorialized it here! Thanks a million to both you & Bob (see what I did there ! )
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Karen, aka Zack's Mom - Lover of all Things Disney and the San Francisco Giants!
Tried to play the Yak Attack Experience. It locked up at 1:24 into the play. Must be something with my computer. Thought I would go direct to You Tube but could not find it there. Oh well, what I saw was interesting. This report is really toooo cool.
Not that I should be pointing the way to my bad hair extravaganza , but I had the same problem but was able to find the video direct on Youtube by typing in Sousefest '09 in the search window. Then, I got to the Yak Attack video by clicking on Larry's user name. Hope that helps!
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Karen, aka Zack's Mom - Lover of all Things Disney and the San Francisco Giants!
I love this picture! Heather looks like she's leading a marching band!
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Um . . . what is wrong with my face? I look like I've been in a bar fight!
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If you ever get the opportunity to meet these gents, give 'em a big hug for me. They're exactly the kind of people I like to be with in The World -- so kind, so thoughtful, so full of joy.
You nailed it, Eileen! Those two are KEEPERS!!!
Quote:
Unfortunately, the only picture I got was of Rachel Ray -- um... I mean Shashi and her ponytail. (Derned RalphTheDog. Now he's got *me* doing it.)
I read that entire RalphTheDog thing upon returning home and am thinking I shouldn't leave my children at home with Thom the next time.
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(I know that there are pictures of me on this ride, 'cause my "friends" took great delight in showing them to me later. )
Okay, when I last left you, Eileen and I had just wrapped up ride #47 as part of our challenge . . . wait . . . that’s not right. Actually, we had just vacated our second bench of the day and had given up following the questors for a bit (or rather they had left us in the dust ).
Eileen and I headed into Fantasy Land to scare up a little trouble - - or find a bench - - whatever came first. The standby line for PP was way too long, so no laughing at Jill today for bumping her head on a sail. Instead . . . shock! . . . surprise! . . . Eileen suggested that we take a quick trip on IaSW! We were soon in our boat chatting away - - I guess this could actually be considered our 3rd bench of the day.
Now I love Mary Devall with all of my heart, but I have to say what a pleasure it is to ride this ride without someone pointing out to me every few seconds what child they are or asking me which child I think they are. Maybe that’s why I actually heard it for the first time . . . as our boat made its way through the UK, I heard a sound like no other and immediately turned to Eileen who had obviously heard the same thing. Yes, it was true. The UK bagpiper (just like his White room counterpart) was out of tune and I had actually heard it. After years of bagpiper ridicule, Eileen had been vindicated (well, at least as far as my word will take you ).
Word came down that we should next meet the questors at HM which was oh so convenient for us! And just to put icing on the cake, what do we see as we turn the corner? Yes, two empty rocking chairs just waiting for us! We quickly claimed the rockers, put our feet up on the railing in front of us and relaxed after our invigorating walk from IaSW.
Pretty soon we spotted not only the questors but an entire possey. These girls had them some fans! As soon as they spotted us, I distinctly remember seeing some sneers on the faces of the questors. Apparently they did not find our choice seats as amusing as we did.
We quickly vacated our seats, however, because we knew there was no way these ladies were waiting on us! We caught up with the group and were soon in the stretching room. Once those doors opened, the questors and Eileen were out like a shot. Bob, Larry and I brought up the rear - - they had quickly adopted my “mosey”ing ways although Eileen seemed to have forgotten them. I almost gasped out loud when I saw her about to load into a doom buggy with Karen when I had just left the stretching room. Geez . . . would I ever see her again?
Bob and I rode together, but no need to worry about Larry because he picked up a most interesting looking riding companion near the end of the ride. Once out, we found Eileen loitering in the corridors and discovered that she had to do some quick moving to avoid being pushed out of the doom buggy by Karen. The questors were off again.
Next up, the decision was made to see the HoP. We had a bit of time to blow before the next show, so we spent it browsing in the Christmas shop and ended up having a delightful conversation with a CM about Eileen’s “Kdubs” button.
After watching the “Obama”ized version of HoP (during which I spent lots of time watching the Presidents interact with each other which is SO ), we headed over to the Pirate Tutorial to meet the questors. I had never seen this show and it was really cute, but I had just as much fun watching the parents trying to either (a) get their children selected for their show or (b) get their children amped up for the show once selected.
Once the show was over, we waved to the ladies once again and decided to head into Adventure Land where we met up with the tiaras. We discovered that Joanie had never been on SM before, so Eileen, Bob and I volunteered to go with her. It was a bit chilly that day, but I wouldn’t have missed that ride for the world. Our biggest soaking had nothing at all to do with the big drop . . . we were wet way before then. Actually Bob took the brunt of the big wave, but it was hours before I dried out!
It was late afternoon by this time and we were all starving, but we had FP’s for BTMRR. Since Eileen rode in front of us, I just had to capture her moment of glory!
And Tonja and Louise behind me!
After our ride, we caught the train back to the front of the park and then headed out. While Joanie performed a miracle and purchased tickets for the “sold out” MVMCP event that night , the rest of us waited near the gates and laughed enough to get the attention of a security guard.
Upon Joanie’s triumphant return, we hopped the monorail and then hotfooted it to the Contempo Café for a late lunch.
Jill
__________________
Sometimes words aren't needed . . .
Last edited by Jillybean; 01-11-2010 at 02:42 PM..
Wonderful updates! Larry, I loved the video. Great times! Warmer weather and sun would've made it pure perfection but all the laughs made up for it.
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šOš ~*~
Oct '99: CSR ~ May '02: CR ~ Nov '04: SOG ~ May '06: SOG ~ Dec '07: Solo @ Pop ~ May '08: Pop w/friends ~ Oct '08: SOG ~ Dec '09: Pop w/LeAnn ~ Sept '10: Solo @ Pop ~ Spring '11: AKL ~ Jan '12: Pop for 1/2 Marathon ~ Sept '12: 1st trip for DL 1/2 Marathon? ~ Feb '13: Pop w/pals? ~ Mar '13: Tokyo Disney w/PP's?
Great input Jill! I'm still amazed at Joanie's score of the day. Lucky duck!
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Tanya
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I like hearing voices too - it paints more of a picture for me when I read! Someone made a comment about being chopped liver when Eileen ran up to a fellow PPer - was that Karen feeling left out by your reaction again Eileen? 
, but I had the same problem but was able to find the video direct on Youtube by typing in Sousefest '09 in the search window. Then, I got to the Yak Attack video by clicking on Larry's user name. Hope that helps!
)
. . . that’s not right.
Yes, it was true. 
I almost gasped out loud when I saw her about to load into a doom buggy with Karen when I had just left the stretching room. Geez . . . would I ever see her again? 
), we headed over to the Pirate Tutorial to meet the questors. I had never seen this show and it was really cute, but I had just as much fun watching the parents trying to either (a) get their children selected for their show or (b) get their children amped up for the show once selected. 
to the ladies once again and decided to head into Adventure Land where we met up with the tiaras. 
We discovered that Joanie had never been on SM before, so Eileen, Bob and I volunteered to go with her. It was a bit chilly that day, but I wouldn’t have missed that ride for the world. 
Our biggest soaking had nothing at all to do with the big drop . . . we were wet way before then. Actually Bob took the brunt of the big wave, but it was hours before I dried out! 
, the rest of us waited near the gates and laughed enough to get the attention of a security guard. 
Great times! Warmer weather and sun would've made it pure perfection but all the laughs made up for it.
šOš ~*~ 
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