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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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A wonderful afternoon! My favorite thing about the Pantheon is the way it's nestled into modern Rome. Such a surprise when you turn the corner and see it. And it is amazing that it's survived both World Wars and modern pollution! The interior marble and the structure of the dome is amazing. What I don't like are all the more modern additions and reconstructions... the upper level is 18th century and the sculptures cover a range from medieval to 19th century. The conversion to a Christian church is what saved it from being pillaged, though, so I guess we should be grateful for all the changes.
I must get to Rome one of these days! LOVE your pictures. The Pantheon looks amazing! And it is mind-blowing to think of the differences in technology today versus then, and then remember that was built almost 2000 years ago!
So, the shopping area - did you get all your souvenirs there!? Looks like JUST the kind of place I'd shop in! I'm wearing Versace right now, sitting in this 102 degree heat.....NOT! But I'm sure you have lots of people who would have been happy with a pair of Ferragamo's!(don't even know that I spelled that right)
Looking forward to your next destination - especially since I think that might have been where you made your homemade pasta, right?
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Originally Posted by ilovedisney247
Great photos Sha! I keep having "I've been there" moments as I'm reading your report! It is truly great to relive my trip to Rome.
I am right there with Heather - as I see everything I say "I remember that" - although you had so much more time than I did - and I seems like some of the lower levels (closer to the "floor") of the Colosseum are now open - we were not allowed to go down there in 2007.
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Posts: 31,940
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Ok - the "Gawd, I must go back to Roma" feeling has GROWN so much during this report. I didn't get to see the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, The Panethon.... and on and on and on.... ok - so - when to budget for this????
LOVE the updates, Sharon! Just wow! Great photos all around, but I have to say, your photos are even better than the photopass ones! The only thing they really have over yours is that you are IN many of them!
Loved the CD photos...YEAH for it finally finding its way to you
Lunch looked delicious, what a great variety and that salad looked yummy too. The pictures of the Pantheon are amazing, I loved the first shot as you see the neighboring buildings and then right in the middle is this building 1900 years old...I still cannot get over it and inside looked even mre amazing - to realize what people have done to preserve it. What a great ending to the tour of the day, your gelateo choice sounds wonderful.
Great updates and so happy to hear that your CD finally arrived. I love the pictures... thanks for posting them for us to see right away. That Pizza lloked good. Was it like you get in NY? how does it compare Also I have a question?
Is that can say Coca-Cola Light? yeah I know of the all the photos and historic sites and wonders.. I focus on this
The pictures are all so beauitful, What a memorable trip this must be. I can't wait to read more....
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The inside of the Pantheon is amazing. I can't believe that was done sooo many years ago. No words, just wow! Lunch.... mmmm..... I could eat pizza every single day, and that looked mouthwateringly good!!
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I am right there with Heather - as I see everything I say "I remember that" - although you had so much more time than I did - and I seems like some of the lower levels (closer to the "floor") of the Colosseum are now open - we were not allowed to go down there in 2007.
I find the history of Rome fascinating.
I could eat pizza every single day, and that looked mouthwateringly good!!
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